350z model year 2003 - EU spec
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Europe
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
350z model year 2003 - EU spec
This is my first post here... so hello and greetings from Poland
Tomorrow I'll be checking out a 350z I want to buy. The car is really nice - it has only about 50.000 kilometers (30k miles) and it seems that it is in good condition (judging from pictures and a brief conversation I've had with the current owner). Of course I will be having the car checked at the local Nissan dealership.
I have a question about issues common to '03 350z - tire feathering and grinding noises during gear change. Does anybody know if those issues concern both US and European versions of the car? From what I've heard there are some substantial differences between US spec and EU spec? I've searched/googled but haven't found a definitive answer. Is it possible to check (and how to do it) if the car I'm about to buy is having those issues? Is there anything else I should be aware of?
Thanks and sorry for my poor English
Tomorrow I'll be checking out a 350z I want to buy. The car is really nice - it has only about 50.000 kilometers (30k miles) and it seems that it is in good condition (judging from pictures and a brief conversation I've had with the current owner). Of course I will be having the car checked at the local Nissan dealership.
I have a question about issues common to '03 350z - tire feathering and grinding noises during gear change. Does anybody know if those issues concern both US and European versions of the car? From what I've heard there are some substantial differences between US spec and EU spec? I've searched/googled but haven't found a definitive answer. Is it possible to check (and how to do it) if the car I'm about to buy is having those issues? Is there anything else I should be aware of?
Thanks and sorry for my poor English
#7
Trending Topics
#8
New Member
Hi and welcome to the Forum, I read your post and would like to offer the following responses to your questions:
RE> “I have a question about issues common to '03 350z - tire feathering and grinding noises during gear change. Does anybody know if those issues concern both US and European versions of the car?”
Both the issues you mention are the same for US and EU 350Z’s.
Tire Feathering: The 2003 Z you are considering won’t have any tire-feathering problem if your shop has the proper alignment equipment that is calibrated properly. The reason this happened in the first place is simply that the early Z’s were not aligned correctly when delivered from the factory, and summer-performance tires are wear-sensitive to even minor misalignment. Nissan discovered the problem very early, but the issue became extended simply because many dealerships had alignment equipment that was not calibrated to the degree required by the 350Z.
Transmission Grinding: This is an inherent defect in the synchromesh of some early (model year 2003) 350Z transmissions. Not every 2003 350Z has this problem. You discover this problem by shifting quickly from 6th gear to 5th gear, or shifting from 4th gear to 3rd gear. If you detect any grinding when doing this, the car needs a transmission replacement.
Hope this helps,
--Spike
RE> “I have a question about issues common to '03 350z - tire feathering and grinding noises during gear change. Does anybody know if those issues concern both US and European versions of the car?”
Both the issues you mention are the same for US and EU 350Z’s.
Tire Feathering: The 2003 Z you are considering won’t have any tire-feathering problem if your shop has the proper alignment equipment that is calibrated properly. The reason this happened in the first place is simply that the early Z’s were not aligned correctly when delivered from the factory, and summer-performance tires are wear-sensitive to even minor misalignment. Nissan discovered the problem very early, but the issue became extended simply because many dealerships had alignment equipment that was not calibrated to the degree required by the 350Z.
Transmission Grinding: This is an inherent defect in the synchromesh of some early (model year 2003) 350Z transmissions. Not every 2003 350Z has this problem. You discover this problem by shifting quickly from 6th gear to 5th gear, or shifting from 4th gear to 3rd gear. If you detect any grinding when doing this, the car needs a transmission replacement.
Hope this helps,
--Spike
Last edited by Spike100; 01-04-2010 at 05:50 PM.
#11
Registered User
#12
New Member
The pics make the car look good.
Interesting interior... looks as though the seats, shift ***, parking brake, and steering wheel are custom upgrades.
The tires must be winter performance models?
--Spike
Interesting interior... looks as though the seats, shift ***, parking brake, and steering wheel are custom upgrades.
The tires must be winter performance models?
--Spike
#14
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Europe
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
#15
New Member
I looked at the 2003 Track Model (USA), and almost bought it, but thought the 2003 Performance model was a better value (pretty much the same, sans brembo's)
--Spike
#17
Registered User
iTrader: (4)
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Finally moved to the Couv!!!!
Posts: 5,563
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Welcome, it looks legit but I know from past experience that looks can be deceiving. test drive it and you will get your answer but make sure to enjoy it but don't blind yourself to problems.
#19
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Europe
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
And I'm back. To make a long story short... I didn't buy it The car was in a much worse condition than I had expected. Leather on both seats was worn/cracked - really weird considering low mileage of the car. My girlfriend owns a BMW and after 110k. miles interior of the car is in a much better overall condition Finally everything was clear. It turned out that the car was a "test car" in the local dealership for two years. I just wonder how many people test-drove it back then... And I know that test cars (especially sports cars) can have a really hard life - "Look ma! I can take it to the red line! Look ma, again!" Still it wasn't all that bad, but not worth the $.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Subarism
East Canada
2
09-23-2015 06:09 PM
FromGtoZ
Intake Exhaust
2
09-20-2015 03:41 PM
03, 2003, 350z, 350zs, alignment, differences, eu, feathering, good, roadster, spec, specs, transmission, year, years