View Single Post
Old 05-24-2009, 03:31 PM   #7 (permalink)
jginnane
Base Member
 
jginnane's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: coastal NJ
Posts: 163
Drives: 09Z Pearl 7AT, 09 TL
Rep Power: 16
jginnane is on a distinguished road
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Diversion View Post
...For some of us, having the OPTION makes us most comfortable than being limited. I could way off base here, it just sounds like you're still talking yourself out of the idea that going with Sport could have been a better decision.
OK, I'll admit it. And I'll give you the track of logic that brought me to a Z.

1. I could own any car. At least a GT-R. Price was not at issue.

2. I've driven a GMC Yukon for the last 11 years. Six years were a stretch because our Doberman was big -- my justification for keeping the truck. But back when Tony Soprano switched over to an Escalade, I didn't ... There was a period of alternate justification after the dog passed on because I had to drive into NYC a lot. Truck tires are better on NY streets. But that was old on day 1.

3. At the same time, we moved my wife from an ML-320 to a TSX, to a 3rd gen TL, to (very recently) a 4th gen TL. She likes to drive. (She has never driven a real sports car.)

The point of #3 was I wasn't entirely stuck on an old 4WD, but occasionally drove the "sporty" family sedan. Wife couldn't figure out how I'd prefer the neutral-handling TSX to a nose-heavy TL, because she thought straight-ahead HP was all good. ;p

4. When I started searching last fall I spent a good 6 months trying to get a further compromise car. I thought the Infiniti FX line was a little crude and overtly macho -- no better than the Mercedes, or even an Acura RDX. The EX35 was slimmer, and had a good V6. But ... it was impossible to get one east of the Mississippi, north of FL without AWD. I even stopped in a West Palm Beach dealer to check out his used one. Nawp -- he didn't understand that when a car was built in Mar 07 and has 16K miles, it's now a 2-year old car (even if Infiniti never released a 2009 version).

5. After I got disgusted with Infiniti dealers who just didn't understand why I didn't take one of the creampuffs sitting on their lots (under dust), I spent a brief, intense period looking at hybrids. The Honda Insight was nice. If my stepson was 10 years younger, it would have suited him. The latest gen Prius is being rolled out RIGHT NOW. But to get good headlights (LED, not HID) and leather seats, you were already talking a sticker into the mid-30's. And after you got all done with that... it was still a Prius. "Hypermiling" sounds very virtuous, until you realize that if the car came with a sail, they'd be trying to sell you that, and you'd speak of _tacking_ in these forums.

6. The Z was like going back to an Infiniti, except it had the latest engine, and the correct number of back seats we need. I really didn't look at the 350 or S2000 before -- I came into this fresh. G37, coupe or sedan, wasn't considered because it was easier to let her select something she'd think of as a daily driver (and a TL was cheaper, and, after all, it's a Honda).

And, we still have the Yukon -- and its solid steel bumpers are just fine for parallel parking in NYC, thank you.
jginnane is offline   Reply With Quote