Neil, welcome to the garage queen club.
Fits me pretty much perfectly too. After my first test drive I didn’t find any other car that fit me as well as the Z, and that includes the overall layout of the controls too. That’s just personal preference, of course. 
I haven’t really driven it anywhere near its limits yet though. Still getting used to it, and still running the original balding Potenzas up front with some rock-hard Goodyears on the back.
As a side note, a salesman at the Subaru dealer tried to tell me the regular WRX was “more responsive” than a 350Z. :lol:
Direzza Z1 Sports seem to be all the rage, and are available in factory sizing (assuming you’re still on the 5-spokes like me) for about 850 from tirerack. I need to call Sam’s Club and see if they can order 'em. Tire installation is one of those things i truly detest. Plus the guys at the auto skills center on base…eh i wouldn’t trust 'em. 
Yup, they’re the factory 5-spokes and I like 'em. And the Dunlops do look like winners, even though they’d be $1100 by the time I got them here via tirerack. I am considering the Potenza Re760 as well since the tire shop we use can get them in for a decent price.
Plus this is the first true performance car I’ve ever owned and I still get a bit uneasy seeing a treadwear rating of 200. :uhoh:
Meh, don’t let it scare you too much. Just take a look at the average mpg in the multi-gauge after a tankful of spirited driving. You’ll forget all about that treadwear rating. 
My cavalier is an insane POS, but by god that Ecotec is damn near bulletproof and nets me about 28mpg combined via cheap(er) 87.
Gonna avoid another car payment as long as possible, then hit up a Jetta TDI whenever the cav either gives up the ghost or I just can’t stand it anymore.
I had leather in the Odyssey and have leather in the Titan and I don’t slide around in the seats at all. And yes, I drove it in a manner that would reveal such a flaw. It was my goal to lose people in sports cars on the curves going to Anchorage. Nothing worse than getting left behind by a minivan.
I think the newer leather seat provide a lot more grip than the ones in the 80’s/90’s. Plus the shape of seats has gotten more sporty.
As for all the electronics, I agree with you for the most part. all the radars and shit they are putting on cars are a little much. I like GPS, heated seats/mirrors, and a good sound system. We’ve go the back up sensors on the Titan but I could have done without it.
Caterham’s are pretty stipped down and dont come with many “luxeries”. In fact, a heater only comes as an option
[QUOTE=armedferret;2244262]
Gonna avoid another car payment as long as possible, then hit up a Jetta TDI whenever the cav either gives up the ghost or I just can’t stand it anymore.[/QUOTE]
We’ve got a Jetta TDI sportwagen DSG, its an excellent car!!
[QUOTE=GoGreen;2244157]
As a side note, a salesman at the Subaru dealer tried to tell me the regular WRX was “more responsive” than a 350Z. :lol:[/QUOTE]
I guess I dont get what is so funny. Having gone from a 2009 370z to a 2011 “regular” WRX I would completely agree with the Salesman. The Nissan was a great car, more refined, better build quality, better looking, etc etc. The WRX base model I have is a rattle trap, speakers are horrible, thin paint, but I love it. Why? Because it is raw, has that go cart kind of feel. Also, very cheap to mod, 320 hp and 28 mpg highway. Its an Enthusiast car.
It may have just been the one I test drove, but it didn’t feel raw and sporty at all, even though it was the 265 hp version (which admittedly isn’t really “regular”). Not at all what I was expecting. Very little clutch feel, soft brake pedal, and the shifter was extremely notchy. Not in a performance way, either. It was just extremely difficult to get into gear, especially reverse. Maybe that particular one was just a lemon though. Or the previous owner beat it to hell.
Don’t get me wrong, I was really interested in the WRX and if I had been looking for a year-round, go-anywhere car to use as a daily driver and mod later on it definitely would have fit the bill. I think they have a lot of potential and look mean. I just found it funny (or maybe just odd, I suppose) that the salesman was trying to say the two cars were equivalent when in my experience they are completely different. But I guess that is their job; if they don’t have what you want they’ll try and convince you that what they have is a better choice. 
[QUOTE=armedferret;2244262]Meh, don’t let it scare you too much. Just take a look at the average mpg in the multi-gauge after a tankful of spirited driving. You’ll forget all about that treadwear rating.
My cavalier is an insane POS, but by god that Ecotec is damn near bulletproof and nets me about 28mpg combined via cheap(er) 87.
Gonna avoid another car payment as long as possible, then hit up a Jetta TDI whenever the cav either gives up the ghost or I just can’t stand it anymore.[/QUOTE]
Good point!
[QUOTE=GoGreen;2244367]It may have just been the one I test drove, but it didn’t feel raw and sporty at all, even though it was the 265 hp version (which admittedly isn’t really “regular”). Not at all what I was expecting. Very little clutch feel, soft brake pedal, and the shifter was extremely notchy. Not in a performance way, either. It was just extremely difficult to get into gear, especially reverse. Maybe that particular one was just a lemon though. Or the previous owner beat it to hell.
Don’t get me wrong, I was really interested in the WRX and if I had been looking for a year-round, go-anywhere car to use as a daily driver and mod later on it definitely would have fit the bill. I think they have a lot of potential and look mean. I just found it funny (or maybe just odd, I suppose) that the salesman was trying to say the two cars were equivalent when in my experience they are completely different. But I guess that is their job; if they don’t have what you want they’ll try and convince you that what they have is a better choice. :)[/QUOTE]
I’m sure it was run hard, they all are. Basically what you described is pretty close to accurate from my experiences. A complete stock one with stock tune and and stock exhaust and truck shifter is yes, pretty lame lol. Stage 2, short shifter, and mild exhaust and you have something that I consider raw as you can get for the price.
anything from factory 5 and someone to put it together for you 
look into Audi’s… I love my A4, I’m actually in the market for a new ride and I have been looking at newer Audi’s, probably going to go with another A4, but this time I’m not going to buy a v6 and I will be going with the 2.0t.
Surprised no one has mentioned the BMW M3 CSL.
There’s a Maxima for sale that looks pretty hawt…
I dont think Neil wants to get into another morgage payment :p.
Sounds fun. 
The stock WRX was actually outside the budget I had laid out anyway, lol.
No dice, sunroof…
Must be why he wants double the book value for it.
what year A4 you have? i like how 2005 A4 look but Ive read on Edmunds they have reliability issues, how true?