Do any of you guys expect any major problems to crop up with the new Z, where we will have to have the cars sent to the dealer to be serviced?

Since the 03 Z will be a first year model it will mean we are all guinea pigs .. and history teaches us that must bugs that crop up occur in the first model year of a car.

Did the first 300ZX's have any major problems? What do you guys think are the chances we will find ourselves with buggy cars.

 

Anything's possible. If I had the time, I'd like to do some quantitative analysis of the last 10 years worth of auto debuts, and analyze the number of recalls that have been logged for each car (maybe come up with some trends based on Manufacturer, or Country of Origin). I'd like to think that times are better for cars now than they were in 1967 when buying the first year Camaro meant having a MAJOR set of stones...

I look at it this way: the drivetrain is the heart of the car. With the 3.5L engine having been used for at least two years in other cars, I'd hope that the major bugs have been worked out. I'm guessing that the six-speed tranny is brand new, so there's a chance that something funny could crop up there. Other major systems (brakes, electronics, etc) are certainly eligible to have problems, but from what I've read, there's not a lot of "brand new" parts on the Z, which is an advantage.

If I were to put my bet on the table, I'd say there will be no major problems with the Z. Nissan's reputation lives and dies by this car and with that much at stake, I'm fairly certain they've taken the precautions to ensure we all get A+ quality cars.

 

I owned the 1990 300ZX Twin Turbo (first year model). Had no problems.

 

I had a 1990 300ZX that I got the first month they were out. I had it 5.5 years and 125 K miles and no major problems. I then bought a 1994 Mazda RX7. Luckily it was under warranty the first 50K miles because I had a ton of problems. I've had the car fr 7.5 years and 145K miles and I spent $8,000 in repairs in the past year. It's back into the shop tomorrow since I have no AC.

My new 350Z can't come a day to soon !

 

I would expect the Z to be very reliable because the suspension is already on the market in the G35. The engine is extremely well tested in the Maxima, Pathfinder and Altima etc. The traction control etc. is already in the Q45. This is one area where having a "parts bin" car should pay off handsomely .

The only possible glith could be in the interior, such as the electronics. But then again, I'm sure most of the electronics came from the parts bin as well.

Also, having owned a number of Nissans, I've found no issues with exterior fit and finish.

Just a couple of pennies.

 

I think most of those who posted here have hit it right on.

Any problems that arise are hopefully the result of some minor issues here and there that can be easily fixed. It's possible that individual cars may have some issues but that's the case in any car.

What nobody wants is an epidemic problem that hits ALL the cars in the production run.

 

I am almost positive that the 6 spd will offer some problems (even acura is having a bunch of warranties in RSX)

The other thing that concerns me is that in nissannews there is a part saying that weight savings have been acheived by scaling down the tranny. Smaller gears=smaller synchro's=problems (and =bad logic). I am ready for them!!!BRING EM ON...

...what I am doing is being negative now so that I wont be negative later if something goes haywire. Even then, the warranty will save the $$$ at least, and I think that I agree with nizl in that leasing is good cuz whatever happens, you can always walk away later. The other thing is that if I do have any problems, it wil be like water off a ducks back. If my brand new M3 even had so much as a **** fall off, Id go *ucking nuts.

 

Yup
I've had fun w/ my '99 Mercury Cougar, but I'm definitely glad I'll be turning in the keys to it when the Z arrives... and the money I've paid "renting" the car is less than the depreciation, so it's cost me less than buying and then selling it would have.

 

Well, our 2002 Maxima SE has had two recalls already -- one suspension related and another related to the accelerator pedal.

I'm guessing for the 350Z:

Gearbox problem
Suspension problem
Brake problem

These will probably be minor recalls that affect some small part of the car.

 

Some percentage of any new car with a manual transmission will be sent to the shop with tranny problems. Why? Probably because someone is learning to shift and driving like a madman at the same time, grinding gears like crazy. Will they admit that as the cause of the failure at warranty payoff time? Definitely not!

 

hmm..and how many recalls have you had on your midship runabout?

 

does anyone fore see problems with the CF driveshaft? This might be the biggest unknown.

Or, possibly engine seals, bushing etc.

 

How about this guys?

Nothing will go wrong. You guys should be a little more optimistic rather than betting on what's gonna go first. BTW I think Nissan knows a thing or two about making a 6-speed transmission.

 

None. Although I did have the power steering pump replaced, it started cutting out around 4000 miles. And I think the belt tensionor is starting to 'whir' a little bit. Probably going to get that replaced.

Other than those issues, it's been great. I think the 2000's got a couple more recalls than the 2001.

 

As far as the 6-speed goes I am not worried about any weight saving measures because there is no weight savings. The auto is the same as in the Q45 that is a bigger car with a bigger engine. The manual tranny in the Z only saves 25 pounds. I think 50 pounds is more typical. I think Nissan has made the 6 speed extra strong B/C it may be used in a more powerful car, and also a lot of people will be modding the Z and don't want the tranny to explode.

This is only my opinion, but if you look at the weight of the car as a whole I would say it was over-built and even though I hate the extra weight, if it means the car will be well screwed together it's a price I'm willing to pay.

 

OK, OK I'm just kidding. Newer cars have fewer problems than their ancestors. All man made things have faults. What you may not like, others disregard.
Enjoy your unique position of being one of the first 6200+ owners of a resurrected marque with a great history!

THE BIG PROBLEM WILL BE
Not enough cars to go around!

 

Interesting point and my thoughts exactly. Nissan has at least in the past held a reputation for over designing engines and such like. My Nissan NX2000 is a good example of this. It weighs more than most FWD cars and is especially nose heavy. However, for some insane reason I have a 140HP motor that was built to withstand 400HP. Also, things like brakes, driveshafts, CV joints, bearings and suspension components are built to take some serious pounding. The car is super reliable at the track. At the other end of the scale (and based upon rumor), the Dodge Neon guys sometimes have to replace their hubs and bearings after only one weekend of racing. Drivers of other makes carry replacement driveshafts and differentials. One fellow described racing a Nissan Sentra SE-R as "...being like the Maytag repair man", which I thought was a good way of describing my experience.

However, if you compare older Hondas and Nissans, you see a pattern. The Nissan engines can take serious abuse compared with the Hondas but the Hondas have more robust transmissions. Case in Point: While the engine in my car is good for 300HP+, the trannys are only good for about 190-200lbs of torque. Not too bad considering the stock rating is 132lbs.

I think people are right to be concerned about the 6 speed. It could easily be the weak link when going for serious turbo power etc. Although "weak link" is relative. Will you have problems if you stay under 350HP? I say probably not. Nissan's are not known for tranny problems for normal daily use.

Having said all this, I still thing the new Nissan QR25 motor is too economy focused and I hope the VQ series stays true to Nissan's heritage.

Just my 2c + $2.50 for good measure.

 

Let's not talk about honda transmissions, hmm... Can you say acura TL?

 

Oh, well there's always one T.T.