New Member :)

mrarroyo

BoricuaZ I went back to look at the 300Z pics and the houses are very similar to those in an small neighborhood of Howel Mill Road in Atlanta. I know you can not deny or confirm that in an open forum but the houses sure look familiar.

k20z3

welcome

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BoricuaZ

Not the same area, unfortunately the massive suburban sprawl of the metro Atlanta area has produced hundreds of cookie-cutter subdivisions like these.

jginnane

You're lucky to be in Atlanta, then. When I was searching for my pearl & persimmon, I had to go a few hundred miles south to find the brighter colors, via nissanusa.com.

You listed the 3 colors in order exactly the same as this website's popularity polling goes. PG is excellent, and relatively invisible to police. White is bolder but in a classic way -- it draws attention but doesn't blind the eye. And the blue has grown on me (since I got pearl white), because people are just going to be staring at your car anyhow.

So ... I would suggest you select a BRIGHT RED NISMO Z, loaded with all the stuff you don't want, and then let your father (cosigner) "talk you down" to a more reasonable one ... that you've already set up ahead of time with your salesperson. That way, Dad's happy, you're happy ... and welcome to the club!

BoricuaZ

The last part of your post made me chuckle. My dad was trying to talk me into getting a used Bimmer earlier today actually (07 3-series). No offense to Bimmer owners out there, but I am just not interested!! I had my eye on the G37 for a while, but the more and more I look at the 370Z the less exciting the G37 seems to me. I think that's what I love about the Z's... EXCITEMENT! Fun to drive and look at!

Speaking of excitement [and stress], the insurance adjustor called me today and offered me 12,500 for my Scion tC. Almost every comp in the area is 13-14k MT with similar mileage and NONE have leather. I am ready to play hardball. I faxed her an eloquently written demand letter as well as 13 pages of comps proving that the market value of my tC was at least 14,500 but I will do them a favor and settle for 14,200. (minimum I'd take is 14k). TC was almost paid off and I want to put a big FAT down payment on my 370. I am supposed to hear back tomorrow.

I really want to get over this insurance crapola and get my Z already!!

Mike

welcome and check out Robert Nash's post on buying. He will give you a VPP code to get it for under invoice. I bought mine at Sutherlin and it was a no hassle deal, didn't even wind up using my VPP deal, as they did a little better without it and with no haggling.

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NISSAN: 75 280Z / 86 300ZX GLL /87 Sentra SE / 03 350Z / 23 Z
Porsche: 93 968 / 23 Macan GTS / 93 968

BoricuaZ

Thanks for the tip! I got my VPP claim number on Monday... but I have a feeling I will not require it either. Gwinnett Place Nissan has some "internet pricing" on their website that [based on my calculations] is below invoice.

If they give me a hard time I will check out Sutherlin too.

jginnane

Both good cars... your Dad wants you to belong to a certain set, it seems. We passed on the G37 because it was too close a config to the TL my wife was happy with. Then ... it seemed that this is the moment in our lives we can have this car. (I compromised by getting the 7AT so my wife could drive it, and this has turned out to be not so bad as feared.)

Since the insurance adjuster has seen you're eager they will deliberately lowball and drag this out. Your best bet is investing a couple hundred $$s in having an attorney write them, basically your letter on his letterhead.

In my experience once an attorney gets involved the numbers automatically improve by about $5K just on the first pass. You *are* wearing a neck brace, aren't you? ;p

BoricuaZ

I thought about getting an attorney. I did open a bodily injury claim. Hitting another car going 40mph does tend to leave someone a little beat up.
Most attorneys receive 33% of your settlement though, so in my case I am not sure it would be worth it... unless I make an attorney friend really soon.

I sent my second demand letter today. I am pretty sure I am close to settling this claim soon. The bodily injury settlement is a different story though.

-=--=--=- Hater Alert -=--=--=-

As a side note, I let a male friend of mine know that I was interested in buying a 370Z. He immediately began bashing the car and saying the car "wasn't me". For anyone who knew me 8 years ago (known this guy for 3), they would know that I was a Z FANATIC when I had my 300ZX. Everyone knew me for that car. It boggles my mind to think that someone actually believes that owning a car like this could damage my image. He also mentioned how sooo many of his buddies own one. Really? I drive all over the metro area and I have only seen TWO on the road, ever.

He must be jealous or maybe intimidated.
Among his comments, he also said the car was ugly. I told him, "ARE YOU KIDDING ME??!!" The lines are this car are GORGEOUS! I wasn't 100% impressed with the 350Z (body seemed more round and bubbly to me if that makes sense), but the 370Z is a head turning beast!

Anyway, it seems like a few people close to me are sort of anti-Z... for some reason I don't think I would get the same type of comments if I told them I was looking at a Camry or Altima.

jginnane

The first half hour consultation is free with almost all attorneys. But for dealing with the insurer, you're just asking for a letter to be sent -- not to have him take over your whole case. You can actually interview attorneys for the medical, which is a separate case, and see if they would send this letter as a free accomodation.

The insurer will react in a couple ways when they get a letter sent by a law professional. First -- they know you mean business. And you're not afraid to spend some money to have a fair result.

Second, it instantly becomes obvious to them that this case could indeed mushroom to the point where a contingency fee lawyer sees a potential to get a big chunk out of them, so the burden will then be on them to settle with you quickly.

I would print an edited version of this correspondence and give it to the lawyer you're considering using, so he understands perfectly where you're going with this.

If you're not satisfied with that first half hour consultation, schedule one with a different lawyer. And remember, you're not looking for a "white shoes" law firm. You want some down-n-dirty junkyard dawg, AKA an "ambulance chaser" type, the kind who operates on the thin ethical edge of the law (and is not above sending you to a dozen overpriced clinics to build up the medical documentation). Try to hire a lawyer under 30, because he still has to prove himself to hope to make partner some day.

No rush! The car will be there. The nights, the weeks of waiting are a delirious type of joy. Much like Governor Mark Sanford might've had before another Argentinian tryst. You must prove to the insurer that it is to their advantage to dispose of this relatively simple case immediately, because each week of delay increases their exposure vastly.

Umm, so he's got you pegged as a Scion class of friend, a "cheap date". Next time he take you out ... make sure you order the lobster. Two of them, in fact; skip the starch. And when he takes you home, slam the door in his face. (That would make you both irresistible and unattainable.)

If/when you get the Z you may find your friendship circles change. Particularly if you attend some local Z events, because, face it, not everyone's got money to spend on a two-seater in this economy. (And you're announcing that your time for driving a mommievan and rugrat production is a few years off, thank you.) You do know the part about the ugly BFF girlfriend with braces who sits in the right seat, right?

Mike

We have a great G/Z owner community here in Atlanta, although none of the other 370 guys have joined us yet, but we are a fun group. Maybe you need new friends!

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NISSAN: 75 280Z / 86 300ZX GLL /87 Sentra SE / 03 350Z / 23 Z
Porsche: 93 968 / 23 Macan GTS / 93 968

jginnane

Whaddaya think, Mike? Did we scare her off?