Also hr's have way more throat to them. They sound nasty. Twin throttle bodies

 

You still would have all the problems the 03 had. Just because you bought one w/ low mileage doesn't mean the issues automagically disappear. Transmission synchro issues, causes u to get a CD009 transmission swap that the HR already comes with, would cost u about $2k anyways if you don't swap it yourself.

HR motor has a lot more power than the DE. SAE HP ratings changed during that time.

Interior is better in the HR. It's revised. Same with exterior appearance. The BiXenon HID headlights on the 06+ would cost u 1k+ to swap out.

03-5 were crap all around compared to the 06+. Pay more for the HR and you won't regret it.

Only time you should buy a 03-05 is if you can buy it dirt cheap and flip it for profit so you can buy an HR. Or if you broke.

 

If the 03 is in better shape and the 07 is beat and neglected get the 03. I would buy the one that feels better and has been maintained better. Crawl underneath the car, you may be surprised by what you see. More HP is more HP however.

 

A lot of valid and semi-valid opinions on here;

yes you would get less miles with the 03, but that doesn't change the fact that the first model year transmission is a hit or miss in terms of reliability, if you have to upgrade the transmission it's 2-3k easy, then you are already in the 07 range but with a slightly inferior engine.
Don't get me wrong the vq35 de/uprev are outstanding engines even for today's standards but the 07-08 engine is more than just a slight hp bump.
It shares over 80% of the parts with the 370z engine, it's been proven on the forums that the new engine is more tolerant towards boost and loves bolt ons...

Like someone else mentioned, talk down the 07 dealer a little bit and it will be worth it in the end.

A close friend of mine used to own an 03, an 06 and now owns an 08, basically he says just the overall package of the 07-08 makes the car feel like a completely different experience, pretty much everything was improved.

If you plan to mod or stay stock go for the 07.......
if you just want 'a car' and don't really care about what I've mentioned then the 03 is a good match.
Honestly if the price difference was like 7-8k between the two then I'd say go for the 03, but in this scenario it would be unwise to go for the 07.

 

I bought an '03 new off the lot, then four years later bought an '07 new off the lot. Coming from someone who's owned both, I'd say go for the '07. You may be able to find one in better condition for around the same price.

FYI- I'll sell you mine with only 17k miles if the price is right...

 

I agree with the posts about buying newer, you get the best of that generation of Z.
But would love to know the trim levels of each, and also if you plan to mod it or even keep it that long?
Also I just went thru the same decision as you and opted for the 07.
But I also do think you are paying too much for both. Be patient and good deals will come.
I will say that I do love a one owner car though, which might be the case in the 03?

 

Mother of God...cocaine hookers?

 

Yes my good man. Cocaine with hookers aka "Cocaine Hookers". It's sounds more smooth than just saying cocaine and hookers. You tryna go to vegas bro?

 

Jah he isnt ready for Vegas bro, he wont hang, you can tell by the initial shock when you mentioned "cocaine" and "hookers" in the same sentence.

 

I would get the 07 model but only cause I have had a 03 before and I will tell you this my fully bolt on 03 was beat by my 100% stock 07 and it wasn't even close. I am also selling my 2007 350z PM me for price and info.

 

Some people just can't handle that life man.

 

I was thinking of hookers made out of cocaine...

 

07 all day everyday. no question or answer need on this thread. its not about 20HP they got different engine but you still need to check the condition of each car.

 

15.5k for a stock 03 is rediculous. in any condition. Talk the 07 down a bit into the 15's or 16's and grab it. its a 4-5 year newer car(depending on build dates) and 60,000 miles is nothing on an HR if it wasnt abused.

 

One can only dream my friend. One can only dream.....sigh.

 

Perfect post

 

that little dent/ding on the door can be fixed easily/cheap. You get so much more with the HR (updated bumper/headlights/taillights/interior/motor/etc), that's worth much more than the extra $2k you will pay. And it also has fairly low miles itself.