Sporty's 350Z thread

[Raza]

Which of the two would you say is the better daily driver, and what is the relevance of your wants

And I thought u hated the 350Z lmao.

I originally typed "(or more relevant to me, my Z4)", but took it out.  You seem to really like the Z, so it's not really relevant whether I do or not.  I'm putting myself in your shoes.

As far as daily driving, the 350Z is fast, comfortable, and, as I recall, reasonable on gas.  The TSX is significantly slower, but better on gas, and significantly more practical.  FWD would be great for me, since I live in a place that actually gets snow, but you should be fine the two days a year it snows down there in whatever.  The TSX fits the archetype of a daily driver better than the 350Z for sure, but so far that hasn't seemed to bother you significantly. 

If I'm being me instead of you, I'd have to drive the two again, but I would imagine the TSX feels sharper day to day and would be more fun on a commute.  Usable power, alert handling, lower limits, higher revving, harder work engine (harder work for the driver).  I would love to have one.  First gen TSX is one of the best looking sedans of the last decade or so (but then again, the Z is one of the best looking GT cars of the last decade itself).  350Z's higher limits and heavy feel mean it takes a lot more extra-legal activity to extract the fun out of it. 

I mean, if you daily drive to work on an autocross course, the Z is the clear choice.  You'll likely lose an enthusiast card here, but the TSX makes perfect sense and will still be fun to drive (if not more than the Z at legalish speeds).  But that's me, not you, and you really like the Z.  Logically, I should be trading my Z4 for a GTI or TSX or the like, but I can't bring myself to do it because I love it so much.  Perhaps you don't love your Z the way I do my Z4, but it's still an analogous situation, it seems. 

I'm rambling a bit, since I'm exhausted, but I think that mostly made sense. 

[Raza]

And you're on record not even liking the Z.

Sporty I can't imagine the savings paying off. It'll be marginal. Your Z you know you may get a crappy TSX anyway.

See my response to Sporty. 

[Laconian]

I like our TSX plenty, and it's great for nipping around town, but I think the G is a lot more fun when you want to push it. I guess that's what you want out of a car, though?

Wouldn't a souped up TSX attract tickets as well?

[dazzleman]

I like our TSX plenty, and it's great for nipping around town, but I think the G is a lot more fun when you want to push it. I guess that's what you want out of a car, though?

Wouldn't a souped up TSX attract tickets as well?

The G is a good suggestion.  It's reasonably practical, but fun when you want it to be.

[Char]

The last one to jump ship was the pres of the local bmw club. I'm sure your bmw is cool but when you get a few more miles under your belt and some experience pushing a car to its limits,  you will eventually upgrade to the big boy club.

In the history of things that have never happened, this is number one. You're almost as clueless as he is, where are you guys crawling from?
First it was his nonsensical comments about Non Revup headers - he was clearly wrong, but equal parts stubborn and stupid - a dangerous combination. Next, it's the "VW's are reliable" tirade, which no data you've been able to come up with even remotely confirms that it's remotely true. After that, it's the "Car is getting me speeding tickets, so I have to sell it" shtick that you are trying to make us believe. No, it isn't you being incompetent and unable to obey traffic laws, it's purely the fault of the Z. And finally you want me, and everyone else reading this thread (some of which owned BMWs, myself included) tp believe that they are A. Unreliable, B. Difficult/expensive to maintain C. Majority of owners are downgrading to a VW from a BMW.

This thread has gone full blown retard, and the OP has shown no signs letting up and turning the wheel away from the rocks.

[Char]

The last one to jump ship was the pres of the local bmw club. I'm sure your bmw is cool but when you get a few more miles under your belt and some experience pushing a car to its limits,  you will eventually upgrade to the big boy club.

What's your experience with BMWs again? Oh right, you have none.

This thread is beta as hell - it's time for me to make a new one lacking estrogen.

[12,000 RPM]

I originally typed "(or more relevant to me, my Z4)", but took it out.  You seem to really like the Z, so it's not really relevant whether I do or not.  I'm putting myself in your shoes.

As far as daily driving, the 350Z is fast, comfortable, and, as I recall, reasonable on gas.  The TSX is significantly slower, but better on gas, and significantly more practical.  FWD would be great for me, since I live in a place that actually gets snow, but you should be fine the two days a year it snows down there in whatever.  The TSX fits the archetype of a daily driver better than the 350Z for sure, but so far that hasn't seemed to bother you significantly. 

If I'm being me instead of you, I'd have to drive the two again, but I would imagine the TSX feels sharper day to day and would be more fun on a commute.  Usable power, alert handling, lower limits, higher revving, harder work engine (harder work for the driver).  I would love to have one.  First gen TSX is one of the best looking sedans of the last decade or so (but then again, the Z is one of the best looking GT cars of the last decade itself).  350Z's higher limits and heavy feel mean it takes a lot more extra-legal activity to extract the fun out of it. 

I mean, if you daily drive to work on an autocross course, the Z is the clear choice.  You'll likely lose an enthusiast card here, but the TSX makes perfect sense and will still be fun to drive (if not more than the Z at legalish speeds).  But that's me, not you, and you really like the Z.  Logically, I should be trading my Z4 for a GTI or TSX or the like, but I can't bring myself to do it because I love it so much.  Perhaps you don't love your Z the way I do my Z4, but it's still an analogous situation, it seems. 

I'm rambling a bit, since I'm exhausted, but I think that mostly made sense.

I do like the Z. It's fun and fast. I'm not sure I would call it comfortable though. The road noise in it is appaling and the ride is pretty harsh. It is a bit of a blunt tool, but it's still very responsive- you turn the wheel a quarter inch in my wife's car, you get nothing... you turn the wheel a quarter inch in the Z, you get a response. And that's cool. RWD is very cool, especially with a decent enough LSD, and now I can say I have a lot of experience with that. Z looks sexy as hell too. It's not a bad car at all, but the practical failures of it are eating me up.

In the history of things that have never happened, this is number one. You're almost as clueless as he is, where are you guys crawling from?
First it was his nonsensical comments about Non Revup headers - he was clearly wrong, but equal parts stubborn and stupid - a dangerous combination. Next, it's the "VW's are reliable" tirade, which no data you've been able to come up with even remotely confirms that it's remotely true. After that, it's the "Car is getting me speeding tickets, so I have to sell it" shtick that you are trying to make us believe. No, it isn't you being incompetent and unable to obey traffic laws, it's purely the fault of the Z. And finally you want me, and everyone else reading this thread (some of which owned BMWs, myself included) tp believe that they are A. Unreliable, B. Difficult/expensive to maintain C. Majority of owners are downgrading to a VW from a BMW.

This thread has gone full blown retard, and the OP has shown no signs letting up and turning the wheel away from the rocks.

VWs are reliable enough, and way more reliable than they used to be. And I'm not sure why data counts against VWs but not BMWs- TrueDelta has the 3er at the same or more trips than the Jetta for most of the last 15 years (including the god awful MK4 era). You haven't had any problems with your BMW that you will acknowledge to be problems ("I LIKE CHANGING WATER PUMPS AND WINDOW REGULATORS!!!!!").... only problem I've had with the Rabbit was a radiator fan damaged in a crash. So by your twisted logic and accepted data, if BMWs are reliable then so are VWs.

What's your experience with BMWs again? Oh right, you have none.

This thread is beta as hell - it's time for me to make a new one lacking estrogen.

The hypocrisy here is about as delicious as the dinner I had last night. You don't have any experience with VWs that doesn't involve anything but frantic Google searches and keyboard mashing, and yet you have no problem bashing people that drive them and making broad sweeping statements about how they drive and what they are like to own, despite data showing tthat they are, even at their worst, as or MORE reliable than your "reliable" BMWs.

And if this place makes you so angry (and let's not pretend like you aren't- your posts over the last couple of pages are mos def from the heart), why do you continue to post here? Why not stay on Bimmerpost where you can insulate yourself from the real world even further and pretend like driving a BMW doesn't make you an angry, judgemental, miserable little prick?

[Cookie Monster]

MmmmMmmmm

[MrH]

You know there is a disconnect from reality when the majority of people agree with me.

[Raza]

I do like the Z. It's fun and fast. I'm not sure I would call it comfortable though. The road noise in it is appaling and the ride is pretty harsh. It is a bit of a blunt tool, but it's still very responsive- you turn the wheel a quarter inch in my wife's car, you get nothing... you turn the wheel a quarter inch in the Z, you get a response. And that's cool. RWD is very cool, especially with a decent enough LSD, and now I can say I have a lot of experience with that. Z looks sexy as hell too. It's not a bad car at all, but the practical failures of it are eating me up.

Why not pick up something like a used 1st gen Mazda3 hatch (they're cheap) or even a Civic Si (spaceship gen) to daily drive and hang on to the Z?

[MexicoCityM3]

The last one to jump ship was the pres of the local bmw club. I'm sure your bmw is cool but when you get a few more miles under your belt and some experience pushing a car to its limits,  you will eventually upgrade to the big boy club.

A VW GTI is the big boy club now?

We jump to Porsches. But if downgrading, yeah a VW GTI is ok!

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

MmmmMmmmm

That looks 10X more impractical than his 350Z..............   

[SVT666]

It took you 3 weeks or more just to bleed the Z's brakes and you have said that you and your wife plan to start a family in a couple years. You won't be modifying an Accord or TSX, or anything else for that matter.  If you feel you must ditch the Z, then replace it with something that won't need mods to be fun.

[SVT32V]

MmmmMmmmm

[Char]

A VW GTI is the big boy club now?

We jump to Porsches. But if downgrading, yeah a VW GTI is ok!

Like I said before, I've never seen it. A few E46 guys move down to a  MK5 or so GTI, but the majority will grab a  newer BMW or like luxury car. Those with higher end cars will make the final jump to a Porsche.

The funny part is I'm not even a huge BMW fan, it just happens to be what I've owned. I'm actually a bigger Porsche and Nissan fan.

[12,000 RPM]

It took you 3 weeks or more just to bleed the Z's brakes and you have said that you and your wife plan to start a family in a couple years. You won't be modifying an Accord or TSX, or anything else for that matter.  If you feel you must ditch the Z, then replace it with something that won't need mods to be fun.

Took me about an hour to do my radio. Two hours to change my headlights. Three hours to do my rear brake pads (seized bolts). Takes me more time to haul shit down from my 3rd floor apartment than to do an oil change on both cars. So if the implication here is that I don't have the time or money for mods, that's wrong. Ticky tacky shit like an intake or w/e is no big deal and is the kind of stuff I'd be looking to do.

And modding is part of the fun for me.

[Char]

It took you 3 weeks or more just to bleed the Z's brakes and you have said that you and your wife plan to start a family in a couple years. You won't be modifying an Accord or TSX, or anything else for that matter.  If you feel you must ditch the Z, then replace it with something that won't need mods to be fun.

Not even that, he paid someone for work, which he eventually did himself. He's going to buy a beat to hell rattled out TSX/Accord and sit on mods and repairs. Promise.

For the record, mods rarely make sense - ask me how much the insurance gave me for all my bolt ons and suspension parts - including a Super Sprint exhaust, and OZ superleggeras. Next to nothing.

[Char]

I do like the Z. It's fun and fast. I'm not sure I would call it comfortable though. The road noise in it is appaling and the ride is pretty harsh. It is a bit of a blunt tool, but it's still very responsive- you turn the wheel a quarter inch in my wife's car, you get nothing... you turn the wheel a quarter inch in the Z, you get a response. And that's cool. RWD is very cool, especially with a decent enough LSD, and now I can say I have a lot of experience with that. Z looks sexy as hell too. It's not a bad car at all, but the practical failures of it are eating me up.
VWs are reliable enough, and way more reliable than they used to be. And I'm not sure why data counts against VWs but not BMWs- TrueDelta has the 3er at the same or more trips than the Jetta for most of the last 15 years (including the god awful MK4 era). You haven't had any problems with your BMW that you will acknowledge to be problems ("I LIKE CHANGING WATER PUMPS AND WINDOW REGULATORS!!!!!").... only problem I've had with the Rabbit was a radiator fan damaged in a crash. So by your twisted logic and accepted data, if BMWs are reliable then so are VWs.
The hypocrisy here is about as delicious as the dinner I had last night. You don't have any experience with VWs that doesn't involve anything but frantic Google searches and keyboard mashing, and yet you have no problem bashing people that drive them and making broad sweeping statements about how they drive and what they are like to own, despite data showing tthat they are, even at their worst, as or MORE reliable than your "reliable" BMWs.

And if this place makes you so angry (and let's not pretend like you aren't- your posts over the last couple of pages are mos def from the heart), why do you continue to post here? Why not stay on Bimmerpost where you can insulate yourself from the real world even further and pretend like driving a BMW doesn't make you an angry, judgemental, miserable little prick?

All of this is built on the assumption I have no experience with VAG/Honda And BMW products. With the exception of vanos tools, so something to reset the service indicator, I don't recall any special BMW tools required. BMW's do have their vices though - True delta confirms the majority of problems for the 3 series revolves around the cooling system, and oil leaks. Check for yourself.

[SVT666]

Took me about an hour to do my radio. Two hours to change my headlights. Three hours to do my rear brake pads (seized bolts). Takes me more time to haul shit down from my 3rd floor apartment than to do an oil change on both cars. So if the implication here is that I don't have the time or money for mods, that's wrong. Ticky tacky shit like an intake or w/e is no big deal and is the kind of stuff I'd be looking to do.

And modding is part of the fun for me.

Ask anybody on here with kids, myself included, about how much time you have for even an oil change. I gave up years ago. When the kids are older, working on cars WITH my kids will definitely happen, but until then, I don't even bother trying.

[AutobahnSHO]

Ask anybody on here with kids, myself included, about how much time you have for even an oil change. I gave up years ago. When the kids are older, working on cars WITH my kids will definitely happen, but until then, I don't even bother trying.

+1

I DEFINITELY think a decent sized 4door is good for anyone expecting/ trying to have kids... 

[FlatBlackCaddy]

A VW GTI is the big boy club now?

We jump to Porsches. But if downgrading, yeah a VW GTI is ok!

You're too smart to have engaged in that.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

A VW GTI is the big boy club now?

We jump to Porsches. But if downgrading, yeah a VW GTI is ok!

You don't have a clue about my past experiences.  Currently I do not own a bmw, the last one had major engine failure at 60k. I'm saving my money and hoping to get into something on the higher end. Lots of nice vw's out there, I hope to pull the trigger soon. Would look nice in my garage with the other exotics.

"We upgrade to Porsches"

Like I said, VW's.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Ask anybody on here with kids, myself included, about how much time you have for even an oil change. I gave up years ago. When the kids are older, working on cars WITH my kids will definitely happen, but until then, I don't even bother trying.

That's only true if you spend time with your kids trying to be a good parent. Real men drink beer in their garages and let the women babysit.

[Char]

You guys are literally getting worked up over me, the biggest troll on the board. You're not as clever as you believe -  I'm not playing your game, you're playing mine. You think you're 'triggering' my anger or goading me into an argument by mentioning VW, without realizing my responses are actually antagonizing you: Every conversation I twist in the direction I want it to go, I do and say what I want, and you willingly walk into it.

Look how bent out of shape Sporty gets when I say VW's are pieces of shit, amd are typically driven by clue as drivers.

[12,000 RPM]

Not bent out of shape at all. I'd say it's 90% amusement, 10% mild annoyance at your continued hypocrisy and blatant disregard for facts/objectivity. True Delta is game for bashing VW, but when those VWs turn out to be as reliable as the BMWs you are recommending the tough talk stops. I suppose if you want the conversation to go on a trajectory that makes you look like an idiot pretty much every time you post then you are doing a pretty good job.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Enough of the rice. Carbs are bad. Drive an Avocado.
http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/nyc/4417569700.html

[hotrodalex]

I upgraded from a BMW to an El Camino. My dad upgraded from a BMW to an old VW Bug. Although that's basically a Porsche.

[Char]

[quote author=12,000 RPM link=topic=29492.msg2051482#msg2051482 date=1411333334denined tbent out of shape at all. I'd say it's 90% amusement, 10% mild annoyance at your continued hypocrisy and blatant disregard for facts/objectivity. True Delta is game for bashing VW, but when those VWs turn out to be as reliable as the BMWs you are recommending the tough talk stops. I suppose if you want the conversation to go on a trajectory that makes you look like an idiot pretty much every time you post then you are doing a pretty good job.
[/quote]

I'm an idiot, says the guy who didn't know about VW carbon build up issues and denied the existence of the problem. The same guy who claimed that VW's were reliable but disregarded the same true delta report which said VW's are shit boxes. I'm an idiot, but you tried to argue the effectiveness of a specific aftermarket part on a car you own, even going as far to post a link you to a thread you didn't even read. If you had, you would have avoided the humiliation of people in the thread agreeing with what I told you many post before. I'm an idiot,  but you paid someone to do a job, and then when they did it wrong,  your self - because you were too much of an idiot and a coward to make them do it right.

[12,000 RPM]

Hey lil fella, slow your role. I didn't say you were an idiot... I just said you seem to think, speak and act like one. I'm trying to give you the benefit of the doubt. You're so angry you can't even use the quote function properly.... how do you mess that up???

And the brakes are fine now. The guy said they'd be mushy to start... and now they are firm. So there was no problem besides me being impatient. I have done everything from engine swaps to suspension rebuilds to audio installs etc. I did a lot of fabrication to put my motorcycle back together. I can turn a wrench. Brake bleeding is literally probably the only thing I haven't done on a car, and it wasn't just the flush... it was spending a weekend in the hot NC sun swapping out brake parts. Fuck that, not spending my day off slaving away is worth it to me. So yet again u jump to conclusions and have no idea what ur talking about.

O wait- u MEANT to do that, right?

[12,000 RPM]

And lol @ Chartard having the gall to call anybody else a coward. Your whole posting schtick defines cowardice.