She's gone!

[santov]

Well the unthinkable happened...

I sold my Z4 for a the worlds most boring car: A Prius. And not just any Prius, the emasculating station wagon model.

A few factors:

• My wife and I are expecting our second baby! She (or he) is due May 4th.
• My wife's company office moved 20 miles further from home, but she gets to telecommute on most Fridays. So add 160 miles per week in commute.
• Her 2005 Infiniti FX35 gets about 19MPG. She was spending about $85 a week, more when she has to take extra trips to babysitter. When gas prices spiked there were a few $96 fill ups!!
• The stiff ride was brutal to my daughter. Roads around here are terrible. There a rough road on the way to baby sitter where I could see my poor chubby daughter's cheeks jiggle.
• Our finances can't justify having the Z4 as a third car.

Since we've had the Prius:

• Most days my wife drives it to and makes it back home in time for me to drive it to my evening job. The Prius makes two 35 mile round trips 4 days a week.
• We've averaged 49MPG. Late at night I can drive the last 5 miles of back roads on pure electric at about 25MPH.
• Insurance is $320 cheaper per year (this really shocked me).
• Room for future baby.
• Holy crap TONS of space for Costco runs. There's more space in this car than the FX35.
• The car is so quiet, even at freeway speeds, you can hear a passenger's stomach growl. My daughter really likes the ride.

I gotta admit I'm heart broken. The Z4 was my first German car and I was bracing for a little basket of problems. What I got was a reliable awesome ride (there were a few glitches covered under warranty). I had the top down 80% of the time and it was the perfect car for me (when it's just me). I averaged 28MPG, which is pretty awesome for a inline-6. It was easy to work on and the build quality of how the car came apart and went together was awesome, albeit frustrating at times.

Shameless plug:
I do have some maintenance items and a OEM wind diffuser for sale.
http://www.zpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=763285

I'm really going to miss you guys. The Prius owner forum is filled with people bragging about their MPGs and complaining about tire wear.

I've felt very connected with this group and contributed a few DIY articles.

I also launched my embroidery business full time in the time I was here. Business has been going really well and I'm down for another hoodie or hat project (the cap project didn't go anywhere and died quietly). Now is the perfect time for a custom jackets.

I'm going to stay and lurk every so often. Please keep in touch!

[zgood4u]

You'll be missed but I do love my hoodie! Good luck with the new addition (the baby not the Prius).

[tbalutis]

Did the exact same thing many years ago when I gave up my MGB to raise a family. Went more than 20 years without a 2 seater. Have patience, you did the right thing. Years from now you will be able to return and maybe get another Z4 or whatever fills that space. Enjoy your family, that will never come around again, but you can always find another roadster when the time is right for everyone.

[DSC_OFF]

Guess you couldn't sell the FX? I have a G35x and I know what a gas guzzler it is, I can only imagine how much worse the FX is. Only good thing about the car is the unbelievably reliable vq35 and the ATTESA awd system. I expect to easily get 200k out of this motor, so far it has 95 and is ticking strong as day 1.

[Huz-Z]

Originally Posted by zgood4u

You'll be missed but I do love my hoodie! Good luck with the new addition (the baby not the Prius).

Ditto!!!

No reason you can't still post here! Let me know if you do future projects like the hat or cap. And congratulations on the new addition to your family!!

Cheers!
Dave

[Hawkeye]

Congrats on the new kid but man, it makes me shutter to think you'll be driving a prius

[hogzilla]

I completely get it. Had to make auto compromises due to life's needs. One day you'll have another fun car. Till then enjoy the great gas mileages and the new addition to your family. Cheers.

[Loogey Clapp]

Being a family man will do that to you. However, that is awesome. Congratulations!! Sorry you couldn't have given up the FX35 instead. I can just imagine what it is like going over to the Prius forum. Maybe you can teach them a thing or two. I hope I see your name in future postings here!

[Finnegan]

You'll be missed, so don't be a total stranger!

I totally understand the reasons for the swap. And like it or hate it, the Prious has a boatload of room for stuff. It's amazing what you can stuff in one of those things. MPG around town is amazing. Even our Golf TDI can't match that (highway, it's close though), but city, around 32. At some point, when your kids are a bit older, you could always find an older Miata project car (cheap) to work on and share your car knowledge with them. Cheap, and a good way to build some great memories with the kids--plus you'd end up with a fun little weekend ragtop! You know rotors for an older Miata are about 15 bucks each? Yup. Really.

Gotta say that being on the Prius forums sounds like hell to me. I've driven a Prius a time or two, and the thing that bugged me the most was the braking distance required compared to the Z4 (in good part, a function of those damned ECO tires). You could really rile them up over there by slapping of wider Extreme Summer Performance tires on it! Course that would cost you a couple of MPG, but I'm sure a few heads would explode! Just think of the thread "Thinking of Wider Extreme Summer Performance Tires for the Prius Wagon". Then tell them you want better handling and stopping ability, want a bit of additional torque from the lower profile, and don't care about the MPG!



then watch the heads go

[santov]

Originally Posted by DSC_OFF

Guess you couldn't sell the FX? I have a G35x and I know what a gas guzzler it is, I can only imagine how much worse the FX is. Only good thing about the car is the unbelievably reliable vq35 and the ATTESA awd system. I expect to easily get 200k out of this motor, so far it has 95 and is ticking strong as day 1.

Man that FX has been bullet proof for us! My wife used to have a much larger commute. A heavy foot really hits at MPG, but it's got awesome acceleration and amazing handling.

At 100k I replaced the belts, which were easy (plan on this soon for your VQ), which has been the only major thing. Also clean out your intake manifold. It's likely coated with grease. A good cleaning makes a huge difference in throttle response.

We're at 138k miles and the only warranty work it's had is spark plug seals and a new CD changer, both replaced under warranty.

[Yeggman]

A Prius? Don't kid yourself, this is the beginning of the end. The only positive thing is that your plight, and honesty in describing what has happened to you, may save some others from the same fate.

From those of us with our faces still in the wind, we have honored you with a moment of silence.

:-)

[santov]

Originally Posted by Yeggman

A Prius? Don't kid yourself, this is the beginning of the end. The only positive thing is that your plight, and honesty in describing what has happened to you, may save some others from the same fate.

From those of us with our faces still in the wind, we have honored you with a moment of silence.

:-)

Hahaha!

I traded my Honda VFR800 motorcycle, 470hp Jeep SRT-8 and BMW Z4 all in for a wife and two kids.

And I'd do it again.

[Finnegan]

Originally Posted by santov

Hahaha!

I traded my Honda VFR800 motorcycle, 470hp Jeep SRT-8 and BMW Z4 all in for a wife and two kids.

And I'd do it again.

That's all that matters.

[Huz-Z]

Originally Posted by Finnegan

That's all that matters.

Indeed it is!

Perhaps you could drop the motor from a 1 M into a Prius and start a thread on that!

[inTgr8r]

Good stuff....

There's lots of time for other cars later.

[wasupdu]

Congrats on the new addition santov! I'm sure you'll get great mileage in your new ride.

We have a 9 month old and I'm already feeling the pressure of losing my Z4 since I can't safely install a car seat, so I'm looking for a nice 911 (that has a backseat). Hopefully I'll have an update on this within the next week or so.

When my daughter and I take my CLS 63, we're the fastest car at daycare

[Endless619]

Originally Posted by santov

Hahaha!

I traded my Honda VFR800 motorcycle, 470hp Jeep SRT-8 and BMW Z4 all in for a wife and two kids.

And I'd do it again.

Why would you have too? You could have kept the Z4 easily. I am single and have a new M3 and X5. When I was married I never had to get rid of any cars for a family.

With those 3 vehicles you have to make the correct choice. For me I would have went X3 for the family and got rid of the jeep and bike. Kept the Z4. Done and done.

If I did it all over again I would still have my M3, X5, and wife...

That all aside, congrats on the second newborn on the way.

[nikkoo]

Hello, Congrats on the new kid

[Huz-Z]

Originally Posted by wasupdu

Congrats on the new addition santov! I'm sure you'll get great mileage in your new ride.

We have a 9 month old and I'm already feeling the pressure of losing my Z4 since I can't safely install a car seat, so I'm looking for a nice 911 (that has a backseat). Hopefully I'll have an update on this within the next week or so.

When my daughter and I take my CLS 63, we're the fastest car at daycare

Why can't you install a car seat? My facelift Z4 has LATCH tethers on the passenger seat to attach a rear-facing child seat, and there is a switch to turn off the passenger airbag. I don't know if all model years had LATCH mounting points (two small metal loops at the inside end of the seat cushion), but I believe that all north American Z4s have the airbag ON / OFF key switch adjacent to the passenger door hinge (visible with the passenger door opened).

[EenyBear]

Here's something to make you smile (CAI, suspension, tower brace, exhaust....)

http://www.juicedhybrid.com/Performa...conomy-s/4.htm

Cheers.

[Finnegan]

Originally Posted by EenyBear

Here's something to make you smile (CAI, suspension, tower brace, exhaust....)

http://www.juicedhybrid.com/Performa...conomy-s/4.htm

Cheers.

Holy cow! Power up!

[shakemyhand]

Congradulations on your new baby..............I'm going to miss your GREAT DIY articals.