Ok, so I wasn't going to post about this...
Last night I took my step-bro to pick up his truck at Pine Belt Nissan on route 36. While he was picking up his truck, I started wandering the lot. I found a Spec-V and thought it looked kind of kewl. I liked the seats - they reminded me a bit of the skylines (shudder - yeah, I'm sad to admit it, but I too lust for the skyline...hanging head in shame). So I took it for a test drive (alone!).
Fun little car, it has ******* torque steer. I wasn't expecting that. One, it's NA, two it's not making much horsepower (175HP and they dyno around 145whp if memory serves), and three it has an LSD and an improved suspension over stock. The audio system sounds alright, interior room is good. Quieter ride than my Protege. The fog lights actually work noticably well - unlike the fogs on my ES which are the equivalent of running lights. Talked to them about trading in my car, and got them to agree to give me 7500 for my 2002 Protege ES with 45,000 miles on it. The car is $20,060. Payments would have come out to roughly 300/month for 5 years. I liked it, but honestly not enough. They kept pushing - I kept being myself, that is - I don't react much. Salesman's name was Vito. He's probably about my age. Seems to know the cars fairly well. I'm a geek who surfs the web all day everyday and researches anything that I'm interested in, so I know most of the stuff about the car. Vito seems kewl - he's out to make a buck, I'm out to steal a car for as low of a price as I can get.
So we kept talking, and eventually I ended up looking at a 350Z. They have a used one that they are asking too much for. Still, I could try to talk them down I thought. So I go take a look. It's parked on the grass, it's a 2003 Nissan 350Z with 15,000 miles. Enthusiast package - 6 speed. They want $25,700 for it. (searches this morning on showauto.com revealed prices about 4k less for a like model) So I ask to take it for a test drive.
Now here is where the fun begins. I'm off work - I haven't got jack s*** to do. Just planning to go home and watch the O.C. because I like the show - and they are going to be showing the trailer for episode III tonight. But it's not a big deal if I miss it, my PVR will record it. So - I've got all the time in the world.
The car is parked on the grass, and there is a little bit of a steep decline. Steep decline + low profile vehicle = VITO SWAMPS IT. The car is stuck on the rear axel. They try pushing, they try putting wooden planks under the car. They try all sorts of stuff, but the car ain't moving. I'm out there, they are giving me Soda (blackberry Canada Dry - good stuff) and hot chocoate (burned my tongue a little as usual), and I can tell that Vito's boss is going to kick his ass the first chance he gets. I feel bad, but - what can I do. They end up calling a tow truck and use a strap around the tire with a winch to pull it out. I finally get my test drive.
So - I'm out there in the car, waiting for traffic and looking at the dash. Center mounted tach - prominently sized compared to the other gauges. Kewl, but annoying. I keep looking at it instead of the speedo. I pull out. It's quiet. I brake the tires loose in 2nd gear and scare myself a little. I've driven a z-06, and the exhaust note of that car instills some fear in you. Not so in the 350z. I didn't hear it, so I kept applying throttle. So I take it up and down the road. Punching it in a few gears and then turning off into a parking lot to see how it handels being tossed side to side. True to what I've read - it feels pretty good. Not as sticky as an MP3, but still pretty tight. The seats are comfortable, even with my winter jacket on. Radio sounds good - climate controls seem right enough to work. Nice car.
I take it back. Start working the numbers. They are trying to get me to take this car home tonight. I tell them that I bought my protege on impulse - and I'm not doing it again. I'm talking to the manager and he's very nice - you can tell he's good at what he does. I tell him firmly and plainly that I will be back tommorrow.
The final deal I walk out on that night is financing at 6.9% for the 25,700. This works out to 518/month. This is also with me getting 7k for my trade. I tell them that insurance is really the deal breaker, and I'm out of there.
I look online and find that I can purchase a similar car (year, trim, mileage) for about 4k less. But when I call each dealership - the car is already sold. I call Hanover - my insurance company.
Currently I'm paying $2500 or so per year for full coverage with a $500 deduct. Keeping the same coverage on the 350Z would push me up $381.50 per year bringing my total to 2841.12. If I choose to keep the protege, my insurance would be 1379.94 more per year bringing my total to 3837.56.
Now I'm thinking about a lease. This allows me to have a new car - be done with it in 3 years and go for something else. I'll keep the protege, for days when I need the ultility of a 4-door, and to keep the mileage down on the 350z.
Very fun car. so far 109miles. Behaving for break-in of 1200 miles. Well, kinda. Had my first "kill" last night. Early 90's Mustang GT, exhaust and who knows what else if anything. Kid kept following me, finally I let my cock hit the gas and went from a roll at 20 up to 50. Put a car length between us, even then, didn't really push it too hard.
