I'm not putting down anything. I drove it and while its nice it just felt wrong to me. It felt big even though its not a big car. The G35 felt enormous. If I would have liked it more I would have bought it. Also, I didn't like the interior ergonomics at all.

I also own a cabriolet Porsche and love it because of the way it drives. I don't bash other cars because I'm jealous. I drive them and then form an opinion.

The only cars I bash are winged out rice garbage and over done anything. I respect japanese cars like the Type R and Supra when they are stock. Leave the 700 lbs in spoilers in the stupid catalog.

 

Let me inject a little recall folks.

It seems to me that back when I was a younger man, and muscle cars were all over, the Z car was known as a DATSUN FAIRLADY 240Z. No one wishing to pull up next to a muscle car at the red-light wanted to be in a Datsun Fairlady 240Z.

Best I can figure Datsun later changed its name to NISSAN for marketing reasons. If a Datsun Z car owner is giving you a rough time, start talking about the early years. You know back when the Z was made by an off the wall company by the name of Datsun. Never let NISSAN owners forget where his/her car came from. Remind them of the Datsun. It was and still is a Datsun from Japan.

I can recall a joke about Datsun, it may be the reason Datsun did the name change, and it goes something like this:

The car designers in Japan had come up with a great idea for a car. Now all they needed was a name for the company to start production. So the designer picks up the phone and calls his local PR people and tells them he needs a name for the new car company by the next morning. The PR guy on the other end of the phones blurts out "That Soon!!?" and the designer says that is a great name. So there you have it folks, the birth of Datsun. Hooah

 

FirebaseD...

The joke you recall is just that, and is nowhere near the truth. Here is a link to the short history of the Datsun/Nissan nameplate:

http://www.conceptcarz.com/view/make...keHistory.aspx

The "Fairlady" name was used only in Japan. In the US it was a 240Z. 260Z, 280Z, 280ZX and so on up to the present 350Z. The number denotes the engine size i.e. 280Z = 2,800 cc's, however the actual cc's on the nameplate were a little short of the numeric designations for all Z models.

As a former owner of a 1977 280Z 4-speed (the Z car did not come with a 5-speed transmission until the 1978 280Z model year), I can attest Z drivers were not embarrassed to pull up to a muscle car any more than we are to pull up to a Hemi or other large HP vehicle of today. Muscle cars and sports cars are a different breed. There is no comparison between the two...

 

Your wrong brother. I'll pull up next to a muscle car anytime, any red-light. I don't care Ben, it's all about kicking my crossfire in the azz for me, running it hard, getting to the next red-light, feeling the power, the moving so fast I'm starting to guess if I'm closing in to fast on the slower cars out in front of me.

Ok so that’s all BS, but I'm not trying to talk down another sports car like Z car owners do, bottom line is the Crossfire is not a Ricer, the Z car is. It is an American car; it is our car, not some car imported here from a country that knew nothing of speed or hp until the gas shortage of the 1970's. No our Crossfire is the results of an American idea (along with a little help from Germany), something that one day will be on the speed channel's auction block, like the Mustang, Firebird, Charger, Chevelle, AMX, Camaro and all the other names that make up the American breed of what we call "A Real Car."

You know I love you brother. hooah

 

If a 350Z owner ever gives someone a hard time about their Crossfire, all you have to do is say "so, how are your front tires holding up?"

http://www.nissantireproblems.com/

 

I think you missed the main point of my reply to your post. Once again, we're talking about two completely different types of vehicles. I stand by my statement that Z driver's then and now were/are no more ashamed of pulling up to a large HP vehicle than we are in are little Crossfires.

I'm sorry you have such a low opinion of Japanese vehicles... with that mindset I won't even try to debate the issue with you.

Just remember, no matter how fond we are of our cars, it is late 90's technology, built in Germany entirely with left over MB parts... other than the body design, there is nothing American about the car. It is imported into this country to be sold under the Chrysler nameplate. Check out the Window sticker that was on the vehicle when it was new for the parts content information...

U.S./Canadian parts content: 1%
Major Sources of foreign parts content: Germany - 80%
Country of origin: engine - Germany / transmission - Germany.

Lighten up a little on the Japanese cars... no matter what you may think, they build some pretty good vehicles.

 

Yep, they have problems with their cars just as there have been problems with ours, although not on the magnitude of their front end issue.

I don't know what this giving someone a hard time because of their vehicle thing is all about. To me it's not something I would involve myself in. What a person drives or how they choose to modify it is entirely up to them. Far be it for me to criticize someone's choice in vehicles.

 

I feel you brother, and at one time I turned major wrenches on Honda cars, even did time at the Honda factory center in Atlanta Ga. So I do understand what a car from Japan is all about. But with that said:

I say "talking about a Crossfire and a Z car is light talking about a Harley-Davidson and a Kawasaki." Can you see where i come from now? I'm not down on the Ricers, I'm just up on the American breed of an automobile.

Ben just be watching the Speed Channel in about 30 years and you'll see what I'm talking about. lol Right 30 years...think the old folks home will let us watch T.V.?

 

Somehow we're not on the same page here... in your original post that I replied to, you talked about a Z car pulling up to a muscle car, no where was a Crossfire mentioned until later.

Yeah, they'll let us watch TV, but will we be able to see or hear it???

 

Here's a question, which bike is of better quality, a Harley or a Kawasaki?
I've never wasted my time or either of my cars racing any Z. They are low 14 second cars if you are a great driver. Most are closer to 15 sec cars.

 

I guess this really is a "Kinder, Gentler, more Politically correct society" we live in. But I suppose (since coming of age during the 60's) I always thought "ragging" on the other guys car was just part of the car culture. Even though I never did it unless someone starting raggin on mine first, I really don't think anybody ever really meant anything by it. It was just something "car guys" did when ever they gathered.
Ben, there is something you've got to understand. In 1970 (the peak of the muscle car era) Muscle Cars truly "ruled" the streets, and if you were a young guy back then pulling up to a stop light in your new 240 Z, next to any American 2dr. with a high compression V8, 4 bl. carb & dual exhaust, it was usually a lose, lose situation for you. Hence the "embarrassment". You are absolutely right, they were two completely different "types" of cars, but it didn't matter in 1970, it was all about "drag racing", acceleration, 0-60, smokey burn outs, and who had the most cubic inches. As silly as it sounds today, that's how you were "rated" on the automotive pecking order.
I honestly think that's what Firebase meant, when he said a Z car driver (back then) would have been embarrassed.
I've had lot's of Z cars, and I loved them, but the new one leaves me cold because of its styling. I suppose that's just one of many reasons I chose the Crossfire instead.
Sorry for the Ancient History lesson, but misunderstandings caused by the generation gap on this web site are inevitable from time to time, and it's simply because we all look at things a little differently.
One thing for sure, we can almost all agree that we have a very similar appreciation for the Crossfire, and if you use that as a starting point, then everything else will probably just fall into place.

 

Exactly! The G is a really nice looking car.

 

FirebaseD takes Z Car owner for a ride in his Crossfire, to late to get out now baby, it's ***** to the wall at 150 mph!!! And I'm driving!!! hooah

 

LOL...this photo is going to turn into a whole story unto itself.

 

Kool pic... and a not a bad photochop job either.

 

You are correct. I do understand that was the muscle car era and they ruled the streets, but don't think any sport car driver then or now was/is "embarrassed" to pull up next to one of those oval track, drag strip machines any more than we are in our 215 HP Crossfire...

 

FirebaseD says "Where did that Z Car owner go?" "I'm coming for you Ricer!!!"

 

You live here in South Florida don't ya? We're on some of the same boards, and I used to own a Trans Am as well. I've run into some of the same issues at south florida racing.com

 

Since getting back from the Cleveland Auto show a few hours ago, I've been thinking about all the really nice cars there are to choose from. And I can honestly say I don't know what I would choose if I had to pick something else to replace my Crossfire.
I liked the Challenger, but the new Camaro is truly stunning. I'm by no means a Ford Guy, but the new Shelby GT500 Mustang sure looked great, as did the Ford GT. They had a Solstice Mallett (starting at just under 20K + the price of the car) and the Porsche Cayman makes me think "Juddz" may be right when he says, " the extra cost of owning a Porsche just might be worth it."
I don't know if it's just been around long enough to finally start to grow on me or what, but even the 350 Z is starting to look better to me. (sorry Firebase) and the Saturn Sky is still very high on my list.
The Cleveland Auto show also puts on a classic car show in the basement. There are some really beautiful cars, and some that have no reason what so ever to be there, but for the most part, it's pretty interesting to see. There I found a beautiful blue 1968 390 AMX that's currently on ebay at over 17k with the reserve met. (goes off in 3 or 4 days) if anybody wants to check it out. Sure wish I had an extra 20k tucked away somewhere.
All in all, even with the cars I mentioned, and maybe 1/2 dozen more that I didn't, being very desirable to me. I'd have say the Crossfire still looks pretty good, and I'm glad I got one tucked away in my garage waiting for spring.

 

FIREBASE... I love it... Great work...