While waxing the car, I noticed some stuff. The rear hatch seems to not be totally aligned.

The rear bumper seems to be bolted in closer on one side. Furthermore, when I was taking the wax off the side of the bumper..it was making a "creaking" noise. Is this normal?

Anyone really closely examine their body panels like me and find the same results???

 

I have the same problem. Used to be the left side of the bumper is off the rear 1/4 panel. Went to the dealer to adjust it, and after the adjustment the right side was not right. So the dealer replaced the bumper, still had the same problem(the right side of bumper has a bigger gap between it and the 1/4 panel than the left side, and it does not line up witht he 1/4 panel). Now the dealer is trying to get Nissan to fix it, but Nissan is giving them run around. Don't know if my Z will ever get a good bumper. This is my first Nissan, and probably my last one too.

 

Hey all,

I wouldn't feel too bad about it. My dad just got an 03' MB E500. Even a $65K car has the same problems. The rear bumper doesnt match 100% with the rear 1/4 panels. What are ya gonna do. You have to accept the fact that much of today's "foreign" cars are assembled here in the USA - and quite frankly, the work ethic here sucks.

 

I am so happy...my dealer finally fix the bumper. Turn out Nissan use the aluminum "poppers"(not sure what they really call. they attach the bumper to the fram), and they were bended(Tucson has very bad roads, and lots of construction last few months around my place), and the body shop did not put the new bumper Nissan gave me. Dealer wanted to take down the bumper to measure the fram, and found the problem. They replace the aluminum "poppers" with steel ones, and put the bumper back "correctly". Now I am a happy man.