Nice cars in Downtown Atlanta? (apartment, for rent, health insurance)

[klee0192]

I am going to be a transfer to Georgia State University and I will be living on campus in downtown Atlanta for the first time starting in August. I will be living in a gated apartment w/ an in-door lot. I was just wondering how it would be like if I were to drive a nice car because I am thinking about upgrading to a newer car like a Nissan 370z. I won't be driving my car a whole lot during the week because I am going to walk to my classes. I will take it out on the weekends though. I am currently driving a black on black Infiniti G35 coupe which is already a decent car. I hear of all these horror stories of people getting robbed and getting vandalized and what not. Just seeing if this is common in the area. I haven't been around the area long enough to tell but I can see there are some places that should be avoided. Any input would be appreciated.

[BeyondInfinity]

You'll be fine.

[Mishap]

Why upgrade? You gain a few hp in the 370, some slightly better handling, but it's not like it's leaps and bounds upgrade of say going to a GTR. It's not the robbing/vandalism you have to worry about but you're going to rack up a ton more depreciation on a new car you're not driving that much. Don't forget the G can carry 3 passengers...much more practical when the cute girl and her two friends from Econ want a ride from the club. Even if your apartment has a covered lot, cars get really dirty inside from all the soot (people cold starting cars and idling by) and bumped if you don't have assigned parking.

I've had my G35 sedan since it was new in '06 and lived in midtown since '08. I can safely say I've never had someone make a move for my car. The biggest expense is the fact that I don't drive it that much but I still have parking/insurance expenses for it. Been thinking of an upgrade to an M or an AMG but to be honest I can't justify it especially since the G's paid for, completely reliable and I'd honestly rather take Marta to the office.

Occasionally people do rob flashy cars and if your G probably isn't much to some of the Benzes/Rolls/etc that roll up and down Peachtree some nights but neither is a newer Z. Sure there's always the chance that when you're stopped at some deserted light you could get carjacked or robbed but that's honestly not that different in the G. It's a crime of opportunity and the lowlife isn't thinking...nah, it's only an '04 G, I'll skip it. Now if it were a '11 370Z track package...that's the car I'll steal tonight.

So yeah, a Z won't raise your theft profile much but it'll cost you an arm and a leg extra. It seems you're a very well off student given you're able to afford all this already so maybe it's not a concern but to me I'd just keep things as they are till you have a more permanent home for your nicer car.

[klee0192]

Originally Posted by Mishap

Why upgrade? You gain a few hp in the 370, some slightly better handling, but it's not like it's leaps and bounds upgrade of say going to a GTR. It's not the robbing/vandalism you have to worry about but you're going to rack up a ton more depreciation on a new car you're not driving that much. Don't forget the G can carry 3 passengers...much more practical when the cute girl and her two friends from Econ want a ride from the club. Even if your apartment has a covered lot, cars get really dirty inside from all the soot (people cold starting cars and idling by) and bumped if you don't have assigned parking.

I've had my G35 sedan since it was new in '06 and lived in midtown since '08. I can safely say I've never had someone make a move for my car. The biggest expense is the fact that I don't drive it that much but I still have parking/insurance expenses for it. Been thinking of an upgrade to an M or an AMG but to be honest I can't justify it especially since the G's paid for, completely reliable and I'd honestly rather take Marta to the office.

Occasionally people do rob flashy cars and if your G probably isn't much to some of the Benzes/Rolls/etc that roll up and down Peachtree some nights but neither is a newer Z. Sure there's always the chance that when you're stopped at some deserted light you could get carjacked or robbed but that's honestly not that different in the G. It's a crime of opportunity and the lowlife isn't thinking...nah, it's only an '04 G, I'll skip it. Now if it were a '11 370Z track package...that's the car I'll steal tonight.

So yeah, a Z won't raise your theft profile much but it'll cost you an arm and a leg extra. It seems you're a very well off student given you're able to afford all this already so maybe it's not a concern but to me I'd just keep things as they are till you have a more permanent home for your nicer car.

Yeah thanks for the info. I've had the car for 3 years and just felt like it was time to make a switch. Also, my car is automatic and I have been recently itching for a manual transmission. I love modding my cars because I cannot stand driving a bone stock car. And yes the 370z being a two seater is a huge sacrifice as I will have two roommates. Thought about getting a black BMW 335i coupe with red interior but I thought nah...that is just asking for trouble. So I guess I will have to think about it a little more whether it is worth it or not.

Do you frequently see higher end cars on the road when you have been in Atlanta?

[cwkimbro]

I was thinking the same thing... why upgrade?

If your not going to use the car much during the week.... and you have a nice car in good shape at the moment... wouldn't it make sense to wait until your at a point in your life where you will use the car alot? So you can have the newest latest thing then... rather than now?

[pit2atl]

Keep your Infiniti, but if you must get the Z it wont raise anyones theft radar it's a nice car but there are a lot of nicer cars rolling through these atl streets.

[noah]

If you can afford to drop that kinda cash on an asset that will drop like a rock thats your choice...another option would be to drive down the freeway in your current car and toss $100 bills out the window. Or you could pay cash for a house with the funds.

Originally Posted by klee0192

Yeah thanks for the info. I've had the car for 3 years and just felt like it was time to make a switch.

[cittic10]

Upgrade to a Z? I think you mean downgrade to a Z.
G has a higher base MSRP than the Z.


So lets think this through.
When not in your gated apt lot, you're going to park it on the street or in a public lot so it can get bumped into and scratched up by lots of inexperienced drivers, you're going to pay through the nose to insure it in that high crime area, let alone the high rates for a sports car and young driver (I'm assuming you're <25), you're going to worry incessantly about it getting damaged and broken into. And to after all that, you're not even going to drive the thing?


Get your priorities straight. There's a very good chance that when/if you graduate (if you can afford to keep paying the tuition with the high car payments and insurance premiums for the car that just sits there getting scratched and repeatedly bumped into by morons who don't know how to drive and parallel park), jobs will still be hard to come by and by that time, you'll have a car that's a few years old, won't be worth much because it's beat all to hell from the aforementioned, probably missing a stereo and has a bunch of little bits of broken glass still stuck in the carpet that the vacuums never seem to be able to get it all, still smell of drunk college girl vomit, and gas will be $5+ a gallon and you can't afford to drive it anyway because by then cars will get better mpg.... Does it sound like a good way to spend the money?

Originally Posted by klee0192

Do you frequently see higher end cars on the road when you have been in Atlanta?

Of course! Usually the people that own them keep them in garages and don't park them on the street or at a college apt/dorm parking lot. You seem to be under the impression that a Z is a higher end car. Not to burst yet another bubble but chances are you're going to get to campus and find there's dozens of better, faster and more expensive cars than yours. Prepare yourself for the emotional fallout from that ahead of time and spare yourself the expense.

Originally Posted by klee0192

Also, my car is automatic and I have been recently itching for a manual transmission.

You'll never get out of 3rd gear in town driving.

[klee0192]

Originally Posted by cittic10

Upgrade to a Z? I think you mean downgrade to a Z.
G has a higher base MSRP than the Z.


So lets think this through.
When not in your gated apt lot, you're going to park it on the street or in a public lot so it can get bumped into and scratched up by lots of inexperienced drivers, you're going to pay through the nose to insure it in that high crime area, let alone the high rates for a sports car and young driver (I'm assuming you're <25), you're going to worry incessantly about it getting damaged and broken into. And to after all that, you're not even going to drive the thing?


Get your priorities straight. There's a very good chance that when/if you graduate (if you can afford to keep paying the tuition with the high car payments and insurance premiums for the car that just sits there getting scratched and repeatedly bumped into by morons who don't know how to drive and parallel park), jobs will still be hard to come by and by that time, you'll have a car that's a few years old, won't be worth much because it's beat all to hell from the aforementioned, probably missing a stereo and has a bunch of little bits of broken glass still stuck in the carpet that the vacuums never seem to be able to get it all, still smell of drunk college girl vomit, and gas will be $5+ a gallon and you can't afford to drive it anyway because by then cars will get better mpg.... Does it sound like a good way to spend the money?





Of course! Usually the people that own them keep them in garages and don't park them on the street or at a college apt/dorm parking lot. You seem to be under the impression that a Z is a higher end car. Not to burst yet another bubble but chances are you're going to get to campus and find there's dozens of better, faster and more expensive cars than yours. Prepare yourself for the emotional fallout from that ahead of time and spare yourself the expense.


You'll never get out of 3rd gear in town driving.

Value wise, its an upgrade but name wise, downgrade. I'm in my late teens. Went to college out of state for 2 years for $25k+ tuition, but now that I am in state I will basically just be paying for rent as I have quite a few scholarships and grants. If I were to continue to pay for out of state tuition, I would not be thinking about getting an expensive car. But in the end, getting a new car may not be worth it like you said. I got some thinking to do.

And yes, I hope there are better, faster, and more expensive cars than mine so I would not feel overly cautious.

[cittic10]

This may seem important now but trust me... Save your money. Get the car that you have to last as long as possible.
Drive it until the wheels fall off.
Once you graduate there will be much more pressing issues. Such as paying an ever growing list of living expenses that parents and scholarships no longer cover such as health insurance, relocating, buying a home, getting a car that doesn't smell like vomit, etc. You will wish you had the money.
College really is the worst possible time in your life to have a nice new car as it will get trashed, I assure you. Once all your out-of-state friends find out that's your car, they're all going to want to go for a ride in it. If you think it's just going to sit there, you're in for a surprise.