Since there have been so many of these threads lately, thought I'd jump in. I own a 2002 Lexus IS 300 (8600 miles). I have fallen in love with the Nissan 350Z, though. Went to the dealership on I-10 today and started salivating when I saw the Track edition they have out on the floor. Anyway, I am reseaching the possibility of selling my car and buying a used 350Z - preferably an automatic Touring edition or a manual Touring/Track edition. My goal would be to not have to pay more than 2K more for the Z than what I sell my Lexus for, and to hopefully get better financing (I have excellent credit - currently a rate slightly above 5.0% over 4 years). So, a few questions: 1) Z lovers - do you own this car? What do you think of it? Is it's greatness all somethign I just made up in my head and it is really just an ok car? 2) Has anyone ever sold there car on their own? How did you go about doing it? Was the all-in (after any costs) a significantly better price than you would have gotten, say, at a CarMax. 3) Has anyone ever bought used from a private seller? Was this an okay process. 4) What do you guys think of my idea? Doable, or no? C'mon Z lovers, I know you're out there.
I dont have an answer to you questions, but I would suggest that you go with the manual transmission. You will take half the fun away if you go auto.
Probably, but I don't know how to drive a stick currently. I'm pretty good with cars, though. How long would it take to get comfortable - just a week or two? Such a beauty.
I just bought a 330 ci about 2 months ago. Previously, I had no clue how to drive stick. After about an hour of learning I was able to cruise around on the streets. But, to get fully comfortable only takes a couple weeks. Within a month, you will be a pro.
if you're good with cars as you say, then I doubt it'll take weeks like rezdawg says for you to get comfortable with it. It took me about a few hours of cruising to get fully adjusted from auto to stick. Remember, you need to drive in areas where lots of gear shifting is required. Driving in 5th gear for 100 miles on the freeway isn't going to help. You need lots of stop and go driving to get really adjusted. Just go driving in rush hour somewhere downtown That's how I did it. So what if you stall and people start honking.
My sister just bought a Z two weeks ago. I didn't even know she was looking at cars, but apparently she had wanted a 350Z for the better part of a year and finally decided to go for it. She traded in her Honda Accord for it and she is absolutely ecstatic with it. I can't really answer most of your questions, but I can tell you she thinks the car is fantastic. In fact, she and her husband keep getting into fights over who gets to drive it.
My getting fully comfortable with stick, I meant to the point where you arent even thinking about the clutch and changing gears. Only God can get fully adjusted driving stick within a couple hours.
My kinda woman(hope my wife doesn't read this ). I will eventually be trading in my Honda Accord for a 350. I have been driving a stick since I was 14. When you have a high performance car it is the only way to go and much more fun. Unless you drive a ton in rush hour then it can become tedious. I highly reccomend that once you feel you have the hang of it to make sure you practice on inclines and declines. Those can pose tough situations if you are not familiar with them.
Well, if anything, if I do end up getting this car, I have at least decided to go ahead and get a manual. I've always wanted to learn how to do it anyway, and now is as good a time as any. But the other question remain.
It might be hard to pull off getting one for only $2000 more than you sell the Lexus for. If you buy from a dealership, a 350z that cheap will probably have a lot more miles than your Lexus currently has. Private party is probably the way to go. You also avoid taxes.
Hey JayZ, I pre-ordered the Z last January, and have had the car for about 10 months now and I absolutely love it. I've thought about selling it a few times because it takes a lotta money for me (payments, insurance, gas etc), but everytime I take it for a spin, I can't think of any reason why I'd sell it. I have the 5-speed Auto Touring with everything, and it's a fun lil machine. My work is about 41 miles from home, thus the automatic, and it's such an enjoyable ride. The ride is great, rigid and very sports-like ... which it should be, considering it's a sports car You can feel every bump on the road, I LOVE IT. The engine roars beautifully, the seats are VERY comfy, esp on the drivers side, the interior is nice and futuristic, and everything is right where it should be, with the exception of a few things, but those are easily overlooked. Hmm ... that's about all I can think of ... if I can answer anything more, lemme know. But if you can, go for it ... it's a fun car!
An automatic Z is a sin!! My God, they're gonna laugh at you! I can't drive a stick either, so when I get my next car, it'll more than likely be a G35 sedan. I need something at least semi-practical. The Z's and G's are great cars for the buck. Good luck.
From reviews I'm reading, the only negatives on the car are: (i) poor rear view visibility, (ii) sound system is blah, and (iii) very stiff ride (hey, it's a sports car folks). What would your responses be to that - just curious?
Hey, DoD ... I really do get mad for not having a stick at times, but then when I'm stuck in traffic for 2 hrs trying to get home, I thank God I didn't make the mistake of getting a manual JayZ ... to answer ur questions: 1) Yeah, it's a little hard to see in the back, but nothing that you don't get used to in like 15 minutes. If you set your mirrors right, it's hardly noticeable. 2) Bose Stereo ... yeah, it's not as good as you'd expect a Bose system to be, but it's not THAT bad, I enjoy it very much just the way it is. I think if you're a hardcore music enthusiast, you'd see that the bass doesn't quite to this or that, but for the average listener, it's a great system. 3) Stiff ... ooooh yeah, and thats why I love it. As I was saying, you can feel every bump on the road, and the car handles beautifully. You always feel like you're in total control, due to the stiffness. Very sharp turns, very responsive.
Oh, well I guess by fully adjusted I meant that you're at the point where you're not worried about stalling or worried that you'd be stuck rolling backwards on a steep hill. I know lots of people who have driven sticks for months and still have trouble going up a hill. The worst situation is where there's a red light at the top of the hill. One time I was with my friend and we were going up a hill in his bmw. The light was red so we were stuck in the middle of the hill. After the light turns green he couldn't get the car to go. He was too slow with letting the clutch go so the car would roll back and stall. I had to switch with him and do it for him. I bet he was pretty embarassed. Oh yea, getting to the point where you're not even thinking about anything (which gear you're in, when you should shift etc.) takes a long time I guess.
Nice car, but I'd rather have the 350z. Better suspension setup, nicer looking, not as outdated. I think 2004 or 2005 is coming out with a new Mustang, and the concept pics I've seen of it are really cool.
I would buy the Z in a heartbeat if I was buying a new sports car. It has one of the world's greatest engines (the VQ series 3.5 6 cyl used in everything from Maximas to Pathfinders.) and with the track package, what I think is one of the best suspensions around. I drove one not long ago and I was amazed that for a normally aspirated car, it felt from the seatback to be just as fast or maybe even faster than the old lamented 300 ZX turbo. For the price, you can't beat it. Either it or its G35 stablemate are two of the finest GT cars on God's earth and you couldn't go wrong with either.
I got a Track edition. Black with custom leather seats inside. Very nice. I also went to a car store here in Dallas and installed a greddy turbo system on it. I will let you know what is does later this month.
