Hey I am new to this and looking to get rid of my 14 Wrangler and looking into getting a used Z. I will be honest. not sure what is the best route to go. Up here in NorCal there doesn't seem to be a lot of used under 100K (doesn't matter if 350 or 370). Is there a certain year or certain amount of mileage I should be looking out for. Also this would be a daily driver with taking it on some windy roads but not going to be tracking it.

And information would definitely be helpful.


Thanks

 

As far as the 350Z, the different years all have their own common weak or failure points. With respect to the engine, 03-05 has the DE, 06 (and the AE MT '05) have the DE rev-up engine, while the 07-08 (and 09 ZR) have the HR. The HR has is prone to oil gallery gasket issues. I would ignore all the hype about the HR being far superior to the DE. The rev-up is notorious for oil consumption issues.

If you're just planning on staying mostly stock and no plans for "big power" or going FI, then the same advice is true for buying any used vehicle - get a thorough PPI and check all the maintenance records and vehicle history. I would buy a Z with 100K miles that has been meticulously cared for as opposed to a Z with less than 20K miles that has been neglected and abused.

 

Thanks for the information. I would maybe do a few mods, nothing extreme. As someone in their 50's I want a reliable cool sports car.

 

Hey, I hear you! Since both the 350 and 370 will likely have some years (and miles) on them, some of the normal consumable items will probably need to be addressed, but they're overall fairly easy to work on and pretty reliable. Replacement parts aren't terribly expensive for some of those consumable items and there is plenty of aftermarket support. I have an '05 and have not had any major issues with it. I've done some things here and there to suit my preferences/tastes. If I were in the market for another Z33, I'd probably try to stay away from '03 and '06 years.

Happy hunting!

 

Thank you for information!!