Looking for an NSX vs 911 vs 350Z

[CerberusM5]

Good luck in your search for a 97' NSX-T. They are out there, you just have to look carefully.
The NSX is extremely rare and still is an eye catcher, even though it is a 14 year old design. The 350Z on the other hand has only been out for two years and no longer looks fresh. In my opinion, the 350Z's proportions are off balance. It looks overweight and short. It's twin sister the G35 Coupe is much better proportioned. Also, the 350Z/G35 twins are on every street corner. I don't know the statistics, but it is very possible that Nissan has built more 350Z in 2003 than all the NSX's sold since 1990.

If you want to be different and at the same time enjoy a hand built Japanese exotic car; go for the NSX. On the other hand, if you want to drive a mass produced sporty coupe; keep the 350Z.

One last thing to consider. I don't know your gender, but the NSX is a car primarily driven by males. Actually, I don't remember the last time I saw a woman driving an NSX.

The 350Z/G35 Coupe (especially the G35) are considered "cute" cars by females. So in turn, I see just as many women as men driving the 350Z/G35. These are my observations in Las Vegas at least.

 

[ChrisK]

Yes. Drivetrain losses (the difference between power/torque at the crank and at the wheel) are typically 12-14 percent. That's considered unusually low.

Is it because of the mid engine RWD layout? My understanding was that front engine FWD cars actually have less drivetrain loss compared to front engine RWD cars because it doesn't have the extra drive shaft to the rear wheels. The mid engine RWD car would not suffer from this either since there is no need for a long drive shaft. Either that or the NSX is under rated

 

[nsxtasy]

I don't know the statistics, but it is very possible that Nissan has built more 350Z in 2003 than all the NSX's sold since 1990.

True - in fact, four times more. Acura has sold approximately 9,000 NSXs in the United States. In calendar 2003, Nissan sold 36,728 350Zs here.

 

[TurboLexus]

comfortable to ride long distances in

Great post RPM, but you may have overshot the mark on that one

 

[nsxtasy]

Great post RPM, but you may have overshot the mark on that one

I agree with RPM. The NSX is indeed comfortable to ride long distances in! The seats are AMAZINGLY comfortable (with only two adjustments!) and driving the car over a long distance is quite relaxing. In fact, on my way back from NSXPO 2004, I drove my NSX from New York City to Chicago, a distance of 800 miles, and only stopped once, for about 15 minutes. (Total time, just under 11 hours.)

 

[SCS2k]

I agree with RPM. The NSX is indeed comfortable to ride long distances in! The seats are AMAZINGLY comfortable (with only two adjustments!) and driving the car over a long distance is quite relaxing. In fact, on my way back from NSXPO 2004, I drove my NSX from New York City to Chicago, a distance of 800 miles, and only stopped once, for about 15 minutes. (Total time, just under 11 hours.)

How the heck did you get over 400 miles out of each tank of gas?

 

[TurboLexus]

nsxtasy...guess it's a subjective thing, but i've also had several passengers complain of the comfort level. I've said it before...I was spoiled, last car I built was so comfortable I was changing DVD's at well well into triple digit speeds, at 150 it felt like it was doing 80....whereas the NSX is much more taut, low, and bouncier...at 80 it feels like it doing a buck and a quarter. This is not criticism, the NSX was not built for compromise. I don't think road-trip comfort was high on the list of design priorities (nor should it have been)...I drove mine from OH to NY, neck and back started getting stiff as we passed through NJ. This is far from a comfortable road trip car, to each his own, but I would not use AMAZINGLY and comfortable in the same sentence when describing an NSX. These cars excel in many areas, but distance driving ain't one of 'em brother...

 

[ajnsx]

Xtasy, you're a funny guy

Ditto + the xtasy

 

[RichH]

I find the NSX with stock supension to be one of the more comfortable long distance sports cars, period.

I have driven 911s from NH to Toronto and the NSX on the same trip. . The NSX was far more comfortable.

My NSX only gets used on long distance trips and I find it to be a great distance eater.

When you compare apples to apples please name a more comfortable mid or rear engine two seater?

I agree there are many variables in comfort (size of driver, proper seat adjustment, medical conditions - such back problems, suspension modifications, tires, wheels, condition of the roads and the suspension components)...

 

[TurboLexus]

Rich...agreed...the NSX is one of the more comfortable long distance sports cars. That wasn't the criteria, however, the issue was whether it was a very comfortable road trip car in general. Since that includes all cars, there are many many cars which are far more comfortable for long distance driving...anyone that would deny that would be in denial himself. I don't want to split hairs...we weren't comparing apples to oranges, we were just talking about fruit, know what I mean?

- Jon

 

[RichH]

Hi Jon,

Seeing the topic of the thread NSX vs 911 vs 350Z. You would think we are talking sports cars. I probably missed a post along the way.

To compare the comfort levels of a Bentley GT, S- Class Benz or BMW 7 Series does not make alot of sense, but if that is the discussion.

Including this class of cars and other luxo automobiles, the NSX is not the "most comfortable".

But in the sports car realm I believe the NSX to be very comfortable. The most comfortable I have driven to date (yes, I have driven a bunch).

To get away from fruit analogies you are comparing Great Danes to Whippets.

Have a good night, cheers
Rich

 

[qirex]

coming from a 03 350z touring, i can say i'll never look back. or go back to nissan that is. my dealership was great but dealing with nissan north america to get my tire feathering, stereo, exhaust and window issues resolved was another thing. in my z's first year of life it had spent over 40 days in the shop. not the kind of build quality i was looking for. granted i have only had my nsx for about two months, but from what i can tell it beats the z in every catagory.

Haha...this is the man i want to hear from!

I know a bunch of 03 Z's had some early teething probs.

So here we go.

-do you miss the z's low end grunt?
-can you break the rear of the x loose easily?
-which handles better (really)?
-does the 97 X seem O-L-D school on the inside?

Like i said, i've driven my neighbors 91 extensively. While its a great car, the 5spd 3.0L, seriously worn seat bolsters and other loud clanks and rattles (hey its 13yrs old) swayed me. I'm thinking that a 97 may cure some of these ish.

BTW how were the brakes on the 97? (the 91 are crap). Is there a stock keyless entry...oh yeah and stock tire size?

 

[K.O.]

I know you want to hear acjet's answers, but here is some feedback from someone who has driven a 350Z and has a 97 Nsx-T

the z's low end grunt?

qirex, do you shift really early?
Because when I drove my friend's 350, I did not feel more low-end grunt compared to my Nsx though the numbers say different. If you shift the Nsx at 3-4k rpm, yes it will feel like it has less low end. But you forget that the Nsx has a very flat torque curve so the low torque number is not all it seems.

-can you break the rear of the x loose easily?

You can; however, you will not see any Nsx's in drifting competitions any time soon or many other mid-engine cars for that matter But remember, a mid-engine car is much more demanding to drive. Also, it is much more rewarding.

-which handles better (really)?

Subjective of course, but I still have an Nsx and my friend with the 350Z is looking form one now.

-does the 97 X seem O-L-D school on the inside?

Well, it is a 14 year old design. But it does wrap around you more than the 350Z. The quality inside the Nsx to me is higher than the 350Z.

Like i said, i've driven my neighbors 91 extensively. While its a great car, the 5spd 3.0L, seriously worn seat bolsters and other loud clanks and rattles (hey its 13yrs old) swayed me.

Check back in 13 years and let's see if your 350Z's interior holds its own too. ;-)

qirex, you know we on prime are going to defend the Nsx like its our child. We love the Nsx for what it is, even though it does have its short-comings. Buy the car that fits you best. If it's the Nsx, welcome to the experience. If not, enjoy what you do pick.

 

[amgnsx]

qirex

just to let u know/ i raced a 350z down in Infineon (drag race) last sept. and i was surpried to see how my stock 04 nsx beat a stock 350z by 1sec. that's a lot. my nsx ran 13.45sec @ 104mph.

and if u were worried about any low end tourque? Downshift BABY!!! and also if u were to race a 350Z or any car head to head from a stand still/ make sure u turn off the TCS and have your RPM no lower than 3500rpm when u launch.

In regards to 97 NSX/ i have frnds here in the bay area that owns some of the first gen NSX, and what i hear they first do is upgrade the exhust that will give the 97 more torque. u cant really compare your frnds 91nsx to the 350z becuse the exhust on that car (91NSX) did not really have a true headers, there were built from cast iron/ the later NSX's had some real headers.

bottomline..... #1 the NSX is defenitely a head-turner. #2 I wont worry too much about low end... (personally....i dont feel any lag on low rpm at all, i'm very happy with the overall powerband from 3g rpm all the way to vtec 8000.)

BTW u keep asking about the 97 NSX's? have u driven the 97NSX? if not/ Test drive it. Then let us know what u think and compare between your 350z and your frnds 91NSX.

if not? Good luck to your decision........ "May the Force be with you"

 

[acjet]

-do you miss the z's low end grunt?

i have to tell you first that i came from a 3rd gen rx7.... so that being said, going to the z i really missed the kick in the pants power once the turbos were spooled. the z never really felt fast to me. i know it's all an opinion. it was torquey but it seemed there was no power band and i always felt like i was missing something. the nsx on the other hand comes alive when you get the revs up. not quite the kick in the pants but a lot better than the z. and yes fellow board members i know the nsx is faster than the rx7 but this is a seat of the pants opinion.

-can you break the rear of the x loose easily?

really i haven't had it long enough to tell (haven't turned off the tcs yet). i'm still learning the car. i know my z would break loose any chance it got and seem a little unstable. not to mention vdc and tcs always kicking on at weird times (even when turned off). like i said i had a lemon so maybe this had something to do with it. i can say on a corner that i take regularly my exit speeds are about 5mph faster than the z and i'm still not comfortable pushing it (my fault not the nsx).

-which handles better (really)?

as stated above i would have to say the nsx. but we may have different driving styles.

-does the 97 X seem O-L-D school on the inside?

i like the nsx interior better over all. the only thing i could say that is bad about it is maybe the accord like instrument cluster. i'll take a tach in the center anytime. other than that it is far quieter than the z. my 98 doesn't squeek and rattle like the z did. once again maybe it was just my car but i had a whole seperate set of rattles depending on the outside tempuature. drove me nuts. overall the fit and finish is better imo.

ride quality is far superior to that of the z. my z would bounce over every small imperfection in the road. sometimes to the point of hitting my head on the roof (we have some bad roads here in northern ky).

brakes.... well go look for the lambo ferarri bmw porsche video... question answered. j/k i think the nsx stops fine. i felt the z did a good job on braking also.

i'm not trying to dog the z. i really wished i had gotten a good one but these were just some of the things i noticed during my two years of ownership. i've loved the nsx since i was a kid. so it may not be the fastest or the best in every catagory but god i love going into the garage. that is something the z could never give me. feel free to fire away more questions if you like or if your in the cinci area stop by and we can go for a ride.

 

[CerberusM5]

True - in fact, four times more. Acura has sold approximately 9,000 NSXs in the United States. In calendar 2003, Nissan sold 36,728 350Zs here.

Wow! That is an amazing statistic. Essentially, Nissan sells more 350Z every three months than Acura has sold NSX total.

This is a perfect example of just how rare our hand built NSXs are. Sometimes I go out to the garage just to admire the aluminum castings of the NSX suspension and tap it's aluminum skin. This car really is a work of art.

The 350Z is just plain boring compared to the NSX. When I look for engineering details in the 350Z to admire I just can't find any. This is generally the case in mass produced cars that share common parts with lesser models such as the Altima.

I hope I don't come across as bashing the 350Z; it really is a great car considering its minimal cost of entry. In fact, if I were in the market for a brand new $30k sports coupe, the 350Z Track edition would make my short list.

 

[nsxtasy]

How the heck did you get over 400 miles out of each tank of gas?

Very easily. On a long trip, at a relatively steady pace (usually in the 78-83 mph range), I typically get 27-31 mpg, depending on prevailing winds. This trip, it was 27-28 mpg. At the end of both tankfuls, the warning light had just come on, and I put 15.x gallons into the tank.

Like i said, i've driven my neighbors 91 extensively. While its a great car, the 5spd 3.0L, seriously worn seat bolsters and other loud clanks and rattles (hey its 13yrs old) swayed me. I'm thinking that a 97 may cure some of these ish.

I'm thinking that a well-maintained NSX may cure some of those issues. Even a 13 (or 14) year old NSX does not necessarily make any unusual sounds or have worn seat bolsters. Mine doesn't, and it has 10,000 actual track miles (in addition to almost 50,000 street miles)! It's as tight and rattle-free as the day I drove it off the showroom floor.

Compare to a well-maintained NSX if you generally maintain your cars well. Compare to a trashed one like your neighbor's if you plan to trash yours.

-can you break the rear of the x loose easily?

Not with the accelerator, since the CRX is a front-wheel-drive car.

-does the 97 X seem O-L-D school on the inside?

Well, there was no MDX in '97. But I don't think the '91 NSX seems old school at all. Whereas, I find the interior of the 350Z to be distinctly UNimpressive, compared with the best interiors around nowadays (e.g. Lexus).

BTW how were the brakes on the 97? (the 91 are crap).

Come to NSXPO and I'll take you for a ride on the racetrack in my '91 NSX. You will find that the brakes are far from crap (and far superior to those of the 350Z - probably due more to the weight disadvantage of the 350Z than anything else). I think they're superb - even after half an hour of hot laps. I've seen 350Zs with brake problems at the track; that seems to be the weakest point on the 350Z.

Is there a stock keyless entry...oh yeah and stock tire size?

Apparently you haven't looked at the FAQ yet, have you? You can access it by clicking on the word FAQ in the red bar at the top of your screen, the one that looks like this:

Check it out. You'll find lots of useful information there.

 

[The Kid]

Ive got a Z track model and my 92 NSX. I feel that the Z has a ton more torque, Its not uncommon for the tires to spin in 1st and 2nd gear just by flooring the gas pedal. I dont remember the last time I light up my rear tires- except for the NSXPO 04 poker rally; jadkar-you know what im talking about. Also the Z sucks in the rain. I find that its very difficult to control. I also like the Z display for the gauges. With the hit or a button you can see your tire pressure, MPH in digital read out, set a warning light for your RPM's, and many other cool features. The handling is also pretty good but the bottom line is an NSX is still the King of al the Japanese Sports Cars. Sorry, skyline
I love the NSX and could never see myself getting rid of mine, id actually like another one. The thing I hate most about the Z and I know It sounds dumb..... The other day on my way to work I counted 7 350's and I only work 22 miles away. Its not uncommon for me to be in traffic next to another Z, Kind of sad if you ask me. Should have been a little more limited

 

[qirex]

Ive got a Z track model and my 92 NSX. I feel that the Z has a ton more torque, Its not uncommon for the tires to spin in 1st and 2nd gear just by flooring the gas pedal. I dont remember the last time I light up my rear tires- except for the NSXPO 04 poker rally; jadkar-you know what im talking about. Also the Z sucks in the rain. I find that its very difficult to control. I also like the Z display for the gauges. With the hit or a button you can see your tire pressure, MPH in digital read out, set a warning light for your RPM's, and many other cool features. The handling is also pretty good but the bottom line is an NSX is still the King of al the Japanese Sports Cars. Sorry, skyline
I love the NSX and could never see myself getting rid of mine, id actually like another one. The thing I hate most about the Z and I know It sounds dumb..... The other day on my way to work I counted 7 350's and I only work 22 miles away. Its not uncommon for me to be in traffic next to another Z, Kind of sad if you ask me. Should have been a little more limited

Dont be embarassed to say it! I know how you feel! It was cool when the Zs first came out, but now that it nissan hit a homerun with the car, its really annoying counting silver Zs. (at least the cops will pause when they pull you over).

I'm on the fence here only b/c damn the Z is such a capable car. yeah, the power delivery is kinda all/nothing (the fly by wire is also VERY linear). Regarding the torque issue, i turn of the VDC in the Z, stomp on the gas in 1st or 2nd gear - the car squats, chirps and goes. When I do the same in the 91X, you stomp, the engine bogs - then starts revving. Granted this is 2500-3500 rpm - not the sweet spot for an X i know.


Thanks for all the informative replies. I know for a fact that the X looks better, prolly handles better, and is faster too. I guess I just need to find the right car and take the plunge.

Hopefully, i'll be here as a *real* member soon.


thx

 

[Meeyatch1]

...Most of us do NOT refer to the NSX as an "X" (as noted here). Thank you...

Here we go....correction Ken, most of us do not care what others call their NSX..or their 'X'. Please refrain from starting a possible situation where there was not one. If you know what car he is talking about (which you do), I would expect someone of your stature to be polite and simply answer the mans questions about the cars. Please.

Now back to the topic at hand. Saying the NSX is old and then saying that the 350Z and 911 are possible choices as well leave a couple of things to be considered. First off, the general design of the 911 is DECADES old, and goes all the way back to the Porsche 912. While the design may be old, the car still looks very attractive, much like the NSX. Most people that see my NSX's usually cannot beleive that they are more than a couple of years old. The design is very attractive, and only looks dated when you consider some of the design elements in relation to patterns consistent with the late '80's and early '90's. Even with those design elements I feel the NSX is still far above the 350Z. I drove a 350Z with the Enthusiast package and felt that the quality of the materials was FAR below that of my NSX. This is all based on your perspective, but overall the NSX feels much better built and uses higher quality materials. These are just a few things to consider, and I hope your decision yields a car that you enjoy. Good luck, my friend.

 

[druby]

I can't speak for the 350Z but I can say that the NSX is a better car than the 911. I had a 911 before i got my NSX. It was fun, but repairs were often and expensive. I was and still am a member of the local Porsche club and everyone knows that the Porsche is a great car but one that should make you great friends with your local German mechanic. Also I have found the NSX to have as much or better power and handling than the 911's. A turbo will take a NSX but a normal 911 doesn't have the handling or the power of a NSX.

This is just my two cents,

 

[Meeyatch1]

I can't speak for the 350Z but I can say that the NSX is a better car than the 911. I had a 911 before i got my NSX. It was fun, but repairs were often and expensive. I was and still am a member of the local Porsche club and everyone knows that the Porsche is a great car but one that should make you great friends with your local German mechanic. Also I have found the NSX to have as much or better power and handling than the 911's. A turbo will take a NSX but a normal 911 doesn't have the handling or the power of a NSX.

This is just my two cents,

But...if you are looking at a nice 911 Twin Turbo, that is an all new ballgame. I have been tossing around the idea of getting one of those for a while. I guess it all comes down to which model 911 you want to use for this comparisson.