2009 Nissan 370Z Touring: Cement Truck Hell

...and this is where the everyday drivability and sportiness advantage of the (now retired) BMW 135i would shine.

Aw shucks....man up, already!!

Just kidding - tire noise gets on my nerves too. In fact I really like Hondas, but their reputation for tire noise (along with having experienced it firsthand) would probably keep me from buying one.

Thanks for posting that. This is the main reason I'm on the fence about buying a 370z. I find I can live with stiff suspensions, but not drone on the highway, whether due to exhaust/engine noise or tire noise.

Apparently the Evo X GSR also drones on the highway (exhaust/engine noise), as does the STI (tire noise).

IMO, an otherwise fantastic car can really lose its appeal if its gift to you after a scenic highway cruise is a headache and ringing ears.

Thankfully there are a number of other solid cars in the $28-38k range: 135i, Camaro, Mustang GT, RX8, WRX, G37, Genesis, etc.

Fundango, I have a '09 WRX. Tire/road noise is excessive in that car too. It is better than the noise in my '06 WRX, but it's still too high for my liking.

I think car companies need to go to taller tires. One of the things I find intriguing about the BMW vision concept is the tall tires. Sports cars are great, but when you have a long drive quiet takes precedent.

This is a great car and minor noise is certainly negated by the sheer fun of driving it.

Page Mill? I used to live right next to that! I swear, that's the road I fell in love with cars on as a teenager. It's really a wicked road. There's one corner in there that's an off camber descending left that really throws you. That's one of the few public roads where you can make yourself feel nauseous when you're only driving at 5/10ths or so. haha and Skyline is the first road I broke 100 on in a MS3 (closed course, professional driver, obviously).

If you're going up this weekend, try and go to the intersection of skyline and route 84 on sunday morning and early afternoon. There are armies of sportbikers there every weekend, and the porsche owner's club and the lamborghini owner's club has meets there about once a month on sundays, so it can really be a sight. That's where I spotted my first 911 GT2 and murcielago LP640.

Finally, one more recommendation: take 1 down through Half Moon Bay and stop at Barbara's Fish Trap! It's the best fish and chips in a 100 mile radius. Then keep going on 1 until you hit 84, and cut over east to 35. I have NEVER seen a cop on that section of 84, and it was recently paved. It has looong sweeping turns where you can hold about 80-90, and some big straights, and then it becomes pretty twisty when you get closer to 35. It's really a beautiful drive. That's also where the lambos and porsches go to show off, but they'll be going the opposite way as you. Then resume your normal drive when you hit skyline.

Wow, I really need to do that trip again. Have fun!

rsholland -- Thanks for the heads-up. I had read that the new 08+ WRXs were good highway cruisers because they were quiet (and bc of the softer/long-travel suspension). Guess that's something to keep my ear open for during the test drive. Hopefully it's not as bad as the 370z (which in this case deterred the tester from going on a road trip) or the STI, which a long term tester called unbearably loud.

fundango,

I'd look at the new Legacy 2.5 GT if you're looking for comfort and quiet, and with some fun tossed in as well. The engine in the L-GT, while almost the same as the WRX's, has a wider powerband. If you look at the torque numbers, you will see it has almost the same torque throughout the entire rev range. In fact, that engine in the L-GT was just awarded one of "Ward's Best Engines" for 2010 (see link below). It's a very nice car, plus it has a 6-speed tranny, whereas the WRX has a 5-speed tranny.

No, maybe not quite as "fun" a car as the WRX, but it's a whole lot nicer. Afterall, it's not called a "GT" for nothing. ;)

http://wardsauto.com/reports/2010/tenbest/efficiency__best_engines_091208/

And this thread became the subaru lesson 101...LOL
So much for the touring name....shoulda been track/enthusiast...

rsholland, thanks, I checked out the Legacy GT. My friend had bought one last year and I thought it looked great, but man, it's a bit ugly now. Looks like it got a nice bump in power and gained a classy interior, but Subaru kind of dropped the ball on the exterior styling IMO. Probably a good mid-size car, but I don't think I'm quite ready for that yet.

I'll take a look at the 370z tomorrow and see if the tire noise is as bad as everyone says. Will also look at a 2010 WRX hatch next weekend hopefully.

Why don't all of you wimps drive Buicks instead? This belly-aching over road noise is just pathetic. Here you have a brilliant sporting machine that comes in at a steal of a price and all you can talk about is that it makes noise. Well so what? Its a SPORTS CAR!!! Funny, I bet none of you guys would moan about road noise if you were driving a '69 Camaro SS or a '74 Lambo Countach. Why the double standard?

Sorry, but not buying the Buick wimps theory. The reality is that 2010 is upon us. Yes, Nissan had made a good-value vehicle, but why do they offer a upgraded sound system via their Nav and Sports touring package if you can't enjoy the damn upgrade? My wife purchased a 2009 370Z, and indeed I am impressed with it, but it mostly relegated to one of our garages and does duty around town. But I can assure you—due solely to the road noise—that when we take any trip beyond thirty miles we select another one of our vehicles to do so. Had Nissan placed as much engineering prowess on the acoustics as they did the handling then the 370Z could be another level better. But then harmonics, acoustics, and the like are not nearly as easy as people think, so Nissan's engineers' negated an important area in their quest for an entry-level sports car that they tout against the likes of the Porsche Cayman.

majin_ssj_eric, if you are a supposed sport cars enthusiast then why are not espousing the virtues and ownership the likes of the Caterham Super 7? Then your claims are valid. Now, your claims lack about as much substance as the propaganda "loud pipes save lives" in the Harley community.

P.S. The 1969 Camaro is not a sport car—it's a pony car. Big difference. Today, a 1974 Lamborghini Countach will spend more time on flatbed than roadbed.

Perhaps different tires for the 370z would help with the road noise issue. I am on the fence with this one -- I think Jordan is being picky on one hand, but I do get the point that we're in the 21st century and should be able to have it both ways with a vehicle that can be a spectacular sports car as well as a (relatively) comfortable cruiser.
I don't think the road noise would bother me enough that if I actually bought the car I wouldn't take it to a majestic road. I mean, I did BUY the damn car...

I guess if you really want to have it both ways, you have to pony up the extra few thousand for the Infiniti G37 coupe.

I don't know if I agree; but I admit I'm an odd bird. I drove a Prelude with 240/225 springs on adjustable shocks set at 75% stiffness for five years. I'd still be driving it too, if I had been able to fit the World's Largest Carseat through the door.

Alas, nothing gold can stay.

So in hindsight, does the 2010 mustang gt win the sports car comparo? With similar specs, a usable back seat, a decent trunk, and comfortable cruising, should the gt have won?