About to buy a 2004 6MT 350z, looking for your guidance. (Hawaii)
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
About to buy a 2004 6MT 350z, looking for your guidance. (Hawaii)
Hello all!
I have successfully started my journey down the rabbit hole of 350z ownership which has lead me here. What brought me here is I just moved to the island of Kauai and I'm craving a fun car to drive around the island. I started out with +11' Mustang GTs to almost buying a Lexus RC F to just today discovering a 2004 6MT Nissan 350Z Touring Convertible.
The car owner received as a surprise anniversary gift brand new and then her husband passed a few years later so it has sentimental values. She has babied it and taken meticulous care for it. It has 65,000 miles on it and is in good to very good condition. The only thing I can see visibile wrong with it is the convertible top was slashed so I was looking for an estimate on that. I live on Kauai so labor is about 110-135 an hour.
Also I wanted to add I have never driven a manual car before so I would be learning on this.
Is there anything I should be specifically looking for in your experience? The car is about 1500 below the KBB. I asked why she hasn't sold and she said because all the buyers were looking to trick it out and she wanted someone that would appreciate it and care for it. (It's a small island so she probably doesnt want to see it in shitty condition years down the road)
Curious to what your thoughts are and I am open to receiving all feedback. Thank you!
P.S. I'll take better pictures of it when I check it out.
I have successfully started my journey down the rabbit hole of 350z ownership which has lead me here. What brought me here is I just moved to the island of Kauai and I'm craving a fun car to drive around the island. I started out with +11' Mustang GTs to almost buying a Lexus RC F to just today discovering a 2004 6MT Nissan 350Z Touring Convertible.
The car owner received as a surprise anniversary gift brand new and then her husband passed a few years later so it has sentimental values. She has babied it and taken meticulous care for it. It has 65,000 miles on it and is in good to very good condition. The only thing I can see visibile wrong with it is the convertible top was slashed so I was looking for an estimate on that. I live on Kauai so labor is about 110-135 an hour.
Also I wanted to add I have never driven a manual car before so I would be learning on this.
Is there anything I should be specifically looking for in your experience? The car is about 1500 below the KBB. I asked why she hasn't sold and she said because all the buyers were looking to trick it out and she wanted someone that would appreciate it and care for it. (It's a small island so she probably doesnt want to see it in shitty condition years down the road)
Curious to what your thoughts are and I am open to receiving all feedback. Thank you!
P.S. I'll take better pictures of it when I check it out.
Last edited by Kauai350Z; 03-30-2017 at 05:43 AM.
#2
Registered User
Welcome, sounds like the car is very well taken care of so its good for you, id still do a full check on it, under the car, panels, rust, engine sound. have someone that has driven manual before test it to feel the transmission and such.
as far as her sentimental Value, id be the ******* to say that after she has money in her hand.. its yours to do what you please. if she doesn't want to see anyone else happy and do what they please with the car she should just keep it stored.
good luck.
as far as her sentimental Value, id be the ******* to say that after she has money in her hand.. its yours to do what you please. if she doesn't want to see anyone else happy and do what they please with the car she should just keep it stored.
good luck.
#3
350Z/370Z Tech Moderator
MY350Z.COM
MY350Z.COM
Welcome, sounds like the car is very well taken care of so its good for you, id still do a full check on it, under the car, panels, rust, engine sound. have someone that has driven manual before test it to feel the transmission and such.
as far as her sentimental Value, id be the ******* to say that after she has money in her hand.. its yours to do what you please. if she doesn't want to see anyone else happy and do what they please with the car she should just keep it stored.
good luck.
as far as her sentimental Value, id be the ******* to say that after she has money in her hand.. its yours to do what you please. if she doesn't want to see anyone else happy and do what they please with the car she should just keep it stored.
good luck.
First off, welcome to my350Z!
This is the perfect car for Kauai! We live part time on Maui and often times I've considered getting another "island car" (A Z, of course) for morning treks up Haleakala and Upcountry! But our present car shall suffice (co-owned and lives with good family friend).
Definitely agree with CFS_Z on getting it checked out professionally. I'd recommend a Nissan dealer PPI (pre-purchase inspection). Most will do them for a couple hundred dollars or less.
Mechanically, it sounds like it's good but as with any car living in prox to the Pacific ocean with rain and red mud a regular part of island life, make sure you get it checked for rust. Generally speaking, contemporary cars are a lot less prone to it than their forebearers but if the car wasn't garaged, it's a real possibility.
S'far as the sentimentality, well, I get that but that shouldn't stop you from a few "personalizing touches" to make it your car.
Good luck with it! Wanna see pics of it when you've taken your first drive up to Princeville!
#4
Ask if trans is cd001 or if it had ever been warranty swapped/swapped to cd009 as the cd001 which came in the 03-05~ Is horrible and typically randomly blows. Mine blew at 50k miles
#6
i just bought an 04' touring model. I used a few search functions on this site along with youtube from AnthonyJ350. I used another youtube guy channel also, I can't remember it but, do a search on there, enjoy a beer and they will point out all of the little areas. usually the car is mechanically sound (minus, the transmission if you are unlucky)
I myself got mine from the previous owner with an issue with the radiator fan not working. some minor dings on the body and he bought the car for his daughter who no longer wanted it after 9 years (second owner), the first owner was a Winery owner who just drove the car to different wine tastings and facilities.
In the end get your knowledge together make a list of areas to check, if you can find another Z owner to go with you and trust your gut. you'll be fine....
I myself got mine from the previous owner with an issue with the radiator fan not working. some minor dings on the body and he bought the car for his daughter who no longer wanted it after 9 years (second owner), the first owner was a Winery owner who just drove the car to different wine tastings and facilities.
In the end get your knowledge together make a list of areas to check, if you can find another Z owner to go with you and trust your gut. you'll be fine....
#7
New Member
iTrader: (4)
Welcome Kauai350Z!
Edit: Misread Authors post, this is in fact a 2004.
As Paulqiv mentioned, just look out for the transmission. The 03-04 transmissions were notorious for having weak synchros for 2nd and 3rd. Mechanically and electronically, 350Zs are very reliable. Outside of normal routine maintenance, I haven't had any major or minor component failures. Just do the routine maintenance and give the car TLC and it pays you back. My 06 350Z has been more reliable than my previous 1999 4cyl Honda Accord Coupe!
You'll have a great time in a roadster 350Z on Kauai. The only bummer is how small the island is and how LOW the speed limits are. I proposed to my wife there in 2013 and couldn't believe how often the speed limits change. Speed traps everywhere! I saw so many tourists getting speeding tickets! But the beauty of Kauai makes up for it all! Good Luck!
Edit: Misread Authors post, this is in fact a 2004.
As Paulqiv mentioned, just look out for the transmission. The 03-04 transmissions were notorious for having weak synchros for 2nd and 3rd. Mechanically and electronically, 350Zs are very reliable. Outside of normal routine maintenance, I haven't had any major or minor component failures. Just do the routine maintenance and give the car TLC and it pays you back. My 06 350Z has been more reliable than my previous 1999 4cyl Honda Accord Coupe!
You'll have a great time in a roadster 350Z on Kauai. The only bummer is how small the island is and how LOW the speed limits are. I proposed to my wife there in 2013 and couldn't believe how often the speed limits change. Speed traps everywhere! I saw so many tourists getting speeding tickets! But the beauty of Kauai makes up for it all! Good Luck!
Last edited by icer5160; 03-30-2017 at 12:05 PM.
Trending Topics
#8
New Member
iTrader: (4)
Also, as others have stated, get the vehicle checked out by an independent mechanic you trust. Being that this Z is in a humid/wet climate with salty air, I would be concerned about rust issues. It's not as bad as the rust belt where they salt roads every winter. However you could still have some problem areas. Also this vehicle sits low to the ground from the factory. Scraping/rubbing could be a problem on some of those Kauai country roads.
-Icer
-Icer
#9
Registered User
Thread Starter
Bad news guys, based upon the first few replies I was excited to become apart of your community. I had all these visions in my head of learning and mastering the 350z with scenic Hawaii back drops around me and my girlfriend in the passenger seat..
Reality hit today, my girlfriend went into town to look at it (1h drive) for me because I was so excited about it. ****, I watched the whole rooftop repair video. Here are the photos she took.
She told me that the car is extremely beat up on the inside, cosmetically, the radio didn't work, apparently a compartment fell apart. The roof doesn't automatically work and you have to push it down because the motors are out, and the passenger side door cannot be opened from the inside.
The leather seats are in okay condition, as you can see the gear shift is all taped up. Also she said she saw a rust spot on the inside of the hood.
I guess the ladie's son was there and my girlfriend stated he just kept apologizing and had no idea she had let it get to this condition and was willing to go down on the $6,000 price. (I would ****ing hope so)
The lady texted me and my girlfriend later saying she was taking it to get the pre-buy inspection, a full detail inside and out, and a full tune up.
I honestly do not know if I'd even buy the car for 2k just because of how horrible it has been treated. The shocking thing is this lady told me over and over she babied it, it was beautiful, (she was even repeating this why they were looking at it and the son basically shushed her). Apparently she fell in love with my girlfriend and wants to sell it to us but they had also mentioned they turned away several low ballers. (I do not think they were low ballers)
My game plan now is to sit tight and see what they say after tune up, full pre-sale inspection by the dealer.
Should I run away from this? Kauai has such a limited car selection. If I dont buy this I might just buy a used C7 Corvette or something stupid just because I cant find a decent fun car here. I was literally heart broken today when I first saw the pictures..
Reality hit today, my girlfriend went into town to look at it (1h drive) for me because I was so excited about it. ****, I watched the whole rooftop repair video. Here are the photos she took.
She told me that the car is extremely beat up on the inside, cosmetically, the radio didn't work, apparently a compartment fell apart. The roof doesn't automatically work and you have to push it down because the motors are out, and the passenger side door cannot be opened from the inside.
The leather seats are in okay condition, as you can see the gear shift is all taped up. Also she said she saw a rust spot on the inside of the hood.
I guess the ladie's son was there and my girlfriend stated he just kept apologizing and had no idea she had let it get to this condition and was willing to go down on the $6,000 price. (I would ****ing hope so)
The lady texted me and my girlfriend later saying she was taking it to get the pre-buy inspection, a full detail inside and out, and a full tune up.
I honestly do not know if I'd even buy the car for 2k just because of how horrible it has been treated. The shocking thing is this lady told me over and over she babied it, it was beautiful, (she was even repeating this why they were looking at it and the son basically shushed her). Apparently she fell in love with my girlfriend and wants to sell it to us but they had also mentioned they turned away several low ballers. (I do not think they were low ballers)
My game plan now is to sit tight and see what they say after tune up, full pre-sale inspection by the dealer.
Should I run away from this? Kauai has such a limited car selection. If I dont buy this I might just buy a used C7 Corvette or something stupid just because I cant find a decent fun car here. I was literally heart broken today when I first saw the pictures..
#10
350Z/370Z Tech Moderator
MY350Z.COM
MY350Z.COM
However...
The worse thing, appearance wise, seems to be the top. That can be re-done, as you know from watching the DIY on it. Most of the other stuff can be re-done too but that level of neglect just seems to compound each time one looks at a different aspect of the car.
If you really want a nice Z, at least look at the other islands, particularly Oahu and even Maui. (Not so much Big Island but maybe). It's not that much to get a car over from those locations. Maybe $300 or so. We got our CPO "island car" in Oahu and negotiated to have the dealer ship it to us.
#11
Registered User
wow that car looks beat ! I know a new car you are passionate about is hard to let go specially one that sounded good, but from experience id say Hold off... wait, search around and don't jump the gun, There is usually another one lurking around or will show up soon that will be a better deal. Meanwhile save up a little more increase the budget and might have more options . GL
#12
New Member
"The shocking thing is this lady told me over and over she babied it, it was beautiful, (she was even repeating this why they were looking at it and the son basically shushed her)."
That reminds me of something that would come out of the mouth of a homeowner on the TV show "Hoarders." The owner is clearly is living on a different planet. I would run, not walk, away from this sale. Surely, there's another 350Z in the great State of Hawaii that is worth shelling out cash for.
That reminds me of something that would come out of the mouth of a homeowner on the TV show "Hoarders." The owner is clearly is living on a different planet. I would run, not walk, away from this sale. Surely, there's another 350Z in the great State of Hawaii that is worth shelling out cash for.
#13
New Member
iTrader: (4)
Run to the hills from this one. This car has clearly been neglected. Maybe she, the owner, did baby it when driven, but it doesn't look like the interior or exterior has been cleaned in the last 5 years. The condition of the interior is horrendous. The shift boot literally looks to have rotted out. The red-ish Kauai mud/clay seems to have found its way onto everything.
Maybe it will clean up some after a 8 hour detail job. But that won't fix all the damaged/broken bits. Seeing the condition of the convertible top is also worrisome. I bet that thing leaked like crazy and I know Kauai gets an insane amount of rainfall each year. The interior is probably water damaged, hence the electrical issues with the radio.
For the money, you can find something better.
It's laughable that she said she didn't want to see it modified (riced out). I think that would actually be an improvement over it's current state!
Maybe it will clean up some after a 8 hour detail job. But that won't fix all the damaged/broken bits. Seeing the condition of the convertible top is also worrisome. I bet that thing leaked like crazy and I know Kauai gets an insane amount of rainfall each year. The interior is probably water damaged, hence the electrical issues with the radio.
For the money, you can find something better.
It's laughable that she said she didn't want to see it modified (riced out). I think that would actually be an improvement over it's current state!
#15
New Member
iTrader: (1)
Yikes...
I didn't know they started renting out Z's hahaha
Hell that looks worse than a rental. If it's dirt cheap and you have time and want a project I'd be all over it... But as is.. Hell no.
No wonder guys want to "trick it out"... It Fckn needs it lol
I kind of expected it tho.. Anytime I see seat covers it's a red flag for me. Seat covers usually always go hand in hand with terrible interior.
I didn't know they started renting out Z's hahaha
Hell that looks worse than a rental. If it's dirt cheap and you have time and want a project I'd be all over it... But as is.. Hell no.
No wonder guys want to "trick it out"... It Fckn needs it lol
I kind of expected it tho.. Anytime I see seat covers it's a red flag for me. Seat covers usually always go hand in hand with terrible interior.
Last edited by CK_32; 03-31-2017 at 01:34 PM.
#16
Registered User
Thread Starter
This one just got posted today.
https://honolulu.craigslist.org/kau/cto/6067710039.html
11k for an automatic enthusiast model with 42k. He said the only issue is he did from the headers back completely redone but didn't do the sensors so that error shows up. Also he said it has nismo intake in it but everything else was stock.
Another weird thing is he said he won't let me test drive it but will let me ride in it but he seemed flexible on price.
I really appreciate all your thoughts and opinions guys. It makes me feel like I will be able to get a 350z just to be apart of the forum!
https://honolulu.craigslist.org/kau/cto/6067710039.html
11k for an automatic enthusiast model with 42k. He said the only issue is he did from the headers back completely redone but didn't do the sensors so that error shows up. Also he said it has nismo intake in it but everything else was stock.
Another weird thing is he said he won't let me test drive it but will let me ride in it but he seemed flexible on price.
I really appreciate all your thoughts and opinions guys. It makes me feel like I will be able to get a 350z just to be apart of the forum!
The following users liked this post:
zakmartin (03-31-2017)
#17
Run for the hills. That car has been neglected to the point where I wouldn't touch it. Who knows how much water got on the inside as I can guarantee that roof is leaking which is why they taped the shift ****. You can find something much better for your $$
#19
Registered User
Thread Starter