Nismo 370Z

We got a chance to drive the Nismo-tuned version of Nissan's 370Z. It's got a bit more power, some fancy hardware, and a lot more... less in it than the regular car. Would you guys and gals pay more for it, stick with the base 370Z, or buy something else?

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/new-cars/2011-nissan-nismo-370z/

I look at the 350Z/370Z as a swimsuit model with a really nice figure - I'm glad they are around to ogle, but I would never pay any of my own money for access to one.

You get more than the difference in price.

If you were to take one and begin to add up the costs to do what the factory has already done you'd spend much more than the difference the Nismo costs.

Also when you go to sell it you have the uber rare Nismo model and not one that the buyers will wonder about since you'd done all those mods.

Duke wrote: I look at the 350Z/370Z as a swimsuit model with a really nice figure - I'm glad they are around to ogle, but I would never pay any of my own money for access to one.

I'm with this guy. With this being in the same price range as a Boss 302 and similar is how the options are set up....I'd have to spend my money on the Boss.

New Nissan, you say?

Subtract this from the coolness of everything else Nissan makes and see where that leaves you. That thing is a blight upon my respect for all new nissans.. It's like a brand-identity pestilence.

As for whether i would buy a nismo 370z.. I'd much rather have a convertible hardtop g37. If im going to be taking something on the track it'll be something i can afford to lose. There isnt a 370z that qualifies, yet, and on the street id rather be driving the g37.

I would be really happy if Nissan took a page from Hyundai's book regarding sport models. With a Genesis Coupe, you can get an R-spec which has all the sport bits on what's basically elsewise a stripper model for a price that's about on par with the premium model (and then there's a premium+sport model that's a price jump above that).

It's a cool car, but paying a $10k premium for it knocks it out of contention for me.

carguy123 wrote: You get more than the difference in price. If you were to take one and begin to add up the costs to do what the factory has already done you'd spend much more than the difference the Nismo costs. Also when you go to sell it you have the uber rare Nismo model and not one that the buyers will wonder about since you'd done all those mods.

I would disagree. For the $10k extra you get:

20 extra hp (probably from catback exhaust and a modified intake). Aftermarket good SS catback and intake would be at most $1500. If it had an altered/improved header, that would yield far more than 20hp based on what they do on other VQ engines.

Stiffer springs and bigger sways. And if it's anything like every other Nissan built in the last 20 years, it's underdamped (even with "revised damping"). But let's say you get that stuff plus some good aftermarket shocks. $1500-2000 at most....

Chassis bracing, etc. 95% chance that means a couple of strut tower bars and maybe a lower tie bar. So $500 worth of stuff. It's almost certainly bolt-on stuff that can be bought aftermarket. I doubt they weld-reinforced the chassis from the factory.

Carbon-fiber driveshaft. Yeah, it would be expensive aftermarket. And nobody would buy it because the cost comes nowhere close to justifying the minimal benefit.

VLSD. First of all, the 370Z sport package already comes with VLSD, so that's not specific to the Nismo model (as far as I recall).

Secondly, VLSD is nothing much to brag about. I'd rather have a helical in a RWD sportscar that isn't going to see snow/ice.

Third, aftermarket LSD for the 370Z (including the Nismo one) can be had for under $1000.

So add it all up. Spend $5k or so and get same or better performance parts than the Nismo Z. Then "strip" your regular 370 sport edition to get the "stripper" weight, sell that stuff and make $1k back.

And you don't have to have all the cheesy-looking Nismo Z styling, and can go buy some aero that actually looks good.

Aside from the point that Nismo stuff is far from the best performance or quality for Nissans compared to many aftermarket suppliers, at least in my experience.

Plus you're paying $10k more for $5k worth of performance parts.....but you're really paying $15k more, since they've taken alot of the comfort/amenities out of the car.

Another mag (cough Car and Driver, cough) has had poor luck with the 370 on the track -- complaints about overheating, limp mode, and poor brakes. Does anyone on the forum have first hand experience with such issues?

+1 on the Mustang . . .

How do you make 14" brakes be.... not the best things in the world since sliced bread?

oh, and...

"performance brake pads ($580)"

$580 BRAKE PADS????

I'll take the non-performance brake pads, and then go buy myself a set of any number of excellent aftermarket performance pads for half that price....

Car and Driver isn't the only mag that has had problems with a 370Z overheating. A month ago I decided to see what those other mags had to say in their Buyer's Guides and I picked up an issue of DSPORT (can't say it was money well spent, or that I'd do it again, but it's always a good idea to get many opinions on a subject). They said the 370Z, and it's NISMO iteration have an oil cooling problem that REALLY needs to be addressed by Nissan. Like C & D, after a few laps by DSPORT, their Z was in "limp-home" mode.

Now that you mention it, i remember reading about that issue as well.. cant remember where, but since the main new car mag i read is motor trend, that would be a good guess.

It's a joke, especially as it's marketed as a "track package" from their sporting division. Falls apart at the first sign of a track day. No comparision what-so-ever to a Mustang Boss(either the standard or the LS). The Ford leaves it for dead on the track, endured an entire day of track abuse(at a mag comparo I attended) and is just a better car. Then again, what would you expect from a company currently producing such classics as the Murano Vert, the Cube and the Juke?

How the mighty GTR exists at that company and its current management, escapes me.

the brakes are big, but overheat because there just isn't any airflow to cool them. Same with the oil, etc. Front is so closed up for aero, nothing can breathe.

I did see the oil temp gauge go surprisingly high just from some onramp trouncing, and it took some time to come back down. I'm not surprised there are cooling issues.

"...what would you expect from a company currently producing such classics as Murano Vert, the Cube and the Juke?"

Sounds to me like that's a car company that isn't afraid to try anything REALLY different.

Would you have written off Chevy in 1963 for building both the "split window" Corvette and the Corvair Rampside pickup truck? Would you condemn to the trashbin a company like Buick that produced the Grand National and the SkyHAWK, and Park Avenue? Or how about BMW for producing both the M3, and X6M?

A car company that takes chances is more interesting, at least to me, than a car company that plays it safe (like Toyota, for instance?).

forzav12 wrote: It's a joke, especially as it's marketed as a "track package" from their sporting division. Falls apart at the first sign of a track day. No comparision what-so-ever to a Mustang Boss(either the standard or the LS). The Ford leaves it for dead on the track, endured an entire day of track abuse(at a mag comparo I attended) and is just a better car.

But the Mustang has a live axle and a pushrod engine! Plus it's American! It has to suck! By definition!

<<< been watching too many Top Gear reruns lately

Even at my age, I like boy-racer cars and a stiff ride is a fun ride; car-related, only. But spending that much money on a new Nismo, a new Mustang or some other big-buck choice just seems a waste.

I'll take an '05-'09 Mustang GT or a C5 Z/used-C6 and spend a few thousand on suspension, brakes, wheels and tires, etc. That leaves a lot of money for actually having fun with the car.

Duke wrote:

forzav12 wrote: It's a joke, especially as it's marketed as a "track package" from their sporting division. Falls apart at the first sign of a track day. No comparision what-so-ever to a Mustang Boss(either the standard or the LS). The Ford leaves it for dead on the track, endured an entire day of track abuse(at a mag comparo I attended) and is just a better car.

But the Mustang has a live axle and a pushrod engine! Plus it's American! It **has** to suck! By definition! <<< been watching too many *Top Gear* reruns lately

Last time a Mustang had a pushrod was 1994. Just saying.

DirtyBird222 wrote:

Duke wrote:

forzav12 wrote: It's a joke, especially as it's marketed as a "track package" from their sporting division. Falls apart at the first sign of a track day. No comparision what-so-ever to a Mustang Boss(either the standard or the LS). The Ford leaves it for dead on the track, endured an entire day of track abuse(at a mag comparo I attended) and is just a better car.

But the Mustang has a live axle and a pushrod engine! Plus it's American! It **has** to suck! By definition! <<< been watching too many *Top Gear* reruns lately

Last time a Mustang had a pushrod was 1994. Just saying.

I know - I was being facetious.

DirtyBird222 wrote:

Duke wrote: But the Mustang has a live axle and a pushrod engine! Plus it's American! It **has** to suck! By definition! <<< been watching too many *Top Gear* reruns lately

Last time a Mustang had a pushrod was 1994. Just saying.

1995, actually. '96 was the first year of the mod motors in the Mustang.

I've not yet driven an 370Z. I'm glad this time Nismo decided to add some power. It's not a cheap date and I won't be buying one any time soon. I do give nissan credit for making the model. After driving a Nismo 350Z I was supprisingly close to buying a one and chasing B Stock, but they were 5k cheaper.

I've driven the 350 (PA to FL and back) and a 370 when I was looking to buy something new. I honestly couldn't get over the size of the blind spot as I have a habit of looking over my left shoulder. It was really to the point of making me feel claustrophobic in heavy traffic in places like Washington DC and Jacksonville. I admit it is a fun car to drive in the Poconos on some back roads but I had a hard time using it in traffic.

As for the NISMO, I'm not sure I could justify the price difference it commands. Basically my opinion just backs up with Irish already said about the 5k since I'm not all into bodywork of the NISMO. That extra 5k would be better invested into some other additional aftermarket parts.

I would like it in 5 to 10 years from now when the price stabilizes into a reasonable amount. I dont see enough extra go fast shiz to justify the premium. I do like the aero, but meh, I'm 25 and own a not so tastefully modified MX-5 that sets car alarms off. I did recently drive a red NISMO 350Z at a local dealership. I couldn't see out of it, it was noisy, had NISMO stamped on everything, cramped, ride was harsh, cops were on me like vultures in the sky over a carcass, my wife hated it, annnnnd I F---ing loved every second of driving it! What do I know, move along, my opinion is irrelevant. Oh yeah, pic hotlinked for proper GRM etiquette...