Hey everyone!

I am very close to buying my first 350Z

I live in Hungary and the Z market is almost non existent here. Currently there are 10 cars for sale. 7 of them are coupes, 1 has no engine, 1 without a price (looks little ropey), 1 with lambo doors and one that is twin turbod.
So I am left with 3 choices. Two of them are DE non rev up, and one HR. Prices are similar, but HR is the most expensive, as expected
Car number 1 is the cheapest and a DE. It was brought to my country 2 years ago. So could be clocked(very common here), no way to tell. It is also wrapped and I don't want a wrapped car cause who knows what is under it

This is how I am left with 2 options
DE - 14,500eur - 280hp, manual, 185.000km, brembos, lsd, all electric everything, bose system
HR - 15.500eur - 313hp, manual, 181.000km, doesn't mention brembos(cant see it in pictures), no mention of lsd, no bose sound system

DE has some mods but the all the original parts come with the car. HR seems to be stock, but had quite a few MOT fails for modified parts
DE spent 2,5 years in germany and the rest in hungary. Most likely no rust, cause here they don't salt any roads. HR spent 8 years somewhere, no history so yeah
I also don't care about power that much. I do not want to be the fastest kid out there. I just want a cool project car, that is naturally aspirated, rwd, manual

Knowing what I currently know I want the DE, but surely you guys can tell me new things. Below I listed the differences I know of

DE vs HR differences:
HR internal are 80% different
HR has exhaust side vvt, DE only has intake side
HR redlines at 7500, DE at 6600
HR has dual intakes, DE has single
HR and 05-06 DEs have slight differences in the interior
HR has different hood, because of the taller engine
HR has JK40, 05-06 DEs have CD009, older DEs have CD008
HR has different headlights

DE vs HR reliability:
HR gallery gaskets are more likely to fail than DE
HR slave cylinder fails until replaced with aftermarket one, DE is fine even stock
HR consumes less oil, DE can vary from car to car. non-revups are less affected. but still can
HR trans is bulletproof, DE trans is also very strong but can have problems with 3rd/5th gear syncros
HR intakes are problem free, DE needs a plenum spacer (preferably)

Please let me know if I left out anything from the comparison and give me your thoughts about what you would choose
Thank you!

 

You've done your research. I applause the detail and hitting all the major bullet points. I wish more 1st posters took that approach!

Both the DE and HR are great engines. I think you will find more aftermarket support for the DE vs. the HR. The known issues with the DE are easier/cheaper to deal with vs. the HR (Gallery Gasket failure). You can resolve the weak synchro issue on the 03-04 350Zs by upgrading to a CD009 Transmission which I believe started showing up on 2005 AE and 2006 Revup equipped 350Zs, maybe even some non-revup 2005s had the CD009 (not 100% sure).

The interior was facelifted in 2006+ 350Zs and the front bumper + headlights also changed a bit. These are not major deal breakers. I think the DE is still an excellent choice when the price and history is right. The HR is also a great choice, it's just the oil gallery gasket issue that's a real pain to address. I don't think you can make a good decision without visually inspecting both cars. the MOT failures on the HR are red flags. These could have been minor bolt on modifications or serious stuff that could negatively impact the reliability of the drivetrain.

I own and drive a Revup DE and one thing I love about it is the low to mid-range torque (especially with the MD MREV2 + spacer). I don't believe the HR produces as much torque in the mid-range as the DE (been a while since I looked at some charts). Oil consumption is a concern, many owners report oil burning issues on the DEs, but I think much of this boils down to lack of maintenance and abuse.

Me personally, I like the DE, but I wouldn't mind an HR either. One thing I really like about DEs is the all aluminum intake manifold. The HRs uses plastic!
Cheers!
-Icer

 

Lowest mileage, least molested DE or HR with good service records.

You might have to wait for the right one. Don't settle.

 

Have them both professionally inspected by a 3rd party / private mechanice an buy whichever car comes back with the cleanest / least problematic insepction …

Im a fan of the DE as it has better support and but I’m biased. But the HR is a step up and does have stronger internals and a significantly stronger bottom end (if you plan to turbo / supercharge it)

 

OP doesn't say whether these Z33s are USDM cars, but the points made are valid. As someone who races a VQ35HR powered car in W2W racing and drives a VQ35DE track model on the street, both are great cars. Since there's not much service history on either car, I'd weigh a physical inspection by an experienced tech willing to provide you a written report on ALL systems (drivetrain, chassis, brakes, electrical, etc.) for what's the equivalent of $300-500 for a full assessment. It's money well-spent to get an expert opinion on what you're buying. If the tech was trained by Nissan, it's a bonus.

As others have said, a well-cared Z (no matter the engine) will make a difference. One final point- in hot weather the HR tends to run hotter faster than a comparable DE-powered Z. Fewer moving parts and not hitting limp mode due to overheating is an advantage for the earlier model.

 

Thanks for your feedback

I looked into the cars a bit more. The HR MOT fails were for suspension, exhaust and wheel modifications mainly
But also had some fails I can't interpret. Anyways I did some more research (i also updated my OG post) and the DE is gonna fit me a lot more. With more low/mid end torque
Also this will be my only car so I want the most reliable option I can get. This is why I gotta stick with the childhood dream the DE

 

I read about that overheating "issue"
Also these are EDM cars. The DE is basically full extra big daddy spec in europe

The DE also seems a lot more cared for. With quality aftermarket mods, and the original parts were kept. I think after everybodys response here, and the research I put in the DE is gonna be my car!

Thank you!

 

I don't want a turbo car. I already had an A4 1.8T 190hp and now I got a A5 210hp 2.0tfsi. Both quattro MT6
I would like to get an NA car. I like the linear power a lot more. And less things to go wrong on it

 

The HR only has an overheating issue with hard and continuous performance driving. For most ordinary driving in Hungary, it's not much of a factor. Still, your decision to go with the DE makes sense. Both the DE and HR have ample midrange torque and power for your needs.

 

I had a similar dilemma when buying.The HR is pricier but offers better performance and newer tech. If you don't care about power, DE is a more economical choice.Additionally, pay attention to the technical condition of both cars, especially regarding rust-prone areas.