| Message |
thanks for all those who've helped answer my questions along the way. i've always loved the look and sound of the g35, and knew this was the next ride after the z. my criteria was very focused: 05-07 (revup), black exterior, 6mt, < 100k miles, factory original (no mods). my initial search within 50 mile radius, expanded to 100... 200... 500... nationwide. it was impossible to find a well sorted 6mt! but i kept looking day in and out, and came across this gem. 1 owner, no accidents, strictly infiniti dealer maintained for life of the car with 27 service records. 
...arguably the best angle of the car... 
...look at the seats! looked almost brand new... i was originally looking for a black on black interior- but they are so hard to find with my other criteria's, just decided to settle on the beige- not bad, but it has to grow on me... 
...looked so nice, BUT I was a bit hesitant traveling from NYC to Tampa, FL (1,000+ miles) for a car. so I did some thinking and found Infiniti of Tampa was right around the corner. I requested they take it over there for a full inspection, and the deal was contingent upon passing. infiniti called me directly to confirm the car was very clean, other than a few cosmetic issues. no leaks, no rust, good suspension, a good southern car. so after some back and forth communication, we struck a deal and bought a one way plane ticket to Tampa FL! 
...so I go from NY (55F) to Tampa (95F). first time there, very nice! dealer picks me up from the airport. we pull up and i find this all detailed, ready to go, looking pretty! upon closer inspection, i did notice a few imperfections off the bat- wheels were discolored, hood had scratches, and interior had the dreaded crack in the dash... which i wasn't very pleased with, but i felt like i could live with those and fix along the way. so took a test drive, car was mechanically sound, got instantly hooked, and signed the papers! =) 
...now the reality hits me, and i am faced with this behemouth trip. day 1: Tampa, FL to Florence SC (8hrs). day 2: SC to NY (12hrs). along the way i was having a heart attack because somewhere along GA/SC there was the craziest of thunderstorms on Monday. the news was forecasting possible hail! i have no idea what I would have done if it started hailing while driving, probably drove the car off a cliff... but luckily dodged a bullet and didn't happen... next time i will be ready for that contingency plan! 
...so I did get a little paranoid (as seen my last post) and went to a local hardware store to get me some blue tape! the thing is, even after putting this on, i am very sad to say i still got a ton of rock chips and scratches on the hood of my car from the 1,000+ mile journey!!! my neophyte ways of taping was not enough, and now i'm paying for this rookie mistake =( i'm so bummed about this now, but lesson learned... 
...passed by many states along the way, but pray tell why is virginia for lovers??? this was one of the longest state to drive through, besides FL, haha... 
...all in all the experience was quite involving, but glad i made the trip. got to get better acquainted the past 2 days with the g35. the first half of the trip was not fun at all because this damn clutch needs getting used to, not to mention the additional 6th gear. the seats needed getting used to as well, after all these years in the z32, which i think was perfect. also, every little sound that i heard from engine, transmission, clutch, wheels, etc- i was getting paranoid that there was something wrong, haha. but i came to realize this car is a very raw, hardcore, guys type of car. there is no gentleness or refinement about it- especially the 6mt version. you feel every little bump from the low profile tires/ 19" wheels, and you feel the rolling heft of the vehicle. but once you get on the throttle, the exhaust screams the sweetest note, and there is good thrust of acceleration in the upper registers. i'm sure i have to deal with all the strange little idiosyncracies of the new car, but life after the z may not be so bad, i'm gonna enjoy this ride =) 
 |
 |
here's the new ride =) - 
18:52:35 05/31/17
