Just say NO to 350Z

96conv · 08-08-2003, 10:59 AM

I'm without my ride because I took the seats out to be rebuilt. Knowing this, my friend who owns a '99 Boxster and just bought an '02 350Z came by with the new car (he's in the medical field and has money). He let me drive it for a few miles and I gotta admit, it's fast and furious! Later he advised me to sell "that old thing of mine" and get a Z like his. I told him I want to know my car inside out and the only way to do that is to do most of the work myself (he doesn't know where the oil filter is in his Boxster!). I wouldn't or couldn't do that with a new car. I tried to explain that it's not merely a hobby but a passion. He said that stuff is overrated, plus "don't you have the cash to get it done right?" He really is a good friend but just like a lot of new whiz bang car owners, it's all about "Hey, lookeme! I got some money!"

s_wilwerding · s_wilwerding's Garage

Every time I see a 350Z, they seem to get uglier and uglier. I just saw one today at lunch - the lights in the back fenders and bumper look awful, like they were added there as an afterthought. The car, to me, sort of looks like a bloated, squashed Audi TT.

adscab · 08-08-2003, 11:06 AM

The new Z is a great package of performance and styling (IMHO). It, and all new cars are a complex package of technology that I doubt anyone can disassemble/reassemble with any success. However, the Z is lacking any serious grunt. It was much less quick than I had anticipated.

masraum · 08-08-2003, 11:10 AM

I'd rather have an S2000

poorb0yw · 08-08-2003, 11:11 AM

I'd rather have a 993.

SilverPoly · 08-08-2003, 11:12 AM

One of my coworkers test drove one and he was all raving about how there are 4 versions of the Z available.. one edition they call tracking... I was like 'yawn'...

Quote:

new whiz bang car owners, it's all about "Hey, lookeme! I got some money!"

More like, "Hey, lookeme, I'm in debt!"

ZAMIRZ · ZAMIRZ's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by masraum
I'd rather have an S2000

I've driven the S2K (nice chassis, junk motor for anything but redline blasts), TT, 350Z and the Boxster and would have to say the 350Z blows all them away. With the right wheels and some well-placed money in suspension mods, it'll run rings around the competition.........the originator of the SCWDP drives one now, 'nuf said.

1fastredsc · 08-08-2003, 11:14 AM

Not as advanced as you think, i know plenty of mechanics that can take these new cars apart and put them back together (and in some cases had to). They'll look at the 911's motor like it's a rubix cube on steriods which always makes me feel good. As a matter of fact, one of them one time went on and on about how he's worked on all sorts of new cars and porsches are nothing in the way technology. Then he said that he wanted to take a peak at the motor, so he went up front and waited for me to pop the hood. I didn't have a chance as i colapsed into the seat laughing, lol!

96conv · 08-08-2003, 11:30 AM

Steve79SC - you're right about that. My friend is still paying on his '99 Boxster and now on his Z. He just doesn't get it that I paid cash for my'79.

Chuck Moreland · 08-08-2003, 11:46 AM

There is a big difference between having money and spending money. Your friend with the car payments sounds like the latter.

When it comes to old cars, most people just don't get it. Too bad for them.

jmohn · jmohn's Garage

I'm sorry. I don't mean to offend anyone. I really wanted to like the new "Z", my "little" brother had a "260", it was a lot of fun and looked great ('til it rusted away), and with all the hype I was really looking forward to the new "Z type" Nissan sportscar, but it's just BUTT UGLY. Like I said, I'm sorry.

Jerry M
'78 SC

Sunroof · 08-08-2003, 12:09 PM

The only real "Z" was the first 240. After that it was all down hill...........

Bob
73.5T

masraum · 08-08-2003, 12:13 PM

Yes, I would rather have a 993 too, as a matter of fact I would take yours Princeton!

I was thinking about little rice cars. I would rather have the S2000 than a 350Z, but there are lots of cars that would place much higher on the list than either. Shoot, I'd love a '67 or '68 911!

Quote:

the 350Z blows all them away. With the right wheels and some well-placed money in suspension mods

I've seen articles on modding C3 series corvettes that result in G's in excess of 1G on a skid pad.

In the UK Ford Cortina's were raced, have you seen a cortina?

I have seen a picture of a '65 Impala on slicks on a road course with the front left tire in the air on a right hand corner, that's gobs of stick and torque to lift the outside front tire.

Just about anything can be made to handle with the right brain and enough money.

Wayne 962 · Wayne 962's Garage

Hobby vs. transportation. That's the key. Your friend has valid points, but he's not looking at it from a hobby perspective. Boats are huge money pits, yet lots of people tend to buy them and enjoy them. Part of the enjoyment is working on the car - saving money is a side benefit. I doubt that most of us here work on our cars because we can't afford a new car or a mechanic.

Apples and Oranges...

-Wayne

krichard · krichard's Garage

I have a Track 350z and before that had a 996 and before that had an e46 M3. I just bought an '88 targa, a car that I have wanted for more years than I can remember. I'm not strapped for cash, but at the same time I am not trying to impress everyone I drive by. I just like sports cars and get bored with them easily so I tend to sell and move on to the next quickly. I will probably sell the 350 and just keep the 911. Point is not everyone that has a flashy new sports car is so different than those with 15yr or older 911s. I love the older cars and I like the newer ones as well.

david914 · 08-08-2003, 12:24 PM

At one of our recent PCA region autocrosses, FTD was set by a (gulp) 350Z (and by a healthy margin at that). I'm glad I wasn't there...

cegerer · cegerer's Garage

I'd rather have a 71 911. Oh wait, I do ......

thamlin000 · thamlin000's Garage

My parents just bought a 350Z Convertable.

The base model hard top ($27K) Z is faster than all of it's competition immediate competition. 290 hp, 0-60 in 5.5 sec, top speed 150 mph. As fast as a Boxster S. It is on the heavy side though.

If it isn't your cup of tea, fine. You can't deny that it still is a great performing sports car.

Schrup · Schrup's Garage

I had a 300ZX that was my worst friggin nightmare to work on. It was like they crammed a Lincoln worth of crap into a Honda sized car. It was fun to drive but exspensive to fix. My SC has been a joy to work on. The engineering is such that everything has a purpose & a place with the forsight that someone someday may need to work on it.

masraum · 08-08-2003, 01:48 PM

Paul you are exactly right. I have noticed that our cars are at least mostly designed to be repaired while most modern cars are designed to go together easily the first time and that's it. I believe that is due to the heritage of our cars coming from endurance racing. When they were driving a car for 84 hours straight they needed to be able to fix things quickly and easily.

Of course new cars are designed for manufacturing ease and cost, fortunately the reliability and MTBF is much better than it was in the 70's and 80's.