FISH22

I have really liked these cars over the last few years. Every time I see one, I think to myself "I would really like to own one of these one day". Thing is, I have never owned a Nissan, and I'm not too sure how reliable they are. I do know, that I love how the Nismo 370Z looks. It's aero and wheels are a huge selling point for me (the exhaust note is beautiful also). I do not care for the base 370. To me, the Nismo is a very special car that you rarely see. Maybe not as rare as an S2000 CR, but it's definitely in somewhat of the same category.

And before everyone goes off about how it'll drive like a pig compared my S, I'm already prepared for that. I would be buying the car strictly for it's aero/wheel/brake package, and it's engine. I know that the shifter, steering, and handling won't be as perfect as the S2000's.

Just curious if there are any 370Z owners here, specifically Nismo owners. My local dealer does not have one on their inventory, but they have a location on two not too far away. The vibe I'm getting from the dealer, is that it's such a rare car (which I get, but there still seems to be plenty made every year), and that it CANNOT be ordered. Not sure if there's any truth to this, or if it's the typical dealer BS trying to get me to buy one of these two RIGHT NOW.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated!


01/26/14 UDPATE:

Well, I had a friend drive me 200 miles to pick up the car. I was debating between a few different white '14 Nismos within 400 miles. Thankfully, the best deal was the closest! So, my S2000 was bought on Friday, and in 24 hours I'm in the new car. It's been an adventure.

Most of my seat time in the Nismo has been on the highway driving it back home. So no in-depth review just yet. I will say, the car has a very powerful presence… Upon start up, it has a heavenly rumble. Just cruising in traffic, this thing draw WAY too much attention (not too crazy about that). In a sea of "normal" cars, this thing feels like a spaceship.

Some quick observations…

-The shifter… not great, but not bad. Thankfully, it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. 1 to 2 shift is somewhat awkward, but every other gear is very precise and direct. But of course, nothing like the S. The transmission in the Z is definitely not a selling point.

-The engine… I LOVE IT. My favorite part has to be start-up. It's not a very loud car at WOT, or cruising in gear, but at start-up it lets you know it's there. Definitely a great purr. I haven't opened it up yet, car just hit 220 miles. But, the torque is wonderful. Nearly any gear, any RPM, it'll go. Exhaust note sounds fantastic outside of the car, but very quiet inside (unless accelerating against a wall/barrier).

-Sport mode… this feature was putting smiles on my face all day long! I turned it off for most of the trip home. But once I got into the city, it was a blast. The throttle blips while down shifting sound incredible, and the computer does a superb job of getting the rev match PERFECT.

-Brakes… They brake, hard! And look quite pretty too.

-Suspension… STIFF. VERY STIFF. I came across a couple roads where I was pretty much coming out of the seat. These cars have some ridiculous rebound. But, it is very composed. Reminds me of my old 06 S2000 on KW V3s. Love it.

-Interior… Bravo, Nissan. The interior in this thing is exactly how I'd want it to be. The quality is top notch (at least feels that way), and everything is placed perfectly. Nothing feels awkward or cheap. This was a huge discrepancy I had with the new '12 STi I bought a couple years back. Completely satisfied with the Nismo interior.

-Overall (for now)… This thing is a VERY solid car. In some aspects it reminds me of the S2000 when it comes to it's rigidity and build quality.

ElTianti

A 40K sports car that last one lap at a race track? IMO The 370 is a total also-ran.

zdave87

I was tempted by the Z but once I drove it, it wasn't all that I thought it was. Heavy, disconnected, out of place is the best way I can describe it. There was no connection to the car. Honestly, I'm glad I passed on it. But you may have a different experience.

EastS2k

I can tell you that the dealer is full of it, dealers always are.

As far as the 370z, there will always be nay sayers out there but the fact remains that it's a well balanced sportscar that's fun to drive, granted it won't win you any drag races but that's not the point of the car.

I can understand exactly where you are coming from, the nismo is a rare car which makes it exclusive. It's made in a much smaller number but also at the price point it opens up a lot of options for the 'track junkies' and other performance hungry gearheads, which reinforces the cars exclusivity.

You may seen one once in a blue moon, and that's exactly what makes me like it as well. (i.e. it's not a mustang or a corvette where everyone and their grandmother has one).

I would suggest going for an extended test drive, the car is very fun to drive, handles really well for its mass. The Vq37 is a well built, reliable engine, yes it feels coarse at higher rev's, but not much so then an ap2 in vtec. Oh, did I mention the beautiful exhaust note?

The car turns heads everywhere you go so be prepared for attention.

s2000maniac

The nismo 350z beat the CR by one full second at a track, so it can only get worse with nismo 370z. I would say buy it if you can afford it.

Ubetit

FISH22, I drove a 370z coupe and a white Nismo. I'll admit i'm a roadster guy, but these coupes in particular just made me feel very cramped and almost claustrophobic. Visibility for me was piss poor. I didn't like the Z car until I drove the roadster. I love my 2011 370Z roadster however. I don't see where you said you drove one so that's the first step.

You won't get the S2000 "go-cart" feeling from the Z for sure... but for me, it was exactly what I was looking for. After 6 years of the S2000 and 5 with a stiff suspension 2006 Civic SI, I couldn't take it anymore. As you get older, comfort is not over-rated. I also wanted a stereo I could hear, seats that were comfortable for more than 50 miles, bluetooth, nav, ipod connectivity, etc. I have all that with the Z. Though obviously not on par with the new mustang or Camaro, it's also nice to have a little more torque at the rear wheels.

As far as the "go-cart" like handling of the s2000, there just aren't many cars on the road anymore that deliver that. Sports cars and muscle cars have all put on some serious weight. Every new car is a pig. Aside from a Lotus, Miata, BRZ? or Boxster/Cayman, I'm not sure where you go to find that s2000 feeling. Miata and BRZ are underpowered and I loved the new Boxster but I got to $84k after I built one online... pass.

Lastly, I loved my time with the S2000 but there's one issue that I simply couldn't overcome. If I still had mine, it would be 12 years old. I don't want to drive a 12 year old car, I don't care what it is. In a few years when the Z is 5 years old, I may buy a thick gold chain, undo the top two buttons on my shirt, let my hair go gray and buy a new Corvette.

Truth32

I drove a 2012 with the sport package before I bought my S2K. While I know it was a little faster in a straight line, it didn't FEEL like it was. Also, the sound of the S2K at redline is just intoxicating, and I can't say the Z had that same feeling. Don't get me wrong, I really like the way the Z looks (not the Nismo thought... it's a little... much) but I'm more than happy that I decided on the S.

Nandska

Pete

I know I don't have a 370 but haven't really had any issues with my car. They have a new one up here at Sheehy Nissan of Manassas, pearl white also.

I'd say if you can test drive on, go for it.

FISH22

Thanks everyone for all the replies! The tricky part right now is getting to test drive one local, or even a base for that matter. All the local ones are autos, and I'd really have to get a feel for the manual before I bought one.


Hey! Just looked that one up, and it's priced very nicely. Not too far away from me, a few hours maybe.

mosesbotbol

I drove a Z once and it felt more like a muscle car than a sports car. I drove at the time I owned the S2000.