330's are boring to drive. If i were in your shoes though i would wait. Drive the Z though...you will love the power/sound...but will miss the solidness of the interior/ride comfort of the 330. Is your car auto or MT?? Don't listen to the people hating on your age.

 

keep it.

 

it originally had a 5sp manual but i put a 6spd in it... not many 330's on the east coast have it

 

I say, why not wreck 'em both?

 

Ok, it is annoying when people ask what car to buy but just because someones parents were able to get them a car don't bash them. Just because your parents didn't have the money or you don't for your kid doesn't meen that you should be rude to them. Jelousy is crap. Anyways drive both then decide, that's the only real answer.

 

I second that!

 

My friend its not jealousy. My parents have money, did they buy my car for me, certainly not. Its about teaching your kid responsibility and pride. If you want something nice, such as a Z, you should have to work for it, earn it, at the very least work for SOME of it. I can say from personal experience, it feels much better when I can honestly say, I paid for this car, and my previous. Just my 2 cents.

Note: Im now 23, bought an '01 IS300 at age 20, modded the hell out of it and recently sold it, so Im not some unfortunate kid or overly zealous father of 3.

 

Scorning, money and affordability aside ... lets just look at your situation Kelly.

Are you going away for school? Staying home?

The 330 is more practical if you need to carry some stuff since just having a two-seater will get old quick unless you have an alternative car. This is coming from someone who got their Z, third year of college. It's a nice weekend or two-and-from-work car but not something you can live out of like your typical college student.

You'll be making alot of new friends and it's going to suck if you need to go out on the weekends with more than one person, go study, move around clothes and books whatever...

The Z's sound and demeanor will also stick out more on campus (even if you see 3 or 4 around) attracting theft and vandalism. 3-series BMW's are plenty and will pretty much blend in with every other mid-entry level luxury car.

Just my 2 cents.

 

how do u get a Bmer before u turn 17<--------------SPOILED!

 

Just learn to ignore all these idiotic posts. Its the same people everytime.....you just get used to it after a while.

If I was in your situation I'd keep the BMW, since its already paid for. You'll have a back seat also. That would've come in real handy when I was in college 10 years ago....haha...no but seriously for hauling friends around and stuff. Sucks having a 2 seater when your in college. Chances are your not gonna like the cheap, minimalist interior in comparison to the vaultlike solidity of the Beamer also. I suggest you drive them both, but I would definitely keep the 330 in the end.


I am assuming your going to Princeton on a full scholarship, thats a pretty big achievement. Congrats and good luck. IMO you deserve the car...

 

I would keep the BMW, the 330 Ci is a great car. The 2003 Z had its share of problems and will not hold its value, most people avoid the 2003. That said, the 2002 330 Ci with same mileage is worth more than a Z. Hope it is not a straight trade. I would not call a 330 Ci boring to drive at all especially if it has the sport package.

 

Any kid that works their *** off during high school for a scholarship to a prestigious Ivy League school deserves a nice car IMO. However I was not the best student but I still worked my *** off doing multiple jobs.

 

Wow. Jealousy runs rampant here. Dude, coming from a guy who has dealt with having a two-seater in college, you might want to consider keeping the 3 simply for space. Keep in mind if you decide that you don't like it one year into college, Im sure your friends dad could find you a Z then.

 

+1

 

Just drive the Z and see if you don't really need four seats. If you can afford it then go for it, if not then don't stress over it. And don't let the "e-thugs" on this board try to push their morality on you. Just tell them to live their lives (as $h|+y as they are) and you'll live yours.

 

I'm dumping an A4 3.0 for a new Z this week...

I had the chance to get a 330 and took the Audi instead, and will be happy to let the Audi go.

My other choice was a new 335 Coupe, but I want 2 seats and more fun... (and don't want to wait for the 335 convertible, nor it's 60k price tage...)

 

+1

 

Hey man I've had the same situation, Ive had a tc, a cobalt ss, a 330i and the Z and I'm 17. The bmw is currently my moms car. I would stick with the bmw, their really nice cars and they really are fun to drive, especially just because you know how nice of a car they are. Since your rents bought it for you I would just stick with that and I would imagine your rents will help you get a different car when you graduate from highschool.

 

One reason because the bmw is already a really nice car, it performs fine not near the Z but its still not a dog, since your parents bought it they would probably rather you stick with that and since they did you should go with what would please them more, and finally I think if you please them you are going to be happier with how they may help you after highschool. No need to sell an already nice car for one that really is around the same as that, just a different type of car.

 

There are a lot of ageist bigots on this forum; if you acquire a nice car in your teens when it took them years and years of saving and hard work, they resent it, but that's a reflection on themselves and their own outlook on life. I drove nothing but beaters when I was in H.S., then bought a bone-stock Nissan Hardbody when I got to college that didn't even have A/C or a freakin' rear bumper. Bought a brand new Z at age 32. But just because I was not spoiled, lucky, or born with a silver spoon doesn't make me a hater on someone who is. There are 6 billion stories in the world and 6 billion life paths. Respect and hate are the two sides of the coin.

WTF am I talking about? Just get a Z.