James Junior

Hmmmm sadly i can definitely get my nail in the crease of both areas of damage. Sigh - looks like its off to the bodyshop for a touch up then...

Thanks for the tip, just heading out for a run so will go and heck the bumper as I head out and message back in a minute.

So, I was out for a spin in the Pyrenees the other day - as you do - when a herd of sheep came up the road. So. Many. Sheep: Unfortunately a couple of the rams scraped their horns down the bumper of my car causing this: I had a go at it with some Auto Glymm polish which improved it a bit, but not much. I am not very experienced when it comes to detailing and wondered if anyone could recommend any products and / or techniques that might improve it without me having to get the bumper painted? Any advice would be gratefully received!

Once they are on I will be sure to post you all a sound clip just to make you really jealous... I deserved this after narrowly missing out on that red leather interior the other week!

Thanks for your interest all - glad you enjoyed the pictures! When I get around to hosting some of the Go Pro videos on You Tube I will post them up if people are interested.

It was brilliantly organised and we all were given satnavs with each days routes pre-loaded and walkies talkies to communicate between ourselves whilst on the road. There were two tour guides with us - one very fast to lead and another going at a more sedate pace. The pack tended to split up into those who wanted to go at maximum attack following the lead car and those who wanted to take a more relaxed pace with the chase car. The tour guides would radio back to others who were in convoy to inform of oncoming traffic or hazards, which allowed for overtaking in situations where vision was limited. The trip was run by Pete and Bachi at Petrolhead Nirvana - details of this and their other tours and prices can be found here: http://www.petrolheadnirvana.com/driving-tours/alpine-south/ There was a real sense of camaraderie out on the road and we would regroup for lunch each day and eat together at the hotels in the evenings. The people were great and I made a lot of new friends. I averaged 22 mpg over 2,850 miles of driving which gives you an idea of the pace we were setting. This equates to roughly £800 of fuel. I also polished off a set of brake pads and need to change all four boots. The ferry back was with Brittany Ferries which was surprisingly good quality - we all had our own cabins and there was decent food and lots to do on the boat. It was an amazing experience and I would strongly recommend it. t was so good I have already put my name down on the interest lists for 2016 for the Welsh Weekender, the Highland Fling and the Viking Tour! Happy to answer any other questions people have.

Hi guys, I just got back from an amazing 8 day adventure of Europe having taken the Zed on the Petrolhead Nirvana Alpine South tour. I got some pretty good pictures during the trip so thought I would share them with the forum. I also got some video clips using a GoPro which I will post in the exhaust section so people can hear what a Cobra cat-back and Y pipes sound like from within the car. The trip was an incredible experience, very well organised and taking in some of the best driving roads Europe has to offer. I learnt so much about the car, its handling and capabilities and came away from the journey with a deep respect for the level of performance the 370 offers and its ability to keep much more expensive cars honest on twisting roads. There were some pretty serious cars on the tour and the Z was a minnow really, but gave a pretty good account of itself against some much more capable machines. My favorite comments came from the driver of a Mclaren MP4 that I chased flat out for miles through a tightly twisting forest section that did a good job of negating some of his considerable power advantage: 'Bloody hell you can pedal that thing can't you?! I couldn't shake you off, you were annoyingly quick!' The car also got a number of compliments about how good it sounded, so the Cobra exhaust clearly sounds as good to those in pursuit as it does to me as the driver. Here are the pictures - enjoy! Firstly, here is a map of the route we took: A quick stop off so one of the guys could top-up the oil in his R8 en-route to the Swiss Alps: Possibly the most amazing petrol station ever conceived - stunning views over Lake Livigno in Italy and 100 RON fuel: At Hotel Folgore at the top of the Stelvio Pass: Also near the top of the Stelvio: The next morning was an early start after a night at the Folgore - that is a puddle of pure ice in the foreground next to the Lotus 211. Focuses the mind before setting off at speed back down the pass: Waiting to enter the tunnel to head back to 'that' fuel station at Lake Livigno for a second tank of super 100 (I will also post a video clip of the Zed roaring through the tunnel in the exhaust section): More Lake Livigno: Just about to set off again for a play with the 911 - the Porsche and the Nissan were surprisingly closely matched in terms of performance: Parked up by the fuel stop waiting for everyone to fill their tanks: There were a lot of very nice cars on the tour - the 370Z was definitely the underdog in this company but throughout the tour kept many more capable cars honest: The whole group gathered at the foot of the Saint Bernadino Pass to cool down after a very fast run over the top - the Zed did a good job of sticking with the 911 and the Murcielago which was at a disadvantage on such a winding road: Chasing a Mclaren MP4 and Murcielago LP640 down Grimsel Pass with a 911 hot on my heels: Top of the Nufenen Pass: One lunch stop had no more room for parking, so a couple of us parked up in the neighboring campsite. The campers didn't seem to mind: Lotus 211 hot on our heels as the convoy headed out again: High on the Petite Route de St Bernard: On the Col D'Liseran (sheer drops scared the crap out of me!): About to head off on the 'Dawn Raid' - a dash up mount Ventoux in Provence as the sun was coming up: Amazing views when we reached the top: Underneath the Millau Bridge: In the heart of the Pyrenees: Great service at a filling station in Jaca: Kirstie enjoying my driving as always: Just kidding, of course she loves my driving: Missing open roads and sunsets already - I have the worst holiday blues after 8 days of this: We visited so many amazing places:

Thanks for your input chaps, interesting reading. Sorry for slow reply - typing one handed as had an accident with a kitchen knife yesterday! I am sure adjusting the geo would go some way to offsetting the negative handling characteristics of the spacers, but as someone said i guess the challenge is finding someone with both the technology and a deep enough understanding to create a new bespoke set-up. The reason I am so intrigued is because like many others, I feel the standard wheel offset really lets the car down in terms of aesthetics, but i am cautious of ruining the drive of the car as I love its natural suspension tune. I guess I just need to buy some and try it for myself as I can always get some of the money back by selling them on the forum if I am not happy.

Don't get me wrong, I get the concept, but for me a set of 15mm spacers on my old Spider had very noticeable consequences to the handling and not for the better. It just seems strange to me that so many Zed owners go for massive 25mm spacers but hardly anyone ever seems to comment on any detrimental handling consequences. I would have expected here to be more discussion about it. All I have found is the odd comment in threads occasionally. Thought it would be interesting to try to stir up some conversation about how much of a difference people have noticed to their handling and what their thoughts are having lived with this sort of set up for a while.

I've been a car nut all my life and have been modifying cars since I was able to drive. I have been part of many car communities over the years and it is interesting to observe how certain trends and mindsets become embedded in certain communities. What still surprises me with the 370Z community is the casual attitude people have to widening their track with spacers. What is especially odd is the number of posts I see where people suggest that spacers improve handling by widening the track of the car. The conventional wisdom of all the car forums I have been a part of until now is that adding spacers compromises handling, increases tyre wear and puts more stress on suspension components. The price of vanity if you will. This was definitely the case with a previous Alfa Spider I had a few years back. Mine was a 2.4 diesel, sacrilege I know, but I wanted something for business use that would be cheap to fuel but still looked nice! In addition to a remap, I lowered it 30mm on Eibachs and added some 15mm spacers. Whilst the car did handle much better in the twisties on account of the EIbachs with much less pitching and diving under braking, the spacers made it feel more unsettled than standard. They endowed the car with a greater desire to snuffle out uneven cambers in the road, whilst some of the precision on turn in was definitely lost. I did get used to it over time, but it was a marked change to the handling profile of the car. I hasten to add that this was not the most precise of machines out of the box to begin with. That was considered quite a large widening, yet in 370Z-land people casually widen their track with 20mm - 25mm spacers as if its no big thing. Hardly anyone ever seems to comment on any negative impact to the handling profile of their cars after doing this. In my experience and opinion the 370Z as standard is a pretty precise and nicely set up performance car, so I am surprised that people are so willing to mess with the stock set up like this. Don't get me wrong, I hate how recessed the wheels are in the arches as standard and think spacers and a drop make an immeasurable difference to the cars aesthetics. However, based on past experience I am cagey about ruining my cars handling as although it spends most of its time driving in the city, I do enjoy driving it hard on the open road when the conditions permit. I would be very interested to hear commentary from those who have fitted spacers and / or lowered their car about how it changed the handling characteristics.

Thanks for your comments guys. Twallis - I don't know what you are talking about. Must be your head that's on the wonk. Try leaning your head a few degrees to the side! (I did notice when I put the private plates on, but the rear one was just stuck on so I just stuck my private reg over the old one - must get round to refitting it properly!)

My outgoing Z4 was just an Si, so a 265bhp 3.0, not the full fat 3.2 M. It was an incredible car - fast, economical and so precise. So much car for the money and timeless to look at with a private reg on it. It was just the right amount of power for the road I feel - fast, but not silly fast if you know what I mean. I owned it two years and only sold it as I wanted some more mod cons like heated seats, nav and hands free. The paddleshift auto was better in the BMW - auto shifts were quicker and more intelligent, whilst the paddles also seemed to shift more quickly and smoothly. The quality of the cabin was also better and it was more worthwhile working the engine through the range as the torque was more progressive, without the big fat mid-range of the 370. Conversely the 370 feels significantly more grunty in-gear, particularly in the mid range and has more charisma than the rather clinical BMW. In terms of handling comparisons, the BMW was on Bilstein B8s and Eibachs, with powerflexed front arms and it cornered with virtually no roll at all with incredible turn-in. If anything it was so composed that it actually eroded confidence a bit, as it was a bit lacking in feedback. It never felt anywhere near its limit when hustling it along a deserted twisty road despite having incredible pace and I never wanted to push it that bit further to find out. I bet it would have been amazing on track where you could properly explore what it could do. By comparison the 370Z is a bit softer and you feel the rear a little more, but I actually prefer it as I feel like I know what it is doing and actually feel like I am able to carry more momentum through corners as a result. Both good cars with different strengths and weaknesses. interestingly when I am being reserved according to the trip computer I am getting almost as good a fuel economy from the 370Z as I was from the BMW.

Went for a spin over Woodhead last night to blow the cobwebs out and took a few pictures of the car. Lighting wasn't great but a few came out okay, so thought I would share in case anyone is interested.

Looks great and welcome to the club. The stance of newer cars like yours looks so much better.

Not quite a 'modification' but this seemed the most appropriate place to post this. I have had my 2011 370Z for a couple of weeks now and have used the hands free kit with my iPhone on half a dozen occasions and every time the person on the other line reports that it is a really bad line and they can hardly hear me. This is very disappointing as I use my car for business and really need a useable hands free phone connection. Is this a known fault, or is the hands free just crap as standard? Does anyone know of any ways of improving the sound quality?

I much prefer them detached from the wheel, unlike the M6 I find if I want to change gear in a corner I have to think which paddle it is, whereas if they're mounted, then I always know where they are. Personal preference I guess Thats interesting - so you prefer them mounted on the column? I have acclimatised quite quickly to the column mounted paddles on the 370z, as the shifter handles are quite tall on each side, so even with your hands on the wheel with it tilted 45 degrees you can still use them, though I have found once or twice when taking a really sharp bend and looking to drop down a cog to accelerate out, I have found my fingers reaching for fresh air! Personally I prefer the wheel mounted versions, but not finding the 370z column mounted unit to be too bad and quite enjoy using it really.

That looks fantastic - what a great result for a driveway job! Is that a matt black finish?

Indeed. As a long suffering Alfa owner I know all about charming cars - more than any one person should!

Thanks Will, I will do some proper research this evening and will be sure to share my findings.

Having now got several hundred miles under my belt I am now very much enjoying my 370Z, despite its niggling faults. I drove it to Leicester yesterday for the Luxury Motor Show and really enjoyed the drive, despite the Sat Nav taking us a ridiculously convoluted route home. The engine is the star of the show, with a lovely creamy power delivery that is surprisingly smooth for a V6. The mid range urge is hugely gratifying and makes it a very satisfying car to lope along in at six tenths in manual mode, short-shifting as you ride the fat torque curve. Yet when the conditions permit, it is still worth hanging on to the gears to the redline if you need a burst of acceleration, giving the car great flexibility. Some NA cars can be ultimately unsatisfying in the real world, as you have to wring their necks to make quick progress and make them feel special. The 370z is so versatile that it feels good in pretty much all driving conditions, with power there if you need it, but a lovely smooth and laid back nature if you don't. Obviously the price for this is relatively high fuel consumption, but so far even this hasn't been quite as bad as I was expecting. I find myself using the cruise control a lot to keep control of my speed, as it is an easy car with which to carry more speed than you intend. I find the little anodised thumb control on the wheel really tactile and this combined with the very clear digital cruise control read-out makes it a pleasure to use and it has fast become an integral part of my driving style. It also seems to get positive attention and admiring glances. Even my friends wife who is utterly disinterested in cars by her own admission was very complimentary, whilst a number of random children at the roadside have stopped, pointed, gawped or taken pictures which is quite amusing! I have even managed to find a more comfortable position for the driving seat, which although still not great, is growing on me. The only real remaining downsides that remain for me are the rather muted exhaust note and the road noise issue, both of which can hopefully be improved with some work. Overall its a great all rounder and I think I am going to enjoy my time with the 370Z.

...and it sounds like someone is having a shower in the boot! (sorry if you were expecting an account of tail-out heroics) I had concerns about the road noise issue when I bought mine and had so far been pleasantly surprised, as it is only bad on certain roughly finished road surfaces.....in the dry anyway. However, I hadn't imagine wet conditions would make such a difference. I think adding some sound proofing the boot lining is going to be an absolute necessity, as the noise when driving on wet roads is ridiculous. The only car I can recall that sounded similarly bad was my old 91 Eunos S Special. Even with my stereo on reasonably loud this morning it was really noticeable on the way to work and that was only at 30mph to 40mph speeds. It amazes me that Nissan did not do more to address this design flaw given that road noise is almost unanimously commented on as a major downside of the cars in reviews and it would not have cost them much to add some extra sound deadening. Have any of those who have added extra sound-proofing to their boot linings found it effective at reducing noise in wet conditions too? I will do some further research this evening to see what looks like the best option as I know this is a frequent topic of discussion.

Did you wrap them or paint them Flyboy? Could you post some pics please?

Thanks guys. Now I can have Mitz remove it and rep-lace with a Cobra with my curiosity satisfied.

Hi Ross, Sorry for slow reply, my car is grey. I had read a couple of posts somewhere about people who had their fangs wrapped, but that the wrap didn't stand up to wear and tear very well at all and soon started looking tatty. This was why I was leaning towards having it painted. Has anyone else wrapped or painted their fangs and rear diffuser?