Sorry if this turns into a hijack, but I'll try to keep it somewhat on point...
I considered both the Z4 and the 370Z Roadster. In photos, the Bimmer looks much better than it does in person. The opposite is true of the 370ZR.
Both are curvy, extruded designs, but the 370 is just so outrageous and mean looking, its proportions are betrayed by two-dimensional images. The BMW's comparatively more conservative lines are amplified in photography.
It's hard to explain. You really have to see each. Otherwise, performance is fairly close. The 370 wins the price battle. The BMW is more refined. At that point, you vote with your heart, like I did.
I've wanted a Z car since high school, when a 280ZX caught my eye for the first time. I grew up in a small town nowhere near a Datsun dealer, and had never really seen a 240 or 260 before. The TV spots calling the 280ZX "Awwwwesome" were what got me initially.
By the time I got out on my own, I couldn't afford a 300ZX. Then, they went away. The first couple of years of the 350Z, my timing was off. I went for a couple of BMWs during that time, as I liked their styling better. When the 350Z Roadster came out, I hated it and opted for a 330Cic instead. Then, I decided I hated that heavy, 4-seat cruiser and got rid of it.
Then, my industry started to tank and I had to drive Hondas for a couple of years to compensate.
So, finally, the stars were in line. There was a new model of Z out that was beautiful -- more beautiful than anything from BMW, in my opinion. I could afford it. I needed a new car. And did I mention I had secretly wanted a Z car for the past 23 years?
Rock on.
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2010 Platinum Graphite Roadster - Tour/Sport/6MT/GReddy SE catback/B&M short shift
If the top is up, it must be parked.
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