cal_z

iTrader: (1)

I just wanted to get the oe tires for the rear. The fronts are shot with less than 6000 miles on the second set. The rear tires seem to wear well. I eventually want to get new wheels all together, but I will have to do something soon. Either 2 rear tires or a set of wheels and tires all together.

calvin

cal_z

iTrader: (1)

in getting tires from someone who is getting different wheels, that is a great idea, but no one here in paducah ky wants to put the tire on the rims because you didn't buy the mark-up tires from them. I just need a new set of friends to get those type of hook-ups.

calvin

Pit Bull

You might check with your dealer. Either they will mount them or they have someone that does.

corsair

iTrader: (12)

damn you must really love that Z. I would have dumped it as soon as possible. Guess I'm not as big a Z fanatic as others. Good luck.

kbsig106

It's not that I LOVE the car - I just have an attachement to it.

See I re-ordered her a few months before I got married. Kinda like a final gift to myself since I was taking plunge. I also knew my future wife would say "HELL NO" if I tried to order her after the wedding. So, I placed the order and waited till she was produced on 12/02 and I took her home on 1/25/03.

In the end, I just want to help make the Z all it can be. To help blaze the trail for our brothers & sisters who are joining the Z family. Besides, the last thing I wanna do is loose money on the car if I sold her... So I'm sticking it out because I know that I have 12 months till the LL time period runs out. If the feathering returnes (by this summer) - I know there will be no 2nd chance for Nissan to conduct a second final repair. They're done in that regard. Nissan knows this too.

corsair

iTrader: (12)

I hear ya. I'm right there with you with the in service dates. I saw 2 brand new brickyards at two different dealerships yesterday. I couldn't believe it considering they discontinued the color months ago. These cars were NEW too!

cal_z

iTrader: (1)

I bought my Z 3months before i got married also and had all of the , " no you can't buy that car" too. So, I bought it anyway and have had the car and wife for a year now!! I found love in TWO places. (don't tell my wife!! or my Z!!)

kbsig106

I hear ya. Except my wife started bi&ching when the Z started haveing problems.. The usual stuff:

"You HAD to have it, didn't you?!?!?"

"That's what you get for ordering a car you've never driven."

"My PT Cruiser has less problems than yours and triple the milage."

blah blah blah...

Ohh and this one takes the cake:

"You had to have it NOW - you should have ordered the G35c and waited a few more months..."

cal_z

iTrader: (1)

that's funny!!!! I'm glad I don't have that problem. I have enough with my Z. The window motor went out last week and now I have to get it replaced next week. -lovemyZ-

lew f

It's called a defective gene, we have them too

lew f

In fact, when my wife saw the car for the first time she asked if it came with a 25 year old (we've benn married for 36 years)

lew f

navybulldog68

[FONT=courier new][COLOR=firebrick]
Just got back from my local Firestone dealer. I purchased a lifetime alignment from them. I had my car in for the TSB about two months ago and received new front tires courtesy of Nissan. My dealer supposedly did an alignment or at least checked the alignment per TSB bur i could never receive a printout of same. Well guess what i found out at Firestone Nissan is right and they are full of crap at the same time. Here are the specs for my car before and after.
Before After Specs
Camber
Front Left -0.43 -0.47 -1.33----0.17
Right -0.98 -1.00

Caster
FL 9.04 9.04 7.42----8.92
FR 8.54 8.54

TOE
FL 0.07 0.04 0.00----0.08
FR -0.21 0.03

Cross Camber
0.54 0.53 -0.75--- -0.75
Cross Caster
0.50 0.50 -0.75---- -0.75
Total Toe
-0.14 0.08 0.00---- 0.16

Rear
Camber
LR -2.36 -1.43 -2.08---- -1.08
RR -2.40 -1.56

TOE
LR -0.06 0.03 0.01----- 0.07
RR -0.20 0.02


Total TOE
-0.26 0.04 0.02--- 0.14

Thrust Angle
0.07 0.00

This alignment was done at 11203 miles and 8 months in service time. I draw several conclusions from these numbers. First the factory settings were wrong as Nissan has claimed. Second, my dealer either didnt do an alignment when they did the TSB and gave me new tires or they totally screwed it up. The tech at Firestone said that so many places today hire some kid and give him an alignment machine and he doesnt have a clue what hes doing. This dealer does all the alignments for a local Chevy dealer as they dont have techs trained to do the job right. I noticed that my left rear tire was starting to wear on the very inside edge a little abnormally. the front tires still look ok but they have only 2200 miles on them. Any of you mechanical brains out there please comment on these numbers and give me your humble opion about what the origanl numbers would have done to my tires if I didnt get this aligmnet done. At this time my advice to Z owners is drop a few bucks and go to an independent shop and get your 4 wheel alignment checked. Like some other people have said check around and find a good shop because all alingment men are not created equal. Give me some feedback guys.

navybulldog68

If any ones confused the first number is before, second number after alignment ant he third numbers are the Nissan specs

ChinaClipper

iTrader: (2)

Thanks for posting your alignment info navybulldog68. I think your experience has proved the point I was making earlier about some Nissan dealers not correctly performing the TSB alignment. My advice then is as now -- find a good Nissan dealer and stick with him/her! You will be much happier in the long run.

To Boomer: I cannot honestly say why my tires went 20K. My driving is a mix of city and highway, but I also ran a couple of track events on those Re040s also - where I admit that the tires performed admirably, though not outstandingly. I do not do burnouts at all, though at times, I can be accused of driving "enthusiastically" -- fellow Z Club members have commented on the wisps of rear tire smoke I can leave while changing lanes on the highway.....
(I attribute it to the VDC kicking in! )

Boomer

VDC...RIGHT!!!

overZealous

The lines that say "total toe" for both the front and rear do not look right. You should have had a total toe for the front of -.16 before and .07 after, which is about right. The rears should be -.26 before and .05 after which is close but not the 2mm Nisan has recommended. Do you have the print outs from Firestone to post? It does look like Nissan didn't do a very good job, however. If they did anything at all. On the other hand. Mine show that neither Nissan's theory about correct operation of the equipment or the 2mm total toe recommendation has fixed the tire cupping issue.

September 2003. 006a. New tires and alignment:
9/15/03 final
January 2004. 006b. Feathered tires and alignment:
1/14/04 final

There is no doubt that your toe was out of spec, provided Firestone's equipment is operative. If Nissan hires some "kid" to do the alignments, who do you think Firestone hires? They pay less than Nissan. I just don't think it has a bearing on tire cupping, at least the kind we are seeing on the Z one way or the other. I've been running 2mm of total toe since December and it has not corrected the problem.

hwj

BTW: My VDC works just fine....

As a matter of fact last winter I pulled out of a side street in front of a rather large Ford 4x4 roaring down the highway, stomped on it knowing I'd just evaporate on him, when the VDC kicked in!!!

Talk about sudden angst [and learned my lesson good]! Stomp on it with the VDC OFFFFFFF!!!!!!!!!


ps: foot of snow here, car inside since last week

navybulldog68

This guy was a 35 year veteran of the alignment wars. He impressed me with his knowledge as I'm an ex jet engine mechanic. But the bottom line is all my rear specs were way out and 98% of the front was out. at this time the car feels a whole lot bettor. if this will fix the problem or not only time will tell. You are right though sir that most shops hire the cheapest guy they can find, that's why it's so important to find an alignment shop that you know you can trust whether it be Nissan dealer or an independent shop. Thanks for your come back.

Boomer

I think the operative words in the TSB 006b are: "avoid toeout", and their settings are not right yet. I have no inside wear with 6400 miles on harder tires and the setting on front toe are 0.0, w/total toe at 0.01, alignment done 1/10/03. The "before" total toe was -0.22! My wear was starting on the outside edge, not inside at 1600 miles. At the 0.0 setting, I have just a hint of wear on the outside left front since the alignment was done.

I don't think 0.02 is going to be the correct setting to avoid damage to my tires in the future. I think Nissan is still guessing. That is why they say avoid toeout in the latest TSB 006b.
In my case, they should say "avoid toein" because of the outside wear. What now?