Nissan 350Z Owners - Meet the Members

dbrasher · May 2006

I had the 2004 touring model. Loved the car but the 03-04-05 don't know about the 06 all have an alignment problem. There are hundreds of people on this site that are having the same problem. I was on my third set of front tires at 20,000 which the dealership paid for. There was an extended warrenty to 36,000 but after that then i would have to pay for them. I also put front brakes on at 20,000 plus rotors have to be changed at the same time. Replaced rear tires at 20,000. I'am far from being a teenager so it's not my driving. Your also have to pay to align rear tires as it has independent suspension. It's just something for you to think about before you buy one.

sxzbzt · May 2006

OK Thanks I will check it out. The guy who was showing me the car said that was fixed in 2004. But I will research it on the internet

dbrasher · May 2006

I had the 2004 so i know better. Service manager told me that they had changed the alignment figures and Bridgestone tires had reinforced the inside of the tires so they wouldn't wear as fast. DUH.... I might be a woman but not stupid.
When i turned the car in on lemon law the third set of tires were about 1/2 worn at 4,000 miles according to the inspector that check the car and he doesn't work for Nissan

qbrozen · May 2006

Well, not to try and make light of the problem, but there are nowhere near hundreds of people on THIS board with the problem (hundreds on a dedicated Z board elsewhere on the internet? maybe. heck, i don't know if there are even 100 total actual Z owners on Edmunds).

Plus, not "ALL" cars have the problem. I have read posts from quite a few people (again, on dedicated Z boards) who did not have the problem at all, and many others who say their problem was rectified by alignment/different tires.

I definitely agree it was NOT fixed in '04, as my '04 also had the problem and the tires were replaced under warranty at ~15k miles.

biancar · May 2006

What was the build date of your car, do you know? My understanding was that cars built in the second half of the year were ok, that Nissan did some changes of the alignment at that time.

dbrasher · May 2006

they may not all be in Inside line but there are alot on the internet.

dbrasher · May 2006

I really can't say when it was built. I know that some of the 2005 have the same problem. I had my car into a regular alignment shop and paid $120.00 for them to check it after my third set of tires were put on. He re- aligned the rear. He told me that all the Z's had this problem. Even the older ones. He said on the old one's they had an after market that helped but didn't solve the problem. I know it's not every car that they have made but most of them are that way. In driving them you wouldn't know as they drive well. It's just the noise at low speed and when you put the brakes on then you have the noise. It's just my pocketbook didn't want to buy new tires every 10,000 miles or less. And you can't change tires and etc and have the warrenty take care of things.

biancar · May 2006

I really can't say when it was built.

If you look on the door frame inside the driver's door, you'll see a sticker that has the build date on it.

dbrasher · May 2006

I don't have the car as i turned it in on a lemon law

speed21 · July 2006

hi guys i am a new member here... i am 17 years old and in few months i wanna buy my first car, here r the cars that i m thinkin of:bmw 330ci, 350Z, infiniti G35... but the car that i really like is the 350Z , i want it a automatic (tiptronic) transmission.. so i wanna ask u if the tiptronic Z performs the same as the Manual Z ??? acceleration....... i m really looking forward to buy one...

qbrozen · July 2006

no, they do not compare. The manual is quite a bit faster when driven by someone who knows how to drive one.

I can't believe these are your considerations at your age. Even thought I worked full time at 17, I don't believe I could have afforded the insurance on cars like these, let alone the payments. Good luck. I hope you are a far more competent driver than 99% of the 17-year-olds in the world.

speed21 · July 2006

thx for ur informtations...and yes i am more competent driver than 99% of the 17 year-olds in the world... so the manual is a bit faster.. i m only gonna get it automatic(tiptronic) coz i live in a city and i will face in the day, stop and go traffics .... and i guess the Z is a good choice for me , coz i want a sport coupe, good looking, and fast, but the only problem is that there r no back seats.. but i think i can deal with that...

rayfl502 · July 2006

Greetings All,

I just purchased a used 2004 350 last Sunday and I know this may be a stupid question but how do I determine what Z it is? I know that there are many different models but how can I tell what mine is. I have long been a Nissan fan and this was not really a planned purchase thus not alot of research was done. I do know that after the test drive I knew that this was the car that I wanted. I am almost certian that it is the coupe, No Bose, No leather, no heated seats, no navigation,automatic. But it has lots of balls.

Thanks.
Mike

dbrasher · July 2006

I didn't know they didn't come without Bose or Leather unless it was ordered that way. How many miles was on it when you bought it???? As i had an 04 but i turned it in on a lemon law. Not all have the same problem.

biancar · July 2006

I am almost certian that it is the coupe.

Well, if there's a button on the lower left side of the dashboard that says "open" and "close," then you've got a roadster. If not, then you've got a coupe. Presence or absence of a vinyl/cloth roof is also a good clue. :shades:

Second really, really good clue is to look at the owner's manual. You may find this in the glove compartment, which is located, if you haven't found it yet, behind the passenger seat.

OK, seriously - You probably have the "Enthusiast," which is one step up from Base. The Base comes only in a manual. The Enthusiast could have either MT or AT. Touring and Grand Touring both have leather seats and Bose stereo. The Track model has Brembo brakes.

rayfl502 · July 2006

It had 28.000 on it at purchase time. No it does not have leather seats it has very nice quality cloth seats. It seems to drive very well and the tirs are in great shape. Also I would like to know why the front has 225 and the rear has 235 tires? Is the a performance factory thing?

Thanks
Mike, Fl.

dbrasher · July 2006

I don't know about the 06 but i've seen some reports on the 05's on this site. The service manager told me that they had changed the numbers on the alignment and had a deal with Bridgestone tire where they had reinforced the tires on the inside so they wouldn't wear out as fast. DUH
I wouldn't say that, that would solve the problem, just prolong it.
I loved the car also. I bought the G35 Infiniti Coupe which is a nice car but it just doesn't have the sports feel that the Z did. But hopefully
I won't have the problems that I had with the Z

rayfl502 · July 2006

Thank you for the reply and no there is obviously not a button for the convertable top that it does not have, It has A/T with triptronic shifter and no leather as in seats not roof.

biancar · July 2006

I was just teasing you a bit, since you said you "thought" it was a coupe. Since the only two body choices are coupe and roadster, and you obviously didn't have the roadster...yeah, you've definitely got a coupe!

And it appears you have the Enthusiast package.

How are you liking it? I love mine, so far. (Touring Roadster.)

qbrozen · July 2006

you can do it for sound, but not fuel efficiency. Most likely, you may see a DROP in mileage when you decrease the backpressure of the exhaust.

rayfl502 · July 2006

Thanks for the info,

I do not drive this car hard at all, well not alot the first week anyway. When you say a mileage drop are we talking more thank a mile or two per gallon? And do you think that it is worth it to add these products to the car? Should I just go with the K&N for the slight mileage boost and forget the Borla ehhaust?

Thanks.

Mike in Fl.

qbrozen · July 2006

you may not see any drop at all, so maybe 1 mpg, if that.

Even just the K&N won't improve mileage. Nothing measurable, anyway.

Frankly, all the tests I've read of K&N have turned me away from their products. Good old paper filter for me.

From my research while I owned my Z (which was a little while ago now, so maybe its changed ... maybe not) is that the popcharger is the best buy for an intake (JWT was the manufacturer, I believe). Actual dyno comparisons have shown about a 5 hp increase. This will also change the sound. So I'd try that first, see how you like it, and, if its not enough, then look into an exhaust.

cdn_24 · July 2006

I just became a member and am seriously considering purchasing a 350z most likely and 03/04 depending on the milage and price ( I live in Canada)..
1)Whats an enthusiast package? still get the 18' wheels?..

2) the roadster that a convertable?

3) any major problems or common problems with these years?

biancar · July 2006

1) look at Nissan website for explanation of all the packages. 18" wheels are an option, not standard with any line except Track.

Enthusiast is one step up from base. Has cloth seats standard. Can come with either automatic or manual transmission.

2) Roadster, technically, is a two-seat open top car. Convertible is a four-seater. So the 350Z open-top car is a roadster, not a convertible, technically speaking. In practice, people refer to it both ways.

3) the '03's had a lot of problems, the most common was the tire feathering/alignment issue. Given a choice, the '04 is probably a better buy.

cdn_24 · July 2006

Hmmm a lot of problems.. i dont like the sound of that can ya give me a break down of sum of the most serious problem besides the tires?

dbrasher · July 2006

I had the 04 touring which had the alignment problem also. Three sets of tires at 20,000.
So you might think about the 05 or 06

rayfl502 · July 2006

Greeting All,

Mike here from Pasco Fl,
I have just picked up an 04 coupe a month ago and thus far the only problem is with the fuel tank, it will not register below 1/2 tank. So thats being taken care of as we speak. My question is this, and no I have not looked in the owners manuel yet but was hoping to cut a corner by asking here. Is there a way to turn the instrument lights off while the car is running.? Was at drive in the other night with girl and it was hot, OUTSIDE hot. Started car to run air and the lights were a bother when you need it dark.

Thanks To All,and you have really nice cars to.

biancar · July 2006

Yes, look on the left hand side of the dashboard. There's a knob that will turn the lights down.

rayfl502 · August 2006

Thanks for the Info but let me ask to be sure. I am aware of the two buttons on the top left side of the cluster that dims the instrument when the lights are on. This is a different knob on the left side of the dash that will turn them off when the car is running with the headlights off? Thansk again

Mike

biancar · August 2006

No, same thing. That's the control I meant.

rayfl502 · August 2006

I have tried these when the headlights are off and the car is running and they have no affect. But thats ok because I still think that we drive great cars, have a good day.

Mike, Fl.

notautoimmune · August 2006

We drove a Crossfire and a 350Z. There was no comparison -the power and fit/finish seemed better on the Z. Plus the Crossfire rattled some. We were going to go look at a red Z but the people bought it right in front of us - they looked like they were pushing 70! Never too late to have fun!
We bought another - a 2005 black convertible with low miles. We had leather put in after we bought it and they did a perfect job. My GOD this car is scary fun - and scary fast! I have owned a 260Z, a 280ZX, and a 300Z but they didn't even come close to this little monster. The handling and acceleration are unbelievable. I wasn't too sure about the convertible part since we have never had one - but it's a blast. And the factory exhaust sound is pretty deep. I promise you, there aren't too many cars out there that can out-perform this thing. Some of the exotics (NSX, Lamborghini, Porsche turbo, and Corvette) could...
but you can blow the doors off most everthing else out there. I live in the midwest and it's a hoot to scorch the SUV or pickup that's tailgating you or hogging the outside lane. Even my wife, a sedate driver for a long time, goes crazy in this thing. It's gotta be the funnest car we've ever owned.

350zr_dave · August 2006

I just bought a leftover 2005 350ZR Ulta Yellow and I have also noticed a change in my driving style. First time in years, someone has pulled up beside me and I just had to open it up a little. Just hit 50 here. Also own a Yamaha and have owned a couple of 2 seat roadsters in years gone by (Fiat Spider and Triumph Spitfire). But all in all, this is about the hottest thing I think I have owned (probably better than the 69 V12 Jag Coupe I owned in 79). Last car I had a ticket in was a 95 Mark VIII 10 years ago. I think it might be that time again. I live in Virginia where radar detectors are illegal. I might have to head down to NC and see about having one of those discrete ones installed.

biancar · April 2007

This forum has been pretty quiet. Are there any new owners out there?

It's been a year now since I bought my roadster. Still love it. I didn't drive it much over the winter, as it has summer performance tires on it and I'm too cheap to buy a second set of tires - and our garage is full anyway so would be hard to find a place to store whichever set is not in use.

Anyway, wondering particularly if there are many women buyers? Most of the other Z owners I've met in real life or on-line are guys. Just wondering if there are more women like me who love driving a fun, fast roadster? To me, it's a car that works equally well for both genders - good-looking, fun to drive, reasonably economical for what it is, etc.

dadsz · May 2007

Hi all,

I've used Edmunds forums before to buy and maintain my 1999 Trooper. Now I've used them for my Z (2006 roadster - touring model). I was a bit surprised to see that there aren't many folks talking about their Zs here... interesting, I guess that everyone is out driving....

My wife loves driving this car as much as I do, so it will be a challenge to see who gets the keys first when we go out! See you online...

biancar · June 2007

Hey there, congrats and welcome to the Z community!

I think more people hang out on the Z enthusiast boards www.my350z.com than in here. That said, I wish more people WOULD post here.

So, give up the details - what color did you get? Did you buy new or used? I note you said it's a 2006, but wondered if you got a great discount on a new leftover '06 or bought used. (I bought an '05 in April '06 and got a whale of a deal. Redline with black interior, Touring Roadster.

Lately we've been having some fabulous weather. I just drive around feeling sorry for anyone not in a convertible!

dadsz · June 2007

Hi biancar,

Thanks for the welcome! Here are the details which I posted in the What did you pay forum:

Got the last one at the dealer in Annapolis. Silverstone with black top, black leather, mats, kick plates, wheel locks, out the door for $32,600 + TTL. MSRP was $38,675, car had 98 miles on it. Edmunds TMV for a certified used 2006 with 0 miles was $34,125 and Dealer TMV price was $32,889. I figured the certified used was the closest comparison point with the Dealer TMV price as the floor. So, I am a happy roadster today...

I now have roughly 300 miles on the car! But it is raining here in Maryland today, so I used my wife's Highlander...

I used to post as Tetonman on the Isuzu Trooper boards here on Edmunds, those folks were awesome to talk to about our trucks. I was surprised when I came to the 350Z forums looking for information that they were so dead...guess everyone is out driving....oh well, I'll keep checking here from time to time. But I'm also looking at some of the other Z forums so I can learn more about this great car and make some friends online to discuss the cars. I just haven't posted there yet, but most likely will over the next couple of days...

biancar · June 2007

You did well! Very similar deal to what I got last year.

I'm typing from Outer Banks of NC right now, and it's been raining all day here as well. Tomorrow also looks a little dicey, but then we get sunshine again. Such a great beach car!

Maybe we can get a little more conversation started here... ;-)

dadsz · June 2007

For me, it was the look of the car with the top down. I liked the bigger look (bigger as in bigger and beefier than the MGB I once drove or the Miata or SC2000 I looked at). In the dark silver with chrome accents, it simply is one beautiful car.

Oh yeah, the research showed it was a good car too! I really like driving this car. Took it in the rain to the airport this morning and it handled just fine even with the summer tires. No race jockeying, but still pushing it a bit... ;-)

biancar · June 2007

What attracted me most - well, I've been a fan of Nissans since forever, for starters.

Last year I was convertible shopping and had been thinking of the new Volvo C70. But when doing the test drive (first day the dealer had it!) realized that while it very luxurious and all, it just wasn't fun to drive. Very disappointing since I'd been waiting for that car for a year.

So, the next day happened to have my Maxima in for an oil change. There was a black Z on the showroom floor, and I asked the salesman if they had any others. (Not a fan of black convertibles, just my preference.)

Well, turned out they were highlighting this beautiful red Touring edition, out front, which I hadn't seen since I'd entered from the service area.

Asked to test-drive it, and absolutely fell in love with the handling, the comfort, the zoom-zoom factor. AND the fact that it was very heavily discounted, since it was a left-over '05. And of course I liked the looks, the smooth curves and rounded look to it. (Sort of like myself! ;-) )

Next day I test-drove a few more 'verts, just for comparison, and nothing thrilled me like the Z. Like you, I liked the fact that it was bigger and beefier than the Miata and the Honda s2000 and the like, while being smaller and zippier and way more fun than the Volvo, the Solara, or the Sebring. I didn't drive a BMW, maybe should have.

Anyway, day after that I returned to the Nissan dealer again, took the car out for a spin on the Beltway (I wanted to see how I felt with big trucks zooming around me), and it was fine, very stable and sure-footed.

Negotiated a little more off the already-low price, and the deal was done. I'm VERY happy with it, just love driving it. No problems in rain, but I leave it in the garage if temps drop below 45 or so. Not a big problem in Virginia, if it's too cold I don't need to go out anyway, or will use the Max if essential.

dat2 · June 2007

Hi biancar, nice to hear you are still enjoying your sweet roadster! No more doing laps around the beltway for me, I've recently moved to CA. Now it would be nice to have a roadster myself!

Have you had to buy new tires yet?

biancar · June 2007

So far, no. I have less than 10,000 miles on it. It's not really a daily driver, since we now split our time between the D.C. area and the Outer Banks. No more commuting for me!

My deal came with the offer of new tires at 25,000 miles if I get all my service done at the dealer. That was ok with me since we'd been taking our Maxima there for 6 years and have been satisfied with their service. Guess that was Nissan's way of dealing pre-emptively with the tire wear issue. Which supposedly was much improved with the '05 model anyway.

Since then, the dealer (Pallone) sold off the Nissan business to Sheehy. So far, so good - the service manager (who also owns a Z, but in coupe form) also switched to Sheehy so we feel that the service has been comparable.

dadsz · June 2007

Hi Biancar,

That's good to hear as I bought from Sheehy in Annapolis... they seem to be customer service oriented. We'll have to compare our notes on the two locations.

biancar · June 2007

Yeah, please do! Only thing I don't like about Sheehy is they don't do bodywork. I've got a little ding on the door, and a slightly messed-up front bumper (someone rammed a shopping cart against my car in a parking lot, apparently), but I can't get it fixed at Sheehy, and I don't know a good body shop.

Pallone did body work. When someone sideswiped my Maxima and tore off the mirror and scratched the door (also while my car was parked!) the Pallone guys fixed it perfectly. But now I think they only do Chevys.

dadsz · June 2007

It might be a bit of a hike, but Duty's on Kent Island is a great body shop. They fixed up my 99 Trooper after an accordian crash on Rt. 50 last year. They fixed the truck perfectly and had it in and out of their shop in 3 days... I've seen other Nissan's in the lot (not Z's though) so I think they know what they are doing. They are also in State Farm's network as a preferred shop so I would think that other insurance companies would have relationships with them too (if that's the route you would go to fix the dings...).

Since body work can be very profitable, it's strange that Sheehy in your neck of the woods doesn't offer that service...

Bummer about people who don't know how to drive shopping carts or in parking lots.. :mad:

I've started parking my Z as far away from other cars and cart return areas as I can...

biancar · June 2007

I do too, park it as far away as possible that is, but sometimes there's just no hope. Whoever rammed the shopping cart into me did it on purpose; the bashed up paint is more than just the casual scratch it would be if a cart just accidentally rolled into it. Sigh.

The side door ding was probably an accident.

Where is Kent Island? I'm just south of D.C., in northern Virginia.

I doubt I'd submit it to insurance; I carry a high deductible so probably wouldn't get much of a payment above that, and then my premiums would increase anyway most likely, so probably not worth it.

dadsz · June 2007

Kent Island is right across the Bay Bridge on Route 50. It's about 45 minutes from DC unless you are driving on Friday night to the beaches, then it's a bit more...

Duty's Kent Island Auto Body
(410) 643-6692 | 207 Love Point Rd Stevensville, 21666

Might be a bit of a hike from NoVa, but you'll get in and out faster than using a bigger city shop... just a thought.

biancar · June 2007

Ah, too far away from me. I'll try to find someplace a little closer. I got a recommendentation from the Sheehy folks for a place called "Spectrum Auto Body." Anyone ever heard of it?

usitawi · June 2007

Hi,
I live in CA, are there any "350Z" clubs like the "Corvette Club"?

Usitawi

mx488 · October 2007

I purchased my 2007 350z grand touring new 3 months ago,my expectations where met regarding performance and styling.My concerns are squealing brakes(already replaced,made no difference)and recently rpm guage monitor isnt responding accurately.I have 3200 miles on it and will take it again to my dealer.Anyone else have had these problems?

Nissan 350Z Owners - Meet the Members

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