RE: PH 370Z Breathes Fresh Northern Air

[havoc]

RacingPete said:

Ironically the car comes with bluetooth phone connection, and anything over 20mph makes this a pointless feature as no one can hear you speak on the phone.

Talk about bad design...

I've got an aftermarket stereo with Bluetooth interface in the 'teg, and that works well up to at least 50mph, and 'just enough' at M-way speeds. Mic up at the top of the A-pillar and sound routed through speakers.

[Mr Whippy]

ANS2vrs370 said:

Mr Whippy said:

As said, car gays. Limp wristed fannies who wouldn't know a fun or interesting car if it hit them in the face.


Too many miles spent in a diesel BMW 5 series are the problem here I think

Dave

Edited by Mr Whippy on Thursday 28th October 17:36

humph *flounces off to bar*
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Can I reclaim man points due to the TVR?

I think the road noise debate is going to roll on however it shouldn't detract from the rest of the car which is brilliant

Hehe, the TVR reclaims all man points


It's an interesting issue though. The old TVR is probably "worse" but it's the mix of things that makes it ok.

Clearly the 370Z has one thing that stands out and that is what makes it the target of attack. A louder exhaust and a bit more mechanical noise might well mask the wind/tyre noise and make the overall 'blend' of noises more acceptable.


Driving to work this morning and my Z4 is pretty noisy from the rear tyres just behind my head. The roof up and they are only a thin bit of metal and arch liner away from firing noise up into the rear part of the cabin where the roof sits when it's down.
BUT, it's a sports car. For me it's erring on the 'too gay' side of things already. It needs to be harder and harsher to be a serious sports car imo.

Maybe Nissan should offer two specifications. "Gay version" with 100kg of sound proofing, and a "drivers version" that is 100kg lighter than the current version

Dave

[havoc]

Mr Whippy said:

Maybe Nissan should offer two specifications. "Gay version" with 100kg of sound proofing, and a "drivers version" that is 100kg lighter than the current version

They should call them that too - that way blokes could legitimately walk up to their mates and say "ah, I see you got the gay version!"

So we're talking about a Spec-V version? Or a "Type-R", an "M-car", an "RS" etc...or would have been before all of those got soft and lardy too! (Porsches possibly excepted)


Thinking about it, the most hardcore version of a sub-supercar in recent times is probably that silly Megane R26.R. And that's probably still more refined (overall) than the early M-cars, for example.

Edit: Caterhams all round and hold the seat padding!

Edited by havoc on Friday 29th October 13:44

[Mr Whippy]

havoc said:

Edit: Caterhams all round and hold the seat padding!

Funny you should say that.

The Superlight R Caterham my friend had (with carbon buckets) felt very well mannered and 'nice' in day to day driving that I'd happily commute in one in summer...
Had it a decent heater/roof entry combo setup, it'd even probably be pretty nice in winter with appropriate tyres.

We really are missing a trick with modern cars. They could be so simple and so effective, yet they are larded up with complete crap.

Even looks like Lotus have lost the plot. Their matrix for the new car models saw them all have a bloody auto/dsg type gearbox


Shame

Dave

[havoc]

Mr Whippy said:

We really are missing a trick with modern cars. They could be so simple and so effective, yet they are larded up with complete crap.

Even looks like Lotus have lost the plot. Their matrix for the new car models saw them all have a bloody auto/dsg type gearbox


Shame

Dave

Agree on both points.

1 is why I'm yet to find a better all-rounder than my 'teg (well, an E46 M3 might do the job...) - just enough toys/comfort to be all-weather habitable, plenty of practicality, bags of feedback and involvement, no excess weight.

2 is a thorough disappointment - Bahar is trying to take Lotus places where it's never been (IMHO anyway - Esprit wasn't a successful Porsche/Ferrari competitor outside the UK - the NSX, globally, had much more success), and embracing all of the fad "must have" technology, rather than sticking to their core competence (and core customer base) of light-and-simple, road-&-track or track-&-road machines.

And I'm not sure whether I wish them success or not...their current plan looks no different to any of the other low-volume British "start-up supercar manufacturers (sic)", most of whom never deliver a final product and those that do don't last more than a year. Yet Lotus are one of the best current TRULY British sports-car manufacturers, and probably the one closest to my personal preferences. Be a real shame to see them go.

(Edit: I'd LOVE to see a true Elan successor - FR, light, simple, comfortable. And yes I know the answer is "MX5" , but the Mk3 MX-5 is far from light or simple.)

[Dunk76]

Blimey, the Flat-Earthers are out in force now, demanding Elans with keep fit windows and non-collapsible steering columns and bullet boxes and steering wheel mounted Governors.

The issue with the road noise is not one of driver involvement, or lack thereof. The 200sx Touring was the same in the 350/370 as it was missing 50% of it's sound deadening - great when you were in the mood as the back end was light.

However, in heavy rain on a motorway in the evening when you've been at work all day the unending roar from behind you doesn't half wear you out. Most other noises in a car you can work around, but tyre noise is completely unavoidable.

Fine in an Elise or other lightweight, but in a big thumping GT/Coupe?

[ANS2vrs370]

Dunk76 said:

The issue with the road noise is not one of driver involvement, or lack thereof. The 200sx Touring was the same in the 350/370 as it was missing 50% of it's sound deadening - great when you were in the mood as the back end was light.

However, in heavy rain on a motorway in the evening when you've been at work all day the unending roar from behind you doesn't half wear you out. Most other noises in a car you can work around, but tyre noise is completely unavoidable.

Fine in an Elise or other lightweight, but in a big thumping GT/Coupe?

at the gay version would be an interesting advertising campaign.

Most purchasers will want to use the 370Z as a daily drive as the choice for toy cars is huge for £35k the small minority will use toy cars everyday, for example a Caterham, therefore Dunk76 sums it up very well!

Off to put my man points back on the mantel piece

Edited by ANS2vrs370 on Tuesday 2nd November 08:10

[MGR]

havoc said:

MGR said:

That review is word for word what my experience of my 350Z is like. Absolutely spot on.

I'd also agree with the 'unacceptable' noise level (in my 350). Its not me being pathetic, it makes it very hard to have a conversation at motorway speeds and destroys the 'GT' nature of the car. I won't take it for a motorway journey that I know will last over an hour.

People really are getting too demanding about cars. My (no soundproofing) ITR has similar levels of NVH to my (old) Ford Orion. One was touted as a hardcore road-racer, the other as a small family saloon, just 10 or so years apart in design.

I'll also wager that the 350Z and 370Z have better NVH than e.g. an original 635i (a 1980s sporting GT).

Yet you get people on here bemoaning current NVH levels, which will lead to the next gen of cars being even MORE remote from the driver, as the NVH engineers try and eliminate all vibration (like feedback from the wheel and the road) and minimise noise (which can give you early indication if there's a problem, not that 99% of drivers seem to have any mechanical sympathy).

But its by far the worst car I have owned for this sort of thing, I could forgive it if it was a lightweight car but its not. If I had bought an elise its something I would accept and not even mention.

I don't think being able to have a conversation at motorway speeds in a heavy, non convertable car is too demanding.

You have to experience it I think. Its not something that has ever bothered me in any other car I have owned / been in.

I don't think tyre noise has much to do with feedback.

[havoc]

MGR said:

But its by far the worst car I have owned for this sort of thing, I could forgive it if it was a lightweight car but its not. If I had bought an elise its something I would accept and not even mention.

XR2 / GTE / GTi-6 (possibly)

It FEELS worse because you're comparing it to all the other modern cars you passenger / drive in now. In reality it's not.

[Blue Meanie]

Interesting to see the family of Nissan GT cars...

[NoelWatson]

havoc said:

Thinking about it, the most hardcore version of a sub-supercar in recent times is probably that silly Megane R26.R.

You should have a drive in one - quite different to NSX

[havoc]

NoelWatson said:

havoc said:

Thinking about it, the most hardcore version of a sub-supercar in recent times is probably that silly Megane R26.R.

You should have a drive in one - quite different to NSX

I have been tempted...

[rigidrotor]

Interesting reading, I bought a 370z after spending two years driving a very refined XF jag that you could hear a pin drop in it at over 70 miles per hour. Did I buy the 370 for its ability to be quiet -No, did I buy it for a bit of fun and something I could live with on long transits - Yes, there is excessive roads noise and maybe a change of tyres may cure this issue.
For me it brings a smile to my face, is quick enough to go up against most cars in its price bracket, it is very sure footed and you really have to push it to get out of shape.
Visiblity is a problem with small windows and restricted views epecially pulling out at an oblique angle.
Comfort, well I am 6 ft and 15 stone (dont ask me in metric I'm old school) and I find it very comfortable even on long journeys as for the blue tooth - yep rubbish above 50mph, but do I want to talk to people when blasting along. That call can wait.

[Mr Whippy]

rigidrotor said:

Interesting reading, I bought a 370z after spending two years driving a very refined XF jag that you could hear a pin drop in it at over 70 miles per hour. Did I buy the 370 for its ability to be quiet -No, did I buy it for a bit of fun and something I could live with on long transits - Yes, there is excessive roads noise and maybe a change of tyres may cure this issue.
For me it brings a smile to my face, is quick enough to go up against most cars in its price bracket, it is very sure footed and you really have to push it to get out of shape.
Visiblity is a problem with small windows and restricted views epecially pulling out at an oblique angle.
Comfort, well I am 6 ft and 15 stone (dont ask me in metric I'm old school) and I find it very comfortable even on long journeys as for the blue tooth - yep rubbish above 50mph, but do I want to talk to people when blasting along. That call can wait.

The opinion of someone who isn't a bit of a car gay

Nice to hear!

People who find all these things problems should go buy a Golf GTi

Dave

[CaptainSensib1e]

MGR said:

That review is word for word what my experience of my 350Z is like. Absolutely spot on.

I'd also agree with the 'unacceptable' noise level (in my 350). Its not me being pathetic, it makes it very hard to have a conversation at motorway speeds and destroys the 'GT' nature of the car. I won't take it for a motorway journey that I know will last over an hour.

Sorry, you should be banned from a motoring forum for comments like that. I own a 350Z and I've never once wished there was less cabin noise. I can cruise along the motor way and quite happily hold a conversation at normal levels with a passenger. You do get a fair bit of noise when you put your foot down. That will be the sweet V6 and tuned exhaust then. I'm sure Nissan could have happily added another 100kg of sound deadending to make it Rolls Royce quiet, but that's not really the point of a 2 seater sports car is it? Go and buy some cotton buds.