2008 Nissan 350Z Roadster

Ditto the long-in-the-tooth comments. My first experience with a 350Z comes at the end of the car's six-year run. The coupe is up for replacement first, so the roadster will be around for another year. The new Z car should have a more refined engine with more usable power. As Joe said, the car has decent power but is difficult to drive smoothly. It feels heavier than it is, something that's worsened by the convertible's less-than-perfect weight balance - both with the top up and down. While the ride is firm, I didn't find it uncomfortable on a trip across the state and back this weekend. I drove one way with the top down and windows up and was surprised at the minimal amount of buffeting, possibly thanks to the little glass deflector/partition behind the seats. On my trip home, I had the top up and noticed a lot of wind noise. So if the weather's nice enough, you might as well leave the top down and enjoy the convertible aspect of the car. The interior of the 350Z is very quirky: from the six cupholders that Jean mentioned, to the oddly shaped trunk. The seats have both inboard and outboard controls, and there is a pair of mail slots behind either seat that function as the glove box. It's unique all right, but not the kind of unique I'm looking for. David Gluckman, Web Producer