Too bad OGHT isn't around. But hey, I have a couple questions. I like cars, not for racing or any of that but just driving - touring. I try to keep up with what's new but of course probably don't know as much as others here. The car I'm thinking of looking into in about a year or so is the new 350 Z. Does anyone know much about this car - how it's been? The specifics I want to know is if Nissan plans to make this into a T-top or convertible like they did the 300z in the 90's. Also, does anyone know much about the RX-7 and how that compares? I want to look into something sporty. If anyone knows of anything else that might be good in comparison, that'd be cool. Thanks!
The new Z's are ************ing unbelievable. I had the chance to drive one on a road trip I took with a friend and it was ************ing amazing. I loved it. Handles great and is an overall great car. I think that the quality of Nissan has dropped a bit, but with the Z being their flagship car (and how the old Z's have lasted and I still see them all over today) I wouldn't question it at all. The RX-7's are hard to find. I believe they stopped production on them in 96 but they are still pretty pricey. I haven't driven the later body styles, but I've driven a 91. The RX doesn't have cylinders and I'm not as familiar with the engine as I am with the Z or any I4's, but I haven't heard any complaints about the car. Either way would be badass.
Thanks for the info! I know that Mazda's releasing a new RX model - I think it's the RX-8. It's supposed to be some sort of hybrid thought with 3 or 4 doors. The RX-7's of the nineties were pretty sweet looking - except the engine was hit or miss. IF you got a good one, you were set. If you got a poorly constructed one, the thing was a toilet. I forget the details, but something about the engine was always needing to be replaced every winter - something to do with the interface/rotary engine. But yeah, I really want to look at Z's. Seems like they're really neat cars. They handle great? Smooth driving - how was the 6 speed/stereo? The one I'm thinking about is the performance one. Not the Track though. I hope they make the T-top version of them like they did the 90's styled one - since the new model can't support a sun-roof. I want to hold out to see if that comes out. Hopefully someday!
I think soon. I was looking at Zs, but the dealerships are putting ridiculous markups on them right now.
stay away from ford. i'm telling this even though i knew fiddlestick's gonna run over me with his mustang again.
Thanks for the pic suckafree. The RX-8 looks better than I first thought it did. The front end is pretty neat looking. Kind of like a cross between a "new" model S-2000 and something else. But I guess the weight of the car - you should probably not get into an accident in one of those! But I want to drive that one - the engine sound should be really cool. It doesn't look like it has the four doors - which is pretty cool too. Yeah, that's what I was afraid of. I wouldn't even think about looking at something until next year or maybe even next spring when I get rid of the car I have now. There's no real rush for it now I - I just want to put some dough aside to get the one I want + will try to get a decent/crap car for the winter or until I find one/they release the T/convertible. So I guess it's just deciding between the two. Watch... I'll waste so much time, by the time I decide I'll be married, have kids and see both of them zoom-zoom into my field of dreams! Or there will be something else out... But the Z has more power, but I guess there's no way to really really see the relevance until you drive both since they're engineered so differently - one with a six, the other a rotary engine.
holy piss... i dont like the 350Z nearly as much (design wise) as i do the 90-96 300ZX... i would love to have a 300zx twin turbo, and that car would be absolutly amazing if it had 4wd... i say, however, screw the 350z, and screw the damned rotary cars... get a WRX STi when it comes out... 6 speed tranny, 300hp and 300 ft/lbs of torque put on the pavement by all four tires. you cant beat that. and yes, fords, and mustangs, do suck. why the hell do they have a hood scoop? crampin on my wrx's style, i tell ya...
Alex, if you have the money, look for Infinity G35. It uses exact same engine as Z plus all the cool stuff. It looks very slick. In fact, G35 is motortrend car of the year.
What's up OGHT! I was really thinking of getting the WRX actually. Those things really kick. A buddy of mine has one - the four door and he hooked it up a bit and it's pretty sweet too. But I dig the style a little more of the STi I think. I want to see them when they come out. The good thing with the Subaru - I wouldn't have to get a beater (88 Jeep or something) to drive around in the winter! I hear the Subaru's are pretty damn solid. What's up Fah Que too! I was looking at some of those - and right now, they are actually less expensive than the Z coupe! They're pretty sharpe too man. I have my fingers crossed. I'm not gonna go with one or the other until 2004. Hopefully by then the demand will have shrunk a bit for both. But knowing me, by then, there will be something else I will drool over! (first, it was the RX-8. Then it was the Subaru. Now it is the Z...)
You should test drive first to see what you like. I test drove both Z and G35. Z has very tight suspension. The ride is a lot rougher. G35 is both sporty and comfortable. The downside is G35's interior looks cheap for a sports "luxury" coup. The analog clock inside the car looks nice on Q but looks strange inside G35. The engines itself are exactly the same. G35 is actually going after the market of BMW 330i. It blows it away in my opinion. Nissan Maxima is really good too. The whole mechanical design is very similar. Nissan's quality track record as a whole doesn't quite match up with Toyota or Honda. I decided against buying G35 because it's resale value. If you are the type who likes to drive a new car every 3-5 years or so, resale value makes some difference. I prefer having a few grands more in my pocket.
I think the residual on both cars is a bit risky now - that's one of the main reasons why I'm not going to get one until next year or - fall of 2004. I don't want to fall for the victim of demand - the Z coupe that I like is actually more than the G35! So it wouldn't be worth getting the Z. As for the ride - I'd be willing to go with a slightly rougher ride but not if the price isn't right. It is a sports car I guess. Right now, I have the IS 300. I picked it up brand new and it's a good car. But even it's not as smooth a ride with 17 inch tires as the GS or even Camry. Also, I live in New England so I wouldn't even be able to drive it for the winter. We had a rough one here this year, so to get a rear-wheel drive car shouldn't be the only one you have... I learned that with my car now. The thing I was wondering before looking at Z's was if Lexus was going to upgrade the IS 300 - give it a bigger engine, develop a little convertable that would fit into the 325/A4 category, etc. But it looks like that's not the direction they're going + they'll add a turbocharger instead. What would be really cool would be if the "new" Skyline concept were released:
Is it me or does it seem like the G35 is bigger than the 350Z? I've seen both up close and I just think the 350Z seems smaller. *shrugs*
The G35 coupe is bigger. It has a rear seat. The Z doesn't have one - it's a pure 2 seater. Design is very similar though. I guess that's one plus for the G35 - but I think the convertible will only be available for the Z. I think that's one of the big reasons for re-introduction of the Z since Nissan (Infiniti) didn't really have a convertible for a while... at least not one that I could remember. 240Sx might have been the last one. The convert is definitely what I want. But if I can only get the coupe, I think the G35 might be the way to go.
Hey I actually went to a few dealerships today and checked out a G35 coupe. It's pretty cool! But it's a little more than I saw on the net. I guess it's because of teh demand. The one I looked at was a 6 speed, firecracker red - pretty nice looking ride. But Fah QUe is right - the clock has got to go - and to be honest, I don't think the inside is as luxurious as the IS that I have now. It makes up for it with the engine though. When I talked to the guy, he said that the G35 and Z are very different - just the general luxury and ride. the Z is supposed to be very very stiff of a ride. I guess more like a sports car (Imagine that!) But then again, he was a salesman so of course he was trying to up-sell the G35 coupe instead of the Z. Anyway, it's a pretty nice car. A bit bigger than I expected and not quite as sharp inside as I'd hoped, but it's still a nice looking car.
I read that Infiniti is releasing a convertible version of the G35 as well. So the 350Z convertible that I want will be released probably this summer as a 2004 model. But the G35 convertible will probably be released in 2004 as a 2005 model. Go figure. ANyway, I'm sort of over the "awe" of the car now after seeing it. In fact, after looking in the G35, I'm definitly thankful for my car right now and enjoying that instead. (well, that and I'm curious about the rumored 300 HP version of the IS300 that might go into production called the IS 430).
So this is the new Z convertible... the one I've been harkin' about for a week or so now. I saw one in red too - the one I want to go for is definitely either the black, but what does it matter as long as it is not the yellow or gold color.
Has the 350Z got 4WD or are you getting a beater after all? And if you're thinking about a STi, why not a Lancer EVO or a RS Cosworth (comes out in 2004 though)?
The Z doesn't have the all wheel drive (at least the ones I saw). I'd definitely have to get a beater where I live for the winter time - like an 88 jeep or something like that. The Infiniti though might have it - but I doubt that too. At least with Infiniti though you can keep all-season tires stored, and then have those put on for the winter and then the HP's put on for the summer. But they're both rear wheel drive so I doubt it'd make a huge difference. That's why the STi was so attractive - and it's a pretty cool car - just not as sleek to me. They don't offer the Lancer's and Cosworth's in the US - I think there was talk of bringing the Mitsu to the US but I don't think that they did. I remember in 1999 there was a really cool Peugot 406 that I liked but Peugot isn't in the US anymore either. At least I don't think that they are. I actually did have the US version of the Cosworth Sierra though a few years ago. It was a funky car. The Merkur.
Mitsubishi are bringing a Lancer Evolution here, its just that its going to look ugly because of bumper restrictions here. Sigh, I was upset when I heard that. Peugeot offers affordable cars, but they dont feel the need to release them here.
You have IS300? That can't be more than 3 years old. I think it's a little soon to be itching for a new one. My co-worker tells me to check out Honda S2000. He claims it's faster than a Porche even with only 4 cylinders. The interior is very nice. The exterior looks sharp from the pictures. He also claims it is better than Z or IS300. Personally I am saving my money for 2006 when Honda comes out with next generation models for Accura TL and a replacement for CL coupe. My inside sources tell me that they will absolutely rock!
Only thing with the S2000 that got me a bit was the size. It just seemed similar to the Miata - too much so. I know they're very different beasts... well, one is a beast, the other is a cub. But from what I hear, the Z is supposed to be a bit meatier on the road. I picked up the IS about 2 years ago when it was brand new. I do enjoy it - it's a good car. But next year, I have to get rid of it. Lease is up so I have to get something - and the IS isn't really worth what's under the hood compared to the competition. Even the Cadillac CTS is upgrading to a 260 HP optional model (although I think it's an ugly car). The thing that burned me about the IS though was how piss poor it is in the winter. The first winter I had it, I wasn't commuting much and didn't drive much at all - and the winter was extremely mild. THis one is different - I changed jobs and the car is atrocious in the snow - and in New England we had loads of it. The ideal: I should have gotten the snow tires with it OR picked up a $hitbox jeep for the winter. Instead I have very low profile 17 inch wheels. I wasn't going anywhere. So I figure I'm single (sort of... Adri has other ideas...) no kids (none!), good job (thank goodness!).