Brand new to the forum and need some advice. I have lusted after the 350Z ever since it's introduction. I even obtained a copy of the "Run" DVD, even though I knew I could not afford the car at the time. Now I finally have the resources to purchase a used one, and would like some opinions on one I have located.

Found one in Autotrader on the net at a small local used car dealer. It's a 2006 with 20K miles on it and they only want 17K for it. Seems like a very good price for this year and such low miles. The only others I could find in my area for this price were 2003's and had much higher mileage on them.

It doesn't say if it's a base model, but for the price I'm assuming it is. Is there any way to tell from the VIN what model it is? It's Black Cherry with black after market rims. The pictures provided in the ad look very good, but I realize any car can be made to look good depending on the skill of the photographer

Mainly I need to know if there is anything specific I should watch out for when I go to take a look at it. Of course if it looks promising at all I will obtain a Carfax report before handing over any of my hard earned cash.

 

Black Cherry is not a stock color so if it looks anything other than black, then it's been repainted. Take a look at the firewall and see if the color there matches the rest of the car. Base model does not come with automatic trans or any other features like nav, leather, etc and a base wont have any controls on the steering wheel for cruise or the stereo.

I HIGHLY recommend you do a CARFAX check on it. I've never really trusted small dealers myself.

 

Go here to see easy model differences:

https://my350z.com/forum/buying-leas...0z-models.html

And never, ever buy a used car without having a mechanic you pay & trust check it out first.

No such color as black cherry. If it is same color as mine, it was only made in 03.

 

I agree, the only thing worse than buying from a small used car lot, is getting one from a private seller you don't know personally. Several years ago I almost purchased an 87 vette from a lot that appeared to be in cherry condition at a fantastic price. Just before signing on the dotted line the salesman said "Oh did I mention this car has a salvage title". Needless to say I made a beeline for the door.

I'm pretty sure it's a base, the steering wheel doesn't appear to have any controls on it, and it has a MT.

Since this is not a stock color it does make me wonder why someone would go to the trouble of custom painting a car and then selling it at such a low price. A professional paint job is not cheap. Actually, now that I think of it the vette I mentioned had a nice new bright red paint job and a good set of custom rims, just the things to make a car hauled from the bottom of a lake look good

Also, I keep reading that 06's have a problem with excessive oil consumption. I'm curious, what did they change in 06 that causes this, and will Nissan cover the fix?

Thanks for the info and you can be sure I will proceed very carefully before making a decision.

 

Do you know if there was any color even close to this produced in 06 or if there is a listing of colors for each model year.

When having a mechanic check it out, I am assuming it would be best to take it to a Nissan dealer. Any idea what something like this would cost?

 

It's most likely Interlagos Fire. Similar to the '03 Brickyard.

http://videos.streetfire.net/video/I...350Z_27391.htm

 

a. Learn to tell one model from another before you go shopping. There are dead give-aways such as VDC and Brembo brakes. Cant tell you the number of people who post “I just bought a 350Z. What model is it?”

b. Model years and reliability is important. Certain years have common problems which may be ongoing and expensive to fix. For unbiased reliability data check Consumer Reports.

c. Determine the maximum that you are willing to pay, and go shopping. Considering the current economic situation, introduction of the 370Z, and the fact that it is January, you should be able to find a bargain.

d. List prices are just that. Study pricing. Make your best offer.

Happy shopping.

 

Original paint is a given. Look for telltale signs of a repaint. A repaint indicates serious body damage.

 

I have done a lot of research since my OP, and what really concerns me about the 06's is the oil consumption issue. There are some really scary stories out there such as running out of oil at 500 miles, and wiping out the engine. It appears from reading these accounts there was a real hassle getting Nissan to admit there was a problem, much less having them replace a damaged engine.

If I understand the issue correctly, not all the 06's experienced this problem, but when buying one from a used car lot that may have got it from an auction, there would be no way to know if it had ever run low on oil and damaged the motor. I know this is a chance you take when buying any used car, but considering the track record of the 06, I'm not sure it's worth the chance at any price.

 

What did you get?