Nissan 350z

[BenW]

Anyone have any experience of these?

Looking at the later 313bhp cars they can be had for ~10k on low ish miles, pretty much same mpg as the clio but more powerful, rear wheel drive, comfortable, reliable..... just wondering what the handlings like?

 

[Ashton]

We have 2 at work and also a 370Z

I have to say the 350Z was always on my shortlist - v6 sounds nice and snarly.

i have driven both manual and auto and i prefer the manual. nice and driveable

turn the ESP off and the back end WILL step out

If your budget can stretch try and get a facelift (bonet bulge) Gt spec (Rays, leather, heated seats, bose etc)

Go and test drive one (al be it be carefull if its cold)

 

[GrumpyTwig]

Only experience was with a 370z auto, felt very soft and much more of a GT car. The auto was terrible too.

 

[deadmau5]

Anyone have any experience of these?

Looking at the later 313bhp cars they can be had for ~10k on low ish miles, pretty much same mpg as the clio but more powerful, rear wheel drive, comfortable, reliable..... just wondering what the handlings like?

I wouldn't bet on that

 

[Robo_#1]

Yeah I would imagine the MPG is a decent bit worse. TBH I happily have one of these, only the other week I was looking what I'd get for the Clio in exchange for one. For me the 350Z seems to be getting better with age. A good spec and/or subtle mods and they look amazing.

 

[Ashton]

Just remember the £450+ RFL

They put out more emmisions than China

 

[Robo_#1]

They put out more emmisions than China

:lol:

 

[BenW]

I'd be looking at the later spec (313bhp, bonnet bulge) 350z GT manual.

From what I read they average about 25mpg and I'm getting about 27 in the clio so not really much worse, even if I got low 20s it wouldn't be too bad.

The handling is the worry really, not sure if it'll be too soft and vague after the clio BUT I do think the clio on KWs is a bit too hard for the commute....

 

[Andreas187]

I test drove one when I was thinking about changing my Mini Cooper S JCW.
I drove it in town so couldn't tell you how it handled but I thought the engine was phenomenal... as you would expect stepping up from a 1.6 4 cylinder to a 3.5 V6.

 

[Roger200]

Dont reckon a 350Z would be able to hold a candle to the Clio handling wise. Much more of a gt cruiser than a little b-road blaster.

 

[Andreas187]

Dont reckon a 350Z would be able to hold a candle to the Clio handling wise. Much more of a gt cruiser than a little b-road blaster.

not sure if I would call it a 'cruiser' but it's definitely more of a handfull than the Clio

 

[Robo_#1]

Heres a review of the 370Z vs the Megane 265, not identical to your situation (at all), but if you've driven the Megane you can come to your own conclusion of how where the Clio might stand.

http://www.mototube.pl/film/9936/renault-megane-rs-265-trophy-vs-nissan-370z-w-fifth-gear/


**Had to use the foreign link as C5 have removed it from YouTube for UK viewers.

 

[BenW]

Interesting video, if the 250/265 is less fun than the clio then it doesn't sound great for the 350z!

Seems like they didn't like the unpredictability, wonder what it would be like on a set of coilovers...

 

[Robo_#1]

Coilovers in the dry might have given better results for the Nissan, personally I've driven the new Megane a couple of times (on track) and it is a very capable car, and worthy of the HUGE amount of praise it gets.

The thing is though, I can't help but hanker for a RWD car. The Megane is so capable and so fast (given the price band we're talking about) that to get to its limits are far beyond road speeds, and if you push too hard on track your going to get understeer which is either boring or frustrating depending on your mood.

The idea of "kicking the arse out" is very appealing to me at the moment, especially with a nice torquey engine like the 350Z.

 

[Foxspeed]

driven one around bedford in anger.....VERY entetaining but a different beast to the clio - more for cruising then b-road blast

 

[Ashton]

there was a vid on YT of a couple of guys in Dubai with 350's just drifting round islands

looked like the back stepped out v v well in the dry. I can only vouch for when it happens in the wet (my ar$e was like a rabbits nose lol)

 

[N0ddie]

There used to be a very modified convertable 350Z that frequented the same track days as us.

The thing was a total animal. So loud and so bloody fast.

 

[BenW]

The idea of "kicking the arse out" is very appealing to me at the moment, especially with a nice torquey engine like the 350Z.

This is what I'm after! I'd be buying a meg 250 tomorrow if it wasn't FWD, the meganes are clearly amazing cars but RWD just seems like the next logical step for me.

driven one around bedford in anger.....VERY entetaining but a different beast to the clio - more for cruising then b-road blast

What makes you say more a b-road car Si? Is it just a case of being too soft or is it more a weight thing, heard they're a bit heavy.

looked like the back stepped out v v well in the dry. I can only vouch for when it happens in the wet (my ar$e was like a rabbits nose lol)

Sounds like fun as long as it's controllable!

There used to be a very modified convertable 350Z that frequented the same track days as us.

The thing was a total animal. So loud and so bloody fast.

They're easy to twin turbo/supercharge as long as you have a few grand and will give you over 500bhp, guess that's what this one was running? Either way, good to hear it was fast on a track

 

[adam1942]

I moved to a 350z.. the dearer road tax is only if you get a newish model e.g. the 2003 is the old tax bracket.. I think it goes to 2005 anything over sometime during 2005 and it becomes the higher tax bracket.. I've a December 2006 GT model (297 bhp model) with leather seats, bluetooth, bose etc

Handling wise with the standard wheels its great its eager to turn in and highly enjoyable. The arse will step out even if the TC is on.. Even when TC is off if you get to sideways it'll still kick in. If you put massive wheels on it the handling isn't great I've got to be honest. The guy before me put massive 19x10 all round this made the steering heavy etc.

MPG wise I get between 18-23mpg but for the noise its worth it. They're hard to get off the line but once you're moving 30MPH onwards it fly's. Overtaking is a joy no need to drop down a gear just nail it in 6th and the car will surge forward.

Don't get me wrong its a completely different animal than the Clio.. but its by no means dull.

Oh also the people that say "I can keep up with a 350z on the straights in the Clio" are either extremely good drivers, talking rubbish or the 350z wasn't trying. When I got the Cambelt done in the Clio my Dad driving the Clio and me the 350z had a bit of a er.. run on to the motorway and I was clearly pulling from him. I've also had a play with a silver 200 and the same happened. That said in the corners the Clio is easier to drive fast.. If you get someone with experience of RWD it'll not drop too far behind but it'll not match the cornering ability.


*edit*

Just noticed you talking about tuning. £3,500 will see you a supercharger or close to £5,000 fully installed. If you run on standard internals you will get 400bhp at the wheels from memory. There are obviously lots of exhausts for the car but most people also fit a "pop charger" or an air filter as we call them. Plenum spacers seem to provide a bit more increased power but you need a remap to feel the advantage. Some guys on 350z-uk also reported a few issues with the engine running rich when installing this.

Porchse or StopTech seem to be the brakes to go for if you want good uprated discs,pads and calipers.

 

[smoggy mark]

A mate of mine has a moded 350z chiped lowered and has a Akrapovic on and my god it sounds epic,for B roads my 200 can pull away from it but motorway it will just pull away,same sort of thing with the BMW Z4M 340bhp.