rymep

Well, went to a dealer today, test drove for about an hour, talked to the dealer for another hour or two. Decided against it; for the money it would cost I could get a full STi swap or just keep 10k ^_^ Just wasn't worth the money to me. Plus I don't have too much time to sell my car and the dealer tried to rape me on the trade in (10k for a cherry WRX with 15k, **** that)

Thank you all for your help though, it's nice to have a place where I can ask all my stupid questions and get non-dealer answers.

Built2shredZ

Personaly I would just keep your car until you hit the 60k milleage mark, might as well get your money worth before buying another car.

thezedsled

iTrader: (1)

I would do it and not look back. Every car is going to have its advantages and disadvantages but the Z makes a real nice compromise between them for its price point. It sounds like you have what it takes to appreciate a car like the Z so I would go for it if I were you...

trehlo

I'm in the same boat.. sort of.

I've got an 02 WRX sedan with 39k miles on it and it's slowly, but surely, falling apart on me. I've recently had to replace the starter, motor and trans mounts, my 2nd power steering pump is on it's way out as well as my second set of struts. I have a list of things that are broken on the interior from the cd player to the cup holder to the power door lock motor. It really is a shame because I've babied the car for fear of breaking something I can't afford to fix. I've never even launched it from a stop.

Overall, I'm very unhappy with the turn the car has taken on me and am considering a Touring/Track Z as a replacement. My problem is it does occassionally snow in New Jersey and I can't afford to garage any car through the winter months. Additionally, my WRX is running a TurboXS Stage 4 package, dynoed at about 280/270 so short of FI, the Z is a slower car.

I'm open to suggestions. Is the Z a car for me? I'm most concerned about the overall build quality and making sure 39k miles into my Z's lifespan it doesn't start falling apart like my WRX is. I won't be buying another Subaru any time soon and after seeing what happened to my friends Mitsubishi Evo, I'm pretty sure another AWD car is not in my immediate future. It's too bad, because man are they fun in the snow.

Balishag

the 06 wrx comes in a nicer package than previous years. now with a 2.5l, ur basically on the same platform as an sti. of course minus the bigger turbo, tmic, rims, suspension, pistons, injectors, and such. but i think all of these sti parts can be bought for cheap off sti owners that are replacing them.

i wouldnt be so quick to say that a wrx would get walked all over by a Z, atleast in the 06's case they're getting around 200 whp. plus if ur into modding, it is much easier to do on a wrx. i think stage 2 cobb AP + 3" TBE +3" DP is already putting u in the 240-250 whp range, which is about $1k in mods. the handling and braking isnt exactly chopped liver either, the 06's now get the 4pot brakes. handling might be a little more subjective depending on whether or not u want a car that hugs corners (wrx) or can drift/slide through em (Z)

the Z is a good car too, very linear pull and great styling. the only thing that turns me off about the Z is that i see too many of them on the roads each day. i see about 3 Z's to ever wrx, about 7 Z's per sti, and about 15-20 Z's per wrx wagon. but i guess that ratio is a clear indication of how good the car is. anyway get the Z or an sti if ur into racing/tracking/fast driving. get the wrx if u want utility and performance, tracking a wrx will take a lot of work and $$$ but it might prove to be a great hobby car if u want to think of it that way

Balishag

wow stage 4 and u expect reliability? not to sound rude or mean, but 4 years is a long time for a car thats gone stage 4 and u say u never launched ur car? lets be real here, i kno u showed some civics a thing or 2 about ur rex =P u realize that at that point ur lucky u didnt blow a tranny. i have a buddy with an 04 wrx and went stage 4 also, sadly to say it never made to 2006.

itburns

Driving through several miles of twisted mountain road to and from work everyday is very arduous in a manual shifting car. I would stick with the automatic.

Also, in my experience with my Z, after some exuberant driving around the mountains, I burned off 1/2 of my power steering fluid and almost all of my full-syn motor oil!

trehlo

Honestly, 2 or 3 4k'ish RPM launches. Ever. I have self control like you wouldn't believe. Never even tracked it, 1/4 or otherwise.

Don't get me wrong, I had my fun in it on the highway, just not at the lights. I even managed to save the clutch that way, the OEM clutch is still going strong and they're known to go within a few thousand miles of a Stage 4 install.

The reliability issue isn't with the motor or transmission though, as much as I babied the car, I know I am lucky that I never had any major issues with either of those items. My issues are with the broken cupholder, the stereo that randomly skips and locks up, the window that whistles unless it is powered down ever so slightly, the door lock switch slowly dying, the **** for the ac/heat not turning far enough to reach all the options on the dial, these in addition to those other items I listed above, and then some are what I have issues with.

Regardless, the car is back to stock as of this afternoon and I will be putting money down on an 06 Z next weekend.

03performz

iTrader: (8)

WTF..arduous, are you kidding? That's what a manual is for. If there wasn't a situation presented to shift then why have one? And burning off almost all of your oil. I can't decide on whether to call B.S. or ask you what beaten P.O.S. you were driving?

thezedsled

iTrader: (1)

Reading this put a smile on my face...

bigplayray

mmmmmm.......you've driven it in the ice? and it did well? bull turds!!!!! let me say that i don't care what tires that you have on a 350z it sucks on bad weather. don't drive it!!! leave it at home......(you will be sorry if you don't)...as far as utah and the mountians!!! buy the 350z save a little money on the side and go pickup a cheap rusted out jeep. have fun with the z it's really a fun car to drive.

Zincognito

iTrader: (2)

Good Choice!!!!!!!!!

G