Blue Straggler

Hey boys and girls. Hopefully tomorrow I get to look at two more (will be a tight schedule but feasible. Just throwing a general question out to the crowd - would you sacrifice colour choice for the sake of (say) 30,000 (or 50%) fewer miles at the same price point? A low mileage one has come up but given that I will probably only add 20,000 miles during my ownership (probably sub 12,000), is mileage that big a deal for me? Most that I am looking at in my budget have 60k - 80k miles on, depending on other factors such as whether they have had improvements made. I still feel like I am going through the motions of "tyre-kicking at dealers for the sake of not just buying the first one I saw"; based on adverts alone, the one I saw on Saturday is very likely to be the one I end up buying (although I've now looked through threads on here and seen some equivalent ones already sold, and I CAN bide my time SHOULD Saturday's one get sold before I make up my mind!)

OK so I looked at my first 350Z on Saturday as stated earlier. The vendor may well be reading this so I'll have to be nice Seriously all was good AFAIK - all as expected, although I admit to not having anticipated quite how plasticky the interior is (including the dashboard dials) - I guess I'll have to recalibrate my expectations and remind myself that you don't buy a 350Z for a luxury interior! It drove fine as far as I could tell, although never having driven anything like this, I have no reference point. Car is clearly well looked after, all paperwork in order etc. This is the one with the posh wheels, it is a little beyond the top end of the budget I promised myself but there is I suppose the option of downgrading the wheels, which brings it in line with (or lower than?) some comparable ones. Thought it would take me a while to get over the "fear" of a 3.5l V6 RWD but it took me approximately 2 minutes to deal with that I did find the steering surprisingly heavy compared to most cars I've owned in the last decade or so (including an MG ZTT). Is this a "sports car" thing, where there is less power assistance in order that the driving experience is "more involved"? Anyway my current thinking is "look at a few more almost as a token gesture for the sake of not just buying the first one I see"), and then probably end up buying this one if still available (and if it gets sold while I procrastinate, it's not the end of the world). I almost think that this one is "too good" for me! I know now that I MUST have a GT (I did briefly consider that I don't really need cruise control and that cloth upholstery is perfectly adequate, but just.....no!) Hopefully I'll get a chance to view a few more over the Christmas break. I have a better feel for price now, having looked at a ton of adverts. I like how Tiff Needell and Vicki Butler-Henderson like the 350Z, and Jeremy Clarkson slated it - seems like a triple endorsement to me :-)

Payco. Loughborough area. Thanks.

Wheeee! Going to look at one tomorrow! Stuart - yes I only posted ads from gumtree but that is just because it has a nice navigable layout and easy copy-and-paste. I looked through the ads on here and things were getting beyond my budget because on here they have been truly cherished cars and had a pampered life and lots spent on them :-) I've perused pistonheads (similar "issue" there), Autotrader and eBay. Seems to be plenty around. I am looking at the blue one with the posh wheels tomorrow. Maybe it'll be "the one" - slightly beyond my top-end budget but I can choose to keep or sell the posh wheels, and it ticks ALL my other boxes already. Plus today I had a very unexpected financial windfall.....ooh la la

Thanks everyone for the warm welcome!

Thanks all. Coldel: It's not just the roof slashing I'm bothered about on the Roadster. Let's just say I don't fancy one at all and leave it there :-) Thanks for other points. I've been reading around about imports. Was insurance (and perhaps position of indicator stalks) the only negative issue that people ever had with them? I am sure that with some ringing around I can do OK on the insurance aspect. All the nice red ones I've seen are imports... Been looking at more ads and it does seem that my price and mileage seem to have been worked out OK. A fair few 100k+ out there, am I right to avoid these and stick strictly to 50-80k? I know that's a "how long is a piece of string" type of question but I've bought too many cars in the last 15 years near the 100k mark only to have them die on me within 16 months!

OK all, here's another couple of ads. I am not posting these ad links in order to get specific advice as to whether to go for a particular one - for one thing I wouldn't expect that of anyone, and for another, as said above I am not quite in a position to buy yet, having never even sat in one (and having the KIA to sell!). I post these more to illustrate my general approach - the kind of thing I am looking at at low, middle and high regions of my budget. And to see if there are any "watch out for this aspect in GENERAL" tips forthcoming! https://www.gumtree.com/p/nissan/2004-04-nissan-350-z-3.5-v6-3d-277-bhp-petrol-gt-pack-brembo-breaks/1146655176 https://www.gumtree.com/p/nissan/54-reg-2004-nissan-350z-gt-3.5-v6/1146625149 I live between Nottingham and Leicester hence the midlands bias. Parents live in Co. Durham, sister lives in Stockport, so that extends the search region. I know some people are happy to make a 350 round trip to look at a car, and in fairness as I am going more upmarket than I have hitherto done, I am happy to make a trip to see the "right" car but TBH it seems that there are enough on the market that I can afford to keep the search within the Notts/Manchester radii.

This looks a good one too. https://www.gumtree.com/p/nissan/nissan-350z-low-mileage-rare-factory-fitted-nismo-bodykit-full-service-history-stunning-example-/1145860167 I forgot to add, I am for the first time in my life not in a rush (usually I need to buy a new car because the last one uneconomically failed an MOT), my Kia is running fine so for once I can take my time and go and test a few out. Another question I had, though, was : TYRES. I am used to paying £120 a pair. I assume I should at least double that, to the extent that tyre condition becomes a negotiation point on a purchase?

Hi all, great forum here, I have been reading around quite a bit, including the buyers' guide already so hopefully I won't be repeating questions that are already covered in there, all the "what to look out for" etc. seems fairly well covered. So to introduce myself - I am probably ideal "350Z fodder" - I am single, 40, facing a midlife crisis (not really!), never had a "fun fast car", don't really need practicality and am for the first time in my life able to afford and justify something like this. Further to that, I can honestly say that the 350Z ticks EVERY box, having considered various other stuff this past year (Z4 etc.). All that said - they say "not for wimps" re: the 350Z and I am a right old wimp! The zippiest cars I've ever had were a Y-reg 1.8 petrol Vectra 2012-2013, and an MG ZT-t (2l diesel) 2013-2014...and I rarely exceed 78mph on the motorway these days. But hey, things change and I think a bit of fun under the right foot is long overdue. As well as being a wimp of a driver, I am a bit crap - not that I have crashes etc, the "wimp" aspect covers that scenario. I would certainly be looking at doing one of the driving courses recommended elsewhere on this thread, e.g. RideDrive full day, or something with IAM. I've driven plenty of different vehicles from classic SWB Landy (reversed that one out of a shingle bomb crater at 40 deg, laden with railway sleepers) to dodgy minibuses to LWB Sprinter with hi-top Luton box and a heavy x-ray machine in the back, overnight to France and into a tiny village. BUT never a 3.5l RWD sports car - and I keep reading stuff about "being surprised to be facing the wrong way coming off a roundabout" :-) I've been driving a Kia Cee'd 1.6 diesel hatchback for the past 12 months. I am looking at a 350Z as a sort of "this is the first time I can do this and it may be the ONLY time I can do it". I may run it for only a year or so before circumstances force a change to something practical. This is to be a treat for me for as long as it remains viable. OK that is enough about me. Onto the cars - I have a few questions or perhaps these are better as statements, some seeking clarification: 1) This will be my only car, I'll use it as a daily runner on a 14 mile commute. I do about 15000 miles per year. I estimate that my fuel cost will end up just over double what I pay at the moment (the KIA has averaged 46mpg through the year, all sorts of driving styles but only maybe 30% actual motorway cruising). I understand that a 350Z should return me around 23-26mpg AVERAGE...or is that figure an "at best" figure? And how much is Shell Optima per litre today? I have spreadsheets for this sort of stuff to help decision-making. 2) I gather that VED increased from £300 to £500 in 2006 or was it 2007? Probably should not let that be a big factor 3) P3 service should occur around 60k miles. I am actually thinking "get something with around 60k miles, 70k tops". If P3 has not been done by 60k miles by a seller, is this a warning sign? It's addressed slightly in the buyers' guide, I know. And how bad (pricewise) IS the P3, really? I see £300 - £500 being quoted. Can factor that in to negotiations I guess. 4) Why are there so many silver Zeds for sale? Ideally I'd like the classic orange; azure blue second, then probably gunmetal grey before silver. I've seen red ones for sale, would these be resprays? Black looks good but how many times a week do you need to wash them?! 5) I am budgeting £6k - £7.5k, expecting a coupe, GT, non-import, well under 80k miles. Good condition, will accept stone chips and a few nicks and light scratches. Am I realistic with this? I am not bothered about the car having been kept immaculate, not after an ex-show car, not bothered about mods (some seem tacky and I don't want dropped suspension or low front spoiler, but some of the more subtle NISMO stuff like a mild rear spoiler looks OK I admit). Wondering where is good to compromise. I gather that GT = leather heated seats, cruise control and better stereo. I've never had cruise control so could live without that, also never yet had leather seats let alone heated ones (Alcantara seats in the MG were the nicest I've had) BUT the Zed looks compromised with cloth seats I must admit...but if there is £1000 at stake then hmmmmm.... 6) I know nothing about these things, but I am kind of staying away from JDM and Cat C / D. Am I cutting off my nose to spite my face? I have read on other sites that imports just make your life a lot harder. 7) I am totally avoiding Roadsters, I like a metal roof above me and as the car will be parked on the street, I worry about people slashing the roof (also for the 2 days in the British summer when you can take the roof down, it doesn't seem worth putting up with the road noise and other soft top issues). Am I being prejudiced and paranoid? Here are two examples I whittled down from looking through a lot of ads. Between them they illustrate my "confusion". The blue one in Warwickshire looks ideal and I'd probably stretch beyond my upper limit for that one. OTOH the silver one is on at £2.5k less for not being GT, not having the semi-private ZED plate, not having the posh wheels, and not being the nice blue. That £2.5k would buy a lot of Optima :-) https://www.gumtree.com/p/nissan/nissan-350z-gt-uk-spec-blue-19-lmgt4-wheels/1145601128 https://www.gumtree.com/p/nissan/silver-nissan-350z-3.5-v6/1143659780 I look forward to opinions / advice / flaming :-) Kenny (PS I actually ran a hypothetical 350Z through my insurance, expecting it to come out as prohibitively expensive and to kill the dream. All other things being equal, it came out as £7 per year more expensive than for the KIA!)