If you knew you wouldn't get to drive your Z much
 

Hey guys,

If you knew you wouldn't get to drive your Z much in the next year, would this make you want to sell it or would you still keep it? (And you are paying for it)

I know many of us are only driving theirs on the weekend, maybe even less but for myself, I have this car to be driven. Just started doing Time Attack, I love driving it daily, I love being seen in it. Love modding it, I would consider myself a Z Fanboy lol.

So I made a poll, let me know what you think.

Would it depend on how much you were paying? Circumstances etc?

And below I actually put my story of why I don't think I'll be driving it much, so for those of you have longer attention spans please give it a read and tell me what you think and comment! :D

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I apologize if this comes off being super long, but hey, we're all smart people and everyone likes a good read lol :)

Now this might be hitting me harder now because my Z is in storage, but I feel once spring hits I won't get to drive my Z much :(

First, I shouldn't complain, I've been lucky. I had a son just over a year ago after buying my Z and I was able to keep it. I know a lot of guys end up having to sell because of praticallity but we are fine

This year I forsee much less driving though and this is why:

My sons in daycare and we have to drop him off in the morning and pick him up in the evening. At one point we thought we might do the nanny thing (keeping the Z would have been a no brainer) but we are scrapping that idea, so he's still in daycare.

Obviously the Z is no good for this without a back seat. This winter, since I needed a winter beater and a car to drive him to school, got a 3rd car on a short term lease (2009 Golf City) which is up April 1st, when I plan to take the Z out of storage.

Its not putting any real strain on the family but now that we are looking into getting a bigger place, I feel a little bit bad about it. That extra money on a 3rd car could go elsewhere.

Once spring rolls around, if keeping the Z, I have to get another short term lease or buy a cheaper car outright.

So at most, I'm thinking I'd get to drive it a couple evenings a week (going to the monday night car meet, driving to my MMA gym) Maybe the morning I don't have to drop him off I drive it to work but then I would spend lots of money to park it downtown....so its not the smartest.

That leaves the weekend, going anywhere as a family is killed...we all jump in the wifes X5. Couple times I have tagged along in the Z to family events haha...but again, not the smartest all the time. So that leaves Sunday Time Attack, a grocery run and personal stuff again.

I could teach her to drive the Z and then steal her X5 on occassion to pick him up...but I forsee a disaster lol.

So I dunno if a few personal runs during the week and maybe a weekend meet/track or personal run is worth it????

Car isn't paid off. With the payment I make, I could get a new WRX but god, everyone has one....for some reason, even though its the same engine, I'm a little mehh on the G37 unless very modded

I honestly would maybe go german with an A4 or even Boosted A3 3.0T Quattro

I guess if it was paid off it wouldn't even be an issue but I just don't feel like I'll get the full value of the car if it sits so much. Too much of a luxury to me. And that depresses me a bit, I bought it to drive it

Thoughts?

Get the G.

I think it all depends on your finances. If money is good and leasing or buying another car isn't risking your family's well being I'd say keep the car and turn it into a race car. For me the Z is my retreat. When I take it to the track it's just me and other people who think like me. It gets me away from my work (no internets on the track lol), my girlfriend, and everyone else. If you already have something for personal time and it's not what you use the Z for then maybe it's not worth keeping; maybe your thing is golf, or poker night, or someting else. My point is that you're going to need some kind of retreat for yourself or you're going to go stir crazy. If that's the Z then keep it. If not then it seems like you don't need it. If you're taking it out once a month to car meets it's probably not the car for this point in your life anymore.

Then again this opinion is coming from a 25yr old with a DD and no major responsibilities so what do I know.

This may be a stupid question but how do you sell a car if you're still paying for it?

My vote is "Keep it at all costs, Z Fanboy for life! Driving only twice a week is ok"
since you enjoy it!
You guys have an X5 that can seat the entire family, that's good enough :tup:

1/2 the year I am unable to drive the Z. However, it is paid off and just makes me anxious looking at it during the winter in the garage. Should have garaged it at my snow bird friends house like last year. Just can not bring myself to sell it. My Z is a 2011 370Z touring sport w/ 9,020 miles so I don't even drive it in the summer and still keep it.

You make some good points dp3Ngu1n

The Z is definitely a get away for me. Besides my love of Muay Thai and Volleyball. Getting to drive to these activities in the Z make it even better lol.

I just hate that all the driving I used to do to work etc will be diminished because I might have to drive the other car to make it back to the daycare on time etc.

Maybe I just have to accept driving it less....but I don't want to lol

If you REALLLY need another family car I say get a used corolla or civic or something reliable and cheap
and keep the Z :icon17:

Well I bought it, financed to own. I guess in the states you'd say the bank has the title? Would be an easy sell though....not that I want to!

I think my wife believes I would cry.

Her X5 is nice...Black on Black. Instead of leasing something else, I could just buy something cheap (not too cheap since I gotta drive the kid) but I think its a worthy sacrifice to keep the Z

oh ok I don't know anything about how car financing/loans work
so basically the bank holds the title until you pay it off in full gotcha :tup:

The Fits been growing on me hehe

Mr Kenchan, how often do you drive your Z? I know you still have your G also

I drive less than twice a week lol.

yeah, any used japanese car built in the last 5 years should last you another 5 and still be reliable. and you can get them for good prices.

by the way. I DON'T have kids and a family and I drive the Z less than twice a week as well. It's not quantity that matters, it's the quality of the drive. :P

I'm not selling my Z because I can't drive it. She's getting an upgrade :) Better yet, she will stay in the garage more to keep the miles down and I'll be getting a daily driver. Only because I have a Z. My Wife has her Maxima but we are in Vegas... Driving is the only way to get around. Public transport is a bit frightening. My Wife bought her Maxima in the event she became prego. She even told me to get a 3rd car. Biggest thing is to talk to your spouse. She has to be supportive of you and your car to keep it int he garage as a toy

I say keep the z and get a cheap family car like Fit or Yaris. My z is a weekend/summer car. I mainly drive my Xterra for daily commuter, towing or off road fun. I often switch between the 2 cars(especially during the summer) and it makes me appreciate both cars more as they both have different uses. Although my Z is in the garage most of the time but I never wanted to get rid of it and instead my passion of driving it gets more and more. I never had this feeling when I only had my G35 coupe for my DD.

As long as I can afford it, I am keeping my Z. I waited a LONG time to get a real sports car for my "weekend car" and plan to keep this one until I get a chance to upgrade. However, with a 6-year old that is getting more expensive every year, I may need the Z to last a couple decades.

I keep the G in the garage and DD the Z. I probably only drive the G twice a month. If you can afford to keep your car do it, I am glad I have kept the G and will till well past when I get it paid off.

:iagree:, or the OP may want to go with a slightly used Prius. That's what i will be getting for my daily driver when needed, not the fun factor type of ride, but enough cargo space, reliability, and the best fuel efficiency available.:tiphat:

Similar situation like my bro. He has a car garaged 365 days a year. Maybe goes out once or twice (to renew registration/inspection) a year and that's it. And he has a family of 4.

If you can afford to keep the Z, go for it.

Like everyone else has said, they key is: can you afford it. If you cant, then its probably best to sell it. However if you can afford it, then heres my advice.

DONT FORGET! Your son will grow older. Kids grow like if they get paid to do it lol, and some day he'll be old enough to ride next to his dad. Ive had a passion for cars since day 1, and my dream car was always a 2 seat sports car. Now that i own one, i don't regret it one bit because even on days where life seems a little out of tune, my Z can always put a smile on me. If your car truly makes you happy, then you can only imagine how your son will be when he gets a bit older, and has the chance to take a ride on the coolest car ever (all his friends will be jealous!) and as he grows older, maybe you can pass it on to him (if you decide to keep it that long). My dad had an old 60s challenger back in the late 60s. He always tells me "dam it was a cool car back then, but if i wouldve known it was going to be this cool i wouldve kept it" i couldve been in a challenger right now -___- haha. Anyways, i think you should keep it, im sure your son will appreciate it as he grows older, and youll have a blast growing up with your son in the Z.. And he'll say "i remember back when inwas a kid how me an my dad used to go out every weekend to the tracks, and meets" :)

thanks guys...like i said, it might be the winter storage blues and looking for a new place but its been weighing on my mind lately.

And great point raised, in a matter of years he could ride with me...and it would be amazing to pass this car down if kept forever...plus its a 40th and makes me want to keep it even more.

I wanted a Z forever and I recall when I first got my 370 it took almost 6 months of walking up to it every morning for it to sink in that it was finally mine.

I don't know how some of you guys only drive it once a week but I guess thats what the circumstances allow. I know half the times that I've been in my Golf and get punked by other cars (being cut off, easily passed etc) I wish I was in the Z lol.

The car was designed so you can put the front facing child seat in the passenger seat which at >1 your kid can do. I've taken my kid to daycare tons of times in my Z (he's 3 now).

Not allowed in Canada though :(

Otherwise I'd be all over that fancy Recaro Baby seat! :tup:

Z for life. Lol. Make it a track car.

With a baby seat... they come with a 4-5 point harness and it's full bucket. Just need a baby helmet

I haven't driven mine in two weeks. Still wouldn't sell it.

Keep it if you can afford it. Do you have other expensive toys? There are millions of boat owners that feel just like you do now. Then they get out on the water and all is well.

You can easily add Harleys, snowmobiles, Cesnas, hand gliders, etc etc. Life is short, and no one on their death bead ever said, I wish I'd drivin a Honda Fit more often.

2cents

I owned an '07 350Z Roadster that was a garage queen, only driving it at times on the weekends, and never between November and March (live in CT) and never in inclement weather, whether or not it was snow or rain. It was a great car and in immaculate condition. I owned a dd for my hour long commute (one way) to work m-f. After a couple of years, I could not justify paying for something I wasn't using and decided to trade the Z in along with selling my dd and bought what I thought was the solution, a MazdaSpeed 3. I missed my Z so much, that only after a few short months, I traded the MS3 in for the '09 370Z I have now. I am driving the piss out of this Z and loving every minute. It's my only car and it's used for my commute and enjoyment. Except for a few days when I couldn't drive it because of snow, I drive it everywhere. I even have performance tires on it. I will never again garage a car to save up for weekend trips. Life's too short....drive it and enjoy it, that's what you bought it for.
:tiphat:

Mine is a weekend car. When i pay it off I may mod or I may buy the next gen Z? Or I may look at other future ssports cars. With FI's new turbo kit results... I might re-explore a Stage 2 twin turbo for my car.

My Z only gets driven about 2-3 times a week and there is no way I would get rid of it. I have a DD civic and its get me to and from work fine. I picked up the civic a few years ago for under $3k and it definitely needs a LOT of body work. Yeah its really ugly but it runs like a champ! :roflpuke2:

My point is if you're really that torn about getting rid of the Z (which I know you are lol), get a cheap DD. To me, there is no other car out there that gives me the same feeling that the Z does :tup:

If you can afford it keep it man. Just traded our 09 in with 15k miles on it and we miss it dearly. However we had two or it would not be gone. This one has about 1200 miles on it in about 6 months.

And this is why I love this forum, thanks for setting me straight guys! :tiphat::tup:

I know I would be heartbroken if I got rid of it...I guess the the thought of driving it less was really bothering me but at the end of the day I can afford it and I love the Z to pieces....it will just make each trip that more special.

I'm sure I will find ways to get trips in and hit the track on the weekend. It truly is my own personal time as I rarely have a passenger...

Anyways, hurry up April 1st so I can start driving again :driving:

I didn't know you sold the other one, sorry to hear but like you said....you had 2 lol :tup:

I don't know man. This might sound kind of hypocritical, considering within the past 6 months I've driven my Z approximately less than a handful of times, like <500 miles in 6 months, but you should think about getting something more practical in the long run. Then again, my Z has been long paid off and I spend very little on it to begin with.

If you're still making payments on it, then that money is going to something that you aren't going to get 100% out of. Then again, I'm just a random dude giving advice over the internet. I'm not the one paying your car loan so in the end it's up to you. If the Z gives you that much satisfaction during the few times you do end up driving it, then keep it! If not, then be more practical and get something more family oriented.

No I totally appreciate the feedback, its where my head was at for awhile

Who knows, if it was paid then maybe id be thinking I could get 30K for it (locally) and thats a whole other can of worms.

But that was my concern, not getting my moneys worth...I think if the Z was just "transportation" for me then I would consider it gone but I truly love it and I get lots of satisfaction from it...being involved in forums, meets, cruises, it truly is a big part of me/life.

She's staying for sure.

I would definitely keep her as long as I wasn't going broke. Even if you can only drive her twice a week, she won't forget about you.