Looking to buy, first sports car experiences?

dboss

I couldn't even imagine getting that car at that age. Just to give you some perspective on insurance, I am paying 130 a month with a 2000 dollar deductible (I've never had a speeding ticket). With a normal deductible I'm looking at 200+ a month. At your age, these prices will probably be doubled. Also you'll be spending 2-4k a year in gas (US gas prices) or maybe more depending on how much you drive.

Make sure you are financially stable before you buy the car. I waited until I was finished with college. Once I finished my 6 month contract and became a full time employee, I bought the car that week.

Edit: Just saw in your post that you're already aware of insurance costs

Zezus

Mmmm MR2... God damn those are good looking cars. The guys down the street swap tons of them with the jdm mini van engines.

Here is my old rice mobile.
K20a2 with more mods than i can count.
Its still sitting in the garage and never gets driven...
FB_IMG_1542940489750.jpg

bunk

My two cents... Dont do it. You have your whole life ahead of you to indulge in the car of your dreams. Concentrate on getting your career started, make more money and then you can comfortably get a dream car.
I was dumb and bought a new sports coupe I couldnt really afford, it got repossessed 2 years after getting it. In hindsight, I shouldve settled on a practical/affordable DD and focused on my future.
Sure, I had fun, but it wasnt so fun always worrying about the next car payment, insurance payment, basic maintenance, etc...

__________________
-Drop in K&N Filter -Invidia Gemini CBE -Z1 Oil Cooler -Swift Springs - EcuTek -Forgestar F14 -SPL Camber Links -Akebono BBK Upgrade -Z1 Premium SS Lines -SPL Diff Bushings -SPL FUCAs - BellRaceworks Diff Brace

Baronsmokes

How much do you like cars?
Will you be working on car?
Are you thinking it would be fun to have Sports Car?

You need to be insane about automobiles.Cars need to be your life.Willing to work a second job just for the Z.Wrench on the car late into the night.At your age if you are thinking it would be fun do not buy.

My friends and I have been crazy about cars from an early age.In 1970s when I was 16 owned 70 Chevelle with 396 and posse.I had to sacrifice a lot for that car.At 20 I wrapped car around a tree.Did I get something practical after?Hell no.My next car was 66 Corvette big block.I continue to be like this my whole life.

Geoff-AU

19?

Buy a slow car mate. You have plenty of time in your life to own quick cars. I'm really glad I wasn't driving something with Z power levels when having overconfident teenage-and-early-20's brain farts.

mastatikle

First off ignore what these people are saying about age or whatever. I’m a firm believer that If you can start making sh*t happen and work for you at a younger age then you’ll keep that mindset/motivation as you progress in life. This is a sub 15k car, it isn’t going to ruin your life if you buy it and have to work a little harder to keep it.

Anyway I bought my first 370z at 19 also. I haaaddd to have it lol. Could have bought it sooner too but I waited till I found the right one. Long story short. It’s a fun first sports car. It’s got an ok amount of power and it handles good stock. I think it’s one of the best sports cars in that price bracket. These cars do have issues. One of the most common ones is the CSC failure. I had it happen to me a couple times and it will leave you stranded. Expect to spend at least $1000 when that happens. Another common issue is the steering lock issue which will also leave you stranded. Next comes the misfire codes here and there that you can try to chase down.

My insurance rates were also high, somewhere in the 3k range. My 2011 Kawasaki zx10r which I had at the same time was $3700 a year LMAO, I still have the receipts for that.. So I was fortunate enough to convince my mom to insure the car. It was only like 120-150 a month with me listed as driver. Hopefully you have parents, grandparents or older siblings that would do the same and trust you enough to insure the car for you.
Paying $4000 a year for insurance on a 15,000 car is stupid. Chances are you won’t make a claim and in 3 years you could have bought another car for what you paid in insurance. I wouldn’t buy it for that reason solely, insurance cost.

I kept my first 370z for two years, it wasn’t fun anymore and it was slow compared to all the newer cars around. So I sold it and found a car with everything I wanted, turbos and a V8 lol. I then bought a BMW M6 Gran Coupe when I was 21. So that “too young for a sports car” crap is bs. My M6 makes around 800hp at the motor and breaks traction at 120mph. I’m 23 now and perfectly fine and safe. You just have to respect the car you drive.

On the bright side, things do get cheaper though. I bought my second, current 370z when I was 22 and the insurance is only like 90 a month for full coverage.

SouthArk370Z

How will going in debt - for something that is not essential - work for anyone, regardless of age?

If OP were the type to make sh*t happen, s/he wouldn't be asking what to do.

__________________
Steering Lock Links - Search The370Z Bookmarklet - FSM @ NICOclub
Mankind has progressed past the need for war but we haven't evolved that far. - NachoMahma

mastatikle

Going into short term temporary debt for something that still holds a value can work for anyone. It’s not like it’s random credit card debt. If the car payments become too much of a hassle he/she can always sell the car. A vehicle can be considered essential. The debt is temporary. If they were able to make due, once they were done with that debt then they would be ahead doing whatever job helped them over come it.

But yeah you’re right, if OP already had that mindset this thread wouldn’t be here.

SouthArk370Z

A vehicle, yes. A 370Z, with its higher price and more expensive maintenance (not to mention limited passenger/cargo capacity), not so much.

I've had various sports/sporty cars over the years but I never put myself in a bind to get one. If money was tight, I got something more pedestrian (ie, cheaper).

I see your point(s) but, going by OP's post, I believe he's not in a position to be taking on unnecessary debt. YMMV

__________________
Steering Lock Links - Search The370Z Bookmarklet - FSM @ NICOclub
Mankind has progressed past the need for war but we haven't evolved that far. - NachoMahma

Zetine

The main point of this thread was really to get advice from anyone who had gone from a slowish car to something like the 370z, or from FWD to RWD, and try and get a better understanding of different people's opinion on how the 370z bared as a daily; really what I wanted was a direct comparison between a Celica and a 370z, but figured that was too niche, so came to the forum.

I shouldn't of even put in the first paragraph, but figured since it was my first time posting I'd kinda open up a bit about myself. To explain the insurance, the reason it's a big deterrent for me is the simply fact that it costs so much for something that I may not even use, yet is obligatory. Something about paying 4 grand for some invisible service is just a bit of a joke. (Don't get me wrong though, I'm always going to drive with insurance)

I just think the responses are swaying from the actual questions I asked, just don't think about the financial side of things please, that's for me to worry about.

Also thanks for all the great advice people gave about ride quality, and about how the back can really break loose on these in certain conditions. I'm still planning on getting one, I don't think it'll be impossible to learn to control RWD in a Z, just got to pace myself

Lvcky69

If I were you, I would listen to these guys on the forum. They are a lot older than you and they talk from experience. If you are only 19 and want to get into car payments, specially a 370z, you are going to dig a hole. We live in a society where buying a sports car to show off to your friends is important nowadays. You still in the first year in college, if you are a student, and you are thinking about getting a 370z? lol. Worse investment is buying an used car, especially a 5-7 years old. Get yourself something cheap and decent, worry about finishing school and then you can buy your dream car. I bought my 17 z when I was 24, at the age of 27, I bought my dream car which was a 16 911 s

Zetine

Not sure about the American education system, but I've actually finished all my compulsory education, so I'm at full time work now. So technically, I've already got something cheap and decent, I've finished school, and now looking to buy my desired car, hopefully with my dream car coming a few years down the line. I love driving and am buying this car for me, not really to show of to my mates about, although obviously it's a nice feeling to be able to cruise past my friends TT though

CRiZO

I'll add that it can be more fun to drive slow cars fast, than it is to drive fast cars slow. It can also be nice to own a car that you don't care if it gets door dings or anything.

Honestly I'd have just about as much fun in a Civic. Because cars are fun.

But I have a Z, because dat ***.

Zyonara91

Didn't read your opening post, I saw 19 and I had a plethora of memories run into my head. I'm at that age where I'm not super young nor super old (27 cough).

I got the Z when I was 25. I always wanted one, didn't want to buy brand new either so I opted for used, since I knew the car was well kept and so forth.

You're 19, sure, with a car like that, picking up women in and around campus would be like shooting fish in a barrel (quality of women will vary, warning). You will be envied by many of your friends and you will be tempted to do stupid crap. Honestly buying a car isn't hard. It's the insurance, maintenance, gas, mods etc.

At your age, I would say chill out. Save that money through out the years. Buy a civic SI or a Corolla manual (both used a few years old), they are reliable (not saying the Z is not, its amazing), good on gas and have back seats. When you get out of Uni/college, go buy a Z. A new one or a used one (do your due diligence when buying).

You don't want to be making car payments at 19 bro. Save that money, You'll thank us later.

BUT if you don't want to listen and just do your own thing, go ahead and buy it.

mastatikle

From a daily driver aspect, it’s a fun car shifting through the gears every day. It’s easier to find parking spaces because it’s small. Oil changes are cheap $20 at a chain location. Depending on the mileage it can be a reliable car. It’s not going to go out of control just because it’s 300hp and rwd. That’s all driver dependent. That will happen when you turn traction control off and punch it around a wet corner road. If you go out and try to drift your time with the car, chances are sh*t will go sideways and not in the good way. Again all I’m saying is respect the car. If it’s a 2010 chances are it’s higher mileage. If so and it’s a manual, don’t buy unless CSC has been replaced/upgraded or plan to have $1000+ ready to fix that. This would be a boring auto car.

Financially it would be stupid to pay that much in insurance for such a cheap car. You’re right, you’re paying 4000 for the idea of coverage. That’s WAYYY to much