Sharples02

Hey everyone! I have 2003 Nissan 350z that I bought in 2005 off of a lease. I have driven it until 2015 when my daughter was born. At that time I stored it at a storage unit and it’s been sitting there ever since. I was in the military and have moved around since that time. I finally came back to where it has been sitting. I was just curious if anyone has had experience on how much it would cost to bring this 20 year old car back to life. I would like to turn this into a project car and slowly get it back to its original condition, especially with the engine.

It has only had one other owner (55 year old woman that leased it for 2 years before I purchased it). It has about 160,000 miles on it. Mostly highway. I never raced or beat on it at all.

2003 Nissan 350z Touring Edition

Aeneas137

That's a lot of miles. there will be a lot of things that need to be serviced with that many miles. If you aren't attached to it then I would recommend selling and buying one with fewer miles, and preferably a later model like 06 to '08 with the better engine. You're looking at replacing a lot to get it in good driving condition.
All of the rubber bushings and mounts. is there any rust on the suspension parts or the exhaust? maybe looking at replacing them.
All of the sensors will need to be replaced with those miles. camshaft sensor, crank sensor, maybe O2 sensors because they will cause trouble without warning, MAF sensor, possibly the ABS sensors.
was any fuel stabilizer ever put into the tank? 8 years is a long time. If there isn't much fuel in the tank, then you could put 91 or 93 and fill it up to dilute the old gas.
​​​​​​plugs and coils, water pump, alternator, belts, radiator, these are all reliability issues. they will fail so you might as well do them.
If you don't mind the cost and do the labor yourself, it could be a lot of fun. it won't be cost effective because you can buy one in good condition for less.

khnitz

I'm in the "keep it" camp. It's already paid for, you know the history of the vehicle, and based on your location it seems like it has lived a rust-belt-free life!

I purchased my 2005 Z from the original owner, and it had sat for 2 years prior to my purchase. I towed it home, put it on a charger and it started right up the next morning! Best $500 I've ever spent I have 160k miles on it now.

So, then what will you need to tackle on your Z? After sitting that long, I would recommend new tires. You should probably drain the tank and put in fresh fuel before starting it (a cheap pump from Harbor Freight can help with that). If you can't get it all out, then get as much as you can and then add 5gal or so of fresh gas. Change the oil and filter. Change the air filter. Bleed the brakes and bring fresh fluid through. Then I would run it and see what things pop up that need attention, then tackle those as they appear. Replacing the accessory drive belts would be a good idea, too. All in, these initial items should be no more than $1500 to tackle. You could add changing the differential and transmission fluids, too, if you like.

If it's rust free, then the mileage doesn't really matter - just keep changing the oil regularly and handle the repairs that pop up as needed. These are fun toys!

As for mine, I have rust in some areas (it always was in Michigan, and the previous owner drove it year-round), so I know it has a limited life. It's not worth the expense to have the spots of rust cut out and replacement sections welded in on mine. But, I do keep it in mechanically sound condition, the engine is in its original state, and it is a blast to drive. So, I use it for that enjoyment, I try and stay ahead of the rust to keep it from getting worse, and eventually I know I'll replace it with a MY25 or later Z

ZolaOrn

Nice, I love your car. I also like the color