Hey all, love the forum.

I have a decision to make between to different Z's. One is a used 2004 350z Track edition with 13k miles on it(Silver in color), being offered at the dealer for $26k. Also has a nice Nismo wing already installed. Its a beautiful car with a clean carfax record. The other Z is a brand new red base model for $27.5.

I've driven the used one but have not tried the 06 base model. The thing that turns me off about the base model is there is no cruise control, no LSD, and no Brembo Brakes. The track has these.

Of course I'm going to make an offer on the used one but my question is this. Should I try out the 06? Unless the dealer takes about 24k out the door on the used, it seems like the smart thing to do would be to just offer 26.5 - 27 out the door for the new one, and then just get cruise control installed aftermarket.

I'd rather save money but there is definitely some advantages and disadvantages to both.

Please advise!!

Steve

 

go for the 04 but ONLY if its an 04.5

 

Any idea how to tell? I have the VIN number if I can find out with it.

 

I think if it is manufactured after 4/04 it is a .5

 

Hm, just found this post https://my350z.com/forum/showthread....ghlight=2004.5 with some info about how to tell using the VIN, looks like this one is a 2004.5 good stuff

VIN is *4T160257 which should be the 257th 04.5

 

apparently all the problems (tire feathering problems and tranny problems) went away in the 2004.5 models up. Im looking for that aswell

 

Read posts by Base owners asking asking how to install items such as Cruise Control. Its not quite as simple as plug-and-go.

 

thanks for the input guys, sounds like the 2004.5 will be the way to go

hopefully they still have it for the next few days ... damn check is taking its sweet time in the mail!

 

By the time you pay for CC, you could have bought a new Entusiast for about the same cost as Base + CC.

I'd go new.

 

I'm sorry but whats CC?

 

Use the force man...

 

Cruise Control

 

Why is Cruise Control so important on a sports car?

Planning to drive cross country or what?

 

Gotta agree. You will only end up using it once or twice a year for a total of 10 minutes. If you don't have it, you ain't gonna miss it.

 

Cruise control is one of those things that you rarely use when you have a car with it. But when your car doesn't have it, you find yourself ishing you did. I almost never use mine, however im driving down to cali on march 16th so i ill be using it alot. ROAD TRIP!!! my friend is drving his STI as well

 

Thanks for the help guys, but you dont know my driving situation. I use it daily on my current car because my commute to work is an hour on a straight flat highway... YES cruise control is VERY important to me!

 

not sure if Xenon headlights make a difference to you, but I dont believe that the base had them...

 

The base 2006 have xenon headlights now.

As for the original question. If the car has at least a year left of warrenty I will always go for the used car instead of a brand new car. The thought of the new car instantly depreciating $5,000 as soon as you drive it off the lot is sickening to me. Even if I had enough money for the new car I would get a slightly used car and spend the rest on mods or other things. Just my opinion.

 

Forgot that he was referring to a 06 base...though he was referring to a pre-06..my bad...


Oh...forgot to mention in my initial reply....I was debating between an 03 track with less than 10k miles and a new 06 enthusiast for about $6000 more...I went with the 03 track. The 06 is more "plush", but for the purpose that I have the car for, it was better off for me to go with the track and use the $6k difference on other stuff. Just my $0.02

 

Cool deal, I have a guy buying my current vehicle, so it might be a week or two before I can get this Z... it better be there by then!!

The extra cash I'll make on my car will probably go towards tint and maybe some rims!

Did the 04 Track have xenon headlights? I totally forgot to check when I scoped out the car last night. I saw the headlights, but am not sure how to tell if they're xenon or not. It would definitely be a plus !