SimonKevNorris

It sounds like I should have tuned into Top Gear last weekend. I only saw a few episodes of the last series and managed to watch all of the TGT on the internet (where the joke of the celebs all dieing wore a bit thin after the second time they did it - I would have thought if they moved around the world they could have based more of the show in that country rather than they really could have been anywhere),

@GT Driver - thanks for that. I'm afraid when mechanicals (or gardening for that matter) I definitely have two thumbs if not three. I'm fairly sure that my 350Z is an HR as it was one of the last ones around at the end of 2008 (the dealership went from around £2k off to £7.2K off when I bought her - the next week they were £9.2K off then they stopped the offer). If you could get a recommendation about the indy route I would consider that. The Nissan Dealership I used before was very convenient - I could walk there in 20 minutes or if I was lazy (or the weather was crap) catch a bus. it's more about knowing that someone who knows what they are doing or cares about it more than the price (not that main dealers are guaranteed to meet either of those). I don't use the car that much as my desk in AIB Bankcentre is literally 15 minutes away (or less). Tyres are a lot cheaper now from when I first had my 350Z in 2008 (not that I needed replacement tyres for a year or more) I did get them slashed once when I was parked in Sunbury-on-Thames (off road in a parking area). Those RE050s sound a nightmare. When I bought my second 1.7 Puma (I killed the first one sadly) someone had put the cheapest and nastiest tyres on her. Even with a relative lack of power the first time in the wet was interesting.

Thanks for that.

Don't forget that he played Simon (the car dealer who pretended he was a secret agent) in True Lies. Another talent gone too soon.

I know that Barclays in Poole (Dorset) had a system in place that while you 'owned' (i.e. allocated) a car spot if you knew you were not going to be in the next day then you had to let someone know and that spot would be made available for someone on the list of 'waiters'. It was abused though - a number of people would just let a friend know and they would get the spot. No chance for me to park there as I was a contractor. Mind you I did not mind as Barclays had been asked to make the spaces available to the public on weekends (as the office was very close to central Poole) so they made all the parking bays smaller than the standard size so the public could not use them (I had a 1.7 Puma at the time) - a 350Z would be too large for the spot anyway.

My 350Z is overdue for a service. I'm currently based in Ballsbridge, Dublin, Ireland. When I had my MOT in the UK (Reading) before Xmas last year I was advised that I would need to change the front brake pads and replace the rear tyres. I know some owners are based in Dublin (thanks for the replies to the question on fuel) and I'd like to hear where you take yours. Previously, since new (2008) my car was serviced at the Nissan Dealership in Walton-on-Thames. Each time I've replaced tyres in the past I've kept the original make (Bridgestone?) I did read (in EVO magazine) that the car should be left on the original make and type of tyre.

Yes, my thoughts as well.

Out of interest - how old is the car and how many miles has it done?

Nice video - there were sections of the passes that I would not be able to do as I suffer from vertigo (so the drop off the side of the road would be hard for me to take). I've stayed in Lecco five or six times as part of my trip to Monza for the F1 race (usually around mid September). The last three occasions i drove my Puma 1.7 from the UK to there. The last time I went to Stelvio it was snowing at the top so I did not fancy going down the northern side (there were too many transit vans doing silly speeds and cutting the apex on the hairpins for my liking.

They posted earlier that they have 0 cash at the moment. If the car is OK without the engine I'd probably think about saving and getting a replacement engine - although I'm not sure how expensive or long such a search would take (the time delay could be used to save up but maybe with no car to drive).

OK, I will look for that then. My car is currently in an underground car park with the front (where the car's front is) fairly low. I don't think I've ever revved the engine very high - it's still low mileage - just over 22K miles and most of that was done in the past 12 months. OK, thanks for that. I think I'll still be happier when I can get some decent fuel for her. Until then I'll look for some additive and not go crazy in her.

I presume an HR was the final version (engine wise) of the 350Z? I'm fairly sure that it's the version with the most HP (standard). Is the only way to find out to look at something under the hood/bonnet? Will it be on a plate or is there some other way to tell? http://i.imgur.com/6uzxZ5b.jpg Thanks again

Thanks for that. There is one Topaz down the road from me (I'm in Ballsbridge) in Merrion Rd which is near St Vincent's Hospital. I've been in there before as on Sunday they do the jet wash for you. I'm fairly sure that I checked before - but I will do so again. There is a larger one at Mt Merrion that I pass coming back into Dublin. Thanks for that. I took my 350z up to Newry in December 2015 in order to get an MOT when I was in Dublin last. I did manage to get an MOT in Reading before I left the UK in mid December 2016 so I don't need to do that trip again until later in the year. I'll try the Topaz garages to see what they do - but I'll try and get an Octane Booster and drive carefully.

Thanks for that - my car was full when I came over here (suitcase in the passenger well and travel bag on the passenger seat) and the 'boot' was choker block (I'm glad I have a coupe). So, the only place for some jerry cans would be the roof in a roof box and I'm not even sure that would be possible to do.

I bought mine new in 2008 and it came in Twilight Grey - it's still that colour just a little dirty at the moment.