Am I crazy??? 370z Roadster over GT-R
 

Am I nuts??? In April I am ready for a new car and I am tossing around a used 2009 Nissan GT-R or a brand new 370z Roadster...

One of the main things holding me back from the GT-R is the transmission, I feel like the auto DC transmission will be boring and not half as much fun as the manual tranny of the roadster...

The other factors are the drop top and the fact that is new...!

If you have any opinions let me know!

How does your wallet feel about all this?

I'd take the Gtr, I won't mind the boring Trans. lol

:tup: :tiphat:

What about the price difference. How much?

My buddy owns a small used car dealership, he believes he can get me a GTR for about 55k in April and I spoke to the Nissan dealer who thinks the 2011 Roadster fully loaded will be about 47k...Im guessing I could get close invoice though so maybe 44k?

*the reason he feels 55k is because the new gen 2012 is coming up and a ton will be coming off lease

i could see a 6pd roadster being more fun as an every day driving car. I think that the performance diffterence between the GT-R and the Z is really something that can really only be realized on a track or road corse.

I wouldn't even think about it. I'd have a GT-R in a heartbeat.

That is the thing...I'll prob never track it---I've never tracked a car, but then again I've never had a car of this caliber

You only live once. :tiphat:

You answered your own question :tiphat:

altima 2.5 -> is an amazing difference in and of itself. I think you will be happy with either. If you like a manual transmission and aren't going to be able to realize the full potential of the GT-R, i'd say go with the Z. Then again, i think the GTR could be considered more practical if its your only car, since it has back seats and more room. why don't you put up the pro's and cons of each?

Take the GT-R honestly, it is such a more awesome car.

and the GT-R's AT boring? lol wut

lets just say, if you buy the GTR you're gonna have some pretty high standards :). i dont itnk the debate is which is a better car, which i believe the GTR is a better all around vehicle from almost any perspective. The debate is whether or not the extra 30-40k is worth it when you wont be able to fully utilize what you just spent the extra 30-40k on

if the only thing holding you back is the MT vs AT, then go with the GTR. Its not a slush box. its a dual clutch transmission, they aint boring and you have full control of the gear the car is in when you want to.

Yea, I had an '07 Z touring...had to get to get rid of it bc of the winters in NY! I have since moved to Arizona and have been riding out this lease (I've been tempted many times to just eat some money but I've refrained)! Now come April, I'm in a pretty good position financially and I want to make that one car purchase I plan on keeping forever (it won't be my DD, I get a work car and my wife has a car)

Awesome advice...I appreciate it all guys, thanks

sounds good man!

did you have snow tires on te Z in winter up here?

Take my word on this, my parents own a pearl white GT-R

It is such an awesome car, they use it as a DD and they have never regretted the move from MT to AT.

The gear changes that this thing can do is just insane. I have droven it several times now and I would dump my Z for it so ******* fast haha. Sometimes its almost like the car changes gear before I touch the paddles

Maybe you should look at the maintenance costs between the two cars before you make your decision.

The Nissan tech was telling me the difference in cost to do a brake job on the Z vs the GTR. The dollar figure I THINK I heard is staggering, so much so that I am not going to risk spreading mis-information by saying what I THINK he said.

If any of you on the Forum do know the answer to this please post it so SMcK23 will have the right info to use to make his pick.

Sometimes just the purchase price is not the big deal, but the cost of just may be to some.

Did you have it in full auto? :roflpuke2:

No, I was about to throw them on because I did for my prior mustangs I had...but decided against it and just traded it in (big mistake)!

I've been following a lot on the gtr forum (nagtroc.com) and it seems like tires and brakes are ridiculous and the transmission fluid change as well, but for guys who don't DD it (like I won't) it's pretty manageable...I won't be pitting more than 5k a year on it!

Boring transmission???
I'll be watching those boring old Formula 1 cars in the morning (on TV) with their boring 7speed trannies. :icon17:

:iagree:

I wish I had an AT on the Cross Bronx Expressway today :mad:

lol no. it is the deep connection between human and machine. :roflpuke2:

Lol yeah it is stupid as hell, it was cheaper for my father to get the AP-racing J-hook brake discs and racing pads than the official GT-R ones

Oil change is something you can do yourself.

tires is something that you yourself decide how expensive it will be.

Brakes yeah apparently third parties are cheaper :roflpuke2:

and the car is very manageable as a DD. they have over 30.000 miles on it now and they only had to get 1 oil change(which they requested before we went to francorchamps) and a big maintenance.

That is probably the one only car I was considering over $50K USD while I was shopping this summer. As a buddy put it: "I'd sell my mother to own a GT-R". :icon17:

I get heresay info as well that the maintenance costs ARE staggering. I figure if you're gonna have them service that hand-built engine, it's gonna cost even more. You should research this.

I feel the same way, believe it or not: I'd miss a stick. And though I'm sure it's sick when nocking GT-R shifts doing the mid-3sec 0-60, you'll most likely drive it that way a fraction of the time. In normal city driving, it'll feel just like another slush box. If you get it, I'd definitely track it (or xcross).

One more thing - the 2009 has the first iteration of the buggy launch control. The main item steering me away from the 09's. "Never launched" was always on the "For Sale" listings, but how could you trust it 100% of the time? It has been "fixed" via software, but what the original launch control program could do to the gear box scared me enough to look at '10's instead; and those models were WAY over my price target.

Seems you can stomach the price; if you can get your arms around the maint. costs, and get an '09 that's been babied verifiably - I'd bite.

And crazy? Nah - we ALL are; especially when it comes to Godzilla. :tup:

Another person who is calling the GT-R a slushbox in city driving.

this is 100% ********.

the gear shifts are as smooth and fast as when your racing.

or you could put on the transmission to R and be even faster :roflpuke2:.

I don't mean it to be derogatory, LOL. I'm referring to the "auto" nature of the tranny, and how you don't have to row it.

Don't get me wrong - I'd trade up the Z in a heat beat, manual tranny and all to drive a GT-R. But I think I'll miss the stick after awhile... call me sentimental.

If they ever (*sigh*) put a traditional manual in a GT-R... WOW.

Um you know there is this thing where you push the stick to the right and a M pops up on the dashboard.

and even the AT in just D is pretty fun, it does shift down to the lowest possible gear whenever you let go of the throttle but the moment you smash your foot down the gear just changes back to whatever is the lowest it can go.

and lol people already are whining about the Z's MT and ******* it up, image how a MT GT-R would be with that massive torque and horsepower.

Get the GT-R. If you feel like you need a manual tranny later you can always buy a used 350Z/370Z to supplement your Godzilla ;).

Yup - know all about that.

Porsche's PDK and BMW's DCT (thank gods they got rid of that SMG) are loads of fun. I'm sure the GT-R's manual and auto modes are legendary. I love taking corners and not having to worry about clutching, missing gears, and heel-to-toe. It's a perfect track set-up!

Just saying, in the short time I test drove those nice German cars, I missed the "clutch-in/shift/clutch-out" ritual. I know in traffic it becomes a chore, but it's a ritual I expect. My wife laughs when my hand instinctively heads for the auto-shifter while I'm in the SUV. :excited:

I already recommended to the OP to get the GT-R if he can swing it; trust me - as I said before, I'd give up body parts to own one. I admire you've actually driven one; I expect to do so in the near future. I may also forget about a true stick when I'm in Godzilla; but until then, I'm gonna reach for that stick. ;)

Yup - best of both worlds! :tup: You can also drop an FI setup as well. :yum:

Yes, you are crazy....GT-R all the way...you won't regret it

20K to replace a busted transmission due to launch control abuse/over use.... I heard from a friend who drag raced against one.

i'm pretty sure you can still get an audi R8 V-10 in a regular old stick. A straight up stick shift can handle a lot of power. Ayrton Senna drove a stick in his F1 Car, and that was back when f1 cars were the most powerful.

without it coming down to an Auto vs manual debate, its not about whats better, its just whether or not pressing a pedal down and sliding a lever is something you want part of your driving experience. If hte OP wants that, then the GTR is out of the question, if he doesn't care, then it fits the bill.

my 2nd cousin's high school math teacher's brother-in-law told me the same thing...



so i would get in the roadster

I may be one of the few to agree with you. I too was prepared to ante up for a GTR when I found out it only came in automatic. I asked if I could get a manuel installed for extra money and laughter was the response. A total deal killer.
Fun as well as being connected to the car, is my goal when it comes to driving. I feel disconnected with an automatic, regardless of the performance.
While my 370 is having the engine replaced, Nissan gave me an automatic loaner, reconfirming my disdain of them.