What is wrong with the 350Z?

[zbane]

My complaint is the same for all vehicle manufacturers, no one makes a stripped down version. I'd like a BIG motor with great suspension and brakes. All the other whiz-bang/creature comfort stuff can be left off the vehicle. I'm satisfied with manual windows, mirrors, seats, etc. and an AM radio because all I listen to anymore is talk radio.

Bruce

MINI Cooper S, no options, other than the engine upgrade-$21,450.

Of course, if you want the John Cooper Works addtion, add $6,300-that gets you up to 207hp.

About the 350- I actually prefer the look of the G35 to that of the 350, in fact, the preliminary photos I've seen for the midcycle refresh of the G look rather nice-lowered stance, longer, straiter nose-more go than show.

I've sat in a friends 350, and while I found the interior to be well done (in terms of fit and finish) it left me feeling uninspired. Interior space was too small for my taste, and being 6'4", interior space is important to me. I had headroom and legroom, that wasn't the issue. What got me was the inability to recline the seat enough to give me a comfortable seating postition for long (or short) drives, while maintaining my legroom.

Exterior-wise, the 350 is fairly attractive as an automobile, if not a little reserved. However, the taillights have got to go. I can deal with the barn-door handles, but those taillights are horrible.

It's odd, I think, that Nissan had within it's grip, a group of designers who were willing to take a risk. The Renault Clio Sport V6-some find it to be ugly, I think it's beautiful, is a small enthusiat car. No frills, just design and perfomance.

Another is the Puegeot 207.

Both cars were designed and built up from pedestrian models, both are unique, and both cater to the enthusiast in ways that the 350 should.

Unfortunatly for us, when the current version of the z car was pitched to the higher ups, someone managed to cut out the price to perfomance ratio, and presented an overpriced psuedoluxury sport-coupe, something they were already selling through the Infiniti division.

I think that all we, as enthusiasts, can do is get into the design field, get jobs and Nissan, and promote change from within. Until then, we will all have to enjoy what we've got, and hope for change.

[John Coffey]

Well... from my racing perspective the 350Z has already won a national championship in GT and is very competitve in T2 and BS. Its also been winning professional races in Grand Am since 2003. The car is carrying on the tradition of the 240Z on the race track and is equal to its main competition, the RX8 and the S2000. There is huge aftermarket support for the car and you can build one anyway you like - from a 2,600 lb. 350 hp track car to a 3,700 lb. 550hp, bling bling stereo, wing, neon, 22" spinner street circus.

[jmark]

I agree John. It's not the 240Z but there is only 1 of those! The 350Z is competitive against much more expensive cars such as the M3 & Porsche 911 in GA Cup. It came in second in the BS class. It qualified in 2nd in the SCCA Runoffs T2 class and finished a strong 4th & 5th. I personally would like to see a Lightweight version done similar to what BMW did with the M3 Lightweight a few years ago. Here is a link to some pics I took of the 350Z at the Runoffs this year.

http://www.my350z.com/forum/showthread.php?t=222518

[Arne]

Well, I don't think anyone will disagree that it is a very competent performance car. I've got no argument with that. It IS good.

But my complaint is the same as with almost any car made today - it lacks 'personality' or 'soul'. And that's just life these days. Modern cars have become incredibly good - but in doing so, they have lost their distinctiveness.

Face it guys (and gals), the reason we own these cars is not because they are really great performance cars. My daily driver '96 328i will show it's taillights to any stock or mildly modified S30, either on the strip, track or winding mountain road.

But if I want to go for a pleasure drive, I'll take my 240Z. Because it has personality.

[hls30.com]

Well... from my racing perspective the 350Z has already won a national championship in GT and is very competitve in T2 and BS. Its also been winning professional races in Grand Am since 2003. The car is carrying on the tradition of the 240Z on the race track and is equal to its main competition, the RX8 and the S2000. There is huge aftermarket support for the car and you can build one anyway you like - from a 2,600 lb. 350 hp track car to a 3,700 lb. 550hp, bling bling stereo, wing, neon, 22" spinner street circus.

While I can agree with all you and Arne just said, the one real argument there is how much less it costs to put an S2000 in the same arena-much less ahead in the same race! Honda support and sponsorship is sooo much more available than the Nissan counterparts.

Two cars for racing-aproximately equal on the track-one is substantially lighter on the wallet, has far more support from its manufacturer, and third party vendors-I am afraid Nissan wouldn't like the choice I would make-but not enough to change the circumstances.

Will

[240ZMan]

At our last track day, my 73 wasn't able to be driven, so I just went to ride along with others. One of the club members suggested I take his stock 350Z out for a few laps. It's the basic model without any special performance options or mods. I was quite impressed with how easy it was to drive fast, and how buttoned down the chassis was. Even the brakes held up, although in fairness to him, I only kept it out for about 15 minutes. The refinement was excellent, and I still could tell what was happening with the front tires. And I only had a short time in the car to get used to it. The only issue I had was the positioning of the brake and gas pedals wasn't what I expected, so I had some trouble with heal-toe downshifting. Plus the 6 speed is a much shorter throw than my '80's 5 speed, so I landed up with 5th a few times when I was going for 3rd. But those are things I'm sure I'd get used to in a short period of time.

All in all, I was very impressed with the level of performance for a totally stock 350. And if I had to drive this every day, I would be quite comfortable. I agree with others that it was nothing like the early Zs, and I doubt in 30 years that there will be a following for it like there is for the S30s. But for a person who wants to have just one car that can be driven in virtually every condition, I can see how some would choose this car.

Also, keep in mind that most of us on this site take some pleasure in working on our cars, and in some cases, improving them. While that's possible to some degree with the 350, the cost is much higher than for an S30, and I doubt it would be that much fun due to the way new cars are "packaged" so tightly these days.

I know Nissan presented the 350 as the spiritual successor to the 240, and on that level I think they missed. But if one sees it instead as a different take on a modern sports car, then I think it deserves a lot more respect than it has received.

As they say, that's my $.02.

[zeewhiz]

i voted for the last one..I know you fellers like the old school S30, I mean thats what this site is about...and I own a '77 280, but u gotta give props the new one, sure it may not be to your liking style wise, but a car that delivers that much arse kicking for so little money deserves some credit...Id much rather buy that car for $26k than spend $35k on a scoobie WRX..just my 2 pennies tho..........

[Walter Moore]

I guess the only thing wrong with it is that it isn't a clone of XKE...

Let's face it, car companies always copy each other. The Datsun roadster was styled after the MGB. The 510 was Nissan's impression of a 2002 (or its predecessor). The 240Z was patterned after the Jaguar XKE. None of these cars represented "innovative" styling.

By the way, compare a mid 80's BMW 3 series to the 60's 510. From what I have seen it looks a lot like BMW copied the shape from Datsun. My son's 325es looks a whole lot MORE like a 510 than it does a 2002.

The REAL difference between Nissan's version and the "originals" is that Nissan's cars actually WORK!. They are reliable, (unlike certain cars...) fast, and sold for way less than the cars that they imitated.

The 240Z wasn't the fastest car sold in North America back in the early 70's, but there was nothing in its price range that could touch it. The same is true for the 350Z. For its PRICE it is one of the fastest cars on the road.

Yes it is heavy, and has too many power robbing accessories. Things like power steering, air conditioning, sound proofing, power seats, are all pretty much STANDARD on any car in its class. Other parts of the weight are required by law in the U.S. Things like impact absorbing bumpers, air reactor pump, Air bags, enhanced side impact protection, etc. But most of these things are the result of today's car market, not a lack of vision on the part of Nissan.

But I will admit that I like the styling of the G35 coupe. From my perspective it is one of the sexiest cars on the road. (Yes I know, it is really a Skyline...)

[hls30.com]

...The Datsun roadster was styled after the MGB. ...

Now wait, the Roadster came out before the mgb-it was completely sytyled before the mgb, it was completely mocked up before the mgb, it was on the road before the mgb, who copied who...

If somehow it was a copy, it would be the first and to my knowledge the only copy Nissan made with a larger engine and improvements everywhere else too...

Will

[Arne]

The MGB was introduced in the Fall of 1962 as a '63 model. Nissan was making Roadsters that early?

[waynekarnes]

the 240z was built to bring car guys that couldn't afford a porsche or corvette into the datsun dealership.

the sizzle had steak.

car guys got a bargain, a true GT, that would out run a porsche.

properly equipped from the factory,comfortable bucket seats, 4 speed with leather shifter boot, big tach, 160 mph speedo, full array of gauges all tilted at the driver. am/fm stereo with power antenna.

full front and rear independent suspension.

disc brakes on the front. large drums on the rear.

inline 6, with exotic dual carbs.

fit and finish to rival cars costing 3 times as much.

the XKE comes to mind.

remember this was 1969/1970,

japanese cars were still being smirked at.

the 240z shook loose of the japanese car stigma.

it only took a year or so for the 240z to be accepted by the

european sports car drivers . a true sports car without the european price.

the 240z broke new ground.

the 350z is meant to appeal to one that would nomally buy an eclipse or ford focus but had enough money to step up to a more expensive cookie cutter look alike car. the 350z accomplishes this quite well.

as stated earlier, the 240Z was intended to appeal to the vette and porsche driver.

the 240Z accomplished this very, very well.

i think this is the major difference between the 350z and the 240z.

240z = Grand Touring Car !

350z = sports tuned people mover !

wayne

[Mike]

I really enjoy the 350z. It's a nice combination of price versus performance. You can't find a car for under $30k that gives you what the 350z does.

I agree that it doesn't follow the lines like the early S30 cars, but, it's a different world today. Nissan did a good job with promoting and selling the car. When you speak motorsports, everyone knows about the 350z.

The only car I like better, under $50k, is the Infinity G35. There is just nothing else out there that matches it. Of course, I would love to have an Auston Martin Vantage.... Now that looks more like the 240z.

Anyway, it's obvious Nissan didn't want to go back to their roots (like VW, Ford, etc). The 350z is a totally new design.