Hello everyone, I've got an 04 in Le Mans Sunset that is in very good condition. Unfortunately the engine needs major work (out of the blue and right after replacing the clutch) $5K-$9K depending on the route I go and I don't feel it's worth it. Trying to gather opinions. I don't have a commute as I work from home, I use it to go the the park, go out and play soccer and on occasion make some trips to see friends (approx 230 miles round trip). I realistically don't need a car as I can rent a vehicle for those long trips and I can easily ride-share or rent an electric scooter (downtown LA) to get around. The conundrum is this, I'm attempting to fill my spare time by volunteering, which requires a car on a regular basis. I have the cash to buy a 2-3 year old 'new Z' but the times I'm going to use it are again rather minimal. I also have gotten several quotes here in California and it will more than double if not 2.5 times my current insurance rate (I have no idea why as I have 0 points with a clean record), approximately from $4k a year to $8-12k a year!

I'd be curious the community's thoughts along with any input as to other newer model Z owners in CA in regards to what they are paying for their insurance. I appreciate the help!

P.S. If anyone has thoughts if the shop that replaced my clutch could have caused this issue, please let me know. It was acting funny (AC problems) after the clutch was replaced. I had thought the white ribbon cable to the AC controls might have gotten messed up somehow. The primary issue is the exhaust gasses had been mixing with the coolant and the vehicle repeatedly shut itself off at low RPM.

 

What major work does it need? Who told you that? Was the car running fine prior to the clutch job?

 

I don't think a clutch job would have impacted the AC, that's probably a coincidence. But if you have coolant mixing with exhaust, then you have headgasket leaks, meaning the Z was severely overheated at some point.
As for Insurance...
Newer Zs (RZ34) are pricey, hence the higher insurance rates. The Z34 (370Z) has become one of the most stolen cars due to the wireless smart key exploit thieves have been using. Aside from that, your location (crime rates, accident probability, etc.) along with driver age/history play a significant part in insurance rates.

The insurance rate on my 350Z is very low for a sports car. I only have liability coverage on it, but annual cost is under $600.

-Icer

 

This is from the dealer, and yes, everything was running perfectly before the clutch replacement.

Both the head gaskets as well as the cats
He mentioned to me the gaskets
Are gonna need a possible replacement
Although at this point in regards to the year of the vehicle and the mileage on it he's recommending just a straight replacement of the engine just to
Just to not have any issues in the future uh or in the near future with those head gaskets being you know the age of the vehicle
As well as he does want to try to hollow out those cats

In regards to a total price you'd be looking at 7852

 

Just my $0.02...

If you want to drive a fun car on the few occasions where you need to to drive, then get the new Z. Or get a different Z. Or some other car that makes you smile whenever you start her up and drive it. I'm not sure how many miles are on your '04, but you'll probably be better of getting a new vehicle instead of dropping a new engine in your 22 year old Z unless you have a strong sentimental attachment to it (which is totally fine and acceptable, btw).

If you barely drive and you are overly concerned about insurance premiums, then just get a bland dependable DD like a Civic or a Camry with low insurance rates.

I think the main issue you need to figure out is whether you prioritize smiles per gallon or money.

 

I'll second that! I also have liability-only on my Z, and it is the lowest-cost-to-insure car in family fleet. Seems unlikely, but it is.

 

You guys must have impeccable driving records. Me - not so much. Premium on my Z is higher than the new car I bought for my wife

But even $4K a year seems a bit steep. Annual premiums on my 4 vehicles is less than that.

 

Yeah 4k is steep. That's what I'm paying for the entire family fleet (4 vehicles total). My 2016 Corolla S being the most expensive since I have comprehensive coverage on it (hell even registration on my Z is cheaper vs. my Corolla). My Z's rates are lower since it's not a daily driver. I put less than 6k mi on it annually. I don't have a perfect driving record, but I haven't had an accident or speeding ticket for 8+ years and I think insurance only tracks or cares about occurrences/incidents over the past 3 or 5 years.
Cheers!
-Icer

 

I wish it was cheaper myself and the vehicle has 177k miles on it. I definitely value smiles over miles 😁. I've even looked at an Audi etron gt and an i4 bmw but the insurance would just kill me. I'd have to.move to a tiny apartment to afford it lol

 

At 177K miles on your '04, I would not spend $5K-$9K to fix the engine. Just my opinion, of course.