It’s official, I’m having my quarterlife crisis. Thus, I am planning on upgrading my wheels and buying a sporty vehicle. I don’t need space to haul anything really.
I’ve been looking at a 2006-2007 Z4 3.0si, 2009 Nissan 370Z, 2008 Infiniti G37s, and 2005 Porsche Boxster. They’re all around the same price.
That being said, I’m having a lot of difficulty making the decision. I’ve driven all of them (except the Boxster with a manual). Here are the pros and cons:
Z4 3.0si:
(my frontrunner if I could find one in good shape with a manual)
Second fastest, love the BMW clutch and handling.
370z:
Like the looks, but it feels like it was designed by a 16 year old male. Lots of led lights and stuff. Fastest. Probably going to be less expensive to maintain.
Infiniti G37s:
Most practical (boo). 3rd fastest. Lots of fun to drive and tons of options in the cars. Look like a grown up 370Z.
Boxster:
Slowest, by almost a second. Can’t afford a Boxster S unless I go with a lot of miles or a 2002. Fantastic handling. Porsche quality. Expensive to maintain, but apparently do not have a lot that goes wrong.
What do you guys think? Should I consider something else?
I’d get the Boxster, you need to own a Porsche one time in your life! And I am pretty sure it’ll go fast enough to get you a ticket, anywhere, any time.
I’ve always liked the 370Z because I like the seats, but they’re all good rides. Choosing a sports car is a highly personal decision.
By the way, have yuo considered other possibilities? Lotus is discontinuing the current, much-loved Elise and Exige models, and if you can snag one of those they’re outstanding, one of the world’s best track cars. The body configuration they’re doing away with will quickly become a classic.
I would go with the Nissan or Infiniti, unless you know of a mechanic familiar with BMW or Porsche. It’s easy to find someone willing to work on a Nissan or Infiniti, and they are fairly affordable to maintain and repair. BMWs are pretty expensive to fix, and Porsches are probably really expensive to fix, and it may be a challenge to find someone experienced with them, or even a dealer service department. Do you have a Porsche dealer anywhere nearby? For what it’s worth, I’m 25 and if I were choosing one of these cars, I would take the Infiniti in a heartbeat, but I do tend to have a bit of a practical streak in a lot of ways. That doesn’t make the Infiniti any less fun to drive, though.
Speak for yourself tsm I’m tall enough that getting into those things on the driver’s side requires some interesting contortions.
Infiniti is Nissan. The 370 is comparable in quality, though it encourages hooning more than the G37, so it probably has a higher number of repairs. I’d tend to attribute that to people driving the hell out of it though.
I’ve heard that the Boxster has very few repairs and I spoke with my local dealer in Austin and they said that the scheduled maintenance wasn’t too bad ($800 for the 30k).
You may be right about the Infiniti repair costs, but the thing I didn’t like was how big and heavy it felt. It was a blast though.
I drive a BMW now, so I know full well what I’m getting into, ha.
This is your fun-mobile. If you don’t like it, don’t buy it, no matter what the reliability statistics are. Frankly you should go to every dealership in town and try their fun cars. Then get the one you like.
I sat in an Elise once at an autoshow. I thought I wanted one until then. It wasn’t because it was uncomfortable, but my size 12 can’t work those pedals in that tiny footwell. Push the gas and I’d trip on the the brake pedal. Foot off the clutch and there was no place for it.
I would pick the G37s sedan w/ a 6 speed, because it is practical, in the sense that cops won’t point radar guns at it, and yet it drives like a 4 door 370Z.
C’mon - put the clubs on the passenger side; put the six-pack on the passenger seat. You can carry both at the same time! But test drive one first. They are an extremely tight fit. But think about the outstanding gas mileage…
The Elise is more like a good pair of shoes than a car. You don’t get in it, you put it on. I respect Mango’s reservations…as well as the commenst by you big guys.
Honestly, if it were my money I’d opt for the 370Z. The seats in those are great, in deference to my bad back, they have Nissan reliability, and they can be a daily driver as well as a fun sportscar. Even for a golfer. Pushed hard, they have some oil cooling problems, but unless you spend weekends at the track it’ll be more reliable than many family vehicles. Get a ragtop.
PS: I can no longer stuff myself into an Elise. But I can get into a 370Z with no problem.
If those are the only choices, I’d probably go with the Infiniti. It’s quick, classy, and doesn’t shout “pull me over” like the other choices, which lets you stretch your fun a little further.
Have you considered a used 5 or 7-series BMW or an AMG Mercedes?
I recently drove a G37x and liked it a lot - mainly the engine sound and the fact that it was so low to the ground (in my experience it was low); however, I think it might not be too comfortable for long drives. Settled for an EX35 AWD and have not regretted the decision. Never had the opportunity to drive a Porsche or a Z4 - would definitely love to do so.
I’m tall enough that getting into those things on the driver’s side requires some interesting contortions.