First 350Z in the US

[Ali]

I heard that a guy bought(won) the first 350Z(VIN#000000001) in the United States for $95,000! Personally i think it was a waste to buy it for that much, but hey if you have the money. I suppose i would too, just for the novelty of being number one. What do guys think?

[2ManyZs]

Obviously it was someone with more dollars than sense (cents?)!!:stupid: :stupid: :stupid: :stupid: :stupid: :stupid:

[grantman240z]

man....all the things i could do with $95,000...mmmmmmm

[2-77zs]

There is something to be said to a man who spends $95,000.00 on a vehicle; "Is that a dent"?

[EScanlon]

It's all a matter of perspective.

In 1970 and 71 the 240Z sold for about $3500 US. On another thread on this site, we were discussing what we would expect for a 30 year old 240Z. Whilst the one in discussion sold for $15,000, we were CALMLY discussing that we would and have paid up to $5000 for those same 70 and 71 cars.

How much would you pay TODAY for a pristine, mint, showroom condition Series I 1969 Datsun 240Z VIN # 0001?

If this guy can afford $95k for serial number 1, he probably has a private and climate controlled show room / warehouse where he keeps his collection. In just a few years, I guarantee that IF the Z phenomenon takes off even halfway as much as it did in 1970, that his investment will more than double in value.

Besides, the guy may earn 20 times more than you or I and $95k may be like you or I spending $950 or even $9.50 .

Heck, I'll bet that many of you HAVE vehicles in your driveway for which you paid approximately half to 2/3's of a years salary (pre-tax). Granted you probably have it financed out for 3 to 5 years. What if you could get a car of this caliber for ONE MONTH's PAY? That's how much it would be for someone who earns $1,200,000 a year. Baseball, basketball, football, and half a dozen other professions out there have entry level positions at that rate.

Don't envy the rich, they don't know if their friends are FRIENDS or people who enjoy having their entertainment paid for.

[Samuel_RS30]

If the truth be known he has probably paid what the car is actually worth, if you consider the car with respect to other more exotic names and maybe of european or english decent, then maybe the price is not to crazy especially if you consider its performance. The only way that nissan will define any respect within the european market is to make there cars appear more prestigious and the only way to do that is to produce cars that cost more. I know it is a strange thing to say but it is true, Just look at Jaguar or Mercedes, if they bring out a sports car its price is expected to be high and they will get a back log of pre orders even if the car is crap.

So consider this, some smart guy out there has decided to spend some real money on a real sports car for once. So instead of saying that he is a fool with his money maybe you should congratulate him for believing in a japanese make of car, like the rest of us do.:beard:

[Ali]

I have alot of faith in the Z cars, but one thing is for sure a 350Z cannot compete with higher dollar sports cars. I mean if anybody reads SCC; in one of their issues this year, a 360 Modena mopped the floor with the other cars. I have to admit Ferrari and Lambourghini know what they are doing when they make their cars. And then think of all the cars that could do similar which are still around the same price. An NSX, and M3, or a gray-market skyline, all under $95K, and still amazing cars. And suppose this guy kept this 350Z in mint condition he would probably (just guessing, don't chew me out for this) won't be able to sell it for the same amount. Well, then their is this ffact: when it came out a 240ZX cost just under $4000, the guy who bought this 350Z paid $95,000 (I think my math is right), but he paid approx. 72% more. That is like buying a 240ZX for $11,360 when it came out. Someone check my math please.Doesn't sound too bad to me, if i got VIN#0000001, and it was in perfect condition. But once again its the novelty of having number one. Like mentioned before, it's all about perspective.

[2ManyZs]

You can't apply classic car values or status to a car that is going to be mass produced in numbers that will put Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, and a few others TOTAL yearly production to shame. Nissan themselves didn't get to the 40,000 production mark with the 240Z until it was well into the second full year of production.

The others achieve their status because of the low volume production numbers. The 350 is going to be produced in numbers of around 40,000 units in its first year of production. I seriously doubt if Ferrari, Lambo, Aston, Bently have sold 40,000 in the last 5 years, that is what makes them so special, exclusivity.

The only thing this guy has done is paid 60 some thousand dollars more for number one than if he had bought number 2! And did he truly buy the very first 350? Nope, kinda doubt if it is really is the first one the way they describe it, it may have VIN number 0001 but in truth it is only the 1st one offered to the public.

Perhaps if Nissan had only produced 2000 for the US as did Honda the first year of the S-2000 production, then he may have had something worth a lot more than the next one in line. But when you figure they already have over 7500 pre-orders and plan on a production run of 40K plus the first year? Nuttin special.

[Alfadog]

Here are two more things to think about.

1. Who said he/she was doing it for an investment? I think it'd be awesome just to own the car! Of course, how much so you want to pay just for the satisfaction of owning it...

2. Proceeds go to a charity - so maybe this is some rich guy's way of making himself feel good, while at the same time getting loads of attention and a nice sports car too!

[2-77zs]

When it comes right down to it, it was "his" purchase. Regardless of what any of us think it's worth, he felt it was a good deal for him. Hence, he bought it.

I have an $1300.00 radial arm miter saw. Most Professional builders would pay "TOP" price of about $700.00. But when I saw this thing, I just "had to have it". Stupid? Probably, but it's mine and no on else will ever own one like it.

[Alfadog]

it better have a warranty!

[laffeaux]

The new owner may very well be a company, and not a person. I could see a Nissan Dealer paying $90K for the car just to have it in the showroom. They could use the car to draw attention to their dealership by displaying it in parades, car shows, etc. The car is easily worth $90K of advertisement value if used properly.

"Come to Joe's Nissan and see the first 350Z." And while you're there you might buy a car too.