General Comments:
Don't believe some of the negative reviews out there - the 350Z is sports car perfection (if you want practicality, look elsewhere!).
I wouldn't change a thing about the vehicle. The engine makes wonderful sounds and pulls so strongly that it's mind boggling there's only a V6 under the hood.
The cloth seats are very comfortable - much more so than the leather in my opinion. The leather seats have a very flat bottom (probably to accommodate the power seat motors?).
I wouldn't recommend spending your money on the Touring edition to get the Bose stereo - it has less high frequency range than the standard system. Besides, the last thing you should be doing is listening to music in this car.
From a styling standpoint, expect a lot of attention! Of course, I think that the back-end looks much better w/o the optional spoiler (aerodynamics package).
The automatic climate control feature helps you focus on what's really important. It does a great job here in the Florida sun.
I'm not sure about tinting this vehicle with it's automatic window sealing feature. I suspect that you'll see your tint film peeling at the top of the windows in about a year. Besides, there's very limited visibility in the first place.
The HID lights will melt the paint off the car in front of you (sarcasm). Don't skip this option because fog lights aren't available.
Handling is perfect, the 17" wheels are more than adequate and come with aggressive summer tires (Bridgestone Potenza 225/50WR17 on the front and 235/50WR17 on the rear). Suspension is taut, but compliant over rough pavement. Wind noise is minimal, but expect to hear the road.
Paint quality seems good for this price range and the interior materials are tasteful. Nothing looks or feels cheap.
There is a power outlet and cup holder where you would usually find a glove box in other cars. This outlet is perfect for your radar detector as the cord will tuck away neatly (it also turns off with the ignition).
The 5 speed automatic transmission (which can also be shifted manually) delivers power in a very smooth and linear fashion. As with any automatic, I'm sure that there is a power loss, but it's barely noticeable . Oddly enough the manual transmission (6 speed) will cost you more.
In conclusion, I've seen a lot of these cars "riced out" but think that it comes from the factory just right.
So.. what are you waiting for? Gas prices aren't getting any cheaper and this thing supposedly gets 26mph on the highway. Enjoy it while you can!!!
11th Nov 2004, 05:31
Do all the 350z's twin turbo' or did they break away from turbo and naturally aspirating the z's stock? Also wondering how this car compared to the vr4.