Warlock's 370Z Nismo
Discussion
Changed car a couple of months back, was driving a blue 06 350Z convertible, that had seen better days.
Steering rack was a bit loose, assorted bushes were about to want replaced, tiny bit of rust appearing on one back arch, and the interior was getting a bit tired.
So, given that I've been WFH for 2 years, and we have another car, I decided to WBAC it the f
k off my driveway while it was still worth something, and didn't plan on replacing it immediately, as I don't really need a car at the moment.
My wife tolerated 4 days of that, then took me car shopping, was kinda thinking Mustang, or maybe a 370Z, ended up buying the first thing I drove:
Washed it
Changed the gearknob (The black one in the first pic is the original. I hated it, it reminded me of the last BMW MINI we owned, it's just too big. Replaced it with a much smaller and rigid/less 'padded' Nismo part.
Then, parked it on the driveway next to her car, where it spends the vast, vast majority of its time. Pretty convinced buying it was a mistake, I never use it.
Steering rack was a bit loose, assorted bushes were about to want replaced, tiny bit of rust appearing on one back arch, and the interior was getting a bit tired.
So, given that I've been WFH for 2 years, and we have another car, I decided to WBAC it the f
k off my driveway while it was still worth something, and didn't plan on replacing it immediately, as I don't really need a car at the moment.My wife tolerated 4 days of that, then took me car shopping, was kinda thinking Mustang, or maybe a 370Z, ended up buying the first thing I drove:
Washed it
Changed the gearknob (The black one in the first pic is the original. I hated it, it reminded me of the last BMW MINI we owned, it's just too big. Replaced it with a much smaller and rigid/less 'padded' Nismo part.
Then, parked it on the driveway next to her car, where it spends the vast, vast majority of its time. Pretty convinced buying it was a mistake, I never use it.
I really like these, they seem great!
You should just go for early morning hoons out, cover all the best driving roads you can, just drive for the sake of driving and use it though.
I'm the same with now working from home a lot and i've done 8k in one car, around 5k in the other over the last year albeit i have started going into the office a lot more, which maybe accounts for approx 60 miles a week.
You should just go for early morning hoons out, cover all the best driving roads you can, just drive for the sake of driving and use it though.
I'm the same with now working from home a lot and i've done 8k in one car, around 5k in the other over the last year albeit i have started going into the office a lot more, which maybe accounts for approx 60 miles a week.
thewarlock said:
Then, parked it on the driveway next to her car, where it spends the vast, vast majority of its time. Pretty convinced buying it was a mistake, I never use it.
What a waste! Great car. How about getting up at the crack of dawn tomorrow and taking it for a proper drive? Pick a destination somewhere fun and see if you can get there and back before work starts!Very nice OP. I love these and I really like the extra styling details over the standard 370Z, plus the Recaro seats look ace too. 
Try and use it a bit more if you can, although I'm planning to take my 370Z Roadster off the road for 6 months over the colder months...so who am I to talk?!
Try and use it a bit more if you can, although I'm planning to take my 370Z Roadster off the road for 6 months over the colder months...so who am I to talk?!
Nice OP, they are fun cars fairly trouble free to. I had a standard 370z GT manual facelift car a few years ago, the dealer tried to upsell me a Nismo come service time, took it out and was very impressed, the extra noise was welcome compared to the standard car, but for me it wasn’t worth the extra outlay at the time. If I was after another now it would be a Nismo though, particularly the facelift like yours as whilst the pre-facelift Nismos are rarer they look odd IMO and don’t have the Recaro’s. Enjoy it.
Edited by jwwbowe on Thursday 15th September 07:14
Thanks for the comments.
Cerb4.5lee, the seats are nice, but they're not heated. First world problem, I know, but my 350 and every 370 without the recaros that I've ever seen, has heated seats
jwwbowe, I actually find it to be very quiet, I did have an aftermarket exhaust on my 350, and the Nismo exhaust on the 370 is way quieter. Think i might have to do something about that sooner rather than later.
Cerb4.5lee, the seats are nice, but they're not heated. First world problem, I know, but my 350 and every 370 without the recaros that I've ever seen, has heated seats
jwwbowe, I actually find it to be very quiet, I did have an aftermarket exhaust on my 350, and the Nismo exhaust on the 370 is way quieter. Think i might have to do something about that sooner rather than later.
I am not sure that not using it is a good yardstick for a mistake. I work from home and have a Fabia as a runabout that hardly gets used. For when I am not using the hardly used Fabia I have a 370z GT to hardly use even less...
This means driving the 370z is even more of an occasion. It has taken a while for me to become totally familiar with it, but it was a car I had been looking forward to for some time and every opportunity to get out for a drive is a treat. They are a good GT and can handle daily duties if needed but I think are special/rare enough to keep for high days and holidays. I am still torn over the exhaust question. They sound fantastic with a good exhaust, but I do like the fact that you can do long journeys in a reasonable level of comfort/quiet for the type of car. A valved system would probably be the expensive answer.
Perhaps you need to get out for a few more drives to bond with it?
This means driving the 370z is even more of an occasion. It has taken a while for me to become totally familiar with it, but it was a car I had been looking forward to for some time and every opportunity to get out for a drive is a treat. They are a good GT and can handle daily duties if needed but I think are special/rare enough to keep for high days and holidays. I am still torn over the exhaust question. They sound fantastic with a good exhaust, but I do like the fact that you can do long journeys in a reasonable level of comfort/quiet for the type of car. A valved system would probably be the expensive answer.
Perhaps you need to get out for a few more drives to bond with it?
Om said:
I am not sure that not using it is a good yardstick for a mistake. I work from home and have a Fabia as a runabout that hardly gets used. For when I am not using the hardly used Fabia I have a 370z GT to hardly use even less...
This means driving the 370z is even more of an occasion. It has taken a while for me to become totally familiar with it, but it was a car I had been looking forward to for some time and every opportunity to get out for a drive is a treat. They are a good GT and can handle daily duties if needed but I think are special/rare enough to keep for high days and holidays. I am still torn over the exhaust question. They sound fantastic with a good exhaust, but I do like the fact that you can do long journeys in a reasonable level of comfort/quiet for the type of car. A valved system would probably be the expensive answer.
Perhaps you need to get out for a few more drives to bond with it?
Went a spin last night and was thinking about this.This means driving the 370z is even more of an occasion. It has taken a while for me to become totally familiar with it, but it was a car I had been looking forward to for some time and every opportunity to get out for a drive is a treat. They are a good GT and can handle daily duties if needed but I think are special/rare enough to keep for high days and holidays. I am still torn over the exhaust question. They sound fantastic with a good exhaust, but I do like the fact that you can do long journeys in a reasonable level of comfort/quiet for the type of car. A valved system would probably be the expensive answer.
Perhaps you need to get out for a few more drives to bond with it?
I think I have the opposite problem. I drove a 350 for 5 or 6 years, then got into this, and it feels very familiar. All of the controls are in the exact same place, the steering wheel, the pedal box, the gearstick. The gearbox is the same, the engine has been stroked and has a fancier VVT system on it, but is essentially the same.
Yes, it's shorter in the wheelbase, bit 'pointier', bit faster, but it's never really felt like a 'new car', cos it's so similar to the old one. I got used to it very quickly.
thewarlock said:
Went a spin last night and was thinking about this.
I think I have the opposite problem. I drove a 350 for 5 or 6 years, then got into this, and it feels very familiar. All of the controls are in the exact same place, the steering wheel, the pedal box, the gearstick. The gearbox is the same, the engine has been stroked and has a fancier VVT system on it, but is essentially the same.
Yes, it's shorter in the wheelbase, bit 'pointier', bit faster, but it's never really felt like a 'new car', cos it's so similar to the old one. I got used to it very quickly.
It's a shame, but maybe you're right. Cars like this are supposed to bring joy, ideally every time you drive it. If it's not, then it's just an expensive driveway ornament so maybe just move it on and get something totally different? If you don't need it for 'daily' duties then the world is your oyster when it comes to picking a fun car!I think I have the opposite problem. I drove a 350 for 5 or 6 years, then got into this, and it feels very familiar. All of the controls are in the exact same place, the steering wheel, the pedal box, the gearstick. The gearbox is the same, the engine has been stroked and has a fancier VVT system on it, but is essentially the same.
Yes, it's shorter in the wheelbase, bit 'pointier', bit faster, but it's never really felt like a 'new car', cos it's so similar to the old one. I got used to it very quickly.
Jester86 said:
Sounds like it needs an exhaust........and a supercharger 
.
I like both of these ideas! .
An exhaust will certainly make a big difference(the exhaust noise is my favourite thing about mine), and for me if there ever was a standard car that definitely needs the original exhaust removing it is the 350/370Z.
If the 370Z isn't doing it for you though...then what about a TVR of some description?
They offer the noise/rawness and a great sense of occasion too I reckon.
Alias218 said:
I’ve never driven a 370, but understand they are a softer version of the 350, a bit more refined, a smidge faster.
I've driven both(albeit they were both roadsters though), and I think they are very similar to drive to be fair. I really like both of them. A controversial opinion perhaps...but I think Nissan should've kept the VQ engine lower revving like the earlier 350Zs were. The lower revving nature of them suits their GT nature I think, and by making the VQ in the 370 rev to 7500rpm(it doesn't like being up there either) seems to have taken something away from it...rather than adding to it for me.
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