Might be getting rid of the Z.
 

Hello everyone, as the title says I may be getting rid of my Z in the near future. I have always said I will keep the Z forever but a lot of things have changed in my life and I think this change is for the best. Reason 1, I have recently started a new job that really keeps an eye on your driving record and I feel that the Z may get me in trouble. Every time I take it out someone wants to race me and to be honest I want to race back. We have no tracks of any kind in my area with the closest one being about 150 miles away. Not that bad but its difficult to get time off now that I have the new job. Reason number 2 me and my girl friend may be buying her recently deceased grandmothers house and I'm looking to decrease my over all car payments to help with new bills. I'm also starting to live a more active life, riding bikes, hiking, fishing and the Z is not very practical for this. Not all is lost, I will not be stuck with just my Versa cause I would lose my mind so I'm almost 100% certain I will be getting a 2013 Xterra Pro-4X 6spd. Spoke to Koeppeln Nissan in Queens and I liked what he said they may have even found the truck I want in Mettalic blue. The truck will still be my second car sine I work almost 50 miles away and the Versa will be the DD. The truck will also help when winter hits since my new job expects me to report the closest depot no matter what the weather is like (closest depot is only about 5 miles closer then the one I work at now). So its not set in stone but its looking good on the switch. I'm also considering an FJ but I cant get a crazy good deal like the Xterra.

P.S Car payment may decrease up to or more then $150/month.

Do what you gotta do. I'm in the same boat. I said the Z will be the one that I keep, but I have an amazing job opportunity in Texas which will require me to be unemployed for some time to take a course they require and I won't have to deal with CA politicians anymore. I love the Z, but would much rather be in Texas with a better job and actually be able to enjoy my guns the way they were meant to be used. I can get an older tacoma and the money I save on payment/insurance will cover most living expenses.

I feel ya, I really enjoyed my Z the 22 months I owned it. It was an awesome car to drive and I figured I would keep it much longer than the time I did, that all changed when I rode in a high powered diesel truck. It was game over for me and well, you can see where I'm at now haha. Besides in Utah the Z wasn't very practical and I couldn't drive it during the winter plus I never drove it on long drives because I almost always have a trailer that needs to be pulled, so most of the driving in the Z was forced (canyon runs, around town, pleasure cruises) not that it was bad to have to find reasons to drive it, but it just wasn't practical for my life style. With that being said there are many days that I really miss it, but I doubt I'd buy another one.

I'm the king of the performance car shuffle! It's just a car, my friend, and you will have many, many others over your life. Do what you need to do as a responsible adult. Just think about how great it will be getting your next one in the future!

you're making a good decision. When i visited New York everyone was trying to race my cousins EVO8.. You dont want any wannabe stunnas trying to tempt you to race or do something stupid. Thats why im glad i leased the Z untill i can afford a luxury sports car and get out of this boy racer status for everyday driving to work back and forth. If i wanted like a track car or something thats a different story..

About to get a Z. Didn't know that was going to give me boy racer status.

OP:

All good reasons but it is always tough to hear when somebody must give up what they like.

Good luck.

I've also regretted getting rid of a car that I was very fond of, but as others have said, it's just a car. In the future when you get settled and have time and money to enjoy another "favorite car", it will be just as sweet.

I think that you "gotta do what you gotta do" at this particular time in your life. This shows maturity, and as we progress through life, there will be other obstacles that one must overcome and you can always look back on this incident to know that you did the right thing.

Yeppers at 49 I a have the boy racer status as well.............no big deal.


OP do what you need to. I found that after just a few years my needs and wants in a car change. What I thought I could never get rid of will be gone and replaced with another car I "will never get rid of" This has been going on with me since 1978..............

Don't worry the things you want can always be acquire again my friend. I like the fact that your being proactive about your pros and cons...makes the decision easy at the end of the day. Least you can say you've tapped that *** before( the z i mean) LOL

Wow op, hiking, fishing, biking that's what I do too! And you even picking up the same truck I picked haha. I know it's hard to give up the Z. But get whatever suits your life the best. Good luck with your decision! Maybe we will see each other on the Xterra forum too!:tup:

+1 i got rid of mine about 2 months ago or so and picked up a 2012 Xterra and havent looked back since

Z is great only as a 2nd or 3rd car for sure. :D

GL with your other hobbies.

You know we got your back and support your decision, OP. :tup::tup:

Power to the outdoors! Live the life you desire. I congratulate you most of all for choosing to stick by your GF and work finances in the name of love. I hope to keep my Z forever, but if the day comes, I can see myself (I don't care if you guys make fun of me) sobbing like a 6 yr old as I trade her in for a more practical vehicle.

My thing is, I absolutely LOVE hearing old (60/70 yr old), car enthusiasts talk about things like "...back in my day, I had a 69 Mustang! Whooo! Red paint, leather seats with racing wheels......". I can definately see myself doing the same thing in my later years with the Z if I have parted ways.

I see things a little differently. A decrease of $150 a month in car payment isn't enough. You don't need to get rid of a toy car to buy a toy truck, you only need a daily driver. I don't understand the need to jump right into another new car payment. I see two scenarios and neither would involve a new car if you are considering a house.

1. Sell the Z and keep your Versa. Versa goes fine in snow like all the other FWD vehicles. Even better when equipped with snow tires. Uncool car?... only if you care what other people think.

2. Sell all your cars, get one USED small SUV or pickup truck.

Wait until your finances settle down after some time living in a house. Houses and the stuff you fill them with aren't cheap. I've had more than a few friends learn that lesson. Live below your means, pay cash for everything other than your house and take vacations for heavens sake.

You're Z holds it's value much better in Tx than Ca. Try to keep it if you can?

I was going to get rid of my Z.. then I decided to boost it :ugh2:

Boost didnt work out for you?

I love love love the part in bold!! Great words to live by there.

This is exactly what my dad taught me and has worked out great for me.

At 31 I can easily afford a Lambo or Ferrari but instead have a Z and S2000 and a house paid off with a healthy retirement fund and looking to get into the real estate game. And I only buy pre owned.

It's all about living below your means. I'm shocked that the recession hasn't taught more people that and only because the economy is rebounding people are getting back into their entitlement habits.

A $100K job doesn't mean get a $100k car just because you can easily afford the payments.

I will get off my soap box, it wasn't directed at you but something I constantly see.

I would go with option 1 above.

Shame to see it go but seems like you have your priorities in check!

I couldn't imagine letting my Z go right now

Its exactly why my bike doesn't see much action, I enjoy driving too much lol, especially as I get to drive her less often these days due to the little one.

Good luck. The Xterra is a nice ride and pretty refined compared to it's competition, and the Pro-4X actually has some capability with the rear locker.

Worth keeping in mind that getting a truck that costs less monthly isn't really saving money in the long run.

It doesn't have to! I can totally understand all of the OP's reasoning behind wanting to get rid of his Z. Other things like family and home should take priority over an expensive car. That's a mature decision! But when he got to the part about everyone wanting to race him and he was concerned that "honestly", he would feel the need to oblige, that's where I have to comment. I don't live too far from the OP so I know all too well that many young car owners out this way have a Need for Speed. Speaking as one of the "older statesman" Z owners here and maybe this is just an older "mature" person's view, I don't feel I need to prove that my Z is faster than anybody elses by racing. The Z is a beautiful car at any speed. I think once you start beating the crap out of it, you start to loose appreciation for what the car is overall. It can either be treated like a fine piece of expensive jewlery that you want to keep forever or costume jewelry that's easy to throw away. My Z is a daily driver but I treat it as yellow gold. I'll be keeping her for a long, long while until perhaps another Z catches my eye!
:tiphat:

Haven't boosted yet. Ordering soon :tup:

I would love to, but my move to TX can only happen after I sell the Z. So if you know anybody in the DFW area, which is where I'm going, that wants a white Nismo Z they can buy mine and get it shipped there for cheap or possibly free.

http://www.the370z.com/members/frost...-rock-fist.gif

This. I bought my car 18 months ago, and am seriously considering getting rid of my Z and buying something with cash. Dave Ramsey FTW.

Poor people ask "what are the payments?".
Rich people ask "how much?".

I work 48 miles from work and when it snows hear on the island they do not plow right away for some reason. I would not be able to make it to work in the Versa. I also do not want to go out get a brand new truck then put 100 miles a day on it so I need two cars.

I can see I didn't get through to you.

hehe, the snow you guys get is nothing compared to Montreal, some good winter tires and you have a tank, granted that Versa is super light. Just something to think about.

Only thing that saddens me about owning my Z is having to store it for 4-5 months a year :(

I don't understand? A Versa can handle 1 2 3 ft of snow? I understand we don't always get that kind of snow but when we do which is often I will not be able to make it to work. As for point 2 I'm not buying a brand new truck to then kill it in 3 years when it has 60-70k on the clock, plus I would get killed in gas.

LI averages 26 inches of snow over 5 months. How many regular 1, 2 or 3 foot snowfalls do you get? We actually get about the same amount of snow per year and I drove my Civic in 13 inches of snow last year without a problem. That amount happens rarely, just like LI.

You may want to re-read what I wrote with point #2. Neither of my scenarios included buying a new truck.

The Xterra handles snow so well. You literally can go anywhere you want in the snow. Versa? I don't know about that... 13' Xterra is good. But yea, if you do end up with the Xterra, make sure it's a 10'+.

This.

I don't understand why anyone would say they want to save money, but get into another car payment. If $150/mo is that big of a deal - it's probably better to not have a car payment at all. OP didn't mention it, but would it be a lesser payment for a longer period of time? IE.) it would be paid off after the Z would've been? So are you really even coming out ahead? Factor in the gas money and I'd say you're not really saving much at all.

Plus why would you want to take out another line of credit for a car when you're looking to buy a house? Drive the Versa (if it's paid off). Having a house > than a "more fun" car.

I spent this winter driving a Honda Insight in areas that get more snow in a week than LI gets in a year...east coast snow is even easier to drive in. As long as you know how to handle snow, you should be fine.

I've only had FWD sedans before the z. Never had any problems during Chicago Winters. Unless you lived out in the country or frequently visit, I never bought into the snow justification for getting an SUV

Poor people ask how much?
Rich people say all take it.

Nah, rich people say "I'll take two"

rich people will say i'll take a couple. how many you got?

wealthy people will say 'let me think it over.'

poor people will say 'let's stop by starbucks'