350Z or Impreza WRX
 

Okay I’m really having trouble making up my mind. Here is my situation: I can get a good deal on a used 350Z for a little more than 20k. I know the driver and I know the history of the car etc, and it was babied for the >20k miles that were put on it. On the other hand I have always wanted a WRX STi. I cannot afford an STi obviously, and I don’t really feel comfortable buying a used one in that price range because there is a very high chance that the **** was beat out of it. The WRX however is still a car that I would have a lot of fun with. Here are my pros/cons and I know that obviously posting here will be biased but here it goes anyway:

WRX Pros:
-Turbocharged-My last car was N/A and I have always wanted a turbocharged car, and it would be way too expensive and DD unfriendly to turbo the Z
-AWD
-Modding is much, much cheaper and more responsive than the Z

WRX Cons:
-Uglier exterior (stock at least)
-I would have to drop a good amount of money on suspension/brake/tire mods
-Worse interior than the Z in my opinion

350Z Pros:
-Great Suspension/Brakes Stock
-Overall look/appearance
-2 Doors
-Interior
-Stock H.I.D.s (little things…)

350Z Cons:
-Very expensive and minimally useful to mod N/A which means either I wont mod (impossible) or I’ll go broke trying to squeeze out only a few ponies which I will regret in the end (like most of the people who I’ve seen mod their Z N/A do).


In the end it is my decision but since I’m stuck in the middle of the balance beam so to say, hearing a few more pros or cons on either side might help. Thanks.

I had a chance to drove the Z for the weekend.

Cons:
-no power or torque
-didn't really care for the plastic interior on the doors
-blind spots, need to heavily rely on the mirrors

Pros:
-does look nicer exterior wise
-girls seem to check it out :)

305Z Cons
- NO Trunk space
- 2 Doors

[QUOTE=RedStage]305Z Cons
- NO Trunk space
- 2 Doors[/QUOTE]
That is true about the trunk space, but keep in mind that I actually like the 2 door aspect

[QUOTE=gqchynaboy]I had a chance to drove the Z for the weekend.

Cons:
-no power or torque
-didn't really care for the plastic interior on the doors
-blind spots, need to heavily rely on the mirrors

Pros:
-does look nicer exterior wise
-girls seem to check it out :)[/QUOTE]

The blind spots are true, but I came from a Honda so this car has ALOT of torque compared to what im used to haha :D Also it has much more power and torque than the wrx when its not in boost..im not used to being able to accelerate in 5th gear at 2.5k rpms on the freeway

You seem to have your heart set on the Z, but you're disapointed in the expensive power gains. It also seems that you're souly looking into a WRX because of it's tuning potential because you don't care for its appearance inside or out.

I came from a Z32TT and I can tell you that the quality and tuning potential of the Z33 went down. The Z33 drops the turbo power and the nice interior. It retained a stylish look (that took about 2 years to grow on me) and improved it's pedigree as a well balanced sports car.

The WRX... what hasen't been said about it? I would have to disagree on your idea of dropping lots of money into the suspension. I'm running on stock everything and some KDWS tires on my bugeye and I'm very content with it. Unless you plan on some track duty, the stock set-up is plenty good for daily driving. Even up mountain roads the understeer only comes out when I push it hard. I hear a new rear sway bar will neutralize most of that. The AWD allows you to basically force the car around a corner. AWD is very forgiving for unskilled drivers like myself. Screwing up with AWD is like screwing up on google. When you scew up entering a corner for instance, the car says "Did you mean: [i]this[/i]?"

Take what you want from that. Spending $20K is always a hard decision.

I work for Nissan and drive Z's on a daily basis and I have to say I am not impressed with them at all but a STOCK WRX isn't great either. A few mods here and there make the WRX a very capable sports car. For daily driving obviously the WRX is much more practical and it seems you know that the aftermarket department is much more forgiving with a WRX. It sounds like a WRX is more suitable for you, especially if you plan on modding it as well as driving it everyday.

[QUOTE=1sicwrx]I work for Nissan and drive Z's on a daily basis and I have to say I am not impressed with them at all but a STOCK WRX isn't great either. A few mods here and there make the WRX a very capable sports car. For daily driving obviously the WRX is much more practical and it seems you know that the aftermarket department is much more forgiving with a WRX. It sounds like a WRX is more suitable for you, especially if you plan on modding it as well as driving it everyday.[/QUOTE]
Yea, I think I would have alot more fun with the WRX as well...hmm

[QUOTE=Superglue WRX]You seem to have your heart set on the Z, but you're disapointed in the expensive power gains. It also seems that you're souly looking into a WRX because of it's tuning potential because you don't care for its appearance inside or out.

I came from a Z32TT and I can tell you that the quality and tuning potential of the Z33 went down. The Z33 drops the turbo power and the nice interior. It retained a stylish look (that took about 2 years to grow on me) and improved it's pedigree as a well balanced sports car.

The WRX... what hasen't been said about it? I would have to disagree on your idea of dropping lots of money into the suspension. I'm running on stock everything and some KDWS tires on my bugeye and I'm very content with it. Unless you plan on some track duty, the stock set-up is plenty good for daily driving. Even up mountain roads the understeer only comes out when I push it hard. I hear a new rear sway bar will neutralize most of that. The AWD allows you to basically force the car around a corner. AWD is very forgiving for unskilled drivers like myself. Screwing up with AWD is like screwing up on google. When you scew up entering a corner for instance, the car says "Did you mean: [i]this[/i]?"

Take what you want from that. Spending $20K is always a hard decision.[/QUOTE]
Nice to hear that the stock suspension setup is treating you nicely, thats good to know.
Thanks, both of you.

[B]Will [/B] you be driving in any type of condition(Other than 100% Tarmac of course) at any time of the year where AWD will be a FACTOR? will you need the back seat? the extra 2 doors? the trunk space?
you can mod the [B]Z[/B] but eventually you will still be wanting/wishing you had a Turbo car right outta the BOX... ;)

Plus how often do you want to ask a friend if you can borrow their car because you bought something larger than a golf bag? :)

Superglue WRX said: When you scew up entering a corner for instance, the car says "Did you mean: this?"

Amen brother...amen. AWD FTW!!!


(Get the WRX dude. 4 doors > 2 doors)

[QUOTE=RedStage]305Z Cons
- NO Trunk space
- [b]2 Doors[/b][/QUOTE]

tbh, not a real Z enthusiast if you believe thats a con tbh..

The con of the 350z is that everybody and their mother has one and its cousin the G35. I'd rather have an Evo or an Sti and I'll keep my dads 240Z. (for a bit of old skool)

Ubar Ru.
 

The Boxer rumble kicks ass.

plus you will money left over if u buy the WRX b/c it is not as expensive as the 350Z..... which means mod. money

[QUOTE=samurai]tbh, not a real Z enthusiast if you believe thats a con tbh..

The con of the 350z is that everybody and their mother has one and its cousin the G35. I'd rather have an Evo or an Sti and I'll keep my dads 240Z. (for a bit of old skool)[/QUOTE]
bah

g35>wrx>z

[QUOTE=sigma pi]bah

g35>wrx>z[/QUOTE]
And then you come to your senses after you pass by 163, 547 G35s on your way to 7-11.