Topic: 2010 Nissan 370Z Roadster; Day 1

[Autos_Editor]

Despite being the youngest member of our staff, recent fits of forgetfulness have James feeling old these days. Not too old for a sporty roadster, though, like the Nissan 370Z convertible he's got the keys to this week.

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[initial_D]

Me likey.

[inco]

Geesh Wing - getting "Sometimers" already. Welcome to our/my world.

For the uninitiated - Sometimers is the act of forgetting things on a temporary basis. The other one lasts much longer! 

My response when this happens is 'if it was important, I would have remembered" - hence Sometimers!

And have fun with the car. Great machine.

[Factger]

Wing


Did you have the SynchroRev Match feature on your previous test drive of the 370z? For an experience driver as yourself is it an option that you would get or is it a novelty option that you will get bored with over time.

[James james james]

Synchro Revmatch is good and all but it only matches engine speed...not flywheel to clutch speed as in the case of double clutching

[D70]

"I think I’m getting old. As I left the house this morning, I looked at my shelf in the entry and asked myself, “Are my sunglasses on my desk?” This was followed by five minutes of intense searching about the house, after which I gave up and went to work."

 Just wait until you are an OAS recipient

  Great car, a 350Z was noticeably quicker than my 20 year old roadster on the slalom track so the 370Z should be even better.

 Looking forward to your future comments

http://www.flickr.com/photos/d70w7/5092672397/

[Mike]

I love this car.  If it was in my price range I would be in it instead of my WRX....but I couldn't swing it.  That is ok....in 3 years they will be cheaper as usd models 

[dragonflyjack]

  Wing....you lucky bahstahd     dragonfly

[articsteve]

The rest of the interior, though, has tons of room for yourself and your passenger

Yes, the head room is excellent, the shoulder room is very good, but the LEG room is ridiculous even for the passenger.  I would estimate that perhaps a short leg/long torso person @ 5"10"" would be absolutely pushing the envelope in terms of leg room in this vehicle.  I've been told that the S2000 is superior in this department (leg room).  Is that the case?  Because I found that very tight.

I drove the 370Z roadster only once (we only got one), but I don't recall it having anymore leg room than the buyer's trade: this 08 350Z roadster, that I just happened to drive 2 1/2 hours down to TO  today to sell.  I was happy to let it go.  Big rattle in the roof.  Other than those two points, great car.  Had the Brembo package.  Brakes are best I've tried.  I'm considering a coupe for the wife in auto when the right one comes along because it handles like few others.

[HeliDriver]

Synchro Revmatch is good and all but it only matches engine speed...not flywheel to clutch speed as in the case of double clutching

First of all - who cares?

Double clutching is fun and all, but totally unnecessary in any modern syncromesh transmission (which is all of them).

Secondly, you're just wrong.

Matching flywheel speed to clutch speed is exactly what a simple throttle blip does. Double clutching is done to match the transmission input shaft speed to the output shaft speed, which will allow the gears to mesh together like butter (which they do anyway, as long as the syncros aren't shot).

[rrocket]

First of all - who cares?

...and second of all....WHO CARES? 

[HeliDriver]

First of all - who cares?

...and second of all....WHO CARES? 

Not someone who drives a slushbox, I assume?   

[rrocket]

First of all - who cares?

...and second of all....WHO CARES? 

Not someone who drives a slushbox, I assume?   

Man....one of our 4 cars (IS350) is a slushbox.  I just can't shake that handle.   

So your Suburban is a stick then?   

[Careener]

I agree with the comment about the lack of legroom. The centre stack is way too wide and rounded into the footwell. There is no way I could ever drive one comfortably (unfortunately)

[HeliDriver]

So your Suburban is a stick then?   

No, but that just gives me an excuse to practice my left foot braking when I track it. 

[articsteve]

Synchro Revmatch works really well because since there is so little leg room I suspect many shifts are not going to be first class.

Second, and more important, is that Synchro Revmatch will help lessen the stress on the clutch/flywheel.  Pretty important when buying used and I assume all of us reading this thread will be USED BUYERS.

From my observations, the ppl who buy these units brand new have more money than shifting skills.  Then there is the 20 or so ppl that drive these thing hard, like me, as they get brokered thru the system.    Synchro Revmatch will be a positive for the second and subsequent owners.  It's much more than a gimmick.

[Jaeger]

It's not often I prefer the convertible to the coupe in a given model - but this is one of those times.  I like the coupe a lot, but LOVE the look of the ragtop.

Jaeger

[RayT]

Wing


Did you have the SynchroRev Match feature on your previous test drive of the 370z? For an experience driver as yourself is it an option that you would get or is it a novelty option that you will get bored with over time.

I know you aren't asking me but

The Synchro Rev feature is fantastic, period. I am a manual diehard, and hate driving automatics, but it just works and it's one of those things you don't think you'll want until you try it.

If you've been heel-toeing for a while, you'll probably have to unlearn that habit because you can't heel and toe otherwise it'll negate the system.

The one thing to remember it is really is designed to smooth out your downshifts by doing the blip of the throttle for you, but otherwise, you are still on your own. If you are an uncoordinated manual driver (mismanage your clutch smoothness), the car will still be a jerky ride. The system doesn't do anything at low revs and doesn't really do much for you for upshifts (the system doesn't keep you from overreving in the middle of a shift)

I am glad the system exists, and I think it enhances the driving experience a lot. It only takes a second to disable it by pressing a button on the console, but I leave it on all the time. It's just a smart feature.  Because the system really doesn't intrude at all on  the other aspects of manual driving,  I don't find it gimmicky at all.

[CanuckG35]

It's not often I prefer the convertible to the coupe in a given model - but this is one of those times.  I like the coupe a lot, but LOVE the look of the ragtop.

Jaeger

Agreed.  I'd take the Roady over the Coupe anyday!  Having said that, I am more partial to the top down experience.  I can see me owning a used 370Z in few years as a replacement to the S2000.  I've owned nothing but VQs for several years now and I can see myself owning another in a few years.  Of all the current roadsters on the market today (which isn't many), the 370Z is on the top of my list by a landslide. 

[TopGun]

The Synchro Rev feature is fantastic, period. I am a manual diehard, and hate driving automatics, but it just works and it's one of those things you don't think you'll want until you try it.

I can't think of ANY recent innovation having to do with a manual...so I welcome it.

Who knows, maybe it might get a couple of people that would normally buy an auto and get them to take the manual...like rrocket!