dmp

Here's the car:



Initial impressions:

Just walking up to the car my stomach filled with butterflies. If you haven't seen this color in person, I suggest you check it out. Beautiful paint. Even the door handle felt 'all business'.

After adjusting the seat to fit my 6'1" body (36" inseam) I felt right at home - if cramped a bit due to the sloping roof. I found the controls to be within logical reach. Instruments were fine - Tach right where it should be, dead center.

Start-up and drive away:
I twisted the key and the engine purred to life. WOW. I instantly fell in love with the sound from the Nismo exhaust. Dead-on PERFECT. If Racing beat could have made their exhaust sound like THIS on my RX8 I'd be in heaven. I let the car warm up for a minute before backing out. The car felt VERY tidy. End to end was almost within arm's reach it seemed. Rear visibility, however, was limited. Cars behind me were chopped off from the headlights up, generally.

But that sound. Both windows down and 5K in 1st or 2nd gear was intoxicating. The car gave off this...sorta..."Don't even TRY me!" vibe. I took the car under an overpass with GREAT results.

Down on a back road, a short jaunt from 1st and 2nd, and just touching 3rd the car surged ahead with each shift - as long as the up shift landed the tach ~5,000 or so. This car NEEDS a light flywheel. WOW. Between shifts the tach would sorta mosey it's way down. Made the engine seem more unresponsive that it really was.

Handling, while not tested to even 5/10ths, felt sure and solid. In fact, the 'solid' thing carried over, unfortunately, to the suspension. It seemed each pebble could be felt. The car bounced so much I honestly got motion sickness. Weird. I've had motion sickness as a passenger, but only one other time as a driver.

Brakes were at least as good as my RX8 - which is saying something big. My rx8 on 24K mile pads? I think the vote would go to the Z.

All-told I LOVE the car. If I were looking for a 2nd car, the 350z would be at the top of my list.

If I were forced to compare this with my RX8 I'd say something like this:

My rx8 is more comfortable and useful as a daily-driver. The 350Z is more 'serious' - more sporting. I think rx8's look 'cooler' than 350z, but that's purely subjective. In a race? I dunno. Depends on the track, and how motivated the driver. I'm sure that car has substantially quicker acceleration, considering the 350z's 300hp compared to my rx8's ~215-220hp, although it didn't FEEL substantially faster. Was just....different-fast. I'm trying to convince my friend to go to a track day with me so we can better compare (via approx. lap times).

Either way, I have a newfound respect for the Z - and honestly, had I driven one prior to my rx8, I'd have a much harder time deciding between the two than I originally thought.

Did I mention the SOUND??? wow.

sunilseru

You are right. the exhaust note is just awesome. if only it weighed a couple of hundred lbs less...

dillsrotary

completely agree on the exhaust, nothing else sounds like that

LiveToRev

Are you sure it was an 06? I believe that color was discontinued after the first year production.

dmp

He owns the car - he bought it new a few months ago, and I believe him when He said it's a 2006 model.

Just checked Nissanusa - found the color name: Interlagos Fire. It's still available.

playdoh43

The color is interlagos fire, it looks very simular to the Brickyard color, a discontinued color since 03. you can tell that this is a 06 by the LED tail lights

dmp

Thanks Playdoh.

Rotary Rasp

iTrader: (2)

It's got LED tail lights, I think that is new to 06.

LiveToRev

I am amazed on how close that color is to Brickyard. I stand corrected.

NoTears316

Why does your buddy have Nismo stickers on it, but no Nismo kit?

Babo4u

yea i think the 350z and G35 has some nice exhaust sounds also

SayNoToPistons

iTrader: (8)

mazda has some catching up to do.

BlueEyes

Nismo exhaust.

dmp

And Nismo Rims.

nzarnow

Nismo exhaust and wheels, or shocks and suspension can warrent the sticker maybe?

dmp

fwiw, the car came from the dealer as you see it.

Ike

I always loved the Brickyard color from photos, I've never actually seen one in person. This color, if it is in fact different besides the name, looks great as well. One a somewhat related note I saw a copper red RX-8 this week and I think it's an awful color for the car.

trash259

You should be banned for praising the Z here....lol.

Moostafa29

350 is a beautiful car. If it wasn't such a tank, I'd probably own one. I agree about the exhaust note...makes me almost jizz on myself.

Japan8

Makes me want a G35c even more... *sigh*

saturn

Nissan 350Z -- because getting a G35c for the same price would make too much sense.

But seriously (like, so seriously) the 350Z is definitely a cool car. It just has a certain charm about it. I would take a G35 over a lower end BMW absolutely, but it still feels like a car for when I'm older.

dillsrotary

i do like the g35c, but here its just to much of a trendy car, even in just about every GQ issue its advertised in the first couple pages. at the beach last weekend it seems that every college grad that just landed a job went out a bought a g35c.

lesper4

iTrader: (3)

if i was unable to buy the 8 i would get the z, the sound IS JUST PERRRFECT i cant get enough of it. your review was great i imagine that teh drive is just like you described. I hope one of my freinds get a z so i can test drive it, and you got to test a nismo version, lucky.

PoLaK

iTrader: (1)

Yup that motor sure is unqiue

dillsrotary

good point,every nissan and infiniti has it, but i haven't heard an exhaust like that yet til a Z in person drove past.