does anyone have any experience driving/driving in both of these cars for long distances and on varying road conditions? is the ride comparible or is one much stiffer than the other?

i'm considering buying one or the other and will be commuting, and test drives often don't tell the whole story.

thanks!

 

what car are you going to be coming from? ride stiffness is quite subjective, if you come from a hardcore sports car then the 8 will feel soft, if you come from a normal family sedan it'll feel stiff.

to answer your question, from my experience, the Z rides slightly stiffer than the 8, not that the 8 is a wallowly boat or anything.

 

I have an 8, my friend has a Z. Can't say much as I haven't had the chance to drive it a whole lot. I hear the Z is harsher and beats you up for everyday commuting.

 

I tell u what.

My friend has a 350Z Perf. version and he always says my car rides like a Lexus.

The ride quality of 350Z is a bit harsh for daily driving.

 

Z is very harsh. The RX-8 is less so, and especially if you get rid of the OEM Potenzas.

 

350z is not your daily commuter car.... esp if u want to listen to cheap plastic rubbing together

 

I heard the mags say the Z is too stiff for daily commutes because they mostly test the Track model. I'm not sure. When I testdrove a Touring model, the ride seemed smoother than my 8. I was very surprised. Again, I'm not sure.

 

I have driven the Z performance pkg. quite a ways. The ride is pretty stiff, really beats you up on rough stuff, and my *** was getting tired of the seat after about an hour and a half and my lower back was starting to hurt. In fairness, I never tried to adjust lumbar, don't know if you can. I haven't driven the 8 for much longer than 40 minutes, but I would conclude that the 8 offers a better street ride quality.

 

I've test driven the Z for long periods of time, and not just once or twice. Z is harsher, noisier, and it felt fat--kinda like a muscle car (which I guess it is). What really, really turned me off was the cheap interior... Kinda made me feel like I wasn't cozy (dunno if that makes sense). My 85 rx7 has a nicer interior

FS

 

My neighbour has got a Z and a SUV. The Z sits in the garage most of the time. Guessed it's not that comfortable to ride.

 

No comparison. The 8 is extremely comfortable on long trips yet handles like a four-wheel motorcycle. The Z's my friends drive beat me up like Tyson when he could do it. 8 wins hands-down.

 

If you need 4 seats and a comfortable ride for long commutes then compare the Rx-8 to the Infiniti G35 coupe, the big brother of the 350Z, maybe a used '04 to get similar pricing to a new Rx-8. The rear seats in the Rx-8 are better than the G35, more headroom and easier access. Styling is more conservative on the G35, the Rx-8 is more agressive looking.

The G35 is more luxurious and has a softer ride than the Rx-8 but is a heavier car. If you require an automatic go for the G35 as performance would be better, with a MT the Rx-8 wins on performance and driving fun by a wide margin - the transmission in the Rx-8 has shorter throws and I like the 9K redline. Look for the MT with sport package in an '04 G35, it came with upgraded suspension and Brembo brakes - harder to find but well worth a look.

My short list consisted of the 2004 G35 coupe, 2004 BMW 330 and 2005 Rx-8 - it came down to driving fun, styling and uniqueness - the Rx-8 won. One car that just missed the short list was a 2004 Audi TT coupe - fun to drive and AWD but not enough head room and no rear seat room at all. Out of the running but of interest was the new Mustang, the Mercedes C240, Mini Cooper S and BMW 325. Lots of choices out there, many more now than even a few years ago.

Good luck with your decision - have fun test driving.

 

No comparison. When I sit in the 8, it fits like a glove. It is a very comfortable and smooth ride. That is if you learn how to shift gears smoothly in a 6MT. The interior of the Z reminded me of a cheep American car with plastic panels. I HATE THAT! I was too aware of the road noise and the beating I took to feel comfortable. When I get out of the car from a long ride, I don't want to remember how I got bumped around.

Power: Z
GAS: Z (I think, not really sure)
Interior integrity: RX8
Smoothness of ride: RX8
Quietness of ride: RX8
Long Distance: RX8
Storage space: RX8
Back seats: RX8
Coolness factor: RX8
“Think different” factor: RX8
Smile on your face factor: RX8
Opposite sex attractor: RX8 (They are looking at your car, not you)

RX8 = 10
Z = 2

 

supra TT

 

From what I hear, the 350Z has a very harsh ride...but I wonder about the touring model???

 

I used to want the Z before I bought my 8 due to having more power-but darn it if I couldn't get over that ugly interior.

 

I think they all have the exact same suspension setup, even the track. The track just has harder sidewalls on the tires, I believe.

I wonder if some adjustable Konis could bring the ride to RX8 levels of comfort??

 

Most of the 350 testing is done on the Track Version, which is stiffer than the rest.

 

You can't go wrong with either. It all comes down to which one you like the most. In the states Z's are very common and 8's are not. I know Europe is the exact opposite. Test drive both and buy the one you like the most.

Good luck.

- Irish

 

I like that line. Thanks, man, I'll add it to my repertoire.

 

I test drove a 350z several times. They all were models with the Touring package. I did not buy it because I intended on using it as a daily driver. The clutch is very stiff. It reminded me of a 69 Camero SS that I used to own. The transmission is also on the notchy side. One that I drove was a demo with a couple thousand miles on it, the tire roar that Z owners talk about was quite noticeable. As a weekend toy, it would be a nice car to throw around. I would not want to deal with it as a daily driver. I used to own 1984 300ZX and I loved the car. I really wanted to like the 350 more than I did.

 

I drove my RX8 from Coralville, IA to Chicago in November...no stops, and ~240 miles. My best tank of gas to date (the light was on when I pulled into the gas station). I feel like the seat of this car were custom built for me. I wasn't achey or tired at all. The seat cushion width and softness/hardness is perfect. The side bolsters wrap around just enough. I have a prettty atheltic build, and it seems like Mazda had my body type in mind when developing these seats. I've only driven a Z once, but that was enough. I just couldn't get comfortable. I actually almost bought a Crossfire (I know, I know), and while it was certainly more luxurious, I just didn't fit right in the seat. The suspension fealt similar, but the steering in the RX8 is vastly superior.
So, I'd recommend the 8, but, like several others have said, the one that feels right too YOU is the one you should get. And yeah, I'd get the G35 over the Z. If you just want to give away your Supra TT, I can take it off your hands for you.

 

On that note, I'm at this moment sitting in Bradenton, FL having just completed an ~18 hour drive from central Indiana. Not once during the ENTIRE trip did I ever feel the least bit sore or fatigued (I made the drive alone). I remember taking a 3-hour drive to Chicago with a buddy of mine a couple of times in my Miata, and always had to get out and stretch halfway there and back. Not a problem in this car... The odd thing about the 8's suspension is that, while you do feel most bumps in the road, there is absolutely no harshness. You can feel the chassis vibrating, but the suspension is so well-tuned, that it just kills the worst of the bumps before the force reaches you. I'm damn happy with this car.

 

The compliant ride combined with agile razor sharp handling is the RX-8's strongest attribute. There a very few, if any cars, that can match it in this area, and the Z certainly isn't one of them.

I've test driven the base and touring Z's on several occasions and I do like the Z a lot, but for different reasons. The ride and handling is good for a sports car, but not as good as the RX-8. My old FD RX-7 R1 had a much harsher ride compared to the Z. The Z's ride is acceptable for me and it does have better power and low down grunt. But honestly, if you keep the 8 in its upper rev bands, it feels just as quick.

I'd be happy with either car, but the 8 has a harmony with the road that just keeps making me want to drive it.

 

Read this, it may help a little bit...........this is basically what everyone is trying to tell you. Road and Track did a long term test on the 350Z. Just updated for March of 2005.

http://www.roadandtrack.com/article....&page_number=1