Some may remember that I actually sold the DR30 to purchase a one-owner 996 for $14.5k as the seller had just purchased a 997. Yes, it was a steal. The seller was also a partner at one of LA's largest law firms, so I trusted him (yes, trusting a lawyer, I know… Or, better yet, a lawyer trusting a lawyer... Unheard of ! ) … Sadly, the seller's wife decided that she liked it while I had the DR30 up for sale and simply usurped the car from her husband, effectively giving me the finger and putting the kibosh on the sale process.

So, I was lost… Browsing Craigslist from NorCal to SoCal, I'd find random things I was interested in, post threads, freak out about issues and not follow through. Sometimes, I attempted to follow through immediately but failed due to the "Sorry, just sold it" phenomenon (See $6.5k E30 M3 and $4k 500E, for example). Other times, I strung the sellers on, trying to figure out what I wanted to do. Often, I'd make up my mind *just before* the car was sold (See 2001 E55, e-mail convos dragging on for 2 months, finally making an offer and having the car sell that night to someone else).

I'd find other 996s but these were from sellers who were not as trustworthy or had zero records. Nightmares about IMS/RMS failures and $10k engine replacements and comparatively peaceful dreams of Jack Raby (In my dreams, he took the form of Jack Ruby, Oswald's assassin… Not sure where that came from) talking about the 17 MoFs (as in Modes of Failure, which he as uncovered on 3.4 liter 996 engines through his research) began giving me heartburn. So, I tried to shy away from these.

Eventually, I began to hover in a hold pattern over a local S60R. 120k miles, all records, nice gunmetal color and it drove great to boot. The price? About $9,000 obo. This would have allowed me to keep my M3 and gradually turn it into a track car. Unfortunately, the car was an automatic (had it been a manual, I would have purchased it on the spot). Unfortunately, there are way too many threads about angle gear failure, giving me similar nightmares to those I experienced with the 996. I agonized over it for several weeks and the dealer called me several times, begging me to pull the trigger.

Last Friday morning, I finally decided to get the S60R. It was a reasonable, practical car with some spunk. It had 4 doors, compliant suspension that handled well while soaking up the bumps, had room for my dry-cleaning and a place to hang a suit jacket. Yes, it was an automatic, but I had convinced myself that an automatic was part of being reasonable as well. After all, wasn't I tired of sitting in traffic? Weren't the soles of my shoes slowly wearing away from clutching and de-clutching? I'd save on shoes, right?

On a lark, I browsed Craigslist on Friday afternoon.

I found an ad that went something like this:

Quote, originally posted by the ad »

Must sell. 2003 350Z Enthusiast, manual with nav. 94k miles, new engine with 44k miles, text for pics - $8200

Now, the price seemed a bit off the mark for Zs, as I had been researching them. Yes, salvaged Zs may dip into the high $8-stack region. But this said nothing about the car being salvaged. I texted the seller, who confirmed that the car was not salvaged. He also said that the engine was replaced due to excessive oil burning and starvation.

After I left work (7:00pm-ish), I called the guy, who told me that he desperately needed money for medical reasons. He also told me that there was a guy coming from about 100 miles away to check it out and that he should be there by 8pm. I told him that I'm interested and that he should let me know if the 100-mile-away guy purchases it. I said I'd check the car out on Saturday morning if it was still available.

At about 8:30pm, the seller called me to tell me that he was insulted by the 100-mile-away guy's offer, who turned out to be a low-balling kid. He asked me to come down and look at the car immediately. I asked him if the kid was still there and the seller admitted that he was. I told him it probably wasn't wise (for the buyers, at least) to have two buyers there at the same time. Nevertheless, I told him I'd make the 5 mile trip.

Upon my arrival, I found this:

The car seemed clean, aside from the blue (wtf?!??!) film over most of the lenses and lots and lots of carbon fiber wrap in the weirdest places . We're talking wrap on the wing, the door frame, the steering wheel, the rear strut bar… I think this guy may be friends with jbell .

I also discovered that the engine swap (to an '04 engine) was done at a very prestigious Z shop in SoCal. The receipts proved it, with the swap date of just over two months ago, along with a new ACT clutch and flywheel. The car also had a massive carbon fiber lip, Tanabe coilovers, upgraded rotors, pads and braided brake lines.

I got in to drive it and it drove quite well (well, aside from the pain-in-the-ass short shifter). Pulling into a gas station, I tried to pull the oil dipstick out and realized that Nissan makes you solve a Rubik's Cube before it allows you to pull it out. Either that, or I'm just an idiot.

So, on the drive back, I offered the man $7700. He accepted. I left a deposit and pay the rest tomorrow. Barring something unforeseen, it should be in my driveway tomorrow evening, sans lip (it just can't clear the angle)... If I conquer my laziness, the blue stuff should be off before the weekend.

Apparently I'm a Z guy now. Corbic, where do I buy my Federally-mandated Z-owner leather gloves?

Cliffs:

Lost and confused.
S60R
Wait, no, jbell'ed Z!
Corbic

Edit: In before the "Cool Story Bro" fanatics...

Modified by VadGTI at 5:37 PM 11-3-2009

Quote, originally posted by Slonie »

VadGTI: The best cars, in the worst shape™.

SchrickVR6: Canadians aren't real. They're like the Tooth Fairy, Santa Claus, and Condoleeza Rice.

Quote, originally posted by felixthecat, on why his genitalia are important to him »

Good god, I do have a wang and I just couldn't trade it in for a Prius.

Great job, Vadim!!

Screw the poor!!!

SWEET DEAL

Quote, originally posted by Fritz27 »

Not possible. He's a young, black athlete. He must be an idiot and only like blingchariots and not have the ability to drive. /TCL

I DD a Miata. I have a dog that requires grooming. I regularly get pedicures. I carry a .357 on my person. I keep a 12 gauge in the trunk. Probably shouldn't judge a driver by their car. Just sayin'.

not as cool as the skyline, but good deal dude

Did Stillen do the engine swap?

Yep, let's hope. You and Turbiodiesel! are right, though... I jumped into it a bit quick. However, the things that can go wrong with the Z pale in comparison to mechanical breakdowns in every other car listed above. Hell, a used Z engine can be had for $1,000. Compare that with one for a 996. I see 350Z ownership as something akin to S13 ownership (and maybe I'm wrong ). S13 ownership is just feeding off the forum for spares... This doesn't even compare to a $16k dealer-cost engine for a 911 or a $2,500 angle gear repair on an S60R.

Quote, originally posted by Slonie »

VadGTI: The best cars, in the worst shape™.

SchrickVR6: Canadians aren't real. They're like the Tooth Fairy, Santa Claus, and Condoleeza Rice.

Precision Z, Woodland Hills.

Quote, originally posted by Slonie »

VadGTI: The best cars, in the worst shape™.

SchrickVR6: Canadians aren't real. They're like the Tooth Fairy, Santa Claus, and Condoleeza Rice.

Indeed ... I wonder where those Eibachs are now.

Quote, originally posted by Slonie »

VadGTI: The best cars, in the worst shape™.

SchrickVR6: Canadians aren't real. They're like the Tooth Fairy, Santa Claus, and Condoleeza Rice.

Well, our deposit agreement allows me an out if there are any issues in the Carfax. I still haven't run it (waiting to find a freebie) and have until tomorrow.

Quote, originally posted by Slonie »

VadGTI: The best cars, in the worst shape™.

SchrickVR6: Canadians aren't real. They're like the Tooth Fairy, Santa Claus, and Condoleeza Rice.

Quote, originally posted by VadGTI »

… I think this guy may be friends with jbell .

Haha ... Congrats on the pickup

Avatar Submission Thread: Car Loungers -- Want new avatars to choose from? Show your support by putting this link in your sig and/or post in this linked thread.

Tso's shell is mmm, so hell schism.

What's wrong with a short shifter?

I really like the manual in the Z & G.

I am guessing the kid put on an aftermarket throw reduction. The Z already has a realllly short throw anyways.

Quote, originally posted by VarianceVQ »

$8200?? Hol-ee f***, I hate you.

That was the asking price. Purchase price was less.

He's talking about me!

Quote, originally posted by jamie@vwvortex »

Because you guys are unbelievably paranoid, delusional idiots...

at that price, i would have jumped on it... alas, i settled for the rx8

Quote, originally posted by rosskoss »

Because most Americans raise goats at home.

Edit:

Quote, originally posted by VadGTI »

Pulling into a gas station, I tried to pull the oil dipstick out and realized that Nissan makes you solve a Rubik's Cube before it allows you to pull it out. Either that, or I'm just an idiot.

This is a known issue with the DE motors... It's next to impossible to get a good reading off the dip stick... Read: http://my350z.com/forum/engine....html

Modified by Holden McNeil at 9:36 AM 11-4-2009

The big case didn't go well?

Just kidding, sorta. I have to repeat the poster above me though, how do you go from wanting a Porsche to buying a Nissan?

Enough money for some sweet wheels

Trade?

'99 Mazda 626 ES-V6 MTX (Gone)
'98 240SX SE (Woo! )