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...

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

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

Biggest problem with that, the dealer is so reluctant to believe I'm interested. As soon as they see the C2...

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.

Haha, the amount I've heard this recently... Oxford matey. I haven't much experience of other cars of this calibre if I'm honest - learned to drive in the mother's 3.2 TT years ago, and I've driven a RS4 (V8) a little bit. But apart from test drives, nothing else that comes close. The VTS is a rapid little hot hatch, but not enough (power, luxury, comfort, style, fun, the list goes on) and I've been itching for the past year to be rid of it. Biggest alternative is a Golf GTI, which has huge insurance and is... In honesty, a bit bland? Have also been looking at BMW 1 series and Civic Type-R's. So, fairly varied I guess, and the 350 is at the top of that pile. The reason this has come about is that, if I'm to be upgrading to a £10k+ car, I don't really want to get the car I should get. So, ideally looking to spend £10k on it though could be persuaded.

M13KYF, insurance really isn't too much of an issue, several quotes at £100 more, and it comes out at £600 cheaper than a Golf GTI! 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'.

Could've added more to my first post. I drive ten miles to and ten miles from work a day - not the best journey I know. Motorway use on the weekends. I'm used to 35MPG, and expecting a drop - it's more the accumulative costs of servicing/tax/tyres and so on that I worry about. Generally looking at 2004/2005, although that £100 a year isn't the biggest impact as I say.

Howdy - I posted a long while back pointing out that I was looking at buying an early 350. Since then, I've been through what feels like every other car on the market, and I'm back to wanting one! Just wondering if I could get some feedback on how realistic owning one is. I'm 22 (1 year NCB) and earning somewhere around 23k a year. Small savings, so half of it would be financed. Currently driving a C2 VTS - so it's a phenomenal leap in just about every department. Insurance is coming out at £100 more a year. Really, I just want to be talked into or out of it - I know you're all honest and enthusiastic about your cars, and I've read enough on the 350z to know I want one. But now?

Cheers for the replies guys. Gotta say, I'm more than tempted. Will be lurking the forums to learn a bit more

Fair points - to be honest, it'll be doing a daily commute of about 20 miles (to and from work), and light weekend use. From what I've seen 25MPG for the performance isn't bad, it's more servicing and maintenance that worries me. Right now, insurance is looking about £1700 - with Admiral, due to my age.

Been lusting after a new car for a long while now, and the 350z is really taking my fancy, what with it's power, looks, and value for money. I've been lurking and reading through the forums here, but can't quite decide if I can afford one. After the initial purchase, what can I expect to pay monthly? I'm 22 with a well-paid job, but also with a mortgage and plenty of bills to pay every month. Just wanting to have a look at some numbers.