Is more the calm before the storm. At this point either you know everything about the upcoming Z (after several years of pouring over the info) or you're totally unaware they're coming. I imagine once they hit lots it'll perk back up in here.
As for the economic downturn, yeah that could really stab Nissan because buying a sports car when you don't have a job seems a little over the top.
"I was at Twelve Oaks Mall a few hours ago... I had to circle around a mid-1990s silver 300ZX that was sitting in the nether regions of the parking lot. Perfect condition! "
LA is full of these, I wish you would come take some away, they're becoming an eyesore.
A local salesman told me they expected their first 3 between the 10th & 13th. But he also told me there would be "only a few of these" made so as not to flood the market.
I don't live in Nagoya or Los Angeles, dude. When I see a Mark IV Supra, I cut in front of whoever I'm behind and chase it at full throttle. If Sphinx was on M-14 recently, he saw me do just that. In other news, Fox Toyota in Rochester Hills had a couple of Mark-III (1990-era) Supras on the lot... oh man. My brother actually got out of the car to walk over to the other side of the lot to look at his Dream Celica while I just "took in" the Supras.
I know it's lame, but this is Detroit. Earth to Detroit, come in, Detroit!
If Sphinx lives five minutes south of Twelve Oaks, then he's waiting eagerly to check out Suburban Infiniti when the G35 coupe comes in. I dunno, I don't like Infiniti coming out with an "upscale 350Z" ... but it will be a 2+2 coupe, which is rather different than a 2-seat sports Z-car.
Well, I'll probably just look in mid-month at the Nissan dealers and see what pops up.
In the meantime, I'm still chasing my tail... I'd love a "250Z" with the Sentra SE-R/Altima 2.5L engine. I can't believe Nissan is killing the current Silvia (or the R34 GT-R) without bringing them over. I mean, don't Americans have any human rights? aw man.
http://www.nissan.co.jp/CARLINEUP now shows you the 350Z next to the R34 GT-R and the S15 Silvia. 350Z definitely looks post-moderne!
And actually when I wrote that, I was just trying to be inflammatory. I did like the car at one point, but I can't imagine being nostalgic about it. Or more accurately, I can't imagine being nostalgic about what it had become. By the end it was basically a Japanese Camaro. (The Skyline gets to be the Japanese Mustang)
muffin_man must be in the import business in Japan. How ARE those 'Vettes selling, man?
350Z interior is the weak point for me... makes the case for the G35 Coupe. Those tan seats are especially ugly in the photos. Now, the blue paint exterior is dreamlike... but the G35 coupe has been shown in that silver-metallic color. It would make a great successor to my Silver Bullet! "Silver Bullet II," I would call it. If I ordered a G35 coupe, I would want it in silver... if I ordered a 350Z, I would want it in blue.
I agree, the car is _very_ dated, and the mere thought of paying $40k for one now (especially when the 350z is out, an infinitely superior car) gives me indigestion.
I don't think I've _ever_ seen a Vette over here, now that you mention it. But that may be because there is a $10-$20,000 tax on all imported cars. Corvette is a great deal for the money back home, but I wouldn't be paying $65k for one. (although the idea of paying $35k+ for a Beetle is also laughable, and yet it's very common here)
Hmmm...I guess you could call the Silvia a Japanese Camaro. The only one I'm positive about is Skyline and Mustang.
Metaphorically speaking, a Silvia is akin to a 6-cyl Camaro and a 300ZX is akin to a 'Vette. You'd see a young guy in Nagoya driving a Silvia and his counterpart in Detroit driving a Camaro. Powerwise, yes, you would want to compare a R34 GT-R and a SVT Mustang.
I love sitting in the last Gen 300ZX. It fit me perfectly. All elements fell to my hands immediately and the dash moving with the steering wheel is all the rage with Nissan cars TODAY.
Rearward visibility? I felt it was fine, but I'm a mirror person.
Regardless of what everybody says, I still think the mid 90's RX7 and 300ZX are pretty much the gold standard for affordable sports cars. If the RX were reliable, I'd probably own one now rather than a newer car.
I agree with you, I still love the styling of 300ZX, I lusted over that car for years (especially the twin turbo version). I am also a big fan of the RX-7. The Supra came in third, it had odd looks and was somewhat big, but they were sure fast.
The Supra name pre-dates the SC300/400 (1992) but the SC400 design was a year before the last gen Supra (1993) - the one that was a legit sports coupe, not a Blvd cruiser.
"Regardless of what everybody says, I still think the mid 90's RX7 and 300ZX are pretty much the gold standard for affordable sports cars. "
The thing is, the 300zk was not an affordable sports car, it was very expensive, and that is why it failed. There is a lot you can do with $40,000 and many, many cars that are superior to the 300zx for that kind of money.
When I went back to the dealer who last week told me the first cars would be on site in the 2nd or 3rd week of Aug., today I was told to expect end of September or middle October.
I told him they seem to be available in limited numbers in the southwest, he shrugged & suggested that we (NE) might be at the end of the pipeline.
Who on earth would make sports cars available when the weather is starting to breed winteer storms? Of course I might be able to get a good discount and still have one of the first -- late January, the month is closing, a Nor'easter is raging, and I'm sitting there saying "Well, if you have another buyer ... but if not ...."
Nissan seems to be unable to deliver new cars on schedule. Last year I was sent a "special invitation" to try out a new Maxima SE 6-speed and, other than 1-2 initial cars, they were not in the dealership until nearly 6 weeks AFTER the invitation expired!!
When I was told by a Nissan rep last fall that the 350Z would be out by spring (trying to dissuade me from buying an S2000), I asked "which spring". Guess I wasn't far off.
has abig banner in the window that says "Z Coming Summer 2002". Uh oh it's in writing. They did take the banner downt he other day because they were having some work done to the front of teh dealership.....maybe it was a sign of things to come.
>>Nissan seems to be unable to deliver new cars on schedule. Last year I was sent a "special invitation" to try out a new Maxima SE 6-speed and, other than 1-2 initial cars, they were not in the dealership until nearly 6 weeks AFTER the invitation expired!!<<
The G35 was supposed to arrive on a set date and it did. I know because i accompanied a friend to the dealership and he bought the first one they ever sold at that dealership.
I just started at Nissan of Melbourne, Florida. We have 5 Z's due in September that are already sold and seven more due in late October, one of those is sold. The funny things is, last night I am leaving the dealership and I pulled out behind what appeared to be a 350Z?!!! I gunned the gas in my Elantra(yes, they love me at Nissan) and caught up to a red 350Z with California plates(in Florida!) Looks great! (ofcourse) and no one at work today believed me but I was next to it for about 2 miles and there is no mistaking!
I picked up my red, touring 350Z on Wednesday, August 21 from my dealer in Napa, California. Mine was the first one they received.
My impression is that it drives quite similarly to my 1990 300Z, except that it has more power and less weight so overall it is more responsive. I have found that the traction control is a little too eager to step in a turn off the lights, so I may have to play around with the defeat switch. Visibility out the rear is bad, same as the last one. The interior is not as grim as I feared. Actually the view out the front is wonderful, since the cowl is low, akin to the Acura NSX. HVAC is excellent, driveability is excellent. Steering and brakes both very good.
So far, it is the most impressive Japanese car I have driven in 10 years.
and thanks for sharing your first impressions. Btw, I believe you're the first one in this discussion to actually take delivery. We look forward to hearing more about your ownership experience. Happy motoring!
Someone in my parking lot at work (in San Diego) has a 350z. It's the weird blue-ish color. The owner parked it next to the last gen Z. Gotta say i still prefer the old one more. The new one has a HUGE butt. It's like someone put a TT on a rosie o'donnell diet.
I got the automatic, so I cannot comment on the shifter. I moved from a Porsche 911 tiptronic and would say that the Z works better than the Porsche in fully automatic mode, mostly because it feels more torquey. In manual mode the Porsche has everyone beat because of the layout of the shifter built into the steering wheel (no paddles behind the wheel). The stereo is good but a little boomy since there is a massive subwoofer directly behind the driver seat, and incidentally, you cannot move the seat back forward to access the read from the driver's side . Controls are comfortable and the steering wheel is excellent. I love the view over the forward cowl, feels like a jet fighter.
Variety is the spice of life. I think the Porsche is a wonderful car but not twice as wonderful as the 350Z, but that is how they are priced. With the cash I freed up, I can afford the SL55 I really want.
A buddy just had a tune-up done one his 97 Targa, and it was $1500. I have a feeling the 350Z is less.
Hey shoes, congratulations on the new car! Now that I am jealous, I hope to hear more about your driving experience. Manual mode on the autos are supposed to allow you to rev. the car to red-line (no auto up-shift feature).
I have now had an opportunity to drive my Z over some fun mountain roads and give you all more observations.
This is a fun and easy car to drive. The suspension is busy at slow speeds, but once you get a little aggressive it smooths out nicely. Steering is excellent with good feedback. The engine is extremely flexible and torquey. This is a much easier car to drive than my Porsche 911. The traction control is more intrusive than Porsche staibility management. I never saw the PSM light come in the Porsche and always wondered if it even worked. I see the traction control light come on in the Z quite often, particularly in tight corners. The brakes are excellent.
Here are the downsides: the Bose radio sounds muddy with too much bass (the Porsche radio on the other hand was absolutely terrible); the visibility out the rear is very limited. The cupholders are pretty weak. The clock on the radio is hard to see. The radio makes annoying beeping sounds when you adjust the bass/treble. There is no lumbar adjustment to the seats and the seat back does not adjust at all on the passenger side. The passenger seat belt rattles against the door if no one is seated there. The shoulder harness does not adjust up or down for people of different sizes.
I think the problems are pretty minor considering how incredibly positve the driving experience is. Overall I prefer the 350Z to my Porsche 911, even before thinking about the cost difference.
I wonder if the system on the Z is that same as on the G35. There is a discussion no on that board because several participators didn't care for the sensitivity of the traction control. If I recall, the dealer can re-set it with a selection of 4 different settings.
It was a base model (silver) 6 speed. MSRP was $26K and change. It was sold and cordoned off so nobody could touch it. It looked awesome!. I might have to wait 6 months or more to drive one.
I saw one tonight, driving home from the gym in Farmington Hills, Grand River and Halstad, if that means anything to you. Silver, sharp looks, but rather large/bulky looking, and definitely a Z. I didn't get much fawning time under the belt; it turned and I was going straight.
I'm mixed on the looks. It was pretty, to a degree, but it looked a lot like a TT coupe or a Lexus SC430 with the top up. As far as nighttime looks go, I thought my Prelude (which I was driving) looked better, and as far as sports car side profiles go, the Z is nice but the various lovely designs like the 911 have little to worry about.
Nevertheless be aware: the Z has arrived in Detroit.
I pre-ordered my Z in December, 2001 and paid $1,000 over MSRP for the priviledge. I was told that most people paid a little more, maybe $2-3K more than MSRP.
I also bought a 300ZX in 1989 when that body style first came out. I had a basic model with 5 speed and cloth interior and paid $25K then.
Grand River & Halsted? sounds like a 350Z escaped from Bill Cook Nissan! >;p hahaha
I was going to check Suburban Nissan in Troy yesterday, or Key Nissan in Warren (not too far from I-75), but my pals are moving into Ann Arbor for the academic year and I thought I'd help them out.
I received a very very nice envelope (luxo-envelope) in the mail from Infiniti (like, sprayed with silver paint or something!) with a G35 sedan brochure that I requested. So smooth paper... that's Infiniti for you. No Lexus "oh here is the brochure you requested" here. Of course, the G35 is a sedan, but when the coupe comes out, it'll mix the best of the 350Z (exterior) with the best of the G35 (very nice-looking interior). Obviously, being only two dealers in Detroit, I'm closer to Suburban Infiniti when I'm in Ann Arbor and Fred Lavery Infiniti when I'm in Rochester Hills.
I don't think Infiniti will be able to push prices up too much on the G35 Coupe; the "Z" has that "Z" name and people like shoes are obviously quite enamored with paying MSRP+ to their dealer as soon as a new model is announced.
Of course, your "Detroit Z" notwithstanding, in California, where they have 104 Nissan dealers... if you put down the money, you'll actually, like, get the car sometime this year! >:(
Exterior styling of 350Z in photos and at the 2002 Auto Show was excellent. You're right, I'm still a fan of the Classic Era of Japanese Design - Preludes, 300ZXs, etc.
Nobody buys a "Z" for the interior quality; 300ZX isn't exactly a work of art on the inside. 240SXs and 300ZXs were meant to waste Camaros and Corvettes, not to entice Lexus owners to gawk.
Comments
As for the economic downturn, yeah that could really stab Nissan because buying a sports car when you don't have a job seems a little over the top.
"August 2002" means they're rolling out to the dealers all through the upcoming month?
LA is full of these, I wish you would come take some away, they're becoming an eyesore.
So I sure wouldn't trust the date.
Take care.
Joe W.
I know it's lame, but this is Detroit. Earth to Detroit, come in, Detroit!
If Sphinx lives five minutes south of Twelve Oaks, then he's waiting eagerly to check out Suburban Infiniti when the G35 coupe comes in. I dunno, I don't like Infiniti coming out with an "upscale 350Z" ... but it will be a 2+2 coupe, which is rather different than a 2-seat sports Z-car.
Well, I'll probably just look in mid-month at the Nissan dealers and see what pops up.
In the meantime, I'm still chasing my tail... I'd love a "250Z" with the Sentra SE-R/Altima 2.5L engine. I can't believe Nissan is killing the current Silvia (or the R34 GT-R) without bringing them over. I mean, don't Americans have any human rights? aw man.
http://www.nissan.co.jp/CARLINEUP now shows you the 350Z next to the R34 GT-R and the S15 Silvia. 350Z definitely looks post-moderne!
And actually when I wrote that, I was just trying to be inflammatory. I did like the car at one point, but I can't imagine being nostalgic about it. Or more accurately, I can't imagine being nostalgic about what it had become. By the end it was basically a Japanese Camaro. (The Skyline gets to be the Japanese Mustang)
350Z interior is the weak point for me... makes the case for the G35 Coupe. Those tan seats are especially ugly in the photos. Now, the blue paint exterior is dreamlike... but the G35 coupe has been shown in that silver-metallic color. It would make a great successor to my Silver Bullet! "Silver Bullet II," I would call it. If I ordered a G35 coupe, I would want it in silver... if I ordered a 350Z, I would want it in blue.
you must be joking about the 90-96 Z's interior.
the instrument cluster that pivots with the steering column was a neat idea but it looks and feels late 80s. rear visibility is HORRIBLE.
a very dated car, and wrong-headed thus it did not survive. the new Z needs to be a lot different and less expensive.
-Colin
I don't think I've _ever_ seen a Vette over here, now that you mention it. But that may be because there is a $10-$20,000 tax on all imported cars. Corvette is a great deal for the money back home, but I wouldn't be paying $65k for one. (although the idea of paying $35k+ for a Beetle is also laughable, and yet it's very common here)
Hmmm...I guess you could call the Silvia a Japanese Camaro. The only one I'm positive about is Skyline and Mustang.
Powerwise, yes, you would want to compare a R34 GT-R and a SVT Mustang.
The 350Z is less Vette and more Porsche.
$35K for a Beetle is $34K too much! >;p
I love sitting in the last Gen 300ZX. It fit me perfectly. All elements fell to my hands immediately and the dash moving with the steering wheel is all the rage with Nissan cars TODAY.
Rearward visibility? I felt it was fine, but I'm a mirror person.
Regardless of what everybody says, I still think the mid 90's RX7 and 300ZX are pretty much the gold standard for affordable sports cars. If the RX were reliable, I'd probably own one now rather than a newer car.
I agree with you, I still love the styling of 300ZX, I lusted over that car for years (especially the twin turbo version). I am also a big fan of the RX-7. The Supra came in third, it had odd looks and was somewhat big, but they were sure fast.
-Colin
Speed, I never dug on the Supra. Fast but it reminded me of an Sc400 on steroids.
The thing is, the 300zk was not an affordable sports car, it was very expensive, and that is why it failed. There is a lot you can do with $40,000 and many, many cars that are superior to the 300zx for that kind of money.
The Japan-market name for the SC300/400 and now the SC430 is "Soarer." I dig that name, Toyota!
"Fairlady Z" vs. "350Z" ... what's your favorite? The Japan or American market name?
I told him they seem to be available in limited numbers in the southwest, he shrugged & suggested that we (NE) might be at the end of the pipeline.
Who on earth would make sports cars available when the weather is starting to breed winteer storms? Of course I might be able to get a good discount and still have one of the first -- late January, the month is closing, a Nor'easter is raging, and I'm sitting there saying "Well, if you have another buyer ... but if not ...."
Take care.
Joe W.
When I was told by a Nissan rep last fall that the 350Z would be out by spring (trying to dissuade me from buying an S2000), I asked "which spring". Guess I wasn't far off.
The G35 was supposed to arrive on a set date and it did. I know because i accompanied a friend to the dealership and he bought the first one they ever sold at that dealership.
My impression is that it drives quite similarly to my 1990 300Z, except that it has more power and less weight so overall it is more responsive. I have found that the traction control is a little too eager to step in a turn off the lights, so I may have to play around with the defeat switch. Visibility out the rear is bad, same as the last one. The interior is not as grim as I feared. Actually the view out the front is wonderful, since the cowl is low, akin to the Acura NSX. HVAC is excellent, driveability is excellent. Steering and brakes both very good.
So far, it is the most impressive Japanese car I have driven in 10 years.
How is the shifter? What about the stereo? Pedal feel?
Revka
Host
Hatchbacks & Wagons Boards
The G35C better not look that bulky.
that does not compute.
-Colin
Hey shoes, congratulations on the new car! Now that I am jealous, I hope to hear more about your driving experience. Manual mode on the autos are supposed to allow you to rev. the car to red-line (no auto up-shift feature).
This is a fun and easy car to drive. The suspension is busy at slow speeds, but once you get a little aggressive it smooths out nicely. Steering is excellent with good feedback. The engine is extremely flexible and torquey. This is a much easier car to drive than my Porsche 911. The traction control is more intrusive than Porsche staibility management. I never saw the PSM light come in the Porsche and always wondered if it even worked. I see the traction control light come on in the Z quite often, particularly in tight corners. The brakes are excellent.
Here are the downsides: the Bose radio sounds muddy with too much bass (the Porsche radio on the other hand was absolutely terrible); the visibility out the rear is very limited. The cupholders are pretty weak. The clock on the radio is hard to see. The radio makes annoying beeping sounds when you adjust the bass/treble. There is no lumbar adjustment to the seats and the seat back does not adjust at all on the passenger side. The passenger seat belt rattles against the door if no one is seated there. The shoulder harness does not adjust up or down for people of different sizes.
I think the problems are pretty minor considering how incredibly positve the driving experience is. Overall I prefer the 350Z to my Porsche 911, even before thinking about the cost difference.
-Colin
It might be worth exploring.
Take care.
Joe W.
I think I am going to place an order in September or October so I can get exactly what I want.
Obi
Is it legal to steal from California if you're from the state of Michigan? I'm wondering.
Maybe I can steal it for invoice? >;p
I'm mixed on the looks. It was pretty, to a degree, but it looked a lot like a TT coupe or a Lexus SC430 with the top up. As far as nighttime looks go, I thought my Prelude (which I was driving) looked better, and as far as sports car side profiles go, the Z is nice but the various lovely designs like the 911 have little to worry about.
Nevertheless be aware: the Z has arrived in Detroit.
I also bought a 300ZX in 1989 when that body style first came out. I had a basic model with 5 speed and cloth interior and paid $25K then.
I was going to check Suburban Nissan in Troy yesterday, or Key Nissan in Warren (not too far from I-75), but my pals are moving into Ann Arbor for the academic year and I thought I'd help them out.
I received a very very nice envelope (luxo-envelope) in the mail from Infiniti (like, sprayed with silver paint or something!) with a G35 sedan brochure that I requested. So smooth paper... that's Infiniti for you. No Lexus "oh here is the brochure you requested" here. Of course, the G35 is a sedan, but when the coupe comes out, it'll mix the best of the 350Z (exterior) with the best of the G35 (very nice-looking interior). Obviously, being only two dealers in Detroit, I'm closer to Suburban Infiniti when I'm in Ann Arbor and Fred Lavery Infiniti when I'm in Rochester Hills.
I don't think Infiniti will be able to push prices up too much on the G35 Coupe; the "Z" has that "Z" name and people like shoes are obviously quite enamored with paying MSRP+ to their dealer as soon as a new model is announced.
Of course, your "Detroit Z" notwithstanding, in California, where they have 104 Nissan dealers... if you put down the money, you'll actually, like, get the car sometime this year! >:(
Exterior styling of 350Z in photos and at the 2002 Auto Show was excellent. You're right, I'm still a fan of the Classic Era of Japanese Design - Preludes, 300ZXs, etc.
Nobody buys a "Z" for the interior quality; 300ZX isn't exactly a work of art on the inside. 240SXs and 300ZXs were meant to waste Camaros and Corvettes, not to entice Lexus owners to gawk.