Well, good luck with that. Be sure to post when you find one available.

You might try putting away $700 a month for April, May and June and see how that fits your budget. That should just about cover car payments, gas and insurance.

 

All those cars are nice, but you need to ask yourself, "Do I really enjoy driving an automobile, is it a thrill to me?" If the answer is no, then dont mind, but if its yes, then scroll down and see what car your mind subconciouscly has wet dreams about.
















































































































































































































































































































































































































































































-RSX FTW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Yeah, once I buy my ZR i'm gonna be around this forum permanently.

 

rsx....

 

I've only had my ZR for a couple of weeks but in that time I've used her as a DD putting on 600 miles/wk. Each Monday I drive 160 miles from Ocean City, MD to Columbia, MD with a large hardshell garment bag in the trunk, a roll around computer case on the passenger floor and a brief case on the passenger seat. The ZR isn't a practical car but it has enough room to support this old man for a week away from home.

I've managed to find a spot for everything that I used to schlepp around in my Mustang. I was pretty sure what I was getting into when I bought the ZR but I valued the pleasure of driving it more than the utility I could get from a more roomy car.

The fun of driving was as much a deciding factor as any practical consideration. I figured I was practical long enough to raise three kids. Over that time I had a lot of cars and I was dammed sure I would return to a sports car after they didn't need me to run them around anymore.

I guess what I'm saying is to not under estimate the fun factor when you choose your car. If you have to have certain things that dictate a sedan or whatever then so be it, but if you can live with a great little ride where you'll have to think about how to get you stuff to fit...get the ZR.

Ed

 

Ed, you're a man after my own heart there. Fun factor was what did it for me, too; it was a case of "if not now, then when?" I thought I was going to buy a Volvo C70, waited a year for it to come out, but after one drive of the Z I was smitten. I drove the Volvo the very next day (first day the dealership had it!) and while it was very luxurious and all, it just wasn't fun like the Z was.

Went back to the Nissan dealer and signed on the dotted line for my beautiful red ZZZoom-mobile.

With all the storage cubbies, and a very accessible trunk, I find I can get a lot of stuff into it when necessary. It's pretty amazing, really, because it doesn't look that big, but it seems sufficient.

I bought the seat-back organizer designed for the Z from someplace on-line, and that is an amazing thing. I put all the stuff that usually I would put in a glove compartment in there - maps, tissues, car registration in one of the little pockets, and so on. Very, very useful to have.

 

I was considering that seat back organizer but didn't know whether it was a step above the pocket already on the passenger seat. I had a couple of visor organizers that I moved over from my Mustang but the Z visors are farily narrow and the organizers barely fit. Perhaps the seat back thing is a better way to go.

As far as cars go I figure they are designed for what they are designed for. There are haulers, transporters, econoboxes, econosedans, luxury sedans, sport sedans, vans, mini-vans and all sorts of crossovers that combine this with that. All of them have their calling and uses but the Z is one thing only. A sports car in the great old tradition. It's built for driving fun and everything else is a secondary consideration. I love it...

Ed

 

I had a G35 Sedan 6mt, and now a 06 Acura TL 5AT A-Spec and It's very reliable and comfortable though. Just a bit boring. I would look at the Z if you want performance.

 

Oh yeah, it's way, way more useful than the pocket that's already on the seat. The organizer has a top horizontal mesh pocket, ideal size for tissues, some maps, folder for car registration, etc., then there's a larger mesh pocket below that, where I keep most of my maps and other stuff.

Both the mesh pockets are on one piece of fabric which lifts over the part that's right next to the seat back. On that interior piece there are two smallish fabric pockets with Velcro fasteners, plenty big enough for say, a small notebook, or cell phone, I-pod, what have you. All told, an amazing amount of glove-compartment like storage in the package. And there's a cut-out, of course, for the seat-back button. Since this thing was designed especially for the Z, it's miles better than just buying a random organizer from the auto parts store.

http://www.courtesyparts.com/Merchan...Code=350Z-SBRG

Looks like they've changed the design a little since I bought mine. Anyway, very useful item. (Note that they claim it won't fit a Roadster with mesh seats. I have regular leather seats, no problem with this fitting.)

The other thing I did to make life a little more pleasant was to replace the cupholder compartment, which is very awkward to reach, with a double-cupholder arrangement built on a "stalk" that fits into the change compartment. This brings the two cupholders into a very reachable position. Putting an insulated "sleeve" on a can of soda makes it a perfect fit.

http://www.thezstore.com/store/merchant.mvc?

Here's a picture. The vinyl ones are $40; the burnt-orange leather is $68. It's a neat little thing to have.

With that, plus my tube of sun creme in the driver's side door cubby, I'm set! ;-)

 

Either the TL or Z would be my choice. Actually, the TL was one of my choices before I got the Z.

 

I agree about the stock cup holders. I wondered how anyone could use those unless they had double jointed elbows. Up to now I've been using the passenger cup holder. I think I'll take your recommendation and give the cup holders and the organizer a try.

Thanks,
Ed

 

I put a little trash container in the passenger cup holder. It's just a gray rubber thing with a lid that I bought at an auto parts store. It's roughly the size of a travel mug.

By the way, Courtesy Parts has the Chug N Plug cupholders for a little bit less ($32 instead of $40) but only in black. So if you don't have to have the colors, you can save a few $$.