Moneyrulz

Hi gents,

Finally got my VIN # today from my dealer here in NYC. I ordered my SS Roadster (6m, Nav, 18" wheels) on Dec 27th, 2003.

I appreciate all the information on the forum and find it of great value. Now a few question to thou almighty Z list:

1)Besides installing the front plate what else should I ask the dealer to do/not to do? i have seen washing the car is a no-no.
Why?

2)Do people get the extended warranty? If so, how much should I pay for it ? Also does anyone have Geico/allstate x-tend warrenty coverage?

3)I drove a manual car once in my life and stalled it only a few times. I have been riding a motorcycle for years and am familiar with the mechanics of shifting. Will I ruin my new car by learning on it? Any advice on what/what not to do ?

Apologies for all the question. Thanks in advance for your help.

Steve

Maccamera

As for washing. . .the reason people say NOT to have the dealer wash it is that they won't use the care and special softie products that you would yourself. Thus, some people have gotten the dreaded 'swirls' which are tiny scratches in the clearcoat that are permanent. Also, don't have the dealer put on the front license plate adapter that comes with your Z. There are a few after market products (search the forums) that require no drilling into your front bumper. As for the clutch, a new clutch will gradually adjust itself to the prominent driver of the car. The worst thing that could happen is probably rolling backward down a hill into somebody too close behind you while getting the feel for it LOL. Congrats on the new Z!!!!

theSmoothDome

Don't let them do the front bumper.
Don't let them put a dealer emblem on it.
Don't let them tell you something is acceptable - if you're not happy, make them fix it or change it.

With washing, the dealer did wash my car when I took delivery, but oh well. If I had seen a swirl mark, the car would have gone right back to get fixed. Now, if the car goes in for service, my service advisor knows, and is frequently reminded, not to wash it, and as a favor, he parks it inside at night.

When you take delivery, tuck the excitement away for 10-15 minutes and study every nook and cranny of the car. Look for scratches on the paint, rims, windows, and interriors. Look for chips or pits. Feel for a smooth paint job. If there's overspray on the car, make them remove it. Make sure that all mechanical parts are working. Use your eyes and ears and fingers.

Make sure that they put premium gas in the tank. My dealer actually had me drive the car to the service station and fill it myself.

I'm not a big believer in extended warranties. If you opt for one, read everything. What's not covered is sometimes more important for the purchaser than what is.

Enjoy the manual. Get a friend with one to let you practice before the Z arrives and you'll be fine.

DeZigner

I agree with everything Smoothdome says. The only thing I would seriously consider is the extended warranty. And I must say, that usually I am totally opposed to extended warranties. However, if ANYTHING goes wrong with the mechanics of the top, you will be soooo elated that you have that extended warranty that you will probably want to drive to Kentucky and take me out to lunch for recommending it.

I paid $1400 for the GOLD PLUS warranty for 7 years/100,000 miles.

jsheldon

Just a thought on the Factory Extended Warranty. I subscribe to Washington Checkbook, a consumer magazine for the Washington, DC, area.

They did an article on the costs of automobile extended warranty include a base amount owed the manufacturer and also a markup or direct profit which the dealer will "earn" - normally on the order of $200-$300.

Their points were:

1) Generally the decision usually does not need be made at the time of purchase - indeed you may have quite a grace period before the offer is no longer available.

2) The Factory Extended Warranty need not be purchased from the dealer from whom you purchased the car.

3) Finally, what Washington Checkbook did was call around and find a low-bidder for the Warranty and listed the local contact point by manufacturer and provided a local individual's name and contact info. The agreed to selling price was typically the amount due the factory plus $50, and the typical savings was on the order of $200.

My only suggestion is that you may want to verify what I said is correct as applied to Nissan and then leave the purchase of the extended warranty to a later date and focus on the exchange of ownership of the vehicle - and, who knows, you may save some money.

Jerry (2nd time poster)

350zluvr

Regarding the extended warranty, get it only if you plan on not modding your ZR. Modifications can void your warranty if the issue at hand can be directly linked to the mod. Also the more drastic your modification is in nature the more chances there are of voiding certain parts of your warranty.

DeZigner

Just remember any third party warranty will probably NOT include all the workings of the convertible top. $$$$$$$!

And, when it comes to third party warranties, the longer you wait after you take ownership of the car, the more it will cost.