OP, I can feel your pain. I was on Cars.com, auto trader, and every used car website out there after my 2012 got totaled. What helped; deciding what I wanted, year, color, package, mileage, etc. I made a list by what I considered the most important and started looking. Read the dealer reviews, especially if you are going to look nationwide. You don't want to find a car, go there and find out that the 'internet price' is bogus and the price is really $3k more (yes, there are dealers that do that chit :gtfo2:)

I live in KC and I flew to Waukesha WI to buy my 2015 Magma Red Sport and drove it home. Patience is the key... :tup:

That's good advice.

Hadn't thought of that (really hate air travel), but that sounds doable. I do love the magma red, btw.

Mine kind of plopped into my lap. I had been looking just browsing mainly and getting a feel for what the car I had was worth (Fiat 500’s aren’t worth anything btw) and mine just happened to show up in town. I got mine from the local Nissan dealer, who didn’t want to honor the internet price because they got it from their next door Lexus dealer. Which I thought was bogus, and then wouldn’t reimburse me the $80 in parts for the front pads and rotors I had to put on 3 days after I bought the car and the extended warranty. Be careful where you buy from, do the research. I do however love the car, I wouldn’t have changed a thing about buying it unless I had found a Nismo for the same price which wasn’t going to happen with that low of mileage. I got the manual because I just don’t like automatics. Drive both though because like stated above the auto is supposedly not so bad in these. I can’t confirm or deny that, I’m just a manual snob I suppose. XD

I agree you should keep your options open and test drive both the automatic and manual transmission Z to see what transmission you can live with driving every day. I recommend checking eBay Motors I have seen a lot of nice Z’s for sale there as of late.

Autotrader is your friend. I found my 2013 Nismo at a dealership in Indianapolis, Indiana and bought it. It fell in my lap after my 2012 Nismo was totaled. I had it shipped to me. I was tickled to have been able to find another with only 77xx miles on it. You will know when you find it. Don't trust, verify everything.

def be patient. I had found in the past that many cars from smaller dealerships have cars still on autotrader and their own website that have already been sold. the price shown looks pretty good, but then when you go to inquire, it's been sold. I found this many times.

There's a nice red Nismo on Indy craigslist now.

and check out options and trim levels. many don't like the base model nearly as much.

I had been driving a 2016 Miata MX-5 for the last few years. Turned it on from the lease in October. I really do prefer a manual in a sports car, auto for everything else. I will give the auto a try though.

As a transmission technician I give the automatic A7 transmissions in our Z’s credit as they shift very effectively in stock form and are reliable and dependable to use for street or track duty but if you plan on using your Z for heavy track duty if you choose the automatic A7 transmission I highly recommend upgrading it before hand. I have seen the automatic A7 transmissions in our Z’s last 200K+ miles just really depends on how you use your Z and if you service your automatic A7 transmission on time. I have to agree there is nothing like a manual transmission in the Z very enjoying to drive! I would never own a Ford or Mazda again though when they say fix or repair daily they were not kidding.

Ford/Mazda

I live in MA, maybe too far but I'm selling my 2013 Z, sports/ touring, 45k for 20K since I am relocating abroad...excellent condition, only mods an Injen CAI, all synthetic fluids, new Summer tires, winter tires and rims on now will be included..PM if you're interested price negociable if you want to transport because I'm moving to the Philippines :driving:

Red ‘16 Nismo sitting on the Nissan lot in Shelby, NC. You buy it and I will drive it up to you... :tup:

This goes for anything tbh.

I think it was during an April (2016) I was looking at a '10 Sport. I backed out because I thought the dealer was shady with the financing they were arranging, and despite being of the few in the budget, I wasn't convinced it was actually worthwhile.

Fast-forward to June of that same year, I find a '13 Sport Touring in way better condition for 4 grand more — the one I still have now.

There was no way in hell I was ever buying the first one, and that's really the principle. Don't settle. There was no coulda/woulda/shoulda kind of regret walking away from that even though at the time that was the difference between having a Z and no car period. The whole "YOLO" decision is buying such a car in general, but you take your time finding the best version of it.