Buying 2014 vs 2015?
 

Hey guys!
Recently I have met a choice of buying a new vehicle, I'm looking for something that will last me the next 7 years or whenever I can buy my own car, I'm 18 now.
Currently my interest is in the 370z because I want a head turning car unlike mustang, camero, and bmw which I see in every neighborhood.

At my local dealership there is a 2014 nissan 370z touring with sport package, fully loaded bose system, nav, leather seats, etc. The dealer so far has offered me a price of $37,000. I could probably talk him to lowering it to $35,000

Or should I instead buy a 2015 nissan 370z touring without the sport package? This one comes in pearl white with the black 19' rays forged wheels which is exactly what I want. The only problem is 2015 model doesn't have the sport package and it's a manual. (My family and I have never driven a manual but I do want to learn and willing to go to a local driving school for this car. I also live in SC which has it's fair share of hills, messy roads, and stop and go traffic.)

There's also this used 2013 nissan nismo with only 658 miles! Going for $37,000 but I haven't really talked about this one with my parents due to the fact that for 37 grand I really want the standard things it should come with i.e. heated/leather seats, bluetooth, and etc.

Are these good deals to go for? Or should I turn my head and look in other directions like a boss 302? Also around where I live I don't trust many of the local car shops so no heavy mods for me but I do want to install after market exhaust, spoiler, lips, and if it comes to it a new body kit. Please share any suggestions you have with me!

i have a 2013 touring sports auto and i love it. auto's are faster than stick. stick is just more fun. honestly in traffic its a pain in the ***. auto you have best of both worlds, you can cruise and rip the roads. The auto has rev matching and when you down shift you hear the engine roar and up shift you're out. 2015 nismo is so over priced. the only good thing about it are the seats inside. the rims aren't that great and body style they added a red pinstripe and different DRLS. 2014 touring sports if you add stillen gen 3 cold air intake, cat back exhaust . test pipes or hfc and get a tune, you would dyno at around 300-320 hp to the wheels.

OP, if you want a Z with a 6mt, then get one. Don't be afraid to go out there and learn a new skill. I'm sure if you are serious about buying the car, the salesman will teach you. I bet a forum member on here in your area would be more than willing to help you out. Takes about a good solid week of practicing and you'll be fine.

You're 18 and buying a sports car, definitely get the manual. You should learn how to drive stick and you will have a lot more fun with it.

Jesus I can't imagine what your parents are going to pay for car insurance a month. I bet it will be upwards of 350 a month to insure you.

Why would you go Boss 302 if you stated that you see mustangs all the time in your neighborhood?

I would honestly just get a C7 Corvette if I was you, or get the Hell Cat. They both have automatics and they will def turn heads with you in them.

Not getting the sport package would be a huge mistake.

sports package or bust... and manual with the sports package is cheater mode too. It's a lot easier to learn on.

That said, are you sure you want to be getting such a powerful car with questionable amount of driving experience? Not knocking on you personally but the real question is... will you be able to control yourself and not end up getting hurt or hurting others?

Way, way too much car for a teenager. Terrible decision making by the ones writing the check if the OP gets any of the cars he's mentioned.

Well I havent seen a boss 302 where I live mostly gts n the base models but I was just throwing it out there really.

And as for my driving experience I had my thoughts about it too but I will face that any new car I buy really Imo

There will be a learning curve on any vehicle, correct. The thing less experienced drivers don't get is how much faster things get out of hand with a powerful rwd car. If you end up with anything with a lot of power, leave it stock. Mod the driver. AutoX and track days, not performance parts.

Sounds like a smart idea, I wouldn't add much to it anyway since that would be coming out of my pocket after I put in my part of the down payment. But first to pick a car n learn from there

Have you considered something like the Ford Focus ST or a used GTI? Both have great power to weight ratios, are fun cars to drive, and would cost at least $10k less to start. I get that your parents are footing the bill for most of the car, but can't help but feel there are better "first cars" for a young, inexperienced performance car buyer. Even an FRS would be a better first purchase IMHO. Great handling, and manageable power.

Can I jack your thread for a min and ask if your handle name is a family guy reference?

We went to look at frs/brz but my parents arnt exactly pro subaru lol. They said themselves they rather get a 370z.

Lol yes it is

OP, go for the manual. You will not regret it. I know quite a few people who purchased manuals at some point without knowing first how to drive one (myself included). You have to start somewhere. Give it a few weeks of consistent practice and you'll be just fine.


I've always hated this generalization. I had a 400+ HP V8 in my first car at age 18 and turned out just fine. :rolleyes:

Yeah got to start somewhere but I don't wanna ruin the clutch either lol but still goes down to the 2014 model or the 2015 one more importantly.

There's no decision to be made. Buy the one with the sports package. Passing on that will be something that bothers you until you sell the car or drop a lot of money on upgraded parts.

At that price, the 2014. Especially if there's still room in the price to include taxes, etc.

Road conditions have changed since you were a kid. In the 80s the only problem with a 18 year old in a sports car was a 18 year old in a sports car. Now it's a 18 year old in a sports car with 300+ hp as his first car but he has to let Facebook know he's cruising in his new car in the rain for the first time. O wait? What's that? A sharp turn? Dead 18 year old.

Liveleak.com gives great insight to automobile accidents. I'd suggest spending some time there before driving on the road as well. Understand the true horrors if you're not educated on the road. Just search crash and watch all the unedited stuff.

Wow
 

I sure hope the person paying for it has real deep pockets and you won't have to pay them back. I think going out and dropping huge $$$ on anything at your age is a terrible way to start out financially.

Sorry this wasn't a response to your question. My concience won't allow me to come up with anything better.

104

Perfect
 

:rofl2:

Do you guys really think it'll be that bad? What's the payments n everything like after a few months? I told my parents we can look at cheaper car makes n models but they said it's fine n they can afoord it.

Put it this way, when I was 18 I was very ahead financially due some childish mistakes I was making at the time. Went to a Nissan dealership picked out a 350z and had cash on hand for the car I had picked out. I called my insurance I had at the time and they quoted me 699 a month due to being 18 and buying a 2 door coupe sports car in Louisiana. I left the dealership as when I figured insurance I would have paid the car off in insurance in just a few years.

I'm 26 and paying just under 280 a month because I had a speeding ticket earlier this year. It would have been cheaper by a marginal amount had I not been an idiot. So yes I think it will be bad. Even if your parents put you as an alternate driver (assuming both parents have a car) you will need to be designated as a primary driver on one and that will still be expenisve. I am in canadia though so there may be differences in prices/options etc.

In terms of price you will pay the same amoun every month or bi-weekly or however your payment schedule is like. That said, I would also hope you are pricing in taxes, delivery, registration and all the fee's and not taking sitcker value as the only cost. Then you have gas and have to use high-grade not to mention since it's a sports car it will not be easy on the gas.

Take your time, look at alternatives and make the right choice. Just remember a car is a depreciating asset and you're only going to be burning money regardless of what you buy.

Plus, you're 26. Here in the US rates drop dramatically after age 25. OP may end up paying as much in insurance every month as he does on the car.

Plus you'll likely need a set of rear tires every year. Maybe a full set. If you live in a place that sees a real winter, an extra set of wheels with snow tires is a must as the tires that come on the Z are not all-seasons and are dangerous in the cold/snow.

The other thing is what others at school / college are going to do. It's not just you, it's the other inexperienced drivers around you. Just be careful.

Yeah I've been thinking about this for the past 2 months and definitely not in any hurry.

And yeah around here my parents aren't as worried about my driving compare to other driver, I'm always on the defensive side.

Same in Canadia, 25 and it lowers. My insurance as an alternate driver when I was under 25 was the same as being a primary on my own car right now. I was quoted about 250 for an FRS or S2000 since I did some reading.

Z in winter is kind of a scary thought.

Good take your time when buying. It's not a cheap purcahse! Even though I'm a defensive driver I still succumb to the heavy foot syndrome. It's a lot of power and you will want to use it more than on one occasion... I guarantee it.

After my speeding incident I have toned down my speeds significantly but I still get a bit spirited at times. Keep that in mind...and that's why you don't see many young kids in powerful sports cars for a very long time. There was an incident a year or so back in my area with a kid in a porche and ended up crashing, striking a tree and ending up in someone's backyard. The passenger died and needless to say the neighbors were traumatized by the mangled mess on their lawn. Take heed sir.

I thought the OP's question was about the best buy?
Checking his insurance rate and deciding he wanted to proceed should have been done before asking the question.

Great advice ... mod the driver. The Z looks and runs great the way it is. If you get the sports package it has syncro rev matching which is a great deal for anyone just learning how to drive manual. I would encourage you to attend a driving school like ...

Tire Rack Street Survival School

You take your own car and learn the limitations in both wet and dry, at speed. The instructors are cool and they will love that somebody shows up in a Z. There might be some wrestling matches to be the instructor in your car. A quote from their home page ....

"The primary emphasis of Tire Rack Street Survival is a 'hands-on' driving experience in real-world situations! We use your own car to teach you about its handling limits and how you can control them."

It's $75.00 and worth every penny.

I would consider selling my 2011 24k mile modified 7at =p


I have nismo fever, cant get driving one out of my head =(

I am 16 and only pay 205 a month for full coverage on everything.

are you on a multi-line insurance with your parents? house, boat, other cars, more boats?

just curious that's all.

Don't listen to the haters. When your parents offer to buy you a 370Z, you say YES!

:tiphat: