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Comments
As for the G35 Coupe, the dealer I visited had nothing but loaded up leather cars coming in, and all at 35K+. I suppose you could order a stripped down version and wait 3-4 months. I agree the Infinity is a good value also, but the cars will appeal to completely different buyers. Personally, I feel the G35 does not seem to convey "sports car" to me. I had a hard time getting over the interior layout, and after all, when I'm driving, thats what I'll see. Again, it is a great car, but so is the Z, and I'm no dummy for buying a Nissan 350Z.
TAke care.
Joe
What if you will be in stop and go traffic every day, but want to get a base model of the car?
What if you just plain dislike leather, as I do?
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Terry.
Oh, and by the way....If anyone wants a white Z, Touring package, I know where one is sitting on the lot waiting for a new owner. Southern KY area.
Steve
Does the Zenon headlamps in the 350Z utilize the Zenon lamps for both the low and high beams. I noticed that the Infinity G35 Sedan (and presumably the coupe) only have Zenon low beams. The high beams are halogen, in conjunction with the Zenon low beam.
I test drove the Z during the day, and did not notice. However, it was obvious that the G35 was Zenon in low only, and the salesman confirmed this. My Z will be here in a couple weeks, and I was just wondering.
Actually, come to think of it, I don't think there are ANY makes of car out there that come with Xenons in the high beam. Does that sound right?
Obi
"Sure it is nice to get a loaner car, free doughnuts, ect., but if you have a trouble free vehicle, you won't hang out much at the dealerships."
I'm always at the dealership, and although mine treats me nice, I don't like having to take time off of work to do go there. If you bought a Nissan/Infiniti, I doubt this will be a problem.
"I'd really like to hear an honest response on this."
This happens every time a hot new car comes out. With limited production cars (ie. Honda S2000) the MSRP+ model can hold for many years. The 350Z will not be a limited production vehicle so supply/demand ratio should soften in the near future.
Besides, the longer you can wait the more quirks will have been worked out of the initial vehicles manufactured...
THe Murano (review on Edmunds) looks like it's pretty much the last piece of the puzzle for Nissan.
Very much different from GM which has been burned so often on over production that it then has to be sold at near zero profit or recalled at a loss. Of course with their stupid labor agreement they lose even if they don't make a car at all ... gee, I wonder who is the actual loser ... could it be the consumer and taxpayer?
Sorry for going off thread.
Joe W.
Amazing what a little style will do to the corporate bottom line - Nissan profits are up 80% - Altima and now the Z - All Nissan has to do now is replace the current ooogly Maxima with something that resembles styling and the metamorphasis will be complete.
I'm looking forward to taking the various Z models out for a test spin when the hype dies down - give it a couple months.
MSRP around here.
http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/mostwanted/2003/77151/article.html
Back to the Z...saw a white 350Z at a dealership in Hamilton, NJ. White is a color that I would not buy...doesn't allow the lines of the car to show clearly. This was the first time that I saw the car up close. I think Nissan did an amazing job. The lines are amazing, the stance is low and wide. It's about time that a manufacturer made a car like this with the price/performance/quality combination. Now if the demand would slow down and the price would be a little below or at MSRP...I would consider one. Would be nice if there was a little more rear storage...but you can't get everything in life...
But, first things first, I have to find out if it runs like the marketers say. I've looked through the records for the end-of-season SCCA Solo II runs and haven't found anyone trying to autoX one yet. But you can be sure that next spring they'll be on the courses and we'll find out what the Z really has to offer.
I'm curious, eblum, what color do you think it belongs in?
Take care.
Joe W.
"My Nissan is better than your Nissan!"
"Is not!"
"Is too!"
"Is NOT!!!!"
"IS TOO!!!!!1111"
Actually, I'm sure they will both be there. But they'll be in different classes so the comparison of times will have to occur separately. And even then, because of differences in track layouts and drivers, a race or two won't be conclusive. That will come with consistency and should be a lot of fun! Pretty sure they won't be in Street Prepared for awhile -- there aren't any tires for them yet, I think! (Oh god, not tires again.) lol.
JW
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/021104/lam138_1.html
I thought they would be in and out but that one in the showroom has been there for a few weeks.
indyflower, I couldn't agree with you more re: your love of neutral steering and the understeer that's dialed in at the mfgr. If you contact people (next spring) who drive the car in track events they'll be busy setting up the car so it drives pretty much the way it can be hoped for. It's my own guess that designers like cars too and that many of them are drivers (off-street) so leave some room in cars like the Z to "correct" the tuning .... and still avoid liability by saying it voids the warranty.
Say, that Nismo is pretty nice. Don't care much for the body add-ons as it starts to look like you actually prefer a Civic for style. The wheels will be desirable -- I wonder how the weight and strength compare to those on the Track.
JW.
http://www.sltrib.com/11122002/utah/15892.htm
"The Highway Patrol resumed the pursuit and reached speeds of 130 mph, with the Nissan still pulling away, Haywood said." Hmmm... sounds like it has pretty good top end speed to me! Too bad the only people likely to experience that are car thieves.
-Jason
Genius would have been better off finding someplace to ditch the car after he lost them the first time.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Visually, the car was everthing I was hoping it would be. This is a great looking car, especially in silver. Even the 17" wheels looked very sharp. I was originally interested in the Performance model to get the 18" wheels, but after seeing the Enthusiast I don't think I could justify the extra $3K for the Performance model. So far, so good.
I must confess, I was disappointed when I sat in the car. I've heard nothing but rave reviews about the comfortable seats, but for me, they were anything but. I'm 6'2" and a trim 198 lbs. Head room was good, but I credit that to basically sitting on the floor. Leg room was a problem. I definitely felt the seat should go further back. IMHO, this is unforgivable on Nissan's part. There's no having to make room for a rear seat and its passengers in this car, so why didn't they give the driver more space, especially considering that plastic molding and speakers are behind the driver?? The seat hurt my lower back after just 15 or 20 minutes.
I've read reports about the Z's lack of rear visibility, and let me tell you, they're not exaggerations. Surprisingly, the narrow view out the back through the rear-view mirror didn't bother me much. Head-checking to the right before a lane-change to the right is fine. But if you head-check to the left before lane-changing to the left, well, ever heard of the "Hail-Mary merge?" You can't see squat and will have to learn to trust your mirrors. I can only imagine what it must be like merging onto freeways from on-ramps in this car.
I felt the interior to be awfully constricting. The uncomfortable seat too far forward, sensation of sitting on the floor, high belt-line and lack or rear visiblility conspire against the driving experience. I don't think the interior was up to snuff, especially when compared against my VW or your typical Toyota. The door panels were especially cheap looking. They're monochromatic and the door handles, located in an awkward place toward the front of the door, did not have a solid feel. The speaker in the door protrudes in such a way that its protective molding is right in the way of your feet getting in and out. Others had this problem, I noticed, from all the scuff marks over the speaker's molding from people's shoes. The marks were painfully visible, due to the panels being jet-black. I also thought the windows' action of opening and closing an inch when opening and closing doors was an unnecessary complication.
Surprisingly, the salesman let me drive the car. Maybe he thought after driving it, I would be so thrilled that I would buy it, automatic and all. Even with the automatic, this car was very quick. I can only imagine how much better it would be with the manual. I thought the interior was too noisy. I understand that a certain amount of engine growl is appropriate in a sports car, but the engine sounded rather rough and mechanical. I can't say the sound excited me that much. But the biggest annoyance was the amount or road/tire noise that makes its way into the cabin. I thought the car's rather porky weight included things like noise-suppression materials. I guess I was wrong.
As expected, the suspension was firm. This is good or bad, depending on what the roads are like where you live. If you drive over a lot of broken pavement, my sympathies go out to you. That's just how sports cars are, though, and this isn't unique to the Z. The salesman allowed me to push the car pretty fast, 120mph (!!) and this thing was rock-solid. Going 100 feels like going 60, I kid you not. I still think the ride would have been much more enjoyable if it wasn't for all the racket inside, even going only 70. The excessive road and engine noise doesn't inspire a sense the car is heavy and solidly made. And the interior only reinforces this feeling.
I don't mean to bash the Z. I have been drooling over this car everyday for the last 8 months, reading and researching and studying all the photographs. I so much wanted to like this car. Sometimes, I wish I hadn't driven the auto-quipped Z because my first impression has been "tainted." But the faults I found with the car have nothing to do with the transmission option. I was expecting to be blown away by this car and like everything about it - but my Passat seemed like heaven after driving the Z. With some tweaking, I think the car could be great, but as it is now, it needs some serious improvement in the interior quality/ergonomics/visibility areas.
Guess it's time to find another car to start dreaming about and getting my hopes up...
Like you, I'm 6'2, but a svelte 194, and I actually find the interior spacious -- I'm used to driving a Miata in the summer. I suspect the tightness you notice in the Z is a function of the car's design, as y ou explain, and the fact you're used to a sedan.
And yes, the Germans (especially VW/Audi) have gotten away from their roots with lots of interior "soft touch" materials and luxurious touches. I'm one of those who's glad that Nissan is preferring the spartan, functional approach with these sport models.
Good luck in your search.
JW
I enjoy spartan interiors as well. In fact, the older German cars with their stark "Germanic" no-nonsense interiors always appealed to me. While these interiors were nothing to get ga-ga over, they had an air of solidity, quality and down-to-business sense to them. In comparison, I found the Z's to be cheap and gimmicky.
But I haven't totally given up on the Z (I still desperately want to like it!). When the opportunity presents itself, I want to drive a manual and see if the experience goes better. Like I said, I wanted to drive this car and be blown away and feel great about the purchase.
I'm not too fond of the G35. Its profile looks nice, but the nose and back-end are hideous (incidentally, I think the Z's posterior end is great!). And I have no need for a rear seat. I want a 2 seat coupe!
My fiance's take on the styling after seeing the Z's lined up at the local dealer...."looks like a Celica got in a fight with a TT and lost". To each his or her own. Although I kinda agree.
It is me or does the back end sit real low like there is something heavy in the trunk? It looks like the rear suspension is compressed.
Credit to Click & Clack, and apologies to those who have had to endure this from me (many times) before.
I had this same issue with the car I own now, and I'm told by most that the secret is that lowering of expectations bit.
Happy hunting.
Maybe my legs are short.
As I recall, did you drive the Enthusiast model? That lacks a power seat, and maybe they're different.
On the G35 board some are complaining of a "cheap" feel to the car's interior, too. A couple of observations -- I've never heard it brought up on freshalloy (or don't recall it anyway). I've owned some vehicles with luxury interiors, even an XJ for a short period years ago, and I've never felt the Z or the G35s or c were anything but solid and functional. I even went back to look (last weekend) and I guess I just plain disagree ... though please don't think I'm looking for an argument on the issue. Since so many have commented on it on Edwards, maybe I'm looking at something different.
But I'm confident in my position, because I took my wife in to look at the Z, and believe me she likes lots and lots of really nice things (what the well-to do call taste and what I call expensive), and after she sat in it she was surprised that the car wasn't "in the 70s or 80s"!!! Not an opinion widely experienced with exceptional vehicles, but promising for me as I can play up my eventual purchase as a "bargain."
Always thinkin' ;-)
JW
The more time the magazines spend in the car the less they are liking it. The current comparo in C&D (against a very weak field) exposes more warts. Do you really activate the seat heaters with your elbow while shifting? That's just plain embarrassing and evidence this car was rushed to market without adequate review by the American market. They missed the mark on weight, they missed the mark on handling (heavy understeer) and it sounds like the interior is strike three.
(1) really liked that expression...
(2) after sitting in a base #50Z in Redding, I concur BIG TIME
(3) should the economy continue to decline, the base Z is becoming more and more a "contenda"..ez
Curious....