Rob Rob

My name is Rob, I own a 2004 350z Performance Edition. I've owned it for about 2 years now. I've been taking it to get maintenance done regularly @ the Nissan dealership. Come February I will have it paid off. I am interested in start doing everything myself. I just recently joined a Z club in my town. But i wanted to see what kind of feedback I could get from people on here. I'd like to know some info and advice on some of the following, and info will be greatly appreciated.

1. What kind of oil would be good to use, Some one who admires my Z by my work gave me a few quarts of AMSOil Synthetic SAE 5w-30, said he used to have a Z and regrets selling it and had stuff for it laying around and had no use for it and gave it to me , said he did everything himself to his Z. If i started using AMSOIL where can i get it, So far I've only found it for sale online. How many quarts of oil does it take.

2. What exactly is the Performance Edition? I've been asked this question but I am not sure what exactly this package came with.

3. What other things could i use to help take care of my car ? Would using Fuel injection cleaner do any good? Specific spark plugs? Any info like that would be greatly appreciated.

All I've done to my Z is replace the front and rear bumper with OE 2006 Nismo bumpers and completely paint my vehicle, I am looking into replacing wheels, exhaust, intake, Coil Overs. Feel free to check out my photos let me know what you think. My Z is going to hit 100,000 miles in about another 3,000 miles. So any advice on what to make sure i get done at that point would help too. Thanks fellas, again any info or advice on take care of your Z 101 would be greatly appreciated.

SmoothZ

iTrader: (13)

Welcome to the site. My suggestion is to research the different topics on this site and navigate through the sections. Every question you have has been covered here.

MicVelo

Z33 MODEL IDENTIFICATION (up to 2005 but newer versions are similarly equipped)

BASE MODEL
6-Speed MT Only - $26,269

Engine

Longitudinally-Mounted 3.5L 24-Valve DOHC VQ35DE V6 engine producing 280+ horsepower and 260+ lb/ft of torque
Drive-By-Wire Throttle
High Flow Intake System
Continuously Variable Valve Timing (CVTCS)
Micro-Finished Crankshaft and Camshafts
Molybdenum Coated Pistons
Sequential Multi-Port Electronic Fuel Injection
Nissan Direct Ignition System (NDIS)

Transmission

6-speed close-ratio manual transmission
Short Throw Linkage

Drivetrain

Mid Mounted Front Engine/Rear Wheel Drive
52/48 Front/Rear weight balance
Carbon-Fiber Driveshaft

Braking System

Power-Assisted 11.65" Vented Front Disc Brakes & 11.5" Vented Rear Discs
Anti-Lock Braking System (4-wheel ABS) w/ Brake Assist
Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD)

Suspension/Chassis

Unibody Construction with Corrosion Resistant High Strength Steel
Lightweight Aluminum Hood
Power-Assisted Engine-Speed-Sensitive Rack-and-Pinion Steering (15.9:1
steering ratio)
4-wheel fully independent Multi-Link suspension
Lightweight Aluminum-Alloy suspension components (suspension arms, entire rear subframe, etc)
Front and Rear Stabilizer Bars
Rear Strut Tower Brace

Aerodynamics

Low coefficient of drag with under car air management system
Flat underbody design with deflector and diffuser plates

Exterior

Aluminum-Look Door Handles
Full Body Color Mirrors and Bumpers
Flush-Mounted Headlights
Dual Outlet Exhaust
High Output, Flush Mounted Halogen Lighting System
17" X 7.5" 7-Spoke Aluminum-Alloy Wheels
P225/50WR17 Front & P235/50WR17 Rear High Performance Michelin Tires

Comfort and Convenience

Tilt Steering Column and Integrated 3-Bay Instrument Gauge Cluster
Automatic Temperature Control System
3-Guage Cluster with Oil Pressure, Voltmeter and Trip Computer
Power Windows, Locks and Mirrors
Remote Keyless Entry System
Variable Intermittent Front Windshield Wipers
Rear Intermittent Wiper
Overhead Sunglasses Storage Compartment
Electric Rear Window Defroster
Leather Steering Wheel & Shifter
Aluminum Interior Accents
6-Way Manual Adjustable Driver’s Seat
160-Watt AM/FM/CD w/6 Speakers

Safety and Security

Dual Stage Supplemental Air Bags
Vehicle Security System
Seat Belts w/Pre-Tensioners & Load Limiters
Nissan Vehicle Immobilizer System

____________________________________________

ENTHUSIAST
6-Speed MT - $28,249
5-Speed AT - $29,219

Includes Standard Equipment Plus:
Xenon 4-Bulb High Intensity Discharge Headlights
Traction Control System (TCS)
Viscous Limited Slip Differential (LSD)
Cruise Control
Homelink Universal Transceiver
Aluminum Pedals
Day/Night Automatic Rear View Mirror
Dual Illuminated Vanity Mirrors

Optional:

5-speed Electronically Controlled Automatic Transmission with Manual Shift Mode
____________________________________________

PERFORMANCE
6-Speed MT Only - $30,429

Includes Standard Equipment Plus:
Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC)
18" X 8" 6-Spoke Aluminum-Alloy Wheels
P225/45WR18 Front & P245/45WR18 Rear High Performance Michelin Tires
Tire Air Pressure Monitor
Xenon 4-Bulb High Intensity Discharge Headlights
Traction Control System (TCS)
Viscous Limited Slip Differential (LSD)
Cruise Control
Homelink Universal Transceiver
Aluminum Pedals
Day/Night Automatic Rear View Mirror
Dual Illuminated Vanity Mirrors
____________________________________________

TOURING
6-Speed MT - $33,179
5-Speed AT - $31,589

Includes Standard Equipment Plus:
Touring Models w/5-Speed Automatic Transmission:

Bose 7-Speaker 240-watt Audio System w/ In-Dash 6-Disc CD Changer, AM/FM Stereo and Cassette Player
Leather-appointed Seats
Power 4-way Driver’s Seat
Power 2-way Passenger Seat
Heated Seats
Heated Mirrors
Xenon 4-Bulb High Intensity Discharge Headlights
Traction Control System (TCS)
Viscous Limited Slip Differential (LSD)
Cruise Control
Homelink Universal Transceiver
Aluminum Pedals
Day/Night Automatic Rear View Mirror
Dual Illuminated Vanity Mirrors

Touring Models w/6-Speed Manual Transmission Additionally Include:

Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC)
18" X 8" 6-Spoke Aluminum-Alloy Wheels
P225/45WR18 Front & P245/45WR18 Rear High Performance Michelin Tires
Tire Air Pressure Monitor

____________________________________________

TRACK MODEL
6-Speed MT Only - $34,079

Includes Standard Equipment Plus:
Brembo Brakes with 4-Piston Front Calipers, 2-Piston Rear Calipers
Front 12.75" Vented Front Discs and 12.67" Vented Rear Discs
18" X 8" 6-Spoke Super Light Forged-Aluminum Alloy Wheels by Rays
P225/45WR18 Front & P245/45WR18 Rear High Performance Michelin Tires
"Zero Lift" Package for high speed stability including:
-Rear Drag Reducing Spoiler
-Front Spoiler
Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC)
Xenon 4-Bulb High Intensity Discharge Headlights
Traction Control System (TCS)
Viscous Limited Slip Differential (LSD)
Cruise Control
Homelink Universal Transceiver
Aluminum Pedals
Day/Night Automatic Rear View Mirror
Dual Illuminated Vanity Mirrors
Tire Air Pressure Monitor

kauai1800

Aloha and welcome.

Yeah dig around within this site for the answers to your questions and so much more! :-)
Because the 350z has been around for so long, modded for so long, boosted for so long, etc there's a thread on literally every possible topic.
And as general motorsport website etiquette you don't ask questions about oil or tires because they're contentious topics.
This is a great place - welcome and enjoy!

Spike100

Hi Rob... Your car looks very nice, You obviously take good care of the vehicle.

I have a 2003 Performance model 350z with 110k miles (so close to your car’s model and mileage).

RE> What exactly is the Performance Edition?
The big difference in the Performance model is VDC (Vehicle Dynamic Control) in addition to TCS (Traction Control System) in lesser models. While TCS kills power when the car begins to lose traction, VDC effectively keeps your car going straight ahead in a potential “spin out.”

RE> What kind of oil would be good to use…
I use any brand oil in my car, but I do change the oil frequently (at 3750 miles). Frequent oil changes are inexpensive compared to the protection this provides your engine. Answering your question: “How many quarts of oil does it take. [sic ?]” You can find this in your car’s service manual.

RE> What other things could i use to help take care of my car? Would using Fuel injection cleaner do any good? Specific spark plugs?
I typically use OEM comparable or identical products when installing things like spark plugs, sensors, etc.

RE> I am looking into replacing wheels, exhaust, intake, Coil Overs
Replacing wheels is fun. Check the Enkei thread here for a ton of good info about wheels, sizes, and offset. Swapping exhaust and intake provide very little performance gain, but it might be time to do this on a 13-year-old car (your 2004). You don’t need coil-overs (and the much greater expense) unless you track and/or show the car.

Hope this is helpful, Spike