Looking to get my first Z. Found one on CL with the following details

2003 Touring with 85,000 Miles.
Interior is normal wear and tear
Exterior has minor paint chips and a few small dents.
Carfax sort of fishy:
5 owners
2 accident reports
clean title not salvaged.
duplicate title was issued

owner is asking 10,000 but I made an offer of 8.5k + website (I'm a web developer).

Is this a good price for a Z of this age?

Thanks and hoping to join the Z family!

 

Could be... Link to the craigsilst ad please?

 

I'd go to a Nissan dealer and get them to pull any repair records on it. Five owners in 10 years? Apparently nobody liked it enough to keep it long. That would make me suspect a problem.

 

+1. Move on and find something else.

I found my '03 Touring with just under 45k miles, and it was a 1-owner. Look for something like that.

 

5 owners and 2 accident reports -- I would pass and look for something else. Not worth the risk.

 

thanks for all of your opinions and responses. Heres the carfax..

Owner 1
Purchased: 2003
Type: Personal
Where: Indiana
Est. length owned: 1/21/03 - 8/2/05
(2 yrs. 6 mo.)


Date: Mileage: Source: Comments:
11/05/2002 NICB Vehicle manufactured
and shipped to original dealer
01/21/2003 21 Indiana
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Freetown, IN
Title #03029013089 Title issued or updated
First owner reported
Registered as
personal vehicle
Loan or lien reported
11/17/2004 Indiana
Damage Report Accident reported
CARFAX began reporting this information on 02/21/2012.


Owner 2
Purchased: 2005
Type: Personal
Where: Indiana
Est. length owned: 8/2/05 - 12/1/06
(1 yr. 3 mo.)


Date: Mileage: Source: Comments:
08/02/2005 17,979 Indiana
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Columbus, IN
Title #05029146020 Title issued or updated
New owner reported
Loan or lien reported


Owner 3
Purchased: 2006
Type: Personal
Where: Ohio
Est. miles/year: 13,305/yr
Est. length owned: 12/1/06 - 10/14/08
(1 yr. 10 mo.)


Low mileage! This owner drove less than the industry average of 15,000 miles per year.

Date: Mileage: Source: Comments:
12/01/2006 20,040 Ohio
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Maineville, OH
Title #1301391232 Title issued or updated
New owner reported
Loan or lien reported
01/03/2007 Ohio
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Maineville, OH
Title #3105262084 Title issued or updated
Correction to record
01/12/2007 Ohio
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Maineville, OH
Title #3105270450 Title issued or updated
Correction to record
Loan or lien reported
10/14/2008 44,938 Ohio
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Dayton, OH
Title #5703928236 Title issued or updated
Dealer took title of this vehicle
while it was in inventory


Owner 4
Purchased: 2008
Type: Personal
Where: Ohio
Est. length owned: 10/14/08 - 6/2/11
(2 yrs. 7 mo.)


Date: Mileage: Source: Comments:
10/14/2008 45,019 Ohio
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Dayton, OH
Title #5703928243 Title issued or updated
Registration issued or renewed
New owner reported
12/28/2009 Ohio
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Dayton, OH
Title #5703928243 Registration issued or renewed
11/04/2010 Ohio
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Dayton, OH
Title #5703928243 Registration issued or renewed


Owner 5
Purchased: 2011
Type: Personal
Where: California
Est. length owned: 6/2/11 - present
(1 yr. 4 mo.)


Date: Mileage: Source: Comments:
06/02/2011 66,145 California
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Oceanside, CA Odometer reading reported
06/09/2011 California
Damage Report Accident reported
Vehicle towed
CARFAX began reporting this information on 09/12/2011.
06/18/2011 67,798 California
Inspection Station
Oceanside, CA Passed emissions inspection
06/21/2011 California
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Oceanside, CA Title issued or updated
New owner reported
Loan or lien reported
08/30/2011 72,351 Mossy Nissan Oceanside
Oceanside, CA
760-720-9797
mossynissan.com/ Tire condition and pressure checked
01/18/2012 California
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Oceanside, CA Title issued or updated
Duplicate title issued
Loan or lien reported


the curent owner has no clue what the first accident report involved. the 2nd accident was a chain accident where the 350z had no damage done whatsoever. it was towed by chp for evidence in the accident or something like that. supposedly. 8500 is a fxxking great deal but i just feel like something is fishy..

 

Drive it and take it to your mechanic and see if a Nissan Dealer will run the background like someone previously suggested. See if dealer will let you take it home for the weekend (many will if they think you're serious) and drive it like you stole it to see how she is. Also if you don't mind me asking, how old are you?

 

heres my input. i live in ohio and i know what the weather here does to cars, its probably not the cleanest z you can afford for that $. I understand why people bring cars from south to north bc theyre clean, but why would a car go from ohio to cali? it makes me wonder

 

Its a private seller. I am 24 years old. I think I'm going to pass on this deal due to the fishy background and the valid points that were brought up here. Also, my plans were to get this 03 and get 06+ headlights and taillights + hood to upgrade it, but I think I might as well stretch the budget a bit higher and get an 06+ right off the bat with a better history and lower miles. Thanks for all of your suggestions!

 

I would pass based on the fact it had 5 owners. You never know how one drove it and if he mis shifted ect and passed his problems onto someone else.

 

I tend to evaluate cars like I do women. Would I hook up with a woman who has been divorced 5 times? Not hardly.

 

Avoid 06s. You can find good deals on 07/08 HRs nowadays.