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If I knew my wife was going to go from driving 20K a year to 10K, I'd have gone S4 or S5 instead of A4.
Just saw this post after coming back on the forum to get rid of some of my Infiniti parts! Pictured below after putting on a new set of wheels. Never been an Audi guy (came from a BMW F30 before the G) but happened to find this car private party with a long transferable warranty the previous owner had from Carmax so I pulled the trigger. Love the power but as with your A4, I think the best part (and largest upgrade from the G) is the ZF8.
FWIW I went from my G to an S5 Sportback and I love it and I'm 24! Of all the options you listed I would recommend the S5 Sportback mostly for the versatility (can easily fit anything from 4 wheels to an 8 foot plastic table), and for the looks. Although it's virtually identical to an S4 in most ways, to me it just looks so much more special. Also I love the wheels on the new B9.5 black optics package.
The S5 sport back in black is really sharp. I do definitely like the look of the black optic package on it (see below). I still struggle with giving up a manual transmission and the scrappy/grippy handling of my Type RA with front and rear locking differentials, razor sharp steering, and lighter weight. I know the S5 would be brand new, the fit and finish/materials would be a lot better, and there are a lot more features and tech- my favorite by far is the massaging seats. I don't know that I am going to do any more track days so the Audi is by far the more practical option for my daily 6 mile drive to work and if I ever get the need for more power this has to be one of the easiest cars to tune for huge gains.
Very insightful video. The car market is just so messed up right now in general and the new Z does some things right (3.0TT @ 400hp) but seems to be dropping the ball in others,, namely:
1. Weight
2. Lack of LSD in base form. Why would any sports car lack this with 400hp?
3. Pricing is inflated (massively due to dealer markups, not completely Nissans fault)
4. Soft suspension
I don't really understand where this car is supposed to fit in. I understand the Nismo model will fix some of these issues but who wants to pay that price? Its cutting out a large portion of the usually targeted Z audience.
Ever since the new Z came out, I've had this growing feeling that the Z is aspirational mostly for Nissan enthusiasts, as the parts-bin evolution of a familiar platform.
That doesn't mean it's the right car for today. Somewhere in that video one of the guys said the car already seems 5 years old. Ouch.
I don't understand how anyone expected anything different. When Nissan launched the car, it was clear it is riding on the same chassis with no real suspension or chassis improvements. No where in their marketing material did it say "use of lightweight materials, x% stiffer, and no announcement of adjustable suspension or any changes in suspension geometry".
It was expected the car would have more power, it would weigh more, and most likely drive very similar to the outgoing z34.
With that being said, I think the major miss is the base platform not having a LSD. At 40k, or even 50k if you fancy all of the options, the car is a great tuner platform. Not perfect in stock form but lots of areas where you can improve the car based on your driving needs.
I wonder if it was a weight decision rather than cost for the LSD. A viscous unit doesn't IMHO provide a lot of performance for the amount it weighs over an open diff - and they're much cheaper than a clutch type or torsen type diff.
I wonder if it was a weight decision rather than cost for the LSD. A viscous unit doesn't IMHO provide a lot of performance for the amount it weighs over an open diff - and they're much cheaper than a clutch type or torsen type diff.
I've often wondered how long VLSDs last before they quietly fail to become open diffs.
Is it just me or did that Everyday driver review sound like they were trying really hard to justify the purchase of their Toyota? They spent what felt like 10 straight minutes applauding the light weight of the Toyota and about 3 seconds mentioning the fact that the Z would blow the doors off the car because it is much more powerful. I am all for lightweight and I do wish the Z was lighter, but clearly the 700 lb. lighter car with upgraded lighter wheels and tires should be more fun in the corners. That is why Miatas are so fun to drive. I believe the Z has the same cheap Bridgestone tires that it has had for years. I even remember reading one review (Car & Driver?) that said the handling should be excellent with better tires.
I think it was Rochester who pointed out the one reviewer who threw some shade on the Z saying that it looked 5 years old. That is really funny to me for two reasons. One, the exact same reviewer goes on to say that the styling generates a ton of looks. So which is it, head turning or dated? Two, they are comparing it to a powder blue car on gold wheels. I know styling is subjective, but wow is that color combo awful. And this is coming from a guy with gold wheels on his car.
I know styling is subjective, but wow is that color combo awful. And this is coming from a guy with gold wheels on his car.
Oh absolutely the color scheme on their little Toyabaru is awful. Never would I ever.
Here's a blast from the past... Paul & Todd reviewed the G37 back in 2010, right about the time I found them online when I was looking at the G as my next car.
If you want one or the other, you'll likely be happy with your choice. I know in a power hungry market who's first thought is a tune and supporting mods I'm a minority, but I'd prefer the light weight and tossability of the GR86 over straight line speed. Far more opportunities in my life to enjoy handling than there is to do 0-60 and 0-70 runs.
