After all my car searching over the past few months, it came down to the 8 and the Z. I had pretty much decided on the 8 when low and behold someone trades in a silver Z with the touring package and with under 10,000 miles on it. Its got an upgraded sound system and all the other features I thought I could only afford in the 8, and is in mint condition. It could have been brand new and I wouldn't have known.

Of course I test drove it (I'd driven a Z before but hardly pushed it to see what it could do). Loads more torque, handles very well although not as nimble and responsive as the 8. Its definately more of a muscle car but didn't strike me as heavy and bulky like others have noted. They are asking 29 msrp, so I think I can get a good deal (from what I can tell, it already is).

Obviously you cant make the decision for me, but I'd like some input. This deal seems like it might be too good to pass up.

 

What do you like about the Z?

What do you like about the 8?

 

Question is, what was the Z traded in on? An 8? <nudge>

Regardless of what anybody says here, you'll go with your gut. What are your absolute must-haves in a car? What do you like and dislike about the 8 and Z?

 

29K for a car with just under 10K miles on it. No thanks.

 

Z has power and handles, and with the touring the ride is much more compliant, although still not as much so as the 8. I love the Zs torque, but I love the 8s 4 doors. Do you guys find yourselves missing the torque other cars have to offer? Its not like the 8 is slow or anything (either way I'd be getting a manual). After all, high revving can be fun too.

 

Plus factor in the $$$ you'd be paying replacing the front tires every 6 to 8000 miles. Unless Nissan finally fixed their front suspension problems that were causing feathering and premature tire wear on nearly ALL 03, 04 and many 05 Z's. One of the main reason's why I didn't get a Z.


That, and it's not an 8.

 

So what is more important, 4 doors or torque?

 

If I'm honest, 4 doors simply because the Z is a bit of a stretch on practicality, but once again, do you guys who have come from other cars with a lotta torque miss it that much?

 

What kind of car do you own right now?

 

Tazzy, they're both nice cars. Both look nice, both handle well, and both are reasonably quick. You just need to decide where your priorities are. I walked gave up on buying an RX-8 because I knew it just wouldn't be fast enough to keep me happy, I would have gotten bored and wanted more power and didn't want to go the route of aftermarket FI.

The Z was faster and more fun to mash the pedal in, on the otherhand it had a lousy ride for a daily driver IMO (Track model), no backseats, and insurance was higher. I also wasn't crazy about the blindspots in both cars but the Z was clearly worse. Then there was the seating position in the Z, I simply didn't like how low I felt I was sitting, I know what Nissan was going for when they did it but it just doesn't work.

If I'm going to deal with an overly stiff ride in a performance car it better handle really freaking well. The Z handles well but not as well as the RX-8, Evo, or STi, but I feel all three have more comfortable rides than the Z.

Ask yourself what you think will make you happier, a faster car with a less toom and more torque, or a more nimble car that feels a touch down on HP with less torque and more practicality. Honestly, more nimble is great but you'll probably be mashing on the gas many times more than you'll ever test the handling limits of either car. No matter what anyone on this forum says just buy whichever you have the most fun driving and feel the most comfortable in.

 

I've been driving my moms "old" jeep - v6 '99 grand cherokee, so either will be a fairly big step up.

 

Well put IkeWRX.

At the end of the day you pay for what you get, theyre both good cars in many aspects and it comes down to preference.

 

You should be able to get the Z pricing closer to 20k. Friend just bought a similar used Z (with about 12k miles on it) and paid around 22-24k for it. 29k is utterly rediculous for a used Z. You can get a new one for that.

 

Good comparison. And people are always saying you're negative!

Tell them all to lick your bananas!

 

29K is far too much--I've seen brand new Zs going for $24K around here with incentives and rebates. Even loaded you can get a comparable one for about $25K-$27K. No thanks--I like the 350Z but its negatives (ride, numb feeling handling, zero practicality, higher insurance) is what kept me from getting one in the first place--besides you'll take a beating on this deal. If you really want to trade your RX8 for a 350Z- fine--but look for a better deal than this one.

 

hahaha dang that's funny

 

Oooookay, so is four door/seat thing a requirement or something you think is cool? If a requirement, get the 8. If it's not a requirement, then what will make you feel you made the right choice based upon your feelings, four doors or the torque?

 

Let's compare...

2 seater vs 4 seater? What's more important...
V6 vs Rotary? Which do you love more...
Stiff ride Vs comfortable ride? How bad are the roads on your commute...
Torque Vs 9K joy? What is sweeter...
Style, Quality, value, interior, fuel economy, fun factor, handling, price...etc etc...

You have alot of things to compare, like I did before getting my 8, so go make a spreadsheet...lol

I like them both but I needed a 2+2 and the RX8 looks MUCH better hands down, is fast enough (for now...lol), and overall has better build quality.

I agree with everyone that 29K for a used 350Z is overpriced. But, it's your money...they will be your smiles and both cars are pretty dang good sports cars. If you get the 350Z we wont hate you for it (after all we allow IkeWRX to play with us still...lol) and remember that we all belong to the brotherhood of "Sports Car people"...cars that remind us of the joy of childhood on each and every on ramp, twisty, and latenight cruise.

Good luck with your choice...

 

Some people do miss the torque and seem to have a power inferiority complex. I for one do not miss the torque that much (ok, maybe just a tincy tiny bit). And the RX-8 is the lowest hp/torque car I've owned in over 10 years.

But the 8 has other features that make up for its missing low end grunt. I find reving the rotary to its 9k redline to be just as fun as mashing the pedal and feeling the instant torque of other cars. Different feeling yes, but just as fun to me. Furthermore, the lightweight nimble handling and ride of the RX-8 is something I can enjoy at any speed.

Having said that, I really like the Z as well. I like the way it looks just as much as the way I like the RX-8's looks. Overall, it does have a great engine and handles good enough. Its steering and shifting isn't quite up to the RX-8's level either though. Many slam the Z's interior as being cheap, but I'm ok with it.

But for me, the RX-8 is more than just the sum of its parts. It provides a driver/road harmony that many cars in its class just can't match (IMHO). And ultimately for me, its 4 doors, back seat, and usable trunk was something that the Z could never match.

 

Like the others have said, what kind of car do you need/want now?

For most people, a car with 4 seats and reasonable performance would be the safest bet. If you don't want to spend a lot of money on a car, this would be the way to go.

For some people, they want a sports car which they could drive for fun now and maybe keep it if it is financially viable. Mind you, sports cars are expensive because they make you want to upgrade them. No wonder those 350z guys are having all the fun :p

IkeWRX, I don't think the ride in the 350z is any more uncomfortable than a WRX IMO.

 

Considering I drove away in my WRX with aftermarket suspension after my testdrive and it felt like a Lexus in comparison I tend to disagree. Ok so maybe that's going a bit far but the ride of the Z was certainly more harsh. Even with a stiffer setup the WRX has 8" of suspension travel so it absorbs bumps far better than the Z.

 

Well my decision came easier than I thought. I went and looked at both cars again today - just looked, and it turns out the Z didn't have side airbags (my parents wont even consider a car without them, otherwise I would have decided on the Evo a long time ago lol).

What can I say, the rx8 is definately going to be better in the long run, and if nothing else down the run a turbo can fix all my torque needs.

Now its only a matter of deciding between touring and GT, what style of leather to get (assuming I get the GT) and what color (its down to silver, black and white).

Thanks for all the advice.

 

Get the white!

 

Agreed

 

I must admit the white is really sharp. One of the few vehicles I've seen that look good in white.