Need advice on 370z shopping
 

Ok so I've had my account for awhile now but I've just used it to gather information on the 370z and learn as much as I can before I get my own. Finally I'm ready to pull the trigger and get one in may I'm looking at an all
black 2013-2015 model which must have the sports package. I've located some good dealerships that have the car I want but I'm always looking for the best and lowest price as possible. What are your thoughts on Carmax ? Because they seem to have a larg inventory and fair prices and I would prefer getting it used instead of new because of the immediate depreciation. Thoughts,advice, criticism is welcome. Thanks again for everyone's time.

From my personal experience: 1. Carmax prices are NOT the lowest by any means, you essentially pay more for no PITA salesman or the run around, 2. Depreciation on new cars is only a factor worth considering if you pay too much for the car to begin with, most guys on here got their new Z at or under invoice, thus warding off the initial depreciation, 3. everyone wants the best for the least money, but in the end it's worth paying a little more for a used car if its in good shape, like ding free, paint is great, interior not scratched, etc, rather than passing it up cuz you found one a few hundred cheaper but it has those blemishes.

I hope that helps!

First Congrats on selecting a Z, you are entering a rich community that is like no other. Now for buying a Z, I myself spent a year getting everything together before buying my Z. When I first started I swore I was going to get a new one, but after thinking about it, I decided to go with a used one (and I am so happy I did) Here are my tips or advise.

1- As 6spd said Carmax is not the best price by any means, I looked local and found better deals then they were offering.

2- Shop around, there are plenty of Z's do not focus on just one, keep options open.

3- Internet, I started with a 50 mile search and ended with a 500 mile search. I live in Daytona and the 4 Z's I were looking at were, in Pensacola (400 miles away) Wake Forrest, NC Area, Tampa, Florida and Mobile Alabama. I went with the one in Pensacola. (Look around)

4- Get what you want, don't settle, I mean its of to settle on say Rims (you can change those out easy enough) Don't settle for a Manuel if you really want an Automatic, trust me there is one out there.

5- Last have fun, some people make buying a car a choir, but remember your not buying a car, you are buying a Z.

Good luck to you.

Carmax prices are bad.

Carmax salespeople are fairly easy to deal with.

Carmax finance rates are stupid high.

Carmax is for people with more money than time/sense. If you want a "hassle-free" experience test driving a bunch of cars, that's fine. If you want to get a printed appraisal for your car to use as a bargaining chip when trading in elsewhere, go for it.... But don't buy a car from them. It's basically saying "I don't want to do any work to save thousands of dollars."

Line up your own credit and go to a regular used car dealer with a fair price in mind after doing some research and get the best deal you can.

my experience is... dont' limit to just 1 colour option.

if you see a black/black for lets say 25k but then also a like model that's white/permesian thats 24k, would that be a deal breaker to save the 1k for the color difference?

also as 370zseth said, how far are you willing to travel?

here's my anecdote: when i was shopping for a z i saw one listed for 33.5k, 35k km, 2010... went to see it and wasn't impressed with how it looked. not clean, beaten, used, little scruffs etc etc.

literally the day i booked to go in to test drive i saw another Z that was on the opposite side of town. 2012, 15k km, 2012 for... 31.5 listed. the first was red this one black. i wanted white > black >red but in terms of colour so it was still my pick.

needless to say, i went with the newer, cheaper model that was also in better condition. each dealer is different and depends on your bargaining skills. i managed to talk them down a bit as well so that was a double win for me.

tl;dr - keep an open mind, don't rush, and you're probably going to have a flush of cars onto the market now that spring is around the corner so your selection will be greater.




WELCOME!

CarMax is legit, but you can find better deals elsewhere. It's a good place to test drive several different cars.

Depending on where you live, there are numerous on-line resources (Autotrader, Cars.com etc.) that you can monitor for the best deal.

Take your time, learn the market, get pre-approval for your purchase and when you see a good deal, don't hesitate.

I'm in the same boat with you TS. Also been looking for months for a used 13+ w/ sports pack or even a Nismo. TBH there seems to be really slim pickings out there unless you're willing to greatly settle or pay whatever and just want to get in a Z period. Searching up to 600 mi out and I still have a hard time even finding cars to make an offer on. Even fewer choices bc I'm looking for a manual.

Talking with dealers I can see many will have to take a hit to give a really good deal and if they dont the cars are hard to sell bc at the price most are selling the consumers might as well spend a few grand more and buy new. Hence many of these cars are sitting on lots 4-8+ months or just being recycled at dealer auctions.

You can def see that Nissan didnt sell many of these, which in a way is good I guess. Good luck with your search. Hopefully it wont take us too much longer.

Get your financing done ahead. know what you can spend.
If you have a car you are looking to trade, try to sell it if you have that option, trading in complicates things and never works in your favor.
Shop on the internet within 150 mile radius. cars, autotrader, ebay, craigslist, carmax, nissan cpo, nissan dealers in cities in 150 mile radius....
Decide what you want - color, options, miles..
Shopping 150 mile radius will give you a good idea of what the cars are selling for.
Stick to what you want and what you will pay.
I did this and found my z about 3hrs away from me at a Nissan dealer. I was able to make a good deal and put down a deposit within a day of contacting the dealer. All through email and phone. A week later, I drove up, test drove the car and took it home. The Z was 2 yrs old, 3k miles, sold originally from the same dealer and traded in on a suv.
Don't be surprised by low miles. When I was looking, I found that most Z are not daily drivers. At least in northern Indiana \ Chicago area.
I know it can be slim pickin, but they are out there. If you find a good deal on 'the one', it can also be an option to fly and drive. A $200 plane ticket can save you some cash and get you 'the Z' you want.

CarMax
 

Yeah, CarMax is a little pricy and no wiggle room. I believe they have a 3 day return policy. I like buying new, some people never buy new. New, if they will sell it for 10 plus % of sticker, you are good. DO NOT go for the expensive glass etching of VIN numbers, or that BS paint and fabric protection.
Clear Lake Nissan (Houston ) were super straight with me. I don't know where in Texas you are, but..and you'll get a better interest rate (if you let em know your shopping rates) than CarMax or any used rate.
PM me if I can be of any help.
TxCh
Trade in reduces the sales tax amount on the new one.

yah, i like their return policy.. not that id ever buy another used car.

Buying a Z
 

If you live near the Houston area....Clear Lake Nissan is solid on pricing!
Plus this is their end of the year month and they will be giving way better deals than normal to get their bonuses. I've bought 2 370's and a Nismo 370 from them as well as 2 Muranos over the last few years. So i can speak to how well they do deals. Hope this helps!

OP, sounds like you have alot of patience, if you waited to gather info before buying, so props!

it took my a little over 8 months to find my car. like others have said, carmax is not the best place to buy, though it wouldn't hurt to compare. also, as others have said as well, get your financing dont prior to buying. i did this at my local credit union, where they would essentially handed me a blank for up to the amount that i was approved for and told the dealership "I can buy this car right now in CASH" (usually, this will give you the upper edge and no need to deal with the finance manager).

regarding depreciation, whether you buy new or used, the car will take a hit on depreciation, though less on used. however, this is why:

1. have a decent down payment to cover the depreciation

and/or

2. plan on keeping the car for a while (otherwise, you'll end up transferring the negative equity to your next auto loan if you trade too early, and you'll be even more upside down).

the one thing i don't really agree with others is the traveling and distance part. i have spent countless hours driving to dealerships far away, walked out of many dealerships while giving them the middle finger, etc. great deals don't have to be far from you. you just have to be patient and keep looking.

Black Z in Texas? Wow man I love the color but the dust and heat will drive you crazy. I had a black 350z and it was dirty all the time and will show a rock chip or a ding a mile away. Good luck keeping it clean! :tup:

i had an 07 350Z and black and in florida = not so fun during the summer. on top of the heat of the engine radiating into the car, the color seemed to really absorb the heat from the sun.

I can attest to the long distance issue. The dealership I purchased my car from was 7 hours away. I really felt after awhile they were using this to their advantage. They gave me a much lower trade in on my Altima than they had quoted over the phone/email. They knew once I was there I basically had to agree to their terms or drive back home 7 hours in my Altima. It was a horrible experience that you can read about in my previous posts. My best advice is to be patient and keep your cards close to your chest.