Nissan 370Z Forum - View Single Post - Story of how I got into a Z (with pics of my Z)

sambar · 08-29-2015, 12:46 AM

I drive an E92 BMW 328i coupe. I have been a BMW enthusiast for a few years now and it is my third BMW. I love how the cars drive and overall how they feel. But now of late I have started missing "something more". My car is a 2012 with not too many miles on it, so my quest for trading it in and getting something better started.

Requirements from the wife when I started out:
- Should be a four seater
- Should have an automatic transmission
- Should have minimum bells and whistles: Nav, backup camera, nice sound system
- Should have a decent trunk, so no convertible

My requirements:
- Should be fairly fast
- Should be small and handle great
- Should have great steering feel
- Should be fairly exclusive, shouldn't be every other car on the road
- Should be under 45K either new or 2012+ CPO with warranty for 3 years unless Japanese

Test drives - part one

M3:
Understandably, this started out with an assumption that a CPO E92 M3 would suit my requirements to a T. Maybe it did. I test drove an M3 but finding one that's not a convertible was getting difficult. A test drive of the M3 and I was instantly hooked.

But my wife wasn't convinced about going from an E92 328i to E92 M3, she said it looks and feels exactly the same (

). So we started test driving a few other cars:

550i and CLS550:
I test drove these on a whim. The CLS550 was a beautiful 2012 with just 20k miles on it, a steal at $45K CPO. It had all kinds of tech and an S-class-ish interior. Even had gadgets like self-parking and a dozen other things I don't even recall.

The thing is crazy fast with gobs of torque at any speed. At any RPM, just push down half throttle and you are passing everything. But unfortunately it feels soft and like a luxury car (which it is), didn't fulfill my need for small, tight handling.

The 550i was very similar minus the fancy gadgets. It feels a tad sportier than the CLS550, but still felt bigger going from my 328i.

I didn't feel like either of these was an upgrade going from my 328i. Nice cars, but I wasn't convinced.

M3
The next test drive was an M3 which I mentioned above. One drive and I was hooked! But the budget didn't fit. After spending a couple of weeks crunching numbers and trying to make it work, I just couldn't justify it. Especially considering how fast these depreciate after the CPO years are over. With a heavy heart, I moved on to look at other cars.

S4
I found a couple of Audi S4's at around $42K with the sports diff. Fast cars. Handle well but feel heavy (because they are). Luxury family sedans that go fast and can take a corner. But I didn't feel like the driving experience was enough of an upgrade from my 328i. Wasn't convinced.

Golf R
Impossible to get a test drive! These are going like crazy, flying off the dealerships at 5K over MSRP within hours of arriving at dealerships. And pre-booked too. I wasn't paying $45K for a Golf and buying one without a test drive!

Mustang GT
Next was the Mustang GT. Again crazy fast car, fair handling but feels like the heavy muscle car that it is. Not the small, tight, sporty feel I was looking for. Moved on.

F30 335i sedan
Having owned an F30 328i before, I was convinced this was going to be the best fit for me and went in to the test drive with a cheque-book ready to buy. But was surprised, it didn't feel like enough of an upgrade. The F30 is the new generation BMW 3 series, and it has the new electric steering that feels soft. The legendary BMW feel is gone. I didn't see myself giving up my 328i with traditional hydraulic steering in exchange for this and paying double the price of it.

At this point I was pretty confused. It has to fit under 45K, it has to feel raw and tight, has to have four seats, a trunk and a hatch. Didn't look like there was anything that fit the bill

. Quite sad, I test drove an E92 335i. It fit the bill technically, but the cost didn't justify the upgrade. With nothing changing from my current car except the engine, the upgrade didn't make sense.

I almost reconciled myself to the fact that there is nothing to upgrade to, then an idea struck me: Why not split it into two cars? Maybe I could tradein the 328i for an Accord, and use the rest of the money to get a roadster? I liked it!

Next step - I identified a couple of Civics and Accords, but after doing some math realized that the tradein would only save me a marginal amount of money compared to keeping my 328i as the regular car. The idea of keeping the 3 and getting a roadster in addition to it shaped up. Worked on the numbers, it all added up!

So instead of a $45K do-it-all car, my search for a $25K roadster started!

Test drives - part two.

135i and Z4 These were quickly ruled out because of the price factor and the CPO warranty situation. I have driven a few 135i's and Z4's in the past and I know their pros and cons. Since I am a BMW guy, I am quite familiar with these. The 135i has a lot of body roll even with the sports suspension and doesn't feel very different from my 3 series. The Z4 on the other hand is a favorite of mine, but it looked impossible to find one under $25K 2012+ CPO with low miles (I was only looking for one with a 35i engine, not a 28i engine).

370Z automatic
Next I drove a 370Z automatic and I wasn't impressed. I wasn't using the paddles (I hate manually shifting an automatic car), somehow it felt kinda slow. The handling felt great though. I was confused. Initially ruled out the Z.

BRZ
I went to a dealer to test drive a Subaru BRZ. As it turned out, it was a stick-shift and I haven't driven a stick in god-knows-how-many years. Since the test drive was already scheduled, I decided to go ahead with it anyway. Surprise! I LOVED it! I was hooked. It wasn't crazy fast after the first impressions, but it felt like driving a go-kart.

Now after the BRZ test drive my mind changed about stick-shifts. Since we are keeping our four-seat, automatic 328i anyway... why not let my weekend toy be a stick? I hadn't thought about this before.

Now one of my gearhead friends (he drives an STI) suggested that I should do another test drive in a 370Z, this time a stick. I did just that.

370Z stick
Just... WOW! What a beast! After the M3 that I test drove first, this is the only other car that truly pulled at my heart other than the M3. The Z with stick is a completely different beast. It was so much fun I requested extra distance on the test drive (with true intentions of buying). After I came home, for several days I couldn't think about anything other than the sensation of driving the Z. Strangely, the M3 and the Z left a similar impression in my mind, a unique sensation. No other car had that effect. What a raw experience. I felt that the rest are sporty cars, but these two are true sports cars.

Needless to say, I had to have a Z now.

WRX/STI
The same gearhead friend suggested I should test drive a WRX and an STI with stick before I made a decision. I didn't. Maybe he is right, maybe I should have test driven those cars too before deciding. But I didn't care, all I knew was I wanted a Z. The perfect design. Sports car feeling. Raw power and super-tight handling. Just perfect.

Anyway, I went to the Subaru dealer and half-heartedy asked for a test drive. They said something to the effect of "we will give you a test drive if you are seriously buying". I was like whatever, I knew my heart is set on the Z. If the STI is better, let it be. I wanted a Z now. I couldn't find a used STI, so I just walked out without unnecessarily putting miles on what's going to be some guy's new STI (side note: I made it a point that all other cars I test drove were pre-owned ones). If I really wanted a test drive I know how to get one, but my mind and heart were set on the Z.

I still don't know how the STI drives. I don't care. Maybe in the future when our family grows to the point where a 2-seat car is useless (we don't have kids yet), an STI will come into the picture. I don't know. For now I just wanted a Z.

Other cars I didn't consider based on irrational/prejudiced factors:
- Corvette (not the image I am looking for)
- CLA45 AMG (FWD based Mercedes for $45K? with a 4 cylinder? naah)
- Camaro (don't like the looks and they are so common)
- Miata - less power than my 328i, whats the point?

The search for a Z started
The Z I had test driven before was a base model. Based on past experience from owning a BMW without sports package and having buyers remorse (and spending $$ on upgrading suspension etc), I did a quick forum search and learned that a sports package is a must-have to be happy. I don't know if I will ever track my car but I know I wound't ever forgive myself for not getting the forged wheels, the big brakes, the LSD and the synchro rev. I wanted the tech package also, but the sports pack was more important.

I was finding it really difficult to find one near me with the sports package. I found only one piece listed like 70 miles away, at $36K!

Then finally found one - a 2012 Monterey Blue 370Z with sports package with 38K miles on it. That's a bit more mileage than I was looking for but I figured its OK. See, when your heart is set you start making compromises. But I didn't mind this compromise. It was listed at $22K and I thought that's a deal (even KBB listed $24K private party / $26K dealership, and carfax mentioned its worth $600 over blue book).

Went to the dealership and fell in love with it! I wasn't convinced about the Monterey Blue from the craigslist photos. I thought "toothpaste color" when I saw the photos but when I saw it in the flesh, I was floored.

A test drive, some negotiation, wrote a check and I took the baby home!

Now for a few pics.

2015-08-23 10.23.52 HDR.jpg

2015-08-23 10.24.03 HDR.jpg

2015-08-23 10.24.15.jpg

2015-08-18 19.02.15.jpg

Untitled.jpg

Untitled3.jpg

08-29-2015, 12:46 AM	#1 (permalink)
sambar Base Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Sunnyvale Posts: 56 Drives: 370Z-2012-6MT Rep Power: 9	Story of how I got into a Z (with pics of my Z) I drive an E92 BMW 328i coupe. I have been a BMW enthusiast for a few years now and it is my third BMW. I love how the cars drive and overall how they feel. But now of late I have started missing "something more". My car is a 2012 with not too many miles on it, so my quest for trading it in and getting something better started. Requirements from the wife when I started out: - Should be a four seater - Should have an automatic transmission - Should have minimum bells and whistles: Nav, backup camera, nice sound system - Should have a decent trunk, so no convertible My requirements: - Should be fairly fast - Should be small and handle great - Should have great steering feel - Should be fairly exclusive, shouldn't be every other car on the road - Should be under 45K either new or 2012+ CPO with warranty for 3 years unless Japanese Test drives - part one M3: Understandably, this started out with an assumption that a CPO E92 M3 would suit my requirements to a T. Maybe it did. I test drove an M3 but finding one that's not a convertible was getting difficult. A test drive of the M3 and I was instantly hooked. But my wife wasn't convinced about going from an E92 328i to E92 M3, she said it looks and feels exactly the same (). So we started test driving a few other cars: 550i and CLS550: I test drove these on a whim. The CLS550 was a beautiful 2012 with just 20k miles on it, a steal at $45K CPO. It had all kinds of tech and an S-class-ish interior. Even had gadgets like self-parking and a dozen other things I don't even recall. The thing is crazy fast with gobs of torque at any speed. At any RPM, just push down half throttle and you are passing everything. But unfortunately it feels soft and like a luxury car (which it is), didn't fulfill my need for small, tight handling. The 550i was very similar minus the fancy gadgets. It feels a tad sportier than the CLS550, but still felt bigger going from my 328i. I didn't feel like either of these was an upgrade going from my 328i. Nice cars, but I wasn't convinced. M3 The next test drive was an M3 which I mentioned above. One drive and I was hooked! But the budget didn't fit. After spending a couple of weeks crunching numbers and trying to make it work, I just couldn't justify it. Especially considering how fast these depreciate after the CPO years are over. With a heavy heart, I moved on to look at other cars. S4 I found a couple of Audi S4's at around $42K with the sports diff. Fast cars. Handle well but feel heavy (because they are). Luxury family sedans that go fast and can take a corner. But I didn't feel like the driving experience was enough of an upgrade from my 328i. Wasn't convinced. Golf R Impossible to get a test drive! These are going like crazy, flying off the dealerships at 5K over MSRP within hours of arriving at dealerships. And pre-booked too. I wasn't paying $45K for a Golf and buying one without a test drive! Mustang GT Next was the Mustang GT. Again crazy fast car, fair handling but feels like the heavy muscle car that it is. Not the small, tight, sporty feel I was looking for. Moved on. F30 335i sedan Having owned an F30 328i before, I was convinced this was going to be the best fit for me and went in to the test drive with a cheque-book ready to buy. But was surprised, it didn't feel like enough of an upgrade. The F30 is the new generation BMW 3 series, and it has the new electric steering that feels soft. The legendary BMW feel is gone. I didn't see myself giving up my 328i with traditional hydraulic steering in exchange for this and paying double the price of it. At this point I was pretty confused. It has to fit under 45K, it has to feel raw and tight, has to have four seats, a trunk and a hatch. Didn't look like there was anything that fit the bill . Quite sad, I test drove an E92 335i. It fit the bill technically, but the cost didn't justify the upgrade. With nothing changing from my current car except the engine, the upgrade didn't make sense. I almost reconciled myself to the fact that there is nothing to upgrade to, then an idea struck me: Why not split it into two cars? Maybe I could tradein the 328i for an Accord, and use the rest of the money to get a roadster? I liked it! Next step - I identified a couple of Civics and Accords, but after doing some math realized that the tradein would only save me a marginal amount of money compared to keeping my 328i as the regular car. The idea of keeping the 3 and getting a roadster in addition to it shaped up. Worked on the numbers, it all added up! So instead of a $45K do-it-all car, my search for a $25K roadster started! Test drives - part two. 135i and Z4 These were quickly ruled out because of the price factor and the CPO warranty situation. I have driven a few 135i's and Z4's in the past and I know their pros and cons. Since I am a BMW guy, I am quite familiar with these. The 135i has a lot of body roll even with the sports suspension and doesn't feel very different from my 3 series. The Z4 on the other hand is a favorite of mine, but it looked impossible to find one under $25K 2012+ CPO with low miles (I was only looking for one with a 35i engine, not a 28i engine). 370Z automatic Next I drove a 370Z automatic and I wasn't impressed. I wasn't using the paddles (I hate manually shifting an automatic car), somehow it felt kinda slow. The handling felt great though. I was confused. Initially ruled out the Z. BRZ I went to a dealer to test drive a Subaru BRZ. As it turned out, it was a stick-shift and I haven't driven a stick in god-knows-how-many years. Since the test drive was already scheduled, I decided to go ahead with it anyway. Surprise! I LOVED it! I was hooked. It wasn't crazy fast after the first impressions, but it felt like driving a go-kart. Now after the BRZ test drive my mind changed about stick-shifts. Since we are keeping our four-seat, automatic 328i anyway... why not let my weekend toy be a stick? I hadn't thought about this before. Now one of my gearhead friends (he drives an STI) suggested that I should do another test drive in a 370Z, this time a stick. I did just that. 370Z stick Just... WOW! What a beast! After the M3 that I test drove first, this is the only other car that truly pulled at my heart other than the M3. The Z with stick is a completely different beast. It was so much fun I requested extra distance on the test drive (with true intentions of buying). After I came home, for several days I couldn't think about anything other than the sensation of driving the Z. Strangely, the M3 and the Z left a similar impression in my mind, a unique sensation. No other car had that effect. What a raw experience. I felt that the rest are sporty cars, but these two are true sports cars. Needless to say, I had to have a Z now. WRX/STI The same gearhead friend suggested I should test drive a WRX and an STI with stick before I made a decision. I didn't. Maybe he is right, maybe I should have test driven those cars too before deciding. But I didn't care, all I knew was I wanted a Z. The perfect design. Sports car feeling. Raw power and super-tight handling. Just perfect. Anyway, I went to the Subaru dealer and half-heartedy asked for a test drive. They said something to the effect of "we will give you a test drive if you are seriously buying". I was like whatever, I knew my heart is set on the Z. If the STI is better, let it be. I wanted a Z now. I couldn't find a used STI, so I just walked out without unnecessarily putting miles on what's going to be some guy's new STI (side note: I made it a point that all other cars I test drove were pre-owned ones). If I really wanted a test drive I know how to get one, but my mind and heart were set on the Z. I still don't know how the STI drives. I don't care. Maybe in the future when our family grows to the point where a 2-seat car is useless (we don't have kids yet), an STI will come into the picture. I don't know. For now I just wanted a Z. Other cars I didn't consider based on irrational/prejudiced factors: - Corvette (not the image I am looking for) - CLA45 AMG (FWD based Mercedes for $45K? with a 4 cylinder? naah) - Camaro (don't like the looks and they are so common) - Miata - less power than my 328i, whats the point? The search for a Z started The Z I had test driven before was a base model. Based on past experience from owning a BMW without sports package and having buyers remorse (and spending $$ on upgrading suspension etc), I did a quick forum search and learned that a sports package is a must-have to be happy. I don't know if I will ever track my car but I know I wound't ever forgive myself for not getting the forged wheels, the big brakes, the LSD and the synchro rev. I wanted the tech package also, but the sports pack was more important. I was finding it really difficult to find one near me with the sports package. I found only one piece listed like 70 miles away, at $36K! Then finally found one - a 2012 Monterey Blue 370Z with sports package with 38K miles on it. That's a bit more mileage than I was looking for but I figured its OK. See, when your heart is set you start making compromises. But I didn't mind this compromise. It was listed at $22K and I thought that's a deal (even KBB listed $24K private party / $26K dealership, and carfax mentioned its worth $600 over blue book). Went to the dealership and fell in love with it! I wasn't convinced about the Monterey Blue from the craigslist photos. I thought "toothpaste color" when I saw the photos but when I saw it in the flesh, I was floored. A test drive, some negotiation, wrote a check and I took the baby home! Now for a few pics. 2015-08-23 10.23.52 HDR.jpg 2015-08-23 10.24.03 HDR.jpg 2015-08-23 10.24.15.jpg 2015-08-18 19.02.15.jpg Untitled.jpg Untitled3.jpg Last edited by sambar; 08-29-2015 at 01:23 AM.