Is the Z "cheap"?
07-09-2009 | 08:07 AM
#42
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Joined: Mar 2009
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From: Dover, Delaware
07-10-2009 | 12:08 AM
#45
Seats suck and interior in general is a bit sub-par. The paint is thin and scratches easily. Compared to the 300zx TT for example, it falls short in my view. However, my 300zx TT was 34k back in 1994 which might be 45k in todays dollars. So for the money, the 350z is well priced. BTW Bose sucked in the 300zx as well as the 350z.
07-10-2009 | 09:54 AM
#46
All cars have issues. My last vehicle ('07 Chevy Trailblazer SS) had to have the rear diff swapped out every 10k miles because it would start whining and bucking when backing out of parking spots or making slow turns. The 2005 Subaru Legacy I had developed a bunch of rattles and squeaks I could never fix, plus the wipers turned on and off a half dozen times in the three years I owned them. A lot of GM cars in the late 90's with the 3.8L v6 would blow up because off a crappy intake manifold design. The '98 Bonneville I had blew up twice. And those are both major and minor things.
My Z at 60k only has a few rattles I need to fix, other than replacing the belts which need to be done. I've only had it a few weeks, but so far so good (knock on wood).
My Z at 60k only has a few rattles I need to fix, other than replacing the belts which need to be done. I've only had it a few weeks, but so far so good (knock on wood).
07-11-2009 | 10:36 AM
#47
i have 03 and i have had zero issues with my windows, rattles, or sideskirts. the only maintenace ive had to do is to my clutch that wasnt supporting my mods, but that is fixed and dont see an issue coming with it anytime soon. i might have gotton lucky 
07-11-2009 | 10:58 AM
#48
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From: N Dallas The Great State of TX
I read most of the posts regarding the rattles that creep up from time to time around the car. I'm a new 350 owner, but I've owned several cars previously that all have the same performance tight suspension. Ya that means the road noise is going to transfer straight to the interior of the car, probably as a weight savings measure to keep all the sound dampening crap off our interiors.
So I'm not surprised that there are some rattles here and there from the interior areas - hitting all the damn bumps with a stiff suspension on the crappy roads here in the Dallas area is probably going to shake a couple of things loose from time to time. It's an issue that I'm more then willing to deal with! If not, I would've gotten a soccer mom tahoe or something that weighs a ton with a soft suspension and been bored as hell driving around in.
So I'm not surprised that there are some rattles here and there from the interior areas - hitting all the damn bumps with a stiff suspension on the crappy roads here in the Dallas area is probably going to shake a couple of things loose from time to time. It's an issue that I'm more then willing to deal with! If not, I would've gotten a soccer mom tahoe or something that weighs a ton with a soft suspension and been bored as hell driving around in.
07-11-2009 | 11:05 AM
#49
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From: puerto rico
All things considered (reliability, performance, ergonomics, price of the car, etc.), my assessment is that they're great Sports cars. The "little annoyances" that they suffer from won't leave you stranded on the road. They're just that, little annoyances. In this year's CR's Annual Auto Issue, they're classified as "Much Better Than Average", 'cause their engines, cooling system, ATs, electrical system, etc., are b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l-l-y reliable!
Last edited by j.arnaldo; 07-11-2009 at 11:06 AM.
03-27-2012 | 06:38 PM
#50
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Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 54
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From: New Jersey
i have the fixes to some problems. the dash rattle. it is under the plastic at the bottom right hand corner of the dash. seems nissan used a bolt in bracket with a hook at the top that screeches over bumps at times. all I did was unbolt the bracket and put a rag behind the hook and bolted it back up, fixed the rattle to this day.
window motors
are a pain in the ***. never had driver side issues but i have replaced the passenger side motor 4 FOUR times!!!! FOUR! JESUS! COMMON NISSAN! and its startin to f up on me again!! i hate that motor and i dont have a fix. just keep throwing new ones in.
FACTORY AMP FOR SUB
PISSES ME OFF! i gotta tap it every time it cuts out, which is every 3 minutes or less. no fix but going to replace it with a aftermarket 250 watt soon
thats all of my issues tho, very minimal. the dash rattle was by far the worst and i am happy not hearing squeeks going down the road anymore
window motors
are a pain in the ***. never had driver side issues but i have replaced the passenger side motor 4 FOUR times!!!! FOUR! JESUS! COMMON NISSAN! and its startin to f up on me again!! i hate that motor and i dont have a fix. just keep throwing new ones in.
FACTORY AMP FOR SUB
PISSES ME OFF! i gotta tap it every time it cuts out, which is every 3 minutes or less. no fix but going to replace it with a aftermarket 250 watt soon
thats all of my issues tho, very minimal. the dash rattle was by far the worst and i am happy not hearing squeeks going down the road anymore
You are the first person to mention a hook type clip in the dash. Can you explain where this is a bit further?
03-27-2012 | 06:47 PM
#51
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From: Buffalo, NY
I have a 2004 touring and I've noticed some things i don't like but they are so minimal i could careless.
For example the fuel door is not flush, I feel the rear view mirror is big but it's auto dimming so it evens out. The doors never seem to stay open which is a problem for my passengers (my father is elderly).
Let's say I'm at the gas station every week filling up, but the z is so fun to drive.
For example the fuel door is not flush, I feel the rear view mirror is big but it's auto dimming so it evens out. The doors never seem to stay open which is a problem for my passengers (my father is elderly).
Let's say I'm at the gas station every week filling up, but the z is so fun to drive.
03-27-2012 | 07:30 PM
#52
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From: Bellevue, WA
What? Driver's side or passenger side? "Bottom" meaning under the passenger's side? How far back? My dash seems to rattle up near the triple gauge cluster. No idea why.
03-27-2012 | 11:59 PM
#54
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From: St. Louis
Cars rattle. Once you wrap your mind around the fact that vehicles, like people, are imperfect and all of them have their flaws, you will be more at ease.
Really though, I'm not trying to be a smartass. It's a car. It will rattle, get dented, wrecked, etc. Just try to enjoy the vehicle, instead of focusing on the very minor flaws.
Really though, I'm not trying to be a smartass. It's a car. It will rattle, get dented, wrecked, etc. Just try to enjoy the vehicle, instead of focusing on the very minor flaws.
03-28-2012 | 05:14 AM
#55
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Joined: Oct 2008
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From: Indiana
I don't think the Z is cheap. All companies cut costs in certain areas when they target their demographic. When our car was released, it was about the fastest and most exciting thing you could get for the price. So, they cut on some interior finish and materials. Maybe they used some cheap motors in the windows. The car was about speed and handling and this is how they kept the price down. It's part of buying any car that is under 80 grand.
GM made the Vette out of recycled Playskool plastic because people who bought it probably didn't care that the butt buckled when you poked it.
GM made the Vette out of recycled Playskool plastic because people who bought it probably didn't care that the butt buckled when you poked it.
03-28-2012 | 06:48 AM
#56
I had my drivers side window do that go up all the way and then come down halfway. i just pulled the button up while the window went back up and held it until the window was at the top. it hasn't done it since.
as for rattles, I have a rattle coming from the 3 gauges. it seems like the clear lens on one is a lil loose. if its cold it does it. once its warm it doesn't. not going to take my int. apart just for that lil rattle. i just listen to my music louder.
as for rattles, I have a rattle coming from the 3 gauges. it seems like the clear lens on one is a lil loose. if its cold it does it. once its warm it doesn't. not going to take my int. apart just for that lil rattle. i just listen to my music louder.
