I took my Z in to a Nissian dealer in Salinas, CA (MY Nissian 831-444-4072) to have them check out the grinding of my 3rd and 5th gear. After ward, he said yes, my gears are grinding but thats only under hard driving, and and I shietz you not, he said this.....

The grinding is normal since the 350Z is NOT desing as a performance car.

I had to have him repeat that to me like three times! Then, after I was SURE that I did hear him correctly, I asked for the manager and the manager agreed with him!!!

So they charged me $47 for the inspection fee and won't fix or replace my transmission!

I told them that NO car should be grinding. I asked him so how come the other cars that Nissian makes don't grind? Are THEY performance made and the Z is not? Are the honda rice-rockets a "performance" car and my Z is not? They didn't answer me but just stated that I should call Nissian headquaters and complain to them!!

 

i personally dont think that you should have to pay the addition $47 charge.. tell them to f**k off. sometime those Nissian dealers are really hard to talk to... I would just take it to another dealership.

 

Call Nissan USA.

 

Complain this boy will but at the time they had my keys so I had to pay the fee since I needed the car for this weekend. I just still can not belive that in their hearts they believe the 350Z is not built for performance.

 

just show them the new letter fron nissan were states that the nissan 350z isone of the finest performance sports cars on the road. and that is from nissan!

 

Some dealerships suck major *** and stay a live for one reason. First time buyers. Never again will they get repeat buyers.

 

call Nissan USA and complain! and never go back to that dealer again

 

I'm gonna call Nissan USA on Monday and I will also return to the dealer to talk to the highest ranking figure. I can't belive they give me that line of bull shiezt and expect me to believe it!

I told my friend this and he wants to stop by, pretend to buy a Z and at the last minute, he's gonna back out and tell the sales rep he wants to buy a used KIA instead cause he wants a REAL performance car since it doesn't grind.

 

If you can possible go to another dealer you should. Even if you find a higher up who agrees, you still have to rely on the turds who said "no" to do the work. That would make me very nervous.

 

There’s a difference between “notchy” and “grinding.” Notchy is a slight resistance when shifting. I can live with it. On the other hand, grinding indicates a clutch or transmission problem.

Its not unusual to take a 350Z to the dealer for a grinding transmission, and have it returned with “cannot duplicate.” Go figure.

 

I just had my Z at the dealer for grinding when I shift into 3rd. The servicer manager said there was a problem with the gear and he ordered me a new tranny.

 

I have the same problem but I'm not sure cause I've never driven a RWD manual car. When I'm shifting I get stuck in neutral for a second while going into 2nd. Ill have to back up a little and then it'll slide in. It makes a clicking sound prior to that, that cna be heard only if the windows are down. Is that the same problem he's having?

 

Your first mistake was to take your Z to a Nissan dealer in Salinas. There is nothing out there but a bunch of farms and trucks (I won't even get into the type of people that live in that sh!thole). You should bring the car to a bigger and more knowlegeable dealership, either in Gilroy or San Jose. They won't try and bs you. The grinding tranny is probably the most common problem on the early Z's, and any decent dealership would order you a new tranny and replace it.

 

I 100% agree with you, Salinas is the yeast infested pubic spot of America. I grew up in Salinas, moved to Denver and absoultly hate it everytime I come back here.

 

http://www.nissanhelp.com/Ownership/.../NTB04-065.htm

 

The problem is that when I shift into 3rd or 5th, it grinds the gear. You hear a loud metal grinding noise and can feel the vibration in the shifter. It sounds and feels just like any other car when you don't shift right and the gears grinds, except in the 350Z's situation, its the car's fault not the driver. Everyone that has driven my car even experience race drivers at AutoX events, grinds my 3rd and 5th gears. Even the dealer admits that it grinds. They just won't fix it. I'm taking it to dealer in Sand City, are they any good or just as bad as Salinas, does anyone from this area know?

 

I dont hear a grind when I shift, or do I? I bought this car used but it seems normal, for me anyway. When i go from like 1st to second, its notchy and makes a clunk sound, doesn;t sound like a grind. Is this just the cable linkage im hearing? Thanks

 

Damn dude, good luck whatever you do.

 

That doesn't sound like a grind but I would still get it checked out. My car used to do the same thing and I dismissed it, then the grinding starts.

 

Bamyi - I have the same issue on my brand new 2005 Z. Was driving it home from the dealership and noticed the grinding on 3rd and 4th gear. I posted on several threads regarding this problem.

Took it to the dealer and they told me that they could reproduce the problem on a brand new Z in their lot. They suspect that it is a transmission problem. They are contacting Nissan to find out how to fix it. They stated that they will be getting back to me after hearing back from Nissan.

Hope this helps and glad to know that I am not alone for this problem.