RXS

As others have said above, it's probably not a problem if the car hasn't been thrashed on a daily basis. It's probably not a problem even if it has. Who knows ?

Thing is, if you have any doubts in your mind just walk away from it. There are plenty of Z's out there. However, it doesn't matter what you end up buying, you will never know how its been driven or what fuel has been used. It's all a gamble buying a 2nd hand car but most of us will only ever be able to do that due to new car prices.

In fairness to the seller, at least he was honest. I bought my Z from a very reputable 'Lotus' dealership and part of the deal was that they threw in a full tank of fuel. I bet they didn't put V-Power in it.

I only ever use high octane fuel but thats only because of the scare mongering that goes on. For all i know the original owner could have run it on premium unleaded sine day one

I have these exact wipers on my car. They do work well, look nice and are a good price - but my set have an odd characteristic that they seem to exude white powder or crud from the rubber, which takes a bit if scraping to get off usually (and it keeps coming back). I've no idea if that is common to these particular blades or if mine were a friday afternoon batch - I've never had blades do that before. I figured it's because they are very cheap.

 

I was thinking of getting Bosch aero blades next time.

Don't worry you're not going crazy. Mine on the 350z do this aswell. Its on the topside of the blade so doesn't affect the performance of the wiper but looks pants. I have no idea what causes it. At first i thought it was just polish that i may have splashed onto them when getting a bit over enthusiastic but then i noticed it when i hadn't polished the car. Its a weird one. I have these wipers on other cars too but don't get the same problem ???

bootlip spoiler makes sooo much difference if you ask me... but i am biased

 

Hey SteveM. Where did you get your boot spoiler from ? I need one just like it as i want something subtle. Is it a good fit etc.

Regards, RXS

In fairness i think that standard cars will be worth more than modded ones. There aren't many classics about that are worth more in modded form than they are in standard trim. Its a double edged sword. Its nice to personalize your car and make it your own but when you come to sell it you normally strip all the bits off to sell seperately because it doesn't increase the selling price if you leave them on.

Like someone said above, the Z will probably take another 20 years to be worth strong money anyways, so lets just enjoy and look after them in the present wether that be in standard or modded form

I'm with you sasha. Thats definately 53mm.

Looks like a beauty

This is disgusting. On one hand Nissan are admitting that the discs are not fit for purpose due to being below the minimum thickness but on the other they won't offer replacement. Go figure??? I'm not sure if its just Nissan in general but their service and aftersales care is appalling. They are all smiles when taking your money from you but when you want something in return they are nowhere to be seen. It's happening more and more these days too. This country is all messed up

I wish you the best of luck with this one.

Hi, I already asked the question as i fancied a set of these. The seller stated they are for the american market and therefore 'beam correction' would be required. Would be nice if it said that in the add

To ATTAKZ. How do the 'sunsport' grills fit ? Do they fit over the existing grill or do you have to remove it ?

Regards, RXS

I must say, i bought my Z in October last year and was undecided about it. The weather between October to now had been pants and i had only done relatively short runs in it. I was in love with its looks but on the fence regarding its performance. During this week i had a full service and when i got it back i gave it the clean and detailing session of its life. Me and my better half then took it out today and did 230 miles from Warwickshire along the M1, dropped onto the A50 and A6 into Derbyshire, through to Matlock, Bakewell, Buxton, along the Cat and Fiddle to Macclesfield, back along the A523 to Leek, back into Derbyshire and then headed down the A50 into Leicestershire and back down the M1 to Warwickshire. The sun was shining and the roof was down for the majority of the drive. We took in all manner of roads and i can only say, the Z now makes perfect sense to me and the more i drove it, the better it felt. I was even so happy i let the Mrs drive it. She loved it too.

Keep it, Treat it to something new, Drive it and fall in love again

I personally think that looks awesome. So much so, that i need one of those grills in my life. Where did you get it from, if you don't mind me asking ??

Regards RXS

Stunning

Hi there. Stunning looking Z. Do you polish by hand or do you use a polishing machine ? If you have done that by hand thats a superb finish you have achieved. I'm off to frantically search for some dodo juice purple haze wax now

Hi there. As the title suggests i am after a full set of mudflaps for a pre facelift 350z roadster in Gunmetal please. I would like them as new as possible in their condition please as i don't want to have a respray unless really necessary.

Just send me a pm reply if you have any knocking about.

Thankyou

The front tyre in the close up pic is an 'accelera'. I think these are the lower priced end of the scale for a larger company but i can't think who they are now ??? They are pretty good in the dry but questionable in the wet. If you have these on the rear aswell it may well be worth swopping them out as soon as you have the budget to do it. I know thats easier said than done and its a shame because they have decent tread on them but i'm just thinking of your safety and you wouldn't want to put a dink in that lovely looking Z

Looks like i am not the only one who feels the Z performance could be improved after all then. And to the poster who stated i am obviously a 'Straight line jockey' you don't have the 1st clue about who i am, my driving ability or the vehicles i am able to compare my findings for the Z with. Trust me, its a very informed argument. Coupled with the fact i am an advanced driver and have been for over 10 years and have done more track days in different cars and bikes than i can physically remember. As someone posted a good while back now, i think the rose tinted specs are being worn by most.

I think most of the above posters are missing the point and this has gone off topic and is now a dick wagging competition. The question was, how long did it take you to get used to the Z's performance ? Not, Who won't hear a bad word said about their car ?

 

On the contrary, I think it is very much you who is missing the point of the thread and the original question. There is absolutely no point in comparing the performance of a £25k touring car to supercars or boyracer straight-line demons. Nobody is trying to claim that the zed is god's gift to humankind and is far superior to every single other car that has ever been made. To make it simple, here's a couple of examples of your sort of logic applied to other situations:

1. Quatar Airways first class sux big time because it is far less luxurious and comfortable than my private jet and does not come with a personal champagne filled cabinet or a widescreen satellite TV.

2. The cul-de-sack house in Surrey that somebody bought for £300k is rubbish because it is not a huge Penthouse in the heart of London with a private swimming pool and a harem permanently stationed in the bedroom.

3. What sort of an imbecile would drive along the gorgeous scenic road that meanders through small coastal Italian towns in some of Europe's most picturesque areas when you can drive down the motorway and get down south 4x faster?

I want to live in your world

Looks like i am not the only one who feels the Z performance could be improved after all then. And to the poster who stated i am obviously a 'Straight line jockey' you don't have the 1st clue about who i am, my driving ability or the vehicles i am able to compare my findings for the Z with. Trust me, its a very informed argument. Coupled with the fact i am an advanced driver and have been for over 10 years and have done more track days in different cars and bikes than i can physically remember.

 

Wow. Cool story. Are you the Stig?

BTW, any road car is a compromise and can be improved to suit a particular drivers wishes. The fact that the Z can be improved from standard is no great news flash, the same can be said about most cars.

Ha ha, no certainly not the stig but i have been fortunate enough to have friends who have a wide variety of cars that they use on track regularly which has allowed me the opportunity to test them out too.

Its been interesting to read some of the responses above and find out what kind of people we all are. Its eye opening to see that even though we all have one thing in common (presumably we all own 350z's or have done at some point) our thoughts on the car and our perspectives in life can differ massively. I guess thats what makes life a little more interesting.

I will end my input on this subject as lifes too short by saying, i have been misquoted a number of times in the above posts and my viewpoint has been taken totally out of context on occasion. I have not meant to offend and i hope it hasn't come accross that way. This is an amazing forum and a valuable source of information for me. It would be nice to meet some of you one day so i could put faces to names and who knows, we might even be able to have our opinionated discussions face to face rather than from behind a keyboard. Oh well, enough of this, i need to go out and learn how to drive my Z properly. Was that 6,000 or 7,000 revs you said when i should be changing gear ?

The 350z is a gt car not a super car or track car. It takes alot of money to make it feel fast an nimble. It is very heavy and ye suspension is very soggy and unplanted in its standard firm.

 

I only noticed this because I drove a standard set up for the first time a few months back. I have always had aftermarket suspension on my car so jumping into a standard zed was quite a shock.

 

It felt very unstable and soggy in comparison to my car. It did however feel smoother as mines is a much more raw experience to drive.

 

Looks like i am not the only one who feels the Z performance could be improved after all then. And to the poster who stated i am obviously a 'Straight line jockey' you don't have the 1st clue about who i am, my driving ability or the vehicles i am able to compare my findings for the Z with. Trust me, its a very informed argument. Coupled with the fact i am an advanced driver and have been for over 10 years and have done more track days in different cars and bikes than i can physically remember. As someone posted a good while back now, i think the rose tinted specs are being worn by most.

I think most of the above posters are missing the point and this has gone off topic and is now a dick wagging competition. The question was, how long did it take you to get used to the Z's performance ? Not, Who won't hear a bad word said about their car ?

I didn't read any article saying the Z is trying to be something it's not. Thats my own opinion. And if you read this entire thread there are quite a few people who reckon its bit of a beastie and hundreds of others threads over the years. All i was saying was i expected more from my Z but its all subjective and very opinion orientated. I have driven quite a few 'performance' cars and therefore don't feel the Z is anything to write home about but in fairness i have never driven any other vehicle in the Z's particular class like a Porsche Boxster for instance so i don't have a direct comparison. I have driven lesser horsepower cars that felt more nimble though and a few 'Supercars' that can't even be compared. I'm not a Z hater by the way. Nobody is making me own it. I choose to do that of my own free will.

And i agree with the comment posted a few up from here that made reference to the fact that we should think ourselves lucky for owning a car like the Z. I do feel lucky as its more of a car than i ever dreamed i would own. I guess i just haven't gelled with it which disapoints me as i had wanted one for ages. Like i said, i might fall in love with it over the summer when i have had it serviced next week and start to use it a bit more.

Ha Ha, I know, its shameful but she is a good old stick. Despite me not being in love with the Z it didn't stop me spending 5 hours cleaning it today and ordering a heap of service goods from Zmanalex for a service next week though. Maybe i will fall in love with it over the summer ???

You didn't gel with your Zed that's your opinion but some people on here cant hear a bad word being said about it. I brother never got on to well with it either. His opinion. It doesn't make it wrong its just a preference. I personally love mine but we don't all have the same taste, if we did we would the world would be boring

 

Ah the old zed tinted glasses

RXS your not the only one who wasn't blown away by the zed, i was really excited when i was getting mine, but personally i found it a disappointment. not that it wasn't a good car as it is. but not as good as i thought it was going to be.

I totally agree with the above. Its not that i dislike the car. Its just not the performance animal i had heard about and for that reason i have been disapointed with it and invariably will leave the keys on the sideboard and probably drive my vectra instead because that doesn't try to be something its not. And in response to some of the above comments, i wasn't comparing the Lotus Evora S to the Z in any way other than by making the point that some cars feel quick just standing still and when on the move they make the best use of their power. After all, the Evora S is in the supercar bracket in some respects which the Z wasn't ever meant to be. It is a good job we are not all the same i totally agree with that. I also respect other peoples opinions and thats all they are at the end of the day, Opinions.

Is the Lotus Evora S a doughnut carpark car then ??? Ha ha. Don't get me wrong guys, i was looking for a Z for ages. I am well aware of what it is. Getting back to the point though the original poster asked how long it took to get used to the Z's performance. My reply was 10 minutes. Another 10 minutes after that i was bored and can count the times i've driven it in 5 months on one hand as i never look forward to it. The comparisons i was making were down to bhp and a vehicle feeling as though it stirred the soul and made the best use of its available power. The Z has good horsepower but more importantly is has good torque too. It just doesn't feel like it to me when its on the move. I regularly drive a Skoda Octavia VRS with around 225bhp so it has less bhp and torque than the Z and its a family bloody saloon and a Skoda for goodness sake. Its a more involving and enjoyable drive though but everybodys opinion is different i guess. Maybe there is something wrong with my Z or 276bhp is just not enough to haul its lardy ass about.

I have driven an S2000, Boxster even an Aston Martin Vantage, none ripped my arms off either in normal driving. As someone said the difference is the torque and its application through the range. If you really want to drive the Zed and 'feel the power' try keeping it in a lower gear than usual and keeping revs at 4k+ and change on the redline - you will notice to a better degree how responsive and powerful it is then - I have taken a few passengers out, one guy who has a Clio 197 and prior to that had a Subaru and he reckoned it felt more powerful and quicker than either.

 

In fairness if you rev most cars up to the redline they are going to feel either quick or about to self destruct. I guess i was expecting the Z to feel quick (relatively speaking) without having to risk blowing the pistons through the bonnet. Just recently i had a Supercharged Lotus Evora for a week as a courtesy car from the Lotus dealer i bought the Z from. I appreciate that the Evora has about 70bhp over the Z but it would have run rings around the Z even at relatively minor revs. When driven anywhere near the redline it was phenominal. Totally unpractical and i wouldn't buy one but phenominal all the same.

Yes i guess that must be the case. The Z is deceptively quick and higher speeds certainly dont feel that high. It seems as though the Z hides the speed well but in fairness i find it a bit boring to drive because of this. None of my cars get thrashed as i have too much mechanical sympathy but i do use moderate acceleration to get through the gears. The Celica is a 20 year old gen 5 (ST182) but in comparison is more satisfying to drive. Its bizarre. When it comes to playing tunes with the exhaust the Z wins everytime but for me thats its only endearing feature.

Although i have driven a number of vehicles around the 200 - 240 bhp mark i find the Z a bit lacking in fairness. The former mentioned vehicles seemed much more lively. My other cars are a Vectra and a Celica so i have a good comparison with the Z and lower bhp vehicles. There must be something wrong with mine ??? Although it's 276bhp, which makes it 100bhp more than the celica, i was expecting it to rip my arms off but have been pretty disapointed really. Its not the performance animal i was expecting, so in answer to the original question i got used to mine after about 10 minutes