Will be a 350Z driver in 36 hours!
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 65
Likes: 18
From: CT
Will be a 350Z driver in 36 hours!
I'm not having a mid-life crisis, but I wanted a mid-life crisis mobile. I found her.
Bear in mind my circumstances. I already have two vehicles. Wife is getting a little exasperated with my practically annual vehicle purchases, so having three vehicles is... a bit much. But the other two have their purpose!
www.tundratalk.net
www.priuschat.com
Anyway, I set a low budget for a "project car" of sorts. I don't plan to do too much tuning, maybe some intake/header/exhaust work, and that's about it. She's an '04 6-speed convertible, Touring trim, 132K miles. Got it for $4200 out the door including all that dealer fee stuff... they just lowered the advertised price from 4888 to 4488 to 3999, and I jumped haggle free.
The only thing that's really "wrong" is the seats. God are they horrible. Leather + open roof + Texas sun = ruined seats. No matter, I've already ordered some new suede racing seats from the interwebs.
I am into driving. I am not into ground effects, decals, custom graphics, and spinner rims. If that's your thing, fine. But when I build a car, it's always a "sleeper."
Bear in mind my circumstances. I already have two vehicles. Wife is getting a little exasperated with my practically annual vehicle purchases, so having three vehicles is... a bit much. But the other two have their purpose!
www.tundratalk.net
www.priuschat.com
Anyway, I set a low budget for a "project car" of sorts. I don't plan to do too much tuning, maybe some intake/header/exhaust work, and that's about it. She's an '04 6-speed convertible, Touring trim, 132K miles. Got it for $4200 out the door including all that dealer fee stuff... they just lowered the advertised price from 4888 to 4488 to 3999, and I jumped haggle free.
The only thing that's really "wrong" is the seats. God are they horrible. Leather + open roof + Texas sun = ruined seats. No matter, I've already ordered some new suede racing seats from the interwebs.
I am into driving. I am not into ground effects, decals, custom graphics, and spinner rims. If that's your thing, fine. But when I build a car, it's always a "sleeper."
Last edited by JasonGoalie34; Mar 6, 2017 at 04:36 PM.
350Z/370Z Tech Moderator
MY350Z.COM
MY350Z.COM
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,316
Likes: 3,380
From: Northern California
Welcome and congrats on choosing a Z in the absolute best color.
< =======================
Sorry, can't stick around to hoist a few, gotta get a head start on those pesky Mag Black, Redline, and Brickyard people about to give chase.
< =======================
Sorry, can't stick around to hoist a few, gotta get a head start on those pesky Mag Black, Redline, and Brickyard people about to give chase.
Trending Topics
Registered User
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 116
Likes: 14
From: Kauai
Aloha Zak - we got almost the same car at almost the same price (mine was $4500 w/ 65k)
We definitely got the same seats
!! We can both try and bring these silver roadsters back to their glory.
Are you getting all new seats or covers for your beat down leather seats? I can only really afford covers..
We definitely got the same seats
!! We can both try and bring these silver roadsters back to their glory. Are you getting all new seats or covers for your beat down leather seats? I can only really afford covers..
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 65
Likes: 18
From: CT
Hi.
It's been a ****ing nightmare.
I made a mistake... Buying a car sight unseen in Houston (I live in Connecticut) was the dumbest thing I've ever done in my life. One breakdown, one plane ticket from Southern Mississippi, one 1350 mile auto transport, one motor swap, and two months of heartbreak later...
She's... AWESOME!!!
It was horrible. Motor blew after 475 miles, and it wasn't a sudden event... per the mechanics, there had to be internal damage in the motor; a time bomb waiting to explode. Metal shavings in the oil... Since the dealer is in Texas, it just wasn't worth it to try and sue for misrepresentation of the vehicle. This was blood (or in this case, oil) on my hands.
But I finally got a great used motor and a great shop to do it around here. It was expensive. Too expensive. And the car still could use a little more TLC (better tires are at the top of the list). But you know how these things go. No one needs to spend money on a sports car, and I did, and I'm not broke because of it.
I do own the car, i put high flow cats and a plenum spacer in it... it goes... it's fast, it's fun, my testosterone levels are way up.
Needless to say, my absence from the forum was due to this automotive nightmare.
Please try not to troll over my woes... a simple "that sucks man" will do.
It's been a ****ing nightmare.
I made a mistake... Buying a car sight unseen in Houston (I live in Connecticut) was the dumbest thing I've ever done in my life. One breakdown, one plane ticket from Southern Mississippi, one 1350 mile auto transport, one motor swap, and two months of heartbreak later...
She's... AWESOME!!!
It was horrible. Motor blew after 475 miles, and it wasn't a sudden event... per the mechanics, there had to be internal damage in the motor; a time bomb waiting to explode. Metal shavings in the oil... Since the dealer is in Texas, it just wasn't worth it to try and sue for misrepresentation of the vehicle. This was blood (or in this case, oil) on my hands.
But I finally got a great used motor and a great shop to do it around here. It was expensive. Too expensive. And the car still could use a little more TLC (better tires are at the top of the list). But you know how these things go. No one needs to spend money on a sports car, and I did, and I'm not broke because of it.
I do own the car, i put high flow cats and a plenum spacer in it... it goes... it's fast, it's fun, my testosterone levels are way up.
Needless to say, my absence from the forum was due to this automotive nightmare.
Please try not to troll over my woes... a simple "that sucks man" will do.
Last edited by JasonGoalie34; May 3, 2017 at 09:16 PM.
sucks, but sounds like you are good sport about it. next time, hit up some of the senior people on here, if they are in the area they could check it out for you... i know several that live in houston
Registered User
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 15
Likes: 1
From: MS
Hi.
It's been a ****ing nightmare.
I made a mistake... Buying a car sight unseen in Houston (I live in Connecticut) was the dumbest thing I've ever done in my life. One breakdown, one plane ticket from Southern Mississippi, one 1350 mile auto transport, one motor swap, and two months of heartbreak later...
She's... AWESOME!!!
It was horrible. Motor blew after 475 miles, and it wasn't a sudden event... per the mechanics, there had to be internal damage in the motor; a time bomb waiting to explode. Metal shavings in the oil... Since the dealer is in Texas, it just wasn't worth it to try and sue for misrepresentation of the vehicle. This was blood (or in this case, oil) on my hands.
But I finally got a great used motor and a great shop to do it around here. It was expensive. Too expensive. And the car still could use a little more TLC (better tires are at the top of the list). But you know how these things go. No one needs to spend money on a sports car, and I did, and I'm not broke because of it.
I do own the car, i put high flow cats and a plenum spacer in it... it goes... it's fast, it's fun, my testosterone levels are way up.
Needless to say, my absence from the forum was due to this automotive nightmare.
Please try not to troll over my woes... a simple "that sucks man" will do.
It's been a ****ing nightmare.
I made a mistake... Buying a car sight unseen in Houston (I live in Connecticut) was the dumbest thing I've ever done in my life. One breakdown, one plane ticket from Southern Mississippi, one 1350 mile auto transport, one motor swap, and two months of heartbreak later...
She's... AWESOME!!!
It was horrible. Motor blew after 475 miles, and it wasn't a sudden event... per the mechanics, there had to be internal damage in the motor; a time bomb waiting to explode. Metal shavings in the oil... Since the dealer is in Texas, it just wasn't worth it to try and sue for misrepresentation of the vehicle. This was blood (or in this case, oil) on my hands.
But I finally got a great used motor and a great shop to do it around here. It was expensive. Too expensive. And the car still could use a little more TLC (better tires are at the top of the list). But you know how these things go. No one needs to spend money on a sports car, and I did, and I'm not broke because of it.
I do own the car, i put high flow cats and a plenum spacer in it... it goes... it's fast, it's fun, my testosterone levels are way up.
Needless to say, my absence from the forum was due to this automotive nightmare.
Please try not to troll over my woes... a simple "that sucks man" will do.
Dude that sucks. I hate it for you. At least you are being a good sport about it like the post above me said. Why were you in south Mississippi? I'm a Mississippi guy too. They seem to be pretty cheap in this area. Everyone wants a BIG OL TRUCK with BIG OL tires here. Not a car.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 65
Likes: 18
From: CT
Dude that sucks. I hate it for you. At least you are being a good sport about it like the post above me said. Why were you in south Mississippi? I'm a Mississippi guy too. They seem to be pretty cheap in this area. Everyone wants a BIG OL TRUCK with BIG OL tires here. Not a car.
Car was for sale in Houston. I flew out to Houston. Intended on driving it home to Connecticut, but only got 475 miles down the road. Wound up in Hattiesburg, the home of Southern Miss... Brett Favre country
.Everyone was exceptionally nice in Mississippi, one of the few highlights of an otherwise disastrous experience. Southern hospitality on full display. Mechanics at a very busy, highly reputable shop, took me in immediately due to the emergency nature. Unfortunately, they had to let me down with the news that my motor was trashed, but did so in a very heartfelt manner. A guy even gave me a ride to a hotel that evening, had an unexpected flight home early the next morning.
So, that was two months ago. It took two months to get things right because after waiting two weeks for transport, I sent it to two idiots promising to do the job cheap. 22 wasted days later, I brought it to a real shop. Now it roars.
Of course, my convertible top doesn't work. Have all three replacement motors, probably the 5th bow, right?