To OP, I am fortunate to live in an area where the winters aren't too bad, and the few times it snows, the snow plows don't pile snow ridiculously. Additionally, they don't seem to use salt here, some type of chemical, and not very frequently. That being said, I grew up just outside of St. Louis, MO, and if I couldn't afford a second car to garage a car like this in the winter, I'd have never bought it. Salt, deep plowed snow along roadways/driveway entrances, insane drivers would be the death knell for any sports car in the winter. So it is actually a location issue. I fully get the "I bought it to drive it", as that is why I buy cars.

All that being said, I've made it through many winters here with a GT mustang (06 then 2011 5.0), but I am a VERY defensive driver. I already know I will have to replace the summer tires with all-season (Continental DWS as I had on the mustangs) as soon as the first threat of snow/icy conditions is forecast. Heck, the first week I was driving this home from work, back end broke loose on the highway as I was accelerating from an entrance ramp to 70 mph in the rain. Fortunately I learned long ago to "feel" the car and when it slips, let up on the gas and all will be well (rain or snow...doesn't always work on ice lol).

What matters the most to me is understanding the vehicle dynamics of the car.
2014 here with 33k miles.

It's an analogy.

Because every loser driver will try to rear-end my car each time a few flakes of snow fall, so it's like a free for all to run into my nice car.

i want to keep the miles low on my car so when i sell it in a couple years i can get more money out of it. plus i do about 25-30k miles a year... but it seems ckim64 has me beat lol

there you go :tup:

i know exactly wat you mean. i posted this like 100x already, but i felt like a sitting duck in my other fun car with LM60's. i was fine driving, but the other dumbarses on the road... :ugh:

should see the literally hundreds of cars with bumper damage in the winter time. :facepalm:

So I do short drives and evening short cummutes and the such because I want to...

Do I care how clean my car is? Yes
Do I care about getting ding'd? Who wouldn't
Do I care about rain? Yes, because it gives me more opportunity to spend more time with my car and not my wifey
Do I care what everyone else does with their Z? No. If they want to park the car that's their perogative. If they want to DD then go for it.

:gtfo2: trolololol.

Sounds from this like you would rather spend your time with your car. :shakes head: :bowrofl:

My 2010 370Z Nismo is at 66,000 miles as of to date and is a daily driver..No traffic as it is a reverses traffic commute to work 40 miles each way

Report card as of to date :

4 Windshields have been replaced

Repainted the front Nismo bumper 3 times due to road objects debris -
rocks and anything else that can fly

1 Nismo wheel damaged and bent from a road hazard. Replaced

When its not being driven or in motion the car cover is always on

4 hours of labor spent each and every week to keep it in pristine condition............washing - detailing - waxing - basic maintenance

Is it worth it.......Yes but it will cost you.................



:pics:

I love driving and now that I've had the taste of a sports car I don't want to stop. She gets plenty of attention though... don't get me wrong I just like having my own little happy time. :eekdance:

to op...not understanding something doesn't make it wrong or weird...everyone loves to drive their z...why else would you buy one...the love of driving is one of the reasons people buy sports cars...otherwise, we'd all drive some kind of eco car that saves money...for me, i've wanted a z car for decades now...but i promised myself that i wouldn't get one until i could afford to have an additional dd...not because i wouldn't love driving the z but because i want to keep it as nice as possible for as long as possible

so, i bought my z and i leased a 2014 santé fe sport awd for my dd...it's fun to drive too...but in a different way...it's loaded with nav, panoramic roof, infinity sound system, etc...it's nice for long road trips (can't get all the finance's luggage in the z :D)...the awd is awesome in the snow...the cargo space is more than enough when needing to pick-up larger items or groceries...i could go on

bottom line is that it's a personal preference of the owner...do what makes you happy

I completely understand the people that store their Z for the winter as most places it is a much higher risk of an accident and road salt SUCKS (source: used to live in Michigan and had black & dark cars). But rain - what's wrong with driving in the rain? You shouldn't have to wait for a dry day to enjoy your car. Surely I can't be the only one that likes washing his car and doesn't mind when it has some dirt on it...

:bowrofl: My Z is a DD, then again I work from home. :tup: Guess I'm rich!

i love detailing my z...it's finding the time that's the hard part...very busy life...i can deal with rain but dirt...NO WAY :shakes head:

plus having that rain makes the fun level go up :driving:

What difference does it make to you what other people do with their Z's? People, even those on this forum, are a very heterogeneous group. You will never understand why all of them do what they do. Don't worry about it. Use your Z for the purposes that you bought it for and enjoy it.

For the record, the Z is "my" only car although there are two other cars here that I have access to. We take my wife's car when the Z can't haul the passengers or other items we need to carry. She and I take mine when we want to enjoy the trip and I don't have to worry about parking it where it will get demolished by careless parkers or poor roads. But it is still relatively new, and I'm sure that latter restriction will go by the wayside one day.

:shakes head: must be nice to be rich working from bed...

oh, you a prostitot? :ugh:

If you are not getting hit or rear ended by a beater, you won't get rear ended because it is a Z.

You are being unfair to all the drivers. It's like buying (not driving) a lottery ticket because you might hit the big jackpot.

So not like that.

Driving a sports car in the winter (in my opinion) is not like driving in the summer. There is no enjoyment in it. You can't accelerate as fast, you can't make turns as fast. It would just be frustrating. Plus all the gravel on the road - no thanks.

If we has summer all year long, I would drive it all year long.

I don't have to wait around for snow or rain for that. Just had an aggresive driver try to take out my right front the other day. He merged right over in front of me and I went left...LOL I need to start carrying a roll of penny's for folks like this.

I want to keep my car looking good and free of rust and damage for a long time, that's why I don't drive it in the winter.

I really couldn't care less if anyone thinks that's disrespecting it. Personally, when I see some fool driving on summer tires on a 370Z on a dry day when it's not even 30 degrees out, I think "What a dumbass." :shakes head:

Well the OP did say "other then weather conditions", so he does agree with us about winter.

For me any modern mass produced car would be my daily. Now if I had an older car that was a classic or collectable then It would not be my daily.

I wont be keeping the Z forever so it dont matter.

I kinda agree with the OP. Researching this forum for the past few months, seems a lot of people are very meticulous with their car. Like some one else said, I'm all about "to each their own" but its a $30k Nissan, not a classic or high end supercar. I plan on DD mine year 'round here in NNJ. Going to be picking up dedicated winter tire/wheel setup and see how it goes.

If after the first winter I'm not comfortable driving it all year, I'll pick up a cheap beater.

I also have the ability to work from home so I'm fortunate to not have to drive in the snow if I don't need to.

I see both sides of the coin. I used to be the guy that stores the Z for all winter and performs every service exactly and even sooner than expected then sold my 350z for a downpayment for a house and who enjoyed my 350z? The next guy was extremely happy! He got a Z with less miles and in perfect condition.

I said to myself, with my 370z I will drive it hard and enjoy every mile of it! This 370z is awesome and I DD every time! ( I do have a beater bmw 530i with snow tires for snow days only though) :roflpuke2:

i use to wonder 'who am i saving my car for?' but then im saving it for me.

my G looks pretty much brand new still even after 10yrs of babying. i like that.
my Z definitely looks brand new after 5yrs.

my dd, i dont care. i just clean it when i can. next guy will get a used car. lol

My Z is a Driver's Car
 

The Z is a driver's car and should be driven (IMO). I would rather the car burn out then fade away...

I am fortunate to have 300+ days per year of excellent driving weather in NM so I use my 2009 370Z 7AT as a DD for work and light errands. I wash it 1-2 times per month and clay bar followed up with a wax 3-4 times per year. I still get asked if it's brand new. My 2011 Frontier Pro-4X does everything else my family needs without ever breaking a sweat.
:yum::driving:

:yawn:

:driving:

LOL aint washed mine since April when I bought it.

Roll on another thread for the dirtiest cars..

It's either/or
 

Those who buy the Z because they enjoy driving, drive it all the time, would not sit in a beater, would pick their Z anytime they have to drive, whether two blocks or 1000 miles

Then there are those who claim they like to drive it but who really like to drive it to be seen in it. They are more concerned about looks than they are about the driving experience.

I am not saying that the ones who store it all winter, only take it out when it is sunny, wash and wax every week do not enjoy driving it, only that the looks are the higher priority.

The DD'rs sit in the car and they want to drive it. Yes, it may be wet outside and they cannot drive fast but heck, it's better to drive it then have some beater car because they would not want dome doors on the car.

my dd's not a beater...it's a 2014 sante fe sport...looks are not my priority...care and safety are...don't judge...enjoy your z as you want...i know i will

because it's loud and not comfortable. also, not being seen by so many of the crazy SUV drivers in LA

Have we met? That's me to a tee.

well sorry to burst your bubble but only sweaty ugly doods are attracted to the Z.

i speak from experience. :ugh:

Some people cherish the Z due to their financial position. To you OP, the Z might look any ordinary car. But you have to realize that some people in this forum saved up their hard earned money, for a very long period of time, to finally afford one. To them, the Z will look like a Ferrari; AKA their dream car. Consider yourself fortunate to drive a Z. I never take my Z for granted.

And as countless mentioned, weather can be an issue.

Yap. I got a thumbs up from one of those today. Good thing I was styling.

so you're saying since im ocd about keeping my Z clean, that im poor? :icon17: haha.. ok.

The Z is the most expensive car I have owned. I enjoyed the driving experience of both my prior cars, the Miata and especially the RX8 but the latter was too delicate to maintain, needed constant oil checks, only gave 14 mpg in town.

I just happen to love driving great handling cars. I happen to want to be near the people or things I love and leaving my car without driving it more than a day or two is not an option.

If you do not feel you are in the mood to do to justice to making love to your gorgeous girlfriend, do you opt to go to a hooker? No, you do the best you can or you stay home. Driving a beater is like cheating!!!!

mine was a daily and weekend track car until the more I modified it, the less comfortable it was on the street, and then when my employer put speed humps in that made me bottom out high center, I said f it and made it a pure race car.