NOTE: I changed the thread title to better match what this has turned into. Thanks all!

Hi everyone,

I just turned in my 2003 350Z coupe for a new 2006 350Z roadster. One of the things i had been long planning in the last car was in car PC with a nice LCD screen.

I've gotten to the point to order my screen, but i now realize that the '03 nav cubby is really the best for mounting a 3rd party lcd monitor in (someone please correct me if they know better!).

So, my question is with all the redesign in '06, does the Nav area remain "compatible"? Can i order the same parts as the '04 and '05 owners and replace my nav cubby w/ the '03 version?

Any insight or help is greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Steve

 

+1, I'm in the same boat as you and would like an answer to this as well. Is there any reason we can't just use '06 cubby?

 

Well, looking at the '06 cubby it's shaped so oddly that almost no monitor will fit without major cutting. I've looked at a couple of the online parts houses, and (of course) the '06 cubby is a different part number and almost twice as expensive at the '03-'05 versions ($118 for the '06 version).

I really don't like the idea of major cutting on my new car, but then again i don't want to spend $118 for the nav cubby(which includes the door- the only way they sell it), when all i want to do is have a square box for the monitor.

I've contemplated building my own box, but the door mounts to the box and the latch that the lid closes against is also part of the box. Fabricating those pieces cleanly so they are working and line up may be a pain.

Last night i called a friend with an '03 and had him measure the the door. It appears there is a difference in door height which most likely means it won't work with an '03 or it will have odd gaps.

Again, anyone with any info on the subject please chime in.

Thanks!

 

Before you decide to cut the box to get more space, make sure there is nothing behind the box. Car companies usually don't spend extra money on things they don't need. In this case, they redesign the shape of the box, and that costs money. My $0.02.

 

From what I've read, you can make the '03 to '06 cubby swap, but there was some concern over whether or not the colors would match up. There have been a few changes to the texture and color of the cubby over the past few years.

I hope someone can chime in who's 100% sure about this though!

 

I know for a fact the color on the 03 box does not match the 06 dash. As for fit, I have no idea.

Chris

 

Well, i just ordered an '03 box. I'll let everyone know what the results are when it comes in. Hopefully i can use the '06 door on the '03 box and i will be happy!

 

If it is similar to the 04+ cubby, the door skin looks like it came out of the same mold as the 03 (the visible side has a different pattern and coloring but the back seems the same). It is then melted onto the frame of the door. My thought was to use take off the old skin and attach the new skin with epoxy or hot glue. I am a little worried about the epoxy sticking to the plastic, but more worried about the hot glue loosing its bond in the heat of a summer day.

Chris

 

Well, i don't have good news. I have found out the following:

• The colors don't match between the door of the '03 and the '06 (previously posted)
• The cubby attaches to the backside of the center console in similar ways. Two screws and one plastic pin on each side. One set of the bolt holes and the plastic pin matches, but the other hole set does not.
• The door mechanisms are 100% different. It would be very hard, but not impossible to move the '06 door & mechanism to the '03 cubby.
• Both doors attach to the door mechanism with a combo of melted plastic pins and a screw.
• The latch mechanisms are different between the '03 and the '06. It would be hard to swap them from one door to another.
• The '03 door/cubby mounted to the dash did fit. There were odd gaps on both the left and righthand side of appox 2-4mm. However, the door would not open and close freely, it kept catching on someting.

So, at this point i believe it's a dead avenue to persue. I will look at some other options and keep those interested included in the details.

(now I have an '03 cubby and finisher to sell. And the kicker is the LCD touchscreen fits in the '03 cubby perfectly. I showed it to a couple of people and they thought it looked 100% stock).

 

Ahhhh crap.... thanks for the info though. Maybe its time to look into doing some heavy duty cutting of the '06 cubby heh.

 

I've been meaning to try the swap on my 04. Give me a deal and I'll take the cubby and finisher from you. Thanks.

 

I'm fairly new to the Z experience. Why the discussion about the cubby/door? I've got an '06 ZR; anything I should know?

Thanks.

Ken

 

If your Z has navigiation already then No. Only that if you ever decide to put an LCD of size in the dash where the navigation LCD would go is this of interest. Nissan made it difficult to fit an LCD into that space on the 04-06 models. The 03 was very easy.

 

Thanks for the reply. My nav system folds up easily and stores behind the passenger seat.

Ken

 

Well, after much digging, i came up with a workable solution. I went to Nissan and ordered the console (center dash piece where the three gauges and radio are) from an '06 WITH Navigation.

That gave me the same shapped spot for the LCD as an '03 cubby!

Next i fabricated a cover for where the nav controls go. I did this using the '03 finisher and a piece of plastic from the local hobby shop. A little cutting, sanding and paint (for the hobby shop plastic), and i think it looks 99% stock.

I've taken pictures all along the way. Let me get everything finished and i'll post a thread to give back to the others here.

Thanks,
Steve

PS - Here is one picture of what my 'filler panel' for the navi controls area looks like:


http://www.stiglich.com/350z/06dash_v2.jpg

 

Looking good...glad to see the 06 folks will have a way to install LCD monitors!!

 

way to go problem solver

 

How much was the cubby assembly from the dealer?

 

It looks like ~$116 from some of the online Nissan places. I paid $125 to be able to pick it up thru my local dealer.

If anyone is thinking about going this route, i'd highly recommend getting the Finisher from an '03 Z (04-05 might work too). For $11, it greatly reduced the complexity of filling in the void where the Nissan nav buttons go.

 

This isn't a great picture, but it shows the LCD monitor installed and working in the Center Console!

http://www.stiglich.com/350z/06dash_lcdin.jpg

I'm still waiting on some other CarPc parts, but i will give more pictures once the console is in my 06.