Jdn112011

So I little background, I'm 24 in northern Minnesota, wife and 2 young children 1&2.

Local dealer had 2 roadsters that caught our eye and we went and took a test drive last night, an 08 miata gt and an 06 350zr touring. Both are in the 47,xxx mile range and were relatively local trades. Miata doesn't matter here but the Z came from a ~60 year old guy doing a vehicle delivery from Fargo who traded it for a new Buick convertible in December and took off down south with it.

It's not perfect but it's pretty good one owner maroon ZR with a stick. Wife who originally didn't like the z's looks was greatly swayed by the sound and performance over the miata.

Aside from a boat that comes and goes every couple years I don't really have any toys. And a convertible roadster makes me happy. We're talking smiles per mile when I have the opportunity to not have the kids in the car.

Sticker price is 13.9 and the dealer offered it to me at 10.2 with a fresh detail and oil change. Only light is a tpms so no biggy.

So the dealer offered it to me at nada fair trade in price and states it's going to auction otherwise because convertible season or at least in a sales aspect is almost gone.

I'm considering this a lot more than a really should and aside from the insurance being double a miata I like it.

I could really use an opinion or two or more to help sway my decision if this is worth it.

travlee

iTrader: (8)

They are fun cars, some 06's burn oil. Other than that pretty solid

Jdn112011

Thanks, I had a 1st Gen Mercedes clk coupe when my wife got pregnant and we ditched it for car seat practicality but I do miss driving a coupe. I'm a sucker for a stick and the z was loads of fun on my short test drive.

It's a tough decision buying a not entirely practical car to zoom around in whenever I can be alone.

I'm about at the point of pulling the bread winner card and get it for myself because I just plain old like it and it was fun.

My wife likes it but doesn't see it as a very practical decision

travlee

iTrader: (8)

I mean if you can afford it without struggling any, do it. being young with wife and kids, be smart about it though

MicVelo

My take is that it's not a wise decision with two small children to consider. (VOE speaking here.)

But... you haven't said what other vehicles are already in the house either. If you already have two cars (one for each of you) and they both can do "child duty" (backseats, car seats in each, SUV, that sorta thing) then fine, a fun additional car.

Just 2 cents...

Jdn112011

I have a '15 ram ecodiesel pickup that's my kid hauler/dd
Wife has a Lincoln town car that was possibly on the chopping block for an suv but it suits us fine, mainly use it in town com the occasional out of town venture that doesn't require a truckload of stuff coming back. But it fits a double stroller in the trunk and a trip to Sam's Club, seats 6 and decent fuel economy.
So only ponder for exchange there is getting awd and a higher seating position for the wife but we make due.

zakmartin

I'd skip the '06 and go for an '07-09 when one becomes available (and if you search around, you shouldn't have a problem finding one.) It'll have the same interior as the '06, but it'll have the newer HR engine. Also, get under the car if you guys use salt in the winter and look for rust. I'd assume most people don't drive RWD convertibles in the snow, but hell, you never know.

That's just my $0.02. Take it for what it's worth.

Jdn112011

It seems to be a fairly well cared for convertible and doesn't seem to have any rust, wheels don't have any significant corrosion either. But yeah I understand the concern and am addressing it.

Picking it up next week to do a little more thorough once over of mechanicals. Anything I should be looking for?

Also my wife is under 5' and I'm not sure she can comfortably reach the clutch which basically throws it out the window

MicVelo

Here's something I've found (nothing new). Cars with automatic transmissions are almost always in better condition than their similar 6MT counterparts.

Everytime I look at a Z33 roadster, I get disappointed because a lot are A/T cars but.... always in better to pristine condition.

Something to consider for your wife.... only two pedals to reach and neither need to hit the floor. (Although maybe the right one will on occasion. )

Jdn112011

What is the newer HR engine?

jhc

I just retired my 06 ZR from DD at 104k. The only thing that has broken is both window motors, diy. I just invested $ xxx in Kenwood head unit, Bilstein B8s, and Akebono bb with 2 pc rotors going on this week. If that tells you anything about my confidence in this vehicle.
On the down side, I replaced the top at home in January of 2015 for $650.

Mag black touring, and yes, I'd buy it again. Your price sounds good for yr and mileage. gl!

travlee

iTrader: (8)

306 hp, dual throttle bodies, higher reving (hence the hr)

Jdn112011

So twice the stuff to break for 6 hp? Sounds like a twin Turbo lol no offense. Not looking for a race car just something enjoyable with solid performance.

MicVelo

It is not about the power, it's about torque curves and the characteristics of its delivery.

Please don't generalize without knowing what it is, let alone not having driven one.

zakmartin

The HR was released when car companies went with the revised SAE certified power benchmark in the USA, which was instituted due to manufacturers notoriously fudging numbers by reducing engine load during testing on previously released HP figures to make them appear higher. The lower advertised HR figure of 306HP could be argued against the non-revised SAE figure Nissan used when advertising on the exact same HR-engine 350Z they sold in the Middle East as having 332 HP.

So take your pick: 306HP (revised SAE benchmark) or 332HP (old SAE benchmark). Either way, it's a faster and more powerful engine with a higher redline and a smoother power curve.

Whatever you pick, just have fun with it and enjoy.

MicVelo

And oddly, the "successor" VQ37VHR with 0.2L more displacement offers exactly 332hp (tuned to 350hp in the Nismo Z34) as well. I find this totally odd given all of the enhancements (read: almost completely new design with not many parts interchangeable) in the breathing department (new cam timing hard/software, freer breathing heads, etc.)

But as Zak said in different words, there's nothing wrong with a well cared for DE or HR engine and enjoyment can be had from either platform.

Sidenote: that whole "recent" shift in how mfgrs state the power of their engines zak mentions reminds me of the early '70s when one year you bought a small block Chevy equipped car with 300hp GROSS and the following year - when the change from "gross horsepower to SAE-Net horsepower" took place, you ended up with the same engine but now producing a mere 145hp.