Nissan 370z vs Lotus Elise
#21
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Also, with your SN -you should not care about $ STUPID...
just buy a used FD rx7 and a Civic. best of both worlds. you can have the rx7 as your touge beast which will out handle ANY Z on this forum when modded right and have your beater EG/EK hatch civic for gas mileage. sounds like a win to me. you can get both cars for under 15k!!!!!!!
You obviously have no clue how much $ it takes to maintain an early 90's sports car.. let alone one with a rotary engine..
#22
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CO-SIGN AMIGO.
also buying new is STUPID. why are you asking to lose 8 stacks after you leave the loft, and FINANCE??????
just buy a used FD rx7 and a Civic. best of both worlds. you can have the rx7 as your touge beast which will out handle ANY Z on this forum when modded right and have your beater EG/EK hatch civic for gas mileage. sounds like a win to me. you can get both cars for under 15k!!!!!!!
also buying new is STUPID. why are you asking to lose 8 stacks after you leave the loft, and FINANCE??????
just buy a used FD rx7 and a Civic. best of both worlds. you can have the rx7 as your touge beast which will out handle ANY Z on this forum when modded right and have your beater EG/EK hatch civic for gas mileage. sounds like a win to me. you can get both cars for under 15k!!!!!!!
EVER
#28
Registered User
Actually I found the perfect Z for you....
http://phoenix.craigslist.org/nph/cto/1394160810.html
should be right
http://phoenix.craigslist.org/nph/cto/1394160810.html
should be right
#29
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if you have to ask about gas mileage then cross off the sports cars on your list. you'll spend more in maintenance than a common daily driver. Also anything that goes wrong and needs repaired will be quite costly compared to other cars.
an entire brake job (pads and rotors) was cheaper on my accord than just pads all around on my g35.
an entire brake job (pads and rotors) was cheaper on my accord than just pads all around on my g35.
#32
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It doesn't sound like you have really figured out what you want out of a car. Decide that first, then pick the best car that matches your needs.
Ask yourself these questions:
1) Would this be your second car?
Ask yourself these questions:
1) Would this be your second car?
If you have another more practical car to drive and are looking for something fun and different, then go ahead with the Elise. They are uncomfortable, loud, small, and most likely expensive to maintain (but I'm guessing on that last one). Watching an Elise run through an Autocross course is incredible however. The 370Z might be a better car however if you are over about 5'11" and like a few conveniences in your cars.
If this will not be a second car, don't consider the Elise at all and you should stay away from the Z as well. A RWD two seat sports car is simply impractical for too many of life's requirements. A Mazdaspeed3 would make a great car for someone as a solo car. It is fast, fun, handles well, and is reliable. It gives you the practicality of a hatch.
2) Do you have money to burn?If this will not be a second car, don't consider the Elise at all and you should stay away from the Z as well. A RWD two seat sports car is simply impractical for too many of life's requirements. A Mazdaspeed3 would make a great car for someone as a solo car. It is fast, fun, handles well, and is reliable. It gives you the practicality of a hatch.
Buying a new car is almost always one of the most stupid financial moves anyone can make. If money is simply not an issue and you will pay cash for the car, then don't worry about it. For most of us, money is a limited asset. Buying a new car you take a huge depreciation hit. If you finance it is is even worse as you will quickly owe more on the car than what it is worth. In this, the Elise has the advantage as it is used. A used MS3 (if you can find a good one) or RX8 would be good choices as would a used 350Z.
Speaking of money, are you prepared for the insurance costs? A 370 or Elise will be expensive to insure. A MS3, RX8, or Si will be a lot less expensive.
3) Have you driven RWD cars before?A RWD car drives differently than a FWD car. If you haven't had the experience that is fine, but make sure you understand that you don't and take it easy if you get a Z or Elise. FWD is a lot more forgiving
4) Do you get much rain or snow?Your from CA but don't say where. If it snows where you are, and you don't have another car, don't get the Z, Elise, or RX8. That would be just asking for trouble. The MS3 would be a good choice. Rain isn't a big deal (unless you are SoCal driver, then for some reason it is) but rain can be a problem with a soft top.
5) Are you a 16 year old kid whose folks are going to buy the car for you?If so, buy a used Civic Si. The car is reliable, fun to drive, easy to mod without breaking the bank, and no great loss if you wrap it around a tree.
Don't discount the RX8. It is a great car that is reliable if it is maintained properly. A rotary is a lot of fun to drive and the car's handling is much better than the Z. It also has the benefit of back seats (sort of).Who says that the Z isn't practical? I have a 350 and it does everything i need it to do. If I have to haul stuff I just rent a truck from home depot. Plus driving in the winter with the Z is not bad at all. I grew up in the snow, and had an 85 Chevy C10 with a bored 302 when I was 18. Very powerful and very much RWD. I could drive that thing in any amount of snow. Now that I'm 30 that experience has paid off because I can drive the in rain, sleet, or snow. So don't listen to other people that deter you from buying the car just because they can't drive a lick in the snow.
Last edited by bigcloud; 10-17-2009 at 07:20 AM.
#33
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Who says that the Z isn't practical? I have a 350 and it does everything i need it to do. If I have to haul stuff I just rent a truck from home depot. Plus driving in the winter with the Z is not bad at all. I grew up in the snow, and had an 85 Chevy C10 with a bored 302 when I was 18. Very powerful and very much RWD. I could drive that thing in any amount of snow. Now that I'm 30 that experience has paid off because I can drive the in rain, sleet, or snow. So don't listen to other people that deter you from buying the car just because they can't drive a lick in the snow.
even with all season tires my g35 coupe 6mt is the worst vehicle i've driven in the snow in my life. I've never wintered a vehicle until i purchased this one. I have about a 1% grade in my driveway and my g35 wouldn't even budge an inch once i got it out of the garage with only a dust of snow. I drive my s10 with a v6 and no extra weight on regular crappy tires through the year with no issues.
now the g35x is a different story.....i had one for 2 weeks while my trans was being replaced nad that thing drove like a champ in the snow. huge difference in snow driving from my coupe.
basically a z or coupe g isn't really feasible for a year round car in a climate that has snow.
#34
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even with all season tires my g35 coupe 6mt is the worst vehicle i've driven in the snow in my life. I've never wintered a vehicle until i purchased this one. I have about a 1% grade in my driveway and my g35 wouldn't even budge an inch once i got it out of the garage with only a dust of snow. I drive my s10 with a v6 and no extra weight on regular crappy tires through the year with no issues.
now the g35x is a different story.....i had one for 2 weeks while my trans was being replaced nad that thing drove like a champ in the snow. huge difference in snow driving from my coupe.
basically a z or coupe g isn't really feasible for a year round car in a climate that has snow.
now the g35x is a different story.....i had one for 2 weeks while my trans was being replaced nad that thing drove like a champ in the snow. huge difference in snow driving from my coupe.
basically a z or coupe g isn't really feasible for a year round car in a climate that has snow.
I don't know where you learned to drive mang.... My Z drives just fine in snow. I was able to get out of a parking lot that had a grade higher than 1%. Is yours manual or auto? I know with my manual I can do just about anything I want in the snow. I guess its the driver....
#35
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I don't know where you learned to drive mang.... My Z drives just fine in snow. I was able to get out of a parking lot that had a grade higher than 1%. Is yours manual or auto? I know with my manual I can do just about anything I want in the snow. I guess its the driver....
As i stated before, this is the only car that has ever given me problems on slick surfaces. It's a manual coupe hence the "g35 coupe 6mt" in my previous post.
#36
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Not speeding at all. It was weird as I was rounding the corner my back end just swung out. I did down shift from 3rd to second before the corner. So I'm thinking that a partial clutch kickout happened and that broke the tires free. I am trained in evasive driving and other advanced driving techniques. This situation was one I thought I could get out of. Luckily I didn't hit the three cars in coming towards me. It was snowing a little when it happened, but I blame myself. I'm glad I didn't drift into 66 that would have been ugly.
so he who talks about MY driving wrecked his car in the snow because it lost rear end traction and then claims the car drives great in the snow....RIIIIIGHT
i guess that evasive driving course didn't teach you how to accomodate for weather conditions.
#37
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In case it wasn't sufficiently covered above--the Elise is not remotely suitable as a daily driver. I thought I wanted a "raw" car, until I actually drove an Elise.
The RX-8 has great handling and isn't too bad to insure, but fuel economy only cracks 20 in straight highway, and easily ends up in the mid-teens.
The RX-8 has great handling and isn't too bad to insure, but fuel economy only cracks 20 in straight highway, and easily ends up in the mid-teens.
#38
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My rear tires were bald (really bald with metal showing), and actually I could have easily drifted into oncoming HIGHWAY traffic. However, I was able to put the car in the wall without too much damage (*cough* driving course *cough*), and not hit the three cars that were beside me when the whole thing happened. So actually that's not bad at all given the "context" of my accident. Get your facts straight and stop telling people they can't drive in the snow! There are plenty of RWD cars out there than do just fine in the snow should I make a list? You my friend should stick to FWD or AWD cars because RWD is not your skill set.
JUST FACE IT YOU CANNOT DRIVE IN THE SNOW!!
#39
even with all season tires my g35 coupe 6mt is the worst vehicle i've driven in the snow in my life. I've never wintered a vehicle until i purchased this one. I have about a 1% grade in my driveway and my g35 wouldn't even budge an inch once i got it out of the garage with only a dust of snow. I drive my s10 with a v6 and no extra weight on regular crappy tires through the year with no issues.
now the g35x is a different story.....i had one for 2 weeks while my trans was being replaced nad that thing drove like a champ in the snow. huge difference in snow driving from my coupe.
basically a z or coupe g isn't really feasible for a year round car in a climate that has snow.
now the g35x is a different story.....i had one for 2 weeks while my trans was being replaced nad that thing drove like a champ in the snow. huge difference in snow driving from my coupe.
basically a z or coupe g isn't really feasible for a year round car in a climate that has snow.
#40
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It doesn't sound like you have really figured out what you want out of a car. Decide that first, then pick the best car that matches your needs.
Ask yourself these questions:
1) Would this be your second car?
Ask yourself these questions:
1) Would this be your second car?
If you have another more practical car to drive and are looking for something fun and different, then go ahead with the Elise. They are uncomfortable, loud, small, and most likely expensive to maintain (but I'm guessing on that last one). Watching an Elise run through an Autocross course is incredible however. The 370Z might be a better car however if you are over about 5'11" and like a few conveniences in your cars.
If this will not be a second car, don't consider the Elise at all and you should stay away from the Z as well. A RWD two seat sports car is simply impractical for too many of life's requirements. A Mazdaspeed3 would make a great car for someone as a solo car. It is fast, fun, handles well, and is reliable. It gives you the practicality of a hatch.
2) Do you have money to burn?If this will not be a second car, don't consider the Elise at all and you should stay away from the Z as well. A RWD two seat sports car is simply impractical for too many of life's requirements. A Mazdaspeed3 would make a great car for someone as a solo car. It is fast, fun, handles well, and is reliable. It gives you the practicality of a hatch.
Buying a new car is almost always one of the most stupid financial moves anyone can make. If money is simply not an issue and you will pay cash for the car, then don't worry about it. For most of us, money is a limited asset. Buying a new car you take a huge depreciation hit. If you finance it is is even worse as you will quickly owe more on the car than what it is worth. In this, the Elise has the advantage as it is used. A used MS3 (if you can find a good one) or RX8 would be good choices as would a used 350Z.
Speaking of money, are you prepared for the insurance costs? A 370 or Elise will be expensive to insure. A MS3, RX8, or Si will be a lot less expensive.
3) Have you driven RWD cars before?A RWD car drives differently than a FWD car. If you haven't had the experience that is fine, but make sure you understand that you don't and take it easy if you get a Z or Elise. FWD is a lot more forgiving
4) Do you get much rain or snow?Your from CA but don't say where. If it snows where you are, and you don't have another car, don't get the Z, Elise, or RX8. That would be just asking for trouble. The MS3 would be a good choice. Rain isn't a big deal (unless you are SoCal driver, then for some reason it is) but rain can be a problem with a soft top.
5) Are you a 16 year old kid whose folks are going to buy the car for you?If so, buy a used Civic Si. The car is reliable, fun to drive, easy to mod without breaking the bank, and no great loss if you wrap it around a tree.
Don't discount the RX8. It is a great car that is reliable if it is maintained properly. A rotary is a lot of fun to drive and the car's handling is much better than the Z. It also has the benefit of back seats (sort of).