New 350Z - old 240Z story !

[Sean Dezart]

Looks like the same old story but with a different face !

Don't anyone tell me they have a s'tandard' Z !!!

Every country or at least continent is different !

http://www.zclub.net/cgi-bin/forum/ikonboard.cgi?s=3e5fbb980e5affff;act=ST;f=12;t=15

Sean

[Alfadog]

It appears you have to be a member to view that content... :sick:

[Sean Dezart]

Oops !

Here is the text I was referring to :

You should all have been at Steve Lack's Kent Group Meet on Sunday - a representative of Nissan Ancaster (Penge) brought a blue metallic Fairlady Z auto 350 for us to paw and prod (and sit in).

I have some quite cynical observations as a result, concerning Nissan's plans for the U.K. version and the changes inflicted on this car by SVA testing:

1. The prediction is that 60% of sales will be auto (because this is the figure from the Z32 sales).

2. The front indicator strips and bumper repeater strips may not be legal for U.K. / Europe: this example had them disabled and an orange bulb stuck in the upper part of the headlamp. Also, the wings had been drilled to fit some tacky side repeaters under the Z emblem.

3. We can't have Xenon headlamps unless at least washers are fitted - cue two ugly blobs on the front bumper.....

4. Although Japanese cars made in the U.K. and Japanese home market cars have the indicator stalk on the right, Nissan plan to swap the 350Z one to the left. Also, apparently cars for U.K. / Europe made in Japan have this feature.....

5. The standard brakes look like recycled 280ZX units - please let us have Brembos......

6. The jewel-like Z logo rear strut brace has already been toned down to a matt alloy finish and may have to go altogether. Complaints apparently of reflected Z logo in rear view (pretty cool, I'd say!. If golf club toting executives had their way, the strut brace would be removed entirely (can't get the golf bag in the back).

7. Already the "Nissan cheap plastic" jibes are starting and there are complaints that there is no glove box - despite cavernous storage bins behind the seats!

8. Paint quality was dubious with poor colour matching of fuel filler and bumper / bonnet / wing lines.

9. SVA speedo conversion had disabled some trip computer gauge functions and made two buttons inoperative.

10. U.K. cars will have a restyled (read big and ugly) rear number plate indent and probably separate inserts for rear fogs. This car had the worst SVA fog lamp conversion (bar the "Halfords dangler") - a bit of red plastic stuck on the outside of one reversing lamp.......

Personally, I'm still very impressed by the car, but would be very choosy about spec. I'm not convinced that U.K. cars are going to be right (somebody please prove me wrong!!!!. The interior is wonderfully tactile for all the driver bits, seating position is excellent, the tilt wheel perfect, the plastic is quite acceptable, even the wobbly centre bin lid (Sat-Nav cover on fully equipped cars) is fine as long as you don't deliberately bash it about like most motoring journalists seem to.

I still want it, but the higher import specs look much more appealing than a base model Fairlady Z. Are the importers providing the information on options to prospective punters? £31,700 would be a lot to pay for a base model car.......

So how does this compare with US 350s ? Are 'yours' wildly different from 'ours' or just the same subtlies as per the 240 ?

ps Thanks Alfadog for the input !

[beandip]

:classic: To be absolutely honest I dont like the car, the 350Z. After saying that the reason is the basic shape . From what I have seen it performs well but in the looks dept. they copied the wrong cars. VW bug, the new one and the Audi . In my openion the Jag Roadster and the Honda 2000 and the Ford GT is what they should have been styling after. I wint to the dealer and saw the first one in the area and they were asking get this 15k over sticker and it was sold! couldent believe it. Last week end there were 4 for sale in the want adds. That has to tell you something. Siting in one I found ti to be vary comfortable and all the necessary controlls are right at hand ,the fit and finish vary well done and vary well thought out. With not enough room to carry one set of golf clubs or two overnite bags , not good. To be absolutele honest . If I took 1/3 the selling price of the 350z and put it into a average 240z I think I would have a much nicer looking car and one that performed as well of vary much close to it. My 2 C

[Zedrally]

Originally posted by beandip

:classic:

snip

If I took 1/3 the selling price of the 350z and put it into a average 240z I think I would have a much nicer looking car and one that performed as well of vary much close to it. My 2 C

If you look at from this perpective then even 1/2 [in Aus approx 30K] would do a full rebuild, leather seats, top of line audio, perhaps Sat Nav and leave change in pocket!

What you would have is an up to date car that simple to service and cheap to run.

What can you do with 30K on your 240/260?

[Alfadog]

But you see people who buy new cars are strange. They don't WANT to work on their car.. they like things called "warranty" and they seem to think new cars have more style??????

Who knows, they're very very strange...

[Zedrally]

Ok, Hypothetically, what could/would you do to your car if you had AUD $30K to spend on it?

[Brett240]

3.5 litre V8 out of a 355 ferrari. now THATS different.

[Zpeed]

yer the europe one sounds sucky.. likely we (australia) get just about the same car as japan do...

about the 30k aus on a z, would be, 10g buying a good 240z,

10k buy a wreck with 6spd, cost around 5k to get the motor in, and approriate mods, Ie upgraded computer possible... 3k get a good suspension setup, coil overs, and 2k on a good brake setup. possibly just using the brembos from the 350z wreck...

that be around 30-35g or so... and ud have a sweet old 350z.. haha... and still have a new reliable motor

id say it would be hard to get a 350z wreck, thats why i said price tag of 10g for the wrecked car/front cut possible

[1 Bravo 6]

:love:

100% body off, back to bare metal ground up total

PROFESSIONAL restoration of my 260Zed.

What more could anyone want ??????????????????

Rick.

[TKR514]

The 350Z is heavy, complicated, uninspired. I would have to call it a GT 'cause it's so heavy and "luxury" oriented. It's a good car, but lacks a bit of vision of the original...

[TKR514]

The 350Z is heavy, complicated, uninspired. I would have to call it a GT 'cause it's so heavy and "luxury" oriented. It's a good car, but lacks a bit of vision of the original...