How realistic?

[Bobbyheinz]

Hey mate, I just turned 21, earn pretty much the same as you and got mine almost a month ago.

 

It's definitely expensive to run but well worth it in my own opinion.

 

I will point out I live at home and often am away travelling for work and have all my expenses paid when I am. I do have a second car though.

 

Take one for a spin and you'll know whether it's right for you or not.

[Outline]

Biggest problem with that, the dealer is so reluctant to believe I'm interested.

 

As soon as they see the C2...

[rhys1344]

Hi mate,

 

Basically i'm 21, and got my Zed last month, been awesome so far! I had a 1.0 yaris for 4 years and thought it was time for a change.

 

Got mine for £4950 with 61k on the clock... bit of a bargain and it's running good too!! I took a bit of a gamble when I bought it not knowing if I could afford it with the increased running costs... 45 mpg down to 25mpg was a masssive shock!! I take home 1600 a month, and manage to cover what I need to on the car, so yes it is a fair bit more expensive... but damn it's worth every penny!!!!!!

 

Go nuts, Get one

[Bobbyheinz]

Biggest problem with that, the dealer is so reluctant to believe I'm interested.

 

As soon as they see the C2...

 

I know the feeling mate.

 

I wear a suit for work and when I went in to dealers wearing it the way they treated me was completely different to when I went in wearing jeans a hoody

[Outline]

Hi mate,

 

Basically i'm 21, and got my Zed last month, been awesome so far! I had a 1.0 yaris for 4 years and thought it was time for a change.

 

Got mine for £4950 with 61k on the clock... bit of a bargain and it's running good too!! I took a bit of a gamble when I bought it not knowing if I could afford it with the increased running costs... 45 mpg down to 25mpg was a masssive shock!! I take home 1600 a month, and manage to cover what I need to on the car, so yes it is a fair bit more expensive... but damn it's worth every penny!!!!!!

 

Go nuts, Get one

 

Sounds good mate. If you don't mind me asking, do you live on your own?

 

Biggest problem with that, the dealer is so reluctant to believe I'm interested.

 

As soon as they see the C2...

 

I know the feeling mate.

 

I wear a suit for work and when I went in to dealers wearing it the way they treated me was completely different to when I went in wearing jeans a hoody

Hey, it's their job and they get a lot of time wasters, guess it's cool. Had to prise the keys out of the dealer's hand when we went to test drive the a TT. And we're presentable!

[Maccaman]

What I'd say then is get something around the 8k mark and put two grand away to use for repairs and fuel and maybe some mods. 8k will get you a nice low mileage 54 plate.

It's definitely a thought.

 

To be honest, going for £8k would leave £2k off the finance, giving me some freedom to use savings (or create some!) for repairs.

 

Just threw some figures, and taking everything as bad as it can be, a 350z works out at £600 a month (this is including finance, fuel, tax, servicing, insurance etc).

 

My current car comes out at £250, and as I say, I have a bit of cash left over (as well as a pay rise coming, and a girlfriend coming home).

 

If I can be sensible and put this off for six/seven months until she's home and things are stable, it's most definitely doable.

 

I think this answers your question for you. Leaves you very little for any unforseen problems & also enjoying yourself. I think it could spoil the experience for you if you found yourself very tight for finances. Give it the 6 months & reassess then.

[rhys1344]

 

Sounds good mate. If you don't mind me asking, do you live on your own?

 

 

 

I live with my mother, but we split living costs 50/50 as I'm earning more than she is! So does work out as if you are privately renting.

[JT350GT4]

Hey dude,

 

I was in the same situation as you 4 weeks ago! I'm only 21 and had a C2 Loeb. Yes its a bit more expensive to run but definately worth it!! . Just get one you wont be disappointed!!

 

I see your username is outline.....I think i recognise your username from c2club? I used to be on there as jt_loeb_155

[Outline]

Hey dude,

 

I was in the same situation as you 4 weeks ago! I'm only 21 and had a C2 Loeb. Yes its a bit more expensive to run but definately worth it!! . Just get one you wont be disappointed!!

 

I see your username is outline.....I think i recognise your username from c2club? I used to be on there as jt_loeb_155

 

Haha amazing! Yeah I've posted my progress on C2Club, mods stopped as soon as I decided I wanted a 350 instead... Since then, I've been 'putting up with' my VTS

 

 

Cheers Rhys

[JT350GT4]

Hey dude,

 

I was in the same situation as you 4 weeks ago! I'm only 21 and had a C2 Loeb. Yes its a bit more expensive to run but definately worth it!! . Just get one you wont be disappointed!!

 

I see your username is outline.....I think i recognise your username from c2club? I used to be on there as jt_loeb_155

 

Haha amazing! Yeah I've posted my progress on C2Club, mods stopped as soon as I decided I wanted a 350 instead... Since then, I've been 'putting up with' my VTS

 

 

Cheers Rhys

 

Yeah i've read through your progress thread before

 

C2's nice 'n all, quite pokey lil' pocket rocket. But nothing compared to the zed; build quality, power, sheer satisfaction. As I said not had mine too long but i definately haven't looked back

[John tarantula]

how much you gonna get on finance to get it?? never worth getting finance for a car in my opinion! if's it gonna put you in debt don't do it!!

 

lot's of other fast cars around, lots faster, for cheaper. 200SX the first example I can think of. Turbos so cheaper to get easy power, cheaper all round etc. I prefer a 350Z but wouldn't get into debt for one. You'll probably be bored of the car by the time you're still paying the bank off! might be best to wait til you're older and earning more so you don't have to borrow??

[ds2000]

As the others have said, only really you can answer your own question.

 

I generally use mine on the motorway or for blasts around the country side when I get home, my mrs has also used it a fair bit as well. Using the tesco 98 ron fuel I am getting about 300 miles for £56 - that's a staggering 33mpg! Obviously in town and blasting you get less.

 

Tyres for midrange are £130-220.

 

I love mine and would never change it, but I am 30 now and at this moment in time have a good income.

[Ekona]

how much you gonna get on finance to get it?? never worth getting finance for a car in my opinion! if's it gonna put you in debt don't do it!!

 

lot's of other fast cars around, lots faster, for cheaper. 200SX the first example I can think of. Turbos so cheaper to get easy power, cheaper all round etc. I prefer a 350Z but wouldn't get into debt for one. You'll probably be bored of the car by the time you're still paying the bank off! might be best to wait til you're older and earning more so you don't have to borrow??

Pfft, nonsense. Finance doesn't automatically mean you're going to end up broke, and as long as the car is in positive equity it's just as easy to sell it if you fancy a change. I'd much rather have finance on a newer car like a 350Z than no finance but running around in a shed of a 200SX, couldn't care less if it's faster or not. It's all down to the individual, and while I do genuinely admire those with the willpower to save and save and only buy outright, people who go the finance route shouldn't automatically be lambasted as the root of all evil.

[rmgthatsme]

I'm at the opposite end of life (50+) and recently bought my 2004 roadster as a toy to take me to/from work at my wife's urging

 

I'll be the boring fart who suggests you first look at your savings e.g. have a thought on how many months expenses cover do you have in the event a redundancy or other loss of income occurs in this economic environment. In the event the girlfriend is delayed from returning to share expenses for whatever reason etc. etc.

 

The cars will always be there, they get cheaper year by year and the newer models with better specs will come into your reach and hopefull will happen as your own income grows so you can hammer the car when you get it without a second thought of fuel/tires/parts costs etc. Much more fun to own a car that way IMHO. I'm guessing you already know all this though right?

[Neilp]

how much you gonna get on finance to get it?? never worth getting finance for a car in my opinion! if's it gonna put you in debt don't do it!!

 

lot's of other fast cars around, lots faster, for cheaper. 200SX the first example I can think of. Turbos so cheaper to get easy power, cheaper all round etc. I prefer a 350Z but wouldn't get into debt for one. You'll probably be bored of the car by the time you're still paying the bank off! might be best to wait til you're older and earning more so you don't have to borrow??

Pfft, nonsense. Finance doesn't automatically mean you're going to end up broke, and as long as the car is in positive equity it's just as easy to sell it if you fancy a change. I'd much rather have finance on a newer car like a 350Z than no finance but running around in a shed of a 200SX, couldn't care less if it's faster or not. It's all down to the individual, and while I do genuinely admire those with the willpower to save and save and only buy outright, people who go the finance route shouldn't automatically be lambasted as the root of all evil.

+1

[Bockaaarck]

.....

Key question really is what are you other outgoings? If you live at home and then don't pay much in the way of rent, bills etc. I'd say you'll be fine. It's definatley a fair step up in running costs through, tyres are best part of £100 each, it will eat brakes if you drive hard/track it, plus its a thirsty beast who only likes to drink 98 RON.

 

These are the questions. In honesty, this is hard to figure out right now - my girlfriend is living away for the next six months, and until then I'm paying twice the amount in bills/rent/just about everything! However, still managing to find £200-300 a month for a fairly luxury lifestyle (I'm talking eating out, not holidays abroad). Payrise in the new year will help, and with her back in six month's time, that's roughly £450 I won't have to worry about. I'm fairly confident, but it's difficult to assess, as we still have getting onto the property ladder to consider.

 

What sort of figures/timescales am I looking at for things such as brakes/tyres/servicing/any other expenses?

 

Help's much appreciated by the way - the extent of my mates' help is 'GET IT IT'S GORGEOUS'.

 

My friend the points you raise above are very much the things you need to consider. It sounds like you'll have a bit of money left over each month to cover the cost of running a Zed and still have a life, if you're careful. I think you'd really enjoy it, have great fun and really have a smile on your face driving what is regarded by some / most to be a modern classic. However; I would offer the following words of caution.

 

No pay rise is guaranteed, especially not in the current economic climate. Indeed continuation of paid employment is not a certainty at the moment, you and your partner included. What happends if you don't get that pay rise, what happens if you or your partner loses your / her job? How would you deal with those circumstances? Will you be able to afford to go on holiday if you need to replace the brake pads, exhaust etc? What if work moves and you have a 60 mile round trip to do your job?

 

From someone who in the past has faced situations where the job is no longer required, or where I've no longer been required for the job, or a contract has come to and end and not been renewed, it's something you have to consider. I'm fortunate enough to have dealt with those circumstances and managed my way through them but only because I thought about the possibility of them happening in the first place.

 

The Zed is a fantastic car and terrific value for the money, I love mine to bits. I think you just have to weigh a few things up very carefully and give it some thought. Take everything in to consideration because us much as you could be out blasting around having fun you could be looking at it on your drive thinking what a millstone round your neck it is.

[andyvvc]

Avoid the Zed. Still too pricey for the income you have spare, and it will eat you out of existence if it needs anything other than a basic service (even a full P3 with diff and brake fluids at a specialist will hit you for 400 quid+)

 

Instead, take the approach to RWD fun that i did. But an S14a. Many people on here are here because thay ran a 200sx before the Zed. The S14a is stupidly cheap to buy now and stupidly cheap to modify and service compared to the Zed. You will get a great feel for RWD sillyness and (if you dont wrap it round the first tree you see like i nearly did all those years ago) you will end up wanting a more refined car in a few years. Cue the 350z

 

Apex Performace and the folks over on the SXOC are great. If it hadn't been for my 200sx i wouldn't be on here now. I'd probabaly have a Scooby or Fast Ford - or something equally fast and common

[un1eash]

At the time i first wanted a 350Z i was living at home earning around the same as you. I had no bills other then a mobile phone and when i tried to see about a 350Z down the local Nissan (Leicester) i was pretty much laughed at and talked out of buying one. I ended up with an 18 month old 2.0i Z4 then. Less then 2 years later i swapped that for a 2006 350Z GT 300, still living at home not paying rent it was easily affordable. Insurance was actually more on the BMW at just over £1000 for the year.

 

Things have changed now though and i have a big mortgage so the 350 had to go, i could of kept it but it would of taken up alot of spare income that is better spent on the house. Now that we've settled in and theres a little more money coming in i'll be looking at another possibly although i did say the next car i buy will be a S2 Elise.

 

Things change and aslong as you buy smart and have a get out plan you should be fine. I owed 12k on my 350Z when i traded it in last april, i got 13k trade in against 6k Tigra. The same car is most likely only worth 9-10k now.

 

ps. We use to have a C2 VTS aswell, was brand new and got written off by an OAP when she decided to run into the back of us at 50mph when we were stationary. Searh JEJ on c2club.

[barker141]

I would recommend anyone to get a 350z you have to get one, I bought mine (2004 350z) a year ago Dec 2010 when i was 23 and i had zero no claims and i had a claim on my name as some one crashed in to my company car and i paid £1200 fully comp, breakdown the lot, i have just renewed it and now with 1 year no claim and paid £792 with the same cover. where abouts are you based as im in Basingstoke

[Outline]

Thanks to everyone for your help and advice.

 

I'm far too inclined to indulge my desires right now, and I think now may not be the time to pursue such an expensive daily.

 

I have fantastic job security and not too many distractions before the girlfriend moves back home, so I'll be putting up with the VTS for a while longer. 6-8 months will be a better time to assess whether I can afford such a car, and if so I'll be back here to bug you all again! While the C2 is on a whole other level, it's still a very fun car, and with 73,000 on the clock, I can probably look to get the most out of it before I come to selling.

 

Think I'll stick around to ogle all of your cars though...

[Neilp]

Thanks to everyone for your help and advice.

 

I'm far too inclined to indulge my desires right now, and I think now may not be the time to pursue such an expensive daily.

 

I have fantastic job security and not too many distractions before the girlfriend moves back home, so I'll be putting up with the VTS for a while longer. 6-8 months will be a better time to assess whether I can afford such a car, and if so I'll be back here to bug you all again! While the C2 is on a whole other level, it's still a very fun car, and with 73,000 on the clock, I can probably look to get the most out of it before I come to selling.

 

Think I'll stick around to ogle all of your cars though...

Glad to see you are being wise about this. Too many people buy these cars are they are going cheap and cant afford to run them well which is a shame as they dont get the enjoyment out them they should. Leave it until you are certain you can afford the outgoing to really enjoy the vehicle.

 

I'm sure people will welcome you along to static meets etc for a good look around and a few spins in the zeds to give you an idea of what your getting yourself in for. The modifying route is a very slippery slope and expensive. A standard zed doesnt do it for most and people do one small mod and get hooked

[Ricey]

Just to throw a spanner or 2 in the works.

 

1. The world is likely to head into a financial apocalypse in the near future.

2. Your likely to be hounded to reproduce in the near future.

3. Your likely to be hounded to buy a house in the near future.

4. Your likely to be hounded to marry in the near future.

5. Petrol in case you hadn't noticed is not getting any cheaper or more abundant.

6. Insurance in case you hadn't noticed is not getting any cheaper or easier to get.

7. You are far too young to be worrying about whether you can afford something. If you are even considering it and being wise about it (i.e you've not just gone out and bought it) the I would hazard half of my left knacker (my favorite one) that you can afford it.

8. We talk about scratching the V8 itch before the cost goes too high...............the 3.5 liter V6 is not far behind.

9. I like to be talked into stuff and its fairly clear you need someone to grab you by the plums and march you out to go and buy one. Go out, get a peach and anyjoy it.

10. Your driving a Citroen..........it sounds like its been fairly reliable thus far..........this will not continue..........you will pay out for repairs and wish you bought the faster, funner, prettier and cooler, big ass, hairy v6 Zed.

 

Hopefully this will really screw up your well thought out decision and pull you back into the agonising dilemma that you face

[Neilp]

Just to throw a spanner or 2 in the works.

 

1. The world is likely to head into a financial apocalypse in the near future.

2. Your likely to be hounded to reproduce in the near future.

3. Your likely to be hounded to buy a house in the near future.

4. Your likely to be hounded to marry in the near future.

5. Petrol in case you hadn't noticed is not getting any cheaper or more abundant.

6. Insurance in case you hadn't noticed is not getting any cheaper or easier to get.

7. You are far too young to be worrying about whether you can afford something. If you are even considering it and being wise about it (i.e you've not just gone out and bought it) the I would hazard half of my left knacker (my favorite one) that you can afford it.

8. We talk about scratching the V8 itch before the cost goes too high...............the 3.5 liter V6 is not far behind.

9. I like to be talked into stuff and its fairly clear you need someone to grab you by the plums and march you out to go and buy one. Go out, get a peach and anyjoy it.

10. Your driving a Citroen..........it sounds like its been fairly reliable thus far..........this will not continue..........you will pay out for repairs and wish you bought the faster, funner, prettier and cooler, big ass, hairy v6 Zed.

 

Hopefully this will really screw up your well thought out decision and pull you back into the agonising dilemma that you face

[rm cya]

happy medium,

 

Option 1 - buy a Civic Type R, amazing cars, great tuneability NA and FI. one of the best 4 cylinder engines ever made, look great, can look even better with subtle mods (wheels, lowered etc), theyre cheap as chips nowdays even for a facelift (53-06), and cheap to get to 250bhp NA revving happily to 8600rpm, which is in all honesty a good run for a 350Z/M3. oh and cheap to run.

 

option 2 - Buy an Integra DC5. come down alot in price. same as above but has teh JDM goodness. as its jdmYO, its the K20a version, ever so slightly uprated cams and valvetrain. but if youre modding, these factory upgrades dont make ANY difference at all. strange huh? bullsh-t advertising maybe? hmmm. lol. fit bolt ons to both DC5 and Uk EP3 (decat 4 branch race header, inlet manifold, catback, induction kit, Hondata Kpro) they both reach down south 230bhp, ap norf 250bhp. put them both on the strip theyre identical, so ignore the figures.

 

option 3 - if youre after some RWD, consider an S2k. has the greatness of the k20's but is an F20. kicking out a bit more power, and reving happily to 9K rpm. nice and cheap nowdays

 

option 4 - stop being a pussy and get an early 350Z to keep the costs down! These are amazing cars. much nicer than the above 3, but its a completely different car so cant really compare. youll love it when you get one, and the amount of slosh the will be looking your way is hilarious.

[lylesy]

Go for it! I'm 21 earning a bit less than u and I bought my z 3 weeks ago. My last car was a fiesta st 2.0 so not that different to a c2 vts. The 350z is so much more car in every way looks, performance, spec, ect. The only thing I didn't budget was 20mpg on super unleaded but still worth every penny if u love ur cars as I do.