[Iggy]

Hi guys,

Just wanted to do a quick intro, and ask a quick question.

My name is Iggy and I am an alchoholic... oops... wrong forum. Nah seriously, I used to be a Honda freak (had an Integra Type R for 3.5 years), then bought a Jeep .. why? No idea! Anyway, now I am seliing the Jeep and tossing up between a 350Z and an S2000. I am sure many of you will instantly chime in to say that I should speak to DavidM, and I already have I've known David for a few years now as we were part of the "elite Honda track crew!" hehe... used to go around menacing the WRXs at various tracks around teh country!

Basically my question is how much would be a _good_ price for a 2003/04 350Z Track, with around 20000-25000 kms on it? I am seeing very different pricing on the car websites from 52000 to 69000!!!!! Me = confused!

Well, cheerio!

 

[zuffy]

why go for a used one when you can pick up a new one for around 65k?

 

[mickyboy]

Yep, you will have to shop around!
I bought mine two months ago and the prices varied as you said.
I ended buying a new one as the price for used/demo were almost the same, unless you wanted high k's. I did see a track (sold now) for $48000 with 30000 k's. Try Melbourne dealers, seem to have alot of used down there & will truck up to NSW (assuming that is where you are)...
I did pay alot less than the new rrp, I was around 2 K more than a used with low k's if that helps.
try carsales.com.au drive.com.au tradingpost.com.au

 

[Iggy]

I shy aware from buying new cars due to the 1st year price drop most cars experience. (like my Jeep!). Besides... I don't want to spend more than 55k, which is more the reason I'd go for a 1year old car instead of a new one.

 

[mickyboy]

55K will almost buy you a brand new 6MT touring model. You will then have a brand new car that you know how it has been treated.

I saw a track with 7000K advertised a while ago for $57000, so you are right on the money.
Good luck

 

[Iggy]

Originally posted by mickyboy@Dec 6 2004, 08:53 PM
55K will almost buy you a brand new 6MT touring model. You will then have a brand new car that you know how it has been treated.

I saw a track with 7000K advertised a while ago for $57000, so you are right on the money.
Good luck

I'd only go for the track version tho!

 

[Z350Lover]

Iggy,

Welcome to the board...

I think you should be able to pick up one around 55K mark for the track now I guess... shouldn't be too hard for an early 2003 model...

cheers,

richie

EDIT: I love the s2K as well because it can be revved up to 9K rpm all the way... but what you get from 350Z is plenty of torque low down and also plenty of power at around 6K rpm.

 

[apsilon]

Don't forget there's a 5% tax drop from Jan 1st. That should see a ~3% reduction in the RRP price or an increase in the spec levels. As Nissan Oz doesn't have any other options available to up the spec with lean on them to drop the price (if they don't automatically).

 

[MELB350Z]

You can pick up at new Track for $64K drive away and a Touring for $58k drive away. They were the prices i was able to negotiate.

If you wanted a 2nd hand Track, i think you should be able to get the $55k mark you're looking for but you'll then need to add stamp duty costs which will bring your price to about $57,750 ($2,750 stamp duty).

For an extra $250 you can get a new Touring or add another $6k on top of that for a new Track!

But like Apsilon said, wait till the new year and see how the 5% tax drop changes the price. It's only around the corner!

 

[scathing]

The two cars are way too different to be compared on anything but price.

The S2000 is an all out sports racer. The 350Z is a sports tourer. The S2000 has to be driven hard because the engine's all-or-nothing. The 350Z feels large capacity from the bellow through the rev range, to the petering out at the high end.

Where the S2000 sprints, the 350Z lopes. It'll pull from low in the rev range but not rev that high.

The S2000 is chuckable, and lives for curves and tight back roads, where the 350Z is very stable at high speeds and loves sweeping corners.


At any rate, both cars are excellent at what they do.

 

[Lemanz]

I try my friend S2k, feel the car smaller, a more sporty feeling compare to 350Z. the supension is a bit harder, yes, the engine have to rpm hard to get the power off the line. a bit more wind noise too. But i like the red push start botton. handling wise, feel that 350z is much more stable. After my friend test drive my ZR, he feel like want to trade-in his S2k.

 

[lionking]

Originally posted by Iggy+Dec 6 2004, 08:55 PM-->

<!--QuoteBegin-mickyboy

@Dec 6 2004, 08:53 PM
55K will almost buy you a brand new 6MT touring model. You will then have a brand new car that you know how it has been treated.

I saw a track with 7000K advertised a while ago for $57000, so you are right on the money.
Good luck

I'd only go for the track version tho!

Igs,

Why would you only go for a track model????

They've got the VDC which no one here has seemed to be able to fully disable and gives much grief (ironically) on the track. The ONLY real advantage of the tack over the touring IMHO is the brakes. Oh yeah, and - 18" wheels - to fit around the brakes. A lot of people change the wheels anyway.

Sooooo, ideally if you could get a cheap touring model and upgrade the brakes (and wheels to fit) for the same cost as buying a track model - you'd be WAY ahead without the pesky VDC givin' ya the shits. Also - save on the weight of the unit.

There's loads of threads sayin' how much aggravation the VDC is.

Touring model with a brake upgrade seems to me the most sensible way to go for a regular track toy. I'm sure a lot of track model owners who are sick of the VDC babysittin for them would agree.

Oh, and don't forget the TT upgrade too!!!!

 

[scathing]

I'd suggest that the 350Z is more "livable" than the S2000. It does store more and is a lot plusher. The interior isn't as cramped. If you're on your typical Melbourne Road, which is relatively well paved, straight to gently curved, and permits you to "cruise" along its a far more enjoyable car.

At the same time, the S2000 goes like a kart. If you're carving up a tight country road, sitting in the top third of your rev range isn't an issue and not having an extra 300kg to make change direction means the car will feel nimble.


To use a Great Ocean Road analogy: the S2000 is the car you'd want to drive from Anglesea to Apollo Bay, and the 350Z is the car you'd want to drive from Apollo Bay to the 12 Apostles (which is as far along GOR as I've gone so I have no idea what it'd suit afterwards).

When I took the Z down there (just after I ran it in) the car felt way too big and I couldn't get a good rhythm going on that first section. The lane doesn't feel wide enough for me, I notice the inertia as I tried to rapidly change direction on the signposted 35km/hr S-bends (which is pretty much every bend), and I can't use the gears because the straights are so short, so I'm working the brakes and wondering if Touring stoppers are as fade-proof as the Track.

Once I got past Apollo Bay, and I was hitting open corners where I could gently steer the car in, pick a line, and then balance the car on the throttle and rely on the grip and wheelbase to hold that line while I rode the flat torque curve....there was harmony between me, the vehicle, and the Road.

 

[Lemanz]

Originally posted by lionking+Dec 9 2004, 08:31 AM-->

Originally posted by [email protected] 6 2004, 08:55 PM
<!--QuoteBegin-mickyboy

@Dec 6 2004, 08:53 PM
55K will almost buy you a brand new 6MT touring model. You will then have a brand new car that you know how it has been treated.

I saw a track with 7000K advertised a while ago for $57000, so you are right on the money.
Good luck

I'd only go for the track version tho!

Igs,

Why would you only go for a track model????

They've got the VDC which no one here has seemed to be able to fully disable and gives much grief (ironically) on the track. The ONLY real advantage of the tack over the touring IMHO is the brakes. Oh yeah, and - 18" wheels - to fit around the brakes. A lot of people change the wheels anyway.

Sooooo, ideally if you could get a cheap touring model and upgrade the brakes (and wheels to fit) for the same cost as buying a track model - you'd be WAY ahead without the pesky VDC givin' ya the shits. Also - save on the weight of the unit.

There's loads of threads sayin' how much aggravation the VDC is.

Touring model with a brake upgrade seems to me the most sensible way to go for a regular track toy. I'm sure a lot of track model owners who are sick of the VDC babysittin for them would agree.

Oh, and don't forget the TT upgrade too!!!!

True, the price difference can get yourself a brake upgrade easily :thumbsup:. how about the auto tran options (to make ya wife happlier :smiley69: )? can you get them as well for track?

 

[Iggy]

Thanks for the comments guys. I've never even heard of VDC... what is it? And what does it do on the track? David?

I think the 350Z and S2000 are comparable (not just on price tho of course). You gotta remember I am coming from a Type R, which was the best handling car I've driven (for the power of course) and I've driven some very very expensive cars (inc Lambo and Massa). What I loved about the ITR on the track was the braking and response. It was so direct in the way that it moved... I LOVEd it I miss it already!

The only thing is that the ITR gave me the shits as a daily driver after a while (hence why I bought a Jeep and regreeted THAT decision for a while now).

So I guess what I am looking for is a comfortable enough for daily use, but when I do go to GOR and Winton and Wakefield and more importantly PHILLIP ISLAND (I love that track!) it goes hard.

And for that I am leaning towards the 350Z due to the comfort factor.

 

[zuffy]

You won't be able to drive the Zed like a go-cart!

Like Scathing said it's a very stable car at high speed, thus roads with long sweeping bends, even on secondary roads. It is rock solid.

btw VDC is a vehicle stability control which tries to keep you in a straight line. There is a switch to turn it off BUT it seems to resurrect just when you want to drift or get some lateral motion.

 

[Iggy]

Originally posted by zuffy@Dec 9 2004, 06:15 PM
You won't be able to drive the Zed like a go-cart!

Like Scathing said it's a very stable car at high speed, thus roads with long sweeping bends, even on secondary roads. It is rock solid.

btw VDC is a vehicle stability control which tries to keep you in a straight line. There is a switch to turn it off BUT it seems to resurrect just when you want to drift or get some lateral motion.

Is there a fuse that can be pulled out for it>?

 

[nang3]

hey Zuff - u said the VDC seems to resurrect when you try to drift?

Does that happen to you only in the dry or the wet?? ive got a track and if i turn VDC off it will drift like a champ for as long as i hold the power on... in the wet that is.. only tried it once or twice in the dry and it seemed the same...?????

 

[lionking]

Originally posted by Iggy@Dec 9 2004, 04:15 PM
Thanks for the comments guys. I've never even heard of VDC... what is it? And what does it do on the track? David?

VDC = Vehicle Dynamic Control
The easy answer is it's a system that senses when the car is out of square and will apply brake to individual wheels to straighten it out. It's actually a very hi-tech integated system in the car.

There's been a lot of discussion on how to disable it - with no success. DavidM tried pulling the fuse and lit up the dash like a Christmas tree. There was talk about disconnecting the yaw sensor but what that would do to the rest of the electronics is a guess. Also it's apparently difficult to find - don't know if anyone here has actually found it.

I drive a Touring model (auto) which I'm very happy does not have VDC. It does have traction control - that'll give ya the irrates if you leave it on - but that TC is very easily disabled by the push of a button under the dash. No problems drifting - power on or off. In the touring no problem gettin sideways under brakes either (as much as the ABS will allow anyway.)

VDC seems to be something you DON'T want - especially if you're gonna be spending time at the track. Touring + brakes would be my choice.

 

[nang3]

In the touring no problem gettin sideways under brakes either (as much as the ABS will allow anyway.)

[/quote]
hmm I have a track with VDC but dont think i have tried getting it sideways using the brakes...

I'm assuming you mean on entering a corner that you apply a bit of/tap the brake to get the back end to swing round a bit?????????

with my VDC off i can get as sideways as a mofo with oppy lock both directions and it doesnt feel like the VDC is doing anything at all??? Maybe i need to take it to a track and give the tap the brakes method a go like lionking said..
not that any sideways action i have mentioned is on public roads of course Orificer