Hello Everyone From Phoenix!

Watermarking

Hey guys and gals! I joined a month ago and wanted to make my debut post. Just a little information about me. I'm an 18 year old college student majoring in business. My main hobby is driving a few of my family vehicles. Ever since the day I turned 16 I get a huge adrenaline rush and thrill from driving; even if its down the road to get milk and eggs at Wal-Mart I also enjoy hiking the local mountains around the Phoenix valley.

I'm going to be graduating next year(that's the plan) and I am going to be making a very big choice in my life; purchasing my first 'real' car. Its not going to be straight out of college as I need to get a stable job first before spending a large sum of cash. I'll be saving up for a good 6-8 months before making that purchase. It might be a far ways away to few, but its going to come very fast for me. I like to thoroughly research everything I do, and this is just another research 'project.'

Coming to the 370z forum, you can pretty much assume that a 370z is on my list of cars to research. There are a few more I have been looking at; a Lotus Elise/Exige, and a Honda S2000. I'm not asking you guys to tell me which one I should get; I would just like to get as much information as you know about each car; the logistics and basic stuff. I'll start by saying what I like/dislike about each car on that list.

The 370z is a car I was very excited to see after being a huge fan of the 350z. I love all the Z cars; the styling is fantastic. What I love most about the 370z is the looks; both interior and exterior. The shorter wheelbase from the 350z was a big improvement in my book. I also really like that the newer 370z's have the option of a 7 speed automatic. Phoenix has some heavy traffic so driving a manual isn't the most fun I also like the feel of the paddle shifters in your hand, it just feels right to me. However my doubts on the 370z is the weight; at nearly 4,000 pounds its quite heavy.

I love the Lotus Elise/Exige, one, if not my favorite car on the road right now(In my price budget ) The styling, handling...everything about it. I love the raw interior. I also love the handling. So much response; its basically a go-kart. I also love that sense of being a part of the road when driving it. You feel every bump and are so close to the asphalt its great. Being a Lotus it has that exotic feel to it, something I could really take pride in. However, being only 2,300 pounds and made of fiber glass, its not really sturdy. I would be so afraid of making one tiny mistake; hitting the curb or judging a driveway wrong, and making a HUGE accident out of something that wasn't huge. I mean you get hit at 10 MPH and its basically a total loss. Being only 18 I don't have the most driving experience. I like to think of myself as a great driver, but don't we all Also what scares me is the insurance cost.

The Honda S2000 is a great little car, a lot like the Elise really. Great small car with awesome handling. I love how it looks all done up(Lowered slightly, nice tires on it). I'm afraid however that since the car is discontinued parts will be harder to find as times go on.

What I want out of a car is a few things. I want to be able to take it out of the garage and enjoy it the minute I hop into the seat. Acceleration is, if not the highest priority on my list. I need that feeling of being sucked into my seat. The second priority on my list is handling. I know the Elise has great handling because I've rode in one, but how is the handling in a 370? Just knowing that it weighs nearly twice as much frightens me about the handling. The last thing is well...a bunch of things. I want to be able to hear a nice engine note and get some high revs in. Lastly I want to be able to enjoy some of my music on a nice stereo system. Cruising is what I love the most. I'll be auto-crossing this car A LOT. I don't plan on tracking the car, but I could change my mind. This car I purchase will be daily driven, but I do plan on picking up a cheap truck or something down the road for tasks that the car can't do(big trips to the store, hauling stuff...etc). My price range for this vehicle is going to be 30,000 dollars. Max would be 35,000.

Kind of a lengthy first post, but I felt I covered most of what I felt needed to be covered. Hope you guys post some informative and nice comments.

Sincerely, Dylan.