Is the 240z right for me?

[burntheblobs]

Hey, Im looking at buying a 240z as a daily driver. Im 16, and I already have a 1990 mitsubishi eclipse GS 5pd that I want to sell and I REALLY love everything about the 240z. Smog Exempt, RWD, most of them are sticks, 50/50 weight distrubution, and easy to mod. I am wondering if the 240z is right for me, because I am kind of broke =P. What are some things I should know about the 240z? Are they cheap to maintain?

Edit: I have already crashed my mitsubishi eclipse and learned my lesson about speeding the hard way. I think im ready for a quick car now.

[Fun_in_my_z]

it depends on what you want it to do. And they rust realy bad .

[Bambikiller240]

They are not cheap to maintain, unless the car you buy has been completely rebuilt. In which case it won't be "cheap" to buy. It's doubtful your neighborhood mechanic is going to know much about them. Some parts are getting hard to find.

Face it they are 30+year old cars. Things wear out. You don't say where you are located, but Bill is right; they rust badly if not cared for (like not being driven in snow and salted streets).

If you need a daily driver and have little money you'd be better off with something else. Wait until you have more money, basic automotive skills to work on it yourself then get a Z as a 2nd car so you can work on it in your spare time ans still have something else to drive.

Looks like Alfa caught up to me while I was editting

........... Im 16, .................Edit: I have already crashed my mitsubishi eclipse and learned my lesson about speeding the hard way. I think im ready for a quick car now.

Yeah right. IMO without a minimum of 2-3 YEARS of safe and varied driving and education on how to properly control (and regain control) of a car; it is EXTREMELY unlikely that you are even close to ready to handle a sports car. Your experience with the Eclipse is what confirms this.

[Alfadog]

EDIT: Carl pipped me at the post! But we said basically the same thing anyway.

Just because you crashed doesn't mean you are ready for a quick car. It means you are ready to take a defensive driving course (note: not an advanced driving course).

As for Z's, to keep them in good shape you will have to spend money on them. The Eclipse probably started first time every time - The Z wont. People like to say they're reliable, but compared to modern cars they are not. Mechanical parts are reasonably cheap though, just don't lose your hub caps or get rear-ended.

BUT if you are willing to spend the time and money on one, go for it. Much more fun than an Eclipse, sexier, more raw, and something a bit different too. Just make sure you buy the BEST looking car you can, as it's likely to be more reliable and cause less headaches.

For more info about what to look for, search the forums. There is heaps of the stuff.

[burntheblobs]

Um, I never said I was a good driver because I crashed my eclipse, I said I dont speed anymore so I wont wreck the Z with a stupid stunt...I may not be an advanced driver, but I wont need to be. Ive avoided a few colisions becaue of idiots with defensive driving skills already.

Also, I live in sunny california.

[lvmy240z]

It will boil down to how much you've got to spend and how mechanically inclined you are to work on the car. More money up front buys you a car in better shape. Regardless of what you spend, whatever you buy will require time spent working on it to improve things and reapir things from time to time.

If your looking for "starts every time" transportation, you need to get the Z as a second car in a few years. There are plenty of them in Ca and a lot of Z car clubs with Z's in various states of repair for sale. It may make your ownership experience more pleasurable if it's a hobby and not something you have to get back together Sunday night to go to school/work Monday am.

[26th-Z]

Absolutely. I agree with everything above.

Buy an old Z. Try to find something in the $3,500 range - the price they were new. Spend all your earned money on it and work on it all the time. It is a real easy car to work on - extremely simple - and will teach you the good old basics of car wrenching - great skills you will use the rest of your life. You will aquire tools you will have for the rest of your life. And you will gain a deep appreciation for performance automobiles. Your fingernails will become permanently black and you will develop wounds on your hands that will scar. You will be proud of this. All your guy friends will think you are totally cool yet crazy. Your girl friends will think you are wierd and mumble something about POS.

You have developed a taste for crashing and you must understand that hitting anything gets you disqualified and thrown out of the game. Driving is about control - it involves feel - and crashing demonstrates that you don't know what you are doing. The 240Z is an excellent example of car balance and will teach you one of the basic control feelings you should have for above average driving skill. Again...this is a perfect car to teach you the basiscs - simple yet sophisticated.

A 240Z is a sports car. Sports cars are expensive. That is just a fact. One of the reasons a 240Z is so popular is that it is the cheapest sports car around. There are tons of aftermarket parts available and plenty of people get creative with their cars. Its quite fun to see some of the things people do to their cars. If you want a cheap daily driver, buy a pick-up truck. Buy a pick-up truck anyway. You will need it to haul car parts, tools, and tow the Z.

This could be the great experience of your teenage years and give you fond memories you will carry into your future. It could also be a disaster, but it depends on how you approach it. Hang out on this site and you will learn a great deal about these cars. Have fun and don't hit anything.

[sblake01]

Very well said! A Z is a commitment. It's a sometimes frustrating, knowlege gaining experience. I didn't have one in my teenage years. They weren't available yet at that point(!).