[AntonioB]

Hi, just joined up this forum after doing a search on the net

Im looking at buying a new Z, the upgraded engine model, and have been to a few dealers but only managed to get a test drive around the block

Ive asked to have the car for a few hours on my own, or even to live with for a weekend, but the dealers just dont want to hear about it. Do you think it would be worth contacting Nissan Car Aus and asking them for a demo car?

Ive owned a 993 Carrera S, E36 M3 and am getting out of an SLK32 and all these marques were more than happy to give me a car overnight. Ive never owned a Japanese car, so not sure what to expect really, and ideally id like to live with the car to see how it feels. You're probably wondering why a Nissan, unfortunately the wife's forcing me to sell up because she wants our house renovated before the rug rat arrives, so i need something cheaper, but at the same time still want something sporty

I havent driven the earlier model Z, so not sure how the new model compares. The earlier models are quite cheap on the used market and would make a cracking bargain. Has anyone driven both back to back and can offer any unbiased feedback? I didnt think the interior was built very well, a bit cheap and nasty in some places, is the earlier model the same or have there been improvements?

A friend also directed me to the APS website. The twin turbo kits really appeal to me, as with a kid on the way, ill more than likely have to have this car for another 2-3 years. But as i understand it, the kits are only for the early model?

What also appeals to me is the cheap mods out there, adjustable coilover suspension from Tein is only around AUD $2500 from the US. The KW Variant 3s on my SLK32 cost me three times that :doh:

Is there anything that goes wrong with these cars, are they easy to live with everyday? Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Thanks
Antonio

 

[mickyboy]

Hey,

I haven't personally driven the new 05 model but the write ups by the press seem to indicate no difference between the 04 & 05 (206 & 221Kw). There was a slight change to suspension set up (dampers and spring rates) from the original 03 to 04/05 but again probably not that noticeable.

Build quality has improved (I noticed from the used ones I test drove that were 03 builds) but the crappy interior remains the same from all years (we are talking Japanese here, not the Euro quality) but it is functional & none of us bought our cars for what's on the inside apart from under the bonnet.

I doubt any dealer will lend you a car for long periods, just not enough examples of the zed to go around & I suspect they would be scared of the thrashing it might get.

The TT kit turns the zed into a supercar (almost) which will eat up nearly anything that comes it's way, it really should have come from the factory with a TT or even a single T, maybe in the future?

Yes, you can pick up nice second hand examples now and these would be perfect for an engine build and some twin sisters inserted at close to the price that you may pay for the 35th Anniversary model. That is the dilemma you face!

Whatever your choice good luck.

BTW, zed sales have slowed recently so there should be no way that you should pay anywhere near the RRP. I bought mine in OCT last year and shopped for a while and the prices were varied according to each dealer (wankers). So my advice shop around and by all costs avoid Ryde Nissan if you are in Sydney!

Cheers

 

[ky350]

Welcome Antonio.

WRT a day long test drive of a Z, I doubt that there are many, if any Nissan dealers who will accomodate you. I have only ever heard of one guy who had the Z for a day, but I suspect that he or his family may have known the dealer principle (and his dad owned a Ferrari and I believe was getting a SL500 - ie family is loaded and the dealer would have known this and was happy to accomodate the sons request for an extended test drive - he was in Melb btw).

I have not driven the more powerful 221kW 35th Anniversary model Z, but my guess is that with slightly more power but less torque (10Nm) the performance between the 2 models would be neither here nor there. The new 18" wheels look great, but you'd be better off getting a 1yo model for sub $50K than paying $75 for a new 35th Ann model (you're paying 50% more for essentially the same performance but new car instead of 1yo). May as well get your hands on a good 1yo model and spend $16K on the APS TT that you want - mega pefrormance and you still have $9K to spend on the renovations, making the missus happy with your purchase also.

Is there anything wrong with these cars?
Not really. Some people have had tyre feathering issues, with several owners getting new replacement tyres as a consequence. Alternatively, get the toe angle set to zero degrees to avoid feathering.

I have heard of one or maybe 2 gearboxes that were replaced in Aussie Z and just recently another member indicated Nissan will be replacing his block due to excessive oil ussage. There is another member that also has excessive oil consumption and he too should get a new short motor.

I had my LSD changed as it got noisy at about 15,000km, but have not heard of anyone else with this problem. Also had my drivers auto window mechanism replaced due to failure as has at least one other member. All work was done under warranty without any problems from Nissan.

So asside from the odd one off problems that have been reported, the Z does not have any serious flaws that have necessitated recals by Nissan.

BTW, the Z will no doubt be noisier than your SLK32 as the noise insulation is not great.

Yes interior is fairly plain Jane, but you get what you pay for - ie this is not a $120K Merc / BMW / Porsche.

 

[ky350]

Well, I started my response before Mickyboys submission and as you can see, we both think allong similar lines.

Just go to a dealerhip midweek and ask for a Z to test drive for a couple of hours to see if its right for you - I'm sure someone will accomodate you.

One area where I disagree with Mickyboy is paying full RRP. I believe that if your're after the 35th Ann model, Nissan will slugg you the full price and throw in some tinting / mats to try to seal the deal.
If you go for a new Touring or Track model though, you should get better than RRP.

I was an early adoptor and payed full ticket (with a few freebies thrown in) for my Z, but if I were in your shoes today, I would definately buy a 1yo model and save the depreciation. As shown by the 2nd hand prices, your new Z will depreciate big time in year 1.

 

[AntonioB]

thanks for the quick replies fellas

buying a used car then modding it up to new car price or simply buying new is exactly what im thinking about, which is why i ask if theres any differences

im not so much concerned with the suspension changes as ill fit coilovers and 19s straight away, its more so those bugs or little annoying problems that were ironed out over time. Also i really wouldnt want interior quality any worse than what i test drove, guys how can you like those door trims, everything else inside is styled quite nicely for the money.

ive been doing some web surfing all day, gotta love public holidays, browsing this forum and a few others, looking at other peoples mods, and ive noticed the centre console on the old model is grey, whereas the one i drove was all black. I do prefer the all black, it looks like a different texture too, or is it just the color playing tricks?

another question, where in Melbourne can i buy Volk alloys?

i think ill wait to the weekend and test drive the 206kw version

 

[mickyboy]

Not so sure about the grey centre console?

I never seen it in Oz, maybe a US thing or an individual mod that someone did?

One thing to be aware of , the centre console door on the 03 models retracted into itself, whereas 04 on it now only tilts up to open.

Regarding the plastic door trim, I actually like it as it is easy to clean, but each to their own.

Also, test drive the car on below average roads (normal for us in Sydney) so you are aware of what the car feels like for day to day driving, none of this let the salesman take you down the freeway crap.

Cheers

 

[coatsie]

Speak to Paul Donnellan at Donnellans for Volk rims.

Welcome and cheers
coatsie

 

[Nuff]

Another problem with the 350z is the paint quality is very poor. I've just washed my car and I've paint chips every where. On the roof (the front area), front fenders, I've a big nasty one on my right rear quarter panel and not to mention the moon craters on the front bumper. I guess it's kind of hard to avoid when driving on a highway. I guess I've to budget in a paint job down the track.

As for which model to choose, well the 35th anniversary has more power (less torque) and it also has a stronger bottom end. Stronger rods, rod bolts, better oil pump, I think it might have had better bearings, but I can't recall. It also has VTS on exhaust cam and not only on the intake like the less powerful models. There are few other changes as well like different plenum etc. Since it's a stronger motor it's better for FI. Also APS were looking for one of those cars to do some testing I think.

If you are not going to add the twin turbo kit then deciding if you want more torque or power shouldn't be that hard. If you are going to spend most of the time reving the car above 4-5k rpm and taking it to the race track go for more power. If you are going to drive it around the city and it's not going to see a race track, go for more torque.

As for the door panel, it's quiet crap, but when I drive the car I don't ever look at it. Also when you are driving fast enough you only have enough time to take a quick look at rpm before you change the gears. Then you don't have time to look at the interior As micky boy said, most of us got the car for what's under the hood.

 

[Z350Lover]

Antonio:

Welcome to the forum!

First of all... if you are looking forward to get a z, you gotta put in APS TT kit to be able to make you happy as what other cars do/did! I used to own a E36 M3 and the standard z power cannot be able to match up with that although there are only a few kilowatts diff. on the paper.

I also doubt that you can get a z over night or even over a weekend. Also if you want to buy Volk Racing/Rays wheels, I know the Volks/Rays importer in Melbourne, don't know if he can give you any cheaper than the RRP, but it is worth giving it a try! PM me if you want to know more about the wheel info.

cheers,

richie

 

[lionking]

[/quote]

Hey Antonio,
Try Binks Nissan in Footscray. I went there to have my first glimps at a 350Z in early 03 when the waiting list was around 4 months. They INSISTED that I take the car for the weekend to have a good drive around without the salesguy there. I know the guy who was selling me the car so I'm sure that made a difference but they are very accomodating. Wouldn't hurt to ask them for an overnight test drive.

LK

 

[AntonioB]

sweet ill check out that Footscray dealer. To be honest, i thought the dealer would have been a bit more pushy to sell the car and offer a longer drive on my own

also thinking, there are a few prestige car rental places in Melb now, i wonder if any of them would have a Z to rent?

Re the Volks, wouldnt it be cheaper buying them from the US?

I found this pic of the DAMD kitted 350Z, ugly looking kit and rims, but those tan Sparco seats look gorgeous in a black car, and would really lift the interior. Im really looking forward to modding this car now, all i need to do is drive one :xZ!o:

click here

 

[mchapman]

Have you seen a black Zed with the burnt orange seats?

This isnt a black zed but you should be able to get the idea.

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[ky350]

Yep - I got the orange seats on my Ag to break up the otherwise all black interior.

 

[AntonioB]

Yeah ive seen the orange seats on a silver car, not too keen on the color

The reason id want the Sparcos is also for the quality of the leather. The Nissan leather is pretty horrible imo, and i dont like the orange stitching. So rather than getting a retrim, it might not be that much more expensive in buying some raceseats instead. I had alcantara retrimmed Recaro Sport's in my 993 with 4 point harnesses and they were perfect for my rather skinny backside

Anyway plenty of time to worry about that sort of stuff :shiftdrive:

 

[jetpilot718]

When I first drove the Z, it was on the day of my pickup for purchase. No one would let me testdrive without a deposit, because they just figured I was a stupid kid with no money.

I drove my own Z off the lot with 7 miles on it, and that was all the testdrive I needed. Just as happy as day 1, and havnt looked back. No testdrive necessary

 

[davidm]

I had alcantara retrimmed Recaro Sport's in my 993 with 4 point harnesses and they were perfect for my rather skinny backside

Did you track your 993? Reason I ask is the 4-point harness ... or did you do it just for show?

 

[AntonioB]

No i didnt track, i dont track any of my cars, too worried about having an off with no insurance

I did the seats because my 993 driver's seats went all shiny and worn looking after a while. I was going to have the fronts retrimmed, but thought id get the raceseats instead. More wank factor than anything else, it looked hot, black 993 S with black race seats, red calipers and red harnesses.

 

[frosty]

What about this?

 

[whitezed]

if you have the intention to spend some $$ on zed as time goes by,

go for a cheap second hand one, good ones are out there *people who need to sell as they have kids or whatever* i have found most people who have zeds are under 30, so if shouldnt be an issue finding a good 2nd hand one

any issues you may have with the older zeds.. *feathering* if doesnt matter you are putting new wheels and coilovers in it, once its alligned properly, problem solved..

interior .. i HATE the doors, they are a muther ****** to clean, they look ugly and show up stains and finger marks easy.....

that is my only beef with the interior, other then that i think it is ok....
i mean a suede retrim on the roof doors and seats would make me happy and one day the center console will get pained

all of that is really inecpencive for a major interior improvement

my center consol looks 100% better with just a new stereo and dash kit, its just the ugly Boss head unit that makes it ugly

the zed is pretty loud, i am in the process of putting some sound deadining in it, hopefully will have it finished this weekend, but i also think good quality tyres will fix most of the loudness

good luck and :welcome:

 

[whitezed]

this is a bad up close photo, looks better from further away

if you want a better pic , i will do it