A 280Z inspected by me, 'might seal the deal on this one.

[Alex 240Z]

Give him a deposit before he gets another offer !!!! Good luck kid and "Enjoy the Ride" !!!!!!!

[KDMatt]

Thankie,

That formula is my new sig.

Anyway, I'm gonna pay him PDQ. I'm getting the money together tomorrow, so hopefully this transaction can be completed sometime near the end of the week.

The only sucky thing is though, really, that we can't transfer the title yet, because our government up here is all shut down until a budget can be reached. Thousands of people are laid off, and that includes the people in the DMV. For now, he's just going to write up a disclaimer of liability basically, and we're both going to sign it. Should something happen between now and the time I get the title transferred in my name, we'll at least have legally binding documentation indicating that the sale took place.

... and I'm seriously gonna have to practice driving. It's flustering enough to kill it when it belongs to someone else... but it's gonna be even more embarassing when it's mine!

Anyway, maybe this weekend I'll see if I can snap some pics (if this all goes through by then of course).

Hey, quick question while I'm at it.

Is this the right hood emblem for the '76 280Z?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1,1&item=7984075801&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT

My Z doesn't have one... and if this the correct one, I might as well snag it while it's cheap (and available!).

[EScanlon]

Get Liability Insurance on it right away.

The last thing you want is to end up owing someone for years and years because you thought you'd be "ok for the ride home".

E

[v12horse]

Hi Matt, that is not right emblem for a 76'. The correct hood emblem for your car is in the link:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=4558736729&category=34204

Congrats on the car. Hopefully everything will go smoothly with the sale. You are going to love the car. I am a student and I have had some problems with my Z, but when it is sorted, it runs great. I will definately vouch for it being a great student car. I hope to see pictures of yours soon.

Regards,

Ben

[KDMatt]

Thanks for the heads up "Scan," I've already gotten a quote for insurance, and I'll be good to go with it real soon here. I'll probably call the insurance people right before I leave to go and get it.

Ben - Thanks a bunch for that link! Ya saved me from myself there. Ironically, this is pretty much only like the 2nd or 3rd time I've been up close to a first-gen Z (ironic because I'm buying it), so I don't know by heart all of the finer details of the body juuuust yet. I'm workin' on it though. Outta curiosity, what sort of Z was the hood emblem I'd posted the link for, for? ZX?

In addition to spending like an hour learning how to drive it better, I'll probably also spend an hour or two with a cold Orange Crush, sitting in my driveway just staring, wide-eyed at my new acquisition, memorizing its many, many fiiine curvey type dealies *contented sigh* :cheeky: :knockedou

EDIT: Ben, forget to mention, I love the quote in your sig! I quoted it to my dad, finishing with "So there, the Z chose me." ... He only looked at me strangely... wondering if he really knows me anymore... :disappoin

[v12horse]

Matt, I love that quote too. I got it out of an "Old Timer" which is a classic car magazine printed in Japan. I am still learning about all the details of the Z too. It is never ending until you take it apart bit by bit. I bet you would still learn some things about it after that. awe well.

I am not positive, but I think that emblem was off a first generation 300ZX(Z31). I am sure someone here knows.

Take care,

Ben

[Alex 240Z]

Check out Hagerty Insurance !!!! Excellent insurance at a great price !!!!!

It is for collector cars and yours is definitely in that category !!!!!

[EScanlon]

..I'll be good to go with it real soon here. I'll probably call the insurance people right before I leave to go and get it.

Do so! Or at least investigate if your insurance carrier will insure you on the way home.

I heard this story when I was in the service, and as with all of these "This guy I know of..." stories, you have to understand that it's based on a dash of truth, but not necessarily a totally true story.:

Purportedly this guy went down to Saginaw Michigan to buy and pick up his new car. He'd discussed it with the insurance company, gotten an estimate and had presented that information to the credit union financing the purchase. All happy that he had everything taken care of, he drove down to pick up his car, and decided to stay overnight and visit with some friends. On his way back to the base, he slid on some black ice and ended up rolling the car, totalling it. Rumor had it that the insurance company refused to pay because he had gotten an ESTIMATE and not a CONDITIONAL POLICY (i.e. insurance on the condition of purchase), therefore they hadn't yet "issued" a policy. Other stories had it that he had to go fight them in court before they relented and paid for it (because they had produced paperwork which the credit union had verified about the insurance).

In either case, the "moral" of the story was to NOT buy a car without insurance already on YOU as the purchaser. Since it usually only takes a phone call with a VIN, or at least a good description, it's a good "failsafe" option.

2¢

Enrique

[KDMatt]

Ah I see Enrique,

I'm actually already covered as a driver under my mom's policy (since I've just been cruising around in her little car for a long time), we'll just be adding the Z as an additional vehicle for the household, is that what you were talking about?

Right now I believe our insurance provider is American Family, and we get a pretty decent deal with them just because she's also got our homeowner's insurance with 'em.

[EScanlon]

...I'm actually already covered as a driver under my mom's policy.... be adding the Z as an additional vehicle...

That's good that you are covered. Now save some money, have her add it as a second car, but not list you as it's primary driver. Have her keep your designation as a household driver. I.e. you kind of make it sound as though you will be driving the family station wagon, while she's driving the sports car. In this way they don't decide to hit you with the full value of a young male with sports car policy. Believe me,, those can be STEEP.

Additionally, unless you are getting a policy with a Value Agreement, i.e. where you are insuring the WORTH of the car, don't get full coverage. Get good old plain vanilla LIABILITY insurance, and store the car out of reach of prying fingers. If you can't park it away from the MidNite 5-Finger Auto Store, THEN see if you can pick up theft and vandalism. Full coverage means they'll pay for repairs done to your car. For the most part, the slightest amount of bodywork / re-paint will usually be reason for the average insurance company to try to total out the car. With liability only, you have made yourself responsible for YOUR cars repairs, but kept the OTHER guy's car insured from an accident you caused.

But do be aware that even those small $500 to $3000 repairs on your car are YOURS to pay for and the insurance company isn't going to.

The reasoning is simple math, you're going to be paying 40 to 50 a month more (as a minimum, if not more) to have "Full Coverage" on a 30+ year old vehicle. The insurance company will GLADLY take your money, until you have a claim. Then suddenly your car isn't worth the cost of the ink on the policy and that's all they want to pay out. Now sure you can fight them, but if you have the car for any length of time before you make a claim, you will have paid more than you will get back. (or it will be close)

If you can store it in a garage (a requirement) then check into Hagerty Insurance (Classic Car Insurance). There your Mom might be able to insure the car for an agreed upon value (and check with us here at this site for info) for only a hundred or so a YEAR. As I understand it, even fender scratches are covered. Now, that's the way to go.

2¢

Enrique

[KDMatt]

Wow, thanks Enrique!

'lotta info to respond to in that post, but I'll do my best.

... anyway, yeah, I'm going for liability only insurance, and the insurance people tell us that the premium for that stays the same regardless of what kind of car I have, (I could have a Ferrari and it would still be the same) simply because I'm only taking care of the 'other guy,' and like you said, damages to my car are my responsibility.

Anyway... it really sucks because my parents only have single garages at their respective homes, and they both have cars that are worth more (monetarily and importance-wise), so those both take precedence over the Z.

... as follows, the first things I'm going to look into buying (after the Z itself) are a car cover, and probably a decent security system/car alarm (especially after reading the story from the one guy who had his Z stolen, even though mine doesn't look quite as nice as his surely did; not as big of a bullseye painted on it).

In the meantime though, I suppose I could just remove the fuse for the fuel pump while I'm not using it. I'll be damned if somebody steals it just because I can't keep it in a garage.

*shakes a fist at thieves*

After that the only thing anybody'd want to steal is the CD Player... and that's not as bad as losing the whole car... I'd still prefer that it doesn't get stolen, but, hey, if it does, I'll just look at that as an opportunity to replace it with one that has a removeable faceplate to deter someone from breaking into the car and stealing the stereo again! :stupid:

*ahems* anyway... I'm gonna have a cashier's check made out to the seller tomorrow, so hopefully I can carry out the transaction within a few days here... Friday maybe? I can't think of a better way to kickoff a weekend!

[EScanlon]

[quote name=KDMatt... first things I'm going to look into buying (after the Z itself) are a car cover' date=' and probably a decent security system/car alarm....

!

Fast answers back at you:

You're welcome.

Before you go spending money on a car cover, (even on e-bay they start at $30, and that one doesn't fit well, and the one that DOES is $200+ + S&H), spend a little time with the car.

Learn how it starts, or get it started. Before you go making plans on the next edition of America's Extreme Z Make-over, remember that it takes a CHUNK of money AND time to do what you see in the galleries. I am not saying to NOT work on the car, just that you should hold off on getting all psyched up about ..... whatever, only to find that the car has decided on it's own (and they do, don't kid yourself) to need something else. You're planning on a new carpet set, and it's deciding if the heater hose needs replacing.

Don't ever put your wallet on the console of the car. It has some sort of ethereal money detector that automatically causes it to need a repair or improvement.

If you let her know (and they're ALL female) that you have or are willing to, spend money, she will take over.

Before long you will be looking for aluminum cans at the park along with every other homeless wino hoping to find enough to be able to afford that OEM Original Day/Nite blemish free Inside Mirror===HORRORS!===

And everyone on this site is just as deranged, so we're no help there either. There's nothing we like more than the new guy who'se only going to do a few "minor" things, that ends up being the next 5 year tail-light bulb change that costs $15,000 or more. Heck most of us will tell you how to fix all those "Since I'm in here this far...." parts just for the glee of getting to type it out.....

But I hope you get the picture. Drive the car first, find out where she fits you well, and find out where she doesn't. Repair SAFETY items first. then MECHANICAL, then start on functional items.

I'm not going to list all the items you could do, and in what sequence to do them, I just want you to get out, enjoy the drive, and then decide what it needs. Just don't tell her you're going to spend money on her or you won't like the uncontrollable spender she becomes.

FWIW, 2¢

E