Second glance 350Z

[clint78z]

Yes Mustangs are great bang for the buck, excellent aftermarket backing too. You can jam stiff springs in it and wide tires and make it handle and stick pretty decent. However you will not get the road compliance of the Z's wonderful suspension, and the Z will be alot more liveable around town. I hear the Z has amazing balance of power, braking, handling. Sometimes the paper doesn't quite tell whole picture.

 

Personally I have to drive a car for a while in order to make a decision if I like it. The Tiburon is a huge winner, trying despirately to gain credibility.

 

Who leaves a turbo car at stock boost settings anways???

[Dan Baldwin]

I can't believe this hasn't come up yet. Here's why the 350Z sux. WEIGHT. At 3300 lb. it is WAY overweight. It doesn't need more power, it needed to come in at more like 2600 lb, 2800 MAX. If they wanted to make another ZX for me to ignore, fine. I do wish they hadn't gotten my attention with all the talk about the new car returning to the original Z ideals. Complete BS.

 

Hyundai Tiburon? What's an overweight fwd not-very-sporting coupe even DOING in this thread?

 

I'm holding out for a Pontiac Solstice, the REAL new Z.

[utvolman99]

The numbers advertised are at the flywheel, not the rear wheel... Found that out from one of the guys at Nissan.

Umm, maybe on some of the 240Zs out there but manufacturers have been required to list HP at the rear wheels with all accessories hooked up since 1973!

 

Also, when I was talking about 35K I am talking about new production cars. There is no way a new mustang out performs the 350Z. They are pretty even in straight line acceleration but there is where the comparison ends! Also, Im not sure if you have priced a new cobra or not but Im pretty sure your not going to pick one up for 35K.

[Dan Baldwin]

A Mach 1 Mustang outaccelerated the 350Z in a Car and Driver comparison. The 350Z was faster around a race track, though (faster than an S2000, too!). NLA, but a stock Z28 is MUCH quicker than the 350Z. A friend of mine bought one a couple of months ago, put down 308 rwhp, and did 13.4 in the 1/4 at 106mph. ZERO mods. On all-season tires. Oh yeah, sticker was $24,XXX, and he paid $21,000. Z28s are well known to be better-handling cars than Mustangs. My money would be on an LS1 Z28 over a 350Z at the drags, autoX, and road course. I still don't understand how that much performance for that little money could go ignored.

[Tim240z]

Mach 1 Mustang outaccelerated the 350Z in a Car and Driver comparison.

OOOOOOOOOh, that brings back memories!! I had a 69 Mach 1. Great car!!!

Tim

[Guest Anonymous]

Mikelly,

 

I respect your opinions but the 350Z is not 35K unless you're talking about the premium model loaded with options. A friend of mine works at dealership and according to him, they roll out of the dealership with upper 20k price tags and most buyers aren't really interested in an all-out track car.

 

That said, how much is a new Cobra anyway? A similarly equipped Cobra would probably cost upwards of $40k.

 

The new Z is designed to be a step-down from the upcoming R35 Skyline which will supposedly have a base price of $39k when it rolls out.

 

Also according to the buddy at the dealership, Nissan is working a factory modified Z ala Ford's SVT, Mercede's AMG. This tuned Z will be equipped with the same 4.5L V8 as the one sitting in the engine bays of the M45 and Q45 luxury sedans but will be tuned to apprx. 370hp and hooked up to a 6spd. It'll also have carbon-fiber driveshaft that's standard on the new 350Z. I think that Z would give a Cobra a run for it's money.

[RPMS]

[QB]

Umm, maybe on some of the 240Zs out there but manufacturers have been required to list HP at the rear wheels with all accessories hooked up since 1973! [QB]

I don't think so. I believe that manufacturers are required to display horsepower ratings with all required accessories attached and functioning (water pump, fan, alternator, etc.) I believe they take the HP from the flywheel, though. Driveline losses aren't included.

[Guest ON3GO]

some of you guys are forgetting wht this new Z is the way it is.. they are trying to bring it back to its old roots.

Now i know the old 240Z was a car with no nothing and weight was nothing to, but rememeber this is the year 2002, car makers have big standards to stick to, they need all that crap that makes it heavy so they can sell the car in the 1st place.

this Z is everything the old 240Z was and more to my eyes. its cheap, fast, looks good, and different. I wouldnt care if the Z06 was 35k, i wouldnt drive it, it doesnt have that feeling that all Z owners have known to love, plus to my eyes its a RWD Sunfire, plus there ugly and ALL U SEE IS C5's...... hell i see about 4 Z06's everyday in my town.

And who ever said that the Z28 would out handle a mustang is false, read some mags, the GT was slower but out handled the Z28 and SS.

now my friend has a LS1 SS, and ill say its damn fast but its so cheap inside, and the car is but ulgy.... and the new Tiboron sucks!. there not fast, handle like crap i think and look ugly... they tried to copy the MKIV supra and did a bad job at it.

and GReddy already has a Twin turbo kit for the 350Z, twin 18g's!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CRAZY HP.

 

also i dont think nissan did bad on any Z and ZX.

still love the looks of the Z32 300zx the best though

 

mike

[Guest Anonymous]

The Tiburon has the worst transmission of any car I've ever driven. Horrible. Even a truck would be ashamed to have a gearbox that slushy. Looks-wise, it's ok. Big ripoff of the Supra but Hyundai's been ripping off other makes' designs for years. The headlight's looks bad and the car generally oozes poor material build quality. I still think it's a pretty good car and it's a valiant effort by Hyundai. Looks like they're finally starting to turn things around.

[Mikelly]

Uhmmm NO, Actually I had one on paper OUT THE DOOR here in Fredericksburg for $35,500 INCLUDING Taxes Title and Tags... That IS the going price for a 400HP SVT Cobra (That apparantly has issues with motors grenading...), But hey, what do I know...

 

No way, No how that the 350Z is doing 12 second quarter mile times... However, the SVT Cobra has been into the mid 12 second range...

 

I'll tell you this much, Don't ever, EVER get fed up with your projects and go car shopping... It can be dangerous... ALMOST Bought a Ford Lightning and a Ford Cobra like that within the last year...

Mike

[Guest ProfessorRog]

http://www.caranddriver.com/xp/Caranddriver/comparisontests/2002/december/0212_comparo_hottin.xml?keywords=350z

[Mikelly]

Dan, you are right, but they won't make it like that... Here's why:

 

power EVERYTHING! Windows? Check, Doors? Check, Steering? Check, You name it, they load them in with TONS of electronic CRAPPO! My wife's 95 Mustang weighs in at 3200# and could loose a bunch of that in just the LEATHER interior... But, alas we must be coddled and swaddled while we are zooming along... The reason we throw in the Hyundai, well it has better lines and is a HECK of a lot less, even if it is a Hyundai... At least the new SVO Cobra has the torque and HP to move its 3500# heft with authority...

Mike

[clint78z]

The track model should be just that no A/C, or any other useless junk, sound insulation who needs it. Problem is the godammed jounarlists who take these things out want all this crap in the car. I do hear the torsional stiffness is like anything in it's category. There are many prototypes for turbos already in the works from HKS, Greddy, you can bet this car is going to have toys.

 

Rather spend my money on the old Zed myself.

[Sean 83ZXT]

At least the new SVO Cobra has the torque and HP to move its 3500# heft with authority...

...right to the recall line at the dealer?

 

(sorry Mike, I had to throw that one in there!)

[Dan Baldwin]

They shouldn't have put it on the FM platform. It's just fine as a luxury/sport sedan and coupe, but for a Z it's far too heavy. Electric windows don't add much if any weight (years ago the lightweight Porsche RS America came with electrics only because they were LIGHTER!). Power seats are an option, anyway, right? Power door locks weigh next to nothing. They SHOULD have made, basically, a Miata coupe with the VQ engine. That would've been a killer new Z. Tiburon's lines aren't bad at all, but it's got a face only a mother could love, and of course it's heavy, and wrong-wheel-drive. The Mustang is a bit much. IMO, Ford went down the wrong path with the big, heavy DOHC engines. Two of them in my time-trialing club blew up last year. I'd much rather have a smaller, lighter, lower c.g. LS1 (or LS6!).

[Mikelly]

As quoted from the above link... "Drop the hammer, and with no especially refined technique, 60 mph is yours in a scalding 5.2 seconds, just 0.7 second behind a $34,750 SVT Cobra and the fastest time in this test by a full half-second. The first two shifts of the notchy box leave skid marks, and the fourth shift puts paid to 151 mph. "...

 

Tell me again how the 350Z will out accelerate a mustang???

 

BTW, Kudos to the Z for coming in 1st, and journalists never lie... And priests don't touch little boys either...

Mike

[Dan Baldwin]

Mike:

"some of you guys are forgetting wht this new Z is the way it is.. they are trying to bring it back to its old roots."

 

That was the IDEA. Nissan didn't even come close, though.

 

Mike:

"Now i know the old 240Z was a car with no nothing and weight was nothing to, but rememeber this is the year 2002, car makers have big standards to stick to, they need all that crap that makes it heavy so they can sell the car in the 1st place."

 

BS. Mazda doesn't seem to be having too much difficulty selling 2300 lb. Miatae (though Toyota isn't having quite as much success with its 2200 lb. but ugly MR2 Spyder). That's what the new Z shoulda been, a 6-cylinder Miata coupe, basically.

 

Mike:

"this Z is everything the old 240Z was and more"

 

You got that right, MORE. Like, 1000 lb. MORE. I was hoping for a lot LESS.

 

Mike:

" I wouldnt care if the Z06 was 35k, i wouldnt drive it, it doesnt have that feeling that all Z owners have known to love, plus to my eyes its a RWD Sunfire, plus there ugly and ALL U SEE IS C5's...... hell i see about 4 Z06's everyday in my town."

 

Well, if you don't care too much about having a fast, trackworthy car, I can see how the Z06 wouldn't interest you. It isn't all that attractive, to be sure, but I do find it better-looking than the 350Z.

 

Mike:

"And who ever said that the Z28 would out handle a mustang is false, read some mags, the GT was slower but out handled the Z28 and SS."

 

The F-bodies handle a lot better than the Mustangs, to the point that the FStock SCCA AutoX class they share is pretty much F-body only. Mustangs have no prayer against them.

 

Mike:

"and GReddy already has a Twin turbo kit for the 350Z, twin 18g's!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CRAZY HP.

 

I want a car that is fast by virtue of being lightweight and elemental. Like the 240Z.

Unfortunately for me, most people would rather have 50% more power than 33% less weight.

So we get the 350Z. The Solstice is on the way, though! I will have one (unless I get rich enough in the meantime to get a Lotus Elise).

[clint78z]

I didn't like the 350z when it first came out, however it kinda grows on you after a while. Our dealership in Canada sells a 350z for 42k with leather seats not the premium touring. That works out to 26k us without taxes. It is on par with camaro and cobra. It is not meant to hang with the stang at the dragstrip, just as the mustang isn't exactly cut for the track.

 

I think 2700lbs should have been target weight, fix the nose and butt on it and we have a winner. Looking at the undercariage quite a bit of weight went into the chassis for stiffness. I think it bulked up other components for strength and durability, because the aftermarket guy are going to beat on this thing big time. In all fairness how would you make it lighter with still retaining the V6?? The panoz a simular type car with the 4.6l weighs 3200lbs. The elise is wicked not exactly practicle or in anyones price range.

 

Not a huge fan of the Z06 looks, but if you put that car on track look out. Very good value for what you get.

[Guest Anonymous]

With the modern safety and crash standards, it's VERY difficult to get a V6-equipped RWD car to weigh in at 2,700lbs. I've been in Mustangs and quite frankly don't care for them all that much and I dislike them all the more because my ex-gf has one so I'm biased.

 

Truth is, in terms of build-quality neither the Z28 or Mustang can even come close to the 350Z, more or less a G35 coupe. Even the Z06 interior doesn't come close.

 

I just don't understand how some of you guys are bashing this new car before EVEN getting behind the wheel. This car is by no means a muscle car designed to beat every comer at the stoplight.

 

The idea behind the original Z was an affordable sports car that was fun and easy to drive. The new Z meets and exceeds those standards, being more luxurious than any other car I can think of with sub30k base price. This car was designed to be a balanced car that could be enjoyed anyone from a 20something yuppie to your average avid autocrosser. The car definitely meets my expectations.

[Guest Anonymous]

For comparison sakes, I'll be using a G35 coupe instead because it's proven to be distinctly the faster of the two.

 

I still think a G35 Coupe can beat a Z28 in SOME road courses. If the course is shorter and has more twisties, the G wins hands-down, if it's a longer course with plenty of long straights, the Z28 has a pretty good chance.