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01-05-2013, 05:44 AM | #23 |
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The M3 is a superior car all around no doubt, but must say that the 350z is a little more raw in comparison and even more fun to drive. Had a few 350Zs and when getting back in the car after not driving it for awhile, you realize how fun it is to drive.
Had a nismo 350z and much preferred it to the 370Zs that I test drove. The later model 350z only picked up a few HP, but thought it was a good deal quicker along with being smoother at high RPM compared to earlier models. Last edited by sensi09; 01-05-2013 at 06:18 AM.. |
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01-05-2013, 11:01 AM | #24 |
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I forgot to add a stock (except for exhaust) 350Z's time in my earlier post: 1:59 at the same track.
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01-05-2013, 06:25 PM | #25 |
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I can't help with track impressions since i didn't track either of mine when I had them but here are my thoughts. My 05 with the de motor was a truck motor and tranny for sure. Same tranny found in the frontier and xterra. The car felt really good at about 80% and after that the motor was just really rough and the chassis wasn't happy at the limit. They did fix a lot of that with the 07+ with wider wheels and the hr motor, but it still felt like it wasn't happy when it was pushed. I consider the 350z an 80% car. It wouldn't be my first choice for track unless I got a great deal on one.
And I agree with the c6 opinion posted above. However the earlier model c6's have rubbery steering and I would steer away from those, although overall performance isn't diminished. Nothing quite like a car that was designed a sports car from inception rather than transforming a commuter model into a sporty car
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01-07-2013, 05:26 PM | #26 | |
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also, how important are absolute lap times vs. relative lap times for a weekend track day junkie?
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01-12-2013, 12:14 AM | #27 | |
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Evo X would be substantially better than both as a track weapon modded? Evo can keep up with lambo murcielago lol Last edited by jetpilot747; 01-12-2013 at 01:06 AM.. |
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01-12-2013, 12:09 PM | #28 | |
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For a track car I'd imagine an e36 or e46 m3 would also be better than an e90/e92 m3. Also, keep in mind when comparing cars the size and cost of the aftermarket. A 370z has much better aftermarket support than an E90 M3. There are more vendors to choose from, more quality products available, and parts are about 1/3 the price. With the M3, you will get raped by the vendors just because your car has a roundel, an ///M badge, and a "Made in Germany" sticker For example, there are turbo/superchargers for the Z that can take you over 500 hp for a cost of about $6-10k. To get the same for the M, you can go with the $25k dinan stroker engine, or about $15-20k for a supercharger kit. And yes EVOs are awesome too. I just don't like awd that much. I prefer the adrenaline rush you get from trying to modulate the throttle to accelerate out of a turn while being wary of oversteering and spinning out. With awd cars you just push the throttle and let the computers take over. |
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01-12-2013, 02:18 PM | #29 | |
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01-12-2013, 04:19 PM | #30 | ||
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For starters the engine is extremely harsh and it's tendency to overheat is well known. The viscous LSD that the car comes with is also incredibly weak, its benefits are marginal at best and it really shows on the track. Lastly, I always found the transmission / shifter to be quite "notchy". I have yet to have a laptime in my M3 that was longer than than my 370, but I digress. Now again, the 370 is by no means a bad car, but I'm just offering my two cents on the comparison. |
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01-12-2013, 06:51 PM | #32 | |
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If you think the z's gear shift is bad, i sure hope you have the dct. Because the shifter in the 6mt m3 is just garbage. probably the worst shifter on the market right now on any performance car. The gates are long, the shifter is very rubbery and vague, and feedback is nonexistent. And the m3 gearbox isn't what you call buttery smooth either. The VLSD was junk. But you'd be surprised to know the m3 lsd uses a "shear pump" which also uses viscous fluids and suffers from the same slow reaction time and vulnerability to heat that a vlsd does. For a serious track car, the only real way to go is a mechanical clutch lsd. |
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01-12-2013, 07:02 PM | #33 |
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I haven't had any particular problems with mine. So far the car seems reliable. Though maintentance costs are a bit more. Parts of course are more expensive with the m3 than the 370z, for no particular reason other than they have a "bmw" logo on one side and a "///M" logo on the other. brakes and tires do wear out a bit faster on the m3 vs the z due to the greater weight. and front tires really wear out a lot on the outer edge due to the crappy suspension alignment and low camber. Of course, also expect to regularly replenish lots of expensive powersteering fluid, because the brilliant ///M engineers decided to drill an enormous vent hole in the reservoir cap and everytime you take a turn a bit too fast, you splash this expensive oil all over the engine bay
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01-12-2013, 07:12 PM | #34 |
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Yeah I know. A friend of mine has one and is hoping to go to the track for the first time ever this summer. I'll be his coach. Lol. Where do you go to the track? I see you're also in Toronto.
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01-12-2013, 07:46 PM | #35 |
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01-12-2013, 08:14 PM | #37 |
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I'd skip the 370z Altogether. For the money you can buy 2 s2ks and dial them in for the track. Or better yet, get an s2 and turbo it (Ptuning for instance has a great, reliable track set up) and prep it for racing and still have money in your pocket. 2800 lbs not even stripped and 400-450 rwhp with a kw club sport set up will dust a c5 vette.
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01-13-2013, 01:18 AM | #39 |
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C5 z06 gets my vote. No modding, just pads, fluid, align and enjoy....
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01-13-2013, 01:48 AM | #40 | |
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01-13-2013, 02:00 AM | #41 | |
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Yes, sports cars make road noise... but it is pretty excessive. It is like sitting in a race car with no interior. That is what the 370Z sounds like on the highway. I went on a test drive with a salesperson in the 370Z. I was yelling at him saying, "Is there any way this can be quieter?" He said "What did you say?" I yelled it louder. He looked at me and said, "You like music? Let's listen to music." IF the 370Z was a hardcore race car, I can understand the noise. An Exige, a Ariel Atom, even a Ferrari, sure, it can be loud and unrefined. I can understand that. The 370Z is a soft car, soft steering, soft suspension, Bose audio system, soft touch plastics and leather interior - more a GT than a hardcore sports car. Nissan majorly failed in that dept. Go on the 370Z forums and read about guys trying to make their car more livable day to day. Another Nissan failure. I love Nissan, I have owned quite a few Nissan sports cars from the past. And I have tracked every car I have ever owned in the past 15 years... But the 370z, that is a POS. I am sorry but even as a JDM fanboy, I can not accept all the compromises and half-assed engineering that went into that car. |
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01-13-2013, 08:05 AM | #42 | |
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And you really seem to be embellishing the truth about the road noise issue. Yes it's noisy, just like ANY sports car. Guess what? I've been in s2000 and vette z06 and civic si on the highway and they are even more noisy than a 370z. I've owned a z for over 2 years and put 45000 km on it in between city, highway, and track driving. I hardly ever had to 'yell' at a passenger for him to hear me. My words of wisdom for the day: Next time you're on the highway and feel you need to "yell" for your passenger to hear you, try putting the windows up. Something to do with blocking wind noise at high speeds. |
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01-13-2013, 03:49 PM | #43 |
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Used Z4M > 370Z, especially for track purposes. The engine is so much better than paper can indicate. Decent availability of aftermarket suspension parts.
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01-14-2013, 12:04 PM | #44 | |
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I jumped back into my Evo and it felt like I was driving a Rolls Royce after experiencing the noise in the 370Z. The Evo is a much more hardcore car. Recaro seats, less sound deadening, hard cheap interior plastics, stiff suspension, super sensitive steering and much faster on track. Yet WAY quieter and more refined than the 370Z. OH, and no overheating driving in 120 degree desert heat lapping 20 minute track sessions all day. Nissan can do better. |
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