Nissan 350Z ..why so cheap?
Discussion
mike_1985 said:
That was directed at your 996 mate
For a proffesinal journalist I think you are really wrong in calling the nissan 350z a rubbish car, I know its your opinion but you should ferain from making such comments as it leads to posts like these which lets face it does no good for your magazine
what was? what did I miss? I dont have a 996. or do I? or do you mean my wife was a 996? For a proffesinal journalist I think you are really wrong in calling the nissan 350z a rubbish car, I know its your opinion but you should ferain from making such comments as it leads to posts like these which lets face it does no good for your magazine
why as a proffesional journalist should I not post if i dont like something? Isnt that a tiny part of my job? besides which, I wasnt aware that posting on a thread constituted to writing and publishing a magazine review.
but please dont worry, the fact that interesting folks such as you get so excited and anxious about my opinion does the magazine no harm at all.
Bringing the thread back on-topic a little.
Firstly there is no right or wrong opinion on the 350Z, it is down to personal tastes and how an individual likes their car to feel, and what they feel constitutes good handling/performance/value for money. Therefore i shall try to convey why i like the 350Z.
There are a number of people on here stating they are contemplating buying a 350Z, or perhaps that for the same money they could get an E36 M3. I've owned both so i thought i'd share my thoughts.
There is no doubt in my mind that the M3 was quicker, the engine is a master piece of engineering, there's plenty of torque every where and the power just keeps on coming all the way to the red line, it just pulls harder and harder. Handling wise it was fantastic, too clinical though for my liking. I tracked mine a number of times and it was too easy to drive it on the limit lap after lap, unless you purposefully provoked the rear end, it stayed on line. The brakes started to grumble quite early on but that is all the complaining they did, no fade whatsoever.
The interior although solid, looks very dated.
I had an Evo 7 between the M3 and 350Z, but even after the Evo the Zed had great turn in and felt very planted (Nismo S-Tune shocks and springs help a lot here)The brakes didn't perform as well as the M3 for sure, however the difference for me and one of the main reasons i love the 350z is that the rear end is a joy! Some may say it is too loose, but for me if you drive it right you reap the rewards. The Zed isn't a car you throw into a bend, because yes it is too heavy. If you set it up properly for a bend, and blend in the throttle once the apex is reached, it hunkers down powers out gloriously. A little more throttle earlier and the tail will predictably come into play. It's not a scary snap oversteer moment (like in an M3 where there is too much mechanical grip imo, and then it lets go!), but a telegraphed transition which gives you time to wind off some lock and steer with the throttle. That to me is what makes the 350Z so enjoyable to drive, old school RWD action.
Yes i agree it could do with more power, the chassis could certainly handle it. Ok so yes the plastics could be better, but it is a well designed interior, and you sit low in the car, the controls feel chunky, well weighted and solid. The Honda S2000 may have a better quality finish inside, but it is very bland in comparison, and so is the M3's interior. The Rx8 may be lighter on it's feet, but for me it's way down on power and imo doesn't have the road prescence of a 350z.
For me if i was spending £10k again it would go on the 350Z, not the M3, not an RX8, not even another Evo! All round the Z does it for me. Old school fun, modern looks, reliability and great fun to drive.
Those who want a precise tool, it's not for you, spend your money on an Evo or Caterfield.
I haven't driven everything in it's peer group, but i feel i've driven/owned enough to give a valid opinion. I think you have to agree it is a lot of car for the money!
Another thing, i never tired looking out of my window at it!
Firstly there is no right or wrong opinion on the 350Z, it is down to personal tastes and how an individual likes their car to feel, and what they feel constitutes good handling/performance/value for money. Therefore i shall try to convey why i like the 350Z.
There are a number of people on here stating they are contemplating buying a 350Z, or perhaps that for the same money they could get an E36 M3. I've owned both so i thought i'd share my thoughts.
There is no doubt in my mind that the M3 was quicker, the engine is a master piece of engineering, there's plenty of torque every where and the power just keeps on coming all the way to the red line, it just pulls harder and harder. Handling wise it was fantastic, too clinical though for my liking. I tracked mine a number of times and it was too easy to drive it on the limit lap after lap, unless you purposefully provoked the rear end, it stayed on line. The brakes started to grumble quite early on but that is all the complaining they did, no fade whatsoever.
The interior although solid, looks very dated.
I had an Evo 7 between the M3 and 350Z, but even after the Evo the Zed had great turn in and felt very planted (Nismo S-Tune shocks and springs help a lot here)The brakes didn't perform as well as the M3 for sure, however the difference for me and one of the main reasons i love the 350z is that the rear end is a joy! Some may say it is too loose, but for me if you drive it right you reap the rewards. The Zed isn't a car you throw into a bend, because yes it is too heavy. If you set it up properly for a bend, and blend in the throttle once the apex is reached, it hunkers down powers out gloriously. A little more throttle earlier and the tail will predictably come into play. It's not a scary snap oversteer moment (like in an M3 where there is too much mechanical grip imo, and then it lets go!), but a telegraphed transition which gives you time to wind off some lock and steer with the throttle. That to me is what makes the 350Z so enjoyable to drive, old school RWD action.
Yes i agree it could do with more power, the chassis could certainly handle it. Ok so yes the plastics could be better, but it is a well designed interior, and you sit low in the car, the controls feel chunky, well weighted and solid. The Honda S2000 may have a better quality finish inside, but it is very bland in comparison, and so is the M3's interior. The Rx8 may be lighter on it's feet, but for me it's way down on power and imo doesn't have the road prescence of a 350z.
For me if i was spending £10k again it would go on the 350Z, not the M3, not an RX8, not even another Evo! All round the Z does it for me. Old school fun, modern looks, reliability and great fun to drive.
Those who want a precise tool, it's not for you, spend your money on an Evo or Caterfield.
I haven't driven everything in it's peer group, but i feel i've driven/owned enough to give a valid opinion. I think you have to agree it is a lot of car for the money!
Another thing, i never tired looking out of my window at it!
Nice pics, Hursty.
Interesting to see what LaurenceFrost had to say when he got to drive the GT-R and the 350Z back to back in this thread. http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Interesting to see what LaurenceFrost had to say when he got to drive the GT-R and the 350Z back to back in this thread. http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
mike_1985 said:
And to your 996 mate ... dont you have to apply fake hair spray on your head ?
Or should I say Hair In A Can ?
This is clearly 350Z Kuro black.Or should I say Hair In A Can ?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEK1NKdDDts&fea...
Think about it, a car that is compared to best in class to be the worst car that you ever driven ?
Did you miss the thread Roo put up in the last post where it says that the 350 was nearly as much fun as the GTR ?
Yes its opinion but its a far cry from being the worst driving car you/him have ever driven
The numbers were in relation to you reply about selling big ( magazine) numbers unlike me
The wife thing . I thought about what you keep saying, I'm right in my own way and not backing down and accepting that you may have been wrong. Makes me think that no sane woman would put up with that for too long
Hope this clears some things
Did you miss the thread Roo put up in the last post where it says that the 350 was nearly as much fun as the GTR ?
Yes its opinion but its a far cry from being the worst driving car you/him have ever driven
The numbers were in relation to you reply about selling big ( magazine) numbers unlike me
The wife thing . I thought about what you keep saying, I'm right in my own way and not backing down and accepting that you may have been wrong. Makes me think that no sane woman would put up with that for too long
Hope this clears some things
Edited by mike_1985 on Monday 8th September 18:45
mike_1985 said:
Yes its opinion but its a far cry from being the worst driving car you ever driven
how do you know that?mike said:
The numbers were in relation to you reply about selling big ( magazine) numbers like me
how do you know that?mike said:
The wife thing . I thought about what you keep saying, I'm right in my own way and not backing down and accepting that you may have been wrong. Makes me think that no sane woman would put up with that for too long
that makes no sense, like, at all. seriously, did you just smush a load of words together there and hope it would throw me off the scent?but if it helps, I've never been married. So its going to be pretty tricky for my wife to leave me, no?
mike_1985 said:
Did you miss the thread Roo put up in the last post where it says that the 350 was nearly as much fun as the GTR ?
nope, I saw it. Its evidence that someone else likes a car I dont. whats your point? Or was that blokes opinion finally supposed to tip the balance and make me change mine?regardless, the fact that you like it makes me even more sure I dont.
His opinion as car magazine writer is nothing to joke about . I wonder how much bad advice he has given to people that look up to his review .
Thats my problem , he aint any tom dick n harry is he ? He is a proffesional that has the power to influence people when they read the magazine he writes for
Instead of saying the 350z is s
te , maybe a bit of word diplomacy would ve been alot more sensible . Dont you think
Thats my problem , he aint any tom dick n harry is he ? He is a proffesional that has the power to influence people when they read the magazine he writes for
Instead of saying the 350z is s
te , maybe a bit of word diplomacy would ve been alot more sensible . Dont you think Edited by mike_1985 on Monday 8th September 19:59
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