gspotter

iTrader: (1)

[QUOTE=WasabiPossum]
NOTE: IIRC, the last iteration of the 300ZX was decidedly FAT, unwieldy and behind the times. QUOTE]

Hogwash. The '90-'96 300ZX still looks up to date even today. I have one with 192,000 miles and it is a bulletproof car with a super smooth engine. It was groundbreaking when it came out and was on Car & Driver's 10 Best list every year it was available in the US. Toyota had to go back to the drawing board and they delayed the release of the Supra because of the 300ZX. Unwieldy? The handling of my Z is awesome.

dec55

I was a bit shocked that Infiniti decided to hold back on the performance aspect
for the G37. They knew the stakes with BMW and the 335iTT. My only guess is that they want to see how good the GTR is with it's TT... then they may adapt
that technology to the G37...and maybe the sedan.

Infiniti needs to keep up....I hope in two years they will get the G37 under 4.9 secs. or faster.

mygiantcircle

[QUOTE=gspotter]

muscarel

[QUOTE=mygiantcircle]Still beautiful. What a classy car.

mygiantcircle

Thanks!

Oh wait...you weren't being sarcastic, are you?

j/k

muscarel

Not at all. It's a real timeless design.

caveman666

In it's time it was a decent car but I would hardly say it is still up to date. It is definately dated.

muscarel

I guess we are allowed to disagree. Tech-wise you are right, but styling wise, I think it still looks good the few times I get to see one.

mygiantcircle

put it this way: 4 to 5 times a year, a complete stranger would come up to me and ask how much I want for the car. No, she's not for sale.

Techwise, I agree it is not as advanced as the G37, but how much bells and whistles do you need? Just more things to break in my opinion.

But in regards to internal material contructions, I think it is still well ahead of the 350Z or the G35. Then again, the 300zx is a much more expensive car in terms of 2007 dollar.

Enjoy what you drive!

muscarel

Way off topic now:

300 ZX TT was about $33k back in 1990. At 3% inflation, that's $54k today. At 2%, that's $46k.

Looking back - 3.0 liter twin turbo 6-cylinder. 300 HP. Sound familiar? Difference is Nissan didn't back in 1990.

lightspeed

I think certain cars from our era, like the 300ZX and the G35, are destined to be classics in 40 years, in the same way that a 69 Camaro or Hemi-Cuda is a classic today. When I'm an old man, the 04 G35 6MT will go on the block at Barrett-Jackson as the last year of the Brembo'd G's and will likely fetch big bucks. That is, assuming we still have affordable oil left on the planet...

BrianV

I don't think the G35 will ever really be a classic. The 300ZX will and has already somewhat proven that, but even the first LS400s/Q45s or even 80's 7 series BMWs aren't even close to being considered classics. The G35 is a pretty ordinary car that sold in VERY VERY high volume. I think the 350Z sold in too high volume to be a classic as well, plus they're all shared platforms with shared engines.

The Supra, 300ZX, and RX7TT represent a Japanese muscle car era, in fact the only Japanese muscle cars ever. Muscle isn't the right term, but true Japanese sports cars; much like the late 60s/early 70s represented the American muscle car.

All of those cars, especially the Supra have proven that. The RX7TT and 3000GT VR-4 are the least desirable of that era, but the Supra and 300ZXTT are definitely classics.

devellis

In qualified defense of the RX-7, they were great cars until they fell apart on you. Having owned sports cars most of my life, starting with a '72 240Z and through to a current BMW Z3, my 3rd generation RX-7 was hands down the one I most enjoyed driving and the one about which I got the most favorable comments. But they did have a nasty tendency to self-destruct at a certain point. Mine made it 8 years and I actually sold it before it got into big trouble, but I later learned that the buyer had engine problems.

As I contemplate going from a true sports car to a sporty coupe, the G37 has caught my attention in a big way. I have to say, though, I'm a bit disappointed in the decision to favor comfort over performance. When my wife had her BMW sedan (323 with the 2.5 liter engine), I found it to be pretty much an all-around unsatisfying car. It wasn't particularly good with respect to performance, reliability, or amenities. We were both happy to see it go. But then, it was never billed as an all-out performance model.

The Z3 is okay, but even with the 225 hp 3.0 liter engine and the handling package, is a bit underpowered. Th RX-7 weighed less and had 30 more ponies. The G37 on paper looks like a nice alternative to a 2-seater and Japan seems to give better value for the dollar than Germany, based on multiple experience with cars from both places. The rear-wheel drive, 6-speed, and 330 hp are all attractive. It's a bit of a letdown, though, to hear that the feel is a bit too soft. There's nothing wrong with the car as it appears to be turning out. Luxury is not a bad thing and I'm not knocking the car or the people who like it at all. I was just hoping for something a bit more on the Gutsy side of the ledger. The GTR isn't an option for me because of its price point and it being a bit more extreme than what I want at this stage of my life. Something lighter than the G37 with the same power and layout would be ideal, although building light gets tougher every year as more safety requirements (not bad in and of themselves) add pounds.

So, I'm still on the fence. I'll drive one when they come out and decide. Based on my experiences with BMW, I'm not eager to go that route again. The parent company is solid but the dealers in my parts are no great shakes. Also, there's something almost stingy, to my mind, about the way BMW doles out little features like they're precious gems. Japanese cars seem to throw in lots of nice little amenities as standard whereas the German companies seem not to. Again, not knocking anyone else's preferences. Just stating my own. Overall, it's not a bad time to be alive if you're a car enthusiast. Lots of choices out there.

mygiantcircle

Did you mod your RX7?

That engine responds well to mods, but will self-destruct shortly thereafter....

And because Mazda tried to keep the weight down, everything they used seems to be under-sized. Broken cheap interior plastics, broken small motors...yeesh!

I gave mine up to, but boy she was a fun ride!

WasabiPossum

iTrader: (1)

[QUOTE=gspotter]Gspotter -- Explanation seems to be in order on my comment. When I said IIRC I should have added this: "based upon comments from some owners and road-test articles/updates..."

I happen to think the design of the 300 with the T-tops (and w/o) ranks with very few cars and may well deserve the moniker of "timeless classic." My S2000 may never garner that vaulted honor, but, like the Z-car, it sure looks good from many angles.

BTW, there's a lovely 300 with T's that I see here from time to time; it looks like new and is black to boot, a real tough color to keep clean in this Coastal Georgia climate.

May your Z live to see 300K on the odo'!!!