Driving Impressions (03 Cobra, 06 350Z)
03-07-2007, 12:23 AM
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Driving Impressions (03 Cobra, 06 350Z)
Decided to take a few cars out for a test drive today, mostly because my curiousity finally got the best of me. I used to think that I rushed my purchase of the 8, and that it wasn't all that well thought-through of a decision. I was going through some personal anguish, and always wondered if i'd simply bought the 8 as an escape.
2003 Cobra
Original reason I even went out was to try this infamous 2003 "terminator" Cobra that i'd been hearing so much about from the SVT crowd. I've got a 97 Cobra vert myself, so I just thought it would be worth a test drive. And just an FYI, this was a vert as well.
To no surprise, the power was unsurpassed to anything else i'd driven before. When the boost came on hard, you'd get thrown into the seats with enough force to deam you lucky to breath. In first and second, keeping traction was actually more of a feat then i'd anticipated. Wheel hop was annoyingly prevalent, and traction control was integrated horribly into the system...so much so that i eventually just turned it off...just annoying.
That was about the end of the good. I was surprised at how short the list of pro's were for the new "gold standard" cobra. The ride was horrendously bumpy and rigid, much harder then the previous SN95 platforms (94-98) that i'm used to. The regular ford squeeks had already made themselves at home, and with only 8600 miles on the tick. As with every other mustang, in interior was plain and drab at best. Shifter was much more notchy and left me wondering aimlessly on shifts then i'd anticipated. Although it bragged triple syncros over then T-45 tranny in the previous generation, i'd still take the T-45 hands down. The clutch was inevitably MUCH heavier then the 8 and my 97...so much so that I didn't even think it was fully disengaged when pushed all the way in...this is somewhat expected though, with the 400HP that it generates. At one point, the car even started to stall at a light because of a traction control issue. Somewhat disappointed.
2006 350Z
I hadn't originally thought I'd be driving a Z, but they had this Cobra at a Nissan dealership, so I thought what the hey...it's supposedly the RX-8's immediate nemesis, why not?
The only one that they had in stock was a new 06 auto, and while i'm not fond of them, it was better than nothing. Besides, it had the tiptronic that the dealer had built up so much in conjunction with the CVT, so i took it out.
First impression...somewhat spacious interior, more headroom, SMALL rear window. I mean, it makes the 8's rear visability seem like a convertable with the top down. Didn't really care for the dash display, as it seemed just a little too spread out. A big step up from the Cobra, but still not quite my cup-o-tea.
In auto-mode, the transmission was somewhat lacking, and didn't seem like it showed much potential. However, switching modes over to the semi-manual did seem to make it slightly more responsive, and quicker through the first few gears. I believe it was rated at 280HP, and it felt like a little less IMO.
Handling was a little less rigid then the Cobra, but still not as forgiving as the 8. However, it seemed like it outhandled both of the other cars in the turns, but rear would slip out much easier than the 8...likely due to the higher TQ numbers. The auto-shifts were somewhat slippery, and even in manual mode it seemed like way too much slipping for my liking...made for LONGER periods between gears. Guess i'd just grown accustomed to the fast revving rotary.
Conclusion
All in all, I just didn't feel all that comforatable with either of the cars...and ironically with both costing slightly more than my 8...almost a year ago. I came into the test drive with an extremely open mind, but can honestly say that by the time I was done, I was rather thrilled to climb into the 8. Clearly, it was the best daily driver of all of them. When a long day of work is done, it's the car that i'd most likely want to climb into and make the journey home. Would the Cobra be fun? No doubt. But if you're not 100% performance oriented, the sacrifices for that power didn't seem substancial. As for the Z, it just didn't click with me. I've never really cared for its appearance, and it just seemed so-so on every other level. For the price, I wouldn't have looked any further into it.
While the 8 does have it's downsides, which i'm not so blind as not to see, I still found it to be the most overall fun to drive. I'd suggest test drives to anyone though...doesn't cost anything more than some time and a few annoying voicemails to follow from dealers.
2003 Cobra
Original reason I even went out was to try this infamous 2003 "terminator" Cobra that i'd been hearing so much about from the SVT crowd. I've got a 97 Cobra vert myself, so I just thought it would be worth a test drive. And just an FYI, this was a vert as well.
To no surprise, the power was unsurpassed to anything else i'd driven before. When the boost came on hard, you'd get thrown into the seats with enough force to deam you lucky to breath. In first and second, keeping traction was actually more of a feat then i'd anticipated. Wheel hop was annoyingly prevalent, and traction control was integrated horribly into the system...so much so that i eventually just turned it off...just annoying.
That was about the end of the good. I was surprised at how short the list of pro's were for the new "gold standard" cobra. The ride was horrendously bumpy and rigid, much harder then the previous SN95 platforms (94-98) that i'm used to. The regular ford squeeks had already made themselves at home, and with only 8600 miles on the tick. As with every other mustang, in interior was plain and drab at best. Shifter was much more notchy and left me wondering aimlessly on shifts then i'd anticipated. Although it bragged triple syncros over then T-45 tranny in the previous generation, i'd still take the T-45 hands down. The clutch was inevitably MUCH heavier then the 8 and my 97...so much so that I didn't even think it was fully disengaged when pushed all the way in...this is somewhat expected though, with the 400HP that it generates. At one point, the car even started to stall at a light because of a traction control issue. Somewhat disappointed.
2006 350Z
I hadn't originally thought I'd be driving a Z, but they had this Cobra at a Nissan dealership, so I thought what the hey...it's supposedly the RX-8's immediate nemesis, why not?
The only one that they had in stock was a new 06 auto, and while i'm not fond of them, it was better than nothing. Besides, it had the tiptronic that the dealer had built up so much in conjunction with the CVT, so i took it out.
First impression...somewhat spacious interior, more headroom, SMALL rear window. I mean, it makes the 8's rear visability seem like a convertable with the top down. Didn't really care for the dash display, as it seemed just a little too spread out. A big step up from the Cobra, but still not quite my cup-o-tea.
In auto-mode, the transmission was somewhat lacking, and didn't seem like it showed much potential. However, switching modes over to the semi-manual did seem to make it slightly more responsive, and quicker through the first few gears. I believe it was rated at 280HP, and it felt like a little less IMO.
Handling was a little less rigid then the Cobra, but still not as forgiving as the 8. However, it seemed like it outhandled both of the other cars in the turns, but rear would slip out much easier than the 8...likely due to the higher TQ numbers. The auto-shifts were somewhat slippery, and even in manual mode it seemed like way too much slipping for my liking...made for LONGER periods between gears. Guess i'd just grown accustomed to the fast revving rotary.
Conclusion
All in all, I just didn't feel all that comforatable with either of the cars...and ironically with both costing slightly more than my 8...almost a year ago. I came into the test drive with an extremely open mind, but can honestly say that by the time I was done, I was rather thrilled to climb into the 8. Clearly, it was the best daily driver of all of them. When a long day of work is done, it's the car that i'd most likely want to climb into and make the journey home. Would the Cobra be fun? No doubt. But if you're not 100% performance oriented, the sacrifices for that power didn't seem substancial. As for the Z, it just didn't click with me. I've never really cared for its appearance, and it just seemed so-so on every other level. For the price, I wouldn't have looked any further into it.
While the 8 does have it's downsides, which i'm not so blind as not to see, I still found it to be the most overall fun to drive. I'd suggest test drives to anyone though...doesn't cost anything more than some time and a few annoying voicemails to follow from dealers.
03-07-2007, 09:27 AM
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Nice write up and I would have to agree with your overall assessment. I liked my Z but it just didn't have the overall package that the 8 offers. The balance, handling, feedback, and the rotary still blow me away on the 8 to this day.
03-07-2007, 11:18 PM
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and as i stated, I knew that and don't prefur them myself. The dealer tried to sit and explain to me how with the CVT, in manual mode, the gear is actually locked onto the cone, which makes is just as powerful as a manual. I'm not sure as though I really bought it.
however, as stated, it was already somewhat faster anyway. that still didn't matter, it's overall driveability and experience just wasn't on the same level. It handled more like a dedicated track car as opposed to a sporty driver. Just not quite what I was looking for.
however, as stated, it was already somewhat faster anyway. that still didn't matter, it's overall driveability and experience just wasn't on the same level. It handled more like a dedicated track car as opposed to a sporty driver. Just not quite what I was looking for.
03-08-2007, 01:04 PM
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Good observations - Agree on the Cobra!
The 8 is one of those cars that kind of ruins you - you feel the flaws in the others and while speed is fun, fighting the steering wheel and trying to stay alive on curves takes a lot of fun away! You get so used to the ease and steadiness of the 8 that you speed without the fear factor - and I have been very pleased with its ability to get on and off of freeway ramps!
The 8 is one of those cars that kind of ruins you - you feel the flaws in the others and while speed is fun, fighting the steering wheel and trying to stay alive on curves takes a lot of fun away! You get so used to the ease and steadiness of the 8 that you speed without the fear factor - and I have been very pleased with its ability to get on and off of freeway ramps!
03-09-2007, 12:01 AM
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Originally Posted by Winfree
The 8 is one of those cars that kind of ruins you - you feel the flaws in the others and while speed is fun, fighting the steering wheel and trying to stay alive on curves takes a lot of fun away! You get so used to the ease and steadiness of the 8 that you speed without the fear factor
03-09-2007, 12:33 AM
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Excellent review. I've spent a lot of time behind the wheel of an RX-8, no time behind the wheel of a 350Z and a good amount of time in the passenger seat of an '04 SVT Cobra (with 508whp). I feel like I know the Z a little bit now though. LOL
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