Hello all, I may be getting a 350Z and I have two to choose from right now. I'll tell you a little about each and then a little about me and my needs, then feel free to leave me your opinion. Thanks!

The Cars:
1.) 2003 Touring, 28k miles, $14k
2.) 2006 Enthusiast, 48k miles, $15k
Both are either stock or very lightly modded. Right now I'm leaning toward the '03 because it's less likely to be abused and it's $1k cheaper, but to my knowledge the '03's have been slightly more problematic than the '06's, plus it's 3 years older. I have not met either seller yet, which may tell me something about how each car was driven. All I know right now is that the '03 was originally purchased by an older retired guy who sold it to a woman whose husband is selling it for her now, and the '06 is being sold by the original male owner who has used Mobil1 Synthetic from day 1.

Me:
Most of my driving will be commuting but I'm young and enthusiastic and will be driving hard whenever I can. I feel like I cannot go wrong with either one, and I really don't care what model I'm getting as long as it's not the Base (no LSD). I aim to keep either car for the rest of it's life (before it starts to get expensive to keep it alive). The main criteria I'm concerned with are: life left and reliability. Basically I'm just looking for the better value out of two very similar cars. I've also been considering Miata NB's as well as they are typically cheaper in all aspects. The only downsides to Miata's are looks and acceleration. I'm currently a student with a part-time job so buying the Miata would save me money, but I can definitely afford a Z.

Thank you for your opinions!
- Kevan, possible-soon-to-be-Z-owner

 

go with 06...

 

Essentially this is miles vs model year. I always recommend miles. 28,000 is the winner.

 

The 03 is the most nortorious model for transmission synchro failure even with low miles. The 06 model came with a transmission, model CD009 that eliminated the synchro issue. The 03 Touring is what I have and I love it, especially the leather orange seats but the Bose sound system is kinda crappy. But the heated seats are a big plus depending where u r from. In the end the decision is yours. The 03 will be cheaper insurance, and a new trans is like 1900 from Nissan which ain't that bad either.( for the CD009 trans). ID say go with the touring if u have the money to maintain it If the synchros take a **** on u. If not, the 06 is your better bet.

 

06' still has a 5/60 warranty. 03' would not.

 

keep looking theyre are so many freakin z's on the market theres absolutely no reason not to get exactly what you want

 

I like both, they're both black which is what I want, both have LSD, and relatively low miles. Just don't know which one.

Good points everyone, not making it any easier though haha. The pros and cons to each seem to be evenly balanced so far...

 

They're basically the same price. I would see who may go lower in price (both private party sales?). The 06 has more power, and if there is an engine problem (or any drivetrain problem), it is still under warranty. There is a high likelihood that the 03' will need a transmission at some point down the road - WAY sooner than the 06'. The 06' has a bit tidier interior, too. Make sure to check them both out.

 

What? lol

I have the 03 Touring and love it. She treats me well, so I do the same.

I vote for the 03 Touring.

 

Thanks, that may be all I needed to hear. Sounds like the '03 is definitely more problematic than the '06.

Both are private sellers. According to KBB the '06 for $15k is a better deal than the '03 for $14k. I already talked the '06 down nearly $2k, not sure how much more I could squeeze out. I could definitely use the '03 Z as leverage but I don't want to irritate the guy either. I don't think he'll go for $14k and it's not worth trying to shave $500 bucks.

I may not treat it so well haha, maybe I'll need the '06 tranny...

 

thats a tough decision, I say neither.. Wait to find a low mileage track model IMO.. brembo brakes and rays wheels are a MUST

 

Then I'll be waiting for an eternity. I only see ONE track model in a 50 mile radius of me on AutoTrader! And it's silver... I hate silver. And I'm not too sure I would want a Track model... pretty much guaranteed to be beat on. Old folks tend to buy the Touring and keep it in their garages for years.

 

Don't settle when it comes to color. You'll regret it.

Enth or Touring are probably your best options, then.

 

I would go for the 06. More mileage, yes, but it isn't very high mileage. The 06's come with more refined interiors, nicer looking front bumper (I know, selling point right there), a set of must-have bi-xenon head lights, a big, big (not to mention expensive) upgrade from the old ones, and LED tail lights, which just basically look nicer than the older style ones. I would personally rather have a newer car, but that is just me, the decision is all yours man! Be sure to report back after you've made a purchase!

 

Vq35's were built to be beat on. Its a common missconceptions that WOT pulls are bad for a car when in fact they are good are preventing carbon buildup.(in moderation) As long as the car was well maintained, with all oil changes in correct intervals, and spark plugs changes, etc.. The car should be in great condition. Unless the car was raced at track events I don't see normal driving a problem.. Thats just my oppinion though.. I have 130k on my motor and I beat on it all the time.

 

Thanks for the help guys. I think I'll get the '06 for the stronger tranny. I've heard the high-rev engines ('06+ right?) are fragile, but I have a feeling people who have had an HR engine blow up have just overestimated how high it can actually rev lol. Anyway, I only drive about 10k miles a year right now, so this car should last me at least 7 or 8 years with no major issues at that rate.

 

Good point on the head lights, tail lights, interior upgrades, and engine upgrades.

I guess the 06 has it. I still like my 03.

 

Do some research and u will see.... You may be lucky not to have any problems but it's a VERY COMMON problem.

 

lol too late now for me! I have to admit that my Z has been very good to me, and I feel fortunate because of it. I think the assembly line was working at 100% efficiency the day mine rolled through.

 

1 vote for 06 because i own one lol. I think the interior looks better with the changes they made, plus led tails and better looking headlights, plus warranty = worth 1k for me.