I'm going over to the Nissan dealership this afternoon to test drive a Z for the first time. Im pretty excited. I used to own a 1991 240SX SE quite some time ago and I loved that car. Drove it until I put 120k on the odometer and the engine was just getting broken in.

What are some of the things I should take notice of in particular? Anything I should ask the salesperson to see if they know what the hell they are talking about? I'm not buying today, and probably won't buy new (haven't decided). I just need to confirm that this is the car for me. Thanks....Seel

 

If used -- make sure to test it for tire feathering and "growl" at 35-50 mph held steady on a straight. Also listen for axle click. Make sure the windows roll up and down.

 

I take it the growl should NOT be something I hear?

Also what is the axle click?

thanks for the response..

 

get the 07, new stronger more powerful motor and no clicks rattles, or unusual noises to speak of. Make sure you rev it over 4K to get a taste of the power and try to hit some tight turns, you will fall in love with the handling and linear juice, very predictable when it does lose grip and stops on a dime. Wrung mine out this weekend and get excited everytime I take it out. You will know immediately if its the car for you when you test drive it.

 

A little detail on this stuff?

 

Open the cubby and see if it is stuffed with time slips.

 

funny but seriously...

 

If the slips show it runs 14's then dont get it. Its hexed.

 

Axle click -- When you accellerate (esp. from a stop or in a turn at low speed), you will hear a rapid clicking sound from the back of the car. It is a relatively easy fix, but you should let them take care of it so you don't have to.

Windows: You want to make sure the window motors are still working and are not worn out.

Tire Growl: some 03s, 04s, and 05s have a front suspension issue that causes tire feathering. You should check the tires for uneven wear. The same issue sometimes causes "tire growl" which is a loud noise coming from the front of the car. It happens a lot when you are travelling at a steady speed on a straight-away between 35-50 mph.

 

Ahhhh. Yeah, I knew about all of those. I thought you meant the growl and tire-feathering were two separate issues.

 

get a cool salesman that won't crap his pants if you go over the speed limit.

 

Whatever you do, don't test drive an RSX before you test drive the Z. Those things will make ANY car feel like a snail.

 

Listen for rattles. G35 & 350Z's tend to have them in the dash & rear view mirror. Dont buy until they fix them.....sometimes getting them to go away is tricky. Best to drive in the morning when cold.

 

Z/G Owner:
Z
Location:
Texas
Color:
PPW
Trim Level:
Touring

Congratulations!

 

I took mine home to see what Grandma thought of it

She said the PPW looked girly lol

Im a big guy though, so I really wanted to see how easily I could get in and out of it. I was also concerned about visibility over the hood and dash (I drive a Matrix Xrs now, and it sits a bit between an SUV and a car) But I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of room I had, and the visibility was quite impressive IMHO.

I also enjoyed how quiet the roadster is with the top up

I would also ask the salesman about OTHER brands of cars. Let him know what else you may be interested in (even if you arent) and see if he can form some good points to really let you know what youre gettin with the car. I always felt a good salesman needs to know their competition as well as their own product..and an answer like "There is no competition" is a bit too cliche for me.

 

Thought that joke stopped being funny months ago....

 

It did, but this thread is also months old...

 

If you follow Davidv around long enough you'll eventually witness him resurrect Jesus.

 

Floor that ****.