coldel

...this week. Wow it has flown by and seems like I only got the car last week. Thought I would pop together a little summary of my highs and lows and I generally need a good excuse to procrastinate Month 1...mixed emotions. I knocked £1k off the asking price, but even then thought I could have gotten more off, so despite the saved cash I was a little worried on the drive home on the M40 that it was too easy and there must be something wrong with these cars. My paranoia was heightened when on the way home I had a loud noise coming in from the passenger window, it was open a crack, when I tried the switch to fully close it the window wouldnt move. I remember the drive home and wasn't having the wonder drive I thought I would get. Window problem was sorted shortly after getting home when I found the window lock button... Month 2...loving the drive, then hating the drive and my bank balance, then loving the drive. Car was great, loads of grunt, plenty of looks and I had a clean car at a discounted price. Then, I noticed clicking at the back, rear axle problem, £300 part from Alex and fixed. So not that big a problem...until the clutch went and I was back at Alex's virtual door clutching nearly £700 to get that sorted nearly £1k on repairs in month 2. Once all done though car was driving fabulously and I was experiencing the full power of it with a new clutch installed and Alex is my best friend and saviour. Month 2 to Month 3...my wife Rebecca announces she is pregnant, I fear for the Zed. Month 3...excitement and anticipation. As I can finally spend some money on cosmetic stuff, just little things that set it apart from a standard Zed, change the badges around, some wrapping on the interior which had gotten a little tatty, aluminium gear knob. Just those little changes that I find make me feel like the car is now mine and I don't feel like I am driving someone elses car anymore. Its at this point I am eyeing up a set of Volks on the forum...then looking at the bank balance...then back at the Volks...bank balance...Volks... Month 3 to Month 4...Rebecca urges me not to sell the Zed Month 4...drooling and some frustration. ...the Volks are mine, and they transform the car. Looks great, handles great and very happy with the investment. I am drooling. Then I notice paint flaking off the backside of the car, actually there are a few too many stone chips appearing on the front bumper too. I nip it into RTPerformance and Taras says that the front and rear bumper have had a 'blow over' so a cheap paint job which was now failing. I get the rear bumper properly resprayed (not a cheap effort like teh previous Coventry based idiot called Steve had done... ) and it looks good, I am saving the front bumper for something a little special in October. Month 4 to Month 5...Rebecca wants a car, we discuss selling the Zed and buying two reasonably priced cars, we bin the idea within seconds, another stay of execution for the Zed. Month 5...surprised. Bought a throttle controller from doogyrev, really pushes on the revs in the sport modes and I start to leave it in SP4 to really get a good response from the engine without doing 10mpg. Its a great little gizmo every non upreved Zed should have. Surprised that the engine has so much more to give, and I am now casting an envious eye over at Abbey and their uprev capability. Its not top of my priorities list on the car though I am seriously looking at front bumper options. Car mechanics are generally pretty good, Engine is grunt-tastic, the gearbox is very clonky though and I am getting more and more concerned about it. Month 5 to Month 6...redundancy, panic, valuing Zed and how we can keep going on the money we have. Got a job out of nowhere, Zed survives once again and Becks wants a Ford Focus for her and the baby, I can live with that. Month 6...contentment, almost. Gearbox is driving me crazy, its so clonky, it feels like it is moving around, is it going to drop out the bottom of the car at 70mph on the motorway accompanied with a burst of cogs and bolts? Will350z takes it for a test drive, its ok, its normal, just a bit loud, clearly I have a special Zed with extra loud gearbox, that must make it worth more than a standard Zed. I discuss at length on the forum and someone says try molyslip, I foolishly scoff the idea, and then add it anyway, the loud clunking stops. I stare at the car from my upstairs window, its shiny, it looks amazing, black colour coding all over the car, I have resprayed some of the interior parts which had scuffed a bit over time I am now converting some of the engine bay starting with bolts etc - its coming together and at the same time I am learning new skills on working with cars. Life is good...just that front bumper...and waiting for that 'all go' message from someone to sort it out then I might be happy with it, probably.

If you are strapped for time this one is finished and ready to go mate http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/nissan-gloria-japanese-boso-skyline-fairlady-350z-supra-silvia-chaser-/130584349606?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item1e676f0ba6

I bet you own stables and some 'estate' out in Surrey as well sparky

I bought my Zed in April, and have to say prices didnt really change that much in the months leading up to it. Last couple of months though have seen an alarming change in price, hoping it is a winter thing.

I haven't had any comments about me negatively, that I have heard, mostly people just complimenting the car and being quite pleasant to me. Although the majority of the time of Zed ownership has been whilst living in Putney, where Aston Martins and the like are quite common sights. The only negative comments I get are in jest from my Dad about being overpaid and never working - based on the fact that I have been made redundant twice in the last 18 months and both times managed to sort out another job very quickly so having these huge chunks of garden leave

I find it bizarrely relaxing just having a 15 min browse of ebay for Zed stuff

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Linea-Corse-Z2S-19-alloys-350Z-G35-Skyline-Split-width-USED-5x114-Rota-/330624552158?pt=UK_CarParts_Acc_Wheels_tyres_Trims_Car_Rims_ET&hash=item4cfac24cde

I have to say the wife has admitted to being scared of driving the Zed - after she kerbed two of my Volks GTVs within 2 weeks of buying them. I got stressed like you did on the first one - second time just relaxed about it...no point ranting!

May coldel

September coldel

There is something of a Gone in 60 Seconds feel about those photos

Usually the company shipping it will charge you import tax, google import tax calculator to find out what you are meant to pay

Field of Datsuns?

I wouldn't agree, maybe sometimes, but Mr BMW with his blaring headlights tonning it down the inside lane of the M25 last night certainly wasn't going to benefit from brighter headlights...in fact here is a hypothesis to ponder, having brighter headlights makes a driver over confident, hence more likely to speed, hence more likely to have an accident

Yeah the flyeyes let solid light through at the level it is projected, but there is less of it. I would guess it would be better to put in some better bulbs/LEDs or whatever to compensate. Although that said, is it lack of light that causes accidents or just rubbish driving. I always tend to find its the latter

That's true. Although I haven't heard anyone say that 'headlights are poor' before? I certainly can see pretty much any car at night with its headlights on... ...actually the most annoying thing at night is the daft twonk driving around with very bright headlights (and not just because they left the main beam on) which dazzle other drivers.

+1 Split it up, its a bit of a hassle but will be better...for everyone on here who is eyeing up all those lovely parts!

Its something like just over 4 litres in a Zed - others can confirm, pretty sure 5L will cover it.

Getting so cheap for a Z nowadays its scary!

Most likely yes, import duty (which you will have to pay to UPS or whoever is the courier) and also you should get a VAT invoice at some point I believe. You should he has good contacts to the US and will save you the hassle of sorting out any problems that may arise. There are many options though, I got me one of these http://www.stillen.com/product.asp?id=STIZTBE01&c=&r=&b=&m=all Otherwise Sushi's offer of £120 is a good one on a brand new one

Well, Windsor is pretty far you would think but a clear run on the M4 in the Zed probably about 20 mins away

Took some advice off here, bought some molyslip and put it in the gearbox. The clunking hasnt gone completely but has made a hell of a difference, not as loud as it was and has probably reduced the 'clunking occasions' by about 50%

Men never grow up when it comes to cars, they will always be kids in an adults body.