... ok so here my dillema, I own a gorgeous Redline enthisiast ZR that is completly stock that I picked up this past december and as I'm sure you all do, I absolutly adore the thing. She's my baby! But now I'm faced with a difficult decision. You see I'm 23 and I went into the work force right out of high school and eventually ended up in Mortgage refincing, which was what allowed me the extra cash to afford the car. As of April however I lost my job and luckily because of my past earnings I still recieve more than enough to pay for my bills including the largest by FAAAAR which is the ZR. Now although I have enjoyed this summer sofar without having to work and being able to cruise around in my car with all its drop top glory..... the cash runs out at the beginning of oct.
Now dont get me wrong I've still been looking for work but my problem is that all of my experience is in sales fields and I want a job that is much more stable. But most jobs that are worth while require a degree. This is where my problem comes into play I think the best move for me now would be to go back to school full time. The catch is that I would HAVE to sell off my baby!!!
What I need advice on is this.... Should I bite the bullet and go back to school or do I keep tring to find a job that pays approx $30k or more that is stable without a degree???
also if i did have to sell it does anyone have any clue how much I should expect to sell my car for?
this is that I have
2004.5? enthusiast Z roadster
6-spd manual
mudflaps/cargo net/trunk mat
redline red
approx 8500 miles
near immaculate minus a few common stone chips none to noticeable
I live in Western MA

please help!!!!!

 

You could also go to work and school, both full-time. I do it, as well as many other dedicated people that have obligations yet want to move up in the world, per se. Now it ISN'T going to be easy by any means (as you'll have to sacrifice virtually all of your free time, you'll be constantly busy, etc.), but if you really want to succeed in life, there is no better training (for working hard and developing a good work ethic) than holding down a full-time job while maintaining 30 or so units per year

Good luck with your course of direction (from another Big B)

 

thanks for the advice but it's not that I couldnt necessarily do both, but the job I need has to pay approx $30k and those kinds of jobs as far as i've seen typically require some kind of degree unless your in the sales field which I dont think I want to do anymore.

I was thinking though that if I do sell it maybe putting an asking price of about $32k does anyone think this is even in the ball park?

 

No car, even a Z, is worth more than an investment in yourself like a college degree. The car will only continue to depreciate while more education (and degree) will contiue to show returns for the rest of your life.

 

your starting to sound like my girlfriend yeah I know it is definitly the most sensible thing to do. but now I need to figure out how much to sell it for

 

I think that about sums it up. I would never take a car over an education.

 

You have a wise girlfriend. I hope she didn 't get her wisdom my way. I'm 62.

 

Dude,

This is clear. You need to decide on some goals in life.
I am 25 so I can relate to you.
My advise:
You need to sell your car today, before the FALL market shows up,

Enroll in your local college. Get a degree/job in doing what you want to do.
Ironically, I can tell you this, I make more than most of my friends, most of them have master degrees, one hasa phD and all have at least a bachlors. I don't have a bachlors.

Set some goals in life, then decide what you're willing to do, sacrafice to change to get to your goal(s).

If my car got in the way of my goals, then I would find a way to sell it. I did. I had a 11 second Trans am that I sold in october so I could build and bu a new 250K house, then I bought my ZR .

Also Goals for most people are a long term thing.

good Luck whatever you decide is best for you is probably the right answer.

 

yeah my girlfriend is a smart chick... I have decided to go back to school and get my core classes out of the way and get into some form of buisness managment classes.

I'm bringing my car to a used car manager at the nissan dealership i used to work for a couple years ago today to see what they would offer me for my car to buy it outright.

does ANYONE have an idea based on the info about my car earlier in this thread, how much I should ask for. Also I did a dealer search of ZR's in a 50 mile radius and the dealers that do have them only have one each and they are all loaded ZR's in the 38K- 40K+ range. do you think that puts me in a good position to ask for more even though I have 8400 miles on my enthusiast?
it originally MSRP'd for $34,500

 

You got good advice from your good friends on this board. Think you made a wise choice going back to school. That is a major step and congratulations.

Sorry that I cannot offer suggestion on the sell price, but you should sell the Z yourself. Dealers make their living by buying and selling cars. They cannot offer you a good deal unless they are willing to take less profit or even a loss, and that does not happen often.

And … be nice to your girl friend. Smart chicks like that help men like us think straight.

 

Definitely you have good advice on the board. I would go back to school anytime. Right now, my situation is that, I'm doing both going to school part time and working full time. I just traded in my 03 DB touring model for a 04 SB Roadster. I worked hard for it and at the same time it is a graduation gift for me. I have 3 classes left to graduate with a BS in IFSM. Never give up on education, it opens more doors. If you plan on selling it make sure you check with KB and NADA. Good luck in your decision!

 

yeah thanks guys... I do treat my girlfriend very well she really help keep me grounded. I probably wouldnt have considerd going back to school so much had it not been for her.

I know that I cant expect to get as much from a dealer but this is a dealer I worked for for quite awhile and they typically give good values to nissans of people they know, but who knows. I told them that I'd consider selling it for $32K since I've put 8400 miles on it at minimum. He said that since there was no market for them yet and because KBB or Edmunds doesnt list the roadster yet since its an 04' he's going to do some research into what they have been selling for at auctions nationally and he wanted me to get back to him on friday. Regardless I am going to give it a try in the local paper maybe this weekend or next, and in the local
auto sellers magazine and even in the classifieds on this board.

Guys I do appreciate all the advice and encouragment.... when I was detailing my car today to bring to the dealer to have him see it , I was really sad and depressed at the thought of not being able to spend time cleaning her and then dropping the top and going for a nice long ride.... especially when I considered that she would be replaced with my second car a 94 base toyota corolla.... sigh

 

Short term pain, long term gain. Look at things the bright side. You have a girl friend who obviously cares about your future more than riding with you in the Z, that is priceless. Tough it out for a short time, then you will be able to get the nice cars (that is multiple cars) in a few years to come, with the big garage to put them all in, and the nice house that happens to be attached to the garage. That sounds pretty good to me. BTW, that is not fiction, been there, done that. It's worth it.

 

At 23, I was a student living in a small apartment and couldn't even dream of owning a car like the Z. I used to study and work upto 130 hours a week. I gave myself one night a week to go out for several hours, and that's it. The rest of the time I was working or my face was in the books. Today, at age 38, my ZR is one of three cars I own. I paid cash and didn't even have to blink while writing the check. You have a long road ahead and plenty of time to enjoy life and own lots of toys. Spend the next 5-6 years putting yourself into a situation whereby you can enjoy life without worrying too much about it.

Sell the car, go to school.

 

I am 25, when I am 38, I want to be just like you

 

speedracer did you walk uphill to and from school with no shoes also? he he just kidding Yeah I've been pretty luckey sofar to have at least owned it. I worked in som,e pretty cutthroat jobs to afford it though ( ie. car buisness, mortgage buisness) but I want out of that lifestyle and want to live more comfortably with a more stable job. So thats why I am deciding to get my edumacation

 

Yes! How did you know!!! The climb was a *****!!!

 

you should have put this in off/topic forum but I suggest you sell it yourself on ebay or yahoo autos as the dealers will gouge you. you should expect atleast a $5000 loss

 

Good for you, and excellent advice from speedracer. But my advice would not just be to get a degree in something you like, as others have posted, but something you can actually USE to hopefully earn more than $30K someday. For example, I enjoy my job, comparatively speaking, but what I would have MOST enjoyed (well, other than a career as a Nextel Cup driver or NFL star) was a degree in history, but unless you're good AND lucky enough to become the next William Manchester or Shelby Foote, the old Ph.D. just ain't gonna pay the Z bills very well.

Temporary sacrifice in the form of slumming it while getting an "edumacation" is worth it. Like speedracer, I'm probably one of the codgers on the forum @ age 36, but even in the late '80s, most cars, even used, cost a lot more than $1k. I didn't have a car AT ALL until the end of my freshman year, and my fraternity brothers had some rather humorous and insulting nicknames for all of my cars, all of which cost LESS than the aforementioned $1k. In contrast, a remember a sorority girl on campus whose wealthy daddy ordered her a BMW 3 series convertible, whose vanity plate (no kidding) was "2GOOD4U". My first car which cost over that amount cost only $1,250.00, which I bought in law school, a Chevy Cavalier hatchback (and yes, I would have loved a 300zx instead).

On the other hand, if you choose to become a professional, be sure you're ready for all that responsibility.

Example 1: The summer btwn undergrad and law school, I got to work on a rich guy's estate, and I asked him what, other than education or a silver spoon, generally characterized those with high paying jobs. His answer: usually, the greater the consequences if someone screws up, the more $ they make. Be sure you're ready for all that responsibility in choosing a career. BTW, that particular rich guy indeed did screw up and, along with the chairman of the board, ran a company that ever so briefly made it into the lower part of the Fortune 500 into a Chapter 11 BK by expanding too quickly.

Example 2: Even though he probably hates my type (the largest recovery I ever obtained for a client was from a negligent anesthesiologist), speedracer literally holds patients' lives in his hands on a daily basis. If he screws up, people die, or worse, live for a long time w/severe brain damage; if I screw up, my client doesn't get any $. Even though I sue the negligent ones, I admire doctors' courage; I had the intellect for med school, but X'd it off my career list because I didn't want the responsibility of holding someone's life in my hands. The good ones deserve to make more money than they do (if you don't believe me, contrast the average physician's salary to that of a high level executive in a drug company or a managed care corporation or health care insurance company).

Example 3: my wife is now in a corporate political game in which one unit is trying to blame hers for losing that very large company $75 million, in order to get off the hook themselves. Are you ready for that kind of heat?

Bottom line: YES, get that education, but choose carefully WHAT education to get, based BOTH on what you can make $ in and on what you would enjoy (and how much pressure you can stand). Of course, if you do get that F1 or Nextel Cup ride, disregard all the previous advice. . Good luck!

 

thanks for the advice... I really apreciated it

- mike