Valveman Posted April 1, 2010 Share Posted April 1, 2010 I went to a dealers on Monday to view and test drive a 370Z. I arrived, and 45 minutes later after I was grilled by the salesman asking, "when was I going to buy one" and "can we make a deal today" I eventually got to see and sit in the car. Rule No 1 How not to sell a car to someone. Nissan should send their sales people to a Porsche garage to show them how it should be done. Anyway here are my thoughts on the 370Z which I guess won't be to popular with most on here: The 370Z looked very nice both inside and out. The quality of the interior was definitely an improvement on the 350, especially the instruments. Pity the milometer and trip was completely masked by the right paddle shifter. Opening the boot showed the removal of the strut across the boot, however I couldn't see any improvement to the carrying capacity. They don't give you a spare tyre anymore but instead of giving you some extra boot carry capacity they just used the whole area where the spare wheel went to fit some polystyrene molding that houses the pump and puncture repair kit - what a waste of space! They could have put this is a small bag and strapped this to the boot side, then made the boot deeper where the wheel/tyre well is so there is useful boot space. Going back to the interior; I also noticed you sit much lower in this car than in the 350Z, so you are having to look over the taller bonnet. The inside visibility was also nowhere near as good as in the 350Z where you can see very well out of all windows - also you tend to look straight ahead or slightly downwards in the 350 whereas with the lower seating position you have the feeling of having to look upwards to see out. Rear view visibility was not as good as in the 350. The sound system didn't sound as good either as the rear speakers are missing. Looks like you just get the front speakers and a rear sub now. This car had the 7-speed auto box. I have to say the car had only done 100 miles but I thought the auto box was crap. It kept changing into 1st when the speed dropped below 10mph which made the car lurch and the shifting was not smooth or seamless - you could physically feel the car move during gear changes instead of a nice smooth change. Engine wise: it was difficult to say if it felt more powerful than the 350. It certainly is not with the auto box fitted. However it also didn't feel as smooth or as responsive as my 350 (Mine has a remap which has made a huge improvement to how the engine runs). I also thought the car felt heavier to drive - large and cumbersome and less responsive compared to my 350Z - maybe this was down to the 19" wheels and tyres, I don't know. This was disappointing as the 370Z is supposed to be 50kgs lighter than the 350. IMO all Nissan really needed to do was to sort out the crappy ecu mapping on the 350Z. Give it a bigger boot and fit much nicer instrument display and Sat Nav, that's all it needed. Overall I was less impressed than I expected to be. Also when the salesman gave me a scruffy piece of paper with some prices scribbled on showing that I would have to pay another £20K on top of my 20,000 mile mint 350Z for something that I considered to be not as good, I was even less impressed. Nissan really need to set up proper High performance dealers (just for 370Z and the GT-R) with properly trained staff who can handle clients properly and make them feel special instead of making them feel like some 50 year old "hoodie" just out to nick the car. Oh well you live and learn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtbiscuit Posted April 1, 2010 Share Posted April 1, 2010 interesting write up good to hear another perspective Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZedJohn Posted April 1, 2010 Share Posted April 1, 2010 Are Top Gear looking for another presenter? I still drool when I see them, especially as they're still a rare sight. Shame they don't seem to live up to expectations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bounty78 Posted April 1, 2010 Share Posted April 1, 2010 You will make a good car presenter. Nice write up No point asking the salesman about the car..chances is they probably knows nothing about it. I don't rate Nissan staffs very highly i'm afraid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtbiscuit Posted April 1, 2010 Share Posted April 1, 2010 nissan staff dealt with and vowed never to buy from them direct, ever Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZedJohn Posted April 1, 2010 Share Posted April 1, 2010 nissan staff dealt with and vowed never to buy from them direct, ever Mine came from a Volvo dealer - couldn't fault them, admitted they weren't Zed experts, but the customer service was spot on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtbiscuit Posted April 1, 2010 Share Posted April 1, 2010 nissan staff dealt with and vowed never to buy from them direct, ever Mine came from a Volvo dealer - couldn't fault them, admitted they weren't Zed experts, but the customer service was spot on got my zed from a citreon dealer, service and customer care were immaculate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyR Posted April 1, 2010 Share Posted April 1, 2010 That's a great write up. I'd just like to throw in a couple of pointers if I may. Firstly, I can't fault your views about Nissan dealers. I bought my 370z in November, and although I was really excited about getting the car, the whole car buying experience was something I'd rather forget. I don't think Nissan dealers (or many others in my experience) go through any customer service training whatsoever, they just seem to be focussed on squeezing as much money out of the customer as possible. My car was even handed over to me with an almost empty tank of fuel... not happy!!!! But about the car... unfortunately I never owned a 350z so it would be pointless me trying to give any opinion on your comparisons with the 370. All I can say is that after 4000 miles of ownership the car still feels as awsome to drive as ever...!! I guess you just get used to the limited visibilty (I don't notice it at all), and I actually prefer the lower seating position!! I also have the 7 speed paddle shift version which I think is great fun to use, but then I guess that's just down to personal taste at the end of the day. I'd be really interested to hear other opinins... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyR Posted April 2, 2010 Share Posted April 2, 2010 Just one thing I have noticed about the 370... whenever I'm driving on my own the car feels extremely nimble and responsive, and the acceleration is awesome. However, when I have a passenger next to me the car does feel quite a bit slower and less responsive. I know that the 370 is supposed to be lighter than the 350, so the extra weight of a passenger should (in theory) make more of a difference. I wonder if this could be why your test drive was as uninspiring as you say, especially if the salesman was a bit "hefty"?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris`I Posted April 2, 2010 Share Posted April 2, 2010 Good writeup indeed and does show how the experience can be tainted by bad customer service. I agree with most of your points, especially the boot, which is something I am tempted to "mod" when mine arrives. And the paddle getting in the way of the dial On the engine and gearbox front, you were definately comparing apples with oranges, with a 370z 7AT with only 100 miles on the clock against a remaped 350z. I have driven a 7AT with 4k on it and it was as responsive, if not more, than my 350z with lightweight flywheel and 80k on the clock. I think if you were to drive a manual with more miles on it, you would be much happier with the car. The car will be sooo tight with 100 miles on it, they shouldnt even have let you taken it over 4k RPM or full throttle according to the owners manual The gearbox is lovely and smooth once its worn in too, much better mapped than the G37 which uses the same hardware. The G37 is too smooth, feeling like jelly, the 370z feels more direct. Using manual mode for pootling around does let it down as it makes the changes faster even when not gunning it which can make it feel horrible, the thing to do then is to use the paddles in auto mode if you want to override which gear you are in then it makes a nice smooth change still. Make sure you post picks of the Cayman when you upgrade though, they are lovely cars Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anubis Posted April 2, 2010 Share Posted April 2, 2010 I think the experience outside the car is just as important as being in it tbh. This is probably why Porsche sell so many cars - Ok, their cars are great but if you also top it up with a service from people who are enthusiastic about the machines and know everything and all about them then you'll be much more comfortable and relaxed (hence enjoy it more). Its like inviting someone for dinner. No matter how great the dinner is, if the atmosphere is bad then it'll be a bad experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JT1703 Posted April 2, 2010 Share Posted April 2, 2010 A Porsche will pretty much sell itself so the Sales guys don't have to be pushy. When I recently went to a view a Cayman S there was no hard sales talk at all ... it's more a case of this is Porsche , we know you want one and if you want one enough you're going to buy one ! It is probably more difficult to try and sell a £28k - £33k Datsun ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATTAK Z Posted April 2, 2010 Share Posted April 2, 2010 GPWP End of story Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trev-the-Rev Posted April 2, 2010 Share Posted April 2, 2010 I still havn't seen one on the road and am still wailting for my test drive that I booked last June Perhaps I should pull up on their forecourt in my Cayman S and tell them how I was given a 2 hour test drive in both a Cayman S and a Carrera 2S so as to assist in making my decison and that this was all arranged within a couple of days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lrh Posted April 2, 2010 Share Posted April 2, 2010 I went to a dealers on Monday to view and test drive a 370Z. I arrived, and 45 minutes later after I was grilled by the salesman asking, "when was I going to buy one" and "can we make a deal today" Unfortunately in the time it takes to sell a 370Z they can sell 3 Micra's at list price to less demanding customers, making far more commission IMO all Nissan really needed to do was to sort out the crappy ecu mapping on the 350Z. Give it a bigger boot and fit much nicer instrument display and Sat Nav, that's all it needed. But the marketing department came along and said we need 19" wheels because it will "look good in the brochure". Kudos to Subaru and Mitsubishi for sticking to lightweight 18s... 19s are not even optional Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trev-the-Rev Posted April 2, 2010 Share Posted April 2, 2010 [ But the marketing department came along and said we need 19" wheels because it will "look good in the brochure". Kudos to Subaru and Mitsubishi for sticking to lightweight 18s... 19s are not even optional I don't think the likes of Porsche, Ferrari, etc offer 19's just to look good. Mitsubishi and Subaru keep to 18's so as to have them homologated for rallying because the choice of competition tyres is greater. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lrh Posted April 2, 2010 Share Posted April 2, 2010 Porsche offer 19s because they've got them on the shelf and can make a tidy profit off them But a base Cayman is still on 17s and Cayman S only 18s. The Mclaren F1 does pretty well on 18s as well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trev-the-Rev Posted April 2, 2010 Share Posted April 2, 2010 Porsche offer 19s because they've got them on the shelf and can make a tidy profit off them But a base Cayman is still on 17s and Cayman S only 18s. The Mclaren F1 does pretty well on 18s as well! GT3 and GT3 RS, Ferrari FXX all on 19's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lrh Posted April 2, 2010 Share Posted April 2, 2010 The GT3 wheels are mega-money single bolt jobs, and the fronts are still narrower than the 370Z GTs. The 350Z was universally praised for its handling... I don't remember anyone saying it needed more grip? Why tinker with a winning formula Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trev-the-Rev Posted April 2, 2010 Share Posted April 2, 2010 Yes but they're standard fitment which is exactly the point I'm making. 19's do look better but on cars as track focussed as the GT3 RS and FXX, they are obviously seen as an advantage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lrh Posted April 2, 2010 Share Posted April 2, 2010 Have no problem with super-light 19s on 450+ bhp supercars 18s wouldn't fit over the huge brakes! But on smaller, lighter cars 19s do compromise the ride and handling. Ask Stephen Marvin, technical director of Renaultsport. He says the Megane 250 handles better on 18s but the marketing department slaps 19s on all the review cars. When Porsche sends a Cayman out for review it's usually on stock wheels: http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/evocarreviews/233378/porsche_cayman_s.html The Lotus Evora does have 19s on the back but they had the sense to put narrow 18s on the front. I'm sure the 370 would handle as well as the 350 if they'd stuck with the same wheels, although they would look silly in those huge arches. Personally I'd rather have a car that's lighter on it's feet with a better ride and sharper steering, even if the ultimate grip is less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyR Posted April 2, 2010 Share Posted April 2, 2010 I'm sure the 370 would handle as well as the 350......... Sorry, am I missing something.........??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris`I Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 I'm sure the 370 would handle as well as the 350......... Sorry, am I missing something.........??? Depends on what you rate as good handling. 350z has less grip and is a more "fun" drive, more lively and have to man handle it a bit. 370z has more grip, more clinical, more like a Cayman, which is what they were aiming for. Different horses for different courses Both cars are great, for me the 370z is a great step up from the 350z and worth the money, otherwise I wouldnt have ordered one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lrh Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 Agreed. Although I'm not happy with the direction they took with it and can't see myself buying one, I'm still glad it exists! By chance I've just read an article in Car&Driver comparing wheel sizes. The results: 0-60mph 15s = 7.6sec 16s = 7.7sec 17s = 7.8sec 18s = 7.9sec 19s = 7.9sec Grip 15s = 0.83g 16s = 0.85g 17s = 0.85g 18s = 0.89g 19s = 0.88g Braking 15s = 130ft 16s = 133ft 17s = 128ft 18s = 126ft 19s = 126ft Economy 15s = 23.3mpg 16s = 22.9mpg 17s = 22.8mpg 18s = 21.9mpg 19s = 21.1mpg Wheel Weight 15s = 40lb 16s = 46lb 17s = 48lb 18s = 51lb 19s = 54lb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyR Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 That's fair comment Chris. For a minute it sounded like I'd wasted my ex-girlfriend's boob job money on a sports car that didn't handle because of it's big wheels!! Last year I was lucky enough to trash a 370z around Silverstone at the Nissan Race Academy, and IMHO I would hardly call the handling "refined". Going sideways at those sorts of speeds is the most fun I've ever had with my clothes on... and the fact that I still felt totally in control can surely only be a good thing??? It's worth pointing out that the non GT version does come with 18 inch wheels if the 19s don't appeal...!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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