This website has long argued that automakers should spend the majority of their resources nurturing existing autos. Introducing new models on a regular basis, constantly reinventing the wheel to follow fads and fashion, is an inherently expensive and dangerous game. Nissan's 350Z proves the point. It's a four-wheeled personification of not fixing what isn't broken. Better yet, it's a proper Nissan sports car at a price that shames the Ebay-adjusted, oversexed GT-R. Thankfully, the Z is still crazy after all these years.
Imagine an alternate universe without the 350Z. There'd be one less swoopy, sexy, sporty machine with rear wheel-drive proportions, flared fenders and that delicious dash-to-axle spread in the front fenders. Without it, the world would have to grudgingly accept the artificially sporty stylings of the Altima coupe, or the bloated bulk of Ford's latest Pony Car, as the sole-survivors of the moderately priced, steroid-injected, pure sport coupe.
Granted, the Z's doesn't offer what you'd call a harmonious design. Its bathtub'd butt, droopy nose and bubbly greenhouse are an unholy homage to the last-gen Audi TT. The Z's high beltline and afterthought door handles are sleek-aversive. Ungainly sure, a pastiche perhaps, but Nissan's two door mid-life model still looks tough sitting on its muscular wheel haunches and 18" hoops. Sealing the deal: the side profile's taut midriff.
The 350Z's interior is still heavy on the cheap bits. Thanks to a low seating position and sky-high DLO (day light opening), occupants get a face full of hard plastics with uber-texturing masquerading as quality polymers. Re-upping Z fans will continue to take refuge in the word "minimalist," and find some comfort in the fact that the ‘08 offers bottle-friendly door panel recesses. A revised latching mechanism ensures their sunglasses make it out of the dashboard.
The Z's cloth buckets (there are five trim levels) provide ample lateral support and reasonable long distance padding. The gauges signal the car's single-minded intent; a center mounted tach pushes peripheral readings aside. Even the modest electronic adjustments (including adjustable shift light) stay out of sight. Add ergonomic ancillary controls, a meaty tiller with intuitive grips at the proper 10-2 positions and Nissan's quintessential sports car's cabin is the business.
Appearances don't deceive. The 350Z makes short work of the time-space continuum. The sprint from zero to sixty takes a scant 5.3 seconds. But with 306 horses motivating a 3300 lb. frame with a host of perfectly suspended underpinnings, should we expect no less?
Cornering is flatter than a four-year-old singing the Star Spangled Banner, with an effervescent mix of accurate steering and a rigid chassis. Grocery getters hate that rear strut brace, but it's a pistonhead's best friend.
To say the Z handles well is like saying Stanley Clarke can play bass guitar. The 350Z is a hit of Return To Forever on the Hi-Fi, proving its prowess to all after the first power-on oversteer experience at full throttle. Thanks to the Enthusiast package's viscous trips on LSD (no, not that LSD), the 350Z is an absolute hoot for hoons and a credible threat on any closed course. In the right hands, of course; disabling the moderately intrusive traction control is not for fainthearted lead foots.
No question: the ride quality is punishing and tire noise prominent. But if you like to move it move it, it's a small price to pay for the balanced handling and immense grip of the 8/8.5" wide staggered rims. Now, all we need is a powertrain that's class-leading on paper and gutsy in practice. Let's put it this way: a .500 batting average isn't so bad.
Revs and gears rule the roost. Aside from the grabby clutch, the 350Z's close ratio six-speed keeps the power flowing effortlessly from standstill to license losing velocities. But full time effort on the slick shifter is mandatory, which ensures that the Z burns copious amounts of premium in its quest for fire.
No doubt, the 3.5-liter VQ-series six-pot is an engineering hallmark, making V8 levels of (peak) power with a smooth, satisfying growl above 3000 rpms. But the Infiniti G37 Coupe has a bigger, better and badder 3.7-liter variant. And the stuff of wet dreams is next door: the sister ship FX50's 5.0-liter V8 shows the true potential of Nissan's FM platform. Is a Corvette-killing Z in our future? If only.
The 350Z's singular "shortcoming" points to the new class leaders. The BMW 3's corporate six-pot now uses two turbochargers to kick performance to the next level. Even Ford is jumping on the blown bandwagon, promising to EcoBoost the (ironically sized) 3.5-liter and 3.7-liter V6 with the same hardware. So is a direct injected, turbo-charged Z car on its way? The GT-R waiting list, and the old adage about not tugging on superman's cape, says no. Everyone else says, bring it on.
Test vehicle provided by CarMax
89 Comments on “2008 Nissan 350Z Enthusiast Review...”
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I really wish we got the lower trim levels in Canada. When I was young and childless, I walked into a Nissan dealership and asked about a Z. I drove it, loved it (though not quite as much as the RX-8) and, hearing what a bargain it is in the US, asked how much…
..and gagged on the answer. As it turns out, Canadian 350Zs are all either top-trim, or top-trim-plus-track-goodies.
the Z was one of the cars I looked at (but didn’t drive) before buying my STi. I ended up going for the STi because of the 2 extra doors, the arguably faster acceleration, and the AWD.
Love the RTF jazz fusion analogy…but I would counter that when in comes to handling, or acceleration for that matter, the wider, lower, lighter, more powerful (and more expensive) Corvette is Stanley Clarke.
The 350Z is more like the bassist in a decent college jazz band….capable of a few impressive licks here and there, but ultimately unsatisfying compared to a legend.
I love Nissan for keeping this vehicle at a reasonable price point. Is it the biggest,fastest, bestest at everything? No, but it does them all real well at a great price. And in very sexy skin.
You can’t beat a Z.
And to the above poster, a Corvette still says Chevy on it. That’s for people who can’t afford better.
You can’t beat a Z.
And to the above poster, a Corvette still says Chevy on it. That’s for people who can’t afford better.
LOL. Sorry, I forgot that Nissan is a prestige brand….esp one that shares its FM platform with sedans and CUV’s.
If you could catch one, you’d see the “C” word on the back is not “Chevy.” But that would require you getting much closer, which obviously ain’t happening in a 350Z.
Just goes to show you that if a vehicle is executed well initially it does not need constant updates and/or rebates to keep it desirable or competitive. The domestics can learn a thing or two.
Without it, the world would have to grudgingly accept the artificially sporty stylings of the Altima coupe, or the bloated bulk of Ford’s latest Pony Car, as the sole-survivors of the moderately priced, steroid-injected, pure sport coupe.
What about the RX-8? It will set you back a few thousand less. I also drove both cars on back to back days, and though I truly appreciated the Z’s acceleration, feeling of power, connectedness, and handling; there was something about the RX-8 that was just better for me. Maybe it was the styling and modicum of practicality, or maybe it was the sound of the RX-8 engine as it screams towards 9,000 rpm combined with equally brilliant or even better handling. While the 350Z is certainly a valid choice over an RX-8, to say that there are no other sporty cars below $35,000 totally dismisses the RX-8, a car that certainly fits the definition of sporty as well as or better than any of the three cars mentioned above.
I’m with psarhjinian. I love this car and have lusted after one for years, but they are just too expensive in Canada. They start at nearasdamnit $50,000.
I was always annoyed to see the buff book covers touting the return of the sub-$30k sports car.
You Americans don’t how lucky you are when it comes to vehicle pricing.
I think in the last couple years a lot of “sport” cars have fallen into the 5-6 second 0-60 time for 25-35k.
That doesn’t mean they all have neutral handling, are fun to drive, etc but I always thought the 350z with 2 doors & rwd should be a few hundred pounds less than the STi with 4 doors & awd.
The Nizsan Z is a zippy little car with looks just as sexy as the G35.
But I’m not suprised the reviewer talks about “punishing ride”.
I live in NYC. If your car’s undercarriage is this low, you are looking at the possibility of major repairs required.
I’m suprised they haven’t updated the interior with the same navigation system they’ve got in the Maxima 2009.
I’d rather take a CTS over this thing.
If the Z is Stanley Clarke, then the RX-8 is Jake Shimabukuro – both great, but very different.
Strippo:
If the Z is Stanley Clarke, and the RX-8 is Jake Shimabukuro, then a used Boxster S is Jaco Pastorius.
This car, like the MX5 have “fun” written all over it! I love the fact that this thing only costs about as much as an Accord EX-L 4cyl.
Robert Farago :
August 8th, 2008 at 10:58 am
Strippo:
If the Z is Stanley Clarke, and the RX-8 is Jake Shimabukuro, then a used Boxster S is Jaco Pastorius.
You mean the Porsche is dead? ;-)
I’ve always been a fan of the Nissan Z cars but the 350Z has always struck me as rushed to market. While the return to affordability is applauded, issues of visibility, clutch action, ride, interior quality and complete lack of even grocery getting utility were a deal breaker for me. Maybe I’m getting too old for the 350Z but it does make me wish I had never sold my 240Z.
The Z is a cut rate 911 and I mean that in a really good way.
and John Entwistle kills those other bass player lead bass anyone?
If the Z is Stanley Clarke, and the RX-8 is Jake Shimabukuro, and a used Boxster S is Jaco Pastorius, then a Mustang would have to be Gene Frenkle.
I like the looks, BUT, why the heck is is 3300 lbs?? 2 adults and a full tank of gas and you are looking at 2 tons!!
Even my 911SC feels a little heavy to toss around.
It is time for the 2500 to 2700 lbs sports cars to return. RF…did I just hear you say BOXSTER??
The 350Z is more like the bassist in a decent college jazz band….capable of a few impressive licks here and there, but ultimately unsatisfying compared to a legend.
This is probably the most dishonest thing I’ve read so far. Why don’t we throw cost out the window compare a Corvette to a GT-R, F430, or McLaren F1? Or better yet a Solstice to a Z?
Bottom line, you get what you pay for. The Chevrolet dealer will ask for at least $10,000 more dollars, but its worth it…if its in your budget. However, for roughly $35k and what the Nissan is capable of, the Z is a screaming bargain.
I loved this car, ever since I rented the convertible version on a trip to the Keys earalier this year. It wasn’t a 6-speed manual version (grumble, grumble) but I made the most of the 5 speed auto and never hesitated to kick the tranny down a gear or two just to hear that VQ engine rev. Talk about an auditory orgasm.
Nissan has done well in keeping the Z fresh after 5 years after it’s launch. One can only dream at how the next version with the 3.7 V6 will handle. Hopefully Nissan remembers how much of a bargain the Z is and keeps the price low.
John R,
When you compare a car to a jazz legend…cost is not a factor. The Z is a decent little V6 sports coupe, but Stanley Clarke is a name that deserves mention with Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, and Lance Armstrong….wayyyy outta the league of the Z car.
As Z owner the plastics are not that bad. I like the use of textured rubber although the silver plastic around the shifter scratches easily.
The G may have more HP but it is heavier and has a longer wb than the Z. I compared the two before purchasing.
The New Z is supposed to be lighter but we shall see. I hope they DO NOT turbo the new Z.
Also, the Z is surprisingly fuel efficient for a 300hp sport car. I got 31.5mpg @ 55-60 mph. 28mpg @70-75.
Just bought one. Picking it up this Saturday.
I have lusted after this car since it was introduced. I love, love, love this car!
You can all keep your bass players. Roll the windows down and enjoy Pavarotti coming out of the pipes of the 350Z. Awesome!
And who cares if you can only carry one gallon of milk in the back? It just means more trips to the store! How can that be bad?!
When you compare a car to a jazz legend…cost is not a factor. The Z is a decent little V6 sports coupe, but Stanley Clarke is a name that deserves mention with Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, and Lance Armstrong….wayyyy outta the league of the Z car.
Rick James, maybe?
I personally could never buy this car coming out of a first gen Miata. Where would I rest my elbow? Of course some say you sit on a first gen Miata instead of in it, so choose your poison.
As an owner of a 2005 Enthusiast 350Z, its great to hear that Nissan hasn’t jumped the shark with the 2008. But then again, I think they’ve only really changed the engine, and gussied up the interior a bit.
Though, I wouldn’t go so far as to call the ride punishing. It’s no luxo-barge sure, but I would argue that its no worse than any other car in its class. I made a trip from Memphis to Las Vegas and back a few months ago, and had no backache or anything. But I’m also betting I’m a bit younger (23) than our Mr. Mehta.
I will concede that they certainly could have spent a few extra bucks on the interior. There’s some really cheap stuff in there.
Sajeev, do they still have the passenger cupholder that folds out from the dashboard? If so, is it still flimsy like the old ones? When I first got the car, I thought neat. Now that its been used a few times and it rattles enough to be noticed, but not drive you crazy, I’m wishing Nissan had just left it out.
Lets see, take and existing chassis and engine, wrap it up in a nice sleek package, and sell for a very reasonable price. This seems like a sure fire way to generate some nice profits for Nissan.
It is amazing what can be done with one platform and engine IF you engineer it correctly from the get-go.
It would be very interesting to see the breakdown on R&D and production cost of the Z for Nissan and do a comparison with GM and the C6 Corvette.
I would also like to see what the profit margin is on both of these cars. How many Z cars has Nissan sold world-wide since its introduction in 2003 and how many C6 Vettes has GM manage to sell world-wide.
Yeah the Z may be a little on the heavy side but that is the compromise that allows us to have a 300+ HP 2 seat RWD sports car with a base price of under $30,000. IF nissan had decided to create a dedicated chassis and or engine the Z would have been priced as high as a Corvette and hence we would NOT have a 350z.
Ironically the current Z is not much heavier than a 200hp 300zx Turbo from the mid 1980s and it also has the same solid (durable) feel to it.
After renting this car for 10 days for a California tour I would really question the 4 stars rating. This car was built to a price and market in mind and shows it. As a sports or hoon car it does its job well after that it falls down. How about less useable trunk space than a Miata? How about trying to drive it in cities when you can see signs or signals out of the tank like slits called windows. The NVH after 10 hours driving was wearing but understandable in a pure sports car. I really wonder about the sway bar choice though as the most tiring part was the side to side toss and turning. Great on the skid pad but in the real world roads , not so good. This compromised road holding and I think cornering feel.As a rental the interior was wearing badly. All the cheap silver paint was coming off in rubs and scrapes. There were more chirps from the plastic at 55f than any other car I have been in. I now have some respect now for the Mustang GT interior .
I wouldn’t call the ride punishing. My dad has an ‘05 droptop with AXIS staggered 20s on it. It’s no Caddy, but I haven’t lost any fillings yet. Even tooling around Chicago it remains composed.
I test drove a lowered Civic.. and that ride was punishing, and uselessly so.
The Z handles well until you autocross it or drive a competitor (RX-8, S2000) – then its 3300+ lbs of pork catch up and you realize you have to wrestle the car to make it do what you want.
Congratulations Nissan – you’ve managed to reach the power output that the 911 was making 9 years ago – while weighing 400 lbs more.
Honestly, I miss the 300ZX twin turbo. I thought that was a timeless design, and as good as the 3.5 is, a twin turbo 3.0 definitely has a lot of appeal (remember the outgoing 300 had more power and torque than the 350 at intro). The 350 seems like the “make a fatter, softer car that more people will buy” formula of sports car design.
And the price is too high in Canerduh. I remember 48K when it first came out. That was 8-9 grand more than a G35 sedan at the time.
I say bring back the VH45DE V8 in updated form and stick it there! Search for “VH45 in 240SX” to see what kind of ridiculous monstrosities have been concocted around that motor (there are even twin turbo speedboat engines built from the VH). It was overbuilt in a way that the newer Nissan/Infiniti V8s (post 95) haven’t matched (cost cutting of course). It’ll never happen, but a man can dream.
Hello there! Thank you all for reading about one of the best cars on the market, that’s not getting the attention it deserves because of age and that GT-R halo vehicle. And the jazz-fusion is flying…I love it!
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psarhjinian : As it turns out, Canadian 350Zs are all either top-trim, or top-trim-plus-track-goodies.
Bummer! The Enthusiast model speaks to me, the higher dollar models make me start thinking that our friends up north are better off smuggling a C6 Vette or Boxster from south of the border. At some point the asking price for the Z verges on insanity.
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carguy622 : Just goes to show you that if a vehicle is executed well initially it does not need constant updates and/or rebates to keep it desirable or competitive. The domestics can learn a thing or two.
+1 for you!
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Lumbergh21 : What about the RX-8? It will set you back a few thousand less…Maybe it was the styling and modicum of practicality…while the 350Z is certainly a valid choice over an RX-8, to say that there are no other sporty cars below $35,000 totally dismisses the RX-8, a car that certainly fits the definition of sporty as well as or better than any of the three cars mentioned above.
You’re killin me; I thought about the RX-8 while writing this review. Granted I have issues with the RX-8s mediocre performance on paper and (inexcusable?) oil consumption, but the extra suicide doors turn the sporty style of a coupe into a “4DSC”. I could pick other cars to compare, but I had 800 words and I kinda stuck with sports coupes (i.e. two doors) in the purist sense.
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Robstar : That doesn’t mean they all have neutral handling, are fun to drive, etc but I always thought the 350z with 2 doors & rwd should be a few hundred pounds less than the STi with 4 doors & awd.
I will say that the Z’s doors feel more substantial and better built, and not because they are bigger. Nissan could ditch the heavy (and almost pointless) hatchback and save 75 lbs.
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carguy : While the return to affordability is applauded, issues of visibility, clutch action, ride, interior quality and complete lack of even grocery getting utility were a deal breaker for me. Maybe I’m getting too old for the 350Z but it does make me wish I had never sold my 240Z.
Sounds a bit like Z purist talk, which I do agree with. There will be a blog post explaining more about my love for 240s. But the 350 is still a great machine, even if I do wonder how it would’ve turned out if that original 240Z homage concept car made it to production instead.
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kjc117 : Also, the Z is surprisingly fuel efficient for a 300hp sport car. I got 31.5mpg @ 55-60 mph. 28mpg @70-75.
Not bad. But 28mpg is exactly what I returned in the 505hp Corvette Z06. And regular C5/6s often hit 32mpg at the same speed. The Z’s gearing is just insanely short and it shows in the fuel economy numbers.
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matt : Though, I wouldn’t go so far as to call the ride punishing. It’s no luxo-barge sure, but I would argue that its no worse than any other car in its class. I made a trip from Memphis to Las Vegas and back a few months ago, and had no backache or anything. But I’m also betting I’m a bit younger (23) than our Mr. Mehta.
Hey, I’m only 31: still down with the young people!!! Fresh!
I was a little surprised at how poorly the Z Enthusiast handled Houston’s horrible roads, but it handles much better than anything else for 30-large.
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Sajeev, do they still have the passenger cupholder that folds out from the dashboard? If so, is it still flimsy like the old ones? When I first got the car, I thought neat. Now that its been used a few times and it rattles enough to be noticed, but not drive you crazy, I’m wishing Nissan had just left it out.
Why does a young person such as yourself even use cupholders? Only old people like me need it for Ensure and prescription pill bottles! Seriously though, I assume it’s gone, because there were (12oz can friendly) cupholders in the console and big holes at the leading edge of each door’s armrest. My memory about these things is sketchy…it happens at this age.
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Dorian666 : As a sports or hoon car it does its job well after that it falls down.
All your points are valid. But the Z is so worth the compromise, even on crappy roads. I still fit several bags of food and 6 curtain rods in the hatch, so it carries enough for daily commutes for a single person. If you have a Z and a growing family, just get an off-lease SUV for peanuts and enjoy both worlds with little guilt.
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JEC : Honestly, I miss the 300ZX twin turbo. I thought that was a timeless design, and as good as the 3.5 is, a twin turbo 3.0 definitely has a lot of appeal (remember the outgoing 300 had more power and torque than the 350 at intro). The 350 seems like the “make a fatter, softer car that more people will buy” formula of sports car design.
I thought about dinging the 350Z for the reasons you mentioned, but a quick scan of its current competition shows the same trend across all manufactuers. Mustang? Overweight barge compared to the foxy Stangs of yesteryear. RX-8 versus RX-7? We shouldn’t go there.
I’d venture to say that the 350Z meets the market’s needs and is still more true to the original concept than any other sports coupe in its class.
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I say bring back the VH45DE V8 in updated form and stick it there! Search for “VH45 in 240SX” to see what kind of ridiculous monstrosities have been concocted around that motor (there are even twin turbo speedboat engines built from the VH).
I’ll be content if they put the FX50’s mill in the Z. But I like the way you’re thinking.
I had drove a Nissan before they are good cars but heavy especially the Maxima and Altima.
I don’t like with Nissan cars that it’s so slow to accelerate on 2nd gear and 3rd gear.
Everytime I see a Z I see a Audi TT but I prefer the latter. street name Tina Turner for the 2 T’s
My friend prefer the Z on the race track than the Evolution 9. of course who wants to drive a rally car on time attack event.
Sounds like the Infiniti G37 coupe makes a better ownership proposition…
the 350Z has aged well, I think. Well, mechanically at least. The styling is becoming slightly long in the tooth, but next year’s 370Z should have some crazy Maxima-like LSD-inspired styling (to go with that rear LSD?) as well as the VQ37HR from the G37 coupe, which is just a beast of a motor. My dad’s Infiniti M45 has a VH45DE which makes 335 horsepower out of 4.5L. Strong motor. The VQ37 makes… 330. I think the 30bhp bump in power for the 350Z will be satisfactory. I don’t think it really needs those turbos – nor does it need another $40k+ sticker like the 300ZX Twin Turbo (admittedly STILL an amazing machine) had when it finally died, a victim of the exchange rate.
The Z could use a BIT more refinement and power, but really, at this price, who cares? It’s fantastic, always has been and always will be. It’s a bit heavy, but that’s ok.
Sajeev, as a 350Z owner, I’d like to thank you for this review. I can sleep a better at night the Nissan hasn’t been forgotten despite it’s new (and expensive) twin turbo competition.
The old 300ZXtt and 1&3/35i are faster, sure. But the 350Z is lightsaber-like in simplicity. I plan on keeping this car a long time. No turbos that takes an oil exploration team to find and replace, no 7-foot-long timing belts, no electronic waterpumps, or other forms of automotive sorcery to worry about.
matt : Don’t forget about the hood bulge!
whatdoiknow1 : The Mustang GT fits that description too. However, the Z’s platform wasn’t pre-existing when it came out.
My mom owns a 350Z convertible, and she loves the hell out of that thing. I can see why when she gives me the keys every once in a while.
And Les Claypool > every other bassist out there.
How much is the Nissan Z anyways? if everyone hailing the price for this car.
BEAT –
My parents picked up a new 05 in early 06 that the dealer had touched up the paint on (light scratches on the rear bumper from high winds) for $32K.
The only car they liked better was the Corvette, but they weren’t going 45K deep on a sports car.
BEAT : My base model Z cost two tanks of gas gas over 30k. The Enthusiast model is the best value. It adds a limited slip, cruise control, homelink, tcs for about a thousand more. Similar cars in the same price range are usually less powerful (MX5, RX8, S2000, et al.) with the exception of the Mustang GT.
350z Manual/Nav goes for $ 54,533 in Canada plus GST and PST. That is ~ $60K out the door. Why that is ,is another thread.
I was lucky enough to test drive this car a few years ago (I was 17, the dealer shouldn’t have even let me near the car). I loved how stable the car felt, before I went into a turn I knew exactly how the car would act coming out. It gave me a big boost of confidence, and ego (the 350 does catch stares at the gas station). The car was so much fun to drive that its stayed with me all these years. Other sports cars have been released since I test drove the Z, but its still the one I want. Good Review
The enthusiast model I just bout was slightly over 32k.
I was more impressed with the 350Z before I’d gotten in one. The interior was cheap and cramped, and the beltline made it feel as if I’d just nestled myself into a cave. By comparison, the lowly V6 Mustang I tried was leagues improved. Ergonomics, visibility, appearance, and engine note were excellent, and so long as the road isn’t pockmarked, Mustangs of all flavors handle well.
The Z may have superior suspension and a touch more feel, but it’s tuned in such a way that your kidneys pay the difference. I can’t see choosing this one over a Mustang GT. If you want something that can handle, the aforementioned Boxster and Mazda RX-8 would be more interesting.
Anyway, this was a pretty even-handed review. Good stuff.
As the past owner of an 03 Z Enthusiast and current 07 Enthusiast, man, I can’t believe you guys reviewed my car.
I got my current Z for $29K. I thought about a Vette. Base model we’re talking over $40K. And I don’t have a mullet.
Nissan needs to keep these affordable and in the 300-350 hp range. Yeah, the interior shows some cheapness. And yeah, the clutch is sloppy. But it’s a fun car.
Nissan is gouging, and I think it’s a perfect item for this thread.
The 350Z is a good car, no bones about it, but Nissan (and Honda) are exploiting the Canadian market. At least Nissan has the honesty not to sell the Enthusiast Z for CA$50K (diff is about $9-12K); Honda whacks Canadians for an extra $16-20K on the S2000.
I’m sorry, but that’s an awful way to treat captive customers, especially when:
* Canada has a lower per-capita net income than the US (unlike, say, Europe)
* We’re part of a common market
* All it takes is for a customer to check nissanusa.com/honda.com instead of their .ca equivalents.
It’s also really stupid, because it’s just a couple grand below the cash-adjusted price of a base Corvette, and a lot more than an RX-8 or Mustang GT as well as (and this just blows me away) slightly more than a G37 Coupe.
The Z and S2000 are good, but they’re not that good.
I just sold my 2006 350Z Roadster. It wasn’t good on gas, had even less room in it than the coupe, but goddamn, what a car. I’ve always wanted a Z, even back in my domestic-loving youth, it was always a cool car. Sadly, i really took a bath on it, but it wasn’t worth it to keep since I hardly drove it. They dealership was selling a brand new ‘08 roaster for 7k off the sticker price. Great time to buy an awesome sports car for cheap.
And I test drove an RX-8. It probably handled better, but it was worse on gas, and after driving 4 cylinders for a while, I wanted something with torque. Now, a turbo’d RX-8 …
Seems like you can’t post anything about a Z without the Corvette ownerrs swarming in talking about how much better the ‘Vette is like it’s a threat to them or something. People, the ‘Vette is a $50k car. The Z starts below $30k. A smart shopper could buy a Z and an Altima for the same price as the ‘Vette! They aren’t even remotely in the same price bracket.
…unless you live in Canada.
I think Vette drivers have issues with the 350z because it is actually closer to the orginal mission of the Corvette than the actual Vette is today.
Today the 350z is the affordable sports car that appeals to many, many folks in the USA. I will even step out on a ledge and claim that the 350z appeals to more people in this country than the current Vette does.
As stated the Vette has morphed into a very expensive niche product that has limited appeal and also has a some negative images associated with it that the 350z does not.
In NYC and the surrounding area 350z are all over the place. Vettes (the American Icon) are rare and becoming rarer every year. In all honesty I only see old (die-hard American) men in Vettes. I see all types of men and WOMEN in 350zs.
In many ways the 350z is the stepping stone to more expensive sport cars. I know folks that have moved on from a 350z into Porsches, both new and used. On the other hand I do not know of anyone that has traded a 350z for a Vette. In my neck if the woods folks tend to not like the dimenssions of the Vette (it simply stand out too much in the crowd). Now granted if I move the mid-west I sure I will find folks that are trading Z for Vettes.
With an entry price of $30,000 the 350z is the everymans sports car today, in the USA. Each one of these sales should amke GM worry about its future franchise with the Vette. It is clear that Nissan is willing to make a stand with this car and keep on developing it at a low price. Now dont get me wrong the Vette is a fantasic car from an owners point of view BUT I bet GM wishes they could move their sportscar to non-dedicated platform and have the flexibility that Nissan has with the Z.