James Junior

Is it not full of lumbering trucks on a sunday then? How does the Z compare with the Z4(M?)?

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?

Auto 'box in a sports car, no ta.

 

I much prefer paddles that turn with the wheel, like VAG stuff. Having them stuck to the column just seems silly, as it assumes there's never a time when you've got lock on and you want to change gear, which simply isn't true. If that way was more effective, then you'd see it in motorsport. It's not, so you don't.

 

 

Still, huge man points for buying a car without ever driving it!

 

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.

Painted them

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That looks fantastic - what a great result for a driveway job!

Is that a matt black finish?

It's all part of the Z's "charm".

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?

I have recently taken delivery of a 370z which I bought unseen from a trader at the other end of the country, as a good mate was able to inspect it on my behalf. The car was delivered to me last week and is a 2011 GT with auto box.

One thing I noticed in one of the pictures in the original advert was that the exhaust was red inside the tail pipes which I thought was odd. See below:

I asked the trader about it before putting my deposit down, enquiring as to whether it was perhaps an aftermarket exhaust. However, he said not and that it was totally standard. He suggested it must be metal the polish that they had used on the exhaust and that it would disappear after a hundred miles or so.

Well, I have now covered a few hundred miles in the car and its still red. I took a closer look tonight and it's like the inside of the tailpipe has been painted red. Very strange. I have no reason to suspect the trader was had sought to mislead me in any way - they were very good with me and the car is in outstanding condition all round, just as they described it.

The car drives really smoothly and doesn't sound like it has a sports exhaust fitted as it is pretty quiet, even under load. I did test drive another car more local to me before I bought this one. The other car I test drove was a 2009 manual and I seem to remember it sounding a bit more course....somehow more...industrial, if that makes sense?! Though maybe my mind and memory are playing tricks on me.

So overall, I have no complaints to how the car drives or sounds and the red exhaust tips are nothing more than a curiosity.

I will be booking it in with Mitz shortly to have a Cobra system fitted, as I would like a little more aural drama when pressing on and this was always my plan, as the rather dull standard exhaust note is a frequent comment from owners.

Before I change ther exhaust however, I am still intruiged by the mystery of the red exhaust! I have taken some more pictures tonight which are below. Can anyone elighten me? All input/ hypotheses/ conspiracy theories welcome!

Hi guys,

I am keen to get to work tweaking my new Zed.

Being a worshiper at the altar of OEM+ don't expect anything revolutionary, just a few subtle tweaks, many of which I am sure have been done by others many times before.

Firstly I want to get my fangs and rear diffuser painted in black, whilst I also wish to have the roof vinyl wrapped in black.

My initial thought was to have all three wrapped, however research indicated that the fangs and diffuser don't take well to wrapping given their shape and proximity to the road.

So, my local bodyshop have offered to paint the fangs and diffuser for £150 which I didn't think was too bad at all.

Questions is; gloss black or matt black?!

My initial thought was to go matt black, as this would match with the matt black radiator grill and lower front bumper protector.

However, i also wondered if it would look a bit more striking if I had the fangs, radiator grill and rear diffuser painted in gloss black, which would then be a better match to the roof.

So I guess I thought I would throw it out there and see what others have done and if any more enlightened souls than I, have opinions or views they would care to share.

Whaddaya reckon people?

Glad your bonding with the Z a bit more now.

 

I agree with your seats comment thought, for me I cant get the balance right on my legs being far enough away but my hands not being too far away.

 

Its a nightmare and just wish the steering wheel had some further adjustment! Do you feel the car has breathing issues about 5k? That was an odd one for me its only really sorted with an UpRev and some breathing mods.

Not noticed any flat spots on mine, but will keep an eye out now you have mentioned it. Would have been up for a remap, but it adds about 30% to my insurance premium with my current insurer, so not really worth it. Also I am due in court for a speeding offence in June, which will either result in me picking up 6 points or a short term ban, so would prefer to await the outcome of that first. They did agree to add a sports exhaust and spacers without charge though, so have carte blanche to sort those out in the meantime.

To me the seats feel so cheap and flimsy and about twenty years out of date. The way that the whole seat back flexes if you push your head against the head rest is driving me nuts. I will try some more seat adjustment to see if I can improve things at all in the short-term.

I emailed Recaro's main agent today asking for some prices and guidance so will see what they say.

Just got back from a business trip to Sheffield and very much enjoyed myself on Snake Pass (despite my growing seat-hatred). Still getting used to the fact that I sit in the centre of the car, as in my old Z4 I was virtually sat over the rear axle. Loving the way the 370 corners - very flat and assured, with loads of mid range torque as you open the throttle whilst exiting corners.

I agree on the seats 100%, it could be an eventual deal breaker for me as I do in excess of 20k a year....either that or replace them with something else. I already posted my thoughts in another thread, all Nissan had to do was spend another £500 on seats with more leg support and thicker bolsters instead of feeling the plastic on the right.

 

And the passenger seat is even worse, my Mrs got in it and the look on her face said it all...sh*** I thought...

 

I quiet like the interior though, you have to remember it's still a Nissan at the end of the day but I think they did a great job, and second hand they are a steal.

Just spent some time researching.

Looks like Nismo seats are the best option based on a quick recce.

Check out these bad boys:

Might approach Nissan and see how much a pair would cost.

Bracing for impact.

Also I must say the condition of this thing is absolutely incredible - it genuinely feels like a new car.

I cannot find a single mark on the wheels, the bodywork or the interior and everything gleams and feels totally box-fresh. Petrol cap looking a different colour in the photo is definitley just a trick of the light, the car is simply immaculate.

Think I have got myself a minter.

Right then, off to look at replacement seat options...

Having been initially a bit disappointed in daily driving there was only one thing for it. Time to take it for a blast on a 'proper' road. Fortunately I live on the edge of the Peak District, so set off for a late evening blast over Woodhead Pass with Kirstie in tow,

I have driven a lot of quick cars over the years, but never have I driven a car that is so transformed once on the open road. As soon as the road opened out I slipped it into full manual mode and within a couple of corners everything fell into place and I was having an absolute blast.

Whilst the paddles being mounted on the steering column initially seems restrictive, they soon start to become easier to use with some familiarity. They are quite long and tactile, so you can actually still use them with a reasonable amount of lock dialled in and the wide spread of mid range means you don't need to be too prescriptive with your gears changes to make good progress. Out on the open road the fat torque curve feels wonderous as you thunder out of bends onto the straights, whilst the brakes feel like they could stop a train, especially when combined with a bit of gear braking as you drop down a cog or two ahead of the next turn. Once you choose your line and move to half throttle the car adopts a lovely neutral stance and feels so nicely balanced, cornering really flat.

It all inspires huge confidence and on a clear road allows you to make very satisfying progress.

I am totally hooked and have now bonded with the car.

ALL IS FORGIVEN!!!

Well...except the seats - they're still absolute crap.

Hi guys,

I was excited to take delivery of a nice low mileage 370Z auto this morning. I have spent the day driving it in a mixture of conditions in between meetings and to and from the office and first impressions overall are mixed.

+ Love the look of the car - much better looking the flesh than in pictures

+ It seems to strike a nice balance between a firm but composed suspension set up

+ It picks its heels up once you wind it up and its very easy to carry excessive speed without realising it (not entirely sure that is a plus actually!)

+ Its nice to have heated seats again

+ The Bose stereo seems pretty decent

+ I cannot get away from the fact that it is a LOT of car and tech for the money

+ It feels surprisingly small on the road

However...

- The seats are absolute crap - they remind me of the seats in my old nineties Jap imports and an old Honda Logo we once had in the household. They are really uncomfortable, flimsy and too small. The Astra hire car I just gave back to Enterprise was better than this.

- The quality of the interior trim is poor - brittle, cheap plastic everywhere and nasty looking switchgear. The stereo fascia, dials and fuel gauge look like they were all pieced together from different cars.

- The steering feels a bit disconnected from the car somehow - it feels dead around the centre, then very quick to react as you turn in.

- The auto box is very slow witted and it feels like it has one gear too many to choose from. Give it full throttle and it thinks about a change, then seems to select one gear too high so you are out of the power band and have to wind it up for a second or two before you get the surge of power you require. Yet reach a step further into the overdrive and it lurches into a low gear and breaks traction even in the dry.

- The paddles do not turn with the wheel making them unpleasant to use.

- You therefore feel like your have a load of power that you cannot access in the way you would like.

Now clearly there are some caveats here - firstly that I have only covered a few miles so far and most of that at a leisurely pace in traffic so only just beginning to scratch the surface and get to know the car.

Also I made the bold move of buying the car at a distance which I have never done before, relying on a trusted friend to test drive it and inspect it for me as it was miles away. I did test drove a 370 locally, but could only find a manual within a reasonable distance. I really liked the drive and somehow did not seem to notice the interior quality on my test drive, maybe because it was a fairly brief drive and I was focussing more on the road. Today meanwhile I have had some proper time in the car, much of which has been sitting around in city traffic.

Having a lot of love for the auto/ paddles box in my outgoing Z4 Coupe, I assumed I would like the more modern auto box in the Big Zed. I also naively assumed the paddles rotated with the wheels like most other paddleshifters I have driven. So I only have myself to blame for making assumptions without test driving an auto before I bought, but there had just been none in my local area for the past few weeks which made it difficult. I am not discouraged however - I am sure a lot of it is just about learning how to drive it to get the best from it.

So anyway, those are my initial musings. I'll post again once I have spent some wheel time on clearer roads this evening once the traffic has died down.

In the meantime I would be interested to hear what your first impressions were of your cars and how your relationships have evolved, especialliy auto drivers.

Also here are a few pics of its arrival from this morning - better ones will follow!

Hi all,

Going to move over to the 'general' forum to set up a thread about first impressions - would be interested in your views as current owners.

Regards

James

Its because she's got fire in her belly!

I did ask the vendor about that as it looked unusual, wondering if it was an aftermarket exhaust. He suggested not and said it was a residue from the metal polish they use on exhausts, that should disappear after a few miles.

A little sneak preview for now...

Thanks for the welcome party - that was quick!

I will be sure to post some pics up soon. Its not very exciting to look at yet though - just another bog standard grey Zed!

Humpy - don't worry, I'm already on it like a........

Mitz - as discussed I will arrange a visit soon so we can make a few improvements.