had a few hours while the servers at work were rebuilding so i decided to have some fun. I had each car for about an hour.


350z:

+ great low end. Push the pedal and it goes.
+ clutch/stick very nice
+ great handling

- engine doesn't feel refined at all
- radio was horrid, not even close to the CLS
- seats weren't as forming as the CLS seats.

overall:
Nice car. Sports car.....not much else too it. Navi helps add to the lux feel.



s2000:
+ seats as comfortable as the CLS
+ stick/clutch was beautifal
+ REFINED REFINED REFINED
+ radio > 350z

- low end is lacking in comparo to other cars but this is deceptive as the car only weighs 2800lbs

- you get WAAAAAAAAAAAAY to many looks. Two cars pulled out half way into the intersection then stopped to let me by.

- softtop standard scares me interms of security


overall:
Great little car. The fun factor is amazing.

 

Dont quit your day job. Your review sux. heheh

 

ahahah

 

oman i love that low end tq on the Vq engine, but for some reason the engine dosen't really want to be rev

 

my thoughts exactly. A TON of power. Deceptively quick.

 

is the 350 motor just not that smooth??? i have driven a g coupe and i loved the exhaust note

 

So would you buy an S2k?

 

so which one did you put a deposit on?

 

350z has balls. I loved the power. At any speed in any gear i could pretty much just put my foot into it and it would move.

HOWEVER. The engine didn't feel refined as the CLS. I've had two different j32 engines in various stages of modification and it is just no comparison.

Now that being said, is it a bad car? no. Am I knocking the car? no.

 

exhaust note internally and externally is quite different. They both sound fine.

I'm talking about the smoothness of the engine.

 

Joedokes & Mantis;:

s2k without question. I had a smile from ear to ear. 350z was awesome. But the fun factor of the s2 far surpases that of the 350z IMHO.

 

I would agree, that the SK2 has the "fun factor" with it.

But, when I drove it especially when you're in the high rpms (where the cars needs to be driven) it's just as loud and "unrefined" as the VQ Nissan motors.

Not like it's a bad thing... Because I'm as giddy as a schoolboy after taking my G through its paces.

If I didn't need somekind of a trunk and I could afford a 3rd car as a weekend toy, it'd be a SK2 without a doubt!

 

I agree with most of your points. I agree that the VQ isn't the most refined engine, but it does get better with age (at least from my experience - mine got smoother ~8k miles). The J series engine in my old CL was much smoother however.

I have to agree with Scrib about the S2000. I drove one at AutoX yesterday (blast to drive BTW) and near redline, it sounds VERY unrefined and vibrates significantly. But both are sports cars, and power is more important than quiet & smoothness.

 

I bought my cls back in december last year. I love the car until I compare the spec of the cls with 350Z or G35. The cls doesn't match up against two of those cars. I was disappointed. Have anyone go head to head with the 350Z or G35. I'm thinking of putting NOS or AEM CAI and/or Comptech Headers. I don't want my (BUT#%) burned by either of those 2 cars

 

what trim level 350z did you test drive, track or touring?

 

s2k is a very nice ride. i love the interior of that car. i agree with some of your comments, mostly about the smoothness or (lack thereof) of the VQ, but after driving the s2k several times i didn't like the lack of low end power for normal around town driving . It feels like a civic unless you really get on it. Not enough power on tap when you need it unless you rev the hell out of it... but then the engine screams like an f1 racer and people start staring at you like you're nuts. lol.

 

Zapata, how was the roominess in both cars. Only thing that is unappealing to me is that the S2k just looks sooo damn small (I'm 6'3)

 

Like VTEC in the CLS with the AEM intake.

 

350z has more room without question. You have easy access to the back. The seats just didn't form to the upper part of my body.


s2k. The drivers seat does go back quite a bit. THe 2004 is supposed to have more room. I'm 5'8 so i had no issues. My back and shoulders NEED space and had no issues with the s2k. I know some taller people complain that it's cramped.

 

thats what I figured, I have looked, but not sat in both cars, and from appearance the 350Z looks waay roomier than the S2k.

 

cusdaddy & zeroday:

I would suspect the engine would losen up a bit. Just my initial observation.

I drove the touring and the track. lol the salesman was like WTF? they are the same car. I said either i drive both or don't purchase.


I agree comfort and sport usually don't go well together but these cars wouldn't be JUST a track car and for daily driving i'm so used to the CLS.

The low end is lacking i agree. But for my driving style it's great. Even with the CLS i only get on it when i need to and that ability allows me to conserve gas and still have performance.


350 is a beast. s2000 won't touch in terms of all out raw power.

 

All I know is there is a Yellow S2K sitting on the street outside my condo right now.

Looks HOT!!!

 

Welp roomy in the sense you have a useable trunk. 350z isn't spacious by any stretch. It's comfortable.

 

thought you didn't like yellow on cars :P

 

both.....

 

both have different radios...the 04' touring z's z bose is supposed to be better than the 03'..just curious if this is the one you thought sounded horrid. i'll admit my cls stereo sounds better than my z's bose but i would definitely not classify it as 'horrid'

edit: the fm radio actually does suck pretty bad on my z...maybe horrid...but the cd sounds pretty good and thats all i listen to...so judging from fm only i guess i'd agree. heard the 04's had improved tho.

 

I don't... :o

I'm imagining it as red.

 

Yup, that's the Z in a nutshell.... Although, I have the '03 non-Blose radio and it's pretty good, doesn't compare to the CL Bose, but still I have no complaints...... Also, I noticed my engine is alot smoother now (then again, I have nearly 19K miles)...


S2000 -
Can't say much about this car since I have never driven one, but I will say this...... S2K is a sexy beast, head turner for sure.....


I've given Mike a ride in my Z, couldn't really tell what his impressions were... :o How 'bout it Mike, what'ya think? (don't worry, you won't hurt my feelings :P )

 

Nice quick review. The G/Z has definitely has some sweet power from that VQ engine. Also heard a G35c pass by today when i was outside. Exhaust note =

 

I was rolling behind one on 287 (NJ) and that exhaust note is sweet. Compared to the G35C, my VQ35 Maxima has NO exhaust note; a def family sedan trait.

 

Z was fun and i'm sure the engine would losen up with use.

 

I told you I REALLY liked the car. Power everywhere and it felt MUCH faster than the s2k that I've driven and been driven in.
It certainly felt like it had plenty of power up top on a couple of those fwy blasts but w/o driving one I can't really speak to that comment by Zap. Of course if you'd quit stalling and come out to Carlsbad we could find out FO SHO!!!! :P

The ride was a bit rough and loud for my tastes so it seems that the s2k might be a better choice FOR ME if I had to choose between the 2.

Lastly, I don't care about your feelings cuz you ain't no :-*

 

imagine how much better the s2k would handle if it was a coupe

 

huh? Handled better than the Z......

 

i'm saying if the s2k was a coupe it could handle alot better

 

why??? I can't imagine it handling any better than it does.

 

because coupes handle better than verts

 

The Handling of the pre 04 S2000 and Z are pretty close at the limits, but I agree the edge goes to the S2000 as it is much more tossable, overall more nimble and easier to drive fast. The Z is really hard to work and not nearly as fun to drive on an AutoX course for example. The pre 04 S2000 is B-Stock in AutoX and so is the Z (04 S2000 is now A-Stock). The AutoX instructor drove my Z and an 02 S2000 (same one I drove) and the times of both were within .3 seconds apart (S2000 won) which he attributed to driver variation.

But we all agreed after driving both that the S2000 is more fun to drive on the course as it's much lighter and better balanced. You really have to work the steering wheel and throttle of the Z to get it to match the times of the S2000. My guess is the low-end torque of the Z keeps it competitive. But overall, both cars handle extremely well.

 

well put.

 

That seems to be the case with even the older VQ's. All 3 of my Maximas ran better after 10>15K miles. It was very noticeable.