14th Oct 2006, 03:36
Have always liked the Subaru Impreza STi and Mitsubishi Lancer Evolutions, but the running costs are just too much. The 350z on the other hand has the looks and performance. Performance not being too far behind an Impreza STi, but with much cheaper running costs.
The 350z is a great looking car and you also don't see them everywhere you go, like you do with Subarus. Have been thinking about getting one for my next car, but with the Nissan 350z being a 3.5 litre engine, the costs of fuel put me off. Having looked into the mpg, I saw that it is not as bad as I imagined. They are excellent cars and really do look great. Glad you are enjoying the car and think you made the right choice getting rid of the Subaru. I know for a fact if I had a 350z I would want to drive it all the time too. I can quite easily see it would be an addictive car.
15th Oct 2006, 20:13
Reviewer again after about 5 weeks of ownership.
Thank you for the nice comment. I am still glad I got rid of the STi. When I see them on the road, you can pretty much be sure what the driver's attitude will be. He KNOWS he has a bad ass car and is more than willing to stomp on anyone with it regarding sprinting from a stoplight. That's just not me anymore and I'm so glad I moved on to the Z. People's attitudes about me have changed too. It has gone from "Oh you have one of those 'Fast and Furious' cars!" (usually said with a not so friendly smirk), to "Hey, nice ride!" - a local cop told me that last part just a short while ago today as he was cruising my neighborhood.
One surprise I've had driving the 350Z is fuel economy. I took it on a 2 hour long trip just after filling up and was happily surprised I averaged 30MPG on the highway! Not bad. I'm getting around 23MPG city driving. Again though, those numbers are good compared to what I was expecting.
Because I'm the 2nd owner of my Z, the first one drove it about 70 miles each work day. After my first car wash I noticed many rock chips and really hardened on bug guts and all kinds of nasty stuff that wouldn't come off. I decided to go ahead and get the entire front end redone. There was also a nasty ding in the hood. So a bit of cost out of pocket and 5 days later, I got her back early afternoon today. It looks brand new now! I'm so jazzed. The painting and body work that was done should have run around $1500, but because I went to a guy that works for the dealership I bought the car from, I paid half that. The guy did an OUTSTANDING job and I was able to roll the cost into my loan. I am going to see if I can get reimbursed though, we'll see how that goes. Oh, you can't even tell there was ever a ding in the hood now.
I probably won't post here again for a while, but yes, the thrill is definitely still there when driving. Oh, the guy who did the paint work for me dropped it off at my home, and I was outside waiting for him as he was getting near. He started to rev the engine from a good distance away around a corner (out of my sight) and he said "can you hear your car?" I told him yes I could, and it sounded fantastic. :D.
27th Sep 2006, 14:42
Hello all, it's me again, the reviewer. 5 days have passed since I bought my black 350Z, and nothing has changed, nothing. I still think about it probably too much, can't wait to drive it every chance I get, and it almost feels like a poor man's Lamborghini. I just drove my "other" car to work after a quick lunch today and I'm already missing the Z. I'll have to take it for a spin after I get home today.
The 350Z gets many looks while driving anywhere, and I'd really like to know what people think when they look at it. If I saw it drive up next to me I think I'd be staring at it too. For me it just looks incredible. All of my younger friends at my previous jobs who LOVED my STi, are equally impressed with the Z. I was concerned that they'd have heartburn over my decision to switch cars, but I was very pleased with the great reactions I've been getting. So far, all have been positive.
I hope my comments and the main review will sway some people who are "on the fence" about whether or not to buy a 350Z for themselves. After I drove the Z for the first time I was just giddy beyond belief and am fairly sure anyone else would be too. What else can I say, except go test drive one. It's simply a thrilling car. :)