2012 370Z Vs Used
 

I am planning to buy 370z in next couple of months, can you suggest which one I should go for used or new 370Zbase+sports pacakage.

I always vote used from a private seller if 1. you can find what your after and 2. you ensure the car is in proper working order. Plus there in not all that much change in the newer model vs the old with the exception of a oil cooler and from my understanding a aftermarket oil cooler is better and cheaper option. Good luck with your future purchase

you also get to save a lot of depreciation compared to new. on the other hand, you don't get that new car smell and feel. you also run the risk that the previous owner abused or neglected the car. and you also have less warranty coverage, if any. and you also have to accept that a used car will always have a few scratches or chips or wear and tear on the interior, etc..

so it's really up to you. but like the above poster said, there have been only very minor and insignificant changes through out the years for the 370z, so a new z won't really be any "better" than an old one, minus the aforementioned oil cooler.

Um, you're asking about the same car just new or used? That really just depends on your budget. If you don't plan to track at all, then the 2012 would probably be better since it has the oil cooler stock. It wont be enough probably, though, if you track it, which means you would get an after market cooler which would make it no different than the older models.

One thing I would ask is if you change you mind a lot about vehicles you own. If so, I would go used, less loss for when you sell. For me I hold on to things for decades & the fact that my wife wanted new, as opposed to saving about $8700 & having a fresh warranty was not enough to save in going used for us.
Financing also plays a lot into the decision. Used car loans have higher interest rates. Now if you are going to be wrenching & modding your car straight away, I would go low mileage used. You could also save a few dollars finding a 2011 left over, but I would definitely get the color & trim level you want & not settle to save 1-2 grand & be wishing you had got what you really wanted for the rest of your ownership period.

Just some things to think about

Some banks like USAA for example if the car is less than 2 years old you still get new car financing so it pays to shop around.

1.Get a used car with under 10000 miles and even if the car is abused a little, with such little mileage it won't have an effect. Most with that little mileage don't put in enough time behind the wheel to cause serious harm to the car. Key word "MOST" so make sure you inspect well.
2. If you are planning to mod? Get a used car. The 12 Z has a oil cooler that wont be sufficient for any type of modding or motorsports. An aftermarket cooler will do you better.
3. You you want a sports car to drive it normal a new 12 will be fine.
4. If you are NOT saving over $5k while getting a car with less than 10k miles buy new.
5. If you buy used make sure you can see all records and thoroughly inspect all joints and visible chassis.
6. Don't buy from anyone that won't allow you 15 minutes behind the wheel.
7. Certified or warranteed dealer used cars are the best way to go if you can get a good deal???

I always just buy new. It hasn't always worked well for me but it's my preference for the main vehicle. I agree that a used car with less than 10k miles is good but probably not a huge price break over new unless 2+ years old.

Ok my silver Z was a 09 base/sport 7at with 4600 miles on it and I bought it for $30k out the door minus a $1700 extended warranty. The msrp on my Z was about 38.5k out the door and invoice was about 36k. Some people paid as low as 35k out the door if they hustled hard??? So I came off with about 5-6k under.
When I had the accident. I couldn't find as good a deal used. So I bought NEW. It was 37kOTD, with auto trans, all accessories n backup cam/ gap included. With an extra $700 on shipping on flatbed and maint warranty. In the end you just have to hop for the best deal. There are good deals both new and used.

I got mine in July for $1400 below invoice. I used this site to get quotes. You don't need to be an Amex member to use the site. Zag pricing, as my dealer referred to it as, seems to be pretty good. It was way lower than any internet quotes I was getting at the time.

American Express | New Car Landing

I got a 2k mile 2010 used with sport package for about $3k under retail blue book bc they had it incorrectly listed as a base model and didn't know what they had (subaru dealership). Deals are out there.

I got mine back in Jan 10 (it was about 6months old) a 09 sport touring with NAVI and had just 8k on the ODO. I purchased it through a private seller and got it for 31k so I saved myself about 12-15k.

When I bought my used 09 370Z it only had 5,600 miles on it! So used could be.. new? Hehe.

my Z currently has 80k on it with no issues other than hitting a deer a little over a week ago...

get a used one and you shouldn't have issues, unless it was owned by a 16yr old that can't drive stick

If you can find a nice used one and there's a big difference between its price and the new car price, I'd go used. Off-the-lot depreciation is a PITA.

I almost always buy used. I bought mine used. It only had about 9k miles and still smelled new. I saved about $10k. In fact, I paid $25,800 for mine and saw the same model at a dealer asking $38,000+. No regrets at all.

I bought mine used last year and it's great. Not only did I save over $7000 when it came to buying a new one, it's almost paid off. I don't think I'll ever buy a brand new car.

I don't think I will buy new next time around. If you change cars often you end up getting killed.

New or used, it will be a Z. I like new, but tough to justify it financially.

bought mine used, got it certified pre-owned through nissan which is nice to still have a warranty on a '09 plus only had 11k on it, smelt new and had nissan check tranny and everything and no problems since I bought it 10/24/11. my first used car but love it, especially how much I saved compared to new!

Thanks for your suggestions.I like to go for the used one but there is only 8K difference( 2009 with 15K miles on it-certified preowned) between used and new that made me think about the new car.

8k savings is significant in my book

I agree with you 8K is a good amount, but does it make the same 8K difference after 5 years?

i bought mine new, first new car ever so i wanted a nice one

Basically, it just comes down to what kind of deal you can get, how much you'll save getting used, and how significant that amount is vs how important new is to you. The cars will be more or less the same other than the oil cooler mentioned earlier.

I vote new due to 2012 has a improved cooling for oil. Also the used car prices are supposedly incredibly high right now due to the economy.

Honestly, that little cooler is hardly a deal breaker. Nice to have? Sure. Critical? If you track your car (though if you track it you should be doing other things as well anyway, and aftermarket cooler may be more effective)

Prices are all over due to supply and demand. Its not a high volume car. Patience and flexibility will net you a decent deal, especially in the winter months where the climate is not all that for driving a Z car.

Some dealers will think its covered in gold. Others will see a car on their lot for 60 days and want to move it.

- b

I'll agree to that, but $8.7k (that was OTD on New Service & extended Warranty inc so - $2k+ on savings) was not enough for us as it had the wrong interior color, wrong options, & 33,000 miles, so for us we felt that for a little extra, we could get the exact trim & color we wanted new & not end up wishing we had.

YMMV.

Everyone else in this thread is wrong, 2012 Z vs Used is a driver's race. Mods can close this thread now, thanks.

At the end of the day... all that matters is that you get your Z. No matter which route you choose, just make sure you are well informed. Have done your research, proper inspections and have full understanding of the offers in front of you as opposed to values. Know what the purpose of your automobile will be before committing to a type of purchase.

The worst kind of purchase isn't if it was new or used? The worst purchase is the kind iwhere you make a deal without being informed or knowing what you got for your money.

Go new... unless you Fine a fully loaded one like mine for 25k... I simply said thank you ill take that!
Drove hours to get her, then 10 hours back.

True its not a deal breaker but it still makes me a little upset knowing I dont have it but thats just me. Honestly I still miss my defrosting mirrors and rear view window wipers from the 350z. Guess thats just who I am hehe.

:iagree:
I can tell you from experience, don't settle for a color that's not your first choice. The vehicle I bought before my Z was not my first choice for color. I bought it in 2006 and will probably keep it forever, while my Z is staying out of the winter weather. I have to look at this color every day and it disgusts me that I settled on this for a lousy $500. I knew what colorI wanted for a Z, black cherry, and I waited for a 2011 with low mileage, 4200 miles. Glad I waited, with a car like this it should be everything you want.

When I found my 10' base + Sport package this past August, it wasn't even something I had thought about purchasing. The way the car presented itself was the clincher for me. The previous owner had just installed a K&N intake system along with having paid for a clear bra. Plus, it only had 1600 miles on it!! Probably wound up paying 1 grand too much, but i know when I go out to look at it, that previous point doesn't count much.. And just like many of you are stating, the new ones really aren't that much different. If they had figured out a way to make an extra 30hp. that might sway me to new.
Color and options would be the decision-making factor for me. Have a feeling there are plenty of used ones lying around that owners bought, took great care of and just decided it wasn't a long-term vehicle for them. Heck, if i hadn't stumbled onto the fact that you can deaden the horrible road noise, I'm not sure how long I'd keep mine.
Can't imagine that you can save well over 10 -12 grand purchasing a "nice" used vehicle over the new option. Might want to check and see if one option or the other is better from an insurance cost standpoint also. Have to remember, once you've brought whatever car you chose home, everything past that is purely maintenance costs...
PS. make sure you save enough to be able to afford the "horrible" fuel mileage these cars get.....
Pat

Since #2 is impossible to do, does that mean you never vote for buying a used car? :tiphat:

If you buy a used car, you're taking a risk. There's really no way around that. You will never, ever know the true condition of the car.

you take the car to a reputable dealer/mechanic and have it checked out. Trust me if you say this to the seller and they know something is wrong you will get the impression when you talk to them or the mechanic will most likely find it. It is the same process when you buy a house you have a inspection done.

No, not really. A lot of aspects of a house can be visually inspected. There's only so much you can inspect on a car without tearing it down to check out parts.

I think you would argue the sky was purple if I said is was blue. Simple fact is that is how I have always purchased my vehicles and they have outlasted many others that I have know that were purchased new. Either way I own a Z and you own a civic so who has done better here?

N370z I hope you find what you are looking for and no matter what is said on here just trust your gut.

I take it you've never bought a house.

lawls don't take it so personally dude. I'm sorry your argument was weak, as is your logic. "I've bought a ton of used cars and had no problems, therefore I must be right". Yeah, nice logic. Since YOU'VE never purchased a car that had a problem with it because you had it inspected, surely no one else ever has. /sarcasm


Yeah, you're right, a lot of parts of a house can't be inspected. You got me AGAIN, dude! Stop winning so much!

But seriously dude, do you really spend a significant amount of your day sitting on car forums trying to prove people wrong? If so, you suck at it. Terribly.