Now here's actual fuel for the debate. When we were car shopping several weeks ago the Mazda dealer had an '09 R3, asking $33k, the Nissan dealer had a brand new '09 370z (coupe, GT I believe) (so lets say both being top models and comparable). They actually had a sticker on the car asking $47k.

Now obviously that sticker is a far cry from what they actually will get for the car, but I'd wager so is the one on the R3 so........ I LOVE the changes Nissan made to make the 350 morph into the 370, but factor in a growing price disparity and......

Personally I believe the downfall and subsequent disappearance of the 3 Japanese performance cars in the 90's was that they all started out as relatively inexpensive, great performing cars but all became too exotically priced.

Nissan took a step back w/ the reintroduction of the Z (but is quickly headed that same direction again in a time where they CANNOT afford to do so). And although Mazda didn't officially bring back the 7 they may have done a fantastic thing in slotting the 8 in, giving it nice moves and a nice price so they can re-introduce the 7 as an actual halo car that deserves and warrants a premium.

These are miscellaneous ramblings but just two more of my cents :D. Someday I will have owned all 3 of those along the line, just a matter of time

 

i agree with the out of this world price of the Z. It was understandable when dealers marked up the GT-R or the Z06, but marking up the new Z by over 10k isn't going to work. If you are well off and determined to get a GT-R then you will pay the price, but the customers for the 370z are largely middle-class who will not blow another 10k for just having the car they want.

 

Wow!?? They really had a 47k tag on the loaded Z??!! That's insane.

 

funny and completely opposite of the "cheap" price-tag advertised at under 30k.

 

Yeah...the base model that after buying it leaves you saying WTF?

 

I Poop-thee-not, I was merely oogling it for a moment on the way over to the used car section so I didn't bother to even engage the salesman that came over (we pulled up in the Z, and I swear he almost ran over when we stopped to look inside it hoping we were shopping for the newest one). I'm SURE it could be knocked down to about $40k these days but still?!

I thought it took an awful lot of ba!!z to put a price like that on yes, what is advertized as a $20k-something sports car in an economy such as this.

 

Call me a car-snob (a not exactly well funded one but still) but I've NEVER been one to accept the cheapest model of any line, if it doesn't have most or all the options it feels "lesser" somehow. Long ago I was happier to buy the maxed out Civic instead of a stripped Accord.

I've (re)discovered recently that I'd rather have a 4 y/o car with every option for half the price of a new one :D

Since the discussion has taken this path (for the moment :D) I'd like to note that my local Mazda dealer was one of the most pleasant car buying experiences I've ever had, I went in, laid the cards on the table what I needed and what I was willing to pay, they came back 10 minutes later with exactly the figure I didn't expect them to be able to pull off. No BS, no back and forth. This was off their "internet price" which was $1k lower than what they had on the windshield BTW

 

Amen...If I can't afford the car I really want with ALL the upgrades then I don't buy it! I may opt for another car until I can get to where I want to be...like when I got my 8. Man, I wanted a Z4 real bad at the time, but I equally loved the 8 for what it offered and the total coolness of the rotor...so I bought the best 8 available at the time with every option you could get.

So here I am 5 years later in the best Z4 model they make...It was worth the wait, but also worth getting the 8 like I did. Man I loved that car.

 

Stop posting dogs taking a crap or I'll report you!

 

... to the OP go drive one and find out for yourself..

 

still a 6 speed MT. just not the touring package which is still only an MSRP of 5gs more (~$34k). how does it reach nearly 50grand?!

nice mark-up by the dealership selling...

sounds like a Puerto Rican mark-up...
/directed to ramon.

 

Base model of the 370z in PR 37,450

Touring with sport package 47,500

Fully equipped track or whatever the most expensive one is is around 52k

 

^ for that price, I rather get an M Coupe or a Cayman. Heck, I'd even consider a TT-S!

 

get out of here with your simple, logical answers!

 

None of them even close to that price haha they are all way more expensive.

An RX8 GT here costs 40k :D

 

Yeah Baby!!!! You said it......M C O U P E!!!

 

I love the M coupe but that one is hella expensive here too

Hell I went to see a 135i with only sports package 52k

hate this, at least insurance isnt expensive

 

It's hella expensive everywhere but damn it is fine! I'm a long time 'vert guy but I have to admit the Mcoupe is just plain art compared to it's topless sibling.

Sure, there's LOTS of cars that could be added to this thread if the budget was completely digarded :D

 

The 370Z was faster than the Cayman S on a track in a recent article (Road & Track I think). The new RX-8 will probably not keep up. However, I remain hopeful for a new and improved (more powerful) 8 in the near future.

 

I have to agree with just about everything sobamaflyer has said on the matter and as they say the proof of the pudding is in the eating. We will have to wait for track comparisons of both cars from someone who has driven/tested both cars to know for sure.

I do like what they have done to the Z but agree the price tag is pretty ridicules I also still don't understand how they can put out a car that is still almost 400lbs heavier then the RX with only 2 seats. This does not speak well to their engineering team. especially when the replacement for the RX is looking to be around 300lbs lighter if the rumors are to be believed. The trade mags are showing the 370 to be just about as heavy as the 350.

 

just go out and buy a `87 Dodge Omni and call it a day. it's the betterest car ever.

word.

yo.

 

^ lol

 

Where do you live Canada a $47k 370Z? In and around the midwest I see 370zs touring for $33k and the base are $27900 closely compared with R3s between $27500 - $32ks. So here they are evenly priced what might be the determining factor is which has had the best and most upgrades for the money. No doubt both are fine Sports Cars.

In a recent Track Test between the Zcar, BW i135, Rx-8 R3 and GM Soltaice coupe the RX-8 was only able to beat out the GM and only because of some design flaws the GM was faster and but didn't handled as well. The other two cars were superiorly designed again they priced the Z at $33k and BMW at $37k the R3 was $32k the GM $30k.

One of the design flaws I see in the RX-8 is with its smoother revolutions and 2 spark plugs and medocre 0-60 time why doens't it yeild better gas mileages?

If we examine the upgrades that each of these car offer which do you think is giving the buyers his money worth? A good feeling that was acheived back in 2004 or a totally new Change in how things are done.

I want the Rx-8 or 7 to make it does Mazda?

The 370Z is faster then the $59k Cayman, it is not as fast as the new 325hp $65-$70k Cayman S. But thats good company.

 

^LOL, maybe that was the problem, they had the window sticker calc'd in Canadian $. Sadly, I'm NOWHERE near Canada, I should have taken a picture for the comedic value

 

Honestly I think the 370Z will handle better than the RX8. Partly because Nissan injected a bit of RX8 DNA into the new Z

They swapped out the McPherson struts up front for a short-long arm suspension (same suspension type found on the RX8)
They've made it smaller and it weighs less (key points when you bring up an RX8 comparing it to other sports cars)

That, combined with the extra power should post much higher exit speeds than the RX8. I haven't driven the 370Z so I can't say which is more fun, but I have seen one from about 20 feet away and honestly...not that impressed. It does its job of making the 350Z look obsolete but its not a very awesome looking car somehow. Especially with the sport package rims. Epic fail.