Stupid_fast Posted July 20, 2011 Report Share Posted July 20, 2011 Hello, I am currently helping my brother search for a new car. His old daily was this beautiful blue 05 350 on 18in motegi racing wheels(my old dream car ), was such a fun wonderful car. This pic was nearly a year ago a little after he bought it. So recently some (quote from him) "Ricer ass motherf**ker" cut in front of him, he swerved, and took his Z into a curb. I have not seen it, but apparently the front suspension is screwed, frame bent, ect, over $9000 in damages. Now let me say, he is not the worst driver. He is OK he just has an insane lust for speed, he wont go anywhere slowly, he always speeds, ect. He took his Z up to 145 on a back road weeks after he bought it. He has gotten better around street traffic, and not as insane and more cautious when he got his Z. But IMO still not nearly enough to own something that nice, let alone a classic Datsun. Insurance is going to pay off the loan, and he is gonna lose the Z and get some cash back to get another car(not a lot). Now I have to find him a good car for his daily. When I first talked to him he was bent on getting a car that is fast, expensive looking, great sex appeal, ect. He was considering a lotus before I talked to him, I am trying to get him to buy something like a 240sx, Miata, or even an older Z32. Manual gearbox, something reliable, sporty, and fun to drive.(Otherwise he will abuse it, he blew the engine on his old mazda 626.) Does anyone have advice or recommendation for a good, sporty, fun to drive, decent looking car for him? Budget is $5,000. Something he wont care about so much if he bangs it up. Even though he wants to buy a $15-20k car, Its probably a very bad idea at this point. Thanks for reading, any advice would be appreciated. Also, I am very new to buying cars. My datsun I got from a good friend, all our other cars where bought from a good used car dealer back in modesto. I've been browsing craigslist, are there any other good sources for finding cars? Quote Link to comment
Farmer Joe Posted July 20, 2011 Report Share Posted July 20, 2011 i dunno... people that speed all the time shouldnt be able to drive.. sounds like if he gets somethin else hes just gonna smack into another curb or maybe worse, a person.. sorry if its harsh, but from what it sounds like the kid doesnt know what responsibility is... Quote Link to comment
Yosemite_Sam Posted July 20, 2011 Report Share Posted July 20, 2011 It sounds like a BMW E30 might be a good choice for him. They are quick and handle well but are still fairly cheap. Check out this forum if you have any questions http://forum.norcale30.com/index.php Quote Link to comment
NOTES... Posted July 20, 2011 Report Share Posted July 20, 2011 The Na Miata is not a bad choice.. Look great with little mods and are slow but sporty looking... he cant get into too much trouble with it.. Just Have him get a Honda.. :lol: Quote Link to comment
Stupid_fast Posted July 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2011 i dunno... people that speed all the time shouldnt be able to drive.. sounds like if he gets somethin else hes just gonna smack into another curb or maybe worse, a person.. sorry if its harsh, but from what it sounds like the kid doesnt know what responsibility is... I completely understand, but I have exaggerated a little. He has become much more calm, slower driver since he has gotten his Z but still drives pretty quick. I use to not even want to ride in the car with him when he had his mazda, just for comparison. This is my older brother we are talking about, by 4 years. It sounds like a BMW E30 might be a good choice for him. They are quick and handle well but are still fairly cheap. Check out this forum if you have any questions http://forum.norcale30.com/index.php Yeah, I was looking at those also. I really like E30's. The Na Miata is not a bad choice.. Look great with little mods and are slow but sporty looking... he cant get into too much trouble with it.. Just Have him get a Honda.. :lol: Yup, miata is a good option. I would go for honda, but there is no good rear drive manual gearbox honda I can think of beside a NSX or S2000.... which are in the same league as his 350. I've been looking at this great AE86 with 4AC engine, would be wonderful for him to start really appreciating cars and putting some time into it... but I'm just afraid he would abuse it cause it isn't new any shiny. Even though I would go insane if I had one, he would probably think it was shit. Thanks for the comments/suggestions. Quote Link to comment
Stupid_fast Posted July 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2011 Of all the cars I have found for him... 240sx s13, s14, AE86, Z32's.... My brother has told me he wants a Datsun 280zx. Quote Link to comment
RedBanner Posted July 22, 2011 Report Share Posted July 22, 2011 The Na Miata is not a bad choice.. Look great with little mods and are slow but sporty looking... he cant get into too much trouble with miatas are cool fun to drive light and oh yeah totaly a girls car Quote Link to comment
FoxyRoadster Posted July 22, 2011 Report Share Posted July 22, 2011 280zx's aren't that bad, can find them in still good shape. As for the miata, I own one.. Yeah easy to drive but also easy to get out of control if you aren't careful, I'd describe it almost like my roadster cept better suspension and slower. Quote Link to comment
RedBanner Posted July 22, 2011 Report Share Posted July 22, 2011 Rotary miata, but I fear my suggestion will be the end of your dear brother sooooo.... how about a subie? 5k is alot of roo and if he smashes it so what now you got a wheeler Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted July 22, 2011 Report Share Posted July 22, 2011 No car that can go over 40 is immune from being wraped around a tree. Hopefully this won't be the case here but why tempt fate with a classic Datsun? I've known people like this, who speed and abuse their vehicles and just keep getting another. They just see this expense as an enjoyment tax. I commend you for trying to help out your brother but then you are just becomming an enabler. I would just leave him be to figure things out for himself. Quote Link to comment
Stupid_fast Posted July 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2011 miatas are cool fun to drive light and oh yeah totaly a girls car Yeah, miata's are nice I like them but he does not. 280zx's aren't that bad, can find them in still good shape. As for the miata, I own one.. Yeah easy to drive but also easy to get out of control if you aren't careful, I'd describe it almost like my roadster cept better suspension and slower. ZX's are very nice. Yeah, I notice most 2door roadster with small wheel base and stiff suspension can have the go-kart twitchyness feel to them. My dad has an S2000, and its almost twichy but very controllable. Rotary miata, but I fear my suggestion will be the end of your dear brother sooooo.... how about a subie? 5k is alot of roo and if he smashes it so what now you got a wheeler He wants a 2 seater. Otherwise a subi would be nice. No car that can go over 40 is immune from being wraped around a tree. Hopefully this won't be the case here but why tempt fate with a classic Datsun? I've known people like this, who speed and abuse their vehicles and just keep getting another. They just see this expense as an enjoyment tax. I commend you for trying to help out your brother but then you are just becomming an enabler. I would just leave him be to figure things out for himself. Not anymore, he is very sad about his Z and mad he crashed it. It was not out of recklessness that it happened, he crashed it swerving to avoid another driver that cut him off! If you've never driven in the bay area maybe you wont understand. I know a Datsun is not the best for him, but its one of the less-beautiful later model Datsun Z's, I would never let him touch something like a 240z. I have found a nice clean black one on craigslist for $2500, hopefully we can go check that out. He even preferred the S130 over a Z32! Was a very big surprise to me. 1 Quote Link to comment
FoxyRoadster Posted July 22, 2011 Report Share Posted July 22, 2011 Honestly I'd let him get what he wants.. If you like a car enough you care for it more then anything. There are enough Datsuns to go around, rather see a goober own one then one rot away in a field. Quote Link to comment
Stupid_fast Posted July 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2011 Honestly I'd let him get what he wants.. If you like a car enough you care for it more then anything. There are enough Datsuns to go around, rather see a goober own one then one rot away in a field. Yup an S130, sure. I agree with what you say, that's what I meant in my previous post. He is not as good or patient with cars, so a later fuel injected Z would probably be more ideal for him right now, but also have potential so he can eventually start some work on it. Quote Link to comment
Dirk Diggler Posted July 23, 2011 Report Share Posted July 23, 2011 I say let him get a Lotus and live in disappointment. If he likes to go fast, he will like it. If he likes comfort, accessories, even a radio, he wont. Any chance he was racing said ricer? Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted July 23, 2011 Report Share Posted July 23, 2011 No car that can go over 40 is immune from being wraped around a tree. Hopefully this won't be the case here but why tempt fate with a classic Datsun? I've known people like this, who speed and abuse their vehicles and just keep getting another. They just see this expense as an enjoyment tax. I commend you for trying to help out your brother but then you are just becomming an enabler. I would just leave him be to figure things out for himself. Not anymore, he is very sad about his Z and mad he crashed it. It was not out of recklessness that it happened, he crashed it swerving to avoid another driver that cut him off! If you've never driven in the bay area maybe you wont understand. (Otherwise he will abuse it, he blew the engine on his old mazda 626.) Something he wont care about so much if he bangs it up. Even though he wants to buy a $15-20k car, Its probably a very bad idea at this point. Now let me say, he is not the worst driver. He is OK he just has an insane lust for speed, he wont go anywhere slowly, he always speeds, ect. He took his Z up to 145 on a back road weeks after he bought it. He has gotten better around street traffic, and not as insane and more cautious when he got his Z. But IMO still not nearly enough to own something that nice, let alone a classic Datsun. These are your words. I don't see him as Datsun lover first, simply that he's sad he can't go fast anymore. ... and I get that. I had a new '70 Dart muscle car and was very addicted to speed. I 'loved' that car too but had no real investment or work or time in it. My Datsuns are a totally different story. My 620 started out as a bare '82 frame and was built up. My 710 has hundreds of hours and a body and paint job on it and I love it enough to not risk it..Just sayin'.... Quote Link to comment
FoxyRoadster Posted July 23, 2011 Report Share Posted July 23, 2011 Get him one he has to work on, that makes or breaks love for a datto really fast. :lol: Quote Link to comment
Stupid_fast Posted July 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 I say let him get a Lotus and live in disappointment. If he likes to go fast, he will like it. If he likes comfort, accessories, even a radio, he wont. Any chance he was racing said ricer? Naw, if he gets a lotus he will be broke for the next 10 years... Very bad thing for the rest of the family. :) These are your words. I don't see him as Datsun lover first, simply that he's sad he can't go fast anymore. ... and I get that. I had a new '70 Dart muscle car and was very addicted to speed. I 'loved' that car too but had no real investment or work or time in it. My Datsuns are a totally different story. My 620 started out as a bare '82 frame and was built up. My 710 has hundreds of hours and a body and paint job on it and I love it enough to not risk it..Just sayin'.... I'm just bad at explaining things... he did love that 350Z, it was his dream car, the one he wanted. He wanted to get it back more than anything else, not just get another 'fast' car. Get him one he has to work on, that makes or breaks love for a datto really fast. :lol: Thats what looks like is going to happen. Hopefully he will be picking up a ZX in the next few weeks! Quote Link to comment
Stupid_fast Posted July 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2011 My brother just gave the cash for the guy to keep the 280zx for him!! Its a great car, mostly clean. I checked the whole car and there is only very tiny bits of surface rust here and there, no more than 5 spots that I could tell. It drove awesome! Such a wonderful feeling to drive a classic Z! We are going back tomorrow to pick it up, I'll have pics then. Quote Link to comment
Stupid_fast Posted July 31, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2011 So yeah, ended up going with the datsun... Oh man the way these things drive!! This is the first Datsun I've driven... @ the p/o's house Stopped around the block to get it insured... (Yeah, yeah shitty park job I know I wanted to get space in between the cars it was an empty lot.) at home. My brother likes it better than his 350z. I polished/cleaned up the front rims a bit, gonna make my bro do the rears. I cannot believe how much we both love this car!! So the bad, The windshield has a crack and the passanger mirror lens fell out. Cold air intake needs a head shield so it will stop drawing hot air from the radiator under low speeds. Good thing is the p/o said he thinks the engine was rebuild by the owner before him, 172k miles, runs very smooth and STRONG. Gearbox shifts SMOOTH clutch grips good, ect. Only rust is maybe 2 or 3 spots of VERY minor surface rust. Some parts of the paint are faded/meh but easy fix... T-tops are good, interior is OK could use some work but its all basicly clean and intact. Digital dash works great!! Anyway, I'll probably start a build thread when stuff starts getting serious. Quote Link to comment
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