How should I respond to the Nissan 370Z?

[mikefocke]

never had the 370Z winning. That would be my answer. Now whether there is enough of a difference to justify the price difference is another story...one you and I may answer differently. But go to the comparisons and you'll get list of high and lows.

http://www.roadandtrack.com/article.asp?section_id=10&article_id=7659

The short answers...noise visibility, handling, balance and refinement.

Not that the 370Z isn't a nice car for the $.,

[eightsandaces]

Box one, my answer? When I could only afford my 280ZX (SINO sports car in name only), I dreamed of a new 300. I even drove one and a corvette. When the bonuses started rolling in what did I get? a 944. It was a slug compared to a 300 or a vette, but it had Porsche handling, design and it handled better at high speed than either in my opinion and was far smoother over rough pavement than that year's vette.

When I see a early 300 today the design looks dated, plastic gimmicky looking, not classic in any sense, that entire rear sheet of plastic is lame. When I see a well kept 944, especially a turbo, I still think it's a very happening car. I'd much rather have my slower 2.5 boxster than a 370, I am sure however that the 370 goes like snot.

[schnellman]

"Porsche. There is no substitute."

To those who know no explanation is necessary. To those who don't, no explanation will suffice.

[Brucelee]

In the end, there is no argument. You drive, what you drive. Why try to defend it to someone else? If they are not paying for your car, they have no real input to provide.

Just drive what you want.

BTW-I am a fan of both cars.

Enjoy!

[gerrygug]

Originally Posted by schnellman

"Porsche. There is no substitute."

To those who know no explanation is necessary. To those who don't, no explanation will suffice.

Well said Schnellman!
I have owned a Z and an MX5, nice cars both but there is just something about a Porsche...

[blinkwatt]

At the end of the day it's just a Nissan.

[Adam]

LOL... well Porsche's have never been the best performance bang for the buck and they never will be. Corvettes still hold that title and Nissan's 370 is somewhere in between.

[ekam]

The Z is inferior, the only advantage is price.

[sd_boxster]

Why choose a Lotus over a WRX STi? An Aston Martin instead of Pontiac GTO? A house in Bel Air when you could get a perfectly nice place in Bakersfield?

I'm not knocking the 370Z - I may buy one for my wife eventually, as that's one of her two dream cars (the other is an Aston, and I don't make that kind of bank). Porsche makes luxury sports cars - the allure is varying proportions of performance, exclusivity, and emotion.

If the decision is purely financial, the Z makes absolute sense. If you are fortunate enough that the decision isn't just about money, you get to factor in all of those intangibles that make owning a Porsche a joy.


The autorev feature on the new Z is brilliant, by the way.