Just sold my car, Looking into 350Z's
 

I want to be as informed as I can because this is the first car that I am paying for. What are somethings to look for or ask previous owner about like notorious problems etc.

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...standard=false

The tailights are a little tacky but nothing that cant be fixed. Basically i just wanna know if there are problems with buying 80-90k+ miles 350's

I would not buy a vehicle with 97,000 miles;however, if your budget is limited this may be the best you can do. Learn the various models and amenities before shopping. Believe you are looking at a Base.

The car is a strong car and high mileage Z's don't tend to have many problems. Although you can find a better deal with less milage, Especially since that is a base model.

No cruise control, No HID's, No LSD. I wouldln't pay more than 9k for that car.

It states aftermarket exhaust but I dont see it in those pics... and are those nismo stickers on stockers painted black?

Hmm. Get carfax and maintenance records.

The car def has been played with a lot and carries a story, but I like the way it looks. It's pretty nice and well kept. Although it's a base model, it has leather seat put into it and maybe a few hidden mods. I'd say check it out with carfax, if it drives smooth its a good deal for a sharp looking quick car.

That's more than I would pay. I saw an '04 on Omaha Craigslist with 30,000+ miles for $10,000.

I see you're in St. Louis and the car in the ad is in California. How were you going to get it back to St. Louis? Figure that cost in also.

+1

And used Zs are dime a dozen now. Shop around.

Welcome to the forum. 350Z's on the used car lots seem to be a dime a dozen. As I drive down Highway 70, I see at least one Z on virtually every used car lot. I would definitely check out the local cars before thinking about cars that are over 2000 miles away. A quick search of the St Louis Craigslist lists about 73 entries for 350Z. I don't know where you live within the St Louis area, but Autotrader shows 22 350Z's for sale within 25 miles of zip 63367.

High mileage cars should not be a problem. There were a few problems with the early cars like tire feathering and transmission problems. I suspect most if not all of those problems have been fixed by now. Having said that, not all cars had problems so you might be able to find a trouble free car.

Good luck with your search. You might also join the Gateway Z club to get additional information. Lots of knowledgeable people there. www.gatewayZclub.com.

I would say that car isn't the greatest deal, but its not bad either......

as for the miles, i wouldn't let it scare you as the car, engine can handle much more as many have shown already on the forum.

Things as far as maintenance on a higher mileage Z you can look out for are bushings..........the car you linked seems like the owner was an enthusiast and may have changed some of the known bad bushings out, but a bone stock Z you find for sale out there might not.

Look for the front lower control arm bushing when buying.......if you find it failed, use that as a negotiating point to bring down the price, then do it yourself with the how to here: https://my350z.com/forum/brakes-and-...translink.html

The other bushings with higher mileage Z's that are common are the rear diff bushing that leaks black oozze out on the diff cover and the rear subframe bushings along with the front diff "ear" bushings.

You can see how to replace those here:
this is what it looks like: http://i731.photobucket.com/albums/w...g?t=1233936367
threads on it:
https://my350z.com/forum/engine-and-...ial-mount.html
https://my350z.com/forum/brakes-and-...d-amazing.html

In general, If i were to purchase a high mileage z, the first things i would do is replace all the fluids in order to ensure i know where im at on everything to get a start date and rest assured that those fluids arent old already...

good luck bud...
-J

If ya wait a few weeks, you can buy my 2003 touring with only 67,000 miles for a hair more then this. :thumbup:

St. Louis?! Awesome! We could cruise together.

Here's a couple with lower miles on them... check these out.
And trust me, you will not be dissapointed with a Z.

http://stlouis.craigslist.org/cto/1591570141.html
http://stlouis.craigslist.org/ctd/1582288661.html
http://stlouis.craigslist.org/cto/1573433963.html

Good luck, bro. Take no prisoners when you talk to those b@stard salesman

Miles dont really hurt the Z, they are very reliable. The best years though are the '05, ''07 and '08.

that car u posted is in cali??? u can find a much better deal for an 03-05 with like 50k miles for around $13,000 its definately worth a little extra cash for 40k less miles.

Oh wow...this is an incredible response you this is way better my last car forum. This is exactly the kind of stuff that I am looking for, bushings, tire feathering problems etc. that I should be on the lookout for and ask about. Yeah I think local will be better its just that I don't want to miss out on a deal when I could have a car shipped for about $600.

I know that I want a VLSD equipped car and 6 speed. Those are my only limitations (besides price haha!). I am going to test drive a few of these local cars this weekend and see how it goes.

Thanks for the crazy amount of help guys, this is definitely a plus point in a Z, all the support and information thats on here.

But seriously, I'm around and would be glad to help you out. I'd love to go with you on your Z hunt

hey man, good luck with finding the one you want! I have an 04 base with 102,000 on it now. +1 on the bushings , I would also have a look at the trans. See if there were any synchro problems in the past. Definetely get all the fluids changed and I would opt for a tune ( osiris made my car feel like new)