First of all, thanks to everyone who read my previous post and know how hard the decision to get this car was, but man am I glad I did !

i had to buy it 1200 miles away sight unseen. I ordered a lemon squad preinspection though, but was still very nervous.

2008 with only 25k miles! It's low mileage but that's not what surprised me. What shocked me is how PRISTINE the car is. I dont know if it was garaged or what, but I'm not kidding when I say it feels brand new. It even has a very noticeable new car smell.

Took it to nissan dealership same day i got it delivered and they were amazed at how good a condition it was. Not a single issue. Thry even noticed the back tires were brand new. Again, dealer never mentioned they replaced them the entire month I was talking to them about rhe car.

Even the clothes seats are so much nicer than I thought, might not even replace them with leather like inwas planning.

The first thing I'm doing though, is replacing the stock exhaust/ muffler with the Nismo S-tune exhaust I have on my old 2004 350z. If anything surprised me more than the condition of the car, is how QUITE it sounds next to me 2004. It's night and day difference. My 2004 isn't that loud either, just has this deep, satisfying rumble that the 2008 just doesn't have at all.

The 2004 also has K&N cold air intake, but I still think it's the nismo exhaust giving it that sweet rumble. Hopefully the nismo s tune fits the 2008 fine without issues.

besides that, there is a really big difference in feel between the HR and DE. I honestly can't say one is better than the other though. I like how the RPM seems to build up quicker on the DE, but the power delivery and overall smoothness of rhe engine on the HR makes it obvious its a much "newer" car. Also sounds silly, but I was suprised how quickly the ignition starts on the HR. It's almost instantaneous when I turn the key. But other than that, I honestly don't feel one is faster than the other or anything. Just.... different.

I attached some pics! Let me know what you think and any tips or advice to keep it in top condition would be really helpful !




My 2008 and 2004. Had the latter since 2007 and it has 154k miles


Interior of both my Z's




Nismo s-tune on my 2004 i want to move over to 2008

 

Congrats on your new purchase. Car looks good. Nice to have a DE and HR.

 

Thank you !

 

Nice find! Congrats.

 

Thank you so much

 

Beautiful clean example of an HR Z33. I also love the Silverstone color (my Z is also WV2 - Silverstone). I also had the same thoughts when driving an HR Z33 for the 1st time. Take good care of it! You got a real gem there.
Cheers!
-Icer

 

Thanks man!! Its a 2008 so ifs carbon silver metallic, not Silverstone. Maybe they are same color but different name? Not sure but man the color in person is so good. Almost a hint of bronze

 

You're right, good catch. To the naked eye, the colors are virtually identical, but the paint layering/process is slightly different which is why, I believe, Nissan changed the name. The paint code on the door sticker should also be different.
Cheers!
-Icer

 

It says K51. I wonder if they are rhe same I've seen pics of Silverstone and it looks the same to me but hard to tell from pics

 

Very clean. I have a 2005 DE Enthusiast with 25K. Just keep it up an enjoy the drive. Congrats!!

 

Yeah man I'm so happy. There is this annoying rattling in trunk area ans need to replace differential bushinf but otherwise pristine!

 

I'm still chasing down one or two minor rattles in my Z, although I've knocked out about 95%, in short the car is damn near as solid on the interior now as a Luxury vehicle, just with a lot more road/wind noise.

I think the most common "tapping" sound from the trunk is caused by the 3rd brake light. Once you un-snap the surround panels, there should be one or two 10mm bolts holding it in, then it slides out left or right to unlock it. Due to the curvature of the hatch metal in the mounting area, I discovered that the plastic corners of the 3rd brake light are rubbing/contacting the metal. I used a dremel to shave down the excess plastic (not visible or structural when installed). I also added some felt insulation tape in the areas where any tapping/rubbing might occur from vibration.

The second most common cause of trunk noise is the Z emblem panel over the top of the tower brace. In fact all 3 of those top panels sit very loose from the factory and they love to creak/rattle. I pulled all mine off and again used some felt tape to insulate all the contact areas. The problem areas are easy to identify, just look for the witness marks on the plastic or paint.

The 3rd most common cause of trunk noise is the emergency roadside kit and spare tire. Make sure the tire is tightly secured. I upgraded my spare to a G37S alloy unit to clear the front Brembo brakes. Due to the spoked design of that spare wheel, I made a custom insulation pad with a cheap foam yoga mat (durable yet soft) I picked up on Amazon. I also needed to modify the spare hold down bolt & cap, the original bolt is not long enough for the G37S spare (different offset). I also added med-soft foam insulation around the scissor jack kit items to keep them from jiggling/rattling.

I have heard some folks mention the wiper arm/motor assembly getting loose overtime and needing to be re-tightened. The same may also be true for the hatch release/lock mechanism. I think my remaining trunk area noise is coming from the hatch surround paneling. I only insulated around the 3rd brake light on the hatch itself, but I need to insulate the rest of the upper hatch panels. When I did my stereo upgrade, I took the time to insulate most of the trunk's side wall paneling, but I honestly didn't see many signs of rubbing/contact (witness marks) on most of those panels.

I hope this advice helps you find the source!
Cheers!
-Icer

 

Yes!!! More than yoj think. I'll go thru your list and let uou knoe whst i find. Thank you for this!