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Nissan 350Z Problems and Solutions
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Comments
I recommend them, though they havent been perfect. Well see how this round goes.
So far I have had NO out of pocket for any of this.
Also, keep in mind the Z transmission is NOTCHY... it may feel wierd.
However in my case, it would crrrrrruuunch when shifting with vigor into 5th or 6th. It starts small, barely noticable, so you may develop this problem. You still have plenty of warranty left (60k), so wait and see if it really is a problem.
I have not heard a diagnosis yet from South Point... I notified them abuot the tires, the transmission, and the axles. I expect at least:
a new transmission
new axle bearings
rotated/replaced tires
And after my wife called and let them know how upset we were, they did pay out of pocket for a rental... so now I am styling in a Kia Sedona Minivan... I hope the new transmission comes in soon.
The thing is this... I know its a sports car, but I expected a Nissan to be solid... if I were fine with my car being in the shop and driving around a loaner, I would have bought BMW...
After some more diagnostic driving I find it happens mostly above 3700 with power applied in fourth. If I shift prior to 3500 rpm into fourth it is very solid, but even after being fully engaged when I accellerate into that RPM range, the stick really starts to shake. I don't know if it's some harmonic vibration unique to that gear at that engine RPM or what.
1st, 2nd and 3rd are always great, I haven't been at a place where I can take 5th and 6th gear up to 4000 to see if it vibrates in those gears too.
I'm going to see if it gets worse and definitely take it in sometime to have them check it out. I just don't want to wait to long, incase they might try to pin it on me.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
But if its making a grinding noise, or if it grinds when changing gears, then it is a problem.
I am seriously screwed here. Even if it works fine, I refuse to keep this car past warranty, and at 60k miles, when I try to sell it, and when the buyer finds out I have had 3+ transmissions, I will lose my butt.
If I sell now, I will be 1-2k in the red on my loan. Maybe more. And thats not counting the lost 2k down payment.
My only idea is to either now, or when the problem recurrs (I have a feeling it will be at, oh 22500 miles) that I invoke the lemon law, offer mediation, or sue.
My attorney/dad suggested that I discuss this with the GM, and offer to let him buy back my car... preferabally at near what I owe. Then in return I will buy another Nissan (and I told him I will never buy another 350Z) in return.
Problem with this is... would YOU buy another Nissan? I am already in dread that my wifes Murano will do something awful, how could I sleep well at night after buying a THIRD Nissan?
Also, the dealer at this point isnt under any obligation. They have upheld their end, and repaired my car. Why should they take a loss or reduce potential profit. The culprit here is NISSAN itself.
Still.. my theory is the squeaky wheel gets the grease, so the salesmanager/GM will likely be hearing from me with an offer...
but what the heck would I replace it with? Dangit all!!!!
By the way, it is now my official recommendation that NO ONE EVER EVER BUY A 350Z!
As for the Murano, so far its been prety good. Minor alignment problem, and rattling visors. Also, the rear suspension isnt as strong as I would like. It sags if you load a bit too much weight in it, but considering its not a pathfinder...
hmm.. maybe I should get a pathfinder...
Anyway, if this is the route you want to go, find out if they have any other stores under the same ownership. I don't find it all too common that a particular owner sells just ONE brand of vehicle.
By the way, just to contrast your reccomendation, I still LOVE my Z!
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
If the description is accurate, I think there is more to this. Mine certainly doesn't shake at any rpms in any gear (other than the slight vibration that would obviously be caused by the engine at any speed or rpms).
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
Tacoma, I've certainly had more problems with my Z than any other car I have owned. However I still have to say I love my Z, and as long as they fix it for free, I can handle it. It looks like my tires will last at least 15,000 miles, so I don't consider the feathering issue to be too bad. Bottom line I am totally addicted to my car. This is the first car I've owned that I never want to get rid of.
However if I had 3 tranny replacements as well as everything else you had, I would start getting tired of it too.
As far as nissan's go, I have owned three others that I just loved, and never gave me any grief(98 Altima, 01 Sentra SE, 01 Pathfinder LE). So I think there are good chances your Murano will do just fine.
I hate to see you give up on the thrills and chills of a sport's car, but if another Z is out of the question I would recommend an S2000 or an STI. The STI has four door practicality as well as the 4 wheel drive and it totally smokes, the looks are definitely not mainstream, but anybody that knows anything about cars will respect what they can do.
Anyway good luck with the Tranny, after the third time, I would say there has to be some issue in the entire setup that is causing them to fail. I think Lemon is definitely the way to go.
The Z is a fun car, and its beautiful, and I love my Z. But now I also hate it. And the right thing to do is to get a car that I will only love. You know we work HARD to pay for our cars guys, and I dont think we should have to accept the flaws some of us are finding in our Zs. Even if Nissan replaces it, if they cant FIX it with the replacement then whats the point?
Good luck with everything!
Sorry so late in responding. Forgot to check back at the sight. I actually have one pic w/me inside, it doesn't get the whole grill (i hate those) but you can clearly see the lights (and they're on!) where the reflectors use to be in the front.
I have to go and scan it and will send it along. You can also see some of the spoiler...much nicer than the original...Zlady :shades:
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
thanks
If its in the front and a roaring noise, see alignment issues. If its from the rear and a clicking noise, see differential issues. Both are covered under TSB on your '03, as far as I know.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
- left the car there for a whole day, said something about having to inspect the vehicle in accordance with the TSB (Technical Service Bulletin)
- Picked car up next day - dealership had to order 2 new front tires and would be in, in about a week
- brought car back, got it aligned and the front tires replaced
- Was told that the alignment settings are not as aggressive as recommended by the TSB, thereby reducing the likelihood of this problem returning
- "If it happens again, just bring it back in", said Jeff the service manager"
Overall -
Wait time: 36 hrs and free glazed donuts in the waiting room
Transportation cost: $3 toll fee to cross Ben Franklin Bridge
Repair Cost: $0
Driving my Z w/o the Roar: Priceless
On a different note - has anyone upgraded their air box to an aftermarket (ie. K&N short ram or AEM cold air intake)? Thinking about it but i don't want to compromise the 350Z's unique exhaust tone. But if it's going to make it sound weird then i will pass on that idea. Anyone???? :confuse:
I don't know what the car sounded like without it, BUT I do know that I hear the exhaust more than anything else, so its certainly not drowning out the rear pipes. What i do have coming from the front is this strange little whistle sound when I first touch the accelerator. Again, don't know if this is present on a Z without the CAI, but its easily heard on mine. NOthing annoying about it, and, as a matter of fact, I think its kinda cool sounding (almost like a turbo blowoff sound, but not as loud).
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
OK here's what happened;
I was on the freeway doing bout 70, 6th gear. All of a sudden the RPM gauge starting going up and down and the whole car shook violently. The worst part was the Steering wheel and brakes were locking on me!!! luckily things calmed down once i depressed the clutch and put in into lower gear. The problem never came again until the next day with the same scenario and same type of resolution. Taking her in today to get her looked at but i was wondering if anyone else had/heard of this problem??
Personally, I've had no scraping yet.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
Since you can depress clutch and the engine smooths out, then it must be the transmission (or maybe even differential) that is causing so much drag that its trying to stall the engine.
But, to answer your question, no, i haven't heard or had this happen to me.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
His other concern is that Consumers Reports mentions rear visibility is not good.
Any problems?
But, really, what cars is Consumer Reports comparing to in that regard? I think the rear visibility is on par with other somewhat similar cars like Porsche, Audi TT, Mustang, etc. So if you're looking at small sportscoupes, they are all going to be poorer in that regard than sedans or suvs (at the same time, the Roadster is far worse since the back window is smaller and the rear corner windows are eliminated).
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
Since the car is a two door instead of a four door, the blind spot from the rear corner that doesn't have a window is too small to hide a car. Bottom line, any car that would keep you from making a lane change will be visible by looking out your side window or looking in the side mirrors.
I almost decided against the roadster for this reason, thank God I didn't. The Z is an absolute blast to drive, but top down at least doubles the thrill!! If he is at all interested in the roadster he should definitely get it. Don't let the report hold him back.
I can't follow that post very well.
First thing is first ... stick or automatic?
Is it still under warranty? Have you taken it to the dealer? What did they say? How long have you owned the car?
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
Well, since your RPMs go up, but the car doesn't accelerate along with the RPMs, I'm going to say, at this point, its your clutch. Its fried.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
And what exactly does he expect to go at 15K?? The clutch?? That's ridiculous! There are thousands of Z owners without any problems like this and with WAY more miles. I'm at almost 15K now and my clutch/tranny show NO signs of problems at all.
I can't believe the service person said that. He is either saying that because (a) he's clueless, (b) he believes all Z owners will abuse the car, or (c) he believes YOU abuse the car and will require a new clutch every 15K.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
But the car itself is unique in that it is much less expensive than competing products, so people put up with all the problems and complaints.
Owners:Love the car - Hate the manufacturer/dealer/problems. :lemon:
I've been looking at a pair of Nissan's the Altima SE-R and the 350z. I've been glancing over some of the posts on these boards, and had a couple questions, before i find one to test out myself.
Has the tire feathering problem come back in the 05 models?
With a decent set of all season tires or winter tires how does the 350 do in the snow? (living in De we still get a good amount from time to time)
And i've heard a little about poor rear visibility? but i'm assuming thats just something that takes a little getting used too
Thanks
I strongly recommend against any Nissan product.
Nissan has denied the cupping/feathering problem is theirs-Now blame it on the tires-even though they re-align etc.
There are over 70 complaints on 2003, 2004, 2005 250 Z's on the NHTSA site.
There is a class action lawsuit in progress against Nissan, originated in Oct 2004, concerning 2003, 2004 Z's suspension.
Nissan does not honor their warranty or back their product
:lemon:
Let's look at a decent competitor ... the RX-8. Now, I'm not knocking that car and I think its quite good, as a matter of fact ... but there are almost 1,000 posts on that problems board, and it was started only 1 month before this board (aug '03 vs sep '03).
How about a good ole reliable Toyota? The Tc? The board only started in July of '04 and it already has ~450 posts.
Moral of the story is ... number of posts don't tell the whole story. In the case of ALL of the above cars, there are THOUSANDS of owners who happily enjoy their trouble-free cars.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
I sincerely doubt it is true since I spoke to Nissan friday and they refused my request to even consider looking at the alignment on my 350Z.
I did fax them a copy of the bill where I was charged for alignment by a dealer during the supposed 24 month extension - even though I objected to the charge.
:lemon:
Did their statement really say that? This says that they will be responsible for alignment problems caused by tire noise. That's stupid!
:lemon:
Nissan built a beautiful car with problems and has apparently done nothing to correct the problem.
Their "Factory Service Rep" stated to me "that there has ever been anything wrong with the front end" and that the problem was caused by the tires and not the car and because the car and tires are “high performance” drivers should not expect more that 10,000 miles from a set of tires. What a pathetic statement for a"factory service rep to make about any car"
Nissan has the most deplorably poor and inherently dishonest factory service of any automobile manufacturer. :lemon:
Until I know differently, I have to believe that Nissan believes they have solved the problem.
jmills - i don't know your specific situation ... but if you are still within the warranty period, it sounds to me like you need a different service department. And as far as your call to NNA, I would not expect someone answering the phone to know what is coming down the line in the next hour, let alone a few days later.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
http://www.sportzmagazine.com/pages_preview/2005/Fall2005/ZOwnerLetter.pdf
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
I'm hoping my dealer will know about it by this time next week (when I'll probably be heading in for service) OR I will just print the letter and bring it with me, hoping for the best.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
The Factory Service rep informed me that they would refund my payment for the alignment which I paid for during the two year warranty period.
The Nissan Factory Service Rep also notified me that the alignment and tire warranty has been extended to three years and stated that bulletins have been sent to all dealers.
So it looks like I owe Nissan an apology for bad mouthing their intent.
I certainly hope this will end any problems with tire feathering/cupping/growl
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
This has been the worst vehicle I have ever owned. I have had the transmission replaced already, 3 sets of tires, wheel sensors replaced several times, Bose sub woofer replaced and many other things. ( car still has less than 20k miles )
Also I have heard that the Brickyard Red paint starts to bubble.
I did some research on the web on lemon laws, and the 350 fall's under the lemon law. I hired an attorney who deals with this type of thing.
Within a week, Nissan had already made an offer to buy back the car. My attorney has not accepted the offer...he wants me to get some cash out of the deal. Now, for all the owners, do the same thing. Find an attorney, most do not charge, and you CAN get out of your vehicle. Nissan's poor attempt to extend the warranty on the vehicle, is an admission THEY know there is a problem.
If anyone is interested, feel free to email me and I can provide the attorney I am using.
This is the first and will be the last Nissan I ever own.
I also have 2003 Track.
Have problem with tires also.
Think I may have too many miles on car to get buyback.