First off I want to thank everyone who made an effort to be heard for the feathering problem. I have a 350z 2004 built on ~june. I just got 15000 miles on my car an stated noticing some feathering on my front tires. I took it today to the best service dealer in miami for maintenance. I just mentioned i had a tire problem, and they already knew about the feathering issue, so they told me they were going to take a look... Two hours later the car was done, and i was told the tires were going to be replaced for free. They ordered the tires, and are getting installed on wednessday or before depending on the day they arrive.

 

Did they do an alignment and show you your before and after settings?

 

Question: What is tire feathering??

 

I assume you mean June of 2003 if you have 15k miles. Are you sure you have a 2004 VIN#? I thought the 2004's didn't come out until around August?

 

ill ask for the alignment once i get them on, whenever they arrive, probably wednessday... Yeah my car was buil june 2003, and i bought it on september, aready 15000 miles ... but still running like it was ment to be, anxious to have the new tires though and feel the smoothness again... For what is feathering: is when your front tires get weared (and looked kind of in a steeper slope) in the iner part of the tire, the part facing the vehicle. For more info i sugest doing a quick search on "feathering".

 

pic

 

this is getting ridiculous. thousands of alignments. thousands of realignments. thousands of re-realignments... it will never end. the only way to end it is to lemon law your z and for ppl to stop buying Zs until the problem is fixed. if you're aware of this problem *why* would you buy a z?

 

This may sound like a stupid question but are you real sure it's a 2004? If I remember correctly, June was the last month of production on the 03s and August was the start of production on the 04s.

Look at your VIN number, if it ends like:

D*4T160000
E*4T060000

If the last 5 digits are 60000 or less then it's an 04. If greater than 60000 then it's an 2004.5

If it's like:

D*3T100000
E*3T000000

Then it's an '03.

 

Exactly what I was thinking. Made in June 2003 it has to be a 2003. I have yet to read a single post from anyone with a January 2004 or later build having the tire feathering problem.

 

Tire Feathering??

 

Nforce1:

Check out this thread, it might shed some light on the subject:

https://my350z.com/forum/showthread....threadid=15758

 

My 04 DB howls as your slowing down around 20-30MPH. I went to Goshe Nissan in Hemet, Ca. for my standard oil change and told them about it and the service dept. was well aware of the feathering problem that has plaqued the 350Z. I have an appointment to get it looked at, and they said it will take about 4 hrs to investigate. My tires (at this point) show no signes of feathering, but a new set of tires my be needed according to the service manager. "we'll see"

 

It's a 2003.

(hint, hint -- The picture is of a Brickyard)

 

The brickyard picture is not his. Check his profile, he lists a Daytona Blue as his color just like his avatar shows. I still think it's a 2003 though.

 

I stand corrected.

I assumed the tire feathering pic was his tire feathering.

 

are you sure about this? i just got my 04 enthusiast with 15 miles on it and it's M150309. can't imagine the 04's (not 04.5) still selling even when production stopped a long time ago. maybe the different factory started production at a different date? (i.e TXXXXXX instead of MXXXXXX)

 

Open the driver's side door, and there is a sticker with the VIN# there as well as the date of manufacture. Can't miss it, and it will take all the question out of the matter.

 

oh, okay i'll do that. unfortunately the Z is parked in our soon to be new apartment which is half an hour away. i won't have time to go check it, or drive it for that matter, until tuesday

 

Production did move from one plant (T= Oppama) to another (M=Tochigi). That probably happened around the first of the year but I don't recall reading exactly when. Mine (an 2004.5) was built in December in Oppama. I would guess yours was built Jan or later after production moved to Tochigi.

There's no reference to the "M" vin numbers on the Nissan site that I got the explanation I gave above:

http://www.nissan-techinfo.com/nissa...asp?dept_id=45

Probably everything made at Tochigi is a 2004.5.

 

I ust took my 2003 Z into a dealership in the Bay Area, Nissan had sent me a Service Bulletin about the front end alignment issue. I hadn't noticed any tire roar or feathering, with 9K on it. Service Dept. gave me a call an hr later and told me they had realigned it and order two new front tires (back-order due to Nissan's problem), free of charge.

Hopefully, Nissan has found the right fix for our cars. This a great little car, even in spite of this alignment issue. I still think this car is a kick *** fun little machine.

I'll post again after I get the new shoes up front to let you know if I notice any big difference.