andrew.pacey

Cheers for that - all makes sense. Will check it out at the weekend. Thanks! Andy.

Hi All, Noticed this a couple of times now. I don't tend to use the Zed for travelling to work during winter but like to on the odd occassion. A few weeks back I had used the car for work and when I went to go home at about 6pm (it had been freezing all day ground was solid), I couldn't unlock the drivers door. It wasn't a case of the door being 'frozen shut', but I just couldn't operate the lock. Could get in the passenger side no problem, but couldn't even then unlock the drivers door using the interior door lock - was just really stiff and not possible to press it down. After 10 mins perservering with trying the keyfob, interior lock etc it eventually worked and let me in. I thought it was just a one off and thought nothing more of it. Yesterday morning it had frozen quite hard over night, and I couldn't get the drivers door to unlock again. Same symptoms but as I was already running late for work I took the other car. Has anyone else had this same problem? Is it a fault or just bad design? Passenger door lock has operated fine on both occassions. Any help would be appreciated! Andy.

No - but good idea - will have a look on eBay now. Thanks!

Hi All Just wondering if anyone knows anywhere you can get 350Z cufflinks from? Found these, but way too expensive! http://www.dd2.co.uk/Church_House_Jewel ... links.html Would ideally like the Z on black circle like the logo on the wings. Anyone seen any about? Thanks! Andy.

Hi All My warranty is due to expire at the end of the month. The dealer wants £695 to extend this for 1 year (Nissan Warranty). At purchase I was offered a year for £300 (Dealer Warranty) and I'm waiting to find out whether this offer is still available. What are peoples recommendations in terms of warranty extension? Are the warranties from RAC, AA worth looking into? Many thanks Andy.

Hi All, Many thanks for replies. Liking the idea of sticking two together back to back and then screwing on....also the slot in number plate surrounds are a good idea...not sure if they'd look a bit weird though - they're cheap enough on eBay so might order a set and see. There are a few sets with quite thin borders which would probably look OK! Interesting about plate companies not being able to sell illegally spaced plates after 1st October. Will this apply to the 'showplate' companies too? I had both sets of plates made by a showplate place....even the legally spaced set as I didn't want the supplier ref and BS number on them, which the proper plate companies have to do legally now. Just out of interest, how many people on here have actually ever been pulled over with illegal plates? And has anyone ever heard of someone being given the maximum £1,000 fine, or having had their cherished number revoked by the DVLA? It's only spacing I am changing on mine. I've bought PAC 5Y but will space it PAC5Y. Still in the legal font and letter sizes...but without any supplier id or BS no. Bargain I thought - £550 + fees in the most recent DVLA auction. I was bidding on PAC3Y in the previous auction, but it went for £3,400 + fees (out of my budget!) and is now listed on regtransfers for £19,995. Crazy! Would love P4CEY however that is £35k which is plain silly. Was going to advertise mine but the best valuation I've had is NewReg at £2k, and I'd rather keep it than sell at that. Andy.

Hi All, I've recently bought a private registration plate. I haven't received the documents yet from the DVLA but I've had the plates made up. I've got one set made up that is spaced as it should be in order to be legal for road use, and I've got another set made up with incorrect spacing for off road use. My question is - what is the best method to attach the number plate to allow for easy swapping? I don't want to screw/bolt it. I was thinking of using magnetic tape, sticking two strips to the car and two strips of the opposite magnetic pole to the plate, however I've e-mailed a chap on ebay who sells magnetic tape and he reckons they might fall off when hitting potholes etc (off-road potholes that is) as magnetic tape doesn't perform well under shock. He's suggested velcro tape but I don't know if this is going to look very 'flush' against the car. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance! Andy.

Yeah, hopefully they'll get it sorted properly this time. I'll be disappointed, not to mention raving mad, if they don't. Had a call from the bodyshop on Monday to say the windscreen people have removed the back screen ready for respray of the tailgate, but have advised for the seal to be replaced. It advises this in the service manual too - so I best get it done to avoid leaks. £94 + VAT! Eeek! Andy.

Thanks everyone! I'll get a bluetooth adapter ordered on pay day then. Is there anywhere to get them cheap other than the stealers? Thanks Andy.

Thanks Stew.

Hi All, I got my Zed about a month ago, however have had loads of problems with the dealer, getting them to sort some paintwork problems I discovered. Anyway, hopefully they're getting it all sorted now. My questions are.... 1. Bluetooth. My car has the mobile phone cradle in the compartment between the two seats. I've seen on here that you can get a bluetooth adapter to connect into this. Has anyone used this with an N95, and does it work OK? Is it worth the expense? How well does it integrate with the car? 2. I have an iPod and a Dension iceLink, which I used to have connected to a Kenwood stereo in my old FTO. I've kept the iceLink. I suspect I can probably get a new lead to connect the iceLink into the back of my Bose head unit. Does anyone know if this is possible? I know you can use the iceLink with different brands of stereo simply by changing the lead - but am unsure as to whether one exists for the Bose unit or not. If not I know I can get a lead to connect to the AUX port - does the Bose have one, and if so what type? Thanks in advance!

Hi All, Thanks to everyone for the supportive messages and advice. Thought I'd give you a quick update. OK - letter received from dealer to say that they refuse my rejection of the vehicle and request for a refund - quoted the terms that I signed, and then went on to say if I do not collect the vehicle within 7 days of the letter, they will charge me £14 + VAT per day storage charge. I've spoken to the solicitors at my bank, and whilst they think that if I pushed further I stand a good chance of getting a refund, to take it to the next level I need to start communicating with them through a solicitor. Obviously the problem with this is that it will drag on for a long time, and legal fees are going to be high (although the dealer could be asked to pay them IF the court ruled in my favour), not to mention the stress involved. The option they advised was to take the car back, have it inspected by the RAC or whoever, then get a quote from a reputable body shop on a pro forma invoice, and take them to the small claims court, where I wouldn't need legal representation. In the meantime, I've spoken to the bodyshop who did the repair (!!) job for the dealer. He basically said that when he did the job, he could only do what the dealer asks and pays for. Which was essentially as little work and cost as possible (his words not mine). He said that he advised what work needed to be done to correct the car, communicated this to the dealer, and was told to go against his own advice and do the bare minimum. Personally, I would have thought any bodyshop concerned about their reputation would refuse - however it's obvious the dealer put a lot of work his way. So, I phoned the dealer again and asked if we could discuss having the car rectified, at their cost, to a good standard - and based upon that I would write a reply to their letter. The dealer principle called to say that they would be willing to do this. We discussed on the phone what I believe needed rectifying. He said he'd get it all priced up their end and call me back with a decision (nice to know their decision is based on money and not on morals or customer satisfaction). The sales guy I had been dealing with called today to say that they would repair everything EXCEPT the tailgate. I said I disagreed with this and pointed out to them that when I spoke to the bodyshop, even he agreed that the paint around the window rubber will flake off as the weather gets under it. They wouldn't budge. Begrudingly, I suggested we split the cost of rectifying the tailgate 50/50 since we did not agree. Even then they refused. They said that the body shop would sort the tailgate at the same time as the rest of the car if I wanted, at a cost to me of £180 + VAT. They basically then said that was their final offer and would put it in writing. So, still not happy. However, I have phoned back and accepted their offer on the condition that I could draw up a sheet explaining problems, what I believe needs sorting, and success criteria in judging whether or not the repair is acceptable - so that there is absolutely no argument afterwards as to what constitutes an acceptable repair. They agreed as long as my sheet was reasonable. I visited them in person this afternoon, with sheet, and they have agreed to it. I was also assured that this time, it would be a good job. Now - the only problem this leaves is the tailgate, and the fact that they are using the same body shop. When I spoke to the body shop the other day, the guy was of the opinion that he could have done a good job if he wasn't held back by the dealership. I have visited the body shop today in person to show him a copy of the sheet, to which he is agreeable. I've also told him that if there is any argument with the dealership about the amount of work to be done, to ring me immediately - to which he agreed. His premises are professional and the work he had in whilst I was there looked good. Interestingly, he also showed me a car that they currently have in from the same dealer - which is a car one of their sales guys had reversed into a post. When repairing the vehicle, the body shop noticed some minor damage on another part of it and contacted the dealer to ask if they wanted it repairing whilst it was in (therefore at a lower cost). They said no!! So - the car is most likely going to the body shop on Monday. I'm not sure how I feel. I'm still absolutely fuming about how I've been treated. I'm feeling slightly nervous about the quality of the job. But feeling happy that there is a chance that I am going to get my car back in an acceptable condition. I've also negotiated with the body shop to have the tailgate repaired, at my cost - but not via the dealer. But he will do it at the same time. Really not happy I've had to back down on the refund. But also not sure I can go through the stress of taking them to court. And I'm certainly not in a position to lose out to them financially. At least this repair is based on a pre-agreed checklist - which I've attached for you to see. Apologies for the long post!! I hope I haven't bored you too much. And thanks again for all your support. Fingers crossed it will be resolved to my satisfaction and I can start participating in the rest of the forum! I'm off for a beer. Andy.

certainly used to, worth checking I don't think my RAC membership does; however, I've just realised that my bank does - as I have a Barclays Additions Plus account. Thanks for pointing me in that direction - they have a 24hour legal helpline so I'll give them a call tonight.

I have RAC cover through my bank. I didn't realise the AA / RAC provided legal advice as part of their breakdown cover?

Oh...forgot to say. He also stated that it was my responsibility to ensure the vehicle was free from defects. The order form I signed actually says "The purchaser(s) is/are aware that the vehicle was first registered as shown in the details provided above and is/are advised to inspect the vehicle for defects. However, the purchaser(s) is/are warned that if the vehicle is inspected for defects whether by the purchaser(s) or by someone on their behalf, defects which such an examination ought to have revealed will not later on be the responsibility of the seller". So, the way I read that is - you are advised to have the vehicle inspected, but if you do and any defects are shown up, these aren't the responsibility of the seller. Not that all defects are my responsibility once the form is signed.

Just had a call from the dealer principle of the dealership where I purchased the car. Basically saying we're sorry you're not happy, we will be writing a response, but unfortunately they will be refusing a refund. Went on to say that the car is in an acceptable condition at the time of purchase. Recognises the paint job isn't a good one, and would be willing to have that mutually rectified. Said basically that their go at correcting the defects was a "gesture of goodwill" - however - that terminology wasn't used when they called me to book the car in - which in my mind is an admission that they recognised the paintwork was not of an acceptable standard. I stated that I didn't feel talking about it over the telephone was helping as we clearly had differing opinions. He even stated during the conversation that this is an "argument that I wouldn't win" and that in his experience matters like this rarely end in a refund, and that it would take a very long time to resolve. I stated that I didn't return the car lightheartedly; and realise that it may well take a long time to resolve; however that shouldn't change my rights as a customer. He then went on to state that they accept no liability whatsoever for the car being stored on their property, but they would not be charging me for it. It was clear that bit was all being read from a script. Still not happy. Interesting to note that he commented that he also drove a 350Z. Wonder how happy he would be if it was HIS car. I absolutely cannot get over the attitude. It's horrendous.

Hi All, Thanks to everyone that has replied so far. Update - the dealer called a couple of weeks back to say that they were going to 'fix' all of the paintwork problems. I asked how they would do this, and they said they were taking it to a bodyshop to have everything correctly fixed. Good news, or so I thought. They called last Thursday to say the car was ready. Additionally they had fixed the passenger window (slow opening) and exhaust (was really loud on the day I took it back - apparently it had moved). They had resprayed the drivers wing, bonnet, roof and rear bumper. Here are the results... Above: rear bumper Above: bonnet left side Above: bonnet right side Above: Wing Above: Wing Above: Wing Above: Tailgate - all they have done here is flatted down a bit Above: scratches on passenger wing that were not there before Above: General sloppiness OK - I don't think I need to say what is wrong, the pictures speak for themselves. An absolutely shocking job in my opinion. I've spoken to consumer direct, and explained that I now want a refund. They've advised me to write to the dealer, and that if I want a refund, I must stop driving the car, as that in itself is confirmation that I am happy with it. So, I've put it all in writing with pictures, stated the sales of goods act etc etc, and took the car back to the dealer on Friday. I now await a response. I gave them a copy of the letter but have also posted one recorded delivery. I've got to give them 10 days to respond. I've spoken to Nissan GB and they don't care. Basically said it is between me and the dealer. I've since worked out that the car wasn't "Nissan Used Approved" as they only gave me 3 months warranty - apparently it would be 12 if the vehicle were used approved? However, the other vehicles they have listed for sale at the moment are all used approved. What else can I do? I am absolutely fuming. They now have my car, and my money! Andy.

Hi Guys Where would I stand legally in asking for a refund? If I decide to go down that route, it'd be good to be armed with all the relevant information. The contract of sale is very vague - the only thing it really says is that if the car is inspected by myself or a third party (i.e. RAC car check etc) then the garage are not liable for any defects. I had a general look at the car....checked tyre depths, oil etc etc but certainly wouldn't class that as an 'inspection' as my mechanical knowledge is limited. I'm sure there must be some information somewhere on exactly 'what' benefits buying a car on the Nissan Approved Scheme brings you - but I can't find anything anywhere. And the lady I spoke to at Nissan GB was unable to provide anything either. Andy.

Sarnie - to be honest the pics make everything look incredibly obvious - they had to - I've taken the photos very close up with a digital SLR. The bumper lines only show in the right light. With the naked eye nothing is particularly obvious except the bonnet which I noticed pre-purchase and the dealer agreed to fix as part of the sale. The wheel arch is now very obvious since some of the paint fell off when I touched it after spotting a tiny bubble. The trouble is with these cars is that the minute you're sat behind the wheel all you get is a big grin and an overwhelming feeling of happiness! So no doubt I didn't inspect as closely as I should. I also probably didn't pay as much attention as I would if I was buying privately or from an independent dealer - I wrongly assumed that being 'Nissan Approved' these cars are hand picked and chosen by people who know what they are doing. Lesson learnt the hard way! I took the car back to the dealer on Monday - expecting their guard to be up and on the defensive. To my surprise after pointing out everything there was no disagreement. They have sent the pictures that I have taken to Nissan to see how much is covered under the 10 year anti corrosion guarantee, and once they have an answer will discuss options. Also pointed out that the passenger window doesn't work correctly, and that they didn't give it the correct service prior to purchase - it's done 25k and they gave it a P1, but I believe it should have had a P3 since it is 4 years old. The book states 'when either milestone is reached' - i.e. mileage or age. P3 is 4 years or 36k according to my book. So - awaiting to hear back from the dealer now. Still contemplating asking for a refund, depending on what they come back with. I've had everything out of the boot and there is no accident damage - so not really sure what has warranted a respray of the rear bumper and tailgate - perhaps vandalism? Haven't been able to get in touch with the previous owner....I'm hoping once I have the V5 I might be able to track them down. Thane - you sure it was this car? As far as I am aware, it was only listed on Autotrader the week before I bought it. I've basically just been waiting for a low mileage GT to pop up locally. Thanks to everyone for their help and replies - looking forward to a long and happy 350z ownership - whether it be with my current one (fixed) or a future one following a refund! I'll definitely be getting another if I follow the refund route.......the missus had better watch out because I'm in love with this car! Andy.

OK - it's been glorious here today, so have given her a good wash. She looks stunning! With the exception of the following pictures, which show the paint problems I have been talking about. First off, here she is looking sexy as **** Here is the paint bubbling on the bonnet, which I noticed before purchase and the dealer has already agreed to fix This is the bubbling I found on the drivers side wheel arch the other day - touching it caused a bit of paint to fall off leaving the rusty metal exposed This is the problem I described where there is an open edge on the lacquer on the tailgate. This is a close up, it doesn't 'look' that bad with the naked eye. The following two photos show the masking I described - looks like the silver was painted on upto the mask line, and then the whole lot lacquered - so you can see the lines but cannot feel them And finally here is the colour mismatch between the bumper and the rest of the car - not sure if this is the difference between metal / plastic materials that you are talking about? Seems quite noticeable to me Am going to take it in to the dealer tomorrow and see what they say. What do you guys think? Andy.

I'm hoping for a sunny day tomorrow so I can wash it - if so, I'll post some pics. The most obvious work is around the rear screen - there is a mask line around the window rubber, leaving a thick open edge on the lacquer - which can be flaked off with your nail. Obviously in time the weather will get under it and cause it to flake off. The drivers side front wheel arch has a small amount of paint bubbling - touching it causes paint to flake off. The paint that flakes off is incredibly thin! There is rust underneath the flaked paint. Do they not make cars like they used to? My 13 year old FTO which I p/x'd for the 350Z had virtually no corrosion at all on the paintwork. It was like new when polished. The bumper is smooth to the touch all over, but you can see a mask line 'through' the lacquer - around the top edge of the bumper, then around the outside of the number plate recess - as if some silver has been sprayed upto the mask line, and then the whole lot has been re-lacquered - if you see what I mean. The bit on the bonnet, which I did notice at purchase and the dealer is fixing as part of the sale, is paint bubbling - albeit a small amount. If you put your nail through it, there is a white powder underneath. Is that due to the bonnet being aluminium? I'm much calmer about it today...regardless of any imperfections in the paint work, I can't seem to stop smiling when I'm driving it! Fingers crossed the dealer will sort. In my eyes the open lacquer edge needs sorting, the bonnet and wheel arches need sorting properly, and the back bumper needs respraying properly. I just hope they don't touch up over the corrosion etc, only for it to come back again soon. It needs to be done properly. I don't think I'm being unreasonable for a 4.5 year old car that has set me back £15k! Although the salesman at the dealership seems to think all of this is perfectly normal of a car that age. My passenger window has stopped working properly today too - sometimes works, sometimes doesn't - when it does it goes very slow. I'm sure the dealer will sort that too. Thanks Andy.

Well....this goes from bad to worse! In my lunch break I spent an hour going over the car with a fine tooth comb. It's obvious that the rear end has definitely had a lot of paint work done. When I viewed the car it was really sunny, so none of it was noticeable. The rear bumper has been sprayed, as has the tailgate. You can see mask lines on the bumper, and the tailgate and bumper are both a minutely different shade to the rest of the car. One of the rear arches has a rough paint texture on the lip, as if someone has sprayed over dirt & grime. I'm absolutely fuming! I've spoken to the dealer who want to see the car. But the salesman was very defensive. "It's a 53 plate car so more than likely it will have had some paint work". You what? A few stone chip touchups etc yes, I don't expect to pay £15k for a car from a Nissan Main Dealer that has had a dodgy respray! Am I being unreasonable? Where do I stand? I've spoken to Nissan GB who wanted to speak to the sales manager at the dealership, however I said I'd rather speak to them direct initially. Now when I say 'dodgy respray' I'm not talking a real cowboy job...but it's not perfect, and if I was paying for that respray there is no way on earth I'd accept it. If it was an option, I'd quite happily give the car back for a refund and buy another Z from elsewhere. The whole reason I bought from a dealer was to ensure that exactly this did NOT happen. I asked the woman at Nissan GB if she had any documentation relating to a dealers obligations under the Nissan Approved Used Car scheme, but she said she had nothing. Spoken to the garage that did the previous MOT to see if they could put me in touch with the previous owner - haven't heard anything back yet :-( GGRRRRRRRRRRR

Thanks for your reply mate. Yeah, I bought it from a main dealer - Crystal Motors in Boston. I don't actually live in S****horpe....that's where the car was MOT'd previously so I'm just assuming the previous owner must have lived in that general area. I'm not quite sure how the car ended up in Boston!! Andy.

Yeah, it still has the wheel arch lining. I'll take it off at the weekend and have a look to see if anything nasty is lurking underneath. My preference would have been black or blue colour wise....but went with my head in the end. A few years ago I had a Saxo VTR in black and it was notoriously hard to keep the paint looking new. And the black/blue zeds I've seen have all had lots of stone chips on the front bumper...they obviously don't show up as much on a silver car. Hope I can get it sorted - I'll be disappointed if not.....the 13 year old FTO I traded against it didn't have any corrosion on the body work (or at least none that was visible on the surface!) Anyway....I'll keep my fingers crossed. I love absolutely everything about the zed! Well, apart from the fact it cost me £85 to fill up its monster tank the other day.... Andy.

Thanks - that is reassuring. Although I suppose that will go out of the window if it turns out someone has 'repaired' the wheel arch, if it's had a scrape or whatever. Hopefully someone out there will be able to put me in touch with the original owner so I can find out the full story. I've got a previous MOT, I'm going to try ringing the garage that did it to see if they can help find the owner. I don't have the V5 yet as I only got the car on Friday - that should give the name of the previous owner which might be helpful. Andy.