Opinions on the 350Z
Discussion
What do people think of the Nissan 350Z coupe as a purchase in this day and age? It was set to be a 'future classic' - is this still true?
I would quite like to get one but sometimes they look dated and sometimes they look very unique. With 3.5 V6 its going to be thirsty and the insurance costs are high - is it worth it?
I would quite like to get one but sometimes they look dated and sometimes they look very unique. With 3.5 V6 its going to be thirsty and the insurance costs are high - is it worth it?
I don't think it will ever be a future classic. Overall, a good car but there are many better at the same price. I'd rather a Supra Twin Turbo if I were buying a big, heavy Japanese coupe. Nissan should have also gave it a louder exhaust, the standard item is quiet and fairly dull sounding. A neighbour of mine had one for years, never seemed to have any trouble with it, so they're undeniably as well built as any other Nissan.
There's at least one other thread running on this subject at the mo (see Jap Chat). I thought mine was cheap inside and suffered from lots of silly niggles.
It'll be a classic in the same way that a Ford Capri is a classic. 20 years from now we may look back on them fondly but we also wouldn't forego a modern car for one...
It'll be a classic in the same way that a Ford Capri is a classic. 20 years from now we may look back on them fondly but we also wouldn't forego a modern car for one...
versus said:
What do people think of the Nissan 350Z coupe as a purchase in this day and age? It was set to be a 'future classic' - is this still true?
I would quite like to get one but sometimes they look dated and sometimes they look very unique. With 3.5 V6 its going to be thirsty and the insurance costs are high - is it worth it?
I can't see the 350z being truly classic any time soon. You got the 260, 280z, 300ZX and 200SX that'll all make it there first.I would quite like to get one but sometimes they look dated and sometimes they look very unique. With 3.5 V6 its going to be thirsty and the insurance costs are high - is it worth it?
They are quite nice though, although not as speedy as you'd think for the earlier ones. Only two seats though. And there are other options for fast coupes.
versus said:
What alternatives are there for around upto £12k?
Basically there are a lot of alternatives, I'll throw out a few ideas, but knowing what you are after from a car and your intended use would probably be helpful.In terms of alternatives I'll stick to 2 door coupes/drop heads:
-Chimera
-Griff
-Cerbera
-Corvette C4
-Corvette C4 ZR-1
-Corvette C5
-Mustang GT (sn95)
-Mustang Mach 1 (sn95)
-Mustang Cobra (sn95)
-4th Generation Firebird Trans Am/Trans Am WS6/Firehawk
-4th Generation Camaro z28/z28 SS
-BMW e36 M3 Evo
-BMW e46 M3
-BMW M90 330i
-BMW M90 335i
-BMW Z4 3.0
-Audi TT
-Alfa Brera V6
-BMW Z3 M Coupe
-BMW Z3 M Roadster
-Chrysler Crossfire SRT-6 supercharged
-Nissan 200SX S15 JDM
-Nissan Skyline GT-R32 or 33
-Ford Lightning
-Honda S2k
-Mazda RX-8 R3
-Vauxhall/Holden Monaro
-Jaguar XJS 6.0 V12
-Jaguar XK8/XKR
-Vauxhall VX220T
-Lotus Elise
-GTM Libra
-Porsche 911 C2 996
-Porsche 928
-Porsche 944T
-Porsche 968/968 CS
-Toyota Supra Turbo MK IV
-Clio V6
Not saying they are all better than a 350z, just some alternatives. And certainly some I'd personally consider over one.
wow thats quite a list. i would like a coupe or a sports car with less than 30,000miles for under £14k tops. it should be quite fast and good looking without being too common and/or chavvy.
i like cars that feel sturdy and comfortable. the 350Z seems to have that. if i go for a bigger coupe then a hardtop convertible would be nice but im not keen on BMWs otherwise the 335i looks the business.
i like cars that feel sturdy and comfortable. the 350Z seems to have that. if i go for a bigger coupe then a hardtop convertible would be nice but im not keen on BMWs otherwise the 335i looks the business.
I've had one for the past 10 months, and it's been solid and dependable. It does feel like a big, cumbersome thing but is surprisingly decent round corners. The standard exhaust is plenty loud (the Japanese imports are virtually silent though), and the V6 sounds great when being pushed. The engines are generally bulletproof but have been known to use oil. They're decent on fuel for what they are; motorway journeys can see low 30s. Make no mistake though, this is not an economical car; short journeys or town driving can easily see 15-18 mpg though. I do relatively few miles and put in 25 litres (£1.33 p/l) a time which has only been getting me 95 miles recently. The suspension is very firm and there is lots of road noise which can be obtrusive at motorway speeds.
The interior is cheap and flimsy, it really does feel quite low-rent and it's also hugely impractical. Obviously only has two seats, and boot space is severely restricted by a massive strut brace. It also has no glovebox in the dash which I've always found annoying. I'm in my mid 20s and am single so this isn't an issue but sometimes I miss rear seats.
If you do get one make sure you get the GT spec, as they come with heated electric leather, BOSE, cruise control, uprated alloys (generally) and probably something else I haven't mentioned. Japanese imports can have a variety of options so each will be slightly different. Avoid cloth seats as it makes the interior look even more spartan. The pre-facelift Zeds have xenon headlights which are truly awful, 06 and onwards get bi-xenons with a more conventional design so you can actually see at night. The interior is also improved in the facelift models and tax is £445 per year after March '06.
On the whole it's a nice looking car with a lovely silky engine, and in GT spec is well equipped and fairly comfortable. It's not the last word in driving dynamics but is certainly very competent. It's definitely more of a big RWD bruiser than an out and out drivers car.
The interior is cheap and flimsy, it really does feel quite low-rent and it's also hugely impractical. Obviously only has two seats, and boot space is severely restricted by a massive strut brace. It also has no glovebox in the dash which I've always found annoying. I'm in my mid 20s and am single so this isn't an issue but sometimes I miss rear seats.
If you do get one make sure you get the GT spec, as they come with heated electric leather, BOSE, cruise control, uprated alloys (generally) and probably something else I haven't mentioned. Japanese imports can have a variety of options so each will be slightly different. Avoid cloth seats as it makes the interior look even more spartan. The pre-facelift Zeds have xenon headlights which are truly awful, 06 and onwards get bi-xenons with a more conventional design so you can actually see at night. The interior is also improved in the facelift models and tax is £445 per year after March '06.
On the whole it's a nice looking car with a lovely silky engine, and in GT spec is well equipped and fairly comfortable. It's not the last word in driving dynamics but is certainly very competent. It's definitely more of a big RWD bruiser than an out and out drivers car.
Edited by ensignia on Sunday 15th January 00:18
300bhp/ton said:
versus said:
What alternatives are there for around upto £12k?
Basically there are a lot of alternatives, I'll throw out a few ideas, but knowing what you are after from a car and your intended use would probably be helpful.In terms of alternatives I'll stick to 2 door coupes/drop heads:
-Chimera
-Griff
-Cerbera
-Corvette C4
-Corvette C4 ZR-1
-Corvette C5
-Mustang GT (sn95)
-Mustang Mach 1 (sn95)
-Mustang Cobra (sn95)
-4th Generation Firebird Trans Am/Trans Am WS6/Firehawk
-4th Generation Camaro z28/z28 SS
-BMW e36 M3 Evo
-BMW e46 M3
-BMW M90 330i
-BMW M90 335i
-BMW Z4 3.0
-Audi TT
-Alfa Brera V6
-BMW Z3 M Coupe
-BMW Z3 M Roadster
-Chrysler Crossfire SRT-6 supercharged
-Nissan 200SX S15 JDM
-Nissan Skyline GT-R32 or 33
-Ford Lightning
-Honda S2k
-Mazda RX-8 R3
-Vauxhall/Holden Monaro
-Jaguar XJS 6.0 V12
-Jaguar XK8/XKR
-Vauxhall VX220T
-Lotus Elise
-GTM Libra
-Porsche 911 C2 996
-Porsche 928
-Porsche 944T
-Porsche 968/968 CS
-Toyota Supra Turbo MK IV
-Clio V6
Not saying they are all better than a 350z, just some alternatives. And certainly some I'd personally consider over one.
ensignia said:
I've had one for the past 10 months, and it's been solid and dependable. It does feel like a big, cumbersome thing but is surprisingly decent round corners. The standard exhaust is plenty loud (the Japanese imports are virtually silent though), and the V6 sounds great when being pushed. The engines are generally bulletproof but have been known to use oil. They're decent on fuel for what they are; motorway journeys can see low 30s. Short journeys or town driving can easily see 15-18 mpg though. Make no mistake though, this is not an economical car. I do relatively few miles and put in 25 litres (£1.33 p/l) a time which has only been getting me 95 miles recently. The suspension is very firm and there is lots of road noise which can be obtrusive at motorway speeds.
The interior is cheap and flimsy, it really does fell quite low-rent and it's also hugely impractical. Obviously only has two seats, and boot space is severely restricted by a massive strut brace. It also has no glovebox in the dash which I've always found annoying. I'm in my mid 20s and am single so this isn't an issue but sometimes I miss rear seats.
If you do get one make sure you get the GT spec, as they come with heated electric leather, BOSE, cruise control, uprated alloys (generally) and probably something else I haven't mentioned. Japanese imports can have a variety of options so each will be slightly different. Avoid cloth seats as it makes the interior look even more spartan. The pre-facelift Zeds have xenon headlights which are truly awful, 06 and onwards get bi-xenons with a more conventional design so you can actually see at night. The interior is also improved in the facelift models and tax is £445 per year after March '06.
On the whole it's a nice looking car with a lovely silky engine, and in GT spec is well equipped and fairly comfortable. It's not the last word in driving dynamics but is certainly very competent. It's definitely more of a big RWD bruiser than an out and out drivers car.
Some cracking advice, Personally im looking to avoid the 313 with the £445 tax bill and go with the other variations at £260 per annum as i dont wish to pay more than what im paying at the moment on the TT and cant see the gains on having the 313 with the 308bhp engine for the costs associated...The interior is cheap and flimsy, it really does fell quite low-rent and it's also hugely impractical. Obviously only has two seats, and boot space is severely restricted by a massive strut brace. It also has no glovebox in the dash which I've always found annoying. I'm in my mid 20s and am single so this isn't an issue but sometimes I miss rear seats.
If you do get one make sure you get the GT spec, as they come with heated electric leather, BOSE, cruise control, uprated alloys (generally) and probably something else I haven't mentioned. Japanese imports can have a variety of options so each will be slightly different. Avoid cloth seats as it makes the interior look even more spartan. The pre-facelift Zeds have xenon headlights which are truly awful, 06 and onwards get bi-xenons with a more conventional design so you can actually see at night. The interior is also improved in the facelift models and tax is £445 per year after March '06.
On the whole it's a nice looking car with a lovely silky engine, and in GT spec is well equipped and fairly comfortable. It's not the last word in driving dynamics but is certainly very competent. It's definitely more of a big RWD bruiser than an out and out drivers car.
ensignia said:
I've had one for the past 10 months, and it's been solid and dependable. It does feel like a big, cumbersome thing but is surprisingly decent round corners. The standard exhaust is plenty loud (the Japanese imports are virtually silent though), and the V6 sounds great when being pushed. The engines are generally bulletproof but have been known to use oil. They're decent on fuel for what they are; motorway journeys can see low 30s. Make no mistake though, this is not an economical car; short journeys or town driving can easily see 15-18 mpg though. I do relatively few miles and put in 25 litres (£1.33 p/l) a time which has only been getting me 95 miles recently. The suspension is very firm and there is lots of road noise which can be obtrusive at motorway speeds.
The interior is cheap and flimsy, it really does feel quite low-rent and it's also hugely impractical. Obviously only has two seats, and boot space is severely restricted by a massive strut brace. It also has no glovebox in the dash which I've always found annoying. I'm in my mid 20s and am single so this isn't an issue but sometimes I miss rear seats.
If you do get one make sure you get the GT spec, as they come with heated electric leather, BOSE, cruise control, uprated alloys (generally) and probably something else I haven't mentioned. Japanese imports can have a variety of options so each will be slightly different. Avoid cloth seats as it makes the interior look even more spartan. The pre-facelift Zeds have xenon headlights which are truly awful, 06 and onwards get bi-xenons with a more conventional design so you can actually see at night. The interior is also improved in the facelift models and tax is £445 per year after March '06.
On the whole it's a nice looking car with a lovely silky engine, and in GT spec is well equipped and fairly comfortable. It's not the last word in driving dynamics but is certainly very competent. It's definitely more of a big RWD bruiser than an out and out drivers car.
Thanks for that - exactly the information I needed. I do town/city driving 95% of the time so I'll probably get 15mpg which is just too low for me. My previous BMW 325 was giving me about 20mpg which was bearable. To put up with 15mpg would mean the car had to be truly special and a lovely place to be, but from the sounds of it the Zed is not the epitome of luxury. No glovebox?! That quite bad for me, and I'm in my mid 20s too. The interior is cheap and flimsy, it really does feel quite low-rent and it's also hugely impractical. Obviously only has two seats, and boot space is severely restricted by a massive strut brace. It also has no glovebox in the dash which I've always found annoying. I'm in my mid 20s and am single so this isn't an issue but sometimes I miss rear seats.
If you do get one make sure you get the GT spec, as they come with heated electric leather, BOSE, cruise control, uprated alloys (generally) and probably something else I haven't mentioned. Japanese imports can have a variety of options so each will be slightly different. Avoid cloth seats as it makes the interior look even more spartan. The pre-facelift Zeds have xenon headlights which are truly awful, 06 and onwards get bi-xenons with a more conventional design so you can actually see at night. The interior is also improved in the facelift models and tax is £445 per year after March '06.
On the whole it's a nice looking car with a lovely silky engine, and in GT spec is well equipped and fairly comfortable. It's not the last word in driving dynamics but is certainly very competent. It's definitely more of a big RWD bruiser than an out and out drivers car.
icepop said:
When you buy petrol, do you actually put it your car, or from the bizzare nature of your list......drink it
So are we going to get some stupid comment from you about taxing cars off the road that you don't like or understand? Or is there actually a point to what you said. versus said:
wow thats quite a list. i would like a coupe or a sports car with less than 30,000miles for under £14k tops. it should be quite fast and good looking without being too common and/or chavvy.
i like cars that feel sturdy and comfortable. the 350Z seems to have that. if i go for a bigger coupe then a hardtop convertible would be nice but im not keen on BMWs otherwise the 335i looks the business.
In terms of age, mileage, condition versus price the 350z will be hard to top in terms of numbers. Sadly they don't hold their money all that well. Bu it does mean they are a bargain compared to some others. i like cars that feel sturdy and comfortable. the 350Z seems to have that. if i go for a bigger coupe then a hardtop convertible would be nice but im not keen on BMWs otherwise the 335i looks the business.
Personally age and mileage are less of a worry for me, as in I'd rather have something older if it's either better, faster, more fun, more exclusive or will retain more of its value. Which means overall lower total cost of ownership. So cars such as a TVR, Corvette or 500hp Mustang Cobra would appeal more to me for £14k.
Straying from the coupe format, I think for £14k I'd also seriously be looking at Evo's too.
However I reckon you need to get yourself a test drive in a 350z and see how you get on.
I had one for a year & they're very good at what they do. Hard as nails & long lasting would be my comments.
Think mine had about 8k on the clock & I sold it with about 20k? Can't remember but it was the car I owned when I got into track days (it felt too fast for the road coming from an mr2 spyder), did spa, nurburgring, croft, silverstone etc etc so I gave it a hard life, didn't need brakes or tyres when I sold it so like I say pretty long lasting.
People complain about the interiors but I never got that? Mine was a gt spec car but it was ok, the interior door cards are a big chunk of plastic but I didn't lose any sleep over it.
Overall a nice all rounder, a bit big & heavy for b road blasting but then what modern car isn't? Well made & looks the part too
Think mine had about 8k on the clock & I sold it with about 20k? Can't remember but it was the car I owned when I got into track days (it felt too fast for the road coming from an mr2 spyder), did spa, nurburgring, croft, silverstone etc etc so I gave it a hard life, didn't need brakes or tyres when I sold it so like I say pretty long lasting.
People complain about the interiors but I never got that? Mine was a gt spec car but it was ok, the interior door cards are a big chunk of plastic but I didn't lose any sleep over it.
Overall a nice all rounder, a bit big & heavy for b road blasting but then what modern car isn't? Well made & looks the part too
I had a 350z GT for a year and drove it through Europe and the alps, it was an awesome car for the trip and I would highly recommend them.
I see the same usual comments have appeared from people who have never even been in one, never mind owned one. Having only really had German cars I was sceptical but drove one and bought it - first car I looked at. They are very comfortable, the soundtrack is epic and you will not bore of it. It's a nice chunky coupe with a lovely gearbox, although the pre 2005 modes could have an issue with 3rd - 4th crunching, the year you are looking at wont have this as it was resolved in later models. They are very easy to slide out, and control when sliding -which was awesome on the Stelvio pass
The boot space isn't brilliant, but that said we did a 2 week euro road trip and it swallowed our bags no problems. Interior wise, I honestly don't think it is as bad as people make out - it's mostly pretty solid with the exception of the flap that folds down over the sat nav, and on that subject - the sat nav is terrible and not worth having IMHO
Overall I loved mine, but I didn't keep it long as I got bored with it an I went straight back to a German car -which I suppose says something! (I dont keep any car for long) But I am very glad I had one. As for residual values being poor - I disagree completely, I sold mine about 3 years ago and good ones still sell of very similar money, and if you compare it too the RX8 residuals the 350z looks very attractive indeed!
Go drive one, a hard package not to like. And yes, has to be a UK GT spec.
I see the same usual comments have appeared from people who have never even been in one, never mind owned one. Having only really had German cars I was sceptical but drove one and bought it - first car I looked at. They are very comfortable, the soundtrack is epic and you will not bore of it. It's a nice chunky coupe with a lovely gearbox, although the pre 2005 modes could have an issue with 3rd - 4th crunching, the year you are looking at wont have this as it was resolved in later models. They are very easy to slide out, and control when sliding -which was awesome on the Stelvio pass
The boot space isn't brilliant, but that said we did a 2 week euro road trip and it swallowed our bags no problems. Interior wise, I honestly don't think it is as bad as people make out - it's mostly pretty solid with the exception of the flap that folds down over the sat nav, and on that subject - the sat nav is terrible and not worth having IMHO
Overall I loved mine, but I didn't keep it long as I got bored with it an I went straight back to a German car -which I suppose says something! (I dont keep any car for long) But I am very glad I had one. As for residual values being poor - I disagree completely, I sold mine about 3 years ago and good ones still sell of very similar money, and if you compare it too the RX8 residuals the 350z looks very attractive indeed!
Go drive one, a hard package not to like. And yes, has to be a UK GT spec.
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