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Originally posted by BP:
Originally posted by JCSVT:
He means bottom-end as in engine block, connecting rods, and pistons. You can only go but so far with F/I on the VQ35.
true. however there's a couple NA VQs that run mid 13s with just i/h/e (<$1k). and that's an auto. 
good luck selling your car sigma. looks like it's been well maintained and the mods are useful/tasteful. i'm sure someone will pay your asking price.
A few guys over on my350z.com are running really low 13's with only basic bolt-ons. One guy on slicks w/o headers and cams is running 13.1@107MPH. I think he'll break 12's soon with the right weather and conditions.
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This is Sigma. His car is badass. But you can talk until you're blue in the face; you're not going to get him into a Nissan. Believe me, I've tried already.  Nice car Sig, I'm surprised you're selling it. If I could get approved for such a lofty price (that's just my income, I think you're asking the right amount) at a bank or something, I'd be all over that like white on a 6.  -SAV
Troll. 1997 VW Jetta MkIII GLS 5spd
All hail my appearance on CEG!
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Originally posted by SAV:
This is Sigma. His car is badass. But you can talk until you're blue in the face; you're not going to get him into a Nissan.
Believe me, I've tried already.
Heh. True. The fact that the Z is a Nissan doesn't help it in my book. And, no, I have no real reason for having that opinion, I just do.
BUT, I decided earlier this morning that I'm going to give the Z a better look than I have. So I'll spend this evening looking over the Forums, seeing what people are doing both with the looks and the power and handling, their experiences and opinions, and how the aftermarket looks. I don't want any buyer's remorse and I probably have discounted the Z too quickly, so I'll give it a look. And I'll also need to compare the prices. I get supplier discount with Nissan as well, but unfortunately their system requires that you go to the dealer to get the pricing which I don't want to do.
2003 Mazda6s 3.0L MTX
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Originally posted by sigma:
Heh. True. The fact that the Z is a Nissan doesn't help it in my book. And, no, I have no real reason for having that opinion, I just do.
BUT, I decided earlier this morning that I'm going to give the Z a better look than I have. So I'll spend this evening looking over the Forums, seeing what people are doing both with the looks and the power and handling, their experiences and opinions, and how the aftermarket looks. I don't want any buyer's remorse and I probably have discounted the Z too quickly, so I'll give it a look. And I'll also need to compare the prices. I get supplier discount with Nissan as well, but unfortunately their system requires that you go to the dealer to get the pricing which I don't want to do.
Sigma,
Understood. I'm happy with my current VQ35 powered Altima overall. The build quality is better than my Contour was, but not by leaps and bounds per se. I like the 350Z but I'd go after a G35 coupe for myself if I were to upgrade. I love the looks and it's RWD with some back seat to use at least.  One benefit to the VQ35 is that it's used in so many Nissan vehicles now that the aftermarket is getting half decent.
I'm a big Mazda fan too, I've had both an MX-3 and an MX-6 so I can't blame you for trying to stay in the Mazda family. This is my first Nissan so we'll see how it goes over the next few years.
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I gave the my350Z Forums a quick once-over just a minute ago, and I've gotta say that finding 2 threads on blown engines within the last 3 weeks, neither of which were turbo'd, just on the first page of posts doesn't instill a great deal of faith. The added $3000-4000 onto the pricetag over an RX-8 isn't helping its' case much either. But I'll keep looking.
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I too get the supplier discount on Nissan/Infiniti. It's typically around a few hundred over invoice as a guideline (used it to buy my G35).
Jim H
95 Midnight Blue SE (Sold)
98.5 Silver Frost E1 (Sold)
'04 G35 6MT Sedan (Sold)
'01 Aurora 4.0
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I think the RX-8 just is a more innovative and interesting car than the 350Z/G35 pair, too. I'm pretty much over the G...I feel like I've seen a gray one just about every day for the past who knows how long. And the best looking Zs that I've seen have had some sort of aftermarket grill opening treatment to break up that big rectangle in the front. But by comparison, when I see RX-8s in the wild, I find myself staring at the front fenders and wondering what washing that would be like. 
"Think of it, if you like, as a librarian with a G-string under the tweed." Clarkson on the Mondeo.
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Well, its obviously a matter of personal opinion, but having driven all the cars I mentioned above I would choose to own the RX-8 last. All of the others were faster, got better gas mileage, handled as well or close to as well, and could be had for around the same price.
I did like the interior and rear doors of the RX-8 the best, but that was about it. I am a huge Mazda fan and have driven many past RX-7's, miatas, MX-6's, MX-3's, etc... I'm just not at all impressed with the current car.
1999 Blk/Tan CSVT #654 - SOLD
2003 Suzuki SV650s
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Quote:
All of the others were faster, got better gas mileage, handled as well or close to as well, and could be had for around the same price.
Of the ones you mentioned, 350Z, G35, and GTO (you mentioned 04 Cobra too, but it's immediately out in my book) they are all most certainly faster.
Gas mileage isn't particularly important to me, but mileage on the GTO is not significantly better except on long freeway cruises where the thing sips gas practically at idle, and long-term tests by at least a couple car magazines have put the real-life mileage of the G35 (and presumably the 350Z as well) within 2MPG of the long-term tests of RX-8s -- in the high teens. I think it may have been Edmunds that only got an average of 16mpg out of their G35.
Handling -- the GTO is out in that category, as it can't even dream of hanging with the others on the list. Great car, loved driving it, but not a handler by any means. The RX-8 is very noticeably more balanced than the Z that I drove, it's difficult to quantify, but from a purely subjective standpoint it was definitely better. Whether that's noticeable in everyday driving or not is definitely a point to make.
Price. Well, I guess I just have a different way of measuring "around the same price" than you. Assuming no rebates on anything, and dealer invoice (I get supplier on all of the above cars), the RX-8 is cheaper than the GTO by ~$2500, the 350Z by ~$3,000, and the G35 by ~$4,000. But the RX-8 currently has $2000 in rebates on leases and that is expected to extend to purchases after the holiday weekend, which will further extend the price difference quite a bit. Finance rates are look to be about 1-2 points better with the Mazda than the others with the same amount (preferably $0) down. In the end the difference amounts to $75-100 or more per month pretty quickly. It's not that I couldn't afford that, I'd just need to feel like I'm getting 20% more car if I'm spending that much more every month. And that's what I'm trying to figure out now.
2003 Mazda6s 3.0L MTX
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