cja3455

Hi! i am currently shopping for a 350Z and i found few 350Zs nearby that look clean but they all have over 100k on the clock. I am going to inspect one tomorrow and wondering what are the things that i should be looking at in these cars with higher mileage ? what are the weak points in these cars and things that are known to break ? i don't have experience working on the Zs as i have only owned Hondas before and now thinking to switching to the Z as these cars seem to have a decent amount of power in stock form; any suggestions from the experts ?

turboed350z

like any car, its not the milage but how well it was care for. i would rather buy a 100k miles car that was well taken off, than to buy a 50k car with no oil change, driven hard and put away wet.

the better the car is taken care of the longer it will last.

90nissanS13

Beyond the normal P/M's such as oil, filters, brakes, shocks, etc. I have a few suggestions.

Things to be aware of:
-Interior panels where the user may have contact. Look these over and see if you feel comfortable with the user wear, these interiors scratch and wear pretty dramatically.
-Check all the interior compartments to see if any of the latches are broken, the top ones behind the seat break on every 350z I've seen.
-Exterior door handles break very often on these cars. There is a plastic mechanism that is not very durable. If you're bold, give the door handle a nice tug when you open it, just incase it was glued back together. You might be able to catch a poor "fix".
-The doors are obnoxiously long, be aware of that. It gets annoying when you park near people.
-The door props wear, check if the doors like to "auto close" on a slight incline.
-While driving, listen for wind noise near the window's parameter. It's a frameless window so, once the weather stripping goes...then comes the noise.
-The gearbox is very noisy and very harsh. Coming from Honda, you might think there is something wrong. It's just a Z, welcome to the club.
-Check from uneven wear on the tires. That would be a sign the control arms/bushings are on the end of their life.
-The valvetrain is pretty noisy as well, if you are listening to the engine.


As other things come to mind, I'll post more.


I recommend a dealer inspection by Nissan. It's about $100 and worth it.

Pengu

iTrader: (9)

Take what this guy said and do that. Only thing I'd say is the trim becoming worn is god awful. Be willing to accept some cause it'll be there. Just don't buy anything crazy scratched up unless, you want to paint it.

mojustice

Don't forget to check auto window switch. Nissans in general are notorious for having issues with those. A lot of the times the window rolls all the way up and comes back down a little. Passenger side specifically.

dkmura

iTrader: (64)

Actually, Nissan designed the window motors to recognize when the door was opened or closed, and move the window slightly up or down to create a better seal. When the motors start to malfunction, this feature may be the first sign of not operating properly.

I wouldn't call it a deal breaker though. All Z33 window motors seem to break down over time and you simply R/R them when it's time.

90nissanS13

^ pun intended

Ahhh, Pengu. We meet again. lol.

Frank_White

try googling 350z problems

cja3455

i like this forum! that's a +, the honda forum that i was at has became a like haunted house nowadays , thanks for the info guys; and the marketplace here seems full of goodies, can't wait to get my hand on a Z
that seller backed off today ; that's the thing that sucks when buying from a private party, anyways i'm still in the market looking

Resmarted

iTrader: (2)

If you want a boosted 350z for a good price 44k miles on the chassis, basically brand new drivetrain let me know

90nissanS13

Ahh, another issue to be aware is the A/C control unit. The "tape" wire(white, flat band) that connects the user-interface (the three round dials) in front of the shift-level will tend to cause issues. If there is any fault in the "tape", it can lead to malfunctions with the A/C unit. It can randomly change vents and temperatures without reason. I have experienced this personally.

You could somewhat check this by switching the A/C through all its modes, one at a time and verify it is functioning properly. Then repeat after a decent (bumpy) drive.

I know this is a pretty common occurrence on the Z's as they become older. I stop by my locate Nissan parts department to get little OEM parts for my 240sx often. The parts guy there is cool as heck and knows a ton, he has been there around 14 years. Him and I have discussed this problem and he is familar with it. That should say something.

boxy12

About to land a deal from a private... 2004 350Z Blue, 120K miles, need top replacement and aig bag light is on. $7000.00. It is in original stock and good condition.


is is an okay price?

thank you.

Pengu

iTrader: (9)

Are you okay with paying that?

travlee

iTrader: (8)

i sold my HR for twice that, less miles, and if you see sig you will see all the parts it had on it... that is too much for something that needs fixing... you might want to check out how much a top is

90nissanS13

That is not even close to being a good deal. You can get a mint-condition 2006-07 for $8,000-$10,000.

"need top replacement" Can you elaborate a bit more? Convertible top? The engine's top end?

travlee

iTrader: (8)

you can't get a decent mileage hr for under 12k

90nissanS13

travlee

iTrader: (8)

so we are supposed to assume that is a good deal from one pic....

bith8791

Anyone who has that poor of taste in wheels probably didn't take very good care of the car, not worth $8,200 IMO.

90nissanS13

Yeah, you're right. Anyone who has a preference in wheels that do not meet the approval of others, clearly does not take care of their car.

That is one example of an 07' at that price point. There is plenty more for anyone who cares to look.