Stutopia

Mine is a 2004 GT, it's my first Zed and I am absolutely 100% totally head over heels in love with her. It's literally the best thing I've ever spent money on. I can't imagine anyone buying one and not totally loving it. If it takes a second longer to 60 than newer models then I can live with that. I test drove it, felt awesome, couldn't spend my cash fast enough. I'd have liked the newer interior, but I never get in her and feel anything other than total joy, like I've "made it". I did however put in some facelift brake clusters as they're much better, but you can do that for the savings on a couple of road tax badges. GL with the search.

Whoops, this is getting expensive now...

Maybe even 4. If at all possible please can you let me know details when you've had the opportunity to set your prices? Thanks.

What you going for next? Motorsport Transit van or a Jag?

& nice motor too

I keep meaning to quit, used to enjoy it, now it's habit. I always said I'd give up when it ceased to be a pleasure. Tried gum, minging. Tried e-cigs, not impressed. Cold turkey I think.

Forgot to say. When planning a road trip, always check tyre pressures, fluid levels and weather forecast before departure. More importantly for more remote routes, always take emergency supplies, just in case.

You won't be disappointed, even when there's a bit of rain it just adds to the character. Bit warmer in the Zed than on a bike mind...

Lumix DMC-LX5 and some iPhone.

Finally got through sorting the photos, can be found in this separate thread, with an appropriate pic heavy warning. Not for people with limited 3G data deals or dial-up internet. http://www.350z-uk.com/topic/70627-road-trip-scotland-part-ii-pic-heavy/ Sorry I got a bit carried away...

So, after some awesome route tips from the good people of the forum (big thanks to those who chipped in) I took my Zed for a final test drive before the warranty expires. 1,261 miles in 3 days, mainly on B & A roads, just me, the Zed and the Best of Girls Aloud ;-). 28 hours and 48 minutes of driving and a wad of petrol receipts I daren't add up. The good news is the Zed did not miss a beat and returned an astonishing 30mpg thanks to some careful motorway driving to and from Glasgow, with plenty spirited in between via John O Groats. I also learnt a lot about how it feels and prefers a good road surface, and feels slightly scary on a bend with an uneven surface! Couple of shout outs: some girl, from some town I forget the name of, I got chatting to in Inverness (a good little city BTW); the nobhead in the Jaguar Mondeo who kept passing then slowing down on the way back from Glasgow, irritating my cruise control; also some rude boys in an Accord who thought I was a chicken slowing down in a rain storm, only to fly by and realise the Feds were two cars up from me. This was my route, It was all great, but particularly Fort William up to Thurso via Applecross, John O Groats was a bit pony. Glencoe, Trossachs and Loch Ness were simply stunning. The weather up there changes every 20 minutes so it kept me on my toes all the way. Must get new rubber on. There's some fairly gratuitous pic whoring coming up, sorry, I can't help myself.... Loch Lomond, first proper stop for the scenery but I hid it with a dead tree. Up the road from Loch Long. I was worried about finding super, so I took a support vehicle. She doesn't much like wet land, she hates wet sea. Mallaig to Skye ferry. I made sure she had her own emergency raft though. Pretty sure that Z is for Zed... Massive air intake. Kyle of Lochalsh, Skye bridge in the background (I love bridges) THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!!!! Applecross peninsula, great drive over, reminds me of growing up in the Lake District. No Zed here, but I loved this shot. On the way to Gairloch in a glen. In the North, somewhere between Durness and Tongue, probably. A bit arty, but I'm no bufty by the way. Zed refused to park near the Porsche, outside Tongue. Glencoe, even with rubs weather this place is incredible. Loch Katrine, talk about hard to get to! Really pleased with this one. If you want beading, Scotland is the place to go. And some fuel for the driver. When in Rome and all that... Scotland was awesome, I knew that already, but, the bits north of Fort William were new to me and I loved it. Will have to go back with a proper camera next time and some sunshine. If you've never been up there, go, take more time than me, drive more routes and eat their steak.

Footwell clutch spring grease cured this for me.

Ha, I made that mistake when I was a kid. On a trip in the Hebrides, beautiful hot sunny day, white sand beach, crystal water, barrelled in at full tilt, it was the coldest I've ever been!

That is some glen anywhere between Cuaig, on the Applecross Peninsula, and Gairloch. I've got about 200 photos to filter the chaff out of and check the geotags to figure out where I've been! Sadly the 3G wasn't always available so I'm trying to piece together some of these places using google maps and the postcodes in my satnav. I was hunting around anywhere for a place to stay that evening, burning up the miles, not paying attention to where I was. Glad you liked the panorama, got a couple more, wish I'd used it more often but I didn't see how well they came out on my little iPhone screen, until I got back this evening. I only took it cos I got out for a bio pit stop. Another one here, just after Durness. I'll bang the best of them up tomorrow when I've chucked 150 away!

Loving the jolly so far, been all over, sneak preview of snaps whilst I have 3G.

I learnt more about Zed torque today. Find a quiet Scottish road, leave it in fourth, never need to change gear. Haul ass. This my first proper run in the Zed. I've never shifted so few times to go so quick!

One day everyone's car will have a little fusion reactor in the boot. One little pellet of uranium, you're good for 1,000,000 miles! But you'll have to wear a lead cod piece to drive anywhere.

True, but the assumption there being they would only have one regular car, which isn't the case in the two owners I know. If you are a two "regular" car family, swapping one for an electric still adds up. If you throw green miles into it for the battery, the assumption is that all your normal car build plus consumables are all sourced in the UK - unlikely. You can get a new leaf on lease for similar money per month as a lease regular car. Hand it back after 2 years if you don't want the monster payment. Also, we all know when a technology becomes widely adopted, prices plummet.

Fuel costs are ludicrously low, couple of quid for 80 miles. Road tax is zero. A car with 4 independent motors on each corner would be pretty serious, even with today's tech. I'm not saying the current technology works for everyone, but I know two leaf drivers who have them as town runabouts and commuters, but have proper cars for journeys over 50 miles! If your second car in a family comes with zero tax and low fuel and low insurance, but can go shopping/work/school run, it can't be all bad. Given the way technology goes (look at 80s computers versus today's smartphones), in 20 years they could make something A bit spesh I think. I'm not selling my Zed tomorrow, but I was genuinely impressed and genuinely enjoyed my spin in a leaf. Not trying to hijack the thread, the high, flat torque from zero impressed me.

I drove a Nissan Leaf the other day, stunning torque levels for the size/type of car. No gears, no revving up, right foot down, electric motor just has max torque available at all times (up to about 40!). Blows most things from standing. If I had a second practical car for town, it would be a leaf. You can set the heater to want it up for you in the morning before you get in, this is important if your commute is 10 minutes long! Once they sort batteries, there will be some ludicrous performance electric cars.

I've always wanted one of the S audis, mostly the S8, probably since Ronin. I love the idea of a car that looks like an estate agent's runaround, but goes like stink. But I also like the old Volvo 850 T5 R for the same reason. I feel dirty saying it.

Whoop whoop, back to normal. Cheers Keyser! I kinda miss the DRS look now... ;-) ...and a boot that pops clear every time! Latch adjust next weekend.

All good so far. Few days round town, big motorway blast just now. Zero smoke. Can't say she feels any different so far...

Race prepped Beetle? Isn't that a Boxster? Only kidding Porsche fans!

New minis, new Beetles. Not driven them, this is more of personal a ideological gripe. They betray their cheap and fun everyman origins and the current trend for big multi-billion revenue companies (not just auto manufacturers) to have twee products and twee adverts really gets on my threpenny bits. Companies like this arere all, "Look at my cute little [insert product here] it's so twee and just like it was hand crafted by the hippy commune down the road, you're a proper urban hipster if you have one." like it's not knocked out by demographic analysis and projected profit margins like a proper business. "We're just making it as a big favour to you, aren't we nice?" This includes anything advertised with rock/folk soundtrack and usually stop motion puppets or some sort of snowpr!ck trying to do his Christmas shopping. I just want to take a fan heater to his stupid snowballs.