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370z test drive


maz77

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finally got around to test drive the new 370z.

test drive provided by Nissan @ waltham abby (the nearest manual 370z :wacko: )

was well worth the journey though. and nice weather too to push it around a bit :drive1

 

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first impression sadly is " I didn't think WOW like when I first saw the 350z in the flesh". in fact the front looked :yuck: to me.

 

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the rear end however, was less of a disappointment. decent stance looking from the back but the front headlights needs something done to them and to say the front bumper is hidious is an understatement.

 

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the interior of the car is much better than the 350z but I wouldn't say it's infiniti finish at all. looked quite ordinary compared to TT or boxter's but much better than the 350z.

 

push the start button and first thing I noticed is that the engine/exhaust is very quite. too quite but to be fair I might be carried away by the sound of my K1 every morning :lol: .

even at the rev limiter, you only hear a screaming V6 but no exhaust note what so ever. :thumbdown:

 

of we go, the power increase is noticible, especially on 1st and 2nd gear. accelerating from 40MPH on 4th gear I couldnt say it has more torque than the current car at the low end.

 

coming to the round about, try to take it very tight and fast but to my shock there was a fair bit of understear. I needed to make few corrections to the steering wheel :thumbdown: (after the test drive I took my 350z around the same round about, similar speed, no hint of understear at all). on top of that the steering had to much assistance and less feedback (compared to the 350z). another dissappointing finding was the amount of body roll the car had. the suspension is set up so soft you feel like your in an Audi A6 but that translates to too much body roll when your cornering. mind you, the car was on poxy bridgestones as well.

on the up side, the traction control is far less interusive then the 350z, I could just feel it working in the background.

 

another thing that Beavis has mentioned in his review, the 370z hardly gets any attention on the road. I drove both the 370z and my topless 350z through waltham abby and the 370z hardly gets any looks while every one checks out the 350 roadster.

 

I think Nissan is trying to make the car appeal to a wider consumer base (which is fair play) but in the process made a much softer Zed. having said that, I think there is big potenial for modding the 370z to become the car I would like to own.

 

coming to park the car, the bonnet bulges started to annoy me a bit. it could be something you get used to with time but there is no way I could see the front end when parking or even guess where it is.

 

I like

creature comfort

more playfull TC

potential to mod

Synchro Rev Control manual gearbox

 

Dont like

steering wheel feedback not as good as the 350z

front end (all of it)

tyres

wheels

very soft suspension

silent exhaust

bits of the dash still look cheap (that orange illuminting thing to the left of the rev counter :yuck: )

 

generally speaking, I think the new Zed is a softer machine thats meant to attract new customers. its not what I would call a huge leap foreward and I am not placing any orders at all. I am sticking with my top less azure for the time b. when the soft top comes out, and provided I have an extra £10k to mod the car, I might re think.

 

to further cement my impression, the guy testing the 370z after me was an oldish guy who looked at my car parked next to the 370z and said with a grin " I bet your ordering one now" I go: I dont think so. then I saked him, do you have a 350? he goes: NOOOOOOOOO. I couldn't live with one of them.

YOU GET MY DRIFT

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nice write up mazz :D

 

i think give it 14 to 18 months and the 370 will take off big time but at the moment it is all down to price/money. Poeple are expecting to much from this car and maybe a little dissapointed. I am still not decided on it but i am not in the position to buy a new car what ever the make :blush:

 

just give it time :teeth:

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Another negative review eh...I'm certain Jezz Clarkson has infiltrated this board!! :lol:

 

I know the opinions are subjective but for what it's worth I just dont get why people have such a downer on the 370!

 

For me it's so much better than my 55 Azure 350 it's unbelievable.

 

1) Faster - esp. in low gears

2) much much better interior build quality.

3) much more of an aggressive stance/styling - just looks upto date for me, the 350 looking a bit dated (dont shoot me!)

4) synchro rev very good

 

I know that it's been critised for the front bumper, but to me its not a million miles away from the one on the 350 apart from 2 small fangs!, as for understeer, not a hint of it when I took one out.

 

Another thing it gets stick for is the "head turning" annecdote (sp.) well Im not being funny but the 370 is very much evolution rather than revolution aka Porsche (who do it all the time - and never get criticised) and the 2 people who have mentioned it have very noticable 350's (and very nice too) ...one had a bright yellow versus White and the other an azure rag top versus a black 370...now lets be fair which one would you notice when walking down the street!! :lol:

 

Like I say it's all subjective I suppose, just thought I'd redress the balance a bit! and no I dont work for Nissan GB but am swopping my Azure GT for a White GT 370...sorry folks.

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evolution rather than revolution aka Porsche (who do it all the time - and never get criticised)
I gather you don't watch much television or read many mags - Porsche got mullered for making the new Boxster so similar! :lol:
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The 370Z has a few downsides, but I reckon when it comes time to change cars a lot of people will swap to a 370Z. It's not enough of an improvment to upgrade early tho, esp considering it's fugly. Now if it came with 400bhp. . .

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Doesn't make it a bad car though!....anyways I have seen plenty evolutionary porsches with great reviews, virtually every 911 !! the only time they do get a bucketload of stick is when they try to do something totally new...Cayenne, Panermera (sp.) anyone

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I have little doubt that in 2-3 years when the economy picks up again a lot of people on this forum will be driving 370z's (especially if they're second hand with warranty left on them).

 

OK - it's not a "big impact" car like the 350z had over its predecessors, but give it time and you'll want one (and Nissan know this). I don't like the fact it is so stumpy looking with an even bigger butt, whereas the 350z looks noticeably longer in comparison (I know it is longer). Right now from pics I think it looks like a love child between a 350z and one of those Crysler Crossfire's :yuck:

 

However, if you got the car in the right colour you'll no-doubt have different reactions from the public (for me white, yellow or red stand out and would be real head turners).

 

I personally don't think the 350z looks the muts nuts as standard (sorry guys) - it looks too curvy and soppy for such a powerful car, but a few subtle and tasteful mods and voila - a totally different agressive looking car that the engine deserves! Thats what I love about the zed and why it suddenly turns lots of heads. :)

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Ok, had a look. Expected to hate it and I was.......... wrong! The rear end has always looked rubbish to me but it works in the flesh, the little kick in the door and rear glass (ala 240z) is sweet. The front worked on the black one I saw.

 

The interior is very much nicer but the seats have lost a lot of the shoulder support and I felt the dash etc looked a little busy. Maybe I would get used to it. The quality seems much better.

 

Oh and the side indicators are ace! I want them!

 

I'm going for a test drive tomorrow to see what it's like on the road.

 

I'll give my low down on the dealer experience too.... today was interesting.

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You will come to the dark side! :lol:

 

 

Not just now.... I don't have 30 grand!

 

Maybe in a couple of years I'll get one and mod it up as I still thinks it needs something to make it special! :thumbs:

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Another negative review eh...I'm certain Jezz Clarkson has infiltrated this board!! :lol:

1) Faster - esp. in low gears

2) much much better interior build quality.

3) much more of an aggressive stance/styling - just looks upto date for me, the 350 looking a bit dated (dont shoot me!)

4) synchro rev very good

 

Like I say it's all subjective I suppose, just thought I'd redress the balance a bit! and no I dont work for Nissan GB but am swopping my Azure GT for a White GT 370...sorry folks.

 

 

 

 

its not so much a negative review matt, its a comparison.

if you noticed at the end of my write up, I mentioned that I felt there big room for modding (improvement) so the 370z could be a decent replacement if you are willing to dosh few pennies after your purchase :thumbs:

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Fair point mate.

 

Still wont change my mind as I think the only thing better on the 350 over the 370 is the exhaust note....that i'll have to save the pennies for a nice aftermarket, which will be hard as I spunking it all on getting the 370 in the first place, as my 350 has done 95k now!

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Well that's me back. Took it over a few nice roads. I thought the clutch was very light and the steering was a fair bit lighter too. I guess that's what the market wants though. Felt fine out on the road but the clutch is a bit girly! I never got to really push it too much but it seemed to feel balanced in the corners.

 

The cabin felt smaller to me but it certainly wasn't cramped, it was maybe to do with the dark headlining. The quality of materials is miles better (and I mean MILES) than the 350. I think there is a lot less storage and I'm not convinced the boot is much more practical but then as long as you can get a weeks luggage (and all her shoes) in it then it's workable

 

Out on the road... TORQUE. There is loads of it and it pulls like a train. I went for an overtake on a B road and it took off. Superb and a major improvement. It's not like the 350 was lacking but it's another level altogether!

 

There isn't much else I can add that hasn't already been said. I will say though that when I look to replace the 350, the 370 might well be at the top of my list!

 

 

And my verdict, the next evolution of the Zed car has arrived!

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Good summary there stew.

 

I thought the same about the cabin, it did seem a bit smaller but it also felt a bit more snug as if the seat held you in a bit more....probably doesn't it just "felt" like that

 

Glad you enjoyed your test drive, you got to overtake as well, i didn't really have the oppo to do so :thumbdown:

 

It was ages ago when i had my test and the car isnt due for a month, so me thinks i might go for another little looksy! :lol:

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I thought the same about the cabin, it did seem a bit smaller but it also felt a bit more snug as if the seat held you in a bit more....probably doesn't it just "felt" like that

 

Glad you enjoyed your test drive, you got to overtake as well, i didn't really have the oppo to do so :thumbdown:

Makes you wonder what the seat bolsters will be like in a year or so.

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