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Zeditus, there is no cure


MrLizard

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Zeditus - noun

 

Definition (to me) - inability to be apart from or tinker with any Z based car - see: 350z/370z etc

 

Used in a sentence -

 

"That idiot is riddled with Zeditus - its too late for him!"

 

Since buying my 350Z just under 11 years ago I have tried very hard in order to part myself from it and in the process become more attached to it.

What follows is a brief account of what I have tried so that others may not suffer the same fate.

 

Before I noticed just how bad the situation had become I decided that the mod scene wasn't really for me and started to turn what was a lovely black GT spec 2006 revup model Z into a track car. Starting with autocross and hill climbs, the odd bit of drag racing (also not for me) and finally track days.

 

Track days became race days. Race days became more serious which peaked with winning the production class in Britcar last year in a 350z....(???)

It is easy to keep yourself grounded when you have a 700bhp Mosler one side of you and 3 FF corse Ferrari's the otherside, still they all wanted our sausage batches when it was lunchtime so that's ok.

 

Stage 1 - Try and buy another car

 

I kidded myself into thinking the reason i liked the Z was because i hadn't driven anything else really sporty. I had been saving up for ages so I brought an Ariel Atom... all the reviews are true - it is a monstrously capable car and a huge amount of fun. However you cant mod it (realistically) and it wasn't hugely practical:

 

 

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Steering is like nothing else, power is effortless and fairly endless, i will get another one at some point. The reaction from everyone on the roads and passers by was always positive - the best of which was a French super model insisting to have her picture taken in the car...

 

Stage 2 - Buy a more expensive car to resolve issues from 'Stage 1'

 

Kid yourself that something more expensive and more prestigous would be better. So I formed a relationship (ooo er) with my local Porsche dealer. By local I mean over 100 miles away because the local ones were all idiots. I decided that mid engine rwd was the right way forwards having owned a few cars with this layout. Cayman GTS with a 3.6 flat 6 in it, lots of bells and whistles. Cracking car nothing sounds better on the over run. Not particularly quick and not a lot of feedback, I didn't agree with a lot of the reviews on this one, the car looks gorgeous subjectively and the interior quality is epic. Practicality all a big yes.

 

Still thinking about the Z though... :(

 

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Stage 3 - Buy a more expensive, 'better' car that resolves issues from 'Stage 2'

 

So - the Porsche was awesome, but not at the same time, little too soft for my taste. Porsche announces the GT4 and this seems to resolve all my issues...! So i sold the Cayman and sold both Kidney's to get a place in line. The biggest issue I had with this experience (apart from the weird exclusivity thing), was that I was unable to test drive the car before buying. For me £80k on a car was/is a huge amount of money - really I should have waited for a test drive though I suspect my heart would have said yes anyway. Looked awesome, drove really well, much better steering, quicker but still not 'that' fast. The interior and the carbon seats were lovely to look at and touch - the car was practical as well. However I really wanted a gt3, the gt4 just wasn't quick enough and flat out in 2nd gear meant you were breaking the speed limit in the UK on any road - so although it was manual there wasn't 'that' much driver involvement. The biggest plus it had was front end grip - the car was a lot of fun but only at 10/10ths. Also cant

 

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Stage 4 - buy a similar priced sports car that is somewhere inbetween the previous 3 stages.

 

Best all round sports car I have owned, I didn't think the steering could be better than the Atom and maybe it is just 'different' but either way it is epic. It might have the supercharged 3.5L v6 out of a Toyota camry but who cares, the power to weight is just right and the power is epic. Nothing was touching it with some sticky tyres on and ringing its neck around the race track. 350z is fun though.... where did i put the keys.... :S

 

IMG_3331_zpsjbvhdrw8.jpg

 

Stage 5 - This is the final stage.

 

I now own two 350z's. (more info soon on the plans with the new one)

 

I have submitted to Zeditus - it is too late for me, if there is anything I can do to help anyone else let me know...really I think someone should invest in a cure... :(

 

The over whelming feeling I have when in the pits looking at all the expensive machinery is that I am not convinced they are having as much fun as I am... long live the z!

 

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Wow :scare: incurable I say! You are well and truly screwed, Zeditus and generally "car life" is riddled in your bones. I'd say embrace it rather than fight it, don't find a cure, just find happiness which to me sounds and looks like you've found it! :clap:

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Superb posting, great story too. I have a horrible feeling that if I ever drive one again Ill go buy one about 3 hours later, I have similar issues with 200SX's and Skylines ..........

 

Id struggle to look past the GT4 though B)

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Superb posting, great story too. I have a horrible feeling that if I ever drive one again Ill go buy one about 3 hours later, I have similar issues with 200SX's and Skylines ..........

 

Id struggle to look past the GT4 though B)

 

Yep the Celica GT4 is indeed a truly great car ;)

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I know what you mean, I love the zeds and the biggest joy I get is customising the car to suit me, and I never get tired off it,but my wallet will say different! :lol:

 

yep the wallet is the bane of the whole thing... I cant believe MrsLizard hasn't killed me yet :scare:

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my wife suprisingly goes with it for so long,but next month car is booked to get exhaust done.then next month uprev,next month leather retrim then in between that I am looking at interior stuff,exhaust headers,springs etc, sometimes my wife thinks I have a bird ,the only bird I HAVE is my yellow canary 370z :blush::lol:

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- the best of which was a French super model insisting to have her picture taken in the car...

 

:worthless:

 

 

I didnt get a photo of her - it was really weird she sort of said something to me - i dribbled a bit and she got in the car, then her boyfriend was taking loads of photo's of her, my mrs was looking directly at me as I was trying to look anywhere other than the lap belts.... :s

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