i was going to get the Spec v but after test driving 6 at different times and dealerships every one i drove the tranny crunched, and i asked them this is a brand new car with 6 miles on it, why does the tranny grind? the sales geeks just said that it was because the transmission was new and all new transmisions did that. or because i wasnt shifting it right. or some weak ass excuse like this. new transmisions grind??? I am not shifting it right???WTF??? i even had the sales guy drive it and wouldn't you know it the tranny did the same thing. at that point i looked at him and said dont know how to drive a stick? and told him to take me back to the dealership.
i learned to drive a standard 13 years ago in a 1990 Porsche 911 turbo by my cousin who is a professional race car driver. so i think he knows how to train someone to trive a stick. i also have gone to the bondurant school of precision driving. and the sales guy tried to tell me I wasnt shifting right??
so i got in the base se-r and shifted it the exact same way, and guess what no grind. this was the main factor keeping me from getting the spec. i didnt want hassels later on with a problematic tranny. and I also knew about nissans popular or less than popular reputation for side skirting problems with a car because they dont have a tsb on it. giving excuses that they dont know what the fix is for this or that.. so when i looked at all this i decided to pass on the crunch box and go with the 5 speed. Also i didn't care fpr the lave seats much, and they were rather uncomfortable to me or i would have them recovered. yes sacrificing a little, but over all the differences are few. the power difference, fixed with the exhaust upgrade.
im about to get a set of spec rims, tires, and springs from a friend for $350 (he is going aftermarket). and the 03 tranny and ecu im getting from a friend at a body shop for $500. I only paid 14.7 for the base se-r, and for $850 bucks it will have the same equpment as the spec. I can get a nice set of racing seats for about $300, and ill still be under 16K for it. the dealer wanted (would not budge) 19,7 for the spec. and ill have basically the same car for 15,850. so thplplplpl j/k
i knew if i waited long enough i could get these parts cheap. there were multiple factors that turned my away from the spec at the time. im not downing the car at all. but when i compared pros to cons for me personally, the base se-r was a better choice to buy. and now ill have one for less than most people paid.