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HybridZ

am I gonna regret swapping for a more modern sports car?


thedarkie

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Nearly everyone I have ever talked too that used to own a Z and then sold it regrets getting rid of it.  Old cars definitely come with their own drawbacks, but the pros almost always outweigh the cons.  I feel that if you have been toying with the idea for over a year but have been unable to pull the trigger, then you will likely regret it if you sell it.  If you didnt enjoy the car to some degree you would have gotten rid of it at the first notion of doing so.  

 

That being said, everyone has their breaking point or needs.  If you really need the money or are just fed up with the car/not really into it, then maybe selling it is the best choice.  I do not know your situation there, so that is something you will have to decide.  

 

One other thing to consider is the type/condition of your Z.  If it is an early series 1 in great shape/all original, then I would personally do anything in my power to hang onto it.  If it is a later model 260-280Z with a lot of rust or something, then it isnt a prize collector and you could likely pick up another one down the road in the same/better condition if you decide you made a mistake getting rid of it.  Be prepared to have to spend more than you get for your current Z in order to require one down the road though.  Prices of all classic Z's are on the rise.  As the 240Zs go through the roof, the prices of the much more affordable variations (260/280Zs) will also rise because of folks who want to get into the S-30 chassis, but dont have the $ for the most desirable 240Zs.  

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Also it is of merit to look at what is the problem. If it is the smell of the exhaust or something of that nature there are sure fire ways to remove it. I know I hated my car when the inside was hot and I was getting dizzy from the fumes. Putting the exhaust out the side, sealing up the holes made a world of difference.

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Smell is part of it, but it's also a rudimentary car in every way.. no conveniences, and not something I would take my kid for a ride at any great distance (safety, smell). It's hot and loud and fast, which is awesome fun for me, but my 2 young kids are growing and I figured if I had something newer and bigger (m6 for example) we could use that car as a family weekend warrior. Taking the z out of the garage is almost a chore for me, so I don't use it to run errands and stuff like that. Also with the smell and noise, I don't take it any place 'nice' if that makes any sense :)

There are no problems with the car itself, it's very well sorted and I consider it a more or less complete project.

Edited by thedarkie
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I've got a 2011 Subaru STi. It is superior to the Z in almost every measurable way. It can haul a fair amount of junk, two kids fit comfortably in the back it's reliable, out handles the Z, is faster both in acceleration and top speed, it has air conditioning and zero fume issues.

 

Guess which car I'd rather drive? Guess which one the kids always want to be driven around in?

 

It may not be driven around much, but I look at the Z every day and wouldn't want to see the garage without it.

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I've got a 2011 Subaru STi. It is superior to the Z in almost every measurable way. It can haul a fair amount of junk, two kids fit comfortably in the back it's reliable, out handles the Z, is faster both in acceleration and top speed, it has air conditioning and zero fume issues.

 

Guess which car I'd rather drive? Guess which one the kids always want to be driven around in?

 

It may not be driven around much, but I look at the Z every day and wouldn't want to see the garage without it.

Yeah I hear you, I love seeing the Z when I open the garage.

 

With that said, I'm aiming for something a little more exotic than an STI, so I'm hoping that would ease the pain. Will I be as excited to see a V10 M6 in there? Or a 911 turbo or Aston Martin Vantage etc... Just some options.

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this is a very subjective question but in my case it was always yes.

 

perhaps my car history is not as exotic as you are looking to go but it is hard to replace the way a z drives and makes you feel.

My first car was a '78 280z then i had a '72 240z, then i had a '77 280z and I followed that with a '74 260z and i daily drove all of these ... (yes i may have a problem) at this point i decided that i wanted a newer car I bought a 94 300zxtt it was fast but didn't get excited about driving it like the s30s, needless to say i spent most of the time driving my 260z that i kept because i was bored with the 300 or it was nonoperational. I then sold both cars and got a 77 280z with a 3.1L stroker by rebello and it was by far the most exciting car  i've owned. since then i have been thru a few BMWs and a couple of hot hatches by Honda and nothing quite does it for me like the old S30.

 

On the other hand if you are looking for status recognition and a wow factor then a old Datsun will probably not do that for you. If you are looking for genuine compliments and people telling you about their stories when they owned one in high school then the old datsun is the way to go.

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I've walked the walk with this.  I have owned 18 early Z's over the years.  I got tired of the smell, noise, no a/c etc and moved on to a few Porsches and then newer BMW 3 series coupes and loved all of them!  My daily ride is a 3 series coupe with awd and a 6 spd auto.  Great for my daily commute, it handles awesome, huge brakes, plenty of power, comfortable to take on long trips with my wife.  It gets a bit of attention, but no where near what my Z gets.  I am finally back in a Z again this time with some creature comforts (81 zxt) and this time the mods will be mild, where I am more interested in GT cruising than taking the car to the track like "the good ole days"  It is more enjoyable to use this way.  If you are able, consider modifying your car to be more comfortable.  Life happens and our needs change.  I spent 20 years making my Z into a track beast, and then stopped enjoying the car for any other use than on a track.  Great fun when I was 20, but less so when my life changed direction and the track was no longer my focus and the car was too far modified to make it comfortable enough without spending huge amounts of money redoing the car.

 

Good luck!

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I think honestly I'm kind of in the same boat. I've done a lot that I want to do with the car. I'm doing cosmetics and going to work out some of the kinks, not sure if I'll have the means to hold onto it much longer into the future. 

 

I do appreciate the comforts a modern car brings, but I do enjoy the interactions the Z brings.

 

Will be interesting what you decide.

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Here's adding my voice to the chorus advocating for having BOTH cars: the S30Z, and a much newer model for general driving-duty.  With an older car, attaining a high level of performance almost invariably means sacrificing comfort, utility and the general niceties of care-free hopping into the vehicle, and just taking off.  This, I think, is a worthwhile trade, for building something truly personalized and invigorating to drive.  But especially as we get older, and come to rely on transportation for stodgy and utilitarian duties, the various compromises become less and less tenable.  We're forced to relent and to avail ourselves of something newer.  But why should that mean dispensing with the pride of decades' tinkering and achievement?

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Kind of why all my future plans with my Z involve refinements . Like my exhaust but needs to be quieter. Love my handling , but going back rubber suspension bits. Got comfy 350z leather seats( power heated),and don't care about weight- just get more HP. AC will be soon and EFI has made things better and not as smelly. Power steering is on the radar too.

Maybe time to move on for you. I'm still in love with the look of my Z and hard to find a car as good looking - period. 

BMW would probably first on the list or Porsche 911 if I moved on

 

 

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Your second post says in effect sell it. These sorts of decisions are very personal, there is some very good advice above which should help though. What sometimes works for me is using the imagination to try to feel like as if an actual decision had been made one way or the other.

Edited by 260DET
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doesnt sound like you wanna be bothered with it anymore. all datsuns are great cars and i think mostly they are fun cars when you drive them. but they are for sure for someone who is ok with the lack of modern conveniences and ok with needing to keep up with the maintenance of the occasional leak or rattle. you may have been that guy before (assuming so since you do own one now)but doesnt sound like you are now. which is completely ok. its so easy now to get something with good power and yet comfortable and warrantied. so i think its time for you to sell to someone who wants the fun headaches that come with a Z.  

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