zeeboost Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 I've been seeing a lot of posts around here about people buying new cars (350z, G35, Porsche, etc.). I've been thinking about it for a while now, anything from a C6, C5, Elise, G35, Yamaha R1, Heavy Z's Rx-7, '07 GT... Since I'm a tech at a Ford dealership, I can get a good deal on a new/used GT (even had a used 350z I almost bought). Any time I see something like this roll through the dealer, my gears start turning. It really gets me when I have to drive the customer's GTs - the easy driveability, functional a/c, and WARRANTY. BUT THEN, I TELL MYSELF, WELL THINK ABOUT WHAT THIS MUCH MONEY COULD DO TO ONE OF MY Z'S?? It really kills me to think what I could've bought by now, had I not been into Z's at all. I mean hell, I have 6 of them. I'm only planning on keeping 3, but still, 3 modified Z's built to run 12's or lower isn't exactly cheap. I think, instead of spending 10k on that yamaha R1, I could put that into my Lt1 and have a fully forged bottom end, kickass heads, and forced induction for my widebody. I can't get over that mental block! I force myself to continue driving cars without a/c, stiff suspension, poor emissions, leaks (both inside and out), etc. I'm trying to keep this rant-free, but I know I let a little slip out. So, do you guys have that same mental block? If so, how do you climb the wall? Mine is endless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cygnusx1 Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 Yeah tonight my neighbor came over and he is all Vette Vette Vette Vette V8 V8 V8 V8 and Linkenfelter this and Likenfenter that and forget the slow Z this and that.....I told him that with the money he would spend on a ZO6 or a Likenfelter, I could build a Z that would spank it to high heaven. L28, or V8 with that money it doesn't matter. I did agree with him though that there is value in turnkey, new, comfy, safe, with a warranty. BTW He has a 76 vette with 700hp on motor and 1000hp+ on juice.....and a 600HP 1998 Jeep Cherokee with NAWS that's in the mid 13's!! He sold his "NOS" Honda Hurricane...he is about 60 years old too. I drove the Vette and been in the Juiced Jeep. BOTH INSANE! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
280zwitha383 Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 Likenfelter? Is that the knockoff brand made by Warewolfs.... j/k Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2003z Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 for me, the 240z is just a toy. There is no way I could live with it for an every day driver. My C6 is super comfortable, plenty quick stock and looks great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cygnusx1 Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 Sorry I spelled Licknfelther wrong. LOL with all due respect, it's Lingenfelter...thanks google. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsommer Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 I agree with 2003z. Back in high school no a/c, smelly exhaust fumes etc was fine. Today a/c modern conviences such as PW/PDL/PS on and on are mandatory for me. On occasion I have to take one of the boys to the store with me or to the doc, no way that would fly in the Z, ever! My daily driver is an 03 Infiniti G35 sedan with 6speed. Sure used it cost close to $20K but I can hop in it and go to the store or drive cross country with out any issues. I have two Z's not near your 6 but still $$ to build and maintain. I think the "trick" is for a daily driver to keep you interested in a stock or near stock form. The Infiniti has 260hp/tq and the 6speed. Now I'm not going to tear a vette stoplight to stop light but it does keep the pesky Hondas away, and you can run off and leave those big tank SUV's with scoccer mom behind the wheel, talking on the cell phone, who is having a touch of road rage during "that week of the month". But seriously you have to take one approach to the Z car and stick with it. Either use it as a daily driver and build it as such or use it as a hobby and tinker with it here and there. Mine is a hobby. If you choose to daily drive it get all the parts together, max out your credit card if you must, and make the payments to the plastic instead of the dealership. Your choice. Either way you'll have your daily driver car in no time, after all it's just money, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cygnusx1 Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 I thought it was well, known that you can't use a HybridZ as a daily driver after the age of 20. (flame suit on). This thread is about going out to the dealer to fork over 20K 30K 40K for a new car when you could have forked a fraction of that money into the Z and got more performance per dollar. Here is my philosophy. This wasnt always my philosophy. It changed as I got older and will continue to change. If you really love cars, performance, driving, and tweaking, you get yourself a "hobby" car and get off on it. Go get yourself a reliable, low-maintenance vehicle, that you can use in foul weather, and as a "family-car". Always keep the "hobby" car several steps higher in performance than your daily car. When I go from my 100K mile WRX daily driver into the "hobby Z" it's like going from an SUV to a F1 car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mario_82_ZXT Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 I thought it was well, known that you can't use a HybridZ as a daily driver after the age of 20. (flame suit on). Are you saying I only have months left? Damn! I'm 19 and have owned 4 Zs (well one was a parts car) in the short amount of time I've been driving. 1 was an 83 ZX that I fixed up a little, maintained, and sold for more then I bought it after about a year. This was when I had my 82 ZXT with FMIC, MSnS-E, BOV, etc, and that was my daily driver. Now I'm in college and DD my 78 Z. With my insanely low suspension, loud exhaust, no amenities (like radio, AC, etc), it is purely a drivers car. I really hope I don't get sick of it... I doubt I've broken $10k with all the small repairs money I've thrown in them. At least I hope not Mario Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete280z Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 I hear you. My daily driver is a Titan. Sure, I'm making payments but it's very reliable and comes in handy for moving parts around and towing the Zs. I am not tempted to modify it in any way other than things to add utility (carry bikes, dogs, etc). My Zs can stay in the garage on stands while I "play" with them. Sure, it's taking me much longer to get the Z where I want it, but the trade off is good. And when I drive a Z after spending all week in the truck... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbob_racing Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 I'm buying a new Honda Fit to be my daily driver, sticker price $15,170. It'll replace my F-150 and when I ran the numbers compaing the two I found that the Fit would almost pay for itself monthly in with the increased gas mileage and the lack of minor/major repairs I've made to the Ford habitually since I bought it. The bonus is that now I won't be working on repairing a daily driver all the time and I'll be able to actually spend time working on my Z instead. I'm also going to sell my Civic after I pick up the Fit and roll that cash back into my Z so I'll be down to a total of two road worthy cars and the funds to keep the Datsun project moving. So buying a new car does work out in favor of my Z. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeeboost Posted February 22, 2007 Author Share Posted February 22, 2007 Yeah, no a/c used to not bother me, but after driving so many of them with functional cold air, no funny vibrations above 75mph, and a nice, factory cd/mp3 player (less worry about theft), I wonder why I still drive the Zs. 2003z - Your sig works me up every time I see that C6 next to the Z...YOU'RE NOT HELPING! jimbob - I forgot to mention, I drove an Acura RSX-S with 50k miles not too long ago, and that thing was a blast. I had trouble not doing 80mph when driving on the interstate, and the gas mileage was great. Best part was I could buy it for $13k - I'm starting to really regret that one. Here's today's temptations: '03 Cobra, 16,000 miles, could buy it for low 20K area & get an extended warranty. I really don't care for convertibles, but it's hard to say no to that Eaton. She ran pretty strong I didn't snap a pic of it, but we also received a silver '01 Z06, 29,000 miles, could also buy for low 20K area with an extended warranty I think most of these problems would be solved if I didn't work at a dealership Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X64v Posted February 23, 2007 Share Posted February 23, 2007 Now I'm in college and DD my 78 Z. With my insanely low suspension, loud exhaust, no amenities (like radio, AC, etc), it is purely a drivers car. I really hope I don't get sick of it... I'm right in the same boat with ya. 18, daily driving my '73, low, loud, and hot (love music though, had to have the stereo). But I love driving it, and bitch and moan when I have to drive my parents' ford focus. I'll be down there at u of a fall semester, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted February 23, 2007 Share Posted February 23, 2007 For me the purpose of the Z is to have something with which to tinker and to get creative. Bang-for-the-buck it would make more sense to buy a late-model used G35, Corvette, M3, or even Z28 Camaro. Where the Z excels is (1) much easier to modify on a fundamental level (as opposed to bolt-ons), and (2) does not depreciate just sitting in my garage. But in hindsight it would have been better to have several Z's: one "stock enough" to be a nearly daily driver, one with minor mods suitable for recreational racing at the local track, and one that's truly wild (and therefore completely unreliable, tempermental and expensive). I have been justifying my Z hobby by sticking to bottom-dollar daily drivers, such as 20 year old Accords and Sentras. Perhaps the best compromise is a $10K-$20K daily driver that's in the category of being inexpensive enough to justify driving it hard, but still new enough to be reliable and nice enough for relaxed normal driving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2003z Posted February 24, 2007 Share Posted February 24, 2007 2003z - Your sig works me up every time I see that C6 next to the Z...YOU'RE NOT HELPING! Sorry man! It makes no financial sense to buy an expensive car, but it sure is fun. This will really get you going then, it's me and my buddies in the N. Ga. mountains yesterday. Cayman S and Vortech supercharged G35 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cygnusx1 Posted February 24, 2007 Share Posted February 24, 2007 When I see brand new $40k cars and $50K SUV's driving around, I look at the driver and think...I wonder if they realize how much money they just lost in that purchase. I can almost visualize money flying out of the windows....depreciation. What a shame, wasted cash; especially when they turn around and trade them in two, three years later....ouch! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2003z Posted February 24, 2007 Share Posted February 24, 2007 When I see brand new $40k cars and $50K SUV's driving around, I look at the driver and think...I wonder if they realize how much money they just lost in that purchase. I can almost visualize money flying out of the windows....depreciation. What a shame, wasted cash. yep! I know how much flies out the window, but I still can't help myself!!!! When I got married, it was an excuse to buy 2 new cars a year instead of just 1. I'm doing better now. I had the 350z on order for a year and a half and owned it for 3 years, and have had the C6 for one and a half now. It is listed for sale, but it won't sell at my price, and if it does, I plan on being carless for a while. I hardly ever get to drive it now, as I am so busy between the 2 jobs and the powdercoating business takes its spot in the garage, so mostly it sits outside in the weather. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patzky1 Posted February 24, 2007 Share Posted February 24, 2007 Damn, 2003Z, I wish I could do that! Hey, I was 24 and still daily driving my 280Z! Drove the 280 during college, but it quickly became VERY impractical for me to daily it after graduating because of gas mileage, no a/c, rust, etc. Very happy with my 2004 6sp Maxima. It's modern, not too slow, rust-free and safe. However, having a car payment does suck. Sometimes I think I should have just looked for a cherry (gasp) S30 2+2 or something along those lines that had working a/c and would be fairly reliable. On the plus side, I can see myself driving this car for a long time, especially since I still have my toy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
igerstein Posted February 24, 2007 Share Posted February 24, 2007 I'd think the tradeoff would be driving a 1990+ 300zx- you get the amenities, but deep down you still have a Z. I might end up having to do that, for safety. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperPickle Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 Wow. Now I know I'm poor... I've had my 77 280z since August of '06, after selling my 93 240sx coupe se for the funds. The day I left CA for TX, I sold my 86 accord lx-i hatchback because I could only drive one car. Realistically, it would have made MUCH more sense to keep the accord and never to have bought the 280z. I drove it as a DD in TX, drove it to Boston by way of VA, and still use it as a DD now. No A/C. No radio. 4-speed MT. Smaller-than-stock wheels. Wouldn't have it any other way EDIT: except maybe the wheels... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
violacleff Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 I daily drove two z's and the only thing that really got me was the exhaust smell. Once I tried to become the fasted z on the block is when I ran into reliability problems. I think if I had been a little more wise I would have put the money into an AC system and would've been happy. I think a nice v8 z with AC or a 200hp L with AC and a stereo would make a fine daily driver. I don't mind the stiff suspension. In fact I miss it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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