2003 350z Touring
Original Owner
Well Maintained

So I'm driving on the highway when suddenly my engine automatically throttles back. It will not deliver power above 2000 RPM. Check Engine Soon light comes on. So I IMMEDIATELY pull over, pop the hood to find my radiator had blown, coolant splattered all over my engine. I wait for it to cool down, fill it up with water and drive straight to the dealership, which is only 3.5 miles away. Low and behold the prognosis is a blown engine. No specific symptom just "a blown engine" which they want 10k to fix. 3k just to take it apart and figure out whats actually wrong.

How can it be that a 2003 z that probably cost me close to 50k if u include the 8 years of financing, could go from functional to a giant paperweight in under 20 minutes?

How does Nissan's fancy engine blow up from just a few minutes of low rpm driving at somewhat high temp? And how the hell does their fancy computer system neglect to throw a warning other than "check engine soon"? Where was on board computer blinking the unusually high temp in my face? Just basically WTF?

 

What did the dealership say the cause of the blown engine? Can you be more specific.

 

A 2003 Z is worth more like $10K, not 40K. A rebuilt engine is around 3K. So for all practical purposes your Z went from $10K to $7K. Why? Who knows, certainly not from a "blown radiator".

 

I'm just saying that I bought the thing for 40k, I know what its worth on the market, but when you spend that much for a car u expect it to be a little tougher than to blow up at the first sign of any mechanical failure. The dealership said that the engine failed due to the blown radiator. Thats the whole dilemma here. They want 3k just to take it apart and figure out just how its "blown".

 

You can pick up a good DE engine in the Classified section of the forum for CHEAP CHEAP!

If your not mechanically inclined, there are several Z shops in FL that can install it for you. You could have this fixed for 3 G's or less.

Zim

 

U had a radiator leak u neglected and the engine overheated

 

Strange that you have one thread in 8 years, and tell us that your car is destroyed.

 

It sounds to me like the car got hot, went into limp mode, so you pulled over and discovered the problem. Then decided to add water and drive it anyways! Rather then call for a tow!.. Furthermore inflicting more damage... Had you called for a tow, the engine may have been saved!.

 

So it should be expected that a Z will freakin melt from driving three miles on a leaky radiator?

I've never posted because I have never had a problem. So long as the thing was under warranty I have had zero mechanical problems. Sure they screwed up the alignment on the first year and had to replace my tires, sure the hatch springs and lifters went bad after a couple years, but I never had any engine trouble. I religiously change the oil. I am sure to perform all scheduled maintenance. Leased the thing new, and had it pre-owned certified before I bought it in 2008. I have taken great care of this car. I have never heard of a car suffering such serious issues due to a cooling problem that existed for only minutes before I brought it straight to the dealership. It just doesn't seem right!

Side note: I had the radiator replaced about 10 months ago due to a front end collision. For it to blow in just 10 months seems suspect.

 

You make it seem like the car is brand new and you only drove it three miles off the lot. It's doubtful that those exact three miles did all the damage.

 

All cars will blow the motor within a couple miles when really freaking low on fluid. Operator error, you should buy an old air cooled bug to keep this from happening again.

 

Whats the miles on it and now go buy a 370z because had that 350z for 8 years right?

 

Lol, this thread is hilarious.

Maybe your front end collision did more damage then you or the body shop noticed or could see? Maybe the replacement radiator wasn't OEM grade and not up to the task?

By the way a 2003 Z with a blown motor still has more value than "$0."

 

~86,000 miles on it

Kwame, that's just my point. Seems suspicious that a new radiator would fail catastrophically in so short a time. Since that replacement went through insurance if feel like its on them to insure that my car is returned to me in the same condition it was in before the crash. It wouldn't shock me to find that it IS a shitty aftermarket radiator.

 

it will never be the same.

 

Full aluminum engine + no coolant + any driving = KABOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!! (demo quote from TF2...I'm a gamer )

 

I hear you, but unfortunately you would have to shoulder some of the blame in this as an operator. If the radiator had a hole in it you should have either noticed the puddle of coolant under the car when you were getting into it or if it occurred while driving you should have stopped the car and had it towed (by way of you hitting something in the road). Even if all of the coolant suddenly leaks out of your radiator you will still have some coolant in the block and your temperature gauge will alert you of a problem before you could damage your motor.

I would speak to your insurance company they might be able to help you out.

 

i hear an only child here.

Dude, your ranting kind of..and on a public forum.. sleep on it, get some facts, pose some detailed specific questions.
Wed be happy to help, but cmon man..this thread sounds cuh---raaaazy man...
No disrespect.

 

~86,000 miles on it

Kwame, that's just my point. Seems suspicious that a new radiator would fail catastrophically in so short a time. Since that replacement went through insurance if feel like its on them to insure that my car is returned to me in the same condition it was in before the crash. It wouldn't shock me to find that it IS a shitty aftermarket radiator.

 

Sorry to hear bud, but these engines are far from perfect, reliable, and fancy :/

It sucks to find this out when you buy the car but when you were on the outside looking in (former honda fan) you think to yourself "Damn, VQ engine? That's so nice".