RE: Nissan 350Z | Spotted
Discussion
cerb4.5lee said:
J4CKO said:
its funny, back when these came out, a 3,5 V7 with 280 ish bhp would be a bit of a beast, a big engine that people would see as having plenty of low down grunt, which it sort of has but with modern turbo stuff it seems a poor relation, you need to get it spinning to make meaningful progress, and when you do there is enough power to make it enjoyable.
It always amazes me at how torquey the 370 feels for a NA engine, especially in comparison to the V8 M3 I had. It also seems to do its best work in the mid range as well I think. Revving it right out isn't as explosive as the M3 was in comparison for example. On paper the 370 doesn't look like it has much torque(270Ib/ft), but it feels like it has more than that to drive though for me.
My old bus. 2 years and 10k miles in, been great.
A track day, a trip to LeMans and a 1000 mile trundle around the Lake District all proved uneventful. All it`s needed has been a couple of oil changes, a lower ball joint, a wheel bearing, some brake pads and not much else.
Few mods, as bought, mainly an induction kit and full Invidia exhaust it sounds and goes very well.
Reverted to standard cats as the HFCs that were on it spectacularly failed an MOT.
It likes a drink, but then so do I.
A track day, a trip to LeMans and a 1000 mile trundle around the Lake District all proved uneventful. All it`s needed has been a couple of oil changes, a lower ball joint, a wheel bearing, some brake pads and not much else.
Few mods, as bought, mainly an induction kit and full Invidia exhaust it sounds and goes very well.
Reverted to standard cats as the HFCs that were on it spectacularly failed an MOT.
It likes a drink, but then so do I.
C5_Steve said:
Yep, they do they're best work in 3rd and 4th I find. Very much as you said they torque band seems to be pretty much perfect for hustling along. It's an engine that really doesn't benefit from being wrung out.
Saying that, the 370z peak power is at 7000rpm (7400rpm for the Nismo) so there is benefit to be had. The problem is the engine sounds ‘congested’ at high rpm with the standard exhaust. With less restriction they rev better and sound better while doing so.Leaving aside the way it drives, for me it's a stylistic failure. It looks like they tried to do something as handsome as final gen Celica (a car that IMO looks great even today) and fail miserably. Exterior is, well I guess it has its fans but it is definitely lacking that "something" to set it apart (and not bring thoughts of Audi TT...) and the interior, while serviceable, has the one thing that immediately puts me off ever owning one - that steering wheel.
Usual crazy pricing on PH! These start from £5k and this is probably worth £10k at a push.
Amazing cars though, genuinely the best sports car I've owned. I was put off by the lukewarm reviews but when I finally got one it was great.
That combo of RWD, burly V6 with plenty if torque and LSD make for a very fun car. It's a real handulful and you can get thr backend out with ease. I never even felt the need to turn off traction. I did feel pretty close to death when I drove it home in torrential rain though. Granted the tyres were not the best.
Someone mentioned this being an inferior option to a Cayman S. That couldn't be further from the truth (owned both).
Amazing cars though, genuinely the best sports car I've owned. I was put off by the lukewarm reviews but when I finally got one it was great.
That combo of RWD, burly V6 with plenty if torque and LSD make for a very fun car. It's a real handulful and you can get thr backend out with ease. I never even felt the need to turn off traction. I did feel pretty close to death when I drove it home in torrential rain though. Granted the tyres were not the best.
Someone mentioned this being an inferior option to a Cayman S. That couldn't be further from the truth (owned both).
Bladedancer said:
Leaving aside the way it drives, for me it's a stylistic failure. It looks like they tried to do something as handsome as final gen Celica (a car that IMO looks great even today) and fail miserably. Exterior is, well I guess it has its fans but it is definitely lacking that "something" to set it apart (and not bring thoughts of Audi TT...) and the interior, while serviceable, has the one thing that immediately puts me off ever owning one - that steering wheel.
I used to grumble quite a bit about the interior in the 370 because it lacked specialness to me. Although I was used to a Cerbera though, and most cars interiors fail to live up to that I think. However the interior in the 370 is very well put together, and it still has its charms in some ways for me. I don't think the interior in the 350 wears as well as the 370's does though.rotaryjam said:
Usual crazy pricing on PH! These start from £5k and this is probably worth £10k at a push.
Amazing cars though, genuinely the best sports car I've owned. I was put off by the lukewarm reviews but when I finally got one it was great.
That combo of RWD, burly V6 with plenty if torque and LSD make for a very fun car. It's a real handulful and you can get thr backend out with ease. I never even felt the need to turn off traction. I did feel pretty close to death when I drove it home in torrential rain though. Granted the tyres were not the best.
Someone mentioned this being an inferior option to a Cayman S. That couldn't be further from the truth (owned both).
I always turn the traction off in the 370, because I find that it is very intrusive if I don't. They do get a bit lively though in poor conditions as you say. Amazing cars though, genuinely the best sports car I've owned. I was put off by the lukewarm reviews but when I finally got one it was great.
That combo of RWD, burly V6 with plenty if torque and LSD make for a very fun car. It's a real handulful and you can get thr backend out with ease. I never even felt the need to turn off traction. I did feel pretty close to death when I drove it home in torrential rain though. Granted the tyres were not the best.
Someone mentioned this being an inferior option to a Cayman S. That couldn't be further from the truth (owned both).
From memory I thought the 350 reviewed well(I've also got an Auto Express DVD where it wins a 12 performance car test for example), but I do think that some folk didn't really "get" the car though. But I do remember Clarkson absolutely slating it on Top Gear, whereas Tiff Needell absolutely loved it though in comparison.
How the world turns lol. It amuses me how many (and rightly so) applaud it's attributes, but then express they moved on/sold it. Should of bought it including a car cover, garaged it and never driven it lol. Thing is, seldom would many do just that for all the obvious reasons. Circa 20yrs later it rejuvenates itself in the market place as a premium purchase being a sellers market as much as it's a buyers market.
Bladedancer said:
Leaving aside the way it drives, for me it's a stylistic failure. It looks like they tried to do something as handsome as final gen Celica (a car that IMO looks great even today) and fail miserably. Exterior is, well I guess it has its fans but it is definitely lacking that "something" to set it apart (and not bring thoughts of Audi TT...) and the interior, while serviceable, has the one thing that immediately puts me off ever owning one - that steering wheel.
Hmm, Celica looks better than a 350Z, not to me it doesnt, its not horrendous but prefer the way the Z looks personally, never mind the way it sounds. Prefer the previous gen Celicas but always thought the last one was a bit meh.Bladedancer said:
Leaving aside the way it drives, for me it's a stylistic failure. It looks like they tried to do something as handsome as final gen Celica (a car that IMO looks great even today) .
Sorry, are you talking about the 1999 onwards T230 Celica? The one with silly FWD cab forward proportions?Yeah. I'm going to have to disagree with you that it looks better than a 350Z. Or good at all.
I've just noticed for the first time how the side profile of the rear light cluster on the 350Z follows the arc of the DLO / glass house shape. Nice. It's far from the best example of early 00s design and some of the shutlines are very half arsed, but even so what a simple, calm design that is compared to the rolling mess of mad slashes and squiggles everything is now.
Edited by GeniusOfLove on Monday 1st July 12:38
GeniusOfLove said:
Sorry, are you talking about the 1999 onwards T230 Celica? The one with silly FWD cab forward proportions?
Yeah. I'm going to have to disagree with you that it looks better than a 350Z. Or good at all.
I've just noticed for the first time how the side profile of the rear light cluster on the 350Z follows the arc of the DLO / glass house shape. Nice. It's far from the best example of early 00s design and some of the shutlines are very half arsed, but even so what a simple, calm design that is compared to the rolling mess of mad slashes and squiggles everything is now.
Then we'll have to disagree. Celica, especially T-Sport is still good looking car while 350Z always looked like back-arched dog parking its breakfast.Yeah. I'm going to have to disagree with you that it looks better than a 350Z. Or good at all.
I've just noticed for the first time how the side profile of the rear light cluster on the 350Z follows the arc of the DLO / glass house shape. Nice. It's far from the best example of early 00s design and some of the shutlines are very half arsed, but even so what a simple, calm design that is compared to the rolling mess of mad slashes and squiggles everything is now.
Edited by GeniusOfLove on Monday 1st July 12:38
Every one to their own I guess.
J4CKO said:
Hmm, Celica looks better than a 350Z, not to me it doesnt, its not horrendous but prefer the way the Z looks personally, never mind the way it sounds. Prefer the previous gen Celicas but always thought the last one was a bit meh.
The buggy eyed one? Yikes. I'm not a fan of that styling. ST185 was a good looking car but ST205, while it was a great car, wasn't a looker.had mine for 4 years, loved it. only got rid because i wanted to try other things, and 27mpg on super unleaded was a bit much for a daily driver.
would happily pick one up again as a weekend car now though, and would like to try a 370z too.
£15k for that one seems a bit keen to me, but then, these pistonheads spotted articles always list the tippety top of the pricing tree, which is a place i'd rarely venture.
would happily pick one up again as a weekend car now though, and would like to try a 370z too.
£15k for that one seems a bit keen to me, but then, these pistonheads spotted articles always list the tippety top of the pricing tree, which is a place i'd rarely venture.
Om said:
C5_Steve said:
Yep, they do they're best work in 3rd and 4th I find. Very much as you said they torque band seems to be pretty much perfect for hustling along. It's an engine that really doesn't benefit from being wrung out.
Saying that, the 370z peak power is at 7000rpm (7400rpm for the Nismo) so there is benefit to be had. The problem is the engine sounds ‘congested’ at high rpm with the standard exhaust. With less restriction they rev better and sound better while doing so.J4CKO said:
Hmm, Celica looks better than a 350Z, not to me it doesnt, its not horrendous but prefer the way the Z looks personally, never mind the way it sounds. Prefer the previous gen Celicas but always thought the last one was a bit meh.
I liked the 90's one with pop-up headlights, don't like those that followed.cerb4.5lee said:
I used to grumble quite a bit about the interior in the 370 because it lacked specialness to me. Although I was used to a Cerbera though, and most cars interiors fail to live up to that I think. However the interior in the 370 is very well put together, and it still has its charms in some ways for me. I don't think the interior in the 350 wears as well as the 370's does though.
The interior in my 350 bothered me more than it should have. I really don't care a lot about interior materials as long as everything works, but one thing i don't miss about my (early 2003) 350Z is the very fragile feeling interior. It seemed impossible to keep it in good nick as it almost wore off by even looking at it. Really thin plastic with an even thinner and self removing top coat.Edited by ae2006 on Monday 1st July 13:43
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