KPZerone

Once again I really appreciate all the valuable insights!

Now I am trying to sell my current car (Camry - yes very boring but served me well) and as soon as it is sold then I will go out and look for the Z.

This is what my basic plan is like: I will basically look for ATs in dealers' inventory and if I find right one with right price (it seems like they are offering MPRS-$1000 for 2003 models) then I will get it. If I can't find any AT then I will take my chance and get MT as it is my fate.

I do not put a fresh order and wait for months - I wanna get it on the spot, preferably around middle of August. I saw about 5-6 ATs from dealers within 50 miles (SF area), so hopefully one of them will stay unsold till I get my hands on it. But if somehow it gets sold then I will get MT since it seems like there are plenty of MTs available in inventory.

One of the dealers told me that they are constantly getting new inventories but I guess from now on they will only get 2004s and I won't get below MPRS, which is not good.

Do you think MPRS-$1000 is good price range, or should I try to negotiate even further? (like asking for extended warranty & stuff)

Also should I test drive even before selling my car?

I've been looking for Mini Cooper, Infiniti G35 but now my mind is 95% on Z! Oh I gotta figure out how much insurance is going to cost me as well!

tbcz

Pretty good points in this discussion...I'm sure you will enjoy either.

I disagree with the auto=poseur statement made in an earlier post. Certainly many poseurs drive autos, however there are just as many rowing the gears as well. Being a poseur has much more to do with what's going on in your head than where your right hand is when driving.

Personally I would recommend the 6MT, but what I think isn't going to dictate how you will feel when driving a manual. There is no substitute for experience in this matter. I will point out that 99% of the time I see people in your situation take the leap and buy the manual they will state a few months later how happy they are that they did. It's rare that you see someone regret it, unless an inordinately large part of their time is spent in stop-and-go traffic.

Let us know what you get and how much you enjoy it.

D'oh

Definitely take a test drive in as many of the cars as possible. Not only is it fun, but it will help you distinguish the differences between the vehicles in case there a subtleties that you would have not noticed otherwise. I'd suggest an RX-8 as well. I've started to see them on the road and they look pretty good (they are no Z though).

As far as pricing goes, look up the invoice price and go from there. MSRP is usally 10% or so above invoice, and I would typically try to pay 2-5% over the invoice (although I was happy to pay MSRP straight-up on my Z preorder).

However, the other thing to keep in mind is that as long as you are happy, you got a good deal. Decide on the maximum you are willing to pay before going to the dealer, and then lowball when you start negotiating. If the dealer won't take your price, then walk away and try somewhere else. If you are offering a reasonable amount, most dealers will have a hard time saying no, especially if they have cars on the lot (also, if you go at the end of the month they are sometimes more willing to make a deal).

Finally, make sure they aren't charging you for PDI, or any other "dealer services". You'll have TAX, License, and some documentation fees, but that should be it.

Have fun, and remember that you are in the position of power, because you don't need to sell the car to make money like they do. You can always walk away with nothing lost.

EDIT:
My insurance is just over $150 a month through State Farm. I'm 28 years old and have the highest A++ rating available (the only way my rates can get lower would be if I become a chick, get married, or lower my coverage).

EDIT AGAIN:
Ummm, I'm actually 29. See what happens to your memory? You start being like this all the time =

-D'oh!

KPZerone

Thanks again for the inputs.

Do you think it will be worth extra thousand or so for 2004 version vs 2003 version?

D'oh!, thanks much for tips about "getting a car". I did not think of asking PDI or service charge - I was just thinking about asking for extended warranty w/o extra. But what is PDI??

Oh, I checked my insurance, and it seems like it only increases $30/6month from Camry to 350Z. I was pretty surprised. But I guess my premium for Camry was high - it was about 840/6month.

Anyhow, the fact that 350Z is only 2 sitter with no rear seats at all, it could cause problem when friends or parents visit me... hmm..

Thanks much!!!!!

chicago_z

I learned how to drive manual on my friends 1991 explorer with 100k+ miles on it.

Well I should not say I learned... I had a 15 minute lesson where I basicly drove his car home.

When I went to pick up my Z, i was nervous as hell and actually had my friend drive it all the way back into the city...

Kinda embarassing... but when I got in my neighborhood I drove it around and within two days of slow starts and somewhat rough shifting, I was driving much better. After a few weeks I was a pro.

I was in exactly the same boat... I wanted a sports car and I wanted to _SHIFT. I knew I would regret AT and I'm so pleased to have the enjoyment of driving manual.

Laziness is not a factor either. It becomes second nature... I dont even notice it in bad traffic.

INSURANCE - I pay about $190 a month i think. I have a good driving record but I live in Chicago... in a nice area that unfortunately shares the United Centers zip code. Im 29 - single...
I hit 30 soon and it drops like $90 or something.

KPZerone

Yes, I am like 95% leaned towards M/T now. Thanks to your encouragements!

Thanks for sharing your experience, chicago_z!