Newbie!

[EScanlon]

Having spoken to the agent for Haggerty Insurance which is one of the prime Classic Automobile Insurance companies, be aware of the following:

The car MUST be garaged. Garage must be attached to your home and be lockable.

Car is limited to "Good Weather" Driving or to and from Car Shows.

Limited number of miles per year.

Car's condition is evaluated before value is established and to determine if insurance policy is to be granted.

2¢

[thefastestz]

My first car was a Z, I also paid for it myself. That didn't stop me from being a revhead. I fixed it when it broke had my fun, and I didn't pay too much for insurance.

i also had the option of a 240sx but I am glad I chose the z(well ZX) which as my first. I liked them so much thats all I have ever bought. Now that I have a 240z and 280z I like them even more than the zx, the Z was the way to go for me.

[jeffhop]

Well then the classic insurannce probably wont work because I am planing to use it as a daily driver and you know the weather in Colorado... One day it is 85 degrees and sunny and the next it is 20 degrees and snowing. One thing I did find is that my perents policy could support me and my car and that would not be very expensive (well, compared to having my own policy.) So, thats probably what I will end up doing (unless when I call it shows me otherwise) and I think I am gonna go with the Z. It is such a better looking car and I like the simplicity of it and the fact I can fix a lot of things on my own. One setback though... The Z I was looking at (1972 240Z) was sold so I am looking for another too look into. I am thinking of either buying it before the summer and start work on it or buy it after summer when I have more money to put into it (also because I am going to be gone a lot of the summer so it basically would sit the entire time and I would get little work into it) I also can try one out and decide wether I want a 240, 260, or 280. The only thing is I dont know if I can stand waiting that long. I guess I'll try and in the meantime I will earn money and get more knowledge about the car, how to fix it and what the problems are. Thanks everyone for their help though! I know some people think the 240sx is more practicle (spelling?) but I have fallen in love with the Z :love: !!! Once again, I cant say how great this site is! Good job 'all!

Jeff

[XYZ]

Hey Jeff-

I'm in the westminster area, where in Colorado are you?

I would have loved to have had a Z at the tender age of 16. Not sure if I'd be alive or not but they are fun. I've been reading this whole chick magnet thing and find it interesting that no one's mentioned the lack of nooky room in these cars. Perhaps an Aztec or minivan???? Kidding, Kidding. Now I'll get flamed!

I remember in high school I had the only car in my group of friends on a regular basis and I got so tired of shlepping everyone around I took out the back seat so I would only have a two seater. You won't have that problem. But if you have more than one friend you want to travel with, well you'll have to wait to get to where your going before you can hang with them.

You should be able to find a pretty clean car in this state. Be careful and make sure you know what your looking for as far as rust and all the little pitfalls of the Z go. I got lucky and only had to look at two when I bought mine. I've looked at a few more since and they do have rust around here but not like other places (east coast). Do your research, take your time and I would suggest when you get your Z you upgrade the brakes especially if you plan on driving 'spiritedly'.

Good luck.

[EScanlon]

One very important point to remember when looking at Z's, check for rust in all the hidden areas. Read some of the archives here and educate yourself as to what to look for.

Next, when you are looking, buy the car that is in the absolute BEST condition you can get. Granted, you will pay more. How much more depends on the seller. However, I can't make this point strongly enough, a Fixer Upper is good, IF YOU HAVE LOTS OF TIME AND MONEY. And believe me when I say, you will EASILY invest 4-5 THOUSAND dollars upgrading a $2k car to what you will consider a 20 footer. (A car that looks good from 20' away.)

Buying a $5k car that is pretty much intact, except for some cosmetic work will be MUCH CHEAPER in the long run than that $2k car needing "Fixing".

Now, if you're planning on modifying it out, or doing various changes to the interior, body, paint etc, then at least get a car that has the MINIMUM amount of rust, preferably NONE. Although very honestly, if it has NONE it will probably be a garaged and babied car and you will really hate yourself for modifying it all out.

Just my 2¢

[Smokey]

Something else to consider. The Z is a very reliable mode of transportation, however, being used as a daily driver is hard on the car. As has been discussed, they are prone to rust. If you use it as a daily driver, you will be in rain, snow, salt, and whatever else.

I made this mistake with my first Z. I lived in an apartment, and needed a daily driver. My CRX was totaled, so I bought a Z. The condition was fair, and I tinkered on it for a while. In the year that I had it, it saw all kinds of bad weather. The metal began to rust, and there was not much I could do with it since I needed transportation.

Just playing devil's advocate here. The Z is a great car, and easy to work on. It is a better "second" car though. I hate to see Z's out in the weather deteriorating. They need to be in garages and driven on sunny, dry days. The 240SX would be the more practical daily driver, and a better one to learn how to drive in. I say that only cause it is easier to find replacement body parts for the newer car. And, odds are, you will wreck your first car.

[jeffhop]

XYZ, I am in lakewood.

The factor of getting a clean Z instead of a fixer upper that I will end up spending tons of money into is also a reason I have decided to wait so I can find a clean one.

Jeff

[jeffhop]

Ok, I havnt updated in a while...

Well the Z is go! I have found out it will be about $900 per 6 months to insure it, which though is a lot is better than my other friends cars (thanks to good grades). I will also be able to earn enough money this summer to buy a better Z than I was expecting by august. I am so excited! I havnt been on these boards for a little while but slowly I have been learning tons of stuff about the Z. Anyways, I will update sometime later on the state of the whole thing.

-Jeff

[jpac]

I would have to agree with most of the replies that you have received. You definitely want to check around on insurance rates, but if you can swing the insurance for the Z than I would get the Z. The Z will bring lots of time spent fixing various things, but ultimately you will have so much more enjoyment owning a great car that you will have for years and years and years

Jeff

[skinnyz]

The good grades definitely help, my first car was a 1981 ZX, saved $2000 to buy it, with my own money. You will appreciate it much more that way. I would def. go for the Z. I loved mine, cherished it, got mad at it, and traded it. I cry everyday i see it now, ran down to the ground. If you are on your parents insurance it will help quite a bit too. And make friends with your agent....I am 28 now, and still get a good student discount!

[jeffhop]

there are a few more things I need to know now after thinking everything over.

1. how much head/leg room does a Z have? I fit in it just fine becasue I am currently 5' 11", but my mom is fairly tall for a woman and my dad is 6' 5" and i want to make sure i will fit if i end up as tall as him.

2. What is the aprox. gas milage on a 240z manual?

Thats all I can think of now but when i think of more ill add the

-Jeff

[MikeW]

The Z generally has enough headroom for most people. I don't think 6'5" is a problem as the seats can slide all the way back and tilt back as well.

Don't expect more than about 20mpg - less depending on how you drive - and we all know how you probably drive. On the other hand, gasoline is cheap compared to other things, especially in the US. While mileage is a consideration don't let it affect you too much. I'm all for being environmentally friendly but I wouldn't pay a lot of extra money to get better gas mileage. You can buy an awful lot of gas for the difference in price. Look at the price difference and mileage difference here for essentially the same car:

http://autos.yahoo.com/compare/compare_over.html?count=3&cmpCar1=toyota03echo4doorsedan&cmpCar2=toyota03prius4doorsedan