A&Q about 350Z
Q:
I wish that the nissan 350Z chief engineer would also go to our forum and have a question and answer.
David C. Hill, performance cars vehicle line executive and Corvette chief engineer, has agreed to answer questions posed by Corvetteforum members as his schedule permits.
Do you guys think Nissan will do that?
A:
If that happened, I bet questions 1-100 would have to do with tire feathering....
Post Edited (Jun 12, 12:36pm)
A:
I think that people should buy what they want, and I wanted a Japanese car this time around.
But being an American, it's awesome to see how much better American cars have gotten in the past seven years or so. At the same time, the quality of both European and Japanese cars has slipped. Too bad about that, but at least the American cars have gotten competitive and worthy of purchase.
I would love to own a Corvette someday.
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guns and guitars, bikinis and fast cars - slide behind the wheel and GO!!
A:
so is that why gm is goin down and japanese companies r doing better in america? people know american made cars are crap, thats why everyone is buying japanese.
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American cars are getting better and Japanese are slipping? What planet are you living on. GM and Ford stock is considered JUNK. Gm is laying off 25K. Go car for car, segment by segment and 9 times out of 10 a foreign car will win.
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Corvetteforum: Do you and members of your Corvette design and engineering team monitor posts made by Corvette owners and enthusiasts at Corvetteforum.com? Do you and your team members participate on the Forum?
David Hill: Surely, the C5 was the Corvette which benefited from how quickly good news travels on the internet. Today, our folks eavesdrop on a lot of Corvette chatter on the web. We learn from the customer experiences shared, and that helps us be more responsive. I couldn't say if our folks post on the forum.
A:
Jimbo, you're close. GM BOND ratings are junk. The stock is actually doing ok, and has bumped a bit since the announcement to trim the fat. Currently trading around $34, it was trading at $27 back in early May. A year go it was trading around $49.
Actually, GM's situation isn't as dire as some would have you believe. Most companies use planned bankruptcies as part of a strategy to relieve themselves of certain types of debt. In this case, it's GM's bloated retirement plan that was forced upon them by the unions.
Taking the wayback machine out for a romp with our friend NSANY shows they are trading at about the a 1-year low, with a tremendous volatility during the last year. Never a good thing and the market is punishing Nissan for it.
As for the Vette forum, one of my buddies who bought a C5 after dumping his 350Z says he appreciates the overall civility of the Vette forums as compared to here. People with different model Corvettes spend very little time making fun of their vette brothers and sisters, unlike the childish rants that go on here by the various Zxx factions.
Oh yeah, and he's got a much faster car too.
A:
Digital and azjimbo,
What DECADE are you two living in? Look at J.D. Power's list of initial quality this year. Nissan has nearly gotten to the bottom, while Pontiac is close to the top.
Since about 1998, European cars have gotten notorious for their electrical problems. Ask any techie about that- it's not how it used to be. They're worse than the old M.G.'s.
Honda, once the gold standard of reliability in the 80s and 90s, has hit a slump with their RSX and TSX models. I have a friend who works in the Acura repair shop at a dealer and he says that they get busier every year. Another buddy of mine, a Lexus/Toyota enthusiast, works on those cars from time to time and he says they are getting just as plastic-y as 90s American cars.
And let's not even talk about Nissan's quality these days.....
The bottom line is that Honda, Toyota, BMW and the like have released sub-par cars because they don't feel the need to compete like they used to. Meanwhile, American companies have been overhauling their workforce and moderizing their plants the way the Japs did in the 70s, using Just-In-Time shipping techniques to be more efficient and competitive. The Americans have fought so hard against the Japs for decades and they've NEARLY caught up.
Wake up, it's 2005.
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guns and guitars, bikinis and fast cars - slide behind the wheel and GO!!
A:
I think the average Corvette owner is a bit older than the 350Z owner. Maybe that is why they are a bit more civil. I am actually thinking about
trading the 350Z in and buying a Z06.
I have posted somewhere that GM should take this opportunity to file Chapter 11, dump their union health and retirement problems and move to the South, Southeast or Southwest. They will find a very motivated and grateful workforce and better weather.
A:
I found out that the Employee discount program from GM doesn't apply to the Corvette. That would've been nice! I think the promotion runs through July 10th.
A:
thastankanator wrote:
Look at J.D. Power's list of initial quality this year. Nissan has nearly gotten to the bottom, while Pontiac is close to the top.
Yea, but isn't the 350z near the top of that list too?
Shows you how reliable that list is.....
Nissan should think about talking to its buyers instead of failing to admit problems sometimes IMHO.
Mario
1976 280Z - Dad's Z (turbo swap?)
1978 280Z - Stock Rebuild | 5 Speed | Twice Pipes | Gutted
1982 280ZX - Turbo | MSnS-E | 5 Speed | Large NPR IC
BROKE: Will build computers, webpages, networks, MS units, troubleshoot computers for money
A:
Mario,
That very well could be. It's so hard to know these days. Reliability seems more a function of the model than the make as in the old days.
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guns and guitars, bikinis and fast cars - slide behind the wheel and GO!!
A:
bigpapapump wrote:
> The main reason is cause young canadian punks like Digital
> can't afford vettes or there insurance.
I'm sorry, what does being "canadian" have anything to do with anything?
Also, do you realize in Canada we don't discriminate by age, gender, or vehicle capabilities when insuring? We insure based on driving record and the cost of the vehicle to fix, which puts the vette's insurance LOWER(possibly the same with the new one) than my '93 300zx.
A:
thas because the corvette forums r filled with old retired white folks that have no life. hey, i just described ven.
A:
Corvette has released pricing for the Z06.
Base price is $65,800, including destination and freight charges.
A:
lol. Come on dude I'm not that bad. Actually my wife is half Indian, so I guess we are related.
Dave
2004 Pikes Peak Roadster
Chromed stock 17" rims
A:
A:
good move, u found someone that will make ure trailer park trash ass look a little better.
A:
65k is too much! i guess guys in their mid 40s to early 50s will be buying this car.
A:
oh man...digital and bigpapa...you guys ought to start a comedy forum !!!
'06 Silver Alloy 350Z Touring
A:
Too much? How do you figure?
Thats a damned good price for something that will have 500HP, will do 60 in less than 4 seconds, do the 1/4 is less than 12, and have a top speed of 190+mph. You think $65K is too much for that???
And don't give me that $65K is too much for a chevy crap. For a car that performs like that, that is a bargain.
A:
65 for a chevy ? haaaaaaaahhahahaha, gm is crap. if u gonna spend that much, get some class like an nsx boiii. mind u, that would be a used nsx. but at least it wont be trashy like a chevyyyyyyy.
A:
Damn digital, you are so obnoxious. That Z06 is gonna hang with Ferrari's and Lambo's. Your smoking crack, or more likely Pole.
Dave
2004 Pikes Peak Roadster
Chromed stock 17" rims
A:
k im on crack? u r comparing a chevy to a ferrari and lambo. damn your a fu-cked up redneck.
A:
> Too much? How do you figure?
Thats a damned good price for something that will have 500HP, will do 60 in less than 4 seconds, do the 1/4 is less than 12, and have a top speed of 190+mph. You think $65K is too much for that???
It is a great price for the performance, but it is still too much for a Chevrolet. If i had 65k to spare, sure i'll get it.
A:
oh man, look at that list. they had to add at least one domestic pos or else american hicks like you would get upset. cant u see that? moron.
A:
Just saw one driving to the restaurant i was eating. It was yellow. It is sweet!! The guy put some nice rims on it. Looked like Rays too! I briefly asked how much he paid for it. He said $54k drive out! I really like the headlights!
p.s: not the Z06 of course, wanted to clarify this.
Post Edited (Jun 18, 8:10pm)
A:
For some people,
Z06 could be best bang for the buck if speed is concerned,
but
F430 could be best bang for the buck if car is concerned.
I think Evo VIII is best bang for the buck if speed is concerned.