Alabama350z

Every time I see one out at car shows, gas stations or anywhere nothing is correct.
Examples are under the hood battery cover or booster cover gone, engine cover missing, battery hold down gone, plastic clips missing for all pieces under the under, cowl pieces missing, hood prop gone, lids to all fluid tanks missing washer, ps, antifreeze, seal for cowl missing , wiring harness looks terrible with all the plastic protectors riped off never put back missing black tape from around wiring harness.
Under the car front air dam missing or engine shield missing or held on with 1/3 bolts in them. Fender well plastic pieces are missing clips and are loose.

Rear hatch missing carpet, spare tire or jack and tools are missing, interior pieces gone or loose. How lazy is somebody that uses the jack and does not put it back correctly. If the carpet is in it it's covered in grease and the hatch is full of garbage.

Interior the craziest part of all, after market radio is installed and loose in the dash, door panels missing, console missing no interior lights work, door handle is broken both sides, plastic pieces behind seats missing, cup holder broken, door above radio busted, door for both 12v outlets broke or missing, all warning lights are on in the dash. Console cover broken. Seats looking like an alligator had been chewing on them. Seats belts missing.

I saw a guys car one day the door panel was missing and on top of that the black metal panel that covers the inside of the door that holds the window guide adjuster and 3 bolts for for the window motor was held on with 4 bolts and none in the power window motor. I ask him about it just for some conversation he said he did not have time to put it back together and had a piece of wood holding window in place he did these to change out speakers.

It is amazing some people will have a $5000 set of wheels and tires, 5000 in radio but the A/C does not work.
I saw a guy with one locally his girlfriend had to climb over the drivers seat to get in the car because the passenger door handle was broke I talked to him and said bring it over you buy the handle I will put it on for free he said don't worry about it. Poor girl.

Another issue is people with body parts installed but never painted.

Some crazy 350s out there.
Most I would be scared to drive 10 miles from home. It is just not lazy stupid kids but older guys that should know better. How hard is it to go to the parts store and get the correct clips to install the door panel. These people have a fetish with removing door panels for some reason and never putting them back in place.

jhc

Alright then.

DarkCreep

iTrader: (1)

Depends on the owner but also remember some of these Zs are 20 years old. That's plenty of time for clips bolts and covers to go missing.

bealljk

iTrader: (13)

Par for the course …

half my stuff is off the car … an zerol chance it’s going to be put back on … lol!

Alabama350z

I just helped a guy put every clip and correct bolt back on a 2005 model. It can be done. It increases the resell value.

Alabama350z

So must have some type of race car then. Anybody with any pride and not lazy wants it complete unless it is a race car.

I guess it is just this younger lazy generation unless it is a race car.
To me to be able to enjoy a 350z is to drive it comfortably on say a 400 mile 1 way trip, with AC running, a decent smooth ride, no tire noise like it was new. I don't wanna give up all that because being lazy and no pride in your car. I rode in these cars lowered to the ground they ride like crap wear tires out fast and are no good on a trip that requires going a 1000 miles.

Alabama350z

I know a guy who has a 55 chevy that drives it probably 2 times a week to work unless it rains and he has restored it back to factory stock all bolts etc.

I mean would you ride around with no door panels and the interior looking like a bomb went off in it?

DarkCreep

iTrader: (1)

Absolutely not. That's why my Z has every bolt and clip in place and panels all match with clear coat intact.

People always trip out when I tell them it's a 2003. Some lady today asked me if it was an expensive car 😂😂

Alabama350z

Your car is the way I like them. My car paint is about 80% not perfect but very good a few road paint chips. A small issue on the top.

Got a picture.

BORNGEARHEAD

Some people turn their vehicles into beautiful machines while some turn theirs into shetboxes.

Ponyryd

Depends on your priorities I guess, and what your goals are for the car. I helped a buddy with his car, which was/is a rotted BMW, missing interior headliner, door panel, etc…I did an angle kit, wheels, tires, exhaust, control arms, strut tower repair, etc…..to get the drift car look and that was 3 years ago, the car is the same now and he’s happy with it.
Different people value different mods/repairs, he could have fixed it all up but he wanted to customize it instead, nothing wrong with that, it’s his car.
Personally I’m pretty **** about my cars, everything has to work, be clean, etc, and I’ve sold several because they weren’t “perfect” enough and I didn’t think they could be…..but my next project will be a mini-truck, and I already decided I don’t give a crap about the body (as long as it’s not rusted), but it will be slammed and probably have a $5k set of wheel, lol.
This is the hobby bud, people like different things, get used to it.

bealljk

iTrader: (13)

I’m gutted … interior is ‘relatively’ clean but always room for improvement.

I do take ‘pride’ in the weight reduction and the caliber of the custom work … which I am trying to improve with every modification …

Alabama350z

My point it seems more people trash the 350zs more than any other car. There is a difference between a drift car and a car you can vacation in. Hard to do both. I have owned a low 10 second Grand National ran 10.20s at 130 with working AC and drive anywhere. I just see so many of these cars trashed lowered and you look at the tires and the inside shows cords or steel belts show they have spent 1000s and 1000s on upgrades but can't figure out how to keep the alignment good and safe tires on it. There is a responsibility to put a safe car on the road. These young kids get say a 8k to 12k car after 1year of ownership it is worth 4k and would not make a 100 mile trip without problems. Just sad somebody else with good sense could have gotten the car and made it nicer.

jhc

You make a good point. I think there's a distinct difference between folks who had a Chilton's for a head gasket repair and those that had a screen in the essential ways they think. You're clearly from a generation that felt the manner in which you cared for your belongings was a reflection of your attention to detail, pride of ownership and persistence to get things right. I admire those traits.
I think there's always been a segment of folks who don't do the necessary research, don't save to complete a project or generally half-a$$ things. As they say-
"Different strokes for different folks". Enjoy your car.

BORNGEARHEAD

I remember when 240SX's were a dime a dozen and in relatively good, clean, condition. Now they're hard to find and most all ratted out shetboxes. It makes baby cheeses cry.

Ponyryd

Lol, never seen a Mustang before? They seem to be abused more than 350zs, but that depends on your location I’m sure.
Further, in case you’re unaware, the idea is to run lowered with negative camber for the look and wheel fitment, it’s not possible to have “keep the alignment good” in that case, but I suppose I see your point.
I’ll refer you to my original post, this is the hobby bud, different people like different things, get used to it.

Heel Til I Die

iTrader: (2)

For me, if you buy a car for it's resale value, you're doing it wrong.

DarkZ03

iTrader: (11)

Most kids think all 350Zs are race cars, everything is zip ties and quick connects.
I'm guilty of partial disassembly but my car is much more sorted than most out there.

Alabama350z

Your car looks great. Not the kind I'm talking about.

Alabama350z

The first 350z I had I sold it and made $2700 after doing stuff like putting the clips and bolts back factory and a few other things.

My car I have now I have been offered nearly 4000 more than I paid the main reason is it is all perfectly stock except Z1 hatch shocks.
Putting a 1000 in it making it new and stock will make you more profit than going aftermarket. I even put new pads on it from Nissan.

In the southeast stock cars are worth alot more than a one than has had 1000s of aftermarket parts installed.
Right now a 2003-2005 car less than a 100,000 in good shape is a 11-12k car all day.