evest

The police are really cracking down on driving offences everywhere.

I used to be in the "they should be out catching 'real' criminals" camp, but I admit my attitude has changed - mainly because I had to go on one of those speed awareness courses (which TBH are actually quite well run) myself a couple of years ago (yep - works van too!). When they flashed up the stats for the number of people killed and seriously injured on the roads each year, and how much it costs financially - I suddenly understood why so may resources are being aimed at this area.

Bit unlucky with the white lines though - it's not always that easy to see where your overtaking rights end until you're in the middle of the manoeuvre.

You're right to tell your insurers ASAP.

Unlucky mate.

Premiums are up this year - I just renewed with 7 years NCB, no points and still copped for a £50 rise.

Cheers, PM sent!

Hi,

All set to change my transmission oil at the weekend, having just picked up the correct fluid from Nissan (75w85 API GL4). However, they didn't have any crush washers for the filler/drain bolts in stock - and stated that the old ones are 'solid' and can be re-used.

I thought the washers always had to be replaced when doing this sort of thing - similar to changing the engine oil?

Also - they quoted me just over £100 for 4ltrs (they only sell it in this quantity) of LSD oil - seemed pricey, no? (the trans oil was £32.94 for 3ltrs)

Cheers,

Trying to get my engine bay a bit blingier...!

I understand that pi-thon hose locks are no longer being made, but does anyone know where I might still be able to get some - or another brand which does the same sort of thing? I need red ones.

I'm also after a set of the Z logo billet caps for the fluid resovoirs, again in red (or silver as second choice)?

Cheers!

Fair enough mate - each to their own I guess.

Either way, if I could get away with keeping my beloved Zed for 10 years I'd be a happy man!!

Has anyone looked into LPG conversions on Zeds? Surely that is a possibility?

 

 

I remember reading that somebody somewhere has tried it. Afaik it didn't turn out well in the end - and the obvious counter-argument is: if economy is an issue, buy a Toyota Prius!

 

I think this is the dumbest argument going. Life isn't just all about the loud pedal. I have a roadster for the sound, handling and fun factor - why pay more than I have to to run it? It is just about the only roadster going for around £10,000 that is reliable and comfortable for people over 6'0" tall. Sure I could get some boring FWD cab but they handle badly and sound rubbish. I have had/tried MX5's, MR2 mk3's, S2000's and even the disgusting Audi TT but they are so cramped, maybe a BMW 3 series but frankly I doubt they would really be much cheaper to run anyway. If I had a spare £2000 lying around and I was pretty sure theoretically it was sound I would go for an LPG conversion straight away - it would mean I could use my 350Z every single day and not just 2-3 times a week.

 

I'm glad so many of you would clearly turn down a £1000 a year or so saving just for the benefit of looking 'cool' on a web forum.

Why is this a dumbest argument going?

In my opinion it seems dumber to buy a car in the knowledge that it's on the thirsty side - and then spend a couple of grand get it modified (which is no small, or cheap mod) to suit your economy? Surely just get a car (ok - not a prius, fair enough) that ticks the boxes in the first place. And in my earlier post I demonstrated that you can save money by driving in an economical manner (which is free to do) - so I'm not promoting the 'loud pedal' either.

I'm sorry if my remarks upset you or anyone - was intended as friendly banter.

Has anyone looked into LPG conversions on Zeds? Surely that is a possibility?

I remember reading that somebody somewhere has tried it. Afaik it didn't turn out well in the end - and the obvious counter-argument is: if economy is an issue, buy a Toyota Prius!

Driving Style and here is some proof to back it up:

Here are the results of an experiment I did today:

Conditions:

Daily commute = 52 miles (26 miles each way)

Fuel = Shell V Power @ 135p/ltr

Route is a mix of A and B roads plus a short stretch of dual carriageway and a handful of roundabouts.

I haven't clocked average speeds but this doesn't really matter too much.

My MPG average going to work this morning was 26.6, driving as per my normal style which is, er, spirited

Returning from work, I made a concious effort to avoid sharp acceleration (which was hard!) and heavy braking, keeping it to 70mph on the dual carriageway, and generally driving conservatively (and probably a bit more sociable too...). I only went above 3000rpm once which was for a necessary overtake.

My MPG average for the return journey was 33.1!!!!!

Some sums (feel free to chip in if I've done 'em wrong!):

Going on the initial MPG - I was using roughly a 2 gallons of fuel each day (outbound and return) which is 9 litres - as the petrol prices stated above this costs me £12.15 a day.

Driving more economically works out at 1.3 gallons per day = 5.9 litres, which would cost £7.97 a day!!!!

Savings:

Daily = £4.18

Weekly = £20.90

Monthly = £96.14 (23 days worth of commuting)

Modification = FREE!

Not as much fun though...

How much should i be looking to pay for a backbox? If i want an OEM one.

Nissan will charge you in the region of a £1,000,000 for a new one. Elsewhere prices vary upto around £300 (I think) - money which could be better spent on a lighter, shinier, better sounding upgrade!!

I had my OEM backbox welded at around 50K and it lasted until 75K.

Hmm I'm gonna have to get the front bumper resprayed...I hate leaving my car at body shops!

 

I wouldn't worry too much about the resprayed bumper - so long as it is intact any doesn't have any signs of substantial repairs. Sounds like it might just be a poor respray (or possibly a poor factory job!) - a decent bodyshop should sort it (in fact some come out better than new - exact match). If you are going to get it resprayed it might be worth thinking about getting a paint shield put over it too - or you'll be forking out again in the future (speed = stone chips!).

 

Is there a reason for the weight? I'll have to search for the guide and give it a try...

The weight is there to help you when you close the boot. The boot is on struts, so the weight allows you tp give the boot just a gentle push too close it - the weight then does all the work. If you remove the weight, you will need to push the boot all the way down to close it, as the struts will try to keep it open! (unless they're like mine and need regassing... !)

 

Thanks for your help!!

I've filled in the blanks I can...!

Hi everybody!

 

I've now owned my 350z for just over a week and have a few questions. I have loved every minute of it so far!

 

- What is the recommended oil to use in the engine. The previous owner used Millers 5w-40, is this the correct oil and how good is Millers? Can I top it up with Mobil 1 5w-40 instead? If carry out an oil change, what type and make of oil should I replace it with? The car is currently at 44k on the clock.

There is a very detailed guide to oils section on here (hint hint!). You can use whatever brand you wish, personally I use Titan 5w30 (used to be called Silkolene). Visit Opie Oils for more info.

 

- Is it normal for the plastic front bumper colour to change or should it stay the same colour as the rest of the car? I have noticed my front bumper is a slightly different shade compared to the rest of the car. Could it have been resprayed? Considering the car is only at 44k, the front bumper has a tremendous amount of stone chips which stick out like a sore thumb! You can see the yellow/white undercoating.

Normal

 

- What is the safest leather cleaner/conditioner for the Alezan (tan) leather? I don't want to end up staining it!

Any decent brand cleaner should be fine - I currently have Autoglymm, not had any probs

- Are 350z's meant to judder slightly when idling?

 

- When I press my boot release button above the number plate, it latches open (but still locked). I always have to press it a second time to completely release it. Is this normal? Yes

 

- I always have to press the unlock button on the fob 3 times to unlock the passenger door, can I have it programmed so all the doors unlock upon one press? I think so - or just drive solo - more fun!

 

- How many minutes do I have to wait till I can take the engine up to red line? If I only wait about 3 minutes before taking it up to redline, what could happen? Don't know TBH, but I don't think it's particularly good for the engine to be redlined until the oil has warmed up

 

- I've noticed some condensation in my headlights, it disappears during the day and reappears during a cold night. Is it ok if I ignored it or will I risk damaging the HID bulbs/units?

 

- When you're parking close to a curb and you turn the steering whilst stationary until the wheel hits the curb and the steering stops turning, is that bad for your car? Can that affect your alignment or would you have to hit the curb harder to affect your alignment? How bad is dry steering on the 350z? Shouldn't really be an issue if you're stationary

 

- My airbag light has come on - I searched the forum and found the reset procedure. I tried this and the airbag light disappeared and triggered again a few hours later. I've tried this more than once with the same result. Any suggestions? I've had this too - have you been cleaning the interior? Sometimes you can knock the connectors under the seats - make sure they are all secure and reset again - this worked for me. If this doesn't work then get it checked out.

 

- I am fitting a Toyosport performance exhaust system onto my car. Anybody know what they're like? Don't know - try search

 

Your help is very much appreciated. No worries mate - enjoy the ZED!

Hassan

 

p.s - I apologise for the 1000 questions!!

Somebody will be along shortly to banter you about the search button

Will do, cheers

Help needed!

I have di-noc'd my centre console which has turned out well, but am trying to re-assemble the cubby door - does anybody know how to load the two springs so that the cubby door lifts properly?

Have tried all the most obvious ways but doesn't seem to operate right...any ideas much appreciated!

Cheers!

They reckon up to 10BHP, but I don't have an accurate figure for my car. It is substantially lighter than the stock system, so some performance gains there - the car definitely felt a bit nippier (might be something to do with the extra noise!!).

I'll email them to see if they still have my old system there - I'll ask if they could weigh it in to see what the actual weight saving is.

How much did they charge if you don't mind..................

£595 fitted mate, that includes a £40 charge for the labour.

Having installed a custom 'ghetto' air duct pipe - I got my CF cooling panel from Taiwan yesterday. Maybe a bit of a gamble buying relatively cheap CF items on ebay, however I decided to take the risk, and here are the results:

Seller - Corseautosports, item number 140468189328

Price delivered approx £55

Bought on 23 Oct, delivered (from Taiwan) on 29 Oct with full tracking.

Very good communication from the seller.

Fit - as per the pics, two of the holes were a bit of a squeeze/slighty off but with a bit of brute force, no problem - no modification needed.

Pics:

Overall, I think this was great value and I'm very pleased with the results.

Okay - all done!! I'm a HAPPY man!!!

Really nice growl on start up then a deep rumble at low revs, developing into a deep sporty rasp as you open up the throttle. Car felt great after the install, a noticeable performance increase - my 7 year old stock zorst was showing its age!

Here are the pics and hopefully a clip of the car outside Exhausts UK - top blokes there by the way!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcF4zZUDTr8

You don't seem to be running the pipe from the CF inlet that you cut into your bumper?

Would seem to me to make more sense to attach it directly off that surely?

Not sure the pic shows it very well - should have done a WIP photo! It does attach directly on the the CF inlet - the bit you can see through the inlet in the second pic is the inside of the pipe. I bent the wire frame of the duct to shape and snipped the corner for a snug fit - then a mix of double sided sticky pads, tie wraps and insulation tape. Hopefully this will hold up to road test - if not I'll reinforce some other way.

Well it 'aint exactly pretty, but for minimal cost less than £5) and a 10 minute job, this will hopefully give me a bit of extra cold air to the short ram:

It will require a little further modification soon where it enters the OEM airbox snorkel, as I have a CF cooling panel on the way which feeds into it. This will also have the bonus of hiding the cheapo flexi-duct pipe!

Having already had my stock backbox welded in the usual place, it's wearing out again so time to upgrade.

As funds are low, I had a replacement 2nd hand stock back box ready to replace my worn out one, for the time being - however, unfortunately my local Nissan dealer said that the mid pipe was also in quite bad shape and needed replacing too.

So I have brought forward my original plan to get a full new COBRA Sport system from Exhausts UK up in Sheffield, who will custom fit it to the car. Y-Pipe, resonated mid-pipe and back box, plus choice of tips on the day. Booked in for Friday!

Pics and clips to follow ASAP!

For now though - rolled tips (top left) or draga style (top right)?

Thoughts?

ps - this means I will soon have the 'spare' stock backbox for sale, full details to follow in the sales section.

Totally agree about TG and Clarkson, unfortunately a lot of his comments stick like the French engine etc etc he is more an entertainer than car critic, drives far too many £100k+ cars to have any real grip on reality for me, but I love the show for the laughs

True - Top Gear for laughs, 5th Gear for car advice!

Not that anybody here will need any reassurance about what an 'effing awesome car the beloved Zed is, but:

is anybody else, like me, enjoying their elevenses today whilst watching Top Gear on Dave, and seeing the 350Z Roadster pitted against the Audi TT 3.2 and the Chrysler Crossfire 3.2?

Despite Clarkson's everlasting 'horrible Datsun' snobbery, it just makes me grin to see the Zed exposed as the far superior car it is in terms of bare stats, power, pure driving pleasure, and the smile factor!

I guess one of the things I really love about the Zed is that you have to give something to the car - it's made for people who enjoy driving (as well as looking the dog's b0ll0cks). You put in the effort to drive it with a bit of interest and ability (rather than electronics doing all the work for you) and the rewards come back at you tenfold. The Crossfire doesn't even come in to play in my opinion, and whilst the TT is by no means a bad car, they're just a bit, well, consumer common... Okay so the TT won the rather silly beach drag race - but then it's got 4WD. So who cares.

Zed. What a car. The missus is away, I'm off outside for an afternoon of detailing.

Good car choice! Shame about the colour

Rear axle thing is common but can be fixed fairly easily - there are threads on here.

Not sure about the suspension issue but somebody else will be along shortly.

A 53 plate with only 23K on the clock sounds like it's been harldy used at all - so should be in fairly good nick - of course it depends how those miles have been conducted.

Look out for all the usual things though - body work, condition of interior etc... does it look cared for? Have a drive - feel smooth etc... any tappety rattles or strange noises then leave it. Have a look at the tyres and make sure there is plenty of tread left - new rubber is pricey.

Def check on the service history.

Not sure on the width, fairly big rump but don't think it massively wider than other cars.

Hope this helps, good luck with the purchase

Most can be welded, but it won't last forever - mine was welded about 2 years ago (45,000 miles) and its now done 75,000 and is blowing again so needs to be replaced. I picked up a second hand back box (had also been welded but much less mileage than mine) on ebay for £50 - but you can get brand new OEM spec for much cheaper than Nissan prices.

I think £850 should get you a superior custom made system which can be made to look and sound the same, whilst weighing much less - worth considering before you fork out for the OEM set up. Plus - if you are encountering this kind of problem with OEM, as most of us have, do you really want to spend all that money on the same kit (which will have the same eventual problem)?

Good luck!