Trading in my 308 QV

As you probably know I have a 72 240Z w/ V8 onboard. The lines of the new 370Z are hard core 240Z on roids. All models in between have fallen way short. If you feel you have to go modern & in the same price range w/ your 308 the Z car is great art w/ superb performance & a race history. BTW, does not the 240Z take its cue from a Ferrari 250 GTO? Ah, Family.
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I love the old 240Zs. My friend has a yellow one and his twin brother has a red one. One of the cars on my eventual wish-list. What kind of V8 do you have in there? I have always thought that if you took a Ferrari V12 and jammed it in a 240z you would have a Japanese 365 Daytona.

Now I am curious. Do you think the lines of the 370Zs are different than the 350s? I prefer the looks of the 350Zs. To me both cars have the same lines but the 350Z has a 'cleaner' look. The 370's lights look like they were pulled from a $199 ad out of a ricer magazine.

 

Here you go.
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Sorry if I was one of the badmouth guys. I was really just trying to be funny. I guess you can never tell sarcasm with just text.

Seriously, enjoy the Z.

 

I have a custom Chevy 350 in my Z. Brutal for a daily driver as it is way unruly & stiff. Crude in comparison to say a Corvette but smoking fast in a strait line.
To me the 370Z is more curvaceous & therefore more sexy than the 350. I hate the strait edge geometric lines on all but maybe a Lamborghini.

 

Well if a straight six fits longitudinally and a V8 fits horizontally than a V12 should fit. Right? I might have to re-arrange my wish list to put a Datsun 605Z pretty damn close to the top.

 

Truth.

We don't know your situation. All we know is you're trading your 308 for a Nissan. You're going from one impractical two seater to another. So, we can guess it's not because you had kids, or need a snow plow vehicle, or have to haul horses. Because both cars are bad at those things.

All we know here, on this Ferrari forum on the Internet, is that you're going to take a financial beating trading in a very cool car, now with Hollywood ties, to buy a common modern car that will depreciate enough over the next few years to pay for at least a couple of major services on a 308.

A 370Z in 5-10 years will be forgotten like today's Nintendo, while the 308 will still be something of an icon. That's just my car enthusiast perspective on a thread titled "Trading in my 308QV".

In an automotive sense, and probably a financial sense, I would say it's a bad decision. If you're desperately short of cash right now, buying a new 370Z isn't the answer to that either. If you have a drag race scheduled against your neighbor's 350Z, and money staked on it, then I see where you're coming from.

I suppose I'm just reading your post and not understanding your train of thought.

 

I liked the idea of keeping the 308 and buying a used 350z. Best of both worlds. You get to keep the 308 all while having the driveability and reliability of the Nissan.

Assuming that the original poster got around 19k in trade for thier 308 and he paid around $35k for the new 370z, he came out owing about $16k. $16k would buy you a pretty nice low mileage 350z that is already sitting towards the bottom of the depreciation curve.

Aside from a dealer holding a gun to somebody's head making them buy a new car I can't see any possible situation where this would not have been a better option than what took place.

 

tommett yr the best
very well said

 

The z is a fantastic car. Obviously it's totally different that the 308. I've had both - they serve different purposes, one is an excellent daily driver and one is a weekend car. The ferrari is a fantastic example of a classic 70 - 80s sports car while nothing in it's price range can touch the Nissan. Enjoy

 

Your trading up in technology and build quality for sure, if this is what you are after God bless.
If it's panache(movie connection) and lasting style your after I suspect you'll be trading again soon.
After the new wears off you'll discover it has all the personality of a refrigerator.
No brio in a Geo good brother.

 

What he said.

Depreciation is like credit card interest -- very expensive, easy to forget about before it is incurred, and you get very little value for the money spent.

 

Have you then seen the beauties on the 458??? eeek!

And someone please explain this new trend (audi) of the small LEDs around the headlights????


Rick

 

I like the rear lights on the 458, but the front? Eeek is right. Not too found of how they are integrating vents in with the lights either. Still waiting for some sort of explanation on the tri-exhaust as well.

Regarding the audi LED lights...Abominable! That being said I guess tis the season to have your car adorned in Xmas lights.

 

First off, I happen to like the 350/370Z. Sweet exhaust note. (unfortunately also on my sister's Murano... but I digress). I wouldn't kick one out of my garage.

I'd like to challenge you guys one step further than Cliff. Whether at the race track with a race car or on the street in your exotic, if someone comes over with their kid to look at your car... open the door and put the kid in the driver's seat!! Stand there and make vroom vroom noises with the kid, whatever...

Ok, use your judgment here - if the kid is covered in ice cream or is only 2 and hasn't had a diaper change in the last 48 hours!

You'll give the kid some to remember and maybe you'll create the next generation of FChat'r with that simple act.

Rick

 

If the OP was a hard-core ferrari guy in the first place we wouldnt be having this conversation, such a trade would never take place. I doubt he is looking for a vote on his decision but one cant deny the financial loss of such a trade.

 

is that pic you posted of your car? where did you take the pic?

 

Have you already traded it off? You might want to let someone on the forum have a shot at it. Im sure someone could beat the trade in price. I might be willing to if you post some of the particulars.

 

As opposed to the 7K+ services on 308/328. Every 5 years and then so many here don't even drive them, as they worry about putting on mileage and incurring more depreciation on a 35K car. He owned a 308 is ready to move on. Says thanks to folks who helped him and says the site let him meet good folks.

 

That is what remains of the very end of the front straight of Bridgehampton Race Track. It is now a golf course and still has this section of the old track as part of the main entry to the club.

 

Maybe we've all missed the point here. A number of folks have asked the OP to advertise this car for close to what the dealer will give on trade in with no response to that point. He may just chuckle to himself as this car may have been for sale for 3, 6 or 9 months already. I've seen several F-cars for sale at prices that scream liquidation but they don't move. I still can't believe how much I paid for my car. These cars aren't moving fast, many people don't have money right now for these old weekend drivers. I also thought the OP alluded to not having room to keep multiple vehicles.

I found my car through F-chat and it had been advertised here for a long time. The seller had offers below 20K via e-mail and when he said come look, the comments went dead. Granted he wouldn't sell it below 20K but he did say lets talk. It appears even among this crowd there is hollow talk to steal one of these cars but not so many people ready to lay down cash.

 

Are you of the opinion that a dealer is going to give fair value? I highly doubt that the dealer is going to give the OP any more than could be found easily on this board by an enthusiast that recognizes a good deal. Of course, the dealer could offer a higher trade-in while burying it in the purchase price.

 

I don't think he'll get great value from the dealer but for a few thousand more I don't think he'll find anyone here ready to snap it up in an efficient manner. In any event, one of two things will happen with the car. The owner of the dealership will take it home or he'll wholesale it out and it will surface on the market and the next owner will have to pay a full market price for it.

 

Well what is fair market value for a euro 308QV, which probably will need service in the next year or so? Trade also saves you on the sales tax which in NY is 8.5% or more.

 

That is the big question. A dealer won't ask for records or when the last service was. They will take it for a spin, look in a book and make an offer that he may have to negotiate a bit with. A buyer will pour over the car, want records and will nitpick. Is anyone here willing to say $22,500 or 25K sight unseen, cashiers check in hand and on their way?

In a year this car will have a service and may be listed at 35K. Go to it guys, jump on it. It's a unique color and has low miles, a loving owner.

If anyone here was serious they would have sent him a PM already with an offer.