370Z as my only car? Owners please chime in.

Educ8r

370Z daily commuter
Single
No Children
limited # of "friends"
8 hour trip to visit parents [enough room in the back for my bag(s)]

What can I say... I love it!

__________________

imagination + creativity = endless possibilities

wj4

FYI if you're going the Evo X route...contact South Coast Mitsu. The deals are simply unbeatable, they have buyers flying in from around the country.

I was surprised that my friend was able to fit a set of 4 18'' wheels with tires in his RSX w/o an issue. He also had no problem sticking his front bumper inside the car when he got his Mugen kit.

sbkim

Any idea on what they are charging for Evo X MRs? I am hoping for 10k less than MSRP. Perpahs big time wishful thinking.

SMcK23

I bought a brand new 2007 Touring 350z in 10/08, I absolutely loved it! However, I live in NY and it was terrible to have as my only car! Yea, I just graduated from college and lived at home so I could use my parents' cars, but that got old too! Between not being able to drive it in bad weather or not having enough room in the car for bags, groceries, etc. it drove me nuts! Most days went by where it sat in my driveway and I drove someone else's car, but I was still paying that nice size payment to watch it sit in my driveway! It was so bad, I was dying to get out of my lease and I eventually did for a 2008 Altima coupe (FWD is a little more practical). I wish I had the 350z still, but only if I could afford to have it as a weekend car! A Z is meant to be a sports car, a weekend car, that doesn't have to come out unless there is no salt on the roads and its a clear day to just cruise. So, for now I am sticking it out with my Altima coupe until I can afford to buy a used SUV and garage a beautiful monterey blue 370z that only comes out for an enjoyable cruise in good weather. So Swift, my advice is not to buy it as your only car because in the long run it hurt me finacially big time! I am paying a ridiculous amount (the same I was for the touring 350z) for a base line altima coupe since I lost about $4,000 when I traded it in!

Robert_Nash

I love Z cars and sportscars in general. I have a 370Z and I have an M45X.

You can live with almost any vehicle as a daily driver/only vehicle if you want to badly enough but overall, the Z, as will be most true sports cars, is not really intended for year round daily driving or for hauling much more than a weekend bag or a few groceries.

My 370Z’s ride is great – for a sports car but if I were making a 500 mile trip; I’d always be in the M45 (unless the whole point of the trip was a “Z” related event, etc).

If I lived in DC I just wouldn’t have a Z as my only vehicle unless you tend to use public transit and/or some other means to commute (at least in the winter). If you lived in Southern California or Florida or Texas it might be another story but even here in ennessee there is enough bad weather that my sports car doesn’t leave the garage for days at a time.

I certainly don’t want to put you off a “Z” but I would think long and hard about this before I’d spend $30K or more on something that doesn’t work for you in all the ways you need it to.

__________________
Robert
-My Basset Hound Is Smarter Than Your Honor Student and Barack Obama -

sbkim

As noted by other posters, 370z is def a weekend sports car. Honestly, I don't think it has any more luggage space than a Miata. If you want the Z, I suggest picking up a used beater for winter and general use.

wj4

They're still around $40k. The Evo X is selling quite well..white has been sold out for a while. IMO, the MR is over rated. I prefer a GSR over that. The only pro now is that a lot of Evo owners are picking up the MR for their wives since it's now an auto, lol.

sbkim

Saw one for 36k. I wouldn't mind the MR as a daily driver but looks too juvenile for an old geezer like me

I test drove an MR and I was very impressed with the tranny and accerleration. Steering felt too light.

jayhawk

Of COURSE it can be your only car! When I was somewhat (ahem...) younger than I am now, I bought a new 1973 Datsun 240Z as my only car, and was my only car for several years. I was in the Navy, and lots of the aviators in my squadron had Zs, or 911s, or 914s, or MGBGTs, or the like. (The MG might have had back seats, I cannot remember...) Even put three of us (including me, the driver) in the Z for a weekend at Lake Tahoe while we were on a detachment at Fallon Nevada NAS (about an hour from Tahoe) The guy in back did not complain much at all. (but as I mentioned, we were somewhat younger...) After I was discharged, I moved across the country and everything I owned fit in that car. Including some serious WestPac stereo equipment. (Sansui Quad Channel Receiver and all....:-) Then I worked in Southern California, where as some of you may know, if you're young and single and don't drive a sports car, then you ain't sh***t!

Then when you marry the girl of your dreams, you still can use your Z as a daily driver for work, grad school, and then a career in sales in the tech industry.... Who needs more than 2 seats! (if you do, let someone else use their boring sedan...)

I still have that 240Z too. (I'm am finally starting the "frame up" restoration) Plus a '93 300ZX. And we have just replaced the family minivan ('96 Caravan with 240,000 miles) with a new Murano. And the "kids" now have cars of their own, (2 Mustangs and a WRX).

Moral of this windy post: you can ALWAYS use and keep your 2 seat sports car - especially if it is a Z!

--jayhawk

(who wants a 370Z, but will probably have to wait until the Social Security checks start arriving.... pretty soon now :-)

sprix!

I am no 370Z owner, but I do own an S2000 which is my only car. At two points in my nearly 4 years of owning S2000s, I have had other cars. I only got them because I liked the two rides I picked up. I never felt as if having a sports car as my daily driver was a problem. I don't move every other week, and I don't have a lot of friends bumming rides. I find that my S2000 holds enough groceries and what not that I have never had a problem. The 370Z, from what I have seen, has more room than an S2000 in most aspects, so I think I would have no problems with it as a daily driver.
It seems like it all comes down to you. In the end, only you can decide if this car is suitable enough to be driven as your only car. If road noise and comfort are a concern, I think you would be less than happy with this as your only car. In my opinion, it is a sports car and not a comfortable cruiser and certainly not a hauler in any fashion. Tell your friends to take a cab to the airport.... Life is too short to make decisions based on what your friends need. Unless they are helping to pay for the car, I would not base the purchasing decision on whether the car has enough room for a hauling a friend's stuff.

Black kNight

^^^^^^
I agree with u . u have to know what u want ?? not what your friends need or want .

it is your money .
but go to your dealer and see 370z and see the other cars in your list

sprix!

I have to say I strongly disagree with this statement. The only time I have seen such limitations placed on the Z is here. The Z, like any other car, is what you make it to be. If your Z is something that you bring out only on the weekend, fine, but don't tell me I can't bring mine out whenever I like. I think the designer of the S2000 said it best (paraphrased) "impractical only for those who don't understand the joy of driving."
I am sure some people will be mile hoarding clock watchers and only drive their Z's 2,000 miles a year. Others will beat the hell out of theirs and put 25k miles on every year. Everyone is different, and people will buy their Z's for different reasons.
Not to mention that not everyone can afford to have multiple cars, and some may even think it wasteful to have more than one.

sensi09

I had multiple cars to drive before moving to solely a 350Z for a short period of time. If you're use to the space, it is a hassle, but you definitely get used to it. Back seats that you thought you never used are surprisingly handy even just for random things.

I've made costco runs with the Z without too much hassle. The only time I really needed more storage space was when taking tires to the shop.

On the plus side, when going out with friends, I never had to drive anymore.

sensi09

In terms of comfort, I think the Z is definitely livable for day to day driving. On one note though, if I hadn't driven the Z for awhile, I was reminded that it really is a fun car to drive. You somewhat lose that feeling or take it for granted when driving it daily.

Z34drifty

You should no what you want for me it is Z=summer fun! and Camry=work and friends
so it is up to you for what you want in a car