Sevs2k

Hi guys, I traded in my s2000 on Friday for a 350z...

All is well and I like the cars sportiness/luxury ratio...

Last night, I checked the spot that I park at nights and there was a huge oil puddle, lifted the car and there was a slow "drip, drip" leak....

Had to get up at 5 am to flatbed the car to Nissan. They took a look at it and they say it is the main seal between the transmission and engine that needs replacement. They don't have my VIN in their system yet so they aren't sure on what part to order, they have ordered a pathfinder seal hoping its the same one untill they double check with another VIN or get conformation from nissan. I have been given a Chevrolet Impala courtesy car and promissed that if they get the part today, I will have the car maximum tommorow. They have been nice so far but I am very upset with all this.

I was worried sick last night, I didn't sleep much, got up at 5 am. Waited 1 hour for them to look at it and I am missing half a day of work...

Also, that "newness" is now lost from the car!!!!!!!!

Needless to say I am .

This is my first Nissan, and I hope this isn't going to be a problem car.

I am an unhappy costumer right now, hope nissan handles it well and makes me happy again.

P.S. Those who have had their tranny's dropped and worked on, does this car need an alignment after the work is done?

WayneTN

I wouldn't worry too much about having an oil leak on a new car. Obviously something wasn't right when the car was made and delivered. Installing a new seal correctly should fix the problem.

I've had 2 oil leaks on relatively new trucks (one came with the leak but wasn't noticed until a couple of days later). Once both of my new trucks were fixed, they provided problem-free service.

New vehicles aren't perfect when delivered, however most of the time they can be made close to it afterwards.

Hang in there. The Z is a good car.
WayneTN

Sevs2k

I sure hope so. This is my 3rd new car and between me and all my friends and family, I have never heard of problems so soon on a new car.

HDK

hey I feel your pain. I had the exact situation in my Z, but I discovered the leak after only 12hours!!!!

To make things worse, it happened on a saturday so I had to leave the car at the dealer until monday morning. The dealer jacked the car up, ran the engine for few hours, drove for 12 miles, jacked the car up, and found no leaks. I've put a cardboard underneath the car since this past monday, and havent found any leaks either. I really hope it was a fluke and that was the end of it.

I totally agree with you though. This is my first Nissan as well and I really question their products. To make matters worse, the customer service I received was pretty bad. The dealer also could not explain that cause of the leak which further worries me. Good luck on yours and I hope there are no more problems with mine....

Sevs2k

Could yours have been a loose dipstick? I have read some oil leak threads and it seems that a loose dipstick might cause it.

I just got word that they recieved the part and they are starting in 15 mins. Everyone has been polite but they aren't giving it their 100%, more like 80%, the service manager complained to salesman that they are overbooked and that I should have taken an appointment!!!! The service manager just told me that he can't promise the car will be done today. I said you are open till 8pm, why don't you finish it today, he says he has other appointments!

To further complicate the matter, the parts they ordered are for a pathfinder so they aren't yet 100% sure its the same as they don't have the updated CD yet with the 350z VINs here, or at least, that's what I was told.

To me, 100% service would have been they start working on it this morning, now, the tranny would have been down and they could have just put in the new seal and start to close it back up.... It would have made it by 4:30, instead It's not sure. I only drove the damn car 3 days, it was getting an Alarm for one full day and yesterday, I discovered the leak!!!

I am not going to pass final judgment untill things are finalized. So far service has been above average but definately nothing exceptional.

ZatoIchi

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Sevs2k
[B]Could yours have been a loose dipstick? I have read some oil leak threads and it seems that a loose dipstick might cause it.

I just got word that they recieved the part and they are starting in 15 mins. Everyone has been polite but they aren't giving it their 100%, more like 80%, the service manager complained to salesman that they are overbooked and that I should have taken an appointment!!!! The service manager just told me that he can't promise the car will be done today. I said you are open till 8pm, why don't you finish it today, he says he has other appointments!

To further complicate the matter, the parts they ordered are for a pathfinder so they aren't yet 100% sure its the same as they don't have the updated CD yet with the 350z VINs here, or at least, that's what I was told.[QUOTE]

Sorry to hear about the oil problem, that will certianly lessen your Z experience. But what I find disturbing is the attitude and what sounds like ineptness of the service dept. The VIN is irrelevant to that part, it's the same VQ V-6 engine as a pathfinder. And if for some reason the Z needed a special gasket all they have to know is that it's for a Z not a path.

Anyway I'm on my 3rd Z and have had 2 Pathfinders since 1988 and never had any problems with a Nissan product. I just do routine maintanance and they all have run great. I'm sure you will experience the Z ride once you get her back, Have Fun with it.

Sevs2k

[QUOTE]Originally posted by ZatoIchi
[B][QUOTE]Originally posted by Sevs2k
Could yours have been a loose dipstick? I have read some oil leak threads and it seems that a loose dipstick might cause it.

I just got word that they recieved the part and they are starting in 15 mins. Everyone has been polite but they aren't giving it their 100%, more like 80%, the service manager complained to salesman that they are overbooked and that I should have taken an appointment!!!! The service manager just told me that he can't promise the car will be done today. I said you are open till 8pm, why don't you finish it today, he says he has other appointments!

To further complicate the matter, the parts they ordered are for a pathfinder so they aren't yet 100% sure its the same as they don't have the updated CD yet with the 350z VINs here, or at least, that's what I was told.

Quote:

Sorry to hear about the oil problem, that will certianly lessen your Z experience. But what I find disturbing is the attitude and what sounds like ineptness of the service dept. The VIN is irrelevant to that part, it's the same VQ V-6 engine as a pathfinder. And if for some reason the Z needed a special gasket all they have to know is that it's for a Z not a path.

Anyway I'm on my 3rd Z and have had 2 Pathfinders since 1988 and never had any problems with a Nissan product. I just do routine maintanance and they all have run great. I'm sure you will experience the Z ride once you get her back, Have Fun with it.

Thanks, for once, I strayed away from the Honda community and this happens!!!!!!

I hope you are right and all I have to do is maintenance from now on.

labshark7

Just curious,

It might be over kill, but did you think of just asking for a different car? Or, did they not have a similar Z, that would fit your needs.

I agree, I would be pretty pissed.

I have had 5 Nissan's in the last 5 years, and three Honda's, all brand new. Do not expect this to be the norm.

In fact I am shocked at what I am hearing.

Hopefully you will have this situation resolved quickly.

Good Luck,
Eric

Sevs2k

UPDATE:::::

Thats the thing see, I am not an unreasonable guy, I am not asking for a new car or extended warranty or anything big. All I want is for them to be understanding and fix my car properly ASAP.

So I went back around 4 pm, it had been about 2 hours they had started (So 2 hours taken away from their regularly scheduled programming), they had all the parts, sent someone specifically to pick them up from another dealer which is good.

However, the service manager tells me its impossible for today since the mechanic leaves at 5. I told him why don't you see if he can work untill 8 pm since you guys are open till then. He said it just isn't doable and he has other customers. I said why not, the car is already taking a lift, all you have to do is pay the guy overtime to do it. (everyone has his price) He said no and I sensed he was getting upset and his face was turning red. I said that if he had really wanted to give me the car today he could have started the work in the morning, put the parts in at 1 pm and sealed it up by 5 pm and had a happy customer instead of a part-unhappy one.

He got really upset and raised his voice and started giving me this long speech about how they are overbooked and that three customers haven't been taken care of because of me, he also said that this isn't his fault but he is doing his best and I am not appreciating his efforts... Bla bla.

Talk about no customer service skills. I got really upset at this point and told him that this was my first nissan and I wasn't born yesterday and its not my fault that they are overbooked and that they didn't have the proper VINS which caused delays the entire morning. I also said that I am not asking for the world like a new Z, extended warranty, cash...) All I'm asking is 3 hours of overtime thats going to cost them a huge $60-80 extra....

Anyways, he said No, not doable, so I said fine. and left before the situation got worse.

I went to see my salesman and the sales manager, these guys are just excellent, they tried to convince him and they went to see the mechanic themselves to ask him if he can do the overtime.... It turned out that there is one part with a seal that it is better if it's left to dry overnight before they put it back together.. He can do it but its much better left to tommorow.

They told me this and I said OK, I mean when it comes to things like proper installation, what is there to argue about? I am a reasonable guy and I want the jon done properly and if a part has to dry, it has to dry, asking otherwise would be asking the impossible.

A proper service manager would have explained that in the first place instead of all that BS hoopla about doing me a huge favor and ....

The car is supposed to be ready for tommorow.

Although I have received bar none the best service from the sales department there, I doubt I am going to return there for service. There is now a barrier there and I know that me and the service manager there don't see eye to eye.

What do you guys think? Am I being to pushy or is this what everyone would have done.

P.S. I feel if I hadn't done all this odds are the car would have stayed at the dealership for the week-end.

WayneTN

Hopefully your next service won't be so critical and won't have to be worked around the schedule of others. Since the sales dept. is so great, I'd give the service dept. another chance with some more routine maintenance. Maybe they're not all that bad when everyone's not so stressed. You make a good point, though: better communications would have helped.

Good luck.
WayneTN

Sevs2k

You are right, it's rare that sales people care so much about their customers.
Things also depend on how the car turns out, if its messed up... I am going to be upset. If everything is perfectly done though, I might go back there.

n8vz

i am surprised to hear about the oil leak, considering my experience with Nissan products

i had leased a '99 Pathfinder and i never had to any mechanical or electrical problem. Matter of fact, the only time i ever brought the car back to the dealer was 3 years later when the lease ended.


i hope the Z can maintain the same kind of reliability

BTW, what is the range of your VIN? above 5000?

350Z_Track

I would not go back there if I was you. I believe the service dept. compliments the sales dept. If service is bad, sales would hurt because repeat sales would lack. Besides the service manager probaby labeled you as a difficult customer and had discounted you as a customer. So don't give them anymore business.

Sevs2k

That's what I'm thinking. It didn't have to be this way though. As i've said, I am not an unreasonable I guy. I don't do things like throw the keys at them and say I want a new car...

It's just that the service manager was already pissed of about the fact that I came without an appointment. What I hate most about dealers is that every department tends to run as a cost center which is fine money making wise. But to a customer, the dealership and even Nissan is one unit. They have to take responsability for the cars they sell and not act like a baby that you took candy from when they are asked to do sothing different than the norm.

Sevs2k

Mine is a candian model so I don't know if it's different VIN wise. I'll check it when I look at the papers later, it was supposed to have come from japan a few weeks ago so it's a late production.

Sevs2k

Got the car back at lunch time. The service manager apologized for his behavior the day before and I appologized for my impatience... He said not to hesitate to contact him...

On to more important things.

The car feels good except that 5th, 6th and reverse seem a little more difficult to engage. Maybe I am imagining things. I hope so.

Also, the car stinks like burnt oil, I hope it will go away soon, I am going to get an undercarriage wash done soon.

I really hope it was repaired properly and there won't be any more leaks or other problems of any kind.

G35 pimp

Hey Sev serves you right for trading in your S2000 haha!!!!!!! Its me Jose Im ordering a Infinty G35 Coupe let me know if you have anymore Problems with the Z.....Makes me wonder hmmmm by the way I still have my S2000

Flyingscot

I was over at my dealership in early April. They had the engine out of a new Murano because of an oil leak. Looks like this VQ is not going to be trouble free for some people.

On a related topic, I can't seem to get a good reading on my wacky dipstick. It looks like I'm burning oil (or losing it) at about a quart per 1500miles. I've done 5,000miles and just done my second oil change.

Has anyone had any issues with oil loss?

Fly

BTW, I just spotted the poll on this topic. Oh well.

Sevs2k

How's it going Jose???????

I thought about the G35 but its too long and big, its also heavier and less powerfull.

I wanted to move towards something more refined and luxurius but the G35 was too "sedan" for my taste.

Before you get the G, try out a Z with the leather interior, you won't be disappointed.

I hope that the car will be reliable from here on. (knock on wood)