2012 Nissan 370Z Touring Sport VQ37VHR from North America
Summary:
Fantastic fun driver's car
Faults:
The clutch slave cylinder needs to be replaced with an entirely different after market unit due to repeated failures.
On hard (and I do mean hard) right hand corners, the fuel moves to one side of the tank so far that even with 3/4 of a full tank you will see fuel starvation. This makes track use hard without spending thousands for an after market fix.
The car needs an after market oil cooler for track use; it will overheat and go in to limp mode very quickly.
Oil galley gaskets. Nissan used cheap paper gaskets in this area, causing a drop in oil pressure when they finally break. Gaskets themselves are cheap, but the labor is expensive.
Steering lock failure (09-11 models) (not my car, but common for people looking to buy an earlier model).
General Comments:
The car has a very good supply of after market performance and appearance products available.
The wheel wells allow for very big rubber on all 4 corners with after market wheels.
Generally a fun fast car that is very good at supplying the driver with a raw unfiltered driving experience that most sports cars today do not provide.
A great car for tall people. I'm 6'6" and I do not fit in a Miata (I can't even close the door) or an S2000. I fit comfortably in this car, making it a great choice for tall drivers.
While the interior looks a bit more modern than the 350Z, it is a bit busier; the simplistic driver focused interior was one of my favorite things of the 350Z, and one thing I wish the 370Z would have kept. I'm sure this was brought on by tons of reviews saying the 350Z interior was horrible. It's personal preference.
Tons of room in the hatch for stuff. I regularly go to Costco and get 2 weeks worth of food and fit it all in my car.
The handling on this car is fantastic, and only gets better with wider rims and stickier tires.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 20th March, 2016
26th Apr 2013, 18:43
Update -
I am selling my 370Z. It's been a relatively good car and my previous review should illustrate it as such. However, it is 2013 and the sports car world is looking more and more enthusiastic. The 370Z, for all its steering and braking accolades, is a bit harsh with regard to ride comfort, road noise, automatic transmission response, and the engine is coarse. I am very interested to see if Nissan will take the 2015 Z back to its inline 6 cylinder, lightweight (smaller) body roots.
I just drove a Subaru BRZ, and while not deadly in the straight line 0-60, it's breathtaking with regard to utter handling. It's a true sports car sans the neck snapping acceleration, which is mostly what the Z can offer. Sports cars have to give you that giddy, childlike smile on your face - my old 350Z did this better for me.