Nismo 350Z or 370Z...

[seyath]

Hey guys, so I have finally decided to get rid of the Maxima. Replaced the engine and now a million little things are starting to go wrong... I don't have the time, patience or desire to dump any more money in this car.
I definitively need to get myself back into a rwd car as I have been missing out for a few years now.
I had originally thought of biting the bullet and getting a Camaro SS, but although they are pretty damn fast, I just didn't feel the car was setup anywhere close to what I wanted: It's fast but it's not quick... Not agile or nimble enough.

Anyways, I have the choices down to 2 cars right now... a '09 370Z and a '08 Nismo 350Z.
Here are the pros and cons so far:
--370Z--
+ Love the looks
+ More power
+ Leather powered heated seats
+ Factory Sat/Nav
- $4000 more expensive
- 10k more miles
- Leather seats are stone colored

--Nismo 350Z--
+ Love the looks too
+ Better handling (from what I can gather)
+ Less expensive
+ Less mileage
+ Wouldn't have to do some upgrades that I planned on regardless
- No leather or any amenities
- No Sat/Nav
- Somewhat spartan in terms of comfort

Now, this will be a daily driver. I am not too concerned with harsh ride; I prefer it.
I would like to ideally hear from people who have had a chance to drive both cars and can give an objective opinion as to which car provides the best bang for the buck.
I am leaning towards the Nismo. I have always loved the look, it just happens to be in my favorite color, and I think it might to prove somewhat more agile on a racetrack (I do intend on spending time at the track again).

Please weigh in as any input is greatly appreciated guys

[370Z/28]

Sounds to me like you are the one that is going to have to make the call. You know the pros and cons. What do YOU really want. Maybe if you posted some pics we could help you decide.

I can say one thing after trading a G37 with all the bells and whistles, they do get old. Had my car 2 1/2 years and never really used the nav. Only XM I ever listened to was Octane. For what you spend on satalite, you can get a lot of music on an iPod and listen to it. Backup camera...ah, who needs it in a car that small. Leather looks like crap in a few years. I think the 370 is the sexiest car around. I love my car.

Just my $.02 worth.

[orangeNblue]

If money wasn't a factor I'd be driving a 09 370z instead of an 08 350z. Insurance and monthly payment were my two concerns. With the 370z, there was also nothing I really wanted to do upgrade wise, or at the same time afford to do.

I really love my 350z tho. It's powerful, fun to drive, and a great reliable daily driver. Mine had low miles, a warranty, and was about 6 grand cheaper than the best price I had received on the 370s I looked at.

Also, just tossing this in there, I wouldn't track my daily driver. Especially not a $17-26k one....

[BusyBadger]

Despite the racerboy look I'd go with the Nismo. Cheaper price, fewer miles and it's a better all-around package (does the 370 have the sport package?). You'll also be spending less on insurance based on the model of the vehicle, though it's always worth a call to your agent to find out what the difference actually is.

There are also going to be more performance parts and available for the Nismo right now and plenty of knowledge about what works, what doesn't. There's no doubt parts are already out for the 370, but not in the volume or selection that they are for the 350, at least not yet.

If you've got a smartphone there's no reason to worry about GPS, in fact even though I've got factory nav in mine I sometimes wish I didn't because the one on my phone is so good. And I've got to update the Zenrin DVD from time to time. And even if you don't want to use your phone you can always go with one of the boatload of aftermarket GPS units available.

Of course, the biggest deciding factor should be what feels better to you - and which one is in better shape. Have a mechanic (or two) get both cars up on a rack and do a thorough inspection of them and let you know what's what.

Good luck during the buying process!

[ozkidd]

Go with the Nismo 350Z. Why? Its built by a racing team (Autech). The 370Z is not. Then again I drive a Nismo 350Z, so i'm biased.

[seyath]

Ok... so quick update on this.
I went to look at both cars.
The 370 is absolutely incredible. So balanced, very quick and just feels like a good place to be. The leather wrap on the dash and center console looks even better in person than in picture and is soft to the touch. The Infiniti derived sat/nav and computer interface is easy to navigate through and a nice added bonus. I found the seats very supportive and the driving position easy to adjust exactly to what I wanted. I also have to commend the rev-sync function (I have no idea what it is actually called). I thought it would be annoying and wanted to turn it off all together, but it really does work behind the scenes; on point every time.
Am I buying the car? No. I was almost ready to go ahead and not even look at the Nismo; yes, that's how much I liked the Z34. However, once we sat down to discuss financials, I was greeted with a price that was $5,000 more than advertised. Apparently all of their prices are "After a $5000 down payment". The finance director was unwilling to negotiate the price in the slightest manner and I decided to walk out of the deal.

So.. on to the Nismo.
I had spoken to the used car manager over the phone and arranged for a test drive at 530pm. When I got to the dealer at 520, the car was still shoved in the back of the showroom so I had to wait 40 minutes for all the vehicles to be moved. I was not happy to say the least. Nonetheless, I spent the time getting better acquainted with the car.
The Nismo is certainly more spartan than the Z34. The materials feel cheaper, the seat is extremely supportive but feels of lesser quality. The driving position seems lower and more track oriented and although not as inviting, the cockpit feels much less claustrophobic than the Z34. I was looking forward to see just how it would compare on the road.
Well, my hopes were short lived. As we took the car down the road and I went around the first bend, something was horribly horribly wrong. The rear end was did not cooperate in any predictable way so I stopped the car and refused to continue the test drive. I insisted that something was wrong in the rear suspension. It felt like the car was involved in an accident and was never mended properly. A quick inspection didn't reveal any obvious signs of body work or re-spray and the carfax was clean. The sales person insisted that the car was fine and I just didn't know how to handle a car of the caliber...
I demanded the car be put on a lift and lo and behold.... Frame damage. Their mechanic was dumbfounded that in the past month and a half that the car has been at the dealer, and all the test drives taken by customers and sales reps, no one thought something was wrong. Needless to say, I lost all interest. The manager wanted to "fix" the car and then work on a deal... No thanks.

So I'm still looking. Just looking at Z33's now, mostly with track pckg. Hopefully I'll be updating soon with pictures of a new ride

[370Z/28]

Wow! Good catch. You could have really gotten stuck with a lemon. That is probably why they had it tucked so far back in the showroom.

As far as the price with $5000 down. What a RIP OFF! Why do dealerships have the need to try to screw everybody? We ordered a Vette once, and when it came in the dealership put a $10k "market value adjustment" on it!! A car WE had ordered and waited 9 weeks for. (no we didn't buy it)

Stealerships!

[ozkidd]

Sorry about your Z journey. It took me 6 months to find my PPW Nismo. I must say you are right about the plastic pieces in the Nismo. They have that cheap feeling to it. As far the seats go, I'm happy with it. The leather seats are heavy, but they are comfy.

Try again. The Z is in your future.

[Dre2798]

Hey So where did you test drive that Nismo. I put a deposit down on one to have a dealership hold it till I get back from my deployment?