Which car should I buy?

Steven Carter · **Posted:** Tue Oct 09, 2012 10:48 am

IIRC, on average the 370 was <100 lbs lighter, but depended heavily (ha!) on which options package came with the car. I've seen 350Z weight quotes range from 3150ish-3600+ so....

If I were going to CS I would probably not put it at the top of the list.

Les Davis · **Joined:** Fri Aug 29, 2003 2:04 pm **Posts:** 2059

Steven Carter wrote:

IIRC, on average the 370 was <100 lbs lighter, but depended heavily (ha!) on which options package came with the car. I've seen 350Z weight quotes range from 3150ish-3600+ so....

If I were going to CS I would probably not put it at the top of the list.

Yeah, the 370Z was one of the only cars in my adult life that got more powerful, smaller and lighter than is predecessor.

I think its funny to hear you Honda guys talk about torque 269 ft-lbs is not a lot of torque.

Matt McGrain · **Posted:** Tue Oct 09, 2012 11:13 am

Steven Carter wrote:

Everyone goes ape over the BRZ weighing in at 2700#, so 3200 is not that bad.

One of the guys on the sandbox had his weigh in at ~2550# IIRC... I'll see if I can find the link. The 19" race tires on the Nissan would partially be a deal breaker for me, but I could see it being more competitive in CS (nationally, but with local stuff it wouldn't matter too much) than the Toyobaru, which I think should have been in DS considering how fast the WRX and the TT have gotten. Just my humble bench racing opinion for the day...

Props to Nissan of course for listening to the enthusiasts by making it lighter and shorter than the 350Z. I wish Honda would follow the same philosophy and make something lighter and cooler for autocross again.

Steven Carter · **Posted:** Tue Oct 09, 2012 11:24 am

#2550...nice. Interesting to see how much a car weighs in "autocross form" (next to no gas, no washer fluid, sans spare tire and trunk stuff, chopped exhaust, wheels, etc etc) than the established "curb weight."

+1 on 19" wheels/tires for the 370....way too spendy for me.

Matt McGrain · **Posted:** Tue Oct 09, 2012 11:37 am

Ooops, correction. Mid 26XX's with full exhaust... scroll down to #23 & 24: http://roadraceautox.com/showthread.php?t=40927

RobLupella · **Posted:** Tue Oct 09, 2012 12:06 pm

Steven Carter wrote:

#2550...nice. Interesting to see how much a car weighs in "autocross form" (next to no gas, no washer fluid, sans spare tire and trunk stuff, chopped exhaust, wheels, etc etc) than the established "curb weight."

+1 on 19" wheels/tires for the 370....way too spendy for me.

I tried to lower my weight by taking coolant out but it didn't work out so well

shawnwhipple · **Joined:** Wed Aug 20, 2003 6:28 pm **Posts:** 603

I think I'm leaning more towards the Toybaru just mostly based on operating the lower operating costs. That was sort of my thinking, but it's good to hear everyones opinion.

I'm not really sure how competitive it will be in autocross nationally but locally it should be fine. It may turn out to be a great car? and if it isn't and I decidet to go back to nationals again I could always rent a co-drive in "the car" whatever that is. Long term, I feel the SCCA will probably end up moving it down a class or maybe the top dogs in CS will be moved up?

At the risk of completely opening up a can of worms any other cars I should think about? (No Mike I really don't want I 2002 WRX) I did look at a BMW Z4 the other day but it is just a shade on the small size for me, same thing with Mustangs, I think I could drive one in an autocross but I wouldn't want to drive it everyday.

Pete Guthrie · **Posted:** Tue Oct 09, 2012 3:12 pm

the brz sounds cool. Ken Gushi put a 2.5l turbo sti motor in it and made, it a drift car. some people already have parts for it performance.
its cool. Hey Mike, come to the rallycross in your wrx. i want someone to compete with!

DickRasmussen · **Posted:** Tue Oct 09, 2012 3:39 pm

shawnwhipple wrote:

I did look at a BMW Z4 the other day but it is just a shade on the small size for me, same thing with Mustangs, I think I could drive one in an autocross but I wouldn't want to drive it everyday.

Did I read this correctly . . . you fit in a Toybaru but a current Mustang is too small in the driver's area?

Says a "not big" guy who generally is concerned that a car is too big for me. :lol:

shawnwhipple · **Joined:** Wed Aug 20, 2003 6:28 pm **Posts:** 603

DickRasmussen wrote:

shawnwhipple wrote:

I did look at a BMW Z4 the other day but it is just a shade on the small size for me, same thing with Mustangs, I think I could drive one in an autocross but I wouldn't want to drive it everyday.

Did I read this correctly . . . you fit in a Toybaru but a current Mustang is too small in the driver's area?

Says a "not big" guy who generally is concerned that a car is too big for me. :lol:

I know it's strange, but for some reason the way the tunnel and dash is shaped it force me to hold my right leg in the same position from some reason? I went and looked at one in the showroom and I got uncomfortable just sitting there playing with the buttons and talking to the salesman. I could drive it but for long stints I could see it getting uncomfortable.

RodneyWright · **Posted:** Tue Oct 09, 2012 4:46 pm

shawnwhipple wrote:

I know it's strange, but for some reason the way the tunnel and dash is shaped it force me to hold my right leg in the same position from some reason? I went and looked at one in the showroom and I got uncomfortable just sitting there playing with the buttons and talking to the salesman. I could drive it but for long stints I could see it getting uncomfortable.

I have found the same issue in the past, but.... if you tilt up the front part of the seat for more thigh support, it takes some of the stress off of your leg and you sit more comfortably.

shawnwhipple · **Joined:** Wed Aug 20, 2003 6:28 pm **Posts:** 603

And the winner is:

It's a lightly used BRZ limited with 1415 miles on it. It's Mass near Boston and hopefully I can pick it up next weekend. I've been keeping this quiet about it because I didn't want to jinx the process and I've still got some bureaucratic hurdles to jump thorugh before I can actually drive it home. The main problem being Mass doesn't issue temp tags so I'm going to have to bring a tag from NC to make it all legal. The way the DMV works in Mass is just another reason not to vote for Romney. :lol:

Matt McGrain · **Posted:** Mon Oct 22, 2012 12:36 pm

Sweeeeeet!

I'm sure seeing Scott toss his BR-Z through the cones yesterday isn't going to make the wait more agonizing. :lol:

RobLupella · **Posted:** Mon Oct 22, 2012 1:00 pm

shawnwhipple wrote:

And the winner is:

It's a lightly used BRZ limited with 1415 miles on it. It's Mass near Boston and hopefully I can pick it up next weekend. I've been keeping this quiet about it because I didn't want to jinx the process and I've still got some bureaucratic hurdles to jump thorugh before I can actually drive it home. The main problem being Mass doesn't issue temp tags so I'm going to have to bring a tag from NC to make it all legal. The way the DMV works in Mass is just another reason not to vote for Romney. :lol:

"like" button pushed

steve remchak · **Posted:** Mon Oct 22, 2012 11:39 pm

"just another reason not to vote for Romney"

We may not be so far apart after all Shawn............

Nice find. :thumbsup:

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