Driveinstylex

achampagne

I own an 03. major problems ive run into: paint on bumper is really bad and the syncro gears go bad and cause gears to grind if youre not careful.I think they fixed that with the 05 model. Other than that i love it.

SQuaLZ

Welcome to the forum. The search tool is very useful and you can find tons of information on the differences of the years. I joined here while I was researching for my Z.

In terms of what year you should buy, it depends on your budget, what options you want, mileage, etc. All years have some issues just like any other car, but for the most part the 350Z is an incredibly reliable sports car.

dkmura

iTrader: (64)

^^Agree completely with SQualZ^^

I'll also add that ANY year Z is only as good (or as bad) as the previous owners have treated it. Regular scheduled maintenance and prompt repair of any damage might make an '03 Z a better buy than a poorly cared for '08 model.

-Check to see if the seller has maintenance records for their Z.
-Question the owner to see if they have in-depth knowledge about their Z and how they have maintained it.
-Pay a qualified Nissan tech to do an unbiased, third party assessment of a Z you're seriously considering buying.

Bottom line: there's no way to tell you if one year Z or another is a "better" buy. You must do the homework and educate yourself about the car, rather than asking for random answers.

charged2

You should buy my 04, I am putting it up for sale this summer

CK_32

iTrader: (1)

One of the years they made the Z

I personally prefer the 04-05... or the 08-09 Z’s...

Driveinstylex

SQuaLZ

Now you are being stupid. You are willing to pay almost $13,000 for a used car that you know nothing about?

Syncro rev matching was an option on the 370Z...

Spend some hours and do your research! Or don't and just buy whatever you want, but don't expect much help.

iideadeyeii

iTrader: (6)

I don't understand why people create accounts to ask pointless questions.

jv350z

iTrader: (6)

You should buy it this year, but don't buy it from Manuel. Buy it from Pablo.

CK_32

iTrader: (1)

Get use to it. That’s today’s generation. They want to be apart of something bigger than them selves with out putting in the time.

And want the best things, with out putting in the time.

Ie joining to be a member, then asking stupid questions for us to tell them all the answers with 0 effort.

tmdz

This year.

2018 is an excellent year to purchase a 350z.

MicVelo

A few GENERAL "issues" by year:

03-04.5 - Some have had transmission synchro issues, notably 3rd gear. However, this isn't a reason to avoid these models. I have lived with mine for 5 years and haven't felt the need to swap it out. Yes, it still gronks occasionally but its usually because I've done something stupid. With proper rev match and technique, its avoidable. (But some transmissions ARE permanently gronked, just be very critical when testing them out)

05 - mid-year intro of the VQ35DE RevUp engine. Slightly higher power than previous years. Some parts ARE backwards compatible.

06 - Some models had oil consumption issues. However the key better feature (actually intro'd in mid-'05) is the "almighty" CD009 transmission which all but negated all previous year transmission issues.

07-08 - Intro of VQ35HR engine-completely revised from the DE. Typical issue with these cars (and subsequent 370Z with VQ37VHR) is the "new style" clutch slave cylinder (CSC). It is internal (to the bellhousing) and were just plain "not good". They failed on a fairly regular basis and even Nissan replacement of same never quite fixed the problem too well.

However, this can be considered an expected fail with a good solution in using a heavy duty CSC from the aftermarket (Z Speed Performance) but labor to fix this is high due to having to remove the transmission..

09+ 370Z - I am in the minority here by stating this but the Z34 is arguably a "better" car. It is smaller, lighter, tighter, stiffer and more powerful. That's all I'll say about it, you can look at the many threads here about the 370Z and in every one of recent memory, I've said this with explanations.

However, it IS true that the Z34 doesn't FEEL as engaging and feels more isolated from the driver due to its use of more insulating materials (not just in the body but throughout the chassis with a different geometry and the types of materials designed to reduce NVH.

==============

So, is there a "best" year to own?

Not really, just as stated in posts above, there really isn't a bad year to AVOID if it's been "owned properly", that is, well maintained. You can always tell this by the type person you're considering buying from. They know their car and seem to like the car beyond its use as an appliance.

It was said but worth saying again, get a PPI from Nissan or an independent who knows Nissans. It's worth the couple hundred bucks to have a "professional opinion".

You will hear people saying that "the only years to aspire owning" are the HR and VHR cars ('07+). Ehhhhh.... it's a great engine and there's lots to make this somewhat true; but to turn your back on a low mileage, highly maintained pre-07 is a big mistake. I've had all three engines and while the DE feels a bit more primitive than either my HR or my VHR equipped cars, its earned its wings as its the only Z33/34 I still and will own forever. That should say something.


EDIT: Just noticed you expressed interest in kwaddell's car.... THAT is what you should be looking for. I do not know nor am I endorsing him or the car but put it this way, *I* was very tempted to jump on that. Clean, subtle mods, great color, dayam.... Hmmmm, maybe if I......

dboyzalter

iTrader: (3)

I have failed at the internet today.

dboyzalter

iTrader: (3)

Why you talking **** about my car???

Driveinstylex

carbuffguy

You can get an '02 very, very cheap, you just got to look hard to find one

dboyzalter

iTrader: (3)

Lives in Avon Ct, its a bunch of high rollers in that area, I'll sell you my 04 for $12k

carbuffguy

Seriously...Mine's '06 wanted '07 but I couldn't pass on the shape/miles/price/maintenance.

The point is, I think shape...etc. is more important than the year. Common sense...

Happy shopping

bcoffin23

Agreed