Hello everyone, this is my first post on this forum. I currently have a 2006 Acura TSX, PLANNING on getting a 350z Coupe/Black on Black/Nav/6MT.
My friend got a 2004 6MT 350Z about 6 months ago, and I just love that VQ engine(but i do love my VTec ).

I finally decided to look for a 350Z: in my opinion, its the perfect bachelor car. You have speed and looks. I was looking to spend about 22,000 on the Z, will it be possible to find a 2004+ for this kind of price (w/ not TOO many miles)?

And, one other question: This will be my first manual car, and I have no idea how to drive manual. Well, ive tried a few times, stalled once. I have the basic idea, but i heard the Z clutch is impossible to learn on? Is it really that hard?

I will be around the forums, just snooping around and deciding what mods i want to do(intake, exhaust, wheels, lowering, sway bars so far). THANKS!

EDIT_____ I was also looking to get Navi in the Z, so please consider that in the price, and if it is possible to find one..

 

congrats on your choice...first of all yes you should easily be able to find the year/miles youre looking for in the price range. Yes the VQ is an AWESOME engine, and i know you cant wait to roll the windows down on the hwy in the left lane next to a wall and hear the exhaust note and if you get an intake...all i gotta say is wow. Finally, the 6MT on the Z is IMO very forgiving...my wife who doesnt drive stick easily drove it up to 3rd gear in the parking lot with next to no problems and NEVER touching a manual tranny. Get the Z, you wont regret it..........unless it ever snows in Texas lol.

 

haha hasnt snowed in the 5 years ive been here. i guess i can thank global warming..? ha

 

you can pick one up pretty easy for that price. The Z clutch can take some getting used to.

 

its definetely not impossible to learn the stick on the 350..Z was my first stick car, and it took me only about 30 mins of practice on a parking lot with my brother.and you can definetely get a good deal for 22k, just look around.

 

i picked up my 06 Z w/ 16K miles for 22k. No navi but you shouldn't have a problem finding an 04 or 05 w/ navi at that price. Z was also my first mt car and it's not that bad to learn on

 

Great choice in car...The Z handles way better than the TSX..when you learn to drive stick confidently, you will see this.

 

Just watch out for that mod bug that's going around. It's a killer.

 

you could just buy my auto For Sale thread! I will even make you a good deal

 

Nice!

 

Everyone is “looking at a 350Z.” Better get one before they run out.

 

I hired an instructor for 2 hours on his manual corolla. I learned the rest with the Z.

My advice on learning manual in the Z:
I didn't know anyone that can drive a stick, so I would usually practice at night ALONE. I've never sweat so much because I fear that I will ruin my brand new car lol. I live in a hilly area and got stuck @ this hill for literally 5 minutes, embarrassing. My point is that if you decide to practice with the Z, do it with someone who knows how to drive it!

 

Z clutch hard to use!!!???? NONSENSE!! I had not driven a m/t car in 15 years and it took me 10 minutes to get familiar with the Z. The ONLY thing that will take time to master is moving off from a stop on a hill. At first I was using the e-brake to prevent roll back, but now I do not need to use it. Every once in awhile if I am on a steep hill I may use the e-brake but that is VERY infrequently. Good luck and just enjoy your Z.
BTW if you have 22K to spend why not try and get the newest model year you can find. As was posted above you could proabbly get an '06 with decent mileage...plus you get the rev-up motor which is stronger up top than the previous years. I know because me and abuddy raced; my '05 m/t vs his '06 rev-up m/t. Up top he consistently was able to pull away, not RUN away but PULL away. Again good luck!!!

 

I've heard the 06 has a different feeling clutch. All I know is that my 06 has a sweet clutch that's very easy to use. Almost every car has it's own clutch feel - but once you're used to it, most clutches become second nature.

You wont regret making the switch to MT. 85-90% of my driving is in the city. Dont regret getting a M/T one bit.

IMHO wishing you had an auto in stop and go traffic > wishing you had a manual on a twisty road. At least in a sports car.

 

Go for a new z, I see great deals on z all the time. You will probably over accelerate more (give more gas) then let more clutch out. I use to have and integra and that was a huge difference in driving. All car are different but just practice first gear and the rest will be a piece of cake. I also love where the the shifter sits in the z. Let me know if you need any help, im in the area and will show you. *No homo*

 

the 350z was my first car and i learnd how to drive manual with it.. just takes time and patience and you will learn

 

Hiyas, welcome to the Z community! You should be able to find a Z with very low miles easily, especially with a $22k budget. It really depends on the trim level and year you're looking for. I would recommend an '05 enthusiast or above. From my research, it's a general consensus that the '05+'s have most of the kinks worked out of it, and with an enthusiast+, you'll at least have an LSD and cruise control. You should definitely check out the differences in trim levels to see what would fit your preferences best. For what it's worth, I've read that the older Z Navigation systems were pretty bad, so you may be better off installing an aftermarket one.

As for learning manual, I learned on an '06 Civic Si and I must admit, the Honda seemed to be MUCH easier a car to drive/learn on than the Z, although as many have mentioned, the Z is a relatively easy car to drive as well (much harder to stall the Z). Personally speaking, I find the stiffer Z clutch alot easier to use, but on the downside, the long and high engagement point is a pain to get used to. If you'd like some tips on driving manual, check out standardshift.com. It's a great place to start out, with answers to everything you can think of involving driving standard, even small ones like what to do at a traffic light, how to take slow turns, etc etc.

 

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Picked up my Silver Alloy '06 Enthusiast (6M), with only 13,242 miles on it, and 3 years and 8 months left on my extended Nissan Gold Warranty, for $20,900. I think I got a decent deal on mine though, but it's very possible to find one around that year and mileage, for around that price range.

The big factor for me, was the warranty. There were a few other Z's in my area, but the seller's were asking for more money....and these were cars that had higher mileage, and only a few MONTHS, left on the "factory" warranty, no extended warranty from Nissan.

My car still has the "new car" smell. The previous owner had all the service records for it and the car is pratically mint inside and out. Not bad, considering the stick was well over $31k...not including the extended warranty, etc. The owner even had the rear tires replaced with a beautiful set of Kumho ASX tires.

Best of luck with your search. If you can find a Z in great condition, with low miles, around the low 20's range....I'd say pull the trigger, you won't regret it. Just don't be in a hurry though. There are alot of cream puffs out there, so take your time and wait for the "right one".

Just make sure the car was well maintained though.

 

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