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Opinions please..


350zStephen

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Strange one...

 

I bought my '53 Gunmetal GT early in November last year from a member on here, it is in an excellent condition with only 48k miles on it. Problem is, i'm really struggling to get along with it. Since i've owned it, i've only used it for my daily commute (20 miles a day) and driving to my girlfriends once or twice a week on the motorway (50 miles all round drive).

 

It is my first two seater car, and only two seats have not been practical for me. (The odd trip to Asda with mates at the weekend for booze, dropping my parents off and stuff). I've never been able to give it a good blast due to icy/greasy roads, and i've only washed it three times in my ownership due to the weather conditions. With my two previous cars, I religiously spent 3 hours every weekend cleaning my car, but with the zed, it just is not the same.

 

MY MPG is always in the low 20's and I am putting over £60 a week V-power in it - and thats only for my daily commute and the odd trip to my girlfriends.

 

I bought a lovely shiny Nismo exhaust for it in February thinking it would make me love it, don't get me wrong, I do love the sound, but I don't know if its worth it the price tag over the OEM exhaust.

 

What shall I do? Give my zed a chance, and buy a daily runner, and use my zed for the weekends when the better weather comes in? Or sell my car and Nismo Zorst seperately and buy a few year old Civic Type R GT with less than 20k miles (more seats, better MPG, cheaper insurance as i'm only 21?)

 

Has anyone ever driven the new shape type r? If so, how do they compare to the zed?

 

Thanks guys.

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hmmm i would say keep it just now and wait for the better weather conditions to kick in. That is when you get the most fun out of your zed. I was in the same boat as you, had my car at 21 and thought it was extremely expensive to run BUT i fell in love as soon as i saw her. Dnt trade her in for a civic mate as there is so many kicking around especially in glasgow. Give the zed a chance in the summer, if its still not making you smile then defo move on. Just my opinion tho :thumbs::drive1

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Give her a few weeks in summer and I'm sure you'll be hooked chap.

 

I can't remember that last time I just 'went for a drive' as the weather is so crap, it's pointless.

 

But I look back remembering scorching hot dry roads last summer, I really really had a blast.

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The Zed is not a great car for stop/start driving and/or bad weather conditions. But then again what powerful rear wheel drive sports car is? A hot hatch (like a Type R) is a compromise between performance and practicality. A Zed is for someone who just wants an out and out sports car (which is also a good motorway cruiser ;) ). You just need to decide what's more important to you.

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I drove my car on Sunday when the weather was really crappy. I hate taking the zed out in anything but nice warm sun; as I was driving I actually started to feel bored! :(

 

It's not because of the zed - its due to the weather. Maybe it's the same in your situation?

 

I couldn't go very fast or make any noise since the roads were so wet, my windows have to be kept closed, I'm trying to avoid puddles and god damn gritter lorries and salt patches - all I really wanted to do was get home, tuck the zed away after a quick clean and switch the TV on or something.

 

However - come spring / summer time its the total opposite - the windows are down, music is playing, can drive a bit faster, make a lot more noise, people start to notice you more often waving and taking pics (is it me that only gets this?!) - the whole package comes together. :D

 

Although I only use the zed for weekend fun (and 90% of the time if its dry).

 

I'd say hold out for the spring at least. Have a few days whereby you can have the windows down and you may notice a difference with the whole experience.

 

It's kind of like a holiday. Its not the destination, but often the weather that determines if your going to have fun.

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Like the rest,got mine in the summer and it's :yahoo::yahoo: all the way.

Then came November and it's now Feb and this has been hell.

I'm lucky I run two cars,but hang in for the dry weather or you might regret your decision and be out of pocket.

It'll sell better in the good weather as well.

 

Best of luck with you decision though.

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Mmm, i reckon if you feel like that and you haven't had it that long then maybe its not the car for you at all! My car puts a smile on my face every day rain or shine and i've had it nearly 3 years. You could wait for dry weather but to be honest if you've only had it this short time and you're not out cleaning it every two mins then maybe you should move on? Good luck with the decision.

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I knew the majority of the answer's on here would be swaying towards keeping the zed. :lol:

 

The thing is, I spent over a year reading up on zed's and looking for one every day - so this is definately is the car I was after. I was thrilled driving it home after I bought it, but it really is a hard car to live with day to day for my commute. With it's heavy clutch, low MPG and generally sitting in traffic.

 

If the weather permits, i'm going to give it a good old wash and polish and take it for a drive up to loch lomond this weekend.

 

I'm still going to view a Civic this weekend to see if I like it :thumbs:

 

And Jay, I agree, there is loads of Type R's kicking about Glasgow, they are rather common. On the plus side for the zed, I love it how it usually turns alot of heads in town when out posing :lol:

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People keep saying the clutch is heavy. Mine isn't at all. Is yours on the way out? I sit in traffic every day - 23 miles there and then the same back. Costs me about a tenner a day in fuel. You seem to be getting a lot less out of yours on a shorter trip. The fact that you're out looking at other cars says you've pretty much made your mind up I reckon. I had a type R before this but the older shape. I loved it but i'm not so keen on the new ones - they just look a bit boring. Don't rush into something you'll regret - mull a few other cars over as well first.

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My clutch is spot on. ZMANALEX fitted a new exedy clutch and flywheel less than 10k miles ago, and i've never gave my car any hard treatment.

 

If sitting in traffic and going on and off the clutch for anything over half an hour, my left leg aches.. And i'm no girls blouse :p

 

I actually prefer the looks of the new type r over the older shape, the interior is much nicer, and the car is more modern looking. I've not made my mind up, i'm just keeping my options open.

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I drove my car on Sunday when the weather was really crappy. I hate taking the zed out in anything but nice warm sun; as I was driving I actually started to feel bored! :(

 

It's not because of the zed - its due to the weather. Maybe it's the same in your situation?

 

I couldn't go very fast or make any noise since the roads were so wet, my windows have to be kept closed, I'm trying to avoid puddles and god damn gritter lorries and salt patches - all I really wanted to do was get home, tuck the zed away after a quick clean and switch the TV on or something.

 

However - come spring / summer time its the total opposite - the windows are down, music is playing, can drive a bit faster, make a lot more noise, people start to notice you more often waving and taking pics (is it me that only gets this?!) - the whole package comes together. :D

 

Although I only use the zed for weekend fun (and 90% of the time if its dry).

 

I'd say hold out for the spring at least. Have a few days whereby you can have the windows down and you may notice a difference with the whole experience.

 

It's kind of like a holiday. Its not the destination, but often the weather that determines if your going to have fun.

 

Speaking of Sunday what happened to you? Was expecting to see you at the cafe at the end? Oh and you definitely can have the windows down a little in that weather :D

 

Personally I think the Zed's worth it and will put up with the fact that it's not great on the commute because let's face it a rush hour commute's not going to be much fun in any car. I'd say hold on to it until the dry weather, hopefully only a month or 2 away and then you'll be in a much better position to make a decision although as Nixy says the Zed puts a smile on my face everyday come rain or shine. But I did buy mine just before loads of dry weather so the thought of that puts a smile on my face although unlike Anubis I did enjoy the drive on Sunday, it's the feeling of the car on the edge of its grip limit going round corners not top end speed that makes me smile.

 

As for the clutch being heavy I think that depends on what you're used to driving, for example when I hop into the Rover and then back into Zed then the clutch, gear lever and the steering all feel heavy but I personally think a sportscar should feel like that.

 

I agree that the New Type R looks better inside and out than the old one and the interior materials feel nice but by all accounts the drive doesn't compare so it all depends on what you want and if that's a compromise you're prepared to make.

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Speaking of Sunday what happened to you? Was expecting to see you at the cafe at the end?

 

We ended up going down these seriously horrid small farm roads with a zillion pot holes and horse crap all over the road whilst it was soaking. It started out great, but the group I ended up in got lost for a bit.

 

Whilst going down one road (barely able to squeeze the zed down), looking out my rear view at the Aston I hear two loud bangs. :scare::rant: Holy mother of god I got worried - thought I crashed at 5mph! I actually went over two HUGE pot holes, but thankfully both tyres went in and out very slowly.

 

I stopped, got out (expecting to see the worst) and thankfully all was OK. I let the others go on without me cos I wanted to check the car over for damage.

 

I ended up going home (I guessed you guys would have been long gone by the time I tried to find you).

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Just like Nixy and others said, the zed is fun in all weather and all the controls are weighted just right like a good sportscar/GT should be. Infact it punches well above its weight ;)

 

your comments and reactions suggest that you liked the looks but expected something else from it. It may also reflect on your lack of experience with performance at the level and its no bad thing! If all the baggage that come with the car are not for you and you want to split now then so be it!

Cragus will have your exhaust in a flash and you would have missed the opportunity to discover something wonderful come good weather :wacko: You will also loose some dosh and regret you did not give it a go!

My zed is always dirty because i treat it like a race car but i love it to bits and it rewards me plentiful :teeth:

Goodluck with any course of action mate

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i know when i drove markie's zed i thought omg this clutch! I could hardly push it in - a few weeks later it went and he had to get a new one.

 

But you're implying that a heavy clutch is possibly one on its way out. This was true in my case but he has just had the same clutch and fly as mine fitted. That's why I'm wondering how there could be such a big difference when both are new and are the same parts.

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not implying that as i am clueless! When i felt the major difference my first thought was either his has something badly wrong or mine does! i didn't actually know what a clutch on its way out felt like. His obviously did go but I don't know why.

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