So when I'm at the dealership....
 

Whats up guys, im brand new to this message board, and Im very interested in finally getting a 350z this spring, but I have a few questions I hope you guys can answer for this nooB.
First: 1. Im looking to grab the 2003 model, hopefully with lower kms, (I live in Canada BTW). Im not too particular on the model, but a touring or better would be ideal, but id settle for anything, I just love this car.

So this is my concern:
I know there have been problems with Tires, tranny, window streaking, etc with this model year, and i just want to figure out what to ask the dealership for so i can see if they have corrected these problems. Is there something I should look for on the service records etc. or for a standard procedure Nissan uses to fix these problems? or any other that might be a concern

I have already seen some Zs for sale with all "brand new tires". and when i asked if they had a problem with feathering they told me it was fixed. This just seems shady b/c i can bet once the "new" tires start to show thread wear it will be months after i buy the car, and they will convieninetly come up with more excuses, and already have my 30+ grand in their pocket.

I know all cars have problems, but id like to minimize the chances of having some, since this would be a pretty big purchase for me and im not rich, haha

Any help would be be appreciated...

If you really want to minimize probability, get an 04 or latter. I'd think you could get an 04 Enthusiast for about the same price as an 03 Touring or Track model. All Zzzs have the same basics;i.e. engine, drivetrain, body.

New front tires on a car with 15,000 miles are a dead giveaway. Transmission may not give any signs of failure. Keep in mind that the transmission is under warranty.

On a side note,.... DONT WAIT TILL SPRING!!!! Thats when everyone starts thinking about sports cars, prices go up.... March is when I'm going to buy a Z.... (My G is for sale in the AutoTrader)

ya i thought the new tires would be a dead giveaway, so id def stay away from any cars that are in that situation. good idea about the march purchase too, and that is true about the transmission being under warranty still.

as for getting an '04 instead of an '03, ive been looking around alot, and the '04 still cost way more than the 2003s, probably b/c they still have full warranties on them, and the 03 is cheaper b/c they no longer have the full warranty, but thats understandable.

btw, what does tsb mean exactly, and are they documented on service records at all?

TSB = Technical Service Bulletin. It's not a recall, but something that's common enough of an issue for them to put a note out to the dealers for what to look for and how to fix particular issues (like the tires, transmission, axle click, window grease, etc.).

The new tires aren't that bad. Yeah, the '03's had horrible problems with feathering. Mine burned through the front tires in 8,000 miles but after they did a *proper* alignment, proper being the key, the second set were at 11,000 miles and had only used 3/32 of the tread so the alignment will fix that issue. The transmissions on the early '03's were fragile so try to find one with a later build date if you can. The '03's will still have a good portion of the powertrain warranty so that's less of a worry. IMO the other issues were minor enough that I wouldn't rule out an '03 personally. The one thing, the only thing, I wanted an '04 for was the extendable visors. If you're tall you'll want those as the '03's barely cover the front 1/4 to 1/3 of the drivers side window.

ok well im looking at a few of the 03 models and im thinking the enthusiast would be the best thing for me. Do you guys suggest going straight to the dealership and getting a proper alignment as soon as i buy the car, or should i wait until there is some noticable damage? also would this be covered under warranty? or is it too late for any of those benefits since it is the older model.

also, are there any other checks i should ask the dealer mechanic to look for on my first visit there?

Thanks

The tires are under warranty but must meet certain conditions to qualify. You may be able to find out where the vehicle was serviced and pull the service history but I've heard they will only divulge that information to the owner. I've never tried it so you may have different luck.

--MoneyHouse---

I've got a friend who buys luxury cars at auction.... They are 110% perfect.
500$ over his cost at auction..... To give you an idea... I got my 03'G Sedan for 18,500cnd with 30K kms!!!!
PM me if your intrested, and I'll send you his contact info.
Cheers,
Louis

My girlfriend's son-in-law goes to the auctions here as well...he has his own used car business here in San Antonio...took me with him recently and I was flat out stunned at what they ran through there...some gorgeous cars, trucks and SUVs of all sizes, shapes, and colors...

Z

So you guys would reccomend getting the alignment as soon as I buy the car then?
I think I'll do that, along with the window check, and transmision lookover. am i missing anything...
hopefully this will ensure a quality ride for a lil bit.
cant wait for spring...