Fighting the desire for instant gratification
 

I traded my 2013 6MT Sport Touring for a 2014 Mazda 3 a few years ago because I couldn't really afford the Z in the first place and needed to decrease my monthly output. The Z love goes deep for me and I've always planned to get a second, or third, model year Z35, if/when it comes out. A year after buying the 3 I decided it wasn't sporty enough and bought a 2015 GTI DCT. After buying the GTI, I made the decision to keep the it for at least 4 years. It's only been 2.5 but I've been thinking of getting back into a 2013+ 370 for low, to mid, twenties and keeping that until the Z35 comes out and is a few model years old. Also, since I've gotten used to the DCT in the GTI I've been wanting to try the 7AT, even though I hate the way the gear selector pad looks...lol. One of the dealerships in town has a 2014 7AT Sport Touring Nav that I'd like to test drive and that's prompting the thread.

If I test drive it, and am still in love, it could be hard to resist the temptation to trade. That is assuming I could get a decent deal. The biggest issue is that I'm still about $5k upside-down on my current loan but with both cars being 3+ years old the difference in future depreciation shouldn't be much. Crunching the numbers, the payment should be about the same if I can finance for 5 years at the same rate and insurance is only an additional $25/month. Should I bite the bullet and put Zs out of my mind for another couple years or find a good deal on a 370?

All things being fairly equal ( and you suggested they were ), and you're OK with a 5 yr loan on a used car, I say go for it. It's what you really want, and you only live once!!!

Me, I would hang on to what I have. Pay off the loan. Don't like being downside on a loan. Plan for the future. If something happens. You'll have something that won't kill you money wise. ;)

Yeah, that's the thing that makes it tempting. Assuming I can get the deal I'm thinking, a 5 year loan will only be $25/month more.

That said, insurance will be $25/mo more and average mpg will go from ~26 to ~19 which will mean 9ish more gallons per month making it another $25/mo for a total increase of about $75/month. If the cost of gas goes up it could take it to $100+/month though and then there's having to do summer and winter tires with bigger and wider wheels. After all this calculation, I think I have talked myself into waiting another year, or two, or three. Then, I'll be able to consider a '15+ Nismo, as I love the body kit, or a Z35 if it becomes a thing.

I still want to test drive a 7AT though. :tup: :driving: :happydance:

As an investment, horrible imo. If you're still financing the GTI, I'd just say hell no.

Live with the mistake for abandoning us


...then buy a Z35 when the time comes. :p

I agree with the last 3 posts. A couple years wait will fly by. You don't want to run short on cash with unexpected bills (tickets?). I imagine prices on used Z's with only go down in time.

Is the Z35 even going to happen? you might be waiting forever

I would try at least to be above water before making a move though

If you have to calculate those small numbers to see if you can afford one, please don't.

Yeah, the calculation of the small numbers was more to show how close/insignificant the change is to what I'm paying now. It was just that considering all of the small ways that the change would affect my budget brought home the fact that I really need to be smart and give myself plenty of margin!

Yeah, that's why I qualified all of my Z35 talk...lol. If it happens, and is good, that's probably the way I'll go.

The dual clutch box will make the 7at feel ancient.

Dual clutch will go the way of the Dodo birds. It will have a CVT in it.

You're only 40. That's not even mid life crisis territory yet. Chill out and pay off the other damn cars first. It's a freaking 370z. Not a damn 911RS3 or some actual exotic. You'll survive with a VW and Mazda.

Or do what my dads girlfriend did. Start off in a brand new Jeep patriot. Realize it's a POS and roll over payments into a Jeep Renegade. Realize it's to expensive and roll over those payments in a Kia Sorento. Realize the Kia is a bigger POS and roll all that over into a Kia Forte. her payments are now $398 a month for the next 8 years.

Just food for thought.

Sounds like my first wife's uncle. :rofl2: His problem was. He would get tired of them after 2 years, and trade them in on a new one. Never paying any of them off. Just kept rolling everything over. :eek:

I did something similar to this but my progression was: 350Z > 370Z > Mazda 3 > GTI. That's why I promised myself to keep the GTI at least four years. My loan for the GTI was 7ish years which is why I'm ~$5k upside-down. If the peeling interior of the 350Z didn't bother me so much I might not be in this situation...lol.

Follow your head, not your heart. Your heart will get you in trouble every time. In more ways then one. :eek:

Definitely, the decision has been made! No Z for me until I'm no longer upside down on my GTI, and possibly until it's paid off!

The wife's uncle was rolling over the wives or cars? :)

Sage advice, sir.

The cars. Part of was his wife's fault too. She was the same way with cars. Uncle Jim and Aunt Polly. What a pair. They was met for each other. :rofl2: He get her drunk in the evenings to shut her up. :rofl2: I asked her where the grease fittings are in her jaw one time. That went over her head thank God. :rofl2:

OP,
I came from a 2010 GTI and I'll be honest, I still miss my GTI even though I love my Z. Plain and simple - the GTI is a really good car. My advice would be to invest in a downpipe and go stage 2 tune on it - I would say a good tune from APR and you'll love the GTI since it will be pushing quite a bit more torque and HP than what comes standard from the company - enough to keep up with a stock Z.
Regardless, good luck and I think you should keep any car if you are upside down and like others have said - the longer you wait, the better prices you'll find on a used Z.

If you're set on a Z, get a lowish millage 2010-2011. There is no point in a newer car if it's not your DD, it's not under warranty, and it's a financial stretch.

An older Z would be just as reliable as a 2013-2014 but save you ~$8K, or roughly $150 a month on a 5 year loan.

Take your time and search for a deal. I looked nearly daily for my current car and am on a 6 year loan for a used car paying $780 a month (yes really, lol). But, I got such a good deal that it's resale is still what I paid for it over 1 year 10k miles ago.

Take your time, find an older Z, avoid depreciation.

Even though I made the decision to wait on a Z I test drove the car today as I wanted to try out the automatic. I have to say I thought the shift speed between the DSG in the GTI and the 7AT in the Z was negligible. Also, the paddles are far superior and I like that they're column mounted. Lastly, the rev match was also nice since it was less jerky on 3-2 downshifts where the revs can jump a decent amount.

The GTI is definitely more comfortable as the seats in the Z put a bit of pressure on my hips that would make long drives uncomfortable. Nothing that a 100 pound weight loss on my part wouldn't fix lol. The difference in power delivery was also interesting as the low end torque when the turbo comes on gives a more exaggerated shove in the GTI. The rear wheel drive of the Z was awesome and something I really miss.

I learned that I am, in deed, still smitten with the Z and that I still could daily one if I wanted to. I wish it had telescoping steering wheel but it wasn't horrible. It'll give me something to look forward to in a couple three years and possibly a little motivation to drop some more weight to fit in the car a bit better.

I've definitely been thinking about the tune thing but haven't decided if it's worth the risk of voiding my power train warranty. In the research I've done it seems that some of the turbos are a little iffy on 2015's. The thought of an extra 100+ hp and lb-ft is enticing though! :yum: