G37S sedan

History/Specs:

The G37S sedan is the newest luxury/sports sedan from Infiniti/Nissan. It has a 3.7 Litre V6, RWD, and a 7-speed automatic. The amenities are well ahead of most Japanese luxury cars. It has heated seats, 3 zone climate control(front left, front right, and rear), amazingly soft leather, and a million way adjustable seats. the most impressive part is that, there isn't excessive room all around, just enough where it matters. The ergonomics are stunning. The automatic has paddle shifters AND tiptronic, although the tiptronic is backwards from how it should be(push back is up, push forward is down). The shifting is slow, but comfortable. This is fine, since the engine is so torquey. The brakes are touchy, but strong. The bottom line, it's a beautiful armchair with a turbo button and rocket boosters.

My Opinion:

Having driven one of these plenty of times, i have found the throttle touchy. The car is either slowly coming to a stop, or has your head pinned to the seat. the brakes are the same way. They are either non-existent, or pulling the road with them because they're so jammed on. It takes some getting used to. The computers are a bit intrusive, but with the right timing and some talent, it'll behave. The only problem is that if you haven't driven the car in a while, and you need to get where you're going quickly, it feels like you have to beat the beast over the head and force it to do anything. It's a 5 year old brat. Which is pretty accurate seeing as to how it just came out. The best part of the G37S sedan, is that you can still feel it's roots under the computers and swathes of leather. Trace it back, from the G37, to the G35, to the 350Z, to the 300zx, all the way back to the 240z, that rebel of a sports car that warms my heart every time I see one. The thing is, if you turn your head and squint a little bit, you can still see the bulb head lights and slight cowl in the hood, the curves of the fenders. It's all still there, the fun and the style and everything good about the fairlady lineage. And most important about that family, is the soul that has been passed down through the years. And the G37S sedan has that soul. Drive one, and you'll see it.

300zx, My personal car.

History:

This is my 1990 300zx. It's an automatic, non-turbo model. The 300zx was originally produced in 1983(1984 US). Having driven one of the first ones, frankly, they were, when stock, wedge shaped $h!t boxes. Sloppy, kinda ugly, and almost no power beyond the seemingly endless turbo lag. The first Gen 300zx was more or less the same as the 280zx before it, just as all the previous Z-cars of Datsun/Nissan had been. It handled about the same as the original fairlady Z...only worse. The remedy? Nissan spent 7 years building the next generation of Z. In that time, they moved the car from a quick, low cost, sports car, to a full size, high tech, money pit, FAST AS BALLS semi-supercar. They also made a fairly cheaper, non-turbo model. The 300zx had such insane features as rear wheel steer(twin turbo only), corner specific wheel geometry, and a semi-rollcage hidden within the interior bits. The 5-speed TT could rocket up to about 160mph. The nonturbo is arguably more impressive in that it doesn't lose much of this performance, regardless of it's claimed loss of 80 HP. Either they lied, or nissan is better without turbos.

My Opinion:

Well, i've been driving this car almost every day since sophomore year of high school. Frankly, it's pretty bad. The automatic is comfortable, but a bit slow. and if they were worried with comfort, why put in race style bucket seats that bend your shoulders so far forward, your knuckles drag the ground. The back seats are too small, the trunk can't carry much more than the T-tops... that leak. In fact, for such a big car, there isn't much room at all. The wheels look goofy and it's actually ugly without some sort of spoiler on the back. It doesn't get very good gas mileage for a 3.0L. Everything is expensive. And yet... I love it. There's something there that outweighs all the problems. The car has a fiery passion that lurks in the shadows of the RPMs the majority of the time you drive it. But every once in a while, the beast that it is will rear it's beautiful head and pull you by the nuts to the edge of euphoria, carrying with it a wail that shatters all doubt to anyone within ear shot that the thing is alive, and it's angry. In retrospect, it's not a very good car for a high school student, but it's a very good dose of lead-foot disease to anyone that can afford the maintenance, which isn't that high as long as you don't touch the internals. In fact, don't even look at them. Remember, the car is angry. And fast? oh boy is it. i've had it up to about a buck forty (private road) and it felt like it wanted to keep going. But reason kicked in and i eased off. The car went and pouted until I opened the taps again about a week later. So one day, go out and drive one. Spend more than a week with one and you'll want to keep it forever.

Introductions.

Being my first blog and my first post, i suppose i should introduce myself. My name is Kellan, i'm 19 and a freshman at Clemson University (GO TIGERS!!!). My automotive background is entirely due to my dad. He has had me in the garage, working under the hood as long as i can remember. And thank the internet for my extensive "research" of everything with wheels and an engine. This blog will be primarily about cars, but i might stray into that whirlwind of death known as the motorcycle world. But none of that right now. For now, just read on, leave a comment, but most of all, be courteous to others. This blog is about opinions, and just because someone's are different, doesn't mean they're wrong. Put in your two cents, but remember that it isn't worth anymore than anyone else's.