NA, TT pros & cons

[Gio]

I was going to pm a few people about this but thought it might be of interest to others so here goes (and without wanting to kick off any flames this is in the genuine spirit of enquiry ).

I've had a TT for years and it's just about perfect (as well as being faster than JC hehe). I know several peeps here have had both TT and NA so how would you compare the 2?

 

[Legrath]

As a comparison the NA.....

- Sounds better than TT
- Nimbler at lower speeds (lighter and lower gearing)
- Needs to be revved higher to make fast progress
- More ecomical average mpg, but can be less economical on long motorway journey (gearing again).
- Easier to drive close to the limit, which can make it more fun but lacks the powerfull straight line performance of the TT
- Feels slower than it actually is in comparison to a TT becuase you notice the torque difference the most
- Potentially more reliable
- No real (or at least finanicially viable) tuning potential
- Can struggle to compete on performance terms with cars on the road that the TT would'nt even have to think about, such as Modern Hothatches

 

[importfairlady]

kind of agree with everything written above, though as an NA owner i might be a tad biased... saying that i'm not sure about the performance side . my NA auto is leading the drag race challenge at the moment. if you attended sunday then you'd know my zed is basically standard yet i beat everything i raced appart from a very turbo'd s14, and an evo.. the 300 beat mr2 turbo, pug's, vdubs and i'm fairly stock. Andy isherwood drives a swb TT auto, got the fastest reaction time on the day and he even said my NA picks up quicker than his TT. both zeds are fine examples of what a cars should be! it does what its supposed to. Its how you drive them that matters

 

[Gio]

Hmmm... thanks guys, interesting. Might pick your brains at Silverstone. Legrath, having had one TT, why did you sell your NA and go back to TT? Any particular reason or just one of those things?

 

[JEZ 280ZX]

Hi,
I haven't owned a TT, but I used to have a Z31 Turbo and the mid range kick from a turbo engine takes some beating!
I find that my NA manual can sometimes feel slower than I expect and then I realise I've only been pressing the throttle half way...it seems to have a long travel...Once you get the accelerator pressed to the carpet in the higher rev ranges it does go well, especially in 3rd and fourth gears!...Makes a nice roar too!
My car seems to handle well on it's lowered suspension and I don't have to worry about dodgy hicas either!
I expect that there's many a TT Z32 driving around in safety boost, because there's something amiss in the engine bay!
I nearly bought an autoTT, but decided that a manual NA would suit my needs better.

 

[Legrath]

Hmmm... thanks guys, interesting. Might pick your brains at Silverstone. Legrath, having had one TT, why did you sell your NA and go back to TT? Any particular reason or just one of those things?

I (or we I should say) had my first TT and NA at same time, as the NA was my Wifes. My new TT is really replacing my old TT.

Saying that....while I really loved the NA I did miss the TT power, especially the effortless motorway acceleration which together with mid-range pull, is where you notice the difference most.

 

[Gio]

Ta. Thanks, all, for your comments. Think I need to blag a test drive from somewhere.

 

[Tony 260Z]

I really like my NA 2+2 but it's on probation as it isn't really a suitable station car (only two miles each way each day) and with school fees coming along in September I really ought to sell it and save the money. That's common sense speaking of course - heart says otherwise.

So, I'm holding on to it as it's great fun for the time being.

I've not had a TT so can't comment, but I can compare it to my 260Z in case you're interested...

Z32 NA Sounds fantastic above 4k, especially in 1st and 2nd. Very raspy. Nearly as good as Z at same revs which has a very nice straight-six roar.

Z32 NA more comfortable and a lot more refined than 260Z. A lot more.

Z32 NA handles better.

Z32 NA very nippy in 1st and 2nd, less so above that. Deceptively fast.

Quarter mile would be interesting. 260Z performance is down due to too-big carbs, and I reckon Z32 would do a faster quarter, but on a 0-60 sprint the 260Z would win I think.

I'd love a TT Z32 but was put off by its sheer complexity and the chances of something going wrong.

 

[SKiddell]

my NA auto is leading the drag race challenge

Due significantly to points gained on excellent reaction times, which is a human performance dynamic, not speed or ET which are performance related.

if you attended sunday then you'd know my zed is basically standard yet i beat everything i raced appart from a very turbo'd s14, and an evo.

so out of 5 or 6 runs you lost out in two of them thats 30 -40% of the time, plus there are 6 other cars in our league alone that are quicker, that you didnt race.

Please dont take this the wrong way but I dont think you can cite the drag challange in a performance discussion as the points are deliberately weighted away from performance dynamics such as ET etc, to allow the less modified cars to compete. Now if you were to refer to the hall of fame then thats a differant matter

 

[Gio]

I've not had a TT so can't comment, but I can compare it to my 260Z in case you're interested...

Aha! So where do you think your NA would have come on that fateful Elvington day? Would it have shaded your 260 or even the dreaded JC?

 

[importfairlady]

true skiddell,, i'm still on the campaign trail..... lol..... if you need a test drive then your more than welcome to give mine a run... no i don't take it as a dig just gets anoying the people look down on the z32 na's, like i say you might have a micra but its how you drive it that counts anyway.

 

[JEZ 280ZX]

Hi,
I gave my Z32 a blast home from work tonight and stuck to A and B roads.The overtaking power does seem particularly good for an NA and at one point I came up behind a BMW 3 series coupe and Porsche Cayenne, stuck behind a truck.As soon as the road straightened out I blasted past them all in 3rd gear.The Porsche later caught me up in traffic and he didn't seem too pleased that an old G reg car had overtaken him!
My NA does seem to pull well once the throttle is mashed!
On the subject of hot hatches...some of the latest ones do have 230+bhp and lighter weight, so they will give many a coupe a fright!

 

[Tony 260Z]

Gio,

I dunno - it would have been interesting. My 260 comes in with about 180 brake and 190 lb/ft, the Z32 I reckon about 230 brake and unknown lb/ft. So, more power, but a lot more weight.

I was really gunning the 260 that day and it would have beaten the Z32 to 60, but after that I wonder if the Z32 would have caught up. Over that distance - and being a manual - I reckon it might have. Just.

But then JC would have just put his foot down properly wouldn't he