Hey dudes,

A friend of mine is selling his 2003 Nissan 350z Touring Coupe (MT) to me for $5000 – it's got 120k miles on it and good service history, but the interior and exterior aren't particularly in the best condition; the AZ sun has obviously done a number on them. He's a wizard at working on cars and has maintained the internals well, but I'm a little concerned that buying an 18-year-old car – generally speaking – can be quite problematic. I'm looking to daily this car and I don't have a big budget and plan on mostly working on the car myself, and I just don't want it turning into a money pit of sorts on me. The deal I'm getting is obviously great given how insane the 2nd hand market is right now, but I'm trying to get into this completely informed.

My question is to current and previous 350z owners – how expensive is upkeep and do you believe it is reliable enough to daily as my only car?

Thanks!

 

Generally speaking, the 350Z is reliable and a fine DD. If properly maintained, it should last well past the 200K mile mark. With that said, the interior was not built with durability in mind. Maintenance costs should be the same as any other used car unless it has been abused. The main problem is that most of them have been beat on. Consumable replacement parts associated with typical items are not expensive. But, as a college student, it may not be the most practical of choices. Are you fine with only using premium fuel? It shouldn't be a money pit until the mod bug bites.

The real question is, why do you want it? Do you just need a car and this one is cheap?

 

I want to buy it because I'm a car guy and I'd like something that's fun, cheap, reliable for DDing and can teach me how to work on cars. From what I understand, the 350z definitely ticks all those boxes but problems can obviously occur sometimes. I won't be driving more than 3000+ miles a year so slightly more expensive fuel won't hit me too hard.

Regarding whether it's been abused – he's a college student too so I don't have very high expectations, but he's maintained it very well.

 

I think it should do well, I DDing mine, put on 60K Miles in the last 4 years with only a valve cover job. I would suggest budgeting a small portion per month when maintenance calls for. I would have a spare cam shaft sensor on hand, seem to be common on DE and keep an eye on oil level via dipstick.

The biggest issue is not the car but the insurance, have you called for a quote? 2-door, 2-seater, larger displacement engine and a reputation of speeding tickets among other things.

 

Consider having a mechanical assessment done before you buy. Expect to pay $200-300 for a written report with specific areas highlighted about parts or systems that need attention. Be sure to bring any service records that show when and where this Z was serviced.

 

Quit hijacking threads trying to sell your crap