Dang, you made your video before I did. Other things to add: 1) Check Windows multiple times. - Common for the motor to die. Once mine got stuck down. 2) Check oil cluster when starting the car 3)TMPS sensor are accurate, but sometimes go out randomly. Also, they usually won't correlate to the correct wheel if the tires are rotated. 4) America: Look for white spots in the car, this will usually indicate a car that was sitting in the junkyard. 5) 03/04 model 350z. Try to run the gears hard, this way you know if the car is grinding or not. Most sellers will granny shift to avoid it grinding, since it can break a sell. 6)Check the belts, there are two belts in front of the engine. They usually last (OEM)30k-40k miles, before they start cracking.
@@MarksTournaments Yeah let's just waste money on shit we don't really want because we're underaged- no. Buy what you can from your parent's wallet before you end up poor haha
Great vid! Thank you. I am contemplating buying one of these cars, among a few others. A word of advice to anyone watching this vid: Find a mechanic you trust, and have them do a pre-buy inspection on any and every used car. I have always done this, and I've had cars I thought were perfect(I'm pretty good at doing basic repairs), but after I took them in, and put them on the lift for a full inspection by my seasoned mechanic, they turned out to be lemons. Even if the dealer/seller says they have a mechanic shop and the vehicle has been fully inspected and serviced, do not take their word. They might be totally honest, but they might not be. Don't take the chance! Also, any good dealer will not be offended, because they are confident in their vehicle. If someone is evasive and does not want it inspected, they know there is a problem!
i arranged for the RAC (could have used AA or green flag but already a member of RAC) to meet me at the car dealers place and asked to put it on the car dealers ramp/lift and all 3 of us checked it thoroughly and on my way home i took it into a nissan dealer near me and got a full nissan health check which confirmed RAC mans assessment (apart from suspension bushes and brushes needed replacing but RAC guy didnt strip car down like nissan did and as car was under 10yrs old they changed it for free under 10yr warranty!) .
Great video! I bought my Z April of 2003 and have had it ever since. It has 130k miles on it and for the most part has been a fairly reliable car. I did have the ECU go out @ 8k miles but it was under warranty, no issues since. I do have the fuel damper issue however it seems to only do it on cold days during winter periods. I have the cloth seats and the 2nd driver is completely gone on the bolster due to wear and foam is coming out. 1st one was replaced under recall for the same issue. I think an adding factor to wear is I have eibachs so with the lowered height you practically have to fall into and climb out of the car. One issue that I've always had and is common is the driver side window sensor retracts the window back to half after you roll the window all the way up with the auto function on the switch. Nissan would always fix it while it was under warranty and as soon as it was out they wanted to charge to "reset" it. The throwout bearing has always rattled when not fully under power since about 20k miles however I'm still on the original clutch. A few years back my CD wouldn't eject, nor would it play so I'm stuck to AM radio. The reason I'm stuck on AM is I bought a shorty billet antenna in 2004 and it fell off on the freeway in about 2005. FM radio here in LA just plays crap so I've learned to enjoy AM radio and feel it's benefited me by being informed on current events. The camshaft position sensor went out so I unfortunately paid to have it replaced only later to find out there was a recall but I never received a notice. Same with one of the coils. I have the same trunk issue so it's nice to hear I pack pack the dampers with o-rings or maybe remove the weight (which is crazy that its there in the first place). I traded my 99 Mustang Cobra to purchase this car and am finding myself wanting to go back to the 2015 or newer 5.0 Mustang because I just miss that American V8. Then again I also day dream about doing an LS swap on this and keeping it for fun but I don't think there's anyway possible to do that here in CA. Thanks for taking the time to make this!
And remember kids, you can check the detailed MOT history of that prospective 'new-to-you' car you've been drooling over... _Including_ failure reasons, advisories *_AND_* if there are any outstanding manufacturer recalls.
nice little video,great that you spent your time giving advice to people like me who cant make my mind up whether to but one of these or a tt ! hope youve still got it because clearly you love it all the best carlo
Just looked it up on the net! The price is a buck in sweden. My bass comes in and out and i've checked the connections. this gotta be the problem. Many thanks!
Most common problem on all Zs are Valve Covers/Gaskets, Suspension Bushings, Window motors giving out and door handles breaking. 2003-04 Z's have the 3rd gear grind (Manuals only) while the Autos didn't really have much problems. 2005-06 Z's came with the Rev-up engine (Manual only) and they were notorious for burning so much oil because Nissan cheaped out. 2007-08 Z's Have the best engine, the VQ35HR engine and the only problem it had was the Oil Gallery gaskets needing to be changed. Overall, it's the best Z to have out of them all.
My second gear lock was due to worn clutch and throwout bearing the only way to tell if yours is going out is to test drive the car before hand and see if you need to give it excessive gas to get started from first because the car should start to roll on its own. Also the tappet valves can contributes to the clicking but you can use thicker oil to help solve that issue. Beyond that check the technical service bulletins and ask the owner to see if those were performed.
I've got a 2006 that I've had for 6 years now. Granted its only got 77k miles on it, but I beat the crap out of it. Along with my aggressive driving, I also live in Buffalo, NY. We have snow. Lots of it. And for most of those years I've had it I didn't have the money to have two cars, so it has started to rust a good amount. So, here are a few items I've noticed as well. 1. You did mention the 'knocking' going over bumps fro the front end. I had this as well. I did a whole suspension upgrade. Upper control arms, (I think that is the 'banana' item you were speaking about), as well as tie rod end links, and coilovers and a few other bits that I had to cut off the car because the rust had welded them together. 2. The rear of the car where the strut links up to the hub, there is a bushing in there, these like to let go, they squeek and knock and all that. I didn't' even know I had a problem until I went to put int the coilovers. Pain in the ass to get those bolts out when the bushing is melted to the car, knuckle, and strut. 3. As I said I have lived with rust now for some time, but a couple main places the Nissan Z's seem to be notorious for them is under the door handles, and on the bottom of the door. 4. Someone else mentioned this, figured I'd touch base with it as well. If my car is locked, and you go to open it, it will allow you to open it just a tiny bit, which sets off the alarm. You then have to close the door, shut off the alarm, lock the car to fully engage the lock, unlock the car, and then open it. I don't know why this is doing that yet. I did just purchase new door handles to replace both sides. I will see if this fixes the problem.
Few things missed that fail potentially prior to 100k miles: Window motors may fail, door handles break off internally (due to the cheap plastic used) and must be replaced completely, the syncro's in the CD001 transmission were notorious for failing prematurely resulting in grinding in 3-5th gears and gradually worsens. Most of these issues were reported in the 2003-2004 models primarily. The 2006 models were known to have oil burning issues and everyone on the 350z forums recommends against them. The best 350z models to get were 2005, 2007, 2008. All of these issues will depend a lot on driving/usage. If your window motors are constantly working - of course you'll have a higher chance of them failing prematurely. The same goes for door handles and for the transmission (If you're banging into gears and driving very aggressively).
Take every precaution with this trust me I learned the hard and expensive way still no sign of my car after 3 weeks in the garage good luck finding syncro rings
Very useful video! I just purchased an 08 350z Nismo with only 59k miles on it for 15k, but it needed some work and I've been trying to restore everything on it. It runs great but some maintenance has been neglected. So far I've fixed the bad slave cylinder (put a whole new clutch kit in it with the upgraded heavy duty slave cylinder), replaced the rear diff bushings with poly ones (clunked bad when shifting hard), and replaced the whole drive shaft (it had bad u-joints and they're non serviceable so I went with an aluminum drive shaft with serviceable u-joints. However I'm still getting some drive-shaft clicking in 1st gear like you said. I'm going to try what you said with the drive-shaft and see if that fixes it. Also having the fuel door and hatch issues so I'll try your fixes, thanks a ton!
Great vid. I have an 06. My trunk has the same issues you spoke on as well has the minor interior chipping. The arm on my front end also knocks on speed bumps.
thanks for the video appreciate it, I've been researching problems with the 350z as much as I want to buy one I just wanted to check what to look for etc and one of them was the gearbox but spose one of those things all cars have problems just depends if it's been looked after etc then you won't have problems
You sure did my man. I’ve had mine for 5 yrs. Here are some tips: Use the mileage counters on your cluster are your best friends. Check your oil level on a cold engine, every 300 miles, or every fill up. Get used to how much oil you need to add and how often. The manual says to check it a few minutes after turning the engine off, but the dipsticks they use are quite tricky. So a cold oil will stick the best to the dipstick and give you the most accurate read. These fookers burn oil. It’s just what they do. All you have to do is continue to pour oil in as needed. Some may suggest to switch oil densities to a 10w30 or 10w40. This works with burning less oil, but at the end of the day, 5w30 is what Nissan says to use. I get my oil at amazon for about $20 for a 5gallon jug. I always keep an extra in storage ready to use. Never run out of oil my friend. Use your 20 gallon tank. The gauge on most of these will go to empty when it’s actually at the halfway point. Use simple maths to compare your average gas mileage to the miles driven. If driving in the city you can go 300 miles on a tank. Mixed I’ve gone 410 with a little left in the tank. Straight up highway at 65mph I’ve gone 450. Then again, this might be on purpose, since the tank actually serves an alternate function of cooling the fuel pump as I understand it, and a near empty tank may not serve this purpose correctly. Not saying you should always drive to almost empty. I’m just saying don’t freak out if your gauge is on empty.
I have a black 2007 gt with 21000 on the clock but believe it or not I had to fit 2 banana arms, drop links front and back. I also made sure it had its p3 signed off at the garage before I bought it. I have had many cars m3 to Sierra cozie but I can honestly say the z is the most fun. After watching your video I know what the bloody ticking is funny as I am in the middle of doing the winter mods. You should have mentioned the oil usage on the 2002 to 2006, a simple oil catch can in the vacuum line stops the oil vapour going in the plenum. I love my car not giving it up without a fight even with the £500 a year road tax 😝. Will look at some more of your vids keep up the good work !!!!!!!
if your buying an 03/04 z watch out for 1) cam sensors bank 1 and 2 going out, car goes into limp mode with a hard crank, pretty easy to replace yourself tho 2) gas tank sensor getting dirty, ur tank gauge will read empty when u have 50+ miles left, its easy to clean the sensors yourself but be prepared to be fully exposed to your gas tank and lastly the window motors suck and will probably need to be replaced, if you auto up the window and it comes down halfway, ur motor is gona go out
I bought a 2004 350Z 2 original owners I'm the third taking very good care of and maintained was told I had a valve cover oil leak after purchasing the car at a fair price didn't get a really good deal I realized it had for oil leaks and both valve covers had to be replaced. I bought aftermarket valve covers online within a hundred miles both of them were leaking to buy Nissan valve covers was over $700 not counting labor I had already paid for the aftermarket ones and labor to put them on so be aware these cars are not cheap to maintain no matter how well they've been taken care of
Great video! I've got a convertible the same year as yours, and would only add that the motors that drive the mechanism suffer from the same brush wear problem as the window motors (especially the 5th bow motor). Easy enough to rebuild but can cause the roof to fail to fully retract. The vinyl used also tends to start perishing after 10 years (especially at the corners nearest the door handles) so bear in mind you'll probably want to factor in the cost of getting the roof refitted (£850 for mohair fitted).
I owned a 350z in "sunset orange" for 3 years, it was a 2004 model with 46k miles on the clock, only car i really regret selling off. In those 3 years it never gave me any issues, only part i had to change was a slightly leaking power steering cooling radiator. Something i noticed when i was looking to buy one was that nearly all of them had scratches at the top of the drivers and passenger windows. I am considering maybe buying one again or maybe a 370z in a few years time.
Some idiot ram a stop sign where I live and I t boned him which destroyed my supercharged Toyota mr2. I ended up getting a 350z and now I can't wait till I can afford a 370z in the near future. They look the same just a little bit more aggressive looking with the rear windows the way they are. So far though.....absolutely loving my 350z and with the performance aftermarket exhaust that it came with turns heads everywhere I drive. ; )
Power shift the absolute shift out the transmission if it’s an 03-04 to see if it’ll grind Guy granny shifted so I wouldn’t notice But I still love my Z 1 year later 🤤
Big problem I've replaced 3 of now is the drivers side window motor. The window motors are prone and known to break. You'll roll up your window, and it'll roll itself back down 6-8".
How shocked was i when i decided to go on an insurance quote rampage for potential next cars and realised i could get a 350z for around £70 more than what i pay annually for a 53 plate 1.0ltr Corsa Life. Dead serious.
yep same here started new policy as old one attached to works van but fully comp, no excess, no no claims, full perks like courtesy car, nation wide recovery, home start,etc and i paid £350 for full year (van has my 10yrs no claims bonus on same package for twice the price even though the vans worth less than half as much as the car!)
its more than likely due to the fact not alot of uk people drive these cars due to them being horrific on fuel,so that equates to less crashes and so that translates into chepaer insurance.
In 2006 Nissan brought out a face lifted version which externally the only real difference was a 2 slat front grill down from 3. The front headlamps became more powerful and the rears were fitted with more desirable LED systems Internally the switches were more ergonomic. The Rev counter went up from 6600 to 7000rpm and power went from 287bhp up to 300bhp' Also vehicle excise duty went up from this model as well. In 2007 there were further changes with the introduction of a new twin air intake engine which was slightly taller than the 350DE motor and as a result the 350HR engine needed a bulge in the bonnet in order for it to fit. BHP with this motor went up to 313 although torque dropped slightly. If looked after both the DE and HR engines are bombproof and figures of 200,000 miles being covered are becoming more and more common.
Cheers really helpful seems quite a realigned car. Like that it is a mini GTR basically. I’m thinking of buying a Nissan 350Z or GT86 after 3 years of having my Celica ST230.
Very informational. I'm moving away from turbos and need something more reliable, that I can service myself. I think a Performance coupe would be sufficient.
My 350z stole 80% of my paycheck for the last 8 months. So far i had to replace the clutch and tranny 1500$, exhaust manifold gasket 300$, master clutch cylinder was bad , shortly after i had to change my slave cylinder 300$. Heater core was leaking bad and that cost me around 800$ to fix. One of my coolant lines was leaking and it was very hard to find and fix because it was a hose in the back of the engine, 200$. Camshaft sensors went bad but i fixed them myself 80$. Crankshaft sensor went bad and my slip light kept coming on (i know alot of people with 350z’s have problems with these sensors) 65$ sensor did it myself. Valve covers were leaking (very common on Z’s) 400$ at a shop, did it myself though. Both Window motors went bad 150$ for the motors shop wanted 100$ each window i did the labor myself though. A few months later my window motor burned out again lol. Seat motor started going out, 80$ for new motor on ebay, diddnt even install it yet. Vvt solenoid-gaskets were leaking 14$ for both gaskets and did it myself. My newest problem - clutch pedal doesn’t come up all the way i have to lift up my clutch pedal with my foot now making my car basically un drivable. Shop said i need new master and slave but I already replaced those, i did a clutch fluid flush 50$ and it diddnt help. Another problem - my shifter is super sloppy and its hard to put my car into a gear sometimes, especially stopped at a light sometimes i cant shift into first gear,,, i have to use all my muscle to jam my shifter into reverse, it feels like im hurting the car but thats the only way it will shift. And to top it all off my car only has 104k miles, and its a cali car so no rust to blame.
Clit Commander should’ve just bought a whole new 350z at that point lol. But I guess these problems may have slowly rolled in one after another so too much money was invested to replace it
The Warden - Ya i fixed my sloppy clutch pedal problem. My current problem is my oil pressure gets pretty low at idle. I only get about 15-20 psi of oil pressure at a red light.
crowndeckmagic ha might get mine in 3 months working 63 hours a week to buy this however 2 seats are a deal breaker however this car so gorgeous I'm debating
I have a 07 v6 6 speed altima and it's basically the same 350z engine transmission. Be careful with the master slave sylinder clutch. Went out on me twice. Easily 2k job. Make sure they are upgraded.
I had a 05 G35 up until this last week - I crashed it on monday. Bought a manual 06 350z with 74k miles today. It has no drivetrain issues, however the frame for the radio and the inside door pocket area are really scratched up. Got it for 12000 out the door USD. Definitely worth the money. Coming from a previous G35 owner, the interior isn't as cozy and the blind spots are attrocious. But other than that it's performance is a bit better than my G35. Same engine + way lighter = loads of fun.
beautiful car. this is the car I want and I plan on getting one in about a year or 2. I'm only 19 right now so obviously I gotta wait for the money lol. I currently drive a bmw 325i and I'm honestly bored with the power. it's just not enough. I floor it and it's just not fun anymore. this is the car I've decided that is affordable and has quite a lot of power with amazing handling. I don't like powerful cars that can't handle.
K Badsha lol um no. a 350z has 300-320 hp and weighs about 400 pounds less with much tighter handling. my 325i has 182 hp. the 0-60 time isn't even close. it's about a whole 2 seconds faster. the 325i being mid 7s and the z being low 5s.
K Badsha the 328 is only a slightly bigger engine with a 2.7l engine with the 325 only a 2.5l. No 3 series can keep up. an m3 could, a 7 series or some 5 series. not all of the 5 series but a few of them.
A 328 wouldn't be able to keep up on a track or a race but if you're daily driving both, would the power really be noticeable? Also you can get a much newer 328i with better interior for the same price. However, maintenance favors the Z.
I bought my 04 Entusiast in January 16, it has its problems, paint faded really bad on top, the leather inside is faded almost like that cheap plastic leather does and the previous owner has aparently done some mods to it. The intake plenum says "APS" on it and is missing the factory tower bar, but upon futher reading in forums, only an APS-Air Power System, strut bar will fit over it but is no longer available or a Stillen one which kind of fits outward, in front of the plenum and my biggest issue is the Gawdawful lowering springs installed on it, I'll admit I tested it out I can corner better than most other vehicles but I just don't care enough about it to want to keep them on, let alone drive it very much. I bought it with 86k miles, it now has 93k miles. black, 6mt, other than the BS wrong with it I love mine.
I would love to own this car, been a dream car for me since I was 15, currently 18 and the insurance is ridiculous. If you don't mind me asking, how much do you pay a year for this car? With how many years NCB?
AutomotiveEngineered That is insane, 440? I am 18, my first policy ends soon, which is for a Mini Cooper 1.6 which is 1200 with a box. I have entered info saying I already have 1 Years NCB to see the prices, but they are still like £6000; with the box. I guess I'll have a play around with insurers. Would you recommend AdrianFlux? I heard they are cheap, but not sure.
Rear hydraulic diff bushing go bad and leaks. Nissan's response is to replace the entire sub-frame ($1500 USD). However, you can replace the bushings with solid ones from Whiteline or SPL for much less ($300 USD for labor and about $80 for the parts)
Great video but why is your turn signal lever on the left-hand side? I know with traditional right-hand drive cars it's on the right-hand side of the steering wheel.
Hi mate good video, funny when you said it's more affordable now and young people buying and crashing them, I would be exhibit A for that statement, having wrote my first one off lol. I got a new '04 now with the insurance money, had it the last 8 months now, and it's faultless, it's MOT history is perfect, very happy with it. Anyhow I was wondering if you can make a tutorial on the rubber washer job you did on the boot to make it pop open properly every time? Many thanks
their all good if looked after, depending where you live you might have to think about road tax rules (eg UK 2003 plate £295 per year 2007 plate £515 per year) would always check info and spec online as some models are more to insure and service at main dealers. depending on age and milage the driver side seat will show signs of wear and tear but that's expected, check the basics like aircon works, oil colour (milky white at top of oil dip stick is a very bad sign), listen to engine on cold start and when warm-if its struggling or tapping noise then avoid as thrashed. check door alignments and any joints on removable panels (front/rear bumper) are spaced evenly everywhere (signs of crash damage to chassis) check engine and boot strut braces are straight and not twisted (badly crashed and repaired!) check wheels for any big dents (some little dents are ok from kerbing/parking but look out for sharp deep dents caused by crashing while drifting!). on test drive check the car sounds good (wind down driver window and then try with window up for in car sounds and outside car sounds) through all gears (should be nice continues acceleration throughout gears) check exhaust (rolling at next to stalling revs ideally 4-6th gear) and listen for signs of rattling, check for rust (underbody heat shields not vital but check the 2 cats are there and ok), a mid car box and sometimes (if not removed already) a massive back box. at low speeds check the car doesn't pull to one side, if there's any play in steering wheel, performing a slow U turn can you hear any rubbing or knocking sounds. signs of wear and tear expected on buttons and matts but check lights on dash turn on and off after car starts and running. listen to the person talking as some people will live in a dump but treat their cars like their own babies and some will live in a nice big house but treat their cars badly. most importantly check the mot certificates for faults flagged as minor or major and work receipts to see if it was fixed/done (and check the car again) and last of all work out roughly how much has been spent to fix/maintain the car in last 2 years (eg 6 sets of tires, brakes and shoes shows overly aggressive driving for 2 years but if only 1 or 2 sets then probably careful drivers- check for evenish tyre wear on front and rear tyres, will it need anything else (check newest mot) and ALWAYS HP CHECK and Theft Check the car-sms/text check service is good for this (check sms/text check, logbook, number plate and vin numbers match!) i would check out www.parkers.co.uk/cars before buying any cars (legit and well respected). lots of helpful stuff from owners and the specs/models available for pretty much every car available.
Well today I drove my 350z (auto) Decided to gas it in a wet area (Traction Control Off) spun out i reverse then put it in drive then after a bit I press the gas and it was like if it was on neutral but display showed D.So shifted back to neutral then D again same thing it just rev then I stop put it on park.Then put it in drive and it worked fine hopefully it's not a big deal.
That's the ECU Nissan Fun Police saying "oh crap! Someone is using this like a 'sports car'! STOP THEM!" My HR model threw a fit just because it was put on a dyno/rolling road to see what the power output was. When the ECU sees that the rear wheels are spinning much faster than the front wheels, the whole system goes into a panic, even with VDC off. VDC being the MOST DANGEROUS feature of these cars, as it cuts power to the engine often when you need it the most (leaving a junction). Every time I got in the car, I turned VDC off as soon as I'd started the engine. God only now am I remembering how much this car (that I loved) pissed me off.
I love my 08 Z. Best car ive owned !!! So much fin to drive. I actually just changed my driver side window motor. cost me like $60 for the motor on ebay and the labor i did myself in 20min. The only annoying part is the cabin noise is kinda loud but other than that its awesome.
Manual transmissions, especially the clutch, a big problem on early models. BEWARE... then again, Nissan build quality has always been dicey and dealer service well behind competitors.
I have a 2009 nismo 3.7L 430hp goes good twin thottle bodies quad vvti..... it bangs in the front and a little in the rear drives me mad, the rubber paint is coming of the door trims.... feels like it its a little unsure in the rear on a bumpy road on corners but rides really hard on the flat. noisy due to no sound proofing and alloy panels but that is what you get for a nismo spec model... fun to drive so quick but I am thinking a supercharger kit is needed. done 165,000kms been no problems its a toy not a day driver so its gets 2000k's services and a good dealing to when driving it as we dont live in the city.
was wondering if something like this would be a good deal and how to fix the issue they specify 2006 Nissan 350Z $10,000 OBO 73,938 Miles 6speed Manual Transmission V6 3.5L Car is lowered on BC coilovers with some black focal wheels. Vinyl wrapped roof gloss black. Rear hatch struts need to be replaced they won't stay up for very long. Runs good.' It has no external damage and the rear hatch struts seem to be the only issue, looks great, it's a white car, but im unsure and am wondering if the basis of this sounds good without seeing the picture though it can be found easily on craigslist EDIT: Would be my first car and i am a highschool student with college classes and work
+AutomotiveEngineered I've only read on a couple forums about an issue with the car hitting limp mode in the rain. Around 3000-3500 RPM the car may spike from 0 to 3k-4k RPM and have no acceleration. One forum I found a gentleman saying he tried swapping out everything, MAF Sensor, spark plugs/coil packs, and more. He said the only thing that fixed it was changing out the ECU. Currently my car will do this when VERY cold or in heavy rain :( pretty depressing. If you happen to come across an alternative fix, do share! Thanks for the great video though, very helpful :)
+Jesse Smith my car cuts out sometimes but thats only in very cold conditions idk why either but under heavy rain if you have a cai water can make its way into the intake that also happened to me and i had to switch to a short ram becuase my cai was originally by the front tire and i sucked in water and the car went to limp mode until i got home took out the maf and cleaned and dried it
+mapko15 thanks for the tips! i will try looking once it warms up some :) barely driving it now with the snow here. Hopefully it isn't something too serious!
Hi John! I'd say as long as the car is in good condition with none of the more serious issues outlined in the video with good service history I'd say go for it! They really are so much car for the money.
Good video, thanks. I've just bought a 350Z with only 39k miles. When I test drove it the engine was warm and the gears felt fine, but after driving it for a few weeks from cold I've noticed changing in from 1st to 2nd can be a bit clunky and notchy. Did you use genuine Nissan gear oil when you changed your's? I'm tempted to add the Molyslip as well but I hear most 'experts' saying that additives can actually have a negative effect and cause damage long term. I might just try putting fresh oil in first and see how it goes.
I used genuine Nissan oil and the molyslip at the same time when I changed mine, so can't 100% say which was responsible for the improvement in shift quality. But it did definitely help!
Hi Mapko, correct me if I'm wrong but... From what I've read the oil burning issues seem to mainly effect the 2006-2007 'Rev up' engines which develop 296bhp. You can get oil loss issues on the 2003 - 2006 DE engine but this is often due to a poor cam cover seal and oil seeping into the spark plug holes. That's unlucky about your car though, are you planning on fixing if of just living with it?
+AutomotiveEngineered thats what ive read to and i just found out where mine is leaking from, its my valve cover gasket like you mentioned, but i dont know if thats where its all coming from or if the motor is burning it to i guess when i change out the gasket ill find out, but my friend had a late 05 model and his burned so much oil that nissan warrantied it and he got a fresh motor for free,, but im hoping for the best, i saw your post on reddit to thats how i got to this video
+AutomotiveEngineered I have an '04 78k. This might explain why my mechanic found oil in the spark well on my last service, he said it wasn't severe and looks like it's built up over a long period of time, might get my cam cover seals changed then.
Bout to purchase one of these. The one I looked at was in really good condition, a 2002/3 with 100k mileage and the price is just right for me. However, I do wonder, if something does go wrong are these cars expensive to repair and parts hard to replace? The road tax is pretty high here where I live due to the car's engine size and I'm worried that paired with repair costs a sports car might incur might be really draining on me financially (I'm a pretty gentle driver though so hopefully nothing goes kaput for awhile, lol). Would love to hear all your experiences on this aspect of owning a 350z.
+NioKitty hey bud, like I said in the video it's been perfectly reliable for me. I pretty much mention in the start of the video the basic reasons why it's a reliable high-mileage engine. It's obviously somewhat more expensive to run in servicing and parts than a 'normal' car, but in comparison to other sports-cars in a similar bracket it's dirt cheap. I had an MX5 before, and to be honest I've noticed no real increase in running costs from that (even MPG!). Just be smart, these cars are easy to work on yourself and replace/service things proactively so you give yourself to source parts at a decent price instead of waiting until it's too late and being at the mercy of the Nissan garage. Get on 350Z-UK forum and get familiar with the traders on there, many of whom can source Nissan parts at a fraction of the price of a dealership.
+AutomotiveEngineered Ah I see, thank you. This certainly is very reassuring as over here there is this connotation that owning a sports car, regardless of make and type, is going to incur huge dents upon one's coin pouch. Here in Malaysia we're taxed for a sum of money that's based on the engine's CC; a Fairlady with its 3500cc engine would cost us 4300MYR (around 750 British Pounds) every year just to be allowed to drive; out of curiosity, is there such a Road-Tax in the UK as well?
Hey, How tall are you. I was thinking of gettign a 350z but im taller than the average person and it looks like a bit of a squeeze in there, you reckon a 6 foot 2 person could fit in the drivers seat comfortably?
Dang, you made your video before I did.
Other things to add:
1) Check Windows multiple times.
- Common for the motor to die. Once mine got stuck down.
2) Check oil cluster when starting the car
3)TMPS sensor are accurate, but sometimes go out randomly. Also, they usually won't correlate to the correct wheel if the tires are rotated.
4) America: Look for white spots in the car, this will usually indicate a car that was sitting in the junkyard.
5) 03/04 model 350z. Try to run the gears hard, this way you know if the car is grinding or not. Most sellers will granny shift to avoid it grinding, since it can break a sell.
6)Check the belts, there are two belts in front of the engine. They usually last (OEM)30k-40k miles, before they start cracking.
my 350z grinds 5th and 6th when i shift hard, what is the cause of this
+Comrade Dog worn synchros. Very common, try changing the transmission fluid and adding some molyslip transmission additive.
thanks man, if that doesnt work should i save up for a new trans?
+Comrade Dog possibly, try to go for a CD009 later transmission as it's the latest revision.
thank you
Thank you for the guide. I showed it to my parents and convinced them it wont just break down on me.
I'm having the same issue convincing my parents lol
Same here :(
uhチュンチュンマル you don’t need this car before age 18
@uhチュンチュンマル lazy ass bum i did it and I'm 17
@@MarksTournaments Yeah let's just waste money on shit we don't really want because we're underaged- no. Buy what you can from your parent's wallet before you end up poor haha
I didn't know Harry Potter drove a 350?
LOL
You're a wizard harry
You're a drifter* Harry!
He really looks like Daniel Radcliffe
The man who made an oil dipstick for this car should burn in hell.
X1000 yes!
+Яков Кемер
ohhhh yes.
+ralkz rg Becuase it's like 4 feet long and awkward
+Dan Gleesack lol
lmao agree x1000..
Great vid! Thank you. I am contemplating buying one of these cars, among a few others.
A word of advice to anyone watching this vid: Find a mechanic you trust, and have them do a pre-buy inspection on any and every used car. I have always done this, and I've had cars I thought were perfect(I'm pretty good at doing basic repairs), but after I took them in, and put them on the lift for a full inspection by my seasoned mechanic, they turned out to be lemons.
Even if the dealer/seller says they have a mechanic shop and the vehicle has been fully inspected and serviced, do not take their word. They might be totally honest, but they might not be. Don't take the chance! Also, any good dealer will not be offended, because they are confident in their vehicle. If someone is evasive and does not want it inspected, they know there is a problem!
i arranged for the RAC (could have used AA or green flag but already a member of RAC) to meet me at the car dealers place and asked to put it on the car dealers ramp/lift and all 3 of us checked it thoroughly and on my way home i took it into a nissan dealer near me and got a full nissan health check which confirmed RAC mans assessment (apart from suspension bushes and brushes needed replacing but RAC guy didnt strip car down like nissan did and as car was under 10yrs old they changed it for free under 10yr warranty!) .
Great video! I bought my Z April of 2003 and have had it ever since. It has 130k miles on it and for the most part has been a fairly reliable car. I did have the ECU go out @ 8k miles but it was under warranty, no issues since. I do have the fuel damper issue however it seems to only do it on cold days during winter periods. I have the cloth seats and the 2nd driver is completely gone on the bolster due to wear and foam is coming out. 1st one was replaced under recall for the same issue. I think an adding factor to wear is I have eibachs so with the lowered height you practically have to fall into and climb out of the car. One issue that I've always had and is common is the driver side window sensor retracts the window back to half after you roll the window all the way up with the auto function on the switch. Nissan would always fix it while it was under warranty and as soon as it was out they wanted to charge to "reset" it. The throwout bearing has always rattled when not fully under power since about 20k miles however I'm still on the original clutch. A few years back my CD wouldn't eject, nor would it play so I'm stuck to AM radio. The reason I'm stuck on AM is I bought a shorty billet antenna in 2004 and it fell off on the freeway in about 2005. FM radio here in LA just plays crap so I've learned to enjoy AM radio and feel it's benefited me by being informed on current events. The camshaft position sensor went out so I unfortunately paid to have it replaced only later to find out there was a recall but I never received a notice. Same with one of the coils. I have the same trunk issue so it's nice to hear I pack pack the dampers with o-rings or maybe remove the weight (which is crazy that its there in the first place). I traded my 99 Mustang Cobra to purchase this car and am finding myself wanting to go back to the 2015 or newer 5.0 Mustang because I just miss that American V8. Then again I also day dream about doing an LS swap on this and keeping it for fun but I don't think there's anyway possible to do that here in CA. Thanks for taking the time to make this!
Thanks! I feel much better about the Z I'm currently looking at :) I can hardly wait to get out of work! Subbed for automotive awesomeness.
And remember kids, you can check the detailed MOT history of that prospective 'new-to-you' car you've been drooling over... _Including_ failure reasons, advisories *_AND_* if there are any outstanding manufacturer recalls.
nice little video,great that you spent your time giving advice to people like me who cant make my mind up whether to but one of these or a tt !
hope youve still got it because clearly you love it
all the best carlo
Just looked it up on the net! The price is a buck in sweden. My bass comes in and out and i've checked the connections. this gotta be the problem. Many thanks!
i know this video is old but its extremely helpful, thanks
Hatch is an easy fix. Adjust hatch latch lower and install pennies or washer in hatch springs.
Most common problem on all Zs are Valve Covers/Gaskets, Suspension Bushings, Window motors giving out and door handles breaking.
2003-04 Z's have the 3rd gear grind (Manuals only) while the Autos didn't really have much problems.
2005-06 Z's came with the Rev-up engine (Manual only) and they were notorious for burning so much oil because Nissan cheaped out.
2007-08 Z's Have the best engine, the VQ35HR engine and the only problem it had was the Oil Gallery gaskets needing to be changed. Overall, it's the best Z to have out of them all.
Thank you so much for this. Amazing review. My favorite part is that you not only bring up issues, but also solutions!
I own a 370z & soon will get a 350z to complete the family this guide might help, thanks.
+370z & GTR let me know how they compare with one another!
My second gear lock was due to worn clutch and throwout bearing the only way to tell if yours is going out is to test drive the car before hand and see if you need to give it excessive gas to get started from first because the car should start to roll on its own. Also the tappet valves can contributes to the clicking but you can use thicker oil to help solve that issue. Beyond that check the technical service bulletins and ask the owner to see if those were performed.
A relatively comprehensive review. Great job.
I've got a 2006 that I've had for 6 years now. Granted its only got 77k miles on it, but I beat the crap out of it. Along with my aggressive driving, I also live in Buffalo, NY. We have snow. Lots of it. And for most of those years I've had it I didn't have the money to have two cars, so it has started to rust a good amount. So, here are a few items I've noticed as well.
1. You did mention the 'knocking' going over bumps fro the front end. I had this as well. I did a whole suspension upgrade. Upper control arms, (I think that is the 'banana' item you were speaking about), as well as tie rod end links, and coilovers and a few other bits that I had to cut off the car because the rust had welded them together.
2. The rear of the car where the strut links up to the hub, there is a bushing in there, these like to let go, they squeek and knock and all that. I didn't' even know I had a problem until I went to put int the coilovers. Pain in the ass to get those bolts out when the bushing is melted to the car, knuckle, and strut.
3. As I said I have lived with rust now for some time, but a couple main places the Nissan Z's seem to be notorious for them is under the door handles, and on the bottom of the door.
4. Someone else mentioned this, figured I'd touch base with it as well. If my car is locked, and you go to open it, it will allow you to open it just a tiny bit, which sets off the alarm. You then have to close the door, shut off the alarm, lock the car to fully engage the lock, unlock the car, and then open it. I don't know why this is doing that yet. I did just purchase new door handles to replace both sides. I will see if this fixes the problem.
Great video mate. Buying a 350z very soon can't wait.
You sound a bit like Daniel Radcliffe!
I don't like it, I can't understand shit
Wow ur gears seem smooth as butter, my g35 tyranny is clunky as hell.
Deftones 26 350z is always the best. It was just built better
Few things missed that fail potentially prior to 100k miles: Window motors may fail, door handles break off internally (due to the cheap plastic used) and must be replaced completely, the syncro's in the CD001 transmission were notorious for failing prematurely resulting in grinding in 3-5th gears and gradually worsens. Most of these issues were reported in the 2003-2004 models primarily. The 2006 models were known to have oil burning issues and everyone on the 350z forums recommends against them. The best 350z models to get were 2005, 2007, 2008. All of these issues will depend a lot on driving/usage. If your window motors are constantly working - of course you'll have a higher chance of them failing prematurely. The same goes for door handles and for the transmission (If you're banging into gears and driving very aggressively).
+dynamic21 fantastic reply, very useful for any potential new owner. Cheers Dynamic21!
mate, i noticed you put your hand on the stick often, which will destroy the rings in the gear box soon. Not a good practice
no it wont.
Take every precaution with this trust me I learned the hard and expensive way still no sign of my car after 3 weeks in the garage good luck finding syncro rings
@@mickesvensson9594 it will hurt the synchros. Resting your hand on the gear lever is never good. Dunno what you are talking about
Its not a armrest.... but if you hold your hand on the knob ligthly while up or down shifting you wont ruin anything
@@mickesvensson9594 hes literally resting his hand on it, what are you talking talking
Very useful video! I just purchased an 08 350z Nismo with only 59k miles on it for 15k, but it needed some work and I've been trying to restore everything on it. It runs great but some maintenance has been neglected. So far I've fixed the bad slave cylinder (put a whole new clutch kit in it with the upgraded heavy duty slave cylinder), replaced the rear diff bushings with poly ones (clunked bad when shifting hard), and replaced the whole drive shaft (it had bad u-joints and they're non serviceable so I went with an aluminum drive shaft with serviceable u-joints. However I'm still getting some drive-shaft clicking in 1st gear like you said. I'm going to try what you said with the drive-shaft and see if that fixes it. Also having the fuel door and hatch issues so I'll try your fixes, thanks a ton!
that's a steal man most nismo's I see listed are going 15k minimum with over 100k miles on them.
Great vid. I have an 06. My trunk has the same issues you spoke on as well has the minor interior chipping. The arm on my front end also knocks on speed bumps.
thinking about one as my 94 300zx twin turbo will be kept in the garage for a good few years to keep the miles down...
thanks for the video appreciate it, I've been researching problems with the 350z as much as I want to buy one I just wanted to check what to look for etc and one of them was the gearbox but spose one of those things all cars have problems just depends if it's been looked after etc then you won't have problems
Brother I just bought a JDM fairlady 2003 with 79000K. I'm kinda stressed. I hope I made a good choice.
You sure did my man. I’ve had mine for 5 yrs. Here are some tips:
Use the mileage counters on your cluster are your best friends. Check your oil level on a cold engine, every 300 miles, or every fill up. Get used to how much oil you need to add and how often. The manual says to check it a few minutes after turning the engine off, but the dipsticks they use are quite tricky. So a cold oil will stick the best to the dipstick and give you the most accurate read. These fookers burn oil. It’s just what they do. All you have to do is continue to pour oil in as needed. Some may suggest to switch oil densities to a 10w30 or 10w40. This works with burning less oil, but at the end of the day, 5w30 is what Nissan says to use.
I get my oil at amazon for about $20 for a 5gallon jug. I always keep an extra in storage ready to use. Never run out of oil my friend.
Use your 20 gallon tank. The gauge on most of these will go to empty when it’s actually at the halfway point. Use simple maths to compare your average gas mileage to the miles driven. If driving in the city you can go 300 miles on a tank. Mixed I’ve gone 410 with a little left in the tank. Straight up highway at 65mph I’ve gone 450. Then again, this might be on purpose, since the tank actually serves an alternate function of cooling the fuel pump as I understand it, and a near empty tank may not serve this purpose correctly. Not saying you should always drive to almost empty. I’m just saying don’t freak out if your gauge is on empty.
Cool video. I want one more than ever now. Still look great and obscene value.
You're right about them being amazing how value at the moment, nothing else out there comes close IMO. Go for it!
Great video! I have always wondered about the clicking sound coming from the back.
I have a black 2007 gt with 21000 on the clock but believe it or not I had to fit 2 banana arms, drop links front and back. I also made sure it had its p3 signed off at the garage before I bought it. I have had many cars m3 to Sierra cozie but I can honestly say the z is the most fun. After watching your video I know what the bloody ticking is funny as I am in the middle of doing the winter mods. You should have mentioned the oil usage on the 2002 to 2006, a simple oil catch can in the vacuum line stops the oil vapour going in the plenum. I love my car not giving it up without a fight even with the £500 a year road tax 😝. Will look at some more of your vids keep up the good work !!!!!!!
if your buying an 03/04 z watch out for 1) cam sensors bank 1 and 2 going out, car goes into limp mode with a hard crank, pretty easy to replace yourself tho 2) gas tank sensor getting dirty, ur tank gauge will read empty when u have 50+ miles left, its easy to clean the sensors yourself but be prepared to be fully exposed to your gas tank and lastly the window motors suck and will probably need to be replaced, if you auto up the window and it comes down halfway, ur motor is gona go out
+Andrew Mckay lol mine's doing that (Window goes down halfway) was driving me nuts. Not a big deal though.
I bought a 2004 350Z 2 original owners I'm the third taking very good care of and maintained was told I had a valve cover oil leak after purchasing the car at a fair price didn't get a really good deal I realized it had for oil leaks and both valve covers had to be replaced. I bought aftermarket valve covers online within a hundred miles both of them were leaking to buy Nissan valve covers was over $700 not counting labor I had already paid for the aftermarket ones and labor to put them on so be aware these cars are not cheap to maintain no matter how well they've been taken care of
Great video! I've got a convertible the same year as yours, and would only add that the motors that drive the mechanism suffer from the same brush wear problem as the window motors (especially the 5th bow motor). Easy enough to rebuild but can cause the roof to fail to fully retract. The vinyl used also tends to start perishing after 10 years (especially at the corners nearest the door handles) so bear in mind you'll probably want to factor in the cost of getting the roof refitted (£850 for mohair fitted).
You should never rest your hand on the gear stick.
+Charles wood ok
haha wtf
Yup are right tho
I did annoy me while watching 😂
+Sam Palfrey it*
Currently 23 and I plan on buying this soon, hopefully! £968 for insurance which isnt too bad
I owned a 350z in "sunset orange" for 3 years, it was a 2004 model with 46k miles on the clock, only car i really regret selling off. In those 3 years it never gave me any issues, only part i had to change was a slightly leaking power steering cooling radiator.
Something i noticed when i was looking to buy one was that nearly all of them had scratches at the top of the drivers and passenger windows.
I am considering maybe buying one again or maybe a 370z in a few years time.
Some idiot ram a stop sign where I live and I t boned him which destroyed my supercharged Toyota mr2. I ended up getting a 350z and now I can't wait till I can afford a 370z in the near future. They look the same just a little bit more aggressive looking with the rear windows the way they are. So far though.....absolutely loving my 350z and with the performance aftermarket exhaust that it came with turns heads everywhere I drive. ; )
+BUSTRCHERRI so these aren't shit cars? I found 1 with 90k miles
2004 with 46k miles jesus christ cant find a 2004 without 200k
Power shift the absolute shift out the transmission if it’s an 03-04 to see if it’ll grind
Guy granny shifted so I wouldn’t notice
But I still love my Z 1 year later 🤤
well for starters, one thing more to look after is your gearbox damage DO NOT rest your hand on it...
very usefull and informative video mate, thanks for putting in the time
Excellent video very well delivered
Awesome video thank you makes me even more eager to get a z!
Big problem I've replaced 3 of now is the drivers side window motor. The window motors are prone and known to break. You'll roll up your window, and it'll roll itself back down 6-8".
How shocked was i when i decided to go on an insurance quote rampage for potential next cars and realised i could get a 350z for around £70 more than what i pay annually for a 53 plate 1.0ltr Corsa Life. Dead serious.
Experienced exactly the same thing here! Weirdly cheap to ensure here in the UK!
yep same here started new policy as old one attached to works van but fully comp, no excess, no no claims, full perks like courtesy car, nation wide recovery, home start,etc and i paid £350 for full year (van has my 10yrs no claims bonus on same package for twice the price even though the vans worth less than half as much as the car!)
its more than likely due to the fact not alot of uk people drive these cars due to them being horrific on fuel,so that equates to less crashes and so that translates into chepaer insurance.
In 2006 Nissan brought out a face lifted version which externally the only real difference was a 2 slat front grill down from 3. The front headlamps became more powerful and the rears were fitted with more desirable LED systems Internally the switches were more ergonomic. The Rev counter went up from 6600 to 7000rpm and power went from 287bhp up to 300bhp' Also vehicle excise duty went up from this model as well. In 2007 there were further changes with the introduction of a new twin air intake engine which was slightly taller than the 350DE motor and as a result the 350HR engine needed a bulge in the bonnet in order for it to fit. BHP with this motor went up to 313 although torque dropped slightly. If looked after both the DE and HR engines are bombproof and figures of 200,000 miles being covered are becoming more and more common.
Awesome video. Very helpful thank you
Convertible models have so many issues with the top functioning.
+George You were a lucky one, most have a problem with the 5th bow motor going out.
Cheers really helpful seems quite a realigned car. Like that it is a mini GTR basically. I’m thinking of buying a Nissan 350Z or GT86 after 3 years of having my Celica ST230.
Go for gt86
Very informational. I'm moving away from turbos and need something more reliable, that I can service myself. I think a Performance coupe would be sufficient.
200sx by chance?
It's actually USDM S14 base model 240sx, with an S13 SR20DET blacktop.
+Mike B So, I'm wrong? It's an s-body, they're all unreliable ;)
I agree...window motors are a problem, both had to replaced.
Great vid, man. Going to look at one of these tomorrow. If it's in good shape I'll definitely be getting it!
My 350z stole 80% of my paycheck for the last 8 months. So far i had to replace the clutch and tranny 1500$, exhaust manifold gasket 300$, master clutch cylinder was bad , shortly after i had to change my slave cylinder 300$. Heater core was leaking bad and that cost me around 800$ to fix. One of my coolant lines was leaking and it was very hard to find and fix because it was a hose in the back of the engine, 200$. Camshaft sensors went bad but i fixed them myself 80$. Crankshaft sensor went bad and my slip light kept coming on (i know alot of people with 350z’s have problems with these sensors) 65$ sensor did it myself. Valve covers were leaking (very common on Z’s) 400$ at a shop, did it myself though. Both Window motors went bad 150$ for the motors shop wanted 100$ each window i did the labor myself though. A few months later my window motor burned out again lol. Seat motor started going out, 80$ for new motor on ebay, diddnt even install it yet. Vvt solenoid-gaskets were leaking 14$ for both gaskets and did it myself. My newest problem - clutch pedal doesn’t come up all the way i have to lift up my clutch pedal with my foot now making my car basically un drivable. Shop said i need new master and slave but I already replaced those, i did a clutch fluid flush 50$ and it diddnt help. Another problem - my shifter is super sloppy and its hard to put my car into a gear sometimes, especially stopped at a light sometimes i cant shift into first gear,,, i have to use all my muscle to jam my shifter into reverse, it feels like im hurting the car but thats the only way it will shift. And to top it all off my car only has 104k miles, and its a cali car so no rust to blame.
Clit Commander should’ve just bought a whole new 350z at that point lol. But I guess these problems may have slowly rolled in one after another so too much money was invested to replace it
The Warden - Ya i fixed my sloppy clutch pedal problem. My current problem is my oil pressure gets pretty low at idle. I only get about 15-20 psi of oil pressure at a red light.
Awesome tips- very useful!
Thanks for vid, great help 👍🏻
Can't wait I'm getting one when im 19 so just 2 years to wait
crowndeckmagic ha might get mine in 3 months working 63 hours a week to buy this however 2 seats are a deal breaker however this car so gorgeous I'm debating
Been 2 years did you get one ?
^
Been 3 now you better have it
I have a 07 v6 6 speed altima and it's basically the same 350z engine transmission. Be careful with the master slave sylinder clutch. Went out on me twice. Easily 2k job. Make sure they are upgraded.
After owning a g35 couple I wanna give the 350z a try because it's more sporty and I want it in manual
I had a 05 G35 up until this last week - I crashed it on monday. Bought a manual 06 350z with 74k miles today. It has no drivetrain issues, however the frame for the radio and the inside door pocket area are really scratched up. Got it for 12000 out the door USD. Definitely worth the money. Coming from a previous G35 owner, the interior isn't as cozy and the blind spots are attrocious. But other than that it's performance is a bit better than my G35. Same engine + way lighter = loads of fun.
I've had a 2008 for a month now, but I won't get my licence until early September. I just want to drive the beauty but I legally can't :'(
i think i will be buying a 350 within a month or so im so happy :D
Alpine did you buy it?
Must be nice getting a car before u even have a license
Mr Potter telling me about a 350z ... I shall listen
beautiful car. this is the car I want and I plan on getting one in about a year or 2. I'm only 19 right now so obviously I gotta wait for the money lol. I currently drive a bmw 325i and I'm honestly bored with the power. it's just not enough. I floor it and it's just not fun anymore. this is the car I've decided that is affordable and has quite a lot of power with amazing handling. I don't like powerful cars that can't handle.
The 0-60 times for these and the 325i isn't much different though
K Badsha lol um no. a 350z has 300-320 hp and weighs about 400 pounds less with much tighter handling. my 325i has 182 hp. the 0-60 time isn't even close. it's about a whole 2 seconds faster. the 325i being mid 7s and the z being low 5s.
JokerX126 oh I was thinking 328i maybe. I am.still not sure if I want this or an old c5 corvette
K Badsha the 328 is only a slightly bigger engine with a 2.7l engine with the 325 only a 2.5l. No 3 series can keep up. an m3 could, a 7 series or some 5 series. not all of the 5 series but a few of them.
A 328 wouldn't be able to keep up on a track or a race but if you're daily driving both, would the power really be noticeable? Also you can get a much newer 328i with better interior for the same price. However, maintenance favors the Z.
Great video very informative hope to hear more
Good video made my mind up watching this gettttting one
Many thanks for this video mate! Cheers!
I bought my 04 Entusiast in January 16, it has its problems, paint faded really bad on top, the leather inside is faded almost like that cheap plastic leather does and the previous owner has aparently done some mods to it. The intake plenum says "APS" on it and is missing the factory tower bar, but upon futher reading in forums, only an APS-Air Power System, strut bar will fit over it but is no longer available or a Stillen one which kind of fits outward, in front of the plenum and my biggest issue is the Gawdawful lowering springs installed on it, I'll admit I tested it out I can corner better than most other vehicles but I just don't care enough about it to want to keep them on, let alone drive it very much. I bought it with 86k miles, it now has 93k miles. black, 6mt, other than the BS wrong with it I love mine.
How tall are you and do you have issues sitting in the car like car keys rubbing legs, comfort, bolster on canyon drives etc???
I would love to own this car, been a dream car for me since I was 15, currently 18 and the insurance is ridiculous. If you don't mind me asking, how much do you pay a year for this car? With how many years NCB?
+haydon I find it surprisingly cheap to insure, as cheap as the MX5 it replaced. So I'm 25, based in the U.K. with 3 years NCB and I pay £440.
AutomotiveEngineered That is insane, 440? I am 18, my first policy ends soon, which is for a Mini Cooper 1.6 which is 1200 with a box. I have entered info saying I already have 1 Years NCB to see the prices, but they are still like £6000; with the box. I guess I'll have a play around with insurers. Would you recommend AdrianFlux? I heard they are cheap, but not sure.
haydon when you get your second years NCB it will drop a fair bit, i recently did a quote and I'm looking at around £1900
***** Not bad, my only fear is that when next year comes around I won't find a nice Z like some of the ones I find now.
haydon There will always be nice Z's around bro.
Rear hydraulic diff bushing go bad and leaks. Nissan's response is to replace the entire sub-frame ($1500 USD). However, you can replace the bushings with solid ones from Whiteline or SPL for much less ($300 USD for labor and about $80 for the parts)
+Todd D fantastic information, thanks Todd!
+Todd D those solid subframe bushings will stiffen things up a bit too. which is never a bad thing for a sports car. quite a nice upgrade
Great video but why is your turn signal lever on the left-hand side? I know with traditional right-hand drive cars it's on the right-hand side of the steering wheel.
No?
Hi mate good video, funny when you said it's more affordable now and young people buying and crashing them, I would be exhibit A for that statement, having wrote my first one off lol.
I got a new '04 now with the insurance money, had it the last 8 months now, and it's faultless, it's MOT history is perfect, very happy with it.
Anyhow I was wondering if you can make a tutorial on the rubber washer job you did on the boot to make it pop open properly every time?
Many thanks
Yeah no worries I'll do that in the next few days, should only take a couple of mins!
+Darmo
Hi Darmo,
Just did the video, check here:
ua-cam.com/video/e4fkqew1828/v-deo.html
If it helps, please share!
Great post and very nice Z 👍
Which 350Z Models are best avoiding? Great camera angle on your post. Nice One.
their all good if looked after, depending where you live you might have to think about road tax rules (eg UK 2003 plate £295 per year 2007 plate £515 per year)
would always check info and spec online as some models are more to insure and service at main dealers.
depending on age and milage the driver side seat will show signs of wear and tear but that's expected, check the basics like aircon works, oil colour (milky white at top of oil dip stick is a very bad sign), listen to engine on cold start and when warm-if its struggling or tapping noise then avoid as thrashed.
check door alignments and any joints on removable panels (front/rear bumper) are spaced evenly everywhere (signs of crash damage to chassis) check engine and boot strut braces are straight and not twisted (badly crashed and repaired!) check wheels for any big dents (some little dents are ok from kerbing/parking but look out for sharp deep dents caused by crashing while drifting!).
on test drive check the car sounds good (wind down driver window and then try with window up for in car sounds and outside car sounds) through all gears (should be nice continues acceleration throughout gears) check exhaust (rolling at next to stalling revs ideally 4-6th gear) and listen for signs of rattling, check for rust (underbody heat shields not vital but check the 2 cats are there and ok), a mid car box and sometimes (if not removed already) a massive back box.
at low speeds check the car doesn't pull to one side, if there's any play in steering wheel, performing a slow U turn can you hear any rubbing or knocking sounds.
signs of wear and tear expected on buttons and matts but check lights on dash turn on and off after car starts and running.
listen to the person talking as some people will live in a dump but treat their cars like their own babies and some will live in a nice big house but treat their cars badly.
most importantly check the mot certificates for faults flagged as minor or major and work receipts to see if it was fixed/done (and check the car again) and last of all work out roughly how much has been spent to fix/maintain the car in last 2 years (eg 6 sets of tires, brakes and shoes shows overly aggressive driving for 2 years but if only 1 or 2 sets then probably careful drivers- check for evenish tyre wear on front and rear tyres, will it need anything else (check newest mot) and ALWAYS HP CHECK and Theft Check the car-sms/text check service is good for this (check sms/text check, logbook, number plate and vin numbers match!)
i would check out www.parkers.co.uk/cars before buying any cars (legit and well respected). lots of helpful stuff from owners and the specs/models available for pretty much every car available.
Great video!
My high compression 9k rpm s2000 is just fine
Can you show us the Bose sound system I know you made a repair video but I want to see it I have Bose in my 350z but I still want to see it
2003 was a horrible year for capacitors failing right off the bat
I'm sold tbh summer time I'll be in the window to buy one that not been modified at all I like my own projects
60 miles per day. Whats the mpg of yours?
Edward Chew it’s said to be around 19-25mpg
is this a killer on fuel?
can i ask if you have wheel spacers or something? the rears are sitting much closer to the fender than ive seen on other pictures.
Is that an oem cargo cover hanging from the hatch? I've never seen one like that before and I want one!
But how does it steers, not only on the high way but also in the city?
The windows can be temperamental. Normally a new regulator solves the problem!
Very good video, just window motors you forgot.
Ian Ham yep replaced my driver side
Love my 370z weekend ride got a daily so
Well today I drove my 350z (auto) Decided to gas it in a wet area (Traction Control Off) spun out i reverse then put it in drive then after a bit I press the gas and it was like if it was on neutral but display showed D.So shifted back to neutral then D again same thing it just rev then I stop put it on park.Then put it in drive and it worked fine hopefully it's not a big deal.
That's the ECU Nissan Fun Police saying "oh crap! Someone is using this like a 'sports car'! STOP THEM!" My HR model threw a fit just because it was put on a dyno/rolling road to see what the power output was. When the ECU sees that the rear wheels are spinning much faster than the front wheels, the whole system goes into a panic, even with VDC off. VDC being the MOST DANGEROUS feature of these cars, as it cuts power to the engine often when you need it the most (leaving a junction). Every time I got in the car, I turned VDC off as soon as I'd started the engine. God only now am I remembering how much this car (that I loved) pissed me off.
I love my 08 Z. Best car ive owned !!! So much fin to drive. I actually just changed my driver side window motor. cost me like $60 for the motor on ebay and the labor i did myself in 20min. The only annoying part is the cabin noise is kinda loud but other than that its awesome.
Manual transmissions, especially the clutch, a big problem on early models. BEWARE... then again, Nissan build quality has always been dicey and dealer service well behind competitors.
Clutch jobs are easy and aftermarket clutches for the 350Z are so nice. Not a concern
I have a 2009 nismo 3.7L 430hp goes good twin thottle bodies quad vvti.....
it bangs in the front and a little in the rear drives me mad, the rubber paint is coming of the door trims.... feels like it its a little unsure in the rear on a bumpy road on corners but rides really hard on the flat.
noisy due to no sound proofing and alloy panels but that is what you get for a nismo spec model...
fun to drive so quick but I am thinking a supercharger kit is needed.
done 165,000kms been no problems its a toy not a day driver so its gets 2000k's services and a good dealing to when driving it as we dont live in the city.
12k for automatic 08 350z convertible with 56k miles. Has bilstein coilovers, stillen dual intake, invidia exhaust.
was wondering if something like this would be a good deal and how to fix the issue they specify
2006 Nissan 350Z
$10,000 OBO
73,938 Miles
6speed Manual Transmission
V6 3.5L
Car is lowered on BC coilovers with some black focal wheels. Vinyl wrapped roof gloss black. Rear hatch struts need to be replaced they won't stay up for very long. Runs good.'
It has no external damage and the rear hatch struts seem to be the only issue, looks great, it's a white car, but im unsure and am wondering if the basis of this sounds good without seeing the picture though it can be found easily on craigslist
EDIT: Would be my first car and i am a highschool student with college classes and work
Any other issues I've missed?
+AutomotiveEngineered I've only read on a couple forums about an issue with the car hitting limp mode in the rain. Around 3000-3500 RPM the car may spike from 0 to 3k-4k RPM and have no acceleration. One forum I found a gentleman saying he tried swapping out everything, MAF Sensor, spark plugs/coil packs, and more. He said the only thing that fixed it was changing out the ECU. Currently my car will do this when VERY cold or in heavy rain :( pretty depressing. If you happen to come across an alternative fix, do share!
Thanks for the great video though, very helpful :)
+Jesse Smith my car cuts out sometimes but thats only in very cold conditions idk why either but under heavy rain if you have a cai water can make its way into the intake that also happened to me and i had to switch to a short ram becuase my cai was originally by the front tire and i sucked in water and the car went to limp mode until i got home took out the maf and cleaned and dried it
+mapko15 thanks for the tips! i will try looking once it warms up some :) barely driving it now with the snow here. Hopefully it isn't something too serious!
The door handles
+AutomotiveEngineered differential mount, compression rod bushings, and wont hold alignment in the rear.
you rock !! how much did you get it for ? I have found one with 70k miles on it for 6500£ is it a good offer ? (I an living in the middle East )
Hi John! I'd say as long as the car is in good condition with none of the more serious issues outlined in the video with good service history I'd say go for it! They really are so much car for the money.
+AutomotiveEngineered thanks for replying! appreciate it.
Good video, thanks. I've just bought a 350Z with only 39k miles. When I test drove it the engine was warm and the gears felt fine, but after driving it for a few weeks from cold I've noticed changing in from 1st to 2nd can be a bit clunky and notchy. Did you use genuine Nissan gear oil when you changed your's? I'm tempted to add the Molyslip as well but I hear most 'experts' saying that additives can actually have a negative effect and cause damage long term. I might just try putting fresh oil in first and see how it goes.
I used genuine Nissan oil and the molyslip at the same time when I changed mine, so can't 100% say which was responsible for the improvement in shift quality. But it did definitely help!
+AutomotiveEngineered thanks for the reply. I'll try just putting fresh nissan oil in first and if no difference ill add the Molyslip later.
you missed the oil consumption issue that many of the 03-06's had my 03 touring with 120k miles burns about 1/2 to 3/4 quarts of oil every 1500 miles
Hi Mapko, correct me if I'm wrong but...
From what I've read the oil burning issues seem to mainly effect the 2006-2007 'Rev up' engines which develop 296bhp. You can get oil loss issues on the 2003 - 2006 DE engine but this is often due to a poor cam cover seal and oil seeping into the spark plug holes.
That's unlucky about your car though, are you planning on fixing if of just living with it?
+AutomotiveEngineered thats what ive read to and i just found out where mine is leaking from, its my valve cover gasket like you mentioned, but i dont know if thats where its all coming from or if the motor is burning it to i guess when i change out the gasket ill find out, but my friend had a late 05 model and his burned so much oil that nissan warrantied it and he got a fresh motor for free,, but im hoping for the best, i saw your post on reddit to thats how i got to this video
+AutomotiveEngineered I have an '04 78k. This might explain why my mechanic found oil in the spark well on my last service, he said it wasn't severe and looks like it's built up over a long period of time, might get my cam cover seals changed then.
+Darmo it sounds likely! Better get it done sooner rather than later before it causes the spark to short-out and your car to start misfiring etc..
Great review
And this is why Harry Potter went to Hogwarts 😂
How tall are you please, I want to buy one but I’m 6’4 or 193 cm. Do you think I’ll fit?
Bout to purchase one of these. The one I looked at was in really good condition, a 2002/3 with 100k mileage and the price is just right for me. However, I do wonder, if something does go wrong are these cars expensive to repair and parts hard to replace? The road tax is pretty high here where I live due to the car's engine size and I'm worried that paired with repair costs a sports car might incur might be really draining on me financially (I'm a pretty gentle driver though so hopefully nothing goes kaput for awhile, lol). Would love to hear all your experiences on this aspect of owning a 350z.
+NioKitty hey bud, like I said in the video it's been perfectly reliable for me. I pretty much mention in the start of the video the basic reasons why it's a reliable high-mileage engine. It's obviously somewhat more expensive to run in servicing and parts than a 'normal' car, but in comparison to other sports-cars in a similar bracket it's dirt cheap. I had an MX5 before, and to be honest I've noticed no real increase in running costs from that (even MPG!).
Just be smart, these cars are easy to work on yourself and replace/service things proactively so you give yourself to source parts at a decent price instead of waiting until it's too late and being at the mercy of the Nissan garage.
Get on 350Z-UK forum and get familiar with the traders on there, many of whom can source Nissan parts at a fraction of the price of a dealership.
+AutomotiveEngineered Ah I see, thank you. This certainly is very reassuring as over here there is this connotation that owning a sports car, regardless of make and type, is going to incur huge dents upon one's coin pouch. Here in Malaysia we're taxed for a sum of money that's based on the engine's CC; a Fairlady with its 3500cc engine would cost us 4300MYR (around 750 British Pounds) every year just to be allowed to drive; out of curiosity, is there such a Road-Tax in the UK as well?
+NioKitty yeah, ours used to be based on engine size but now is based on emissions. So a 2006 is £500!
Hey, How tall are you. I was thinking of gettign a 350z but im taller than the average person and it looks like a bit of a squeeze in there, you reckon a 6 foot 2 person could fit in the drivers seat comfortably?