[rogerxp]

Well, what seems to have whipped-up into fevered excitment, I can finally reveal my new set of wheels...

...it wouldn't have really taken a psychic to have guessed but it was a little higher up the ladder than I was originally aiming at (surprise surprise).

Photos first, then a little spiel, here goes (she's a bit dusty having just arrived on the ferry from Northern Ireland)...

[xenon]

Very Nice.

[JaySTee]

Lovely - perfect for the current sunny spell we're having

[rogerxp]

A little bit of the story before I write properly…

Those eagle-eyed of you will have noticed that this isn’t a 350Z Roadster that I was hunting down and in fact is the latest incarnation of the Z family being a 370Z Roadster.

GT spec brings along leather, heated/cooled, electric seats, and a few other gadgets that I can’t recall just for now. This car also has SatNav installed and rear parking sensors. The roof is fully automatic (no latch to manually release) and is lined on the inside so hides away all the mechanicals.

She was only registered in September 2010 so is a ‘60’ plate with only 1,700 miles on the clock (oh, forget to check it’s still got that!!!) and was bought for an absolute freaking steal. Don’t know whether I dropped lucky, probably, or whether it’s more to do with the state of the Irish economy, but I only paid £23,980. The list price new (i.e. 6 months ago) was in excess of £37,000 so a very healthy saving indeed. Hence the reason I pushed myself into this particular 370Z, as opposed to a 350Z, as hopefully depreciation will be kind-ish to me.

I’ve only driven her from the main road into my parking space at work so will head out later on me thinks for a proper drive.

I must say also that the dealer, main Nissan dealer, in Ireland have been superb, returned all calls promptly, got information quickly, did a decent enough finance deal, so well done to Shelbourne Motors .

Hope you like…

Oh, the 90s style ariel makes me laugh, God knows what it's got that .

[peterg1965]

Beeaaauuutiful.... I like Roger and great value for money too. Fantastic colour and lovely alloys.

[xenon]

Do you have to register it here?

[RagingKileak]

I had my money on you buying a 370Z (as you know) from the start mate.

Cracking car, they are (in general) one of the best bargains out there at the moment in Coupe or Cab and I do love the way they drive. Lots of bang for the buck and somehow, someway almost completely forgotten and undersold in comparison to the very-quickly-common 350Z.

Good choice of spec too. I think you got a good price and I've been looking at similar cars in the UK with that kind of mileage for just a little more, so I think it's a good deal.

As we discussed in respect to the 350Z you had (and in general of all my cars) I would have preferred a more garish colour, but you can't knock it mate and I have NEVER yet turned down the right car based on the colour alone.

Matt

[Boyd1963]

Hurrah!

Good choice Rog. It looks fantastic. I hope that it drives as well as it looks.

PS

I believe that Sherbourne Motors is in Northern Ireland which is part of the UK so their economy is relatively ok Well no worse than the rest of us in mainland UK

[rogerxp]

Thanks for your comments guys.

Originally Posted by xenon

Do you have to register it here?

Yes, a really simple process, just take my V5 to a local DVLA, they register it in the UK, and issue a UK plate & provide a new V5. I'll stick my private plate on it whilst I'm there.

I was nervous about this aspect, and resale, so checked with Oli who confirmed it was all fine and in fact, these days, virtually completely loses it's Irish link.

Originally Posted by RagingKileak

As we discussed in respect to the 350Z you had (and in general of all my cars) I would have preferred a more garish colour, but you can't knock it mate and I have NEVER yet turned down the right car based on the colour alone.

This colour, Twilight Grey, was my first choice in fact but would have had silver or black. There is only one garish colour to choose from (I'm excluding red as that's just a personal preference) which is a vivid blue. In fact a cheap one just popped up on Nissan website the other day at £25k in this blue colour.

Originally Posted by Boyd1963

I believe that Sherbourne Motors is in Northern Ireland which is part of the UK so their economy is relatively ok Well no worse than the rest of us in mainland UK

Ha ha, didn't really think the economy had contributed to be honest, it's just something someone said to me - we're equally a fecked .

[davyk31]

Lovely car Roger but you are getting a bit confused in your "Irish" thoughts. Shelbourne is in Northern Ireland therefore everybit as much part of the UK as England / Scotland / Wales. In fact most NI car registrations are now processed through Swansea so there is totally no issue with a car registered in N Ireland and a huge amount of cars pass over the sea in either direction for sale. It will have absolutely no effect on the resale and sometimes can actually add value as you could have retained the original NI registration for that "private" look had you not had your own plate. Most of the private plates used on cars in England are infact just regular NI registrations.

Large petrol engined cars are really unpopular in NI as we seem to have become a country of diesel car lovers so would possibly help to explain why they were keen to move on a performance car, that and the fact the car trade is on its knees so they will be glad to sell anything.

[FieldingMellish]

Very nice! Congratulations. Enjoy it in our current weather.

Northern Ireland is, of course, part of the UK, so there should never have been any potential problem........

[sheps]

Very Nice Rog, looks awesome.

If I'm not mistaken that comes with "Rev Synchro" or something like that, which matches revs on the downchange, replicating heel and toe downshifts, doesn't it?

I'll be interested to hear what you think of that.

Congrats mate, have a great birthday out enjoying your new toy!

[Em135eye]

Wow - lovely car!

[rogerxp]

Yes, there is no problem whatsoever with the car coming from Northern Ireland, it is of course in the UK (but try getting a balloon finance from the mainland over their; impossible ), but was nervous that it might put some folk off - for no reason apart from illfounded perception.

Does look quite good with the irish plate on in fact, it's a good one, but my private one is a whole load better .

Si, yes, it has rev-syncho on it, that's one of the things the GT pack gives you. Didn't need it moving it all of 200 yards earlier but from my test drive last year it was pretty cool. Would need more practice to really get the most from it but the early signs were very promising - I'm yet to hear anyone have a negative to say from it - such a simple idea too.

[FieldingMellish]

Originally Posted by rogerxp

Yes, there is no problem whatsoever with the car coming from Northern Ireland, it is of course in the UK (but try getting a balloon finance from the mainland over their; impossible ), but was nervous that it might put some folk off - for no reason apart from illfounded perception.

Does look quite good with the irish plate on in fact, it's a good one, but my private one is a whole load better .

Only potential wrinkle you might have encountered was with insurance. I remember when my parents lived over here for a year, my Dad had hassle switching his insurance on his Volvo from/to NI/England. They gave him grief because he had a spoiler on the boot - which he'd only put on there because it provided a handy visual cue for reversing (or something like that).

Anyway, wish you many happy miles' motoring......

[Em135eye]

Rog - have you driven it yet?

The 350Z went from quickish to properly quick. The 370 appears to be another major leap.

Hey you can go and scare some 911s in it

Best colour, wheels, everything. You must be chuffed to bits?

[KadeSdad]

Very nice Roger, looks great and what a bargain to boot!

You'll have to bring it over very soon!

[rogerxp]

Originally Posted by KadeSdad

You'll have to bring it over very soon!

Why do you think I've not been chasing you up . I'll be in touch (I'm not racing you though ) .

[creepy coupe]

Originally Posted by 335diesel

Rog - have you driven it yet?

The 350Z went from quickish to properly quick. The 370 appears to be another major leap.

Funny, I didn't think so. Not slow, but not memorable either.

[Palmnuts]

That's a nice motor Roger....I'm so glad you got something different to the norm. These are very rare for some reason but they look great and the interior seems a big step up on the 350z for design and quality...is that the case? The fact you got a cabriolet (lol, I haven't used that word in years!) means you really are just a flash poser arent you!

I definitely want to know how that rev synchro thingy works as I'm one of those people wishes he could heal and toe (i.e....I can't ).

[chrisbin]

Not bad.....for a Datsun.....







Well done Rog! Good result and lovely looking car - loads better than the 350 cab imo..

[Baby Dave]

Very nice car, enjoy