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Subject What all the fuss is about: Supra VS 300zx analysis, phase I
     
Posted by flyboyzack on October 28, 2006 at 6:16 PM
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Message Phase I: Initial impressions and experiences.

Like I said before, I don't want to start a flame war, I am just comparing two of my favorite cars. It's almost like a dream come true!!! Just a little tid-bit of info...The Supra is almost stock (BPU upgrades), while the Z has a lengthy list of mods (see sig), so take that into consideration. Note these are my OPINIONS!!!!

Looks: Here are some pics of the two cars....


Overall, I like the looks of the Z better. I think it has much cleaner lines and the front end looks waaaay more aggressive, like a true sports car, while the Supras front end looks bland. I like the Supras tailights better. I tend to prefer the interior of the Supra over the Z, but only by a small margin. The materials overall seem to be of better quality in the Supra, and the dash makes a "cockpit" which is really cool IMO. It really seems to engulf the driver. The seating position is more aggressiver with the Supra. The armrests are a little awkward on the Supra. The seats in the Supra are very comfortable (I know I just did a 15 hour drive in them), but I like the Z's aftermarket seats a little better because they are memory foam and really "cradle" you in tight.

Reliability: Both cars are fairly reliable, although the Z seems to have more "quirks" associated with it. The engine bay of the Z is VERY cramped, even after removing a lot of stuff and installing an e-fan, while the Supra is MUCH less intimidating to turn wrenches on. The engine bay has a lot more space to get your hands in tight places, which is always a plus. Upgrading the Supra seems to be a lot easier, as with the Z to put new turbos on you have to pull the motor!!!

Power: Well the Z dominates in this category as I thought, because it is putting down around 500whp at 22PSI while the Supra is putting down 350-400whp at 14PSI (soon to be raised to 18PSI). The Supra has no lag (sequintial turbo setup), while the Z is laggier, but is very streetable. I don't like how the Supra has this transition period between the first and second turbo spooling up, it feels like it looses power for a second, and after the second turbo spools up, you're good. My buddy and I did a highway pull at around 40-120, and the Supra got ahead by a few car lengths at first, and once the Z's turbos got spooled up quickly caught up with the Supra. He also kept missing gears as well. I believe with the boost raised to 18PSI, the Supra will give the Z a run for it's money.

Braking: The Supra seems to stop quicker although the brakes are harder to push. The Z's brakes have a better "feel" but I think the Supra will stop quicker. Both have stock brakes, except the Z has SS lines and slotted stock diameter rotors.

Handling/overall driving experience: Man the Supra feels like a TANK compared to the Z. The Z is more nimble and feels lighter on it's feet and probably is lighter by a couple hundred pounds. Steering is a little tighter on the Z, although it has a small aftermarket steering wheel. The Supra leans more into hard cornering, although both cars have good grip in the corners. The Supra rides a lot more "cushy" while the Z you can feel every bump. The Supra rides more like a tourer, while the Z rides like an aggressive sports car. The Z has a little more road noise. The Supra feels much more comfortable for long trips, as the Z will probably beat the Supra in an autocross match. I like the way the Z sounds over the Supra, it seems to have a deeper tone and more aggressive sound to it. The Z sucks down more gas than the Supra.

Transmission: Supra wins, hands down. The extra gear is nice to keep the power where you want it. The Z has shorter throws (it has a short throw shifter), and I like where the shifter is located a little bit better on the Z. The Supra's 6sp is supposed to be able to handle more power than the Z's, which has a history of weak syncros.

Power potential: This can be debated, but the 2JZ-GTE motor seems to be stronger from the factory than the VG30ETT. The inline design is great for a large single turbo setup, in which a large single turbo is more efficient than two smaller turbos. There are more big power Supras out there than the Z's, and making power "seems" to be easier by the general opinion of the populace.

Tops: I like the targa top better, but it is a PITA to take off, while the Z's tops come off very quickly and easily.

Value: For what all you're getting the Z is a better value hands down. For the money, you just can't get the level or performance for the price by having the Supra. The Supras have a bigger demand, so resale value is probably better.

Take these results with a grain of salt and an open mind, as these are my first impressions and OPINIONS!!! Both are awesome cars with pros and cons of each one. Thoughts or comments are welcome!!!!

92 300zx TT: PE 1420's, built motor-422whp 93 oct 17psi, 465 whp 22psi with 93+meth
94 Supra TT: 6sp, Targa, BPU+ (Basically stock)~400whp 14 PSI (New toy)
04 Subaru STi: SZ65, FMIC, etc...420whp 93 oct+meth 22psi (SOLD)

     
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