happypants

Part II... please be civil, original thread here:

https://my350z.com/forum/showthread....threadid=17325

For those of us in Chicagoland...

I found a section of I-294, south from I-290 and north of 95th ST where my 350Z Performance will get this weird repeating bouncing/porposing motion, which actually made me feel ill going northbound. I tried to vary speed between 60-80, doesn't seem to help. The only good thing about going southbound is the concrete alternates with sections of asphalt.

Happen to anyone else?

I saw in one of the other forums someone said the ride got much better with 150lbs of pamphlets in the hatch. I haven't had a chance to drive this route again with more weight in the car.

justwant1

I'm not so sure it's the car or the tires, but rather 294. I don't get this on other roads, just 294.

Does anyone else experience this on 94, 90, 55, or 80?

VR3

I had the bouncing motion on 294 heading south towards the toll both coming from the 90. Haven't experienced it on 90 nor 88 yet, haven't spent much time on those roads to comment.

justwant1

I haven't experienced it on any other road but 294. This makes me think it's not the car or the tires but the road itself. Like I said earlier, I experienced this in my old car, a Passat.

BriGuyMax

iTrader: (4)

I experience it on I-355 southbound AND northbound.

there were also a few small sections of road on I-94 in Michigan that it happened a little on my way to Detroit.

I don't think it's only 294 that does it.

sgraham

My girlfiriend is in Sugar Grove from Naperville past Aurora on 88 you want to check your fillings and kidneys after that stretch

BriGuyMax

iTrader: (4)

That stretch of road is HORRIBLE in any car....let alone a Z.

luke4me1st

I get the same bouncing in my car since I drive on 294 @least twice a day. It is the road cause when I had my 300zx it was that bad too. Do you have a Black 350z by any chance? I see it on the 294 a lot, I have a redline that i just bought last week.

sgraham

Yes, I've got a black touring, all options. I'm out to Sugar Grove/Aurora a lot and 88 is brutal all the way around but, come on, my 96 TA is like a caddy. I've got a big block Chevelle that is HIGHLY modified and that rides great comparitively. The head of service at Gerald, where I purchased, had heard of the problem from more than a few local Z owners. One guy had taken a video camera in the car at night. I am not a whiner, I know it is a serious sports car, I know other cars are hopping around but I'm convinced Nissan has a serious problem on their hands. Otherwise, I LOVE the car. Getting a clear bra on Monday. Did the Black Fire routine and it looks great. This board has been an incredible help. Thanks to everyone!

flyzmd80

iTrader: (1)

Hi luke4me1st !!!

Glad to see you have a new Z. My wife and I met you at Gerald Nissan when they first had a CS delivered. Did you keep the 300ZX ? My CS is awesome and I have not encountered any of the problems mentioned on the board. (except the Bose) Hope to see you about in your Z. Look for my plates!!!

Bob Z

Omega350Z

Ive had the car over 2 months now and i havent even hit either of those roads yet. Ive been up and down 355 with no problems, and i drive the EOE (Elgin Ohare Expy) every morning to work and all these cars are smooth as butter in my touring. Dunno but ive never had an "pleasant" drive on 294 / 94 EVER, no matter the vehicle.

happypants

I just drove it tonight and it was a bouncy ride in some sections on EOE. Having driven it more around the area, the car also feels like it 'jiggles' too much (uneven bounces across the four corners) Ultimately, these issues make the ride in my car tiring instead of enjoyable.

The only difference I noticed is the specs for the cars indicate the Touring model is a little heavier than the Performance model.

Did you make any mods to your car? Do you have anything in the hatch area?

sgraham

Last night was another scenario where I was knocked around. Try 355 Northbound of 88, 88 East of Farnsworth tollplaza. Elgin O'Hare I have not been on. No other cars lights were bouncing like mine. Really sucks. I had the car in for a quick oil change at 500 miles and the mechanic noticed tire pressure was 41lbs. Knocked this down to 32 and it helped a bit but Nissan has a problem and it is with the car in my opinion.

happypants

I drove on I-294 on Sunday and it was horrible on the concrete sections. More so Northbound than Southbound. Driving back it was sort of funny watching an 18 wheeler's trailer bouncing around like my car. I can just imagine what the 350z looks like to others!

My tires are all at 35 Lbs when warm, so I don't know what else to do.

I gave Nissan USA a call today and a case has been opened. Nissan said to arrange a date to drop off my car at a Nissan dealership. I talked to service at McGrath Nissan, and the tech said that he could road test, but only on Lake St (20) so this isn't going to show off the problem. Called Nissan back, waiting for Nissan to tell me what to do.

Right now if anyone asks me about purchasing a 350Z, I am telling them to avoid it and find some other car. I never would have bought this car if I'd known how bad this would be. I just don't expect a $30K car to handle bumps like an empty bed pickup truck.

sgraham

I absolutely agree. I was out toward Barrington today to get a clear bra put on. On 90 just west of 355 same thing until it gets smooth where the road is new. This is ********. I wouldn't have bought the car either if I had known.

happypants

How much did the install cost you? The clear bra is one of the things I want to have installed if I keep the car.

sgraham

3M clear bra was $700. Jim did a great job as far I can tell. It still needs to cure.

Protech
Jim Stangohr
3 Bernard Court
Buffalo Grove, IL 60089
847-502-7003

happypants

Thanks for the info. I talked to Jim & I will get the bra done in the next month or so (I don't drive the car every day).

I talked to one of the service techs at Gerald Nissan today, and he said that three people have reported the problem, and the service area is able to reproduce the problem, but no fix as of yet from Nissan.

The tech also said they'd tried out an 80lb bag of rock salt in the hatch area, and it made it WORSE!

My next step is to write a letter to Jim Mateja in the Tribune, maybe it will be published in the Sunday auto section. I also need to find out how to escalate this within Nissan.

What a pain in the *** for a new car. If I could return the car I would have done it a long time ago!!!!

luke4me1st

Hi Bob!!

I have traded my 300zx when I was purchasing the 350z from Continental Nissan. I do not really see the bouncing a problem since it only happens to me on 294 and I drove my friends TA & my other friends Firebird ad it was same exact issue. As for the Bose I thought that people were just whining but when I got the 350z the sound was worst than in my 300zx which also had stock Bose system and 110k miles of speaker abuse!!!

BriGuyMax

iTrader: (4)

Who was your salesman at Continental??? I got my Z there too.