gstraw Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 Hey I watched a video of Chris Harris review of the 370z and it didn't seem great. Just wondering if anyone can relate to what he is saying and if people have taken any steps to resolve some of the issues? I for one would like to get lowering springs on whatever zed I get. Maybe a short shifter too and brass gear bushes to improve the shift Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richf Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 It's a GT car at the end of the day , but in comparison I drove a gt86 and was unimpressed , you need to spank it to get it to go and even then they are pretty slow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sipar69 Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 (edited) I read and watched pretty much every review I could find of the 370 before buying one. I'd say a good 90% were very positive so I wouldn't be put off by the odd negative review. Reviews of the Nismo haven't been glowing but that's not on my mind when I'm enjoying every second of being in the car and just looking at it with a smile on my face. Here's a v positive review of the 370. http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IyH5ZyuVWbk&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DIyH5ZyuVWbk Edited February 12, 2014 by sipar69 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gstraw Posted February 12, 2014 Author Share Posted February 12, 2014 Cool. Just that I was initially thinking cayman s and decided it would age me and thought a 370 for a few years would serve me well. Also a cayman is like 8-9k more expensive and that's out of my reach. I bought my celica without even test driving it and I love it so much. I modified parts which were maybe lacking and would be willing to do the same with the 370z. In comparison to the celica the 370z did feel extremely heavy! Not sure what I can do about that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus01 Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 Reviews are just one mans perspective without parting with his own hard earned. It doesn't matter what Chris Harris thinks of my car but it does matter what I think of my car. Go and drive a few and see if it suits you. The first 370 I drove was not enjoyable but after looking at and driving 5 cars I have bought one and have no regrets. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJRFulton Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 (edited) Chris Harris is known for a bit of Porsche bias. Tbh, the Z is a bit vulgar, not completely refined, and well is Japanese. Harris seems to like precise, well engineered things... The Z isn't his type of car. Clarkson, possibly the world's best know car journalist, hates Porsches, but it doesn't stop Porsche being the best selling sports cars, and having a reputation for being quality. I don't know why the GT96 gets compared to the Z. It's a different class of car, comparable to the MX5 and maybe even the Elise. Edited February 12, 2014 by AJRFulton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arran Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 You wont please everyone but who cares in all honesty, if you like something have it **** em all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suits Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 The only thing I didn't agree with CH about 370Z in his review was the seating position, I think it's rather good, apart from the massive A pillars and wing mirrors. Other than that, I probably agree on most of his thoughts. That said, drive the 370Z back to back with a Caymen S and a GT86 was always going to highlight certain factors like weight and handling. I still bought a 370Z though because I wanted one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GIXXERUK Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 Firstly just let me say I like the Chris Harris reviews they are usually informative and entertaining. He says the car is good up until you push it beyond 8/10's which is probably fair enough in my opinion, when you push the 370 too far it can get lairy but 99% of the time you will not drive it beyond 8/10 and if you were going to then you would make modifications to improve the last 2/10th's e.g suspension, brakes etc If the car was to drive better in the final 2/10th it would not be what it is made to be i.e. a brilliant gt cruiser that eats the miles up and you can enjoy driving 200+ miles in rather than it being a chore, it's a very comfortable car around town or on the motorway, as with any car when pushing it you need to realise it's limits If it drove better on the limit then the rest would suffer, comfort and usability and would become a car that is great for a blat but you wouldn't want to go a great distance in it Chris is well known on the Porsche forums and definitely is biased towards them, he doesn't mention the cost of ownership would be much higher and the fact that earleir caymans are known to suffer bore scoring, ims failure etc etc yes they are great cars and handle superbly but if he is going to be brutally honest then be brutal about them all I watched this before I bought my 370 aswell as all the other reviews, as said most are positive and I made my own mind up after many test drives, I dont drive like he is on the test (most of the time) Whats the best car ? the car that suits you're needs and budget Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GIXXERUK Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 The only thing I didn't agree with CH about 370Z in his review was the seating position in the vid he appears to be sitting very high ! Its as if he hasn't dropped the seat base angle down ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suits Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 in the vid he appears to be sitting very high ! Its as if he hasn't dropped the seat base angle down ?? He is pretty short though, so maybe he had to have it that high to be able to see the nose of the car, that was my thoughts anyway. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sipar69 Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 (edited) in the vid he appears to be sitting very high ! Its as if he hasn't dropped the seat base angle down ?? He is pretty short though, so maybe he had to have it that high to be able to see the nose of the car, that was my thoughts anyway. I'm a bit of a shorty so being able to raise myself up using the seat is very welcome Edited February 12, 2014 by sipar69 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suits Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 Are the seats the same in the Nismo as the standard car ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetpilot Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 (edited) I will echo a lot of the other comments, i think his reviews are good, he comes across as a petrolhead and we can relate to how he drives, but he is a massive Porsche fan boy, no problem with that by the way each to their own, but he is very biased towards them. If driving was as you saw in the review you probably would have a gt86 or cayman but in reality when do we ever get to drive like that and if you do on a regular basis, your either very fortunate to have the roads you can do that on or your taking risks, not a good idea. There is a time and place and invariable these days its not on the road. Lets get another scenario going here, your out for a drive, a vast majority of that time you will encounter traffic you want to get pass, 110lb of torque and 200 ish bhp is going to get you nowhere fast, now which car would he prefer to be driving, a gutless fine handling chassis gt86 or something which can you make headway in, safe in the knowledge that you probably wont get anywhere near its failings on the roads in general. Plus he is a very talented driver, most of us wouldnt get near finding the last few 10ths! I also think its totally unrealistic putting a Cayman S that was what, £40k+ plus new, against something much much cheaper, its only cause of all the other pistonhead porsche lovers making comments who think they are the pinnacle of motoring, at any given chance on there, someone always says, ah yeah, but you can get a Porsche "whatever" for £"x" or thats Posrche "whatever" money! Edited February 12, 2014 by Jetpilot 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sipar69 Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 Are the seats the same in the Nismo as the standard car ?? Pretty much, but not leather. They're probably my least favourite aspect of the car - I'm a bit of a clean freak and I always keep the inside of my car as clean and tidy as possible - the Nismo seats seem to attract hair, dust etc like magnets. I much preferred the leather seats in my previous 370Zs. I also really like the seats in the Nismo GTR - now they are nice! https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=nismo+gtr&safe=off&espv=210&es_sm=122&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=-m_7UvjyF8uUhQfd7oCYDA&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=628&bih=332#q=nismo+gtr+seats&safe=off&tbm=isch&facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=ppgk5YoNl82evM%253A%3BbFshwlt_frdpUM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.speedhunters.com%252Fwp-content%252Fuploads%252F2013%252F12%252FNismo-GTR-16-1200x800.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.speedhunters.com%252F2013%252F12%252Fnismo-gt-r%252F%3B1200%3B800 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docwra Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 If driving was as you saw in the review you probably would have a gt86 or cayman but in reality when do we ever get to drive like that and if you do on a regular basis, your either very fortunate to have the roads you can do that on or your taking risks, not a good idea. There is a time and place and invariable these days its not on the road. So why dont you buy a comfortable, economical and practical saloon and be done with it then? You may disagree but the point of 2 seat sportscars is to give a sporty and involving drive, this is something that the Cayman and GT86 both do better than a 370, the Cayman can do continents just as easily as well. And theres no denying that the Cayman and GT86 are direct competition for the 370 - the Cayman is £2K more than the Nismo 370, the GT86 is £2K less than the "normal" 370 and they are both impractical, driving focused vehicles, you cant say they arent competition because they do stuff better. The Zed might be absolutely perfect for what you want, but for an "average" buyer you will probably find that the 86 and Cayman are better received, hence Harris's review findings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetpilot Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 If driving was as you saw in the review you probably would have a gt86 or cayman but in reality when do we ever get to drive like that and if you do on a regular basis, your either very fortunate to have the roads you can do that on or your taking risks, not a good idea. There is a time and place and invariable these days its not on the road. So why dont you buy a comfortable, economical and practical saloon and be done with it then? You may disagree but the point of 2 seat sportscars is to give a sporty and involving drive, this is something that the Cayman and GT86 both do better than a 370, the Cayman can do continents just as easily as well. And theres no denying that the Cayman and GT86 are direct competition for the 370 - the Cayman is £2K more than the Nismo 370, the GT86 is £2K less than the "normal" 370 and they are both impractical, driving focused vehicles, you cant say they arent competition because they do stuff better. The Zed might be absolutely perfect for what you want, but for an "average" buyer you will probably find that the 86 and Cayman are better received, hence Harris's review findings. If driving was as you saw in the review you probably would have a gt86 or cayman but in reality when do we ever get to drive like that and if you do on a regular basis, your either very fortunate to have the roads you can do that on or your taking risks, not a good idea. There is a time and place and invariable these days its not on the road. So why dont you buy a comfortable, economical and practical saloon and be done with it then? You may disagree but the point of 2 seat sportscars is to give a sporty and involving drive, this is something that the Cayman and GT86 both do better than a 370, the Cayman can do continents just as easily as well. And theres no denying that the Cayman and GT86 are direct competition for the 370 - the Cayman is £2K more than the Nismo 370, the GT86 is £2K less than the "normal" 370 and they are both impractical, driving focused vehicles, you cant say they arent competition because they do stuff better. The Zed might be absolutely perfect for what you want, but for an "average" buyer you will probably find that the 86 and Cayman are better received, hence Harris's review findings. I didnt suggest they werent better or a more sporty or involving drive, i just suggested (reading between the lines) the Zed is perhaps a happy medium between between sporty and involving and real time road driving and in reality if i wanted an all out 2 seater sports car for an "involving and sporty drive" i would not have a zed, cayman or gt86 As with the Astra thread, there are better cars than the both Zeds, there is no denying it, but it doesnt mean because there are better at a particular trait its the only car to choose Also he wasnt testing against a Nismo 370z so whether its £2k less than a base unspecced Cayman is neither here nor there! All depends on what priority which boxes are the most important to tick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 A used Cayman is a better drive than a new 370Z. That's just the way it is, same as a GT-R is quicker than a 911 Turbo. Depends on what you want from the car, and if you want something that cruises well but looks a bit different then the 370Z is where you go. If you want the better car and don't give a hoot that a billion other people have them and they all look the same then you get the Cayman. It would be very unfair to pit the Nismo against a base Cayman. They're not even in the same league, dynamically speaking. Then to be fair, the Cayman is that good that there's not much out there from any manufacturer that competes until you're in silly money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sipar69 Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 (edited) A used Cayman is a better drive than a new 370Z. That's just the way it is, same as a GT-R is quicker than a 911 Turbo. Depends on what you want from the car, and if you want something that cruises well but looks a bit different then the 370Z is where you go. If you want the better car and don't give a hoot that a billion other people have them and they all look the same then you get the Cayman. It would be very unfair to pit the Nismo against a base Cayman. They're not even in the same league, dynamically speaking. Then to be fair, the Cayman is that good that there's not much out there from any manufacturer that competes until you're in silly money. I'll take my Nismo over the base Cayman that lives down our road any day. The latter does absolutely nothing for me in the looks department and has much less presence and character in my eyes. I can't comment on the drive since I've not tried the Cayman but my understanding is that the Nismo is quicker off the line (not that it really matters) and I'd urge you to have a drive in one. That's not meant to be a criticism of your comments by the way, which seem entirely reasonable, I'd just be interested to hear how you found the Nismo if you had a go in one, since I was quite pleasantly surprised at how much difference I noticed from the previous Zs I've driven. It's a much sharper handling car in my view, although still heavy and noisy - I'm used to that by now! Edited February 12, 2014 by sipar69 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetpilot Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 I'll take my Nismo over the base Cayman that lives down our road any day. The latter does absolutely nothing for me in the looks department and has much less presence and character in my eyes. This subject genuinely interests me as i am in exactly the same camp as you, i have absolutely no doubt the Cayman is the better car, infact any Porsche i have been in and or driven is a great drive, but they do absolutely nothing for me, curious as to why as even i have no idea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GIXXERUK Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 I'll take my Nismo over the base Cayman that lives down our road any day. The latter does absolutely nothing for me in the looks department and has much less presence and character in my eyes. This subject genuinely interests me as i am in exactly the same camp as you, i have absolutely no doubt the Cayman is the better car, infact any Porsche i have been in and or driven is a great drive, but they do absolutely nothing for me, curious as to why as even i have no idea Just one of those things, I am the same with bmw's ... Great cars but do nothing for me at all, my son has just bought 335d coupe, lovely car but not for me, couldn't say why though, yes I've driven m3's etc and felt the same Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sipar69 Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 (edited) I think this just illustrates that cars are about the heart as well as the head. Every review I've ever seen says the Cayman is "better" than the Z but it's not "better" for me because I wouldn't get the same buzz from owning one as I get from my Z. Additionally, a lot of reviews seem to suppose people spend their time belting around at break-neck speed, cornering on the limit etc but that's just not the case. Most of my driving involves finding a pub that looks decent in the country somewhere and us then driving out to stay for a night or have lunch. I don't get to test the limits of my car and I don't particularly want to. I like having a car with some grunt and that looks (to me) very nice but if there's another car that feels more poised taking a corner at speed, well I can live with that. Edited February 12, 2014 by sipar69 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docwra Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 This may not be a popular opinion, but I think anyone who says they dont like entire marques isnt really into their cars. BMW have named 94 different chassis (Exx or Fxx) since 1952, and theres been a load of different models in each, you cant say you dont like any of them - there have been 20 odd different M3's alone and the E30 M3 is a very, very different car to an E92 M3 in pretty much every respect. Likewise, from reading your post Sipar you are writing off every Porsche out there without having driven any of them, thats a ridiculous claim to make. Just because the performance is there doesnt mean you have to wring its neck to enjoy it (unlike a GTR or an E92 M3, for instance) and Im a firm believer that you cant tell what a driving experience will be like without getting in the car and trying it - I thought a 997 would be amazing but was badly disappoint, on the same day I tried a Lexus IS-F and was amazed at how good it is. Dont get me wrong, personal opinion is exactly that, personal, but I dont understand how you can reject a car because of the badge thats on the front and equally dont understand rejecting a car because its dynamically superior and you arent all about speed. I expect Sipar is probably better suited to a 370Z than a Cayman, but at the same time I dont think you can be 100% about that without trying both first. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GIXXERUK Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 (edited) This may not be a popular opinion, but I think anyone who says they dont like entire marques isnt really into their cars. . what utter rubbish ! that is probably the most insulting and stupidest comment I have read on the forum or any forum, nearly all modern day bmw's have a similar feel to them, as do audi ( not sure about the R8) so if someone says they dont like Ford, you would consider them not to like the Anglia or Zephyr or would you be sensible and think they are talking about the current range that has been available for the last 10 yrs post you're opinion about cars by all means but not about people who you know nothing about ! otherwise it's too personal Edited February 12, 2014 by GIXXERUK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sipar69 Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 (edited) This may not be a popular opinion, but I think anyone who says they dont like entire marques isnt really into their cars. BMW have named 94 different chassis (Exx or Fxx) since 1952, and theres been a load of different models in each, you cant say you dont like any of them - there have been 20 odd different M3's alone and the E30 M3 is a very, very different car to an E92 M3 in pretty much every respect. Likewise, from reading your post Sipar you are writing off every Porsche out there without having driven any of them, thats a ridiculous claim to make. Just because the performance is there doesnt mean you have to wring its neck to enjoy it (unlike a GTR or an E92 M3, for instance) and Im a firm believer that you cant tell what a driving experience will be like without getting in the car and trying it - I thought a 997 would be amazing but was badly disappoint, on the same day I tried a Lexus IS-F and was amazed at how good it is. Dont get me wrong, personal opinion is exactly that, personal, but I dont understand how you can reject a car because of the badge thats on the front and equally dont understand rejecting a car because its dynamically superior and you arent all about speed. I expect Sipar is probably better suited to a 370Z than a Cayman, but at the same time I dont think you can be 100% about that without trying both first. I think you've misread what I was saying. I've absolutely nothing whatsoever against Porsche or any other make of car. The point I was making is that because a car is reviewed as being "better" than another car it doesn't necessarily mean it would be a "better" car for me. Better means different things to different people. The other point I was making is that I probably don't drive in such a way as to make the handling subtleties between one car and the next all that apparent. I certainly don't drive like Chris Harris in his reviews, which is probably why all this "it's an 8/10ths car" is totally lost on me. The point was specifically about Caymans and the simple fact is that they don't really float my boat in the looks, character and presence department - all of which are very subjective things and, to me, quite important, whereas to some others sheer performance and poise are perhaps more important than looks (which is presumably why cars such as the M5 have their fans). I certainly wouldn't buy a car on looks alone, but if the prevailing opinion is that a Cayman is a "better" car to drive than my Z, I can live with that; it's more than compensated for by the way I feel when I look at my car every day as I head off to the station for work, and the fun I personally get from driving it (and feeling part of "club Z"). I wasn't "writing off" Porsches or even Caymans. I don't doubt they're great cars - just not personally my thing. Edited February 12, 2014 by sipar69 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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