Those of you who have spent big $$ on mods

Good choice.

Agreed S1 Elises are a bit girly but the cheap buy price is a big plus, plenty left over for the must have VTEC conversion . Love a high revving VTEC unit and in a car like the Elise it's perfect. Only sold my Type R because I got bored of FWD.

A fav vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqD9B027ZGA

Taking on a GT3 with Club Spec mods by the looks of it. Transforms the car once the asthmatic rover engine is gone and dusted. Granted the VVTI unit in the S2 is an improvement but it's no K20.

S2 supercharged K20 conversion munching GTRs at Phillip Island: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mF5E_mxqSs8

As true as this might be, it's dated well unlike other cars of the era. Things like R32,33 Skylines, GC8 rexies which were our cars were commonly compared to, all just look like boxes now. The low wedge shape of a Z32 isn't around anymore thanks to pedestrian safety rules and I like the fact I can sit in front of my car and I'm still looking down at the bonnet. Nothing Nissan make will ever have that again.

For the record I didn't particularly like the Z32 when I first bought it. Didn't like it at all when I was a kid. Just wanted a targa car, keep for 3 years and upgrade. Thought about selling maybe 2-3 times but every single time couldn't do it. Now I'm glad I didn't, it's different.

Shameless plug

 

Ill remind myself to say that to any potential wife... Which will probably destroy all potential in me having a wife, but somehow i dont seem to mind that as long as i have my zed (said 22yo single me)

 

After going through three Z's, two lemons, I still look at my sexy 2+0 seater in all her glory, I love and appreciate her for what she is. I've always wanted one, and after alot of time and expense I've found a keeper, which I've spent another small fortune on.

 

Just get a newer Z !

http://www.carsales.com.au/private/...4294776694 1216&num=15&silo=Stock&sort=~Price

Or this, only 13k on the clock, probably get it for under $40k, lady owner so its already broken in for you.

http://www.carsales.com.au/private/...4294776694 1216&num=15&silo=Stock&sort=~Price

Its half the price of the more exotic stuff you mentioned (as will be the maintenance and insurance), when you get bored you can put wheels on it, go shopping at Stillen for suspension, exhaust etc, or lash out and get a supercharger. Its respectable, reliable and in its stock form a formidable drivers car that the arse wont fall out of the price when you want to sell it. When you are ready to sell it, pull all the mods off, slap back on the stock parts and get $30k in your sleep for it, sell the parts for 60-70% what you paid for them and buy a Z400 or an older R35 by then.

Heaps of fun, reasonable upkeep, that is practical, with options to fiddle yourself playing tuner in the garage, that wont cost silly money.

Go to a dealer and test drive a new one.

 

I'm really not a fan of the Z34, they just don't feel... special. I'd prefer to keep my zed over a 350 or 370.

 

Have you driven a 370Z ?

 

No, but been in BlueZ's on the track and street.

 

Yeah you'd have to get them not from BMW directly though as most blokes I've talked to have the dealerships locked down to supply locals only, once apon a time you could just order it from whatever country you want (like I did for my old man straight from Germany) but they stopped that cause local dealerships / distributors were having a huge tanty.

Ok if you find a place that does though. They do risk losing their license if they get caught out.

 

exactly!

Exactly what I've experienced. I spent $45k and hundreds of hours on mine over 5 years, not really as much as some have spent on the forum, but enough,. I sold it in a fit of rage after having clutch problems with the one in the shed, and then the clutch slipping on sparkles
I traded sparkles on a 350z and have regretted it ever since. I don't regret owning the 350, it's just that I should have kept sparkles and put her in the shed. The 350 is no where near as much fun to drive, and to me is just a daily drive

 

Why compare a $5k car to cars that cost 50k+?

The point is that you can buy a Z, then spend money on it slowly, and after severaly years have a car you've "put" another 20-40k into.

That doesnt mean (regarding the average Z owner) that you ever HAD the 25-45K at one time, and were able to spend it on a 25-45K car but instead chose a Z, it means you had 5-10k or whatever the purchase price is, and spent alot of money on it OVER TIME.

There is no comparison here, because I gaurantee 99% of us bought a Z because it was the best car we could afford, then over time spend a stupid amount of money on it and now go "oh gee if only I had that 40k all at once I could buy a used M3/911".

Noone had the 40-50k and then said "hey I want a sports car, I'll spend 5-10k on a 300zx then slowly spend the rest on it over time". If they had that money, they would have bought one of the cars you are considering now. If your financial circumstances have changed to the point where you can afford an outlay 10x greater than the average Zs initial outlay, then get a better car.

Z32s are awesome because the average bloke can own one, work on it, spend money on it, and be proud of it.

And for the record, I have infinitely more respect for the guy sitting at the lights who has an old jap sports car he bought for 5-10k, spent money and time on it and now has a nice, fast old sportscar that hes put blood and sweat into over the kid who bought a new XR6/8, SS or whatever on finance for 40-50k. It's not impressive having spent more money and having a nice car off the showroom floor, it's like saying "check out how hot my high class 10/10 hooker/escort date is" well yeah she's hot but you just paid $1000 to have a hot mrs for one night, I'm more impressed by that average dude who has a 8/10 mrs that he actually pulled legitimately.

What I'm trying to say is, if you have a Z32 or similar vintage (read: enthusiast car) that you have spent all up 20K on and slaved for hours over, that is so much more meritable than just having a few year old 50k Audi s5 thats most likely stock. All the Audi tells me is that you have 50grand to spend on a car. The Z32 tells me that you have good taste, and really love cars enough to spend money on a classic that you wont get back.


Nor am I impressed by the guy who spent 30k on an elise and has a faster, better handling, flashier car completely stock. It's the love that goes into these cars that makes them special, anyone can have a nice new m3 or porsche... only people who put in the time will have a nice Z32. (and no, people don't spend 15-20k on a "finished" Z32, unless they are already one of these people who appreciates it/has done the yards before")

These cars arent about "logic" or "value", words like 'depreciation' are so irrelevant. They are about LOVE people. A child is not an appreciating asset, it's a money sink but you are rewarded with LOVE for your efforts, and you do it for LOVE.

 

Yes, at the time the Zed was pretty much the best I could afford at the time. My circumstances have changed quite a bit since then and I can now afford something nicer.

I don't really give a damn about 'respect' of other people I don't know. I don't have the spare time now like I used to. I'm home 2 days a week, rest of the time I'm out west. Something that just works sounds excellent, especially if it's faster/more reliable/better looking than a zed.

 

Zeds are stupid - Buy my crap :rofl:

 

On my second Z and countless dollars and hours into them both.

Whilst they have been on and off the road. No regrets and Ive loved every minute Ive had with them.

If some young spark pours more time and money than they have available into a car expecting it to deliver first time, and it doesnt, then the drive quickly wears out.

Having an enthusiast car to work on is a choice, not a feeling or temporary emotion.

 

So have you made a decision what your getting next? On the hunt for an exige or open to options? Must say I'm a tad jealous!

 

And not

bent, like the rear quarter on your car.

"Something that just works sounds excellent, especially if it's faster/more reliable/better looking than a zed."[/QUOTE] good luck with that.

 

No, many many options to try out before committing. I will give it 6 months or so, there is a chance I will relocate out to Chinchilla for work and there is no point having a sports car out here. If I move out here I'll wait till I'm back in civilization before getting one There is also a better than average chance I might end up working at head office in the UK, lots of cheap awesome cars over there that I could bring back

good luck with that.[/QUOTE]

Haha, yeah the big dent sure looks good

 

Did you ever own a 300ZX that was reliable ?

Maybe you have been unlucky and just a lil burnt on 300ZX's.

 

Nah, they weren't excessively unreliable, nothing out of the ordinary. The old NA was probably the worst actually. Left me on the side of the road a couple of times. VH and TT were both reasonable.

 

yeah UK could be on the cards for me down the track too, TVR t350 or sagaris are definitely on the radar. Or maybe just a cheap aston, ah choices.