Not totally off-topic on the CD's - more B* from the corporate line. CD-R's burned with good quality media don't cause CD readers to fail. It's remotely possible if you use stick-on labels or really bargain basement media (think thin and flexy).

Sounds like their total line is simply put:
It's Your Fault

Not a great advertising slogan...

 

i emailed this thread in its entirety to nna consumer affairs

 

They may just not care - but they should:
1) 240Z - 116,712 units sold
2) 260Z - single-year Z-car sales record, with 63,963 units sold in just one year
3) American Z-car sales for all models reach the ONE MILLION sales mark during the 1990 model year, making it the all-time best selling sports car...four years later -
4) 1994 300ZX Sales only 6,000 units, the car is pulled from the market after 1995/96
5) April 2003 - Nissan Sales - Combined for Nissan and Infiniti totaled 60,940 units - ONE MONTH.
6)Z sales for April - 3,479, a little over 5% of the total for Nissan.

I am beginning to wonder if Nissan thinks if they can just "deal with" a few hundred or a few thousand 350Z owners with BS, so what? If so, their management is either really screwed up, or the bean-counters are in complete control. If they're only looking at 1% of their total units sold coming back at them for quality issues, that plays well in the boardroom.

Even those idiots should look back at the ONE MILLION number and realize they are screwing up big time my producing so many unhappy customers...so long as they keep pumping out Maximas, Altimas, Muranos, G35 Sedans, etc. Nissan may think our problems just don't matter...even if they are missing out on selling several hundred thousand 350Z's over the next 5-10 years. Who cares about 3000 Z's when you sell 55,000 other cars in one month?

They should - other than this type of problem, there isn't a car for $30k or less that can match it, unless you want a WRX, SRT4, EVO, etc. Not the same - IMHO Nissan is missing out on another record for Sports Car sales if they don't address their design and quality issues, NOW.

 

This is gonna seem off topic at first, but read on... you'll see it makes sense in a bizarre sort of way.

This weekend I bought a new surround sound receiver and speakers. (No its not a "Blose" system). Anyway, after doing quite a bit of research there was recomendation to buy an SPL Meter (aka Decibel Meter), to help adjust the levels for a balanced system.

Anyway, I picked one up tonight at Radio Shack. I had driven my Z to the store. As I was walking back out to the car I thought... hmm... wouldn't it be interesting to measure the sound levels in the car at different speeds, especially trying to quantify the roar.

Nothing real scientific here, but here's what I remember of my results. I'll do this later with pen, paper, & someone else driving.

85 mph ~ 100-105 +db
65 mph ~ 93-95 db
55 mph ~ 87-90 db
45 mph ~ 85 db

I tried to stay around 2500 rpms to rule out the engine noise. This obviously wasn't possible for the 85mph reading.

40 mph to stop with car in neutral was the interesting part. When the roar kicked in the level shot back up to the 95db range. Again, I have to a little more scientific scenario, but I thought this was interesting.

Is there anyone out there WITHOUT feather that owns an SPL meter? If so could you take some measurements. I should be able to do my own since my tires are on their way in, but it would be nice to compare.

Hell... lets go after Nissan for causing hearing damage. Take a look at http://www.dangerousdecibels.org/hearingloss.cfm

I have a 35 minute commute and the speed limit is 65mph. According to the site above, my Z is damaging my hearing.



Come on NISSAN! Fix your damn FLAGSHIP! Whatever happened to "Enjoy the Ride"?!?

 

Dude, they are too busy Enjoying our money.

 

yourmomma - i think ur idea is great...i actually thought of doing the same thing. i thought, if NNA is ignoring us cuz they don't think it's a major issue, then can't we force them to deal with this by showing them this is bad for our hearing? we gotta look further into this idea...

 

Well folks, when I got home I thought about what's going on here with Nissan and I also thought about the options they gave me yesterday since the tires were back ordered:

1) Pay up for Pilots- but Nissan will only replace the fronts, NNA did not see a problem with having Pilots on the front and RE04's on the back. I told her that is a "getto" set-up and I wasn't going to Band-aid the situation. She even admitted the Pilots were a harder compond - thus putting off the feathering for a extended period of time.

2) Wait, wait, wait..... No ETA as to when the tires will be in.

or the last option

3) Take my Z back to the dealership and have them say it is "unsafe". Well my only problem with that is - there is a difference of opinion as to what may be "unsafe".

So after my wife kicked me in the head, I'm going to call NNA and enter into the BBB Auto Line process. By doing this, I'm forcing their hand to make the repairs within 10 days. If not, then I have a lemon law slam dunk (Per State of Florida LW guide).

I'll keep everyone posted.

Good luck to others!!

 

It is pretty much the same issue in both the front and rear- basically, without too much technobabble, the rear end, under load, exceeds camber limits. Since the car is under load most of the time, this is causing inner wear at the same time the rear toe pooches out very slightly. If any thing it should remain neutral or toe slightly in on loading down. The rear end issue will need to be fixed with an adjustable camber strut in place of the stock fixed piece of crap.

The front the front, under load, behaves very similarly to the rear.

More in a few, my boss just looked at me funny.

Greb.

 

More info please Grebmohr. D$%M bosses.

 

I drive an '03 Touring Model (Perf. Package) that has 16,000 miles, and the road noise and inside feathering is an issue now. I took the car in this morning and just got a call back. The service advisor said that the Track and Performance models with 18" wheels have this problem, but there is not anything that can be done except some adjustment of the alignment and swap the front tires to reduce the road noise. I asked why this is not a problem with the 17" wheels and he said that the Track and Performance models are "set up for racing with the 18 wheels" and there is no way to eliminate the problem. I am not real happy with the answers. I am considering buying some Volk Racing 19" wheels and am now wondering if the 19" tires will feather and if it will occur faster.

 

Haden
Your service advisor is smokin the crack pipe.
We have a 03 with 17in wheels and are on our THIRD set of front tires. The cars all have the same F***D up set up. The only differece in the track model is lack of some interior upgrades and they come std with Brembo brakes. He is correct there is no way to eliminate the problem.

 

Its just as big a problem on the 17s as the 18s, he's seen more on 18's himself maybe, but plenty of us with 17s have exactly the same problem. He is simply ignorant and unfamilar with 17s and you should talk to your Service Manager, not just the Service Advisor, he's obviously uniformed.

 

K - coast is clear.

The Fronts exhibit the same issue as the rear with camber/caster and toe all going AKIMBO on differing loads.

The front fix will be more difficult develop as there are more things going on up there. Here is my take on what action needs to be taken. (btw, the track model should suffer least from this problem due to stiffer set up)

You don't know me so you can take or leave my opinion on this issue. I do have 20 years of automobile restoration experience and have made a living repairing cars (goodyear gemini service) in the past.

1) caster/camber adjustment plates need to be there- why a "racecar" has only toe adjustment is anybodys guess and a crime.

2) Suspension bushings are all crap from what I can tell, they should be a very hard Polymer instead of this particular "space-age polymer"

3) The entire damping set(alll four corners) needs to be upgraded. These little shock units cannot control these wheels if they are slightly worn or otherwise out of balance. Balance is only perfect for the first 10 miles after doing it.

So if you add up what really needs to be done- you can understand why Nissan is avoiding this fix.

BTW, I have yet to hear back from NNA on my latest tire concern, I have involved two CSRs and yet they do not call back. My car was at the dealer for confirmation 11-08-03.

I will attempt to keep U informed of my final disposition on this matter. I may have to call William O. Bosley VP Customer Service at the Gardena office to get this handled. If I get nothing there, I'm gonna give this link and website to Clark Howard and let that little weasle break it out into the public.

 

Nissan always seemed to know what they were doing in the past.

I fully intended to put tires on every 25-35K miles or once a year roughly.

I would get 50k on both my '91 300ZX and my '84 300ZX, I would get even more miles on my first generation Zs.

So while I was not naive about sports car tires, I am alittle shocked to be averaging 15,000 miles a set, especially at 1200 bux a pop. Thats 2.4K+ a year just for tires to me!

 

After driving this car for 22,000 miles, I for one believe every word of it. WTF have we gotten into. I was so afraid it was a bigger problem and that they could not fix this easily.

Good explanation and research Grebmohr.

 

I agree with much of what you say. I fully intend to go with the Koni SA Sport shocks as soon as they are available. In fact dwnshift should have a set of Konis on his street Track by the end of this week. However as far as I know the Track suspension is the same as all the Z's suspensions. No difference in stiffness. I know several vendors here are developing suspension pieces to allow adjustments required.

 

NISSAN WILL FOLLOW UP its successful launch of the 350Z coupe and roadster with a series of running changes that will appear on 2004-model Zs now arriving in U.S. showrooms. Nissan already incorporated most of the changes into Japan-market Zs, including significant interior upgrades, suspension tuning and brake system improvements.

Inside, Nissan focuses first on the front and center console, specifically the flimsy, manually operated upper instrument panel compartment cover. The new lid is more robust, with power operation on cars with satellite navigation. The center console, gauge hoods and instrument pods get a special “soft-feel” treatment intended to inject a touch of higher quality into the interior.



And how about this for those road warriors who’ve grown weary of bruised extremities: ’04 Zs come with cushy kneepads for both driver and passenger, and the driver’s right elbow even gets its own special padding on the center console. Further interior updates include the addition of seatbelt “service arms” that eliminate the need to reach far behind the seatback to grab the belts, and a redesigned shifter for automatic models.


2004 models also benefit from Nissan’s decision to adopt a Euro-tuned suspension setup for all 350Zs, a handling setup that Nissan says provides a much better ride and better overall suspension compliance. The Brembo brake system gets tandem brake master cylinders replacing the earlier model’s single cylinder.

 

The MOMO at NNA just told me that 10,000 miles is all I should expect to get out of a performance car and tires!!!

Now I am so mad I better not type anymore. Do they think I'm a friggin idiot. does a friggin idiot buy a car like this? Hmmm. maybe so.....

more later

 

i dont think Nissan will care anymore if this goes public as they are now selling 2004s with the new suspension change

 

a naive resolution i am dreaming is to force Nissan reimburse 2003 owners and take the reimbursement to trade in for a new 2004s, but again this is a very naive thinking