Guest bastaad525 Posted April 30, 2004 Share Posted April 30, 2004 Not saying I am/would, but... I've been giving this a lot of thought lately. Of course, every time some major problem comes up this thought occurs to me... Like a crazy woman that you love but that just keeps going off causing you problems, you always know that eventually, if she doesn't change her ways (and really, do they ever?) you may just have to let go and move on. But of course... we keep waiting and waiting, hoping that change will come... but always fantasizing about the girl next door So... I guess I wanted some suggestions... as to what would make a good 'girl next door' in this case? Should the time come that I can't support my Z habit any more, either financially, or without loss of my sanity (anyones guess as to which will come first... but they are both pretty damn close!), what would be a good car to move on to? I mean... if some perfect car popped up (getting to the criteria in a minute, though I'm sure most of you can guess what they be) and someone wanted to trade, or the price was right about what I value my Z at (varies from $3500-5000 depending on how she's behaving!)... I think I'd jump off in a heartbeat. So... I'm trying to think... what would be a good replacement? Well... I need something reliable... THAT much is for sure. I dont want another car that will need constant work and money. This is priority #1 I'd like something quick, but am certain I can't reasonably expect to get anything as quick as the Z is even now in it's mildly tuned state. I would at least hope it'd be something as quick as my Z was before with the 170rwhp N/A motor. Of course, being light helps as well... I dont want a rolling bank vault. I think more importantly I'd LOVE something that handled REALLY nice.... something I could push really hard going up a curvy mountain road w/o fear. A car with really good balance. The Z handles well with suspension upgrades... but that costs money. With just the eibach spring/tokico shock combo, it rides firm, but the body rolls a LOT... and other thigns... I mean you can tell the chassis is old. If I got something else, I'd really want something that handled well right out of the box with little or NO upgrades. I'd like something easy to work on, like the Z is (usually)... so I can keep repair costs to a minimum when things do need to be fixed. And if at all possible (which I highly doubt), I'd like it to be in a smog excempt package. This one I'll flex on if it comes in a package that is well known to stay clean and easy to smog, and can be easily upgraded for extra oomph with parts that will be smog legal. Oh, and lastly, I would PREFER not to get a honda/acura, but am not 100% against it. I can think of a few off the top of my head, which may meet some of the criteria, but none that meet most/all... maybe I'm expecting too much? Anyways, was just hoping to get some really good, thought out suggestions. I mean... if I ever did get rid of my Z... I know I would regret it either way... but at least if I didn't feel like I was trading DOWN... maybe I could get thru it and be okay? If you think you've got 'the perfect car' for me... I'm allllll ears (eyes) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted April 30, 2004 Share Posted April 30, 2004 De Ja Vu all over again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted April 30, 2004 Share Posted April 30, 2004 You gonna bail him out again Tim? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bastaad525 Posted April 30, 2004 Share Posted April 30, 2004 De Ja Vu all over again Yeah you got that right!!! You could say it's the same thing every time this car develops some MAJOR problem. Can you blame me for not wanting to keep dealing with them? If I lived somewhere where I could get under the car any time I wanted, and had the tools to handle the big stuff like this... I wouldn't think twice. But I don't, and so I have to pay other people to do it... It's paying other people to work on this car that has KEPT me from moving out of this apartment and into a place where I could get under my car any time I wanted!! A Catch-22. It's also kept me from taking a nice vacation with my wife, doing some much needed clothes shopping, upgrading my aging computer, etc..... Poke fun all you like, but I just cant keep this up forever. Trust me if I could rewind time I'd go back to before I did the turbo swap and have stuck with my N/A motor and be done with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted April 30, 2004 Share Posted April 30, 2004 Just drop in an LT1 and T56 and be done with it.....I know where you can get one....and installed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted April 30, 2004 Share Posted April 30, 2004 I don't think anyone is trying to make fun of you, but damn, I mean DAMN dude... You ever read the children's book Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day??? Maybe you should get rid of it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bastaad525 Posted April 30, 2004 Share Posted April 30, 2004 Anyways Its not like I go thru this EVERY time it has a problem. The only times I've actually ever taken THE step to selling the car (placing ads in the classifieds), were twice, once when the rings proved to be bad and the motor started smoking immediately after I had the head rebuilt, and the second time after the head gasket blew for no apparent reason whatsoever. Given the amount of things that have gone wrong, major and minor, I consider it more of a miracle that I have held on to the car as long as I have. This crank thing is a major problem. The kind that can and does make the car once again undrivable. So... I'm just considering my options. No decision, just ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bastaad525 Posted April 30, 2004 Share Posted April 30, 2004 Just drop in an LT1 and T56 and be done with it.....I know where you can get one....and installed eh? not sure I get you? Get one and installed? Where? And anyways bro I'm sitting here sweating a near $1000 bill on fixing a leaky tranny and replacing a clutch... I can barely afford to keep this car running, how the heck could I afford to swap in a whole nuther drivetrain now??? Tim, trust me... I respect your oppinion more than most, and if I COULD swap out this drivetrain trust me I would not hesitate... I'm just OUT of MONEY bro, plain and simple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gramercyjam Posted April 30, 2004 Share Posted April 30, 2004 Sell your car, don't buy another one. Move to downtown Chicago or New York where owning a car is an unecessary burden. Live in a hotel. Walk, take the cab, the train or the bus wherever you need to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bastaad525 Posted April 30, 2004 Share Posted April 30, 2004 Sell your car, don't buy another one. Move to downtown Chicago or New York where owning a car is an unecessary burden. Live in a hotel. Walk, take the cab, the train or the bus wherever you need to go. aw HELL NO! Seriously though... the mere act of driving a fun car is a superior source of stress relief for me (of course when the car breaks down so often, it's more often the source of the stress rather than the relief).... I'm not giving that up for busses and subways... and I've already lived in NY and didn't like it much.... if I'm moving anywhere it's out of this country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gramercyjam Posted April 30, 2004 Share Posted April 30, 2004 I'm just joking with you. But if you haven't ever tried it, you never know, you might like it more than you think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted April 30, 2004 Share Posted April 30, 2004 Just drop in an LT1 and T56 and be done with it.....I know where you can get one....and installed eh? not sure I get you? Get one and installed? Where? And anyways bro I'm sitting here sweating a near $1000 bill on fixing a leaky tranny and replacing a clutch... I can barely afford to keep this car running' date=' how the heck could I afford to swap in a whole nuther drivetrain now??? Tim, trust me... I respect your oppinion more than most, and if I COULD swap out this drivetrain trust me I would not hesitate... I'm just OUT of MONEY bro, plain and simple.[/quote'] http://hybridz.org/nuke/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=33497&highlight= Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bastaad525 Posted April 30, 2004 Share Posted April 30, 2004 ! !!!!! ALREADY??? And you're razzing ME about getting rid of my car???? You JUST got that thing together!!! At least I have TRIED to love mine and enjoy driving it as much possible and hold out still to the very last second before thinking of giving it up! ROFLMAO!!!! Well I dont know what else to say! Yeah of course I'd be interested and of course I'm positive that whatever you'd be asking for it is about 5x more than I could hope to afford so I'm sure it's a moot issue anyways. But humor me, how much are you thinking of selling it for..... Even if I could afford it... there's still the little matter of ohhhh getting it ALLLLL installed... SHHHYEAAAAAH, RIGHT!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bastaad525 Posted April 30, 2004 Share Posted April 30, 2004 I'm just joking with you. But if you haven't ever tried it, you never know, you might like it more than you think. yeah dont think I dont remember what life was like w/o a car... hell how many times has this Z been parked for a month or more??? And I do live in a major urban area where owning a car is NOT a strict necessity... didn't help. And guys, not that I mind the direction this topic is going... but I would still like some real suggestions for a good car to replace the Z as well... should that day ever come! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bastaad525 Posted April 30, 2004 Share Posted April 30, 2004 Tell you what Tim You want a "challenge"?? You say for you it's more about wrenching than driving.... okay well then trade me, your Z for mine Hell, I guarantee you you'd have no short supply of CHALLENGE and wrenching then!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wigenOut-S30 Posted April 30, 2004 Share Posted April 30, 2004 Dude not to be mean.. But I don’t think anyone would want to touch a cursed Z.. What evil villain did you make mad??? Seriously. If you are looking for a dependable car that is kinda quick and handles nice.. Try a 93 and up 240SX. make sure it is the DOHC motor. It is pretty easy to get them in the mid 15's and easy to do the suspension. And dare I say it.. SR SWAP.. Good luck man on what ever you do.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bastaad525 Posted April 30, 2004 Share Posted April 30, 2004 is it the Z that is cursed or is it me? Man dont say that or I wont be able to sell it if I DO try. heh I was looking at this 240sx in the parking lot of T.G.I. Fridays last night... man I like the look of the later model ones, both hatch and notchback. Dont think I'd fudge with another motor swap... but it is tempting Dont think my wife would let me anyways. I have thought of all the 'usual' cars, quite a few of which do match most of my criteria. 240sx's, CRX's, Toyota Corolla FX's or hatchbacks, celicas, Sentra's... but when I try to think of some that have all those good qualities plus are Z-easy-like to work on and dont have to be smogged, the only one I can think of is the 510. Unfortunately, you really dont see many of those for sale around here and it seems when I do they are always beaters or rustbuckets. Like I said... smog thing I can let go of... it's probably least important on my list... but I've owned a couple hondas, toyotas, and nissans... and none of them were what I'd consider 'easy to work on'. Thats the other reason I'd prefer and older car. Also... I may be a nut... but I am considering a 5.0 mustang as a replacement as well. So many people telling me how cheap they are to make fast and how reliable they are (why do I find this hard to believe??) that I'm starting fall for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xander Posted April 30, 2004 Share Posted April 30, 2004 Why don't you store it away for a while and buy yourself a small econobox. That's what I did. And when the times get better you can start with renewed (sp?) spirit. A bonus about this is that when you get back to your datsun you will love it to bits because the econobox is so bad. Having some money left over at the end of the month is a great stress relieve too. I hope it all turns out well in the end, Xander Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted April 30, 2004 Share Posted April 30, 2004 Bryan...you are farting against thunder here....what ever used cheap ass POS you end up buying is not going to free of defects, just new ones that you don't know about....Ever heard of "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush"? I'm not trying to convince you either way....I can certainly understand your frustration....really I do....but don't expect to buy something cheap and not have maintenence issues...... If you need help with the Z, let me know. I've extended the offer before....I'm not gonna nag you.... Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bastaad525 Posted April 30, 2004 Share Posted April 30, 2004 ROFL I ALLLLWAYS need help with the Z, you kidding?? I know Tim... I think that thought of just getting another cheap car with yet more problems is what swayed me from taking my $1000 and buying another car and deciding to dump it in the Z to fix this leaky tranny and get a new clutch. When I'm actually considering selling the car, I'm hoping it would get me enough to get something that WOULDN"T be plagued with problems. When you see this car we got my wife for only $2500... I mean it is NICE for what it is (a geo prizm... basically a rebadged corolla) and it's been relatively problem free... I can't help but think I'd be able to get something nice for the value of my Z. And you're nagging at all... quite the contrary!!!!! You've helped me so much I feel like I'm imposing, and with a problem like this crank thing I feel it's maybe too much to ask. And after what happened with your car I just really felt bad to ask you for help at all... hence why I haven't bugged ya about the Prelude seat install or bushing install, even though you told me to ask you again after MSA. I just dont' want to 'wear out my welcome' if you know what I mean, I know you have enough to do on your own car as it is. If you'd be willing to help with this crank issue of course I would gladly accept... I still wish there'd be something I could do for you in return... Well I just got the final bill for the tranny work. This was for removing the tranny, replacing the two seals at the end of the tranny and one internal seal which ended up being the one that was leaking really badly, and necessitated disassembly of the tranny housing, replacing the clutch and rear main seal, a new stock clutch, Daikin heavy duty pressure plate, throwout bearing, a replacement flywheel (mine had been resurfaced too many times)... and various odds and ends. Total came to just over $800... and now finally I HOPE I can at least have the peace of mind of having a Z that no longer leaks oil (well there is the differntial leaking a bit... )... all that oil from engine and trans would find it's way on to my exhaust and flood the car with fumes... now that should be finally over and done with I hope! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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