https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/...933478535.html
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Hi everyone!

-This is my first post on this forum and I would like to hear some of your guys' opinions about the car listed on the craigslist post above.

-The previous owner seemed to have modded it quite heavily, and it is also quite pricey, but I am absolutely in love with the 350Z, so I am wanting to know if this is a good purchase.

-The car has 60k miles

Owner states that the fender got too close to the exhaust and burned it slightly although he says that it's not very noticeable. He also
says that the door lock is rusted over, so the physical key doesn't work and it only unlocks with the wireless key fob, but he says that he is
willing to pay for a replacement.

This may end up being my first car, so I would like to hear what some of you have to say about it!














Here is a list of the mods that were provided on the Craigslist post
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Mod list.
• Engine (everything below professionally installed courtesy of PTUNING from Manassas, VA)
o VQ35HR, UpRev software
o Stillen V3 Supercharger, powdercoated black. Dyno is 400 rwhp, 314ftlb torque
o 50 State Legal (per Stillen)
o AAM Competition Fuel Return System
o ATI Super Damper Street Crank Pulley, Stock Size 5.5
o Flywheel resurfaced
o SETRAB Oil cooler
o Wideband A/F gauge, installed drivers A pillar
o OEM Nissan GTR Fuel Injectors (x6)

• Suspension
o Hotchkis Front and Rear adjustable swaybars
o Adjustable swaybar end links
o KW Variant 2 adjustable front/rear shocks and coilovers. Spanner and shock adjuster included.
o SPL FKS Front Compression Rod Bushings
o Whiteline 350Z/G35 Front Lower Control Arm Inner Bushings
o Whiteline 350Z/G35 Front Lower Shock Absorber Bushings

• Exhaust
o Z1 Motorsports High Flow Metallic Catalytic Converters
o Motordyne TDX2 Shockwave dual exhaust
o Powdercoated black exhaust tips
o Passes NOVA emissions and safety just fine.

• Brakes
o Bosch QuietCast Premium Ceramic, front and rear (professionally installed Late 2018 by NTB)
o Stainless steel brake lines (all 4 wheels)
o NAPA Premium Front/Rear rotors

• Clutch
o ACT Heavy Duty Clutch Kit w/ Performance Street Disc (professionally installed by Ptuning)
o Z1 Motorsports Clutch Concentric Slave Cylinder Elimination Kit (professionally installed by local shop)
o Stainless steel clutch lines
o Tilton Master Clutch
o RJM fully adjustable clutch pedal (version 4)

• Rims/Wheels
o Enkei RPF1 18x9.5/10.5 +15 with hub rings. Entire rim painted black by Mfgr
o Front: 265/35ZR18 97Y XL Continental All-Season DSW06
o Rear: 285/35ZR18 101Y XL Continental All-Season DSW06
o Tires bought March 2018, 2K mileage/ 95% thread.
o Lugnut key

• Trunk
o Z1 Motorsports upgraded 350Z Hatch Struts. Yeah probably overkill being that I don’t have a spoiler.
o Spare tire
o 2 OEM Elbow jack stands with hardware

• Cosmetic
o Brand new, reupholstered drivers leather seat. Perfect match to passenger seat and OEM
o Black vinyl top (professionally installed)
o 30% Driver, Passenger, Rear tint (professionally installed)
o Black door handles
o Blacked out Z badge (front, sides, rear)
o Blacked out headlights (meaning the internals are painted black, not the outsides. You still get full light at dark don’t worry)
o Removed ‘Nissan’ and ‘350z’ badges
o Short antenna
o Go Hokies!

Known Defects:
• Minor Functional
o Due to 10+ years of neglect (honestly I could have bought the car like this I have no idea), the door lock cylinder is rusted over. A physical key will not unlock this car. The wireless key fob works just fine, that’s the only thing I use. I’ve tried cleaning it, soaking it, etc, so has PTuning. No choice but to go to the dealer since it involves the keys. The dealer said that it’s a simple enough repair, just costs $500 or so. If the buyer wants, I’ll pay for it, that’s fine. If not, I’ll take $500 off the selling price.
• Minor Cosmetic
o One of the rear exhaust tips got too close to the fender and kinda burned it. Visible, but not really noticeable.
o Front fender has a black mark, got hit by something in the road
o Slight curb rash on one of the rims
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Let me know what you guys think!

 

Not to be taken personally BUT VERY seriously....

Do you have advanced driving skills (like a performance driving school or some race experience)?

Only ask because in order for you to take advantage of such modifications SAFELY and without risk to self and OTHERS, advanced skills ARE REQUIRED.

’Nuff said.

(Howz that for my yearly #drivingschool “preach?)

 

Well not necessarily. I just want a nice fun car to drive me to work or school and take it easy for a while before I think about racing or anything like that if I actually end up purchasing the vehicle. If I do end up purchasing the vehicle, I'll definitely be very cautious on the road and get some practice and experience before I actually put the car to its full potential.

 

$18k is pretty steep for a car this old ... I always see modifications as a zero adder (meaning those modifications and the risk they pose to the longevity of the car de-value the car the same amount they cost) but they are some solid mods. and if the owner is only pushing the car to 400hp than it's probably pretty safe.

Mic brings up a good point about driving experience - how old are you? If you can be mature / wise beyond your years, leave traction control on, stay away from the 'car scene' crowd that can tempt you into legal / moral troubles than you may exempt yourself. Do you have any speeding/aggressive driving tickets? Your insurance is going to skyrocket.

With that being said - go take some driving classes and put the car on the track to let those horses run. I find that I drive my car pretty tame after I have had the chance to get it out to the drag strip.

If you can get the seller to drop down into the $12k to $15k range it may be a deal worth taking. Otherwise, I would look for a DE for next-to-nothing as your first Z.

I'd get that door lock key issue fixed ASAP ... the fob or mechanism inside will crap out at some point!

Let us know how it works out!

 

Yeah I'll definitely try and negotiate with the seller to get a more reasonable price if things go well, and I like to believe that I'm a safe driver haha. Thanks for all your tips and I'll try my best to keep you guys updated!

 

Sweet car? No doubt, but some major things to consider -

1) Is it wise to put a fairly new driver in a 400hp car that statistics show has a hign mortality rate in crashes? Prolly not
2) If I read it correctly this car costs roughly 8 to $10K more than most Zs it's age. Here's the "Gotcha" bc chances are really good you'll end up financing 1/2 or more ($9K) over 4-5 years. When it's paid off, you'll have a 17 year old car. The worse news- even if you can borrow $10K against this vehicle and wreck it, you could easily total it and still owe money (upside down on car value vs outstanding debt).
3) Get insurance quotes 1st!
4) If these details don't bother you, go for it and have fun!!!

 

If, after all that, you’re still going to press forward, 😆 the car itself seems to be loaded with good, name brand, non-junk parts. Owner narrates it well in that there’s obvious attention to detail and not one of those, “testing the waters, yo, hmu for details, I’m tired of getting tickets for drifting” ads you see on Facebook all the time. 😜

Oh, and the words “professionally installed” - while not necessarily a guarantee of quality - is a good sign that it’s not a hack build-up.

Good luck.

 

I would think that whoever modded this probably drove it hard. Hidden and expensive repairs could be lurking so it should have a professional inspection check it out thoroughly. If you are not going to race it, why not just get a stock 350Z for a lot less (and likely more reliable)?

 

The car's level of engine modification will cost more to maintain. It's not factory, and you can expect some unusual problems that require expertise outside the dealership. If you "hit the wall" with something, Nissan probably cannot help you with this extensively modified car. The original owner is familiar with each step during the modification process. You are inheriting a fully modified car without the advantage of a controlled learning curve. I never trust aftermarket warranties. Unless you have deep pockets, look for a stock 350z with about the same miles.

 

by no means, in my previous post, was I inferring that the parts were not high/higher end. They are good stuff for sure!

and how 'bout a hat tip to the OP for quite possibly the simplest user name 'ooo' ... why didnt I think of this!

I dont think we can assume that it's been driven hard and/or that big maintenance is lurking ... I would almost say the opposite based off a 400hp tune. The Stillen Vortech on an HR can easily but tuned up to 500+ hp.

but yes, take it to a 3rd party mechanic for a professional opinion, get a leak-down test, and a compression test. I always look at seals and under-carriage for leaking fluids.

 

And my comments were in no way influenced by anything anyone said.... just my interp of the CL wording. Heck, as usual, I didn’t even read your response bealljk. Laff..... 🤡

J/K, beall. Ar ar

 

You're a good guy Mic, good good guy!

 

to much for a first car man.
better to learn to drive and loose control in a 200HP car than a 500HP car..

 

Thanks for everyone's replies! I think I'll just wait some time and get a stock 350z in the near future. Thanks everyone!

 

don't hesitate to pick up a salvaged-out DE for cheap and let that be your 'learner' shhit-hits-the-fan and you're out $2500.

 

OP, I am confident that even a stock 350z will be more than fun for you for the time being. You have received some pretty solid advice on here from some guys who have been around for quite a while, even since the Z was released. Buy a stock Z, drive it for a bit and have fun. Then, when you are ready, begin modifying it. That way you know EVERYTHING that has been done to it and how it has been driven since those modifications were installed. That Z is a nice build with great parts, but may be a bit wild if you are not used to that kind of power.