My honest opinion

 

Sounds very very nice infact one of the nicest sounding cars I have heard for some time. The brakes were very good the 6 speed gearbox was so smooth and a pleasure to use. I was not too keen on the interior and the performance was poor but ok for a N/A I suppose.

I think my next car is going to be a nice wide 350Z in blue so I'll be very interested in seeing what you do with it! :duffer:

 

Chris.

 

 

Go take one out for a test drive I bet you change your mind

On a serious note I was disappointed with the handling, I really did cane it through some twistys and it felt like a wild pig with pins and needles in its legs LOL. Honest mate I can get round bends much faster in mine.

 

I've driven one quite a lot and I didn't find the handling that bad. Nissan have recently made some changes to wheel alignment/tracking and the model of tyre which allegedly improved the handling, but I didn't notice much difference. What I found annoying was the lack of stability at speed, it's like you have to continually correct direction at motorway speeds, my 300 is as solid as a rock and feels better the faster you go. Don't remember ever getting the 350 above 130, but it certainly didn't improve as you got faster.

I've driven one quite a lot and I didn't find the handling that bad. Nissan have recently made some changes to wheel alignment/tracking and the model of tyre which allegedly improved the handling, but I didn't notice much difference. What I found annoying was the lack of stability at speed, it's like you have to continually correct direction at motorway speeds, my 300 is as solid as a rock and feels better the faster you go. Don't remember ever getting the 350 above 130, but it certainly didn't improve as you got faster.

 

I had this one up to 120 I really did give it some pain round some twistys and I have to say I was not impressed as I was lead to beleive they were fantastic on bends. How do you find it through the twistys as you have done a lot more miles in one than me? Gearbox was fantastic though!

I had this one up to 120 I really did give it some pain round some twistys and I have to say I was not impressed as I was lead to beleive they were fantastic on bends. How do you find it through the twistys as you have done a lot more miles in one than me? Gearbox was fantastic though!

 

On the slow stuff it certainly changed direction well and was more 'flickable' than a 300, still quite senstive to road surfaces and I wasn't very impressed with the traction control (had to turn it off - but don't tell her!). Fast sweeping bends I thought was probably the worst part, just didn't have the stability that my 300 has, that you need to give you confidence for more welly.

 

It's a good car and no mistake, but it's not perfect.

I liked the 350z myself.

 

However it does lack the whiplash inducing mid-range grunt of a 300zxTT when the turbos are on song. I thought the handling was pretty good compared to a stock 300 with 80k miles under its belt, but compared to Macca's Beast I understand why he is not impressed.

 

The 350 is a good all round sports car and stacks up well against rivals like the Audi TT or Porsche Boxter but the interior feels like a Renault. The whole car lacks the class and presence of a 300zx too.

 

I'd still buy one though but only in black. I'd quite like the metallic orange but Julia thinks that would look crap......

 

Richard :)

Having lived with the 350 for a few months now I would say I am surprised by the comments on handling and stability. I have found the car to be very predictable although I would agree that the traction control does interfere and can cause the car to feel unsettled when really pushing on.Mine is a jap import and my father has a uk car mai difference I noticed between the two is the jap car is much siffer which is not so good at low speeds but much better the rest of the time.

Ian don't forget you are comparing your highly tunned 300 against a stock out of the box 350, not really a fair comparrison. I would say a stock 300 against the 350 would tell a different story. As far as qualit goes the price needs to be taken into account, look at the new price of a 300 when first launched against the price of a new 350 and it is obvious that some cost cutting has taken place, but for value for money it's right up there with the best.

Only problem is that 350z's are just renaults in disguise. Engine gearbox and electrics all renault not nissan.

WRONG WRONG WRONG

The Engine and gearbox from the 350 are both designed and manufactured by Nissan. Nothing at all to do with Renault. The engine is the same as the 3.5ltr Murano. The Murano gearbox is different. Just because the shitty Renault Vel Satis (or whatever it's called) was out first doesn't mean the engine must be a Renault design.

Ian don't forget you are comparing your highly tunned 300 against a stock out of the box 350, not really a fair comparrison. I would say a stock 300 against the 350 would tell a different story.

 

Hello mate but then you are comparing new with old the 300zx is 15 years older than the 350z but the 300zx still kicks its arse have you not seen the Clarkson vid?

 

As far as qualit goes the price needs to be taken into account, look at the new price of a 300 when first launched against the price of a new 350 and it is obvious that some cost cutting has taken place, but for value for money it's right up there with the best.

 

I know what you are saying about me comparing it with a serious powered car and yes you are probably right,I felt it had hardly any grunt and that must be the reason why to be honest..

 

How ever I have to be honest Phil and the handling was nothing special at all,AndyP has been driving one for the last year and even he says it dont handle at high speed cornering.

One thing needs to be taken into account with any car and that is some cars just don't suit certain driving styles. I have a huge list of performance cars under my belt and without blowing my own trumpet a lot of race miles as well but to give an example of what I'm saying,for years I read about the superb handling of the Mitsubishi Evo's so descided to buy one without any trial as I thought with all the testimonials around it was a pretty safe bet. How wrong I was, it didn't matter what I tried I could not get on with four wheel drive, I just never felt confident, back into rear wheel drive and no problem. I'm not saying others can't drive the car but how fast you drive is all down to the confidence you feel with the car. Personally as far as handling goes I feel very comfortable with the car thats not to say it can't be substantially improved upon. As you well know you improved your own set up and then still felt the need to go one step further and invested in the tein setup. If you wanted too you could go further still and continue to push the envelope. Any setup from a motor manufacturer is always a compromise with dialed in safety foremost on their agenda.

With regards to power I would not argue, at first the car felt lets say sprightly, after a few months it's just average.

Think back to when you first got the 300, probably felt quick, try a stock one now compared to what you now have and it will feel like one of Peters beetles or even a diesel BORA.

The standard suspension on my UK car is very good and is much quicker than the 300 through any kind of twisty or bendy road, slow or fast. The biggest complaint I had with the standard suspension was the wallow at higher speeds when you hit a dip or undulation in the carriageway. The car would lift too much. I've changed suspension to the KW Variant 3 and this has not only improved the handling but eliminated the high speed wallow. I've also added Stillen front and rear sway bars.

 

I reckon you could "drive" A standard 350 faster than a standard 300. I'm not saying the 350 is quicker, because it isn't. Even by today's standards the 300 is a seriously quick car, especially when modded.

 

Put a Twin Turbo on a 350 and that's then end of the who's quicker now argument. Watch this space.

Any setup from a motor manufacturer is always a compromise with dialed in safety foremost on their agenda.

 

 

I would say budget is first on the agenda.

Then safety.

 

We know the 300ZX is faster in a straight line, but 15 years more of technological development should cound to for something. I would say a 350 would beat a stock 2+2 300ZX round most tracks. Obviously different tracks suite different cars.

 

You cant say that in 15 years suspention has not improved, or braking has improved. Of course it has. The 300ZX has technology which is 15 years old and not only that, most cars are running 15 year old components.

 

Spend money on new suspention, roll bars, bushes, torsion arms and strut braces, and I bet the 300ZX would keep up with a 350Z on the corners and beat it in the straights.

 

The fact the cars are so close now, should be a tribute to how good the 300ZX is. When the 300ZX is 30 years old and the 350 is 15, I bet the 300ZX would wipe the floor with it.

I would say budget is first on the agenda.

Then safety.

 

We know the 300ZX is faster in a straight line, but 15 years more of technological development should cound to for something. I would say a 350 would beat a stock 2+2 300ZX round most tracks. Obviously different tracks suite different cars.

 

You cant say that in 15 years suspention has not improved, or braking has improved. Of course it has. The 300ZX has technology which is 15 years old and not only that, most cars are running 15 year old components.

 

Spend money on new suspention, roll bars, bushes, torsion arms and strut braces, and I bet the 300ZX would keep up with a 350Z on the corners and beat it in the straights.

 

The fact the cars are so close now, should be a tribute to how good the 300ZX is. When the 300ZX is 30 years old and the 350 is 15, I bet the 300ZX would wipe the floor with it.

 

 

Here Here Sprae thats what i tell all my Boxter owning freinds every time i whip their assess and the fact its 20 grand cheaper LOL :dance: :dance: :dance:

Here Here Sprae thats what i tell all my Boxter owning freinds every time i whip their assess and the fact its 20 grand cheaper LOL :dance: :dance: :dance:

 

 

I hate Boxsters, but did you know they are now having to slow them down.

Apparently they could easliy make it as fast as a 911, but if they did no one would buy them. LOL

take him for a spin in the greddy beast,and show him what a real nissan is :dance: :dance:

 

No take him on the xup with no lid he will crap his pants. LOL

The beutie of it is in the summer we all went for a drive and stopped off at a country pub for lunch.When we came out there was a crowd around my car and nobody gave the 2 Porches a second look.My mates were well pi55ed off LOL.

One thing needs to be taken into account with any car and that is some cars just don't suit certain driving styles. I have a huge list of performance cars under my belt and without blowing my own trumpet a lot of race miles as well but to give an example of what I'm saying,for years I read about the superb handling of the Mitsubishi Evo's so descided to buy one without any trial as I thought with all the testimonials around it was a pretty safe bet. How wrong I was, it didn't matter what I tried I could not get on with four wheel drive, I just never felt confident, back into rear wheel drive and no problem. I'm not saying others can't drive the car but how fast you drive is all down to the confidence you feel with the car. Personally as far as handling goes I feel very comfortable with the car thats not to say it can't be substantially improved upon. As you well know you improved your own set up and then still felt the need to go one step further and invested in the tein setup. If you wanted too you could go further still and continue to push the envelope. Any setup from a motor manufacturer is always a compromise with dialed in safety foremost on their agenda.

With regards to power I would not argue, at first the car felt lets say sprightly, after a few months it's just average.

Think back to when you first got the 300, probably felt quick, try a stock one now compared to what you now have and it will feel like one of Peters beetles or even a diesel BORA.

 

To be totally fair I should point out that the suspension on my 300 is not standard. However, all your points taken. It's about what gives you confidence and what suits your driving style.