I would say some of us are getting the run around. I first spoke with 1-800-NISSAN1 on Nov 9th and I have called them several times since and to this day NO ONE has called me back.

Do these tires have some kind of warranty? I paid out of my pocket at 15,000 miles to have them replaced and was told they should have lasted at least 25,000 miles by a tire company.

I'm also a liitle pissed that I took my car to the dealer every 3750 miles for service and it took them 14,500 miles to see the tire wear that was ALMOST TO THE BELT. The guy at the tire company said if I would have hit 100MPH it could have been deadly.

I love my Z but some days I think about how much money I have put in Nissan's pocket and how little they seem to care about me. I have owned Nissan since '93 and never called to ask for anything. Now I can't even get 2 new front tires or one simple free alignment on an item I paid over $41,000 just eight months ago.

Sorry to ramble but I want others to hear my Nissan experience.

 

Just so I understand you...you are saying you don't think there is a problem with the cars design, but with the tires put on the car? I would agree with you if you could put ANY tire on the car and it never shows any type of feathering. But from what I have heard this is NOT the case. Many people have put the redesigned Bridgestones on their car, with the exact new correct alignment done to spects, and have still head feathering. I concede the feathering was reduced, but it was still present. Due to this fact alone I say the design of the tires my aliveate the problem, but it is still there.

Other cars on the road never get feathering no matter what type of tire you use. And the bottom line is, I did not buy this car expecting to be able to use only certain types of tires. Nissan never mentioned that to me. Accroding to your statement about its not the car, why did Nissan sell me a car that has tires on it that are not 'compatable'? It is obviouse the car has some type of defect with it that is causing this problem. Just because some tires mask it does not mean the problem is still there.

Why would Nissan try to 'fix' the problem if there is none to begine with? It just does not add up. These newer tires are still not lasting long enough to meet the warrenty of the tire itself. And as a final note, just think of what the cost of these 'special' tires are going to be shortly. The demand is going to be through the roof due to the fact everyone is going to need to use them.

 

When mine were replaced, 8 months ago they had them in a couple of weeks, but mine are the old style without the rib close to the outer edges (but I have no feathering in the last 7K miles). If you check this thread several members had to wait because of a backlog of tire orders. I would just keep bugging your dealer, talk to the service manager every week. I don't see why they would want to make you wait and **** you off?? No advantage to them to delay you getting your new tires.

 

Just wondering, are you awaiting replacement RE40 tires to come in? IMHO they're junk. You might suggest your dealer get a pair of SO3 tires - same manufacturer, about the same price and a much better tire.....

 

I've been lead to believe that you should never run two different kinds of tires even from the same manufacture on the same car? Do you know something different?

 

I have heard that as long as the same two tires are the on the front and the same two tires are on the rear, there is no problem.

You might send an E-mail to http://www.tirerack.com to verify.

P.S. The Nissan replacement Bridgestones Potenza RE40s are on back order in Orange County, CA too. I know someone who is been waiting for them too.

 

Pitbull, Ideally I would certainly agree and I should've stated my origianl assumption which is to get away from the RE40's altogether. I believe side-to-side is more critical than front-to-back. The RE40 and S03 are both rated as high performance summer tires, and as rotating isn't an option and with the fronts always wearing out sooner I feel this a viable option to replacing all four at once.

 

Yep, just saw your post after I posted. Good idea, see what Tirerack recommends......

 

 

Ok, thanks for the info. I'll keep calling the dealer to see if I can get some answer out of them when the tires are expected. You would think they would want to keep their customers happy and informed, but that has not happened.

 

Talked to 1800nissan today and they assured me that the problem is with the 2003 only. After reading this I'm buying a G35 instead.

 

I had 2 2003 models and was indecisive beween G35 and the Z...after the accident I had the opportunity to decide again. -- I chose the Z again (2005).

No problems yet...4000+ miles already.

 

For all of you with feathering issues.
I have a 2003 Enthusiats. At 34500 miles I have had the third set of front tires aproved to be installed. The set that is being replaced had 4000 miles on them when the feathering apeared.
So, in 34500 miles three sets of front tires damaged by this issue.
I wonder for how many miles Nissan will be willing to provide free tires.
As stated before, love the car, wonder about Nissan's comiitemnt to adressing this issue.

 

I forgot to mention, 4000 miles or so were on winter tires and not on the Bridgestones.

 

1-800-NISSAN1 says a lot that doesn't turn out to be true.

 

For two years they will be happy to replace the tires as their extended warranty allows. After that you are out of luck.

Why are they happy to do this replacement? Because they are hoping more people are like you and won't sue their a@@es for selling a faulty product, and in my case not honoring the warranty I purchased with my 2004. Giving away sets of tires is nothing compared to buying back a car and paying lawyers fees!

 

Er - Did we mention Caster?

 

Don't worry about Caster. Go to a good alignment shop for a professional alignment by experts, instead of untrained part-timers at your dealership. Then take off the RE040s and use them only on track days, thats all they are good for. Get a good set of high performance tires using Tire Rack's Customer Surveys and, if you really want to be absolutely sure the problem goes away, change the shocks and/or springs. I NEVER got the problem because I replaced the tires and got a real 4 wheel alignment at 1600 miles.

A huge number of 03 and early 04 Zs were delivered out of alignment and the 040s won't come back even after alignment, unless you drive the **** out of them and spend most of your driving going around corners at high speed to wear out the OUTSIDE part of the tread. I can't believe this thread hasn't died, read what I've said and learn.

Boomer-my opinion and experience (Hell, I wrote the 1st Problem List on this site in 2002!), use it or lose it, I really don't care at all now, I sold my 03 Z 2 weeks ago and it was perfect, no abnormal tire wear at all after 10,000 miles+. HELLO!

 

How can you prove that these Z's were delivered out of alignment?

 

It was documented by Nissan in one of the early TSB for the problem. That is why they issed the TSB to fix the alignment problem but it does not fix the feathering problem.