Bluefront road-tests a Nissan 350z.

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Bluefront

Golden Member
Apr 20, 2002
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Lucky dog me...I got to road-test a 350z today, even some highway miles. It was a two-seat automatic, non-turbo, Serial #641. I got to see the underside, and the eng compartment. Impressive. I'm judging it against the earlier 300zx, turbo and non-turbo. It feels about the same as a non-turbo 300, as far as power goes. It does have a softer ride, to me anyway.

This one had 17" wheels, a Bose audio system, and an aerodynamic package. About $32.5K. The audio didn't impress me much, but I'm not an audio person. There is a large stabilizer bar which makes the trunk area almost useless. Good luck with a suitcase.

I'm about 6'5", 240 or so. I fit in it pretty well, about an inch head clearance. The exhaust sounds real good, and this automatic moves. I got it up to 85mph very quickly, rock solid at that speed.

If you're looking for a car like this, it's worth a road-test........

 
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b0mbrman

Lifer
Jun 1, 2001
29,471
1
81
No doubt about it...Over the past few days, I've had some very serious thoughts about trading in my week-old Acura RSX (and taking a huge loss on it) for one of those...
 
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RGN

Diamond Member
Feb 24, 2000
6,623
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dude, the 350z should be waaaaay faster than the 300zx non-turbo... Its like 100 more HP.
 
NFS4

NFS4

No Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
72,647
26
91
Originally posted by: RGN
dude, the 350z should be waaaaay faster than the 300zx non-turbo... Its like 100 more HP.
Click to expand...

The non-turbo 300ZX has 222HP. The 350Z has 287 HP.
 
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Bluefront

Golden Member
Apr 20, 2002
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Yeah, you'd think so, but I just drove one. Seat-of-the-pants observation suggests otherwise. I think a twin-turbo 300 would blow this one away. Course I only got to put about 15 miles on it, so I may be wrong.

Realise horsepower on paper is just that.....
 
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RGN

Diamond Member
Feb 24, 2000
6,623
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Originally posted by: Bluefront
Yeah, you'd think so, but I just drove one. Seat-of-the-pants observation suggests otherwise. I think a twin-turbo 300 would blow this one away. Course I only got to put about 15 miles on it, so I may be wrong.

Realise horsepower on paper is just that.....
Click to expand...

yeah, I know... I guess that means that I'll have to wait until I get to drive one...


<--------- 2 time Maxima owner


 
NFS4

NFS4

No Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
72,647
26
91
Originally posted by: Bluefront
Yeah, you'd think so, but I just drove one. Seat-of-the-pants observation suggests otherwise. I think a twin-turbo 300 would blow this one away. Course I only got to put about 15 miles on it, so I may be wrong.

Realise horsepower on paper is just that.....
Click to expand...

What do you expect, you were driving an AUTOMATIC!!!!

The 350Z is faster than the 300ZX and also remember that the 350Z has a 6-speed manual and weighs less. A 350Z runs 0-60 in about 5.5 seconds.

http://www.fiendation.com/300zx/300zxfaq.htm
 
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psteng19

Diamond Member
Dec 9, 2000
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Originally posted by: Bluefront
Yeah, you'd think so, but I just drove one. Seat-of-the-pants observation suggests otherwise. I think a twin-turbo 300 would blow this one away. Course I only got to put about 15 miles on it, so I may be wrong.

Realise horsepower on paper is just that.....
Click to expand...

According to NFS4's link, the old 300ZX does 0-60 in 7.5, and the TT in 5.7.
The 350Z does 60 in mid 5's and the 1/4 in high 13's.
You're SOTP feeling is quite off :p

One mag dyno'd the 350Z at 249 hp on 100 octane and 244 hp on 91 octane.

Nissan ~ Driven

On a related note, the first Z went for $95,000 on ebay.
 
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flot

Diamond Member
Feb 24, 2000
3,197
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Well, I'm amused that someone referneced my own FAQ in this thread, but I own a 91 300ZXTT and am on the preorder list for a 350Z, and quite frankly I'm not sure I'll actually accept delivery of the 350Z.

It looks like a nice car and all, BUT I'm really not sure I'll be happy with the power. There are very few Twin Turbo owners who have gotten to drive one (I am frankly amazed that you got to take one for a spin, where was that??) so not many opinions on how the two compare. The 350Z should smack the 300ZX Non-Turbo around - but it remains to be seen if it'll really give the ZXTT a run for its money.

 
NFS4

NFS4

No Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
72,647
26
91
Originally posted by: flot
Well, I'm amused that someone referneced my own FAQ in this thread, but I own a 91 300ZXTT and am on the preorder list for a 350Z, and quite frankly I'm not sure I'll actually accept delivery of the 350Z.

It looks like a nice car and all, BUT I'm really not sure I'll be happy with the power. There are very few Twin Turbo owners who have gotten to drive one (I am frankly amazed that you got to take one for a spin, where was that??) so not many opinions on how the two compare. The 350Z should smack the 300ZX Non-Turbo around - but it remains to be seen if it'll really give the ZXTT a run for its money.
Click to expand...

LOL, that's YOUR FAQ??? I just typed in 300ZX and 0-60 into Yahoo and started sniffing through sites :D

Also, the performance, handling, and skidpad numbers suggest that the 350Z in every way dominates the 300ZX...plus there's no turbo lag. Just Nissan's silky smooth, turbine-like VQ
 
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Bluefront

Golden Member
Apr 20, 2002
1,466
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Look....I said I could be wrong. When I floored a TT300, the thing went sideways! It would smoke the tires for a long way...this was an automatic. I drove quite a few of them.

Today I floored this 350 going onto a highway from a dead stop....only a chirp from the tires. Maybe the tires are more sticky. Also the thing was brand new....only had about 10 miles on it when I got my road-test. Had to pull some strings for that, and no stick-shift was available. Hey....drive one yourself. I'm not much into the speed thing anyway. It's a pretty neat set of wheels no-matter what.
 
NFS4

NFS4

No Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
72,647
26
91
Originally posted by: JeffreyLebowski
Well the 350Z not peeling out and sending smoke everywhere means it has better traction control.
Click to expand...

True...IMHO, peeling tires and sideways action are for punk kiddies :D
 
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Bluefront

Golden Member
Apr 20, 2002
1,466
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This 350 did have TCS....however, from what I know about Maximas and their TCS...The only thing TCS does is disable one cylinder if you start spinning wheels. That is supposed to give you better control on slick surfaces. What could TCS do on this rear-wheel drive car anyway? Start off on five cylinders if you floor it...heh.
 
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Lunarcade

Member
Apr 5, 2002
190
0
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Originally posted by: NFS4

Also, the performance, handling, and skidpad numbers suggest that the 350Z in every way dominates the 300ZX...plus there's no turbo lag. Just Nissan's silky smooth, turbine-like VQ
Click to expand...

whats the turbo lag like in a 300zxTT? how well does the twin turbo idea help minimize turbo lag?
 
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MonkOnXanax

Senior member
Feb 10, 2002
333
0
0
Check out this month's SCC.

The 350Z has an electronic throttle and if you touch the brakes while at full throttle the engine supposedly practically shuts down. They had to disconnect the brake switch to do a burnout for the cover shot.

EDIT: Also, keep in mind that the 350Z is as fast as a TT 300ZX. Drop a turbo in the 350Z and... (Isn't Nismo supposed to offer a turbo kit for the 350Z during the next year or two?)
 
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Bluefront

Golden Member
Apr 20, 2002
1,466
0
0
Well I managed a roadtest today on a stickshift 350z. It's definately faster, course I wasn't racing anybody, and never did get into 6th gear. Fun ride....

I also saw what I guess must be the first almost-totaled 350z. This dummy kid waited over six months with a big down-payment. Had the thing three days, rear-ended another car. Looks very bad. I'll bet it takes four months to get all the parts and fix the thing.
 
vi edit

vi edit

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 28, 1999
62,387
8,154
126
Saw my first Z in person the other day in Cedar Rapids. Looked out of place among all the rusted out ford tempos and chevy luminas we have running around here :)

He was running down a perpendicular street so I didn't get much time to oogle over it.
 
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ZaneNBK

Golden Member
Sep 14, 2000
1,674
0
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I got to admire one for quite a while on my way home yesterday on the 405 south near Irvine. It was one of the copper/orange colored ones, I really like that color. Very nice looking car, I'm considering one for my next vehicle instead of the G35, ES300 or 325i. It depends primarily on wether or not I can fit in comfortably (6'3"). I'm doubting it. :(

Yes, I know Bluefront said he fit at 6'4" but I might be more picky about my fit. *shrug*

Also thinking about the G35 coupe, since that should be out shortly before my planned buying period.
 
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Howard

Lifer
Oct 14, 1999
47,989
10
81
There are two kinds of twin-turbo (for single-bank engines). Parallel and sequential. Parallel means each turbo handles half the total number of cylinders. Two smaller turbos spool up faster than one big one.

Then there's sequential, where the exhaust flow runs a smaller compressor. When that gets up to speed, the exhaust is routed to a bigger turbo, almost eliminating lag. However, the piping for this is complicated.

With the advent of air/ball bearings, electromagnetic spooling, ceramic/titanium wheels, etc. lag has gotta look out...
 
vi edit

vi edit

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 28, 1999
62,387
8,154
126
Dammit Howard. I'm still not used to not seeing a pink haired Yucky :)
 
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