playdoh43

lol i see you are holding off on the mods, good for you man. its a money pitt. too many Z owners have succumbed to it already. my friend alberto with the old 287hp engine ran

13.13 @ 107 All Motor-Bolt ons only-stock headers, stock cams <---262whp - 252 ft/lbs
11.98 @ 114 Turbonetics ST Now w/UTEC-AAM Fuel system-550cc Injectors-street tune by AAM = 396whp - 400ft/lbs

the 06 300hp revup engine is more mod friendly and get better gains than the old engine.

camaro194

I know Alberto from my350z (i'm a member on there also). I'm loving the car so far, and it doesnt seem to have any of the problems of the previous years (tire feathering, window streaking, transmission problems, etc). The only other mods I'll consider doing anytime soon would be the mrev, and the borla td exhaust.

Vertigo-1

iTrader: (3)

Congrats on the 350z, drive hard but drive safe!

I gotta say, I had no idea originally why the 350z was so much more expensive than the RX-8. A friend of mine recently bought one as well just a week ago, Enthusiast package, and in some kind of special limited edition paint that changes colors...it's a purplish brown color. After sitting in one, I started seeing why it costed so much more...it has got a LOT more luxury features than the RX-8 like:

1. constant tire pressure monitoring system that displays tire pressure on all four tires
2. constant oil pressure monitoring system that ACTUALLY WORKS! Unlike the stupid RX-8's.
3. MPG calculator as you drive
4. Main speedometer is analog but there's also a secondary digital speedometer.
5. automatic rev matching on downshift for the AT (my friend got an AT)
6. this one my friend told me and I'm having doubts...but supposedly the ability for the car to redistribute weight based upon whether there's another person sitting in the passenger seat. Also variable passenger air bag deployment speed based upon the weight on the passenger seat.

There's some other stuff that I read off the 350z web page that impressed me but all in all this car sure has a ton of computerized stuff going on that would explain why it costs so much more. Stuff that I wouldn't mind having in the RX-8. I dig the interior more too, going back to my RX-8 after being in the 350z makes the 8's interior seem sparse and bland.

Rootski

iTrader: (1)

Really? I sat in a Z at an auto show and I found it pretty cheap-feeling, and so large as to be imposing (feels like you're in a tub).

Aseras

that's how I felt too... it felt clunky, not refined.

mysql101

What you describe is trivial. MPG calculator? A second speedo? You're actually the first person I've heard of saying they liked the Z's interior over the 8. Usually when hearing about the 350Z, the discussion goes along the lines of: harsh ride, crappy materials, and the inability to be comfortable for more than a short drive. I'm not a hater - I came very close to buying the 350Z, and still like the car.

I guess you've gotten why it's taken so long for the 8 to get a huge number of FI kits - It's because the 8 has so many things being controlled by the ECU, and the ECU makes changes based on what it senses. It's also why the car is hard to dyno.


If you like downgrades, I've got a 2000 Saturn SL1 I can sell you.

SHINKA II

Nice ride. How much does an 8 or Z cost in the US?

Midnight Wankeler

I think 8 owners do care about mileage, hence the large number of new threads on them each week.

I would LOVE an analog speedo.

Aseras

both are about the same price. MSRP $32-35K

Rhawb

The 8 starts at $26,435 and can be optioned up to about $35,000.

Zs start at $27,650 and can go well beyond $40,000 with convertible and all the goodies.

camaro194

I actually never use the analog speedo, and always use the digital one. Its much easier to reference when driving. And honestly, I dont find the ride of the Z very rough at all. Even my gfs dad who drives a Toyota Avalon found the car very smooth for a sports car. After going back and forth this past weekend between my Z and my parents 8, I found the seats on the Z to be much more snug, but the cabin of the 8 was more confining (probably due to the sunroof).

And I dont see where many reviewers were saying the 8 had a much better interior quality than the Z. The plastics and rubber compounds felt very similar in both cars. And they both had their own fair share of 'chinsy' parts.

So far, I have driven the car for many drives that were over an hour in length, and never once have I felt stiff or sore from driving. The seats are very supportive yet comfortable. For as small as the car is on the outside, it is actually pretty roomy once you get behind the wheel.

camaro194

No such thing. I dont see how a car can automatically redistribute weight.

Thanks for the comments though...I love the car!

Fanman

I never use analog speedos anymore. Even on my previous car that had both, once I saw the digital speedo that is what I used exclusively.

The big reason I got the RX8 vs. a convertible Enthusiast version of the 350Z was the interior. The quality of the materials in the 350Z was far worse, but that was in 04' For 05 they made some changes to upgrade the material, but in sitting inside it is still a level below the RX8.

Vertigo-1

iTrader: (3)

Pretty much agree with you on all counts. I found the 350z's ride comfort to be better than my 8's, and if anything it felt a little too disconnected from the road. I feel bumps on the road way more in my 8 than in my friend's 350z. I don't get the thing about interior quality being worse either, and would agree it's the same...maybe the 350z was worse before 06. Maybe I should've said I preferred the 350z's high tech interior styling and trim more than the 8's, which seems more traditional in comparsion.

SHINKA II

Wow! I guess i better start packing my bags. J/k
My 8 cost me $120,000 = US$76,000. I really envy you guys. So what kind of cars could i get with 76 grands?

Ike

You could get a Z06 Vette, 911, Cayman S, almost an M5, an Elise and an Evo or STI for winter, a leftover NSX, an E55 AMG, a slightly used Viper, BMW 750, and the list goes on and on...

SHINKA II

Ok! So thats what I'm missing. Damn. Anyway, i guess i should be happy with my 8 for now.

yiksing

Well ShinkaII you are welcome to live in Brunei and paid $55000 only, .53 for 1 litre of 97 octane and tax free.

playdoh43

Z has very slick looking gauges and lines in the interior, overall it has an edgier look than the rx8. i prefer the interior styling of the Z over the 8. As far as quality of material used they are about equal.. lots and lots of plastic with accents here and there. 8 have better fit and finish that gives the cabin a nice high quality look. Z has crappy stock stereo system, rx8 has even crappier stereo system.

What I want to know is, why are people so concerned with interior and ride quality in a sports car... sports cars are supposed to be spartan and ride rough...
people bash evo and sti because their interior is spartan as if a real performance enthusiast would be bothered by it... in fact for many its just less distraction for the driver to concentrate on what sports cars are made for, performance driving!

if you want good interior theres tons of luxury cars out there that puts the 8's interior to shame.

cleoent

The interior is where you spend all of your time when driving the car, it should be appealing to you and comfortable to you. As for the ride, there's a reason why all these expensive cars have adjustable suspension, everyone wants a car that can be comfortable to ride in, but can be dialed in to attack the twisties.

The rx8 achieves that, not by expensive adjustable suspension, but by a superbly balanced chassis and light weight.

C4talyst

I don't know about this. I'm looking at getting a new car right now and have been eyeballing both the Z and the 8. A lot of Z owners over on my350z.com concur that the 8 has a more refined interior. I've sat in both and I'd have to agree.

Tamas

iTrader: (1)

I think the Z interior looks much worse than that of the 8. For some reason, they messed up that car with the interior - the exterior looks good but the interior has a cheap feel for me. Materials are subpar and I just don't get the same feel like when sitting in the 8.
I dislike the interior of the G35C for the same reason. El cheapo materials, especially the hard plastic they used. Yuck.

Shiri

Not sure what that is suppose to mean.

People who drive sports cars do not care so much about the interior as they do about performance. I'm sure I don't (GTR owner here).
Most of the Japanese sports cars have some of the most boring interiors I've ever seen (RX7, Supras, NSX etc). Masses of plastics here and there looking like something out of an economy car (NSX looks like an accord). While I don't classify the RX8 to be a sports car (more like a sporty car), the interior looks very much like any other Mazda, star-trek-like.

Speaking of Mazda interior, what's up with the red lights all over the interior in the Mazda6? It is extremely annoying.

IZoomZoomI

jeez you can buy one here, and ship it over there and it would still whind up saving you 40k.

mysql101

IZoomZoomI, usually you have import taxes and fees which will likely end up costing him more... or everyone would be doing exactly that.