I traded it in and took my losses for $26,500 is the most i could get out of the dealer, they additionally took off another $1600 off MSRP on the M3 wich is unheard of. Everyone else (Lexus, Toyota, Subaru) and they were all from $23k to $25k.. They simply could not get more for my Performance package with side airbags and aero package, sticker was around $32,200. They said the market was saturated with Z's right now, and theres been a reliabilty problem with them. What reliabilty problems they were talking about I don't know, unless they considered my chipping paint, gear rattle and feathering problems one. Needless to say my Z needed new tires when i traded it in.

 

What reliability problems? Chipped paint, gear rattle and feathered tires are reliability problems? Reliability problems are: your car won't start, your bearings on the bottom end spin and your engine is slag, your gearbox gets lockup and you are stranded. You didn't have reliability problems, you had "teething" problems on a newly introduced car.

You just got hosed by your BMW dealer, they just added to your whines about moving downmarket and screwed you on your tradein. I'll give you a clue, the economy is in the crapper and a lot of big ticket items like the M3 aren't moving and the car mags are dissing BMW right and left while the 350Z is featured everywhere! Yeah, so I bitched about my car, so what? I'm not the one who just dropped about $5K down a rathole.

Guess what? BMW is in COMPETITION with the Z. They are losing sales of M3s and 330iCs to the Z, of course they would tell you reliability problems! You opened your mouth and they set the hook, Fishy! Talk about seeing someone coming, you really need to get back to your own, where the sports cars have at least 4 seats and the dealer does the thinking for you and you just pay through the nose for it! Take your reliability story and peddle it to someone who can't read between the lines. Gurgle, Gurgle. Stupid is as stupid does, I can't believe you came back to a 350Z website to tell your story!

Boomer

 

Boomer you sound like a ignorant owner defending a Ford or Chevy crappy build and quality, enough said.

 

At least I didn't just squander thousands of $s because my lower lip was stuck out. BTW, Vincy, I owned a 1978 320i and rejected the M3 as a bad investment. I consider myself to be correct in my decision, hope you love yours, it suits you.

 

m3 engines haver been blowing up left and right. bmw has their own quality problems. I used to own one...thing was at the dealer constantly. I've not had any problems with my Z yet.

 

first i should mention a new Z owner, my Z has only 300 miles now. however, i am a true BMW lover, I just sold my 330ci for my 350z. I think BMW is a really nice car to drive, it's fast and also luxury, i did hab a lot of fun (oh ya... girls like BMW). they reason i sold it just becoz the 350z r so powerful and it's really very FUN car to drive around. once u get into a Z, U dont wanna press brake.

 

xw34x,

Have you looked at the Infiniti FX35/FX45? The FX35 has the same engine as the Z, while the FX45 has the V8 from the Q45. It's much more sports oriented than the Lexus RX330.

The G35 coupe is built on the same platform as the Z, and is only minimally longer. If you want more luxury than the Z but the same platform, engine, etc., it's the car to get. If you want more of an SUV-type vehicle, check out the FX35. However, if you want a real sports car, the Z is unbeatable. I've owned 2 in the past, and I absolutely love them. I don't have a 350 yet, but I will within the next year. From what I've heard, previous iterations of the rotary engine in the RX7s have had problems in the long run. My 280ZX had over 145K miles when it was sideswiped, and my 300ZX (Z31) had about 186K miles on it before rust created too many problems on the suspension.

Only the Toyota Supra matches the Z for performance and reliability.

 

After reviewing this thread and quite a few others in the forum, including that Z satisfaction poll thread, I'm no longer interested in buying this first-year car.

A very, very, very few have had no significant problems.

Quite a few say they have problems like serious suspension design issues, bad paint, horrible tire wear, Bose stereo problems, and various rattles, but are still perfectly happy.

Quite a few others have the same problems and are rather aggravated.

A very vociferous few are unhappy to the point of dumping their Z's.

Well, since I'm not buying a sportscar because it's cool-looking or because I'm into autocross, the Z with all of its posted caveats looks like too much of a crapshoot to blow $35K on. Those people who are mostly into cool, being fast & furious, or are going to spend the $bucks$ to turn the car into a real racer are welcome to it!

Back to the search. Maybe some other year for the Z-beast. And, I thank every one of you, owners and otherwise, for your opinions good and bad alike.

 

Only a supra matches the Z's performance and reliability? Are you out of your mind. I owned a twin turbo supra before the Z and it would have raped the Z and then laughed at it. There is no comparison. My supra had 100k very hard miles on it and I never had one single itsy bitsy problem with it. I'd like to see any Z match that.

 

How many miles have you put on your Z? I would guess that you should have at least 5-6K miles to really determine how the initial quality is.

M3 engines have not been "blowing up left and right". If you look at the stats, the bulk of failures have been occurring in cars produced within a two month period (at the end of 2001) The Service Action affect cars built from 11/01 - 02/02. As for reliability issues, my M3 is 2 years old (02/01) build (30K miles) and have had nothing major go wrong. Sure, I've been at the dealer a few times for some minor issues (with some of them being so minor that most people would not even worry about it - let alone take it into the dealer). If you had a bad experience with your M3 because it was constantly in the shop (what is constantly? Every month? Every few months?), I am sorry - maybe you just got a bad apple. It happens with every car...even Hondas and Toyotas. I'm not trying to compare BMWs reliabilty with Honda and Toyota but BMW is not far behind, in my experience. This is my second BMW and I can honestly say that the reliabilty has not been that much different than with the 4 Acuras I have owned over the years. Yes, I can say that BMW is less reliable than Honda but not by much. I guarantee ;though, if maintained properly, the BMW will stay tighter (have less rattles, etc) and, basically, last longer than any Toyota, Honda or Nissan.

 

At the BMW's price point, it damn well should last longer! However, I've seen more 78 Accords than 78 BMW 320is(owned one) and not a lot of Accords were produced that year either.

 

Yeah, they should....I can say from experience, my 6 year old 328is was much more solid and put together than a new Acura Integra or Honda Prelude...My mother still drives her '95 Acura Legend which has been a great car - not too many problems over the years - has over 100K miles - it has basically servered her very well but I still think when compared to a BMW 3 - series of that same age, the BMW will feel more solid...and most BMW 3-series that are sold (325, 328) are cheaper than the Legend which stickered for over $40K.

Oh well, I can you can't really go wrong with BMW, Mercedes, Honda, or Toyota. My only experience with Nissan is with my Mom's old '89 Maxima which was a lemon and when my dad had a 300ZX back in the mid 80's - I don't remember him really having any problems with that...

 

Smart decision, DRat. It seems you have come to the discussion with an open mind, and after reading ALL posts, pro, con, and neutral, you have made a decision I wish I had made. But I didn't do my homework like you. Big regret. Hard and expensive lesson learned. Good luck, DRat, in your search. I'd be curious to know what you end up purchasing! PM me when you do make a decision, it may be the car I trade my Z in on.

 

Guys, I have been reading a lot of stuff about these issues, and I, for one, just bought a used 350Z. It was made in December of 2002, and I haven't seen any problems yet (knock on wood). I really believe that most of the problems that guys are having are on the real early production run of the car.

I have read all over this board, and the problems that guys have, just ask how early their car was made. Most jumped at a great car early. Nothing is wrong with that, as I love this car. But this car hadn't been made in years, and the first ones out the factory may have had some problems.

Should this effect your decision on buying one now?? If you have loved this car as long as I have, certainly not. If you don't care about a particular make and model, which is apparent in some of the posts on this trend, then go elsewhere. Heck, that makes my car more rare.

Personally, I wasn't going to wait 2 years for an RX-7 and I don't trust Mazda anyway. RX-8 is nice, but not the performance car that the Z is. Mazda's, having owned a few, can't be said to be soooo durable at all, even told to me by there own service personnel.

As for the Supra, always liked them a little, but too much money for my blood. They have always had pretty high price tags, and I bet whenever they come out, they won't be as cheap as the Z. But I will say, I have always liked Supras, and would respect anyone for buying one.

I love cars, more than most folks. I had a subscription to Motor Trend and Car & Driver at the age of 10. I just won't buy any car just cause it is hott out there and looks cute. I dreamed about Zs, Manythings, and Porshes, not all that other stuff. But that is just me. I have a Z now, and I plan on owning a M3 and Porshe before I die, if I live long enough.

And dude, no disrespect to any of you posters, but at the time I can afford an Manthing or Porshe, I don't care if they are cute or ugly as sin, I am buying one.

 

silver Chrome

I bought my Z in October of 2002.
I puchased the car off the internet in Phoenix AZ. I live in LA and I drove he car 453 miles before the Bridgestone tires on the left side (front) were worn about 65%.Rubber was caked on the tire The right front tire was worn about 35%.
I went to the local dealer in LA and they were shocked that tires were so worn.

The dealer called Bridgestone and they replaced them ASAP. So I had the car 3 days and had to get new front tires.
The dealer said Bridgestone said tires were too soft of a compound and I didn't need alignment. The new replacement tires have not shown any wear 5,000 miles later.

 

If the concern is with the reliability issues associated with a newly released car model, then we are already past the point of concern for any potential new buyer. If you buy a Z now, it is not one of the early build cars. My car was built in February and has not had a single problem. Why keep harping on early build problems when the new Z's available probably won't have them.

This is not to minimize the hassle for people who did buy the early cars and are still dealing with the problems, I sympathize with you and hope Nissan resolves them to your satisfaction. But the Z's for sale now won't have most of the same problems.

 

Ok, i have had it! I am tired of people thinking Nissan is the only car that has ever had a rattle or bigger problem like a tranny or something. Lets do it this way, you name the car and I will list all the problems. I have friends that work as master techs for Ford, Chevy, Dodge, Porche, BMW, Audi, Toyota/Lexus, etc... you name it, thay all got problems, end of statement. If you are trading in a car for a slight grease streak then you have never had a real problem on a car.

 

As a soon to b Z owner (when i sell my car) ive read all these posts and found them quite informative, since i'll be getting out of a 2000 Alfa Romeo 156 Selespeed, a Euro car as was described.

I have not had ne such problems with my Alfa, a brand most affiliate with poor reliability, yet its discouraging to hear about rattles, tranny problems, poor paint quality and grease on windows (sheesh thats just ridiculous).

I also want to defend the ppl that are complaining and being mocked by those who argue "its only a 30K car so accept some problems." Well, the monetary value is trivial, to some that 30K is alot of hard earned money.

Neway my last gripe is the constant comparisons with BMW (Euro car) and Toyotas and Hondas. Things must be very different in the US, coz here in Aus, journo's (and most motorists) wouldnt even mutter such a comparitive thought between a bland Toyota and clinically lifeless Honda. Euro cars r percieved here as being on a level far higher than their Japanese counterparts. The Lexus brand for example is ridiculed for being simply a far too expensive rebadged Toyota (Only the LS is not badged Toyota abroad).

 

Ah man! I'm new to this board and right smack in the middle of doing my Z research. it bugs me to hear that my new dream car has tranny issues. Especially considering my previous car was a v6 Accord which was plagued with one of the worst transmissions ever made. (It's the reason why you don't see turbocharged or high boost supercharged accords) I was looking at purchasing a used 03 Z when I buy one but maybe i'll be getting a used 04 Z instead. Assuming they fix the problems. 1st year for a car is always a bad one.

 

I picked up my Z in Febuary. I have had no problems other than the streaks on the driver side window. This isn't a problem since I wash my car almost every weekend.
I am almost to 6000 miles. With no feathering or rattles (knock on wood)

I plan on changing suspensions and stereo but this is due to a want and not a need or dislike (the bose could be better).

But I don't plan on doing either for at least another 6 months.