Looking at the pics, what is up with the rear wheels tires?

The car is Enthusiast btw. Touring has leather. Base has no steeringwheel controls.


Bose steering wheel Controls have buttons for phone / bluetooth. Enthusiast says MODE / POWER on the left side center.

 

What's with the rear tire? Not sure what you meant there. Am I missing something?

 

Kinda looks like the ride height is a little higher in the back if you ask me.... Stiffer springs in the rear maybe? And looking at your other thread, you probably could've combined the 2 instead of having 2 different ones about the same car

 

What causes stiffer spring? Is it going to cost alot to fix...thanks for your input

 

No cruise control means you have a base. Plain and simple.

Nothing wrong with the springs, its the tires. OEM size tires have a OD of roughly 26.75 inches, someone installed shorter tires (probably a 245/40-18 rear measuring in at 25.8 inches ) and that creates a look of having a bigger gap. Put proper size tires on it and your good to go.

 

Cloth seats and not heated. Def not touring

 

I have an Enthusiast, yet it doesn't have steering wheel controls or the aluminum pedals which according to every trim site I found last night, is visually what makes it easy to discern the Enth trim. Called a stealership today and they ran the last 8 on the VIN and it came back as an Enthusiast (listed with VLSD and Enthusiast rims and trim), but when it was ordered, the "Driver's Package" wasn't ordered with it that includes the cruise/controls or pedals (electric seats, heated seats, or the optional leather seats - yes, you could order an Enth with leather seats, for an additional $1400, as well according to them). I would highly suggest calling the local Nissan Dealer and having the parts department run the VIN and they can tell you exactly what it is. Because, apparently after '07, some of the standard options became additional unless dealers ordered them that way. That's word-for-word what I was told by the dealership today.

 

If you have "Enthusiast" and you don't have steering wheel controls or aluminum pedals, it means you got a BASE.

 

And like I explained in my last post... My VIN is listed as an Enthusiast with a VLSD and upgraded brakes and that's coming DIRECTLY from a NISSAN dealership. It was explained to me, by 2 different places now (just got off the phone with another to verify 2X) that it is listed from the manufacturer as an Enthusiast that was not built with the "Driver's Package"..... Hence why my vehicle title also says "2008 Nissan 350Z Enthusiast."

 

I don't think it really matters what the VIN lists the car as. BASE model visually = no steering wheel, no aluminum pedals and has cloth seats (could possibly be changed). No heated seats controls. No LSD either.

Enthusiast = Steering wheel controls + cloth seats. No heated seats controls. If owner bought leather seats package, then you have to look closely at steering wheel. Enthusiast steering wheel controls differ than Touring because Enthusiast model has no bluetooth, so left side will have a MODE / POWER instead of a Phone icon.

Touring = Leather + Steering wheel controls with Bluetooth phone call icon on left side controls. Also has heated seats controls and Homelink mirror. Touring also has a bluetooth mic above the homelink mirror.

Seriously, people need to learn the Z Trims and Years.

 

And again, that's also why I mentioned it DOES have a VLSD from the factory that matches the stock number from the manufacturer that they installed. It was confirmed the last time I took it in for service to change all the fluids before it went into storage when I was looking into putting one in it because I didn't know at the time they already came equipped. But having the maintenance guys telling me there's one already on it kinda turned me away from wasting money on a new one. And if the manufacturer/company doesn't know what trim level it is, I doubt some home-made website is going to know better. The VIN tells me a lot more than just because I don't have steering wheel controls and aluminum pedals that I have a base model after the manufacturer put the rest of the Enth upgrades on it. So, that's probably why the guy who owned it before me probably had it on the insurance card as well since it was on his title when he ordered it brand new through the factory. And again, you're only going off the visual cues that are listed on other websites rather then listening to what multiple NISSAN dealers have explained that I'm trying to just relay is all. You can't get the trim by just looking at the VIN (obviously) but you can get it if they run it in the database. Kinda like when you run one of the Nismo VINs, it will also list the Nismo #. I just decided to do my research directly through Nissan rather then other websites that post up what to visually look for with each trim level that not always takes into account the options companies may or may not hold off on (kinda like when people told me my Dodge Charger wasn't an SRT-8 because I didn't have the optional L+R shift capabilities, but yet, it was an SRT, since it had a 6.1L V8 and all the other additions, and that was an option that less then 200 were made with that particular year). And hearing from 2 different parts departments (in 2 different states on either coast) that the Enth model did have something called the "Driver's Package" that was the pedals, power seats and steering wheel/cruise, is pretty believable in my book that mine just didn't get it equipped in the factory. Kinda like how I could have ordered one back in 2008 that would have had leather seats but still no controls or power adjustment seats if I wanted to, but it wouldn't have been classified to the dealer as a touring (so they say). But hey, if people want to trust the non-manufacturer websites to find out what they have, then good luck. I was only trying to suggest he just call and get it checked rather then going off visual clues, because that's what happened to me twice now after buying 7 different cars in my life. But who knows, I'll probably just hear about how I don't know what I'm talking about and just go on my merry way regardless.

 

Judging by your location, I'm guessing it's different than in the US. But what I said above is in regards to US 350Zs. I took a good 6+ months shopping for my Z and I ran into many cases where sellers dunno what to list their Z as. You see base models listed as enthusiast, touring, or grand touring. You kinda learn how to distinguish the different trims by the pictures they post.

Also I read on the 370z forums that you can't distinguish trims by the VIN. I'm assuming the same applies to 350Zs.

Another case could be the previous owner took the parts off, sold it, and replaced it with base parts. Ex. 06+ with the expensive stock headlights sold for $$$ and you get the cheap 03-05 headlights in it's place, but it is indeed an 06 Z.

 

My car is actually being stored in up-state NY right now. I'm military on a 3-year tour in Germany and am using my sportbike to get around here since my wife is still back in the states.

That was actually my thinking (him selling the parts for lower model ones because maybe he just didn't want them), but I'm not sure. It was a 72 y/o guy who ordered this thing so I doubt he bought a base and slapped a VLSD and brake kit on a summer only weekend driver (only had around 8k miles on it when I bought it late '10). Not a 100% sure, but was only reciting what I was told by the stealerships man. They entered the VIN and he said it was listed as a "Trim: Enthusiast" with a VLSD, which would be true for warranty purposes since the warranty is off the VIN so the manufacturer can tell whether or not you've added additional aftermarket parts (whether OEM or not) so they don't replace something that might be OEM, but it's something YOU installed after purchase. That's why I was just suggesting he take the 20 minutes (about how long I was waiting to get my answer) and call.

Now, don't get me wrong, but I am by no means trying to keep going round-and-round with you about this man. I'm just posting what my experiences have been and we all know, with multiple trim levels on cars that look nearly the same everytime, it really is easier to just go to a Nissan dealer and ask directly is all. Your posts about the specific trim had me worried because I started thinking I payed all that additional for something that was tagged as more then a base model, so I looked for an accumulative 17 hours (over the last 2 days since I just sit behind a desk waiting for a phone to ring) at every website I could find talking about the trim levels, and after calling the dealership to just ask, I'm more inclined to believe them after they literally listed off everything my car does and doesn't have (whether it was Enth parts or not).

 

Judging by the automatic transmission I would say this is another variant of the enthusiast model in female trim. Good luck.

 

What us this brake kit you keep talking about, please post pics.

 

Sorry, about that, I meant to take that out after I noticed I didn't specify that it wasn't the dealership who told me that. My brother has an '07 touring and told me my brakes that are on mine are different (cars are sitting in the garage side-by-side right now), but I put on slotted rotors the week after I bought my Z, so he thought they were the stock ones. My fault on that one. It's been removed out of that post. I do apologize about using that as a fighting point earlier.

Edit: I'm on the phone with my brother now, trying to figure out exactly what specific parts I do and don't have and am going down the manufacturer checklist for what should be on the Enthusiast. I was notified I do have an aluminum kick plate (never thought to get under there and check) and the pedals were covered with rubber but they "appear" to be the same type. Still positive on the no Cruise Control or steering wheel with controls though.

 

Just take some pix n post it here. LSD isn't something we can see, but if you say ur car doesn't have steering wheel controls, I can almost guarantee you it's a BASE unless the car's been in an accident and for some reason the shop decided to put a base steering wheel in place of the enthusiast one.

About the brakes... I believe 05 or 06+ 350z started using bigger stock brakes like in the G35s back in 05+ (when they got rid of the Brembos). 06+ Brembo's are only on Grand Touring + NISMO (07+). Otherwise, the brakes should be the same 06+.

I forgot to add, does your car have traction control? I forget if Base has it or not, but I know for a fact Touring+ has VDC whereas Enthusiast just has regular Traction Control. Base has no traction controls I think.

Here's a BASE model Z.
http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail...5&aff=national
Notice no aluminum pedals. No steering wheel controls. Also doesn't have BOSE, so the stereo is only single disc, hence just "CD" and "RADIO" if you look closely.


Here's an Enthusiast
http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail...5&aff=national
Notice the aluminum pedals + steering wheel controls.


QUOTE: "The VIN DOES NOT REVEAL THE TRIM OF THE Z!!!"
Source: http://www.350zmotoring.com/forums/g...tml#post582229


I hope this clears up your confusion.

 

Car is equipped with TC (made sure it had that before I bought it since I knew I had to drive it in the snow), and I would post pics, but being halfway across the globe from it kinda prevents that. I never got a chance to do a photo session with it since I bought it in winter and stored it until spring (the week I moved to Germany). And getting anything from my family is like ripping teeth out since I've been waiting for Christmas pics from LAST year still. I'm going back there on leave in the next few weeks/month and I'll get some pics for it then and post them up.

After reading those model lists, the only thing that screams "Base Model" is the lack of the controls on the steering wheel (to include the CC which may have the power/relay box installed I just couldn't see it).

And that link for the other forum is to a thread that's 5 years old... Not saying it still couldn't be right though. Well, with the one thing missing being the steering wheel, and having 2 different parts guys who would know whether I would need a LSD replaced if I took it in for repair, I'm personally inclined to think I have the Enthusiast, just with a replaced steering wheel.

 

That VIN trim deal is not outdated. It goes the same for 370Zs. And like I said above, those are how the different ways you can distinguish 350Z trims in the US (for 06-08), supposing your Z was not tampered with / been in accident and not fixed with right parts. 03-05 have other differences that I'm not gonna get into since you say ur Z is 08 and your bro's is 07.

 

no leather, no vdc = enthu