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After Zed Life - owner car reviews


reeceybeaney

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It's not been long since I first started driving my Z but I'm always thinking about what to get next! My dad's a bit of a BMW collector (I know ze Germanz!) and I would love to be able to "permanently borrow" one, in particular the Z4M coupè.

 

What have other people moved on to from the zeds and can you summarise ownership in comparison to a 350z?

 

Thanks! :)

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I had my 350z for four years before selling it several years ago. At the time most of my money was spent modifying the exterior, interior and dressing the engine bay. Without going down the FI route there wasn't much bang for buck power upgrade wise which I think was one of the main down points of the 350z. Yes, there was Uprev but if I recall you were looking at about 20BHP and slightly more torque. However, with that said I think the zed is a brilliant all rounder - looks great (even today I think it has aged well), fun to drive and sounds awesome. I truly enjoyed everyday of ownership!

 

I considered picking up an s2 exige after selling my zed and probably will at some point but as I'm a sucker for all things Jap and having always wanted to get my bum in a R35, I saved and saved until I could buy one outright. I bought a facelift GT-R and have loved every minute of it. It's a completely different animal from the zed - slight turbo lag for a start however the power is unlike anything I have experienced, the traction is insane and yes (and I am sure this is a qualm for many) you can definitely sense computer wizardry at times when you plant power. However (and this may sound a constradiction), I think there is still something very raw about the way it drives - it certainly isn't boring. Modifying wise, like the 350z, there is a mass of stuff out there. Unlike the 350z there are lots of good value tuning options out there; my car is a Litchfield stage 4 (so approx 640BHP) - downpipes to take it to a stage 4.25 will see 660BHP - I think beyond this you are talking forged engine and bigger turbos. So far I have had no real urges to modify the car aesthetics as I think it is stunning as it is. I said this when I bought my 350z though so we 'll see what the future holds. :lol:

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What have other people moved on to from the zeds and can you summarise ownership in comparison to a 350z?

 

 

Just take a look at this section of the forum and your see there is so much choice of cars out there is unbelievable.

 

I was in a Z over 10 years ago now, it was a good car but there are so many others out there for you to try.

 

Just for fun I notice one thread in the Z forum discussing money lost on depreciation and how prices have droppes by a K last year, I think I paid £25kish and PX it for a BMW a few years later for £10k!!

 

So plenty of life after the Z, but your bank account might not like it :).

Edited by gangzoom
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Comparison wise I am not sure there is much better £ for £, perhaps much like Cragus there wasnt a lot out there I wanted to upgrade or change to without a serious jump up in budget, it was only circumstance that made me change and that was I was interested in having something more track focused as thats where I was enjoying driving.

 

So i went from 350z to supercharged 350z, which again was difficult to better £ for £ and then on to a supercharged vx220 and really there is no comparison, they are completely different animals. Lots of cars out there to choose from but it will only come down to budget and what boxes you want ticking to what you can or could end up in.

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Depends on where your car enthusiasm comes from really. I didn't realise it at the time but I love older Jap cars :teeth: I got a VX220 which was an altogether different driving experience (for the better!) where every time you took the car out felt like you were on the grid for an F1 race :lol: The R33 was great fun but thirsty as hell and a heavy beast, but great power and very easy to increase BHP (a £120 HKS actuator gave you an extra 25bhp). Have been sat in my Celica now for over two years, ticks so many boxes. Ultimately though I really enjoy the idea of being in a very rare car, the zed was probably the most common car I owned of the four, I havent seen another GT-Four on the road in two years of driving about in mine :surrender:

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If I had the money spare * nice thought ay id LOVE a RC F. Tones of better cars out there for the money and less, but for me 'better' doesn't always mean better.

 

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201701281764668?radius=1500&sort=price-asc&postcode=b330xj&model=RC%20F&advertising-location=at_cars&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=New&make=LEXUS&page=1

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the zed was probably the most common car I owned of the four, I havent seen another GT-Four on the road in two years of driving about in mine :surrender:

 

Good point, i quite like to be in something different and i didnt see many Zeds round my way and it would always turn heads and in an area full of exotica that was quite surprising, but i also get that with the vx220, dont think i have seen another one which is odd as quite a few owners on the vx forum from my area :)

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I sold my 350Z in 2014 and bought a E63 M6, 5.0L V10 and ultimate luxury. I sold it a year later and bought another 350Z :lol:

 

The 350 is an excellent car and if looked after and set up properly are hard to beat. There are many many faster cars, but none of them have the character or make you feel as satisfied as the 350. Except maybe a Lotus.

Edited by KyleR
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I sold my 350Z in 2014 and bought a M63 M6, 5.0L V10 and ultimate luxury. I sold it a year later and bought another 350Z :lol:

 

The 350 is an excellent car and if looked after and set up properly are hard to beat. There are many many faster cars, but none of them have the character or make you feel as satisfied as the 350. Except maybe a Lotus.

Wow surprising you came back to z ownership after a 500bhp v10 :lol: I could still see myself driving a Z4M as I have driven my dad's a few times and it's a bit more "performance focused" than my Z...

Now you said lotus I wouldn't mind a nice exige as a weekend toy :p

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I bought an R34 GTR and then a 450bhp supra before going back to a z. Then I bought an r33 GTR and a dc5 before returning yet again :lol:

 

The supra, R34 and DC5 were incredible cars that would all be part of my perfect 10 car garage along side a Z :)

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I could still see myself driving a Z4M as I have driven my dad's a few times and it's a bit more "performance focused" than my Z...

 

 

Dude, please! The 350Z is a purpose built NA Japanese GT drift machine with a certain intangible exoticness about it, plus it's the best sounding 6cyl ever made probably, the Z4M is a fashion accessory. Put the cost difference (about 10 grand, no?) into forced induction for the Z, then tellme which is the more exciting car. ;)

 

Someone's gotta tell it like it is! :lol: Speed is just a number kids. :lol:

 

By the way, that's not bias you're hearing there, the Z might be my 40th car in my life (lost count), my fave brand is Honda and my last car was an AWD e92 335 with 400hp. ;)

Edited by Aashenfox
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I could still see myself driving a Z4M as I have driven my dad's a few times and it's a bit more "performance focused" than my Z...

 

 

Dude, please! The 350Z is a purpose built NA Japanese GT drift machine with a certain intangible exoticness about it, plus it's the best sounding 6cyl ever made probably, the Z4M is a fashion accessory. Put the cost difference (about 10 grand, no?) into forced induction for the Z, then tellme which is the more exciting car. ;)

 

Someone's gotta tell it like it is! :lol: Speed is just a number kids. :lol:

 

By the way, that's not bias you're hearing there, the Z might be my 40th car in my life (lost count), my fave brand is Honda and my last car was an AWD e92 335 with 400hp. ;)

Not 100% sure I agree with the fashion accessory on the older M cars, but honestly the responsiveness and the way it revs with the extra 50 odd BHP... it has the edge on the 350z for sure. The Z4M and later Z3M share the same engine as the E46 M3 as you may know and is obviously lighter, it feels special especially as there's not many of them around! These BMWs are going to just go up and up in value now too! I love my z especially for the money and if I had the spare money kicking about I would go down the route of a FI z as it really is (in my opinion) best bang for buck! Get more looks in my Z than my dad does in his BMWs but maybe because they don't expect to see a "kid" driving a Jap sports car :lol:

335i may be on my list but didn't like the "slushbox" in the earlier cars, they were s*** :lol:

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Don't think I'll ever return to a 350z, possibly a 370z but if I get a 2 seater next it'll be either a Cayman or Evora.

Since the 350z some of the sporty cars I've had have included a Z4, Elise 111S, GT86 and currently in a M140i due to having a little one.

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Currently in a M140i due to having a little one.

 

I think you can forget about a Cayman or Evora for the next 18 years ;)

 

Stop messing around in tiny tin box cars, and join the SUV club. Get the right one and they aren't bad at all. 6am, empty roads, sun out, I had just about as big smile on my face going to work today as I use to honning around in the DC2 Teg....Difference been after work today I'll be taking the family (kid, wife, grandparents) out for a meal all in the same car :) .

 

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I hope I'm still a few years away from having little ones myself so will try to enjoy the smaller cars a bit more while I can! ;) when I couldn't drive my Dad always had 3 series BMWs as "family" cars which I guess you can still have fun in whilst still being practical and safe :thumbs:

I won't be going down the SUV route I don't care what the missus says! :lol:

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