Hey guys,

I finally I decided that I'm going to upgrade to a Z. I'm working with a 10,000-11,000 budget.
I don't want to spend anymore than that.
After searching within a 300-400 mile radius. I have narrowed down my choices to two cars.

One, is an 06 touring edition, 83k, very clean not a single scratch on the car, new clutch, second owner (nice fellow in the Air Force), only mod is a nismo exhaust, only downside is a salvaged title which the owner was very kind enough to provide a carfax for and describe in terms of the cause (light rear damage). That doesn't bother me too much because I plan to keep the car until the end of it's life.
$9,900
Second choice,

08 base model with 109k, clutch just replaced, 100k maintenance done, one owner (who is now 26 but bought at 19 new- that scares me?). Clean title. No mods. Front bumper will need a little sanding and painting due to a light traffic hit ($500)
$10,000

I'm torn between the decisions. I've read that the 06 can have tranny failure and burn oil. That's all that scares me but then the 08 doesn't seem to have any tranny/motor problems.


Any input would be appreciated.

 

The '06 rev-up engines had a propensity for burning oil but a lot of these engines were replaced under warranty so chances are this has been sorted out. What is light rear damage to one person is enough to make another person walk away but if you're planning on keeping it to the end of its life then you haven't got the hassle of selling it. Do you know just how bad the damage was? Also do you know if the front bumper/hood has been repainted because these cars are renown for collecting stone chips and with 87K on the clock there should be quite a few marks on the paint. The Nismo exhaust will sound a lot better than the OEM giving the car a more sporty exhaust note. A lot of people will prefer the '08 primarily because it has the HR engine which is an 80% new engine with slightly more power than the DE engine of the '06. What worries you about the one owner car? Is it because as a 19 year old he thrashed it to within an inch of its life? If both cars have a full maintenance record then you should be ok as the engines were designed to do 200K. I suppose it all comes down to how important the interior trim is to you and what you'd prefer to live with long term. If you had any photo's it might help in making a decision but I hope this has helped to point you in the right direction.

 

The 07-08 have terrible interior problems with the rubber coating coming off the center bezel, radio console, and door panels. side by side the acceleration and top speed of the two models are near identical. Honestly don't sacrifice a choice biased on the engine. My 03 drove so much better than my 08

 

get the 08. I have an 07 and I really enjoy driving car and the 08 has had less damage than the 06.

 

not even a decision.

 

that is you though, not everyone. the interior door handles were the worst and they are cheap to replace through conceptz, it is not peeling at all on my center pieces

a minor collision would not cause the car to have a salvage title, i got hit and it caused almost 4k damage, know what.... my title isnt salvaged

true statement

 

06 has the same crappy interior, get the non salvaged one