Rook

92k, very strong and no grind of any kind, but a little chattery as you bring it up to bit rolling off. Minor. No slippage at all.

Thanks for that. I have to say I kinda agree, not really looking to add to the bodywork, but just looking for any stuff I can do that'll make the car run better or more efficiently, maybe drive better... With the exception of the things above; orange reflectors and moving the number plate. Also, these things apparently need new spark plugs coming up to 100k miles - anyone any thoughts on that? How do I know when to do it? Is it even necessary? What plugs should I use?

Well this is my first not-utterly-tedious-practical-car that I actually care about, and I spent the first six weeks worrying about what it was gunna cost; running and fixing. I've chilled out a little now, and it also turns out it's costing nothing like I thought, fuel and so on, and breakables are pretty cheap. I just read your thread about the pop charger, good guide. I'm very interested in that to be honest! I've also seen somebody here had cleaned the hell out of their engine bay - waxing the black stuff maybe? What are people using that to bring those back to black? Jimmy, got any pics of your engine bay?

Thank you! Today I'm most interested in removing the back box, if I'm honest. Don't want to be that guy though, so if it's going to be laughably loud... Maybe not haha.

Hi all, Some may remember me posting here a couple of months ago nervously poking and prodding around making a decision on a Z - coming from a Focus diesel I'd owned for 7 years. Shortly after that I found one (privately) that looked good; as good as it could without taking the thing apart, and here I am two months later having enjoyed that car every day since. Best decision I could have made. So it all seems to check out. She's an early 07 RevUp, 90k miles, in Gunmetal, that I'm currently putting about 400 miles a week on. I've been carefully monitoring my oil (f*cking dipstick) and its not burning any. Lovely. No clicking drive shafts, hand brake a bit pants but works fine, clutch is strong (if a weenie bit high) and no crunchy gears. All good. I've done the worrying about noisy clutch - had it checked, it's just normal noisy, no problem - the odd idling - again, normal odd - and the various squeaks and rattles. My windows also make a noise like they're going to drop when you open the door but don't actually drop... You can nudge them and they'll slide down then go back up when you close the door though... Not figured that one out yet haha. Anyway. Now I want to play with it. I get there's no point in really expecting any performance gains unless you go all out; either a full NA upgrade plus remap, or FI, which I'm not interested in... If I'm honest I'm not too worried about performance. I cruise a lot more than screech the tyres off the line at every set of lights and if fact, I live and work so close to the motorway at either end, I'm getting upward of 36mpg (we can thank a 50mph limit on half the route for that) and it's comfortable. But saying that... Are there any performance mods at all that will make any difference without going 'all out'? I'd imagine a more open air intake, for example, making the engine a tad more efficient, surely? All beside the point. What else is there? First thing I did was a rear wiper delete. Looks good. I've also degreased the living daylights out of my engine bay but it obviously still looks stock. It actually just looks less old as much as anything else haha. Any fun to be had there? How can I make my car just better? Look nicer? Sound better maybe? What kinda DIY tune-ups are worth carrying out on a car of this sort of age and mileage? I've done an oil change and bled the power steering (was getting a squeak the first time I turned left when cold) when but they aren't the most rewarding things haha. What are our opinions on de-backboxing it? Some options for doing so? Would it be obnoxiously loud? Has anybody lowered their cars? Have you ruined it by doing so? What are some basic styling mods people have done? Who's managed to move their front number plate? Does it require a new bumper? Anybody thought of a creative replacement for the orange reflectors on the front bumper? Not a fan personally... I like being able to do things myself and if they don't cost a lot then that's even better. I have a reasonable fund tucked away in case the car goes actually wrong and obviously the not-insignificant fuel and tax bills under wraps, no problem, but convincing the other half spending any more on the car is worth it is... Not worth the argument. So think numbers that I won't get interrogated over when the credit card bills come, or ones I can say 'you just bought a handbag/pair of shoes/dress that cost that much' hahaha. Sorry for the long post, moody pic attached of my car!

Bit late on the uptake, my bad. This did make me laugh though. Will the real silver late RevUp owner please stand up? Snap! (I'm on the right)

Could well be me!

I have to say, excitement levels are into the ridiculous now. I got the money in place today, and am meeting the chap at 5pm on Friday.

I'd considered waiting and going HR to be honest (or at least getting into the price range where they're available) but with the mileage I'm gunna put on it and how long I plan to keep it, I'd just be throwing the money down the toilet. I'm sure if I were very used to one and I tried the other I'd notice but honestly I think I'll be quite alright with the measly 300 odd horses the RevUp offers. I'll remember to check/top up oil regularly though, thanks for that.

Can't stretch the budget or I would!

Ah, that's it, thank you! Everything I've tried search has just said 'rev up 05 and 06, HR 07 on'. Cool, thank you for settling my concern so quickly! Does this have the arguably easier-to-live-with clutch from the older cars, would anybody know?

As I thought. Is there anything weird about the fact that it's a 2007 with that engine?

I'm going to look at an early 2007 350z on Friday, and from what I've seen it checks out (paid for a vehicle check because it was only a few quid), the chap has full service history, seems like a decent guy as far as I can tell over the phone (lots of sales experience), I kinda poked and prodded in the usual ways and I'm not worried about the guy frankly. That said, both the gov.uk number plate check and this Auto Trader vehicle check show the vehicle as 2007, not imported, and a grey 350z that hasn't been stolen, in an accident or written off. My insurance company thought it was a 313GT too. Looking at images though, there's clearly no bulge, and I don't see how it can be a 313. I've heard people say 'the HR engine won't fit under the bulgeless bonnet' but is this definitely true? Here's the car: http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201504102494629?atmobcid=soc4

I've seen a couple of owners take their 350z's well into the 150k and beyond, the quality of the engine seems to be impeccable! That's very much the sort of thing I'm after, but I'll probably get something with a little more mileage for less money, and one that has the window fixed (I have the windows down constantly, it's a big thing for me!). I appreciate you posting though.

Worried isn't the wrong word, just trying to be prepared I have to say, I'm falling on the side of older with some change left to fiddle around with it a bit, no reason I can't sell it later on and buy what will then be a cheaper HR. I've kinda come to feel like £20 a month extra in tax isn't the end of the world at all, but still don't want to spend a huge amount on the car really. Which leads me to my next question... The orange cars. I have to say, I love the colour, but are they a nightmare to sell?! haha!

Thanks for that. I've actually just this evening sold my last car so have really given it some serious consideration. I have to say, despite the temptation to spend more and more and more, looking at a few cars around the 5.5-6k mark I think I'm gunna go DE, I'm gunna get something well looked after with some mileage on it, and save some of the change toward driving it less frugally on the commute. Coming from a focus diesel, I can't see I'm going to be crying over 20BHP...

Useful, thanks! Checks I've been given so far: - Low speed 'knocking' from the rear axle - Using Oil - Hand brake on, releasing clutch (obviously) - Window regulators I'll google the rest, I imagine you guys get those questions a lot. For reference, this is the vehicle I'm looking at in case anyone has an opinion!

Thank you all, very warm welcome!

Yeah I realise I could end up putting a new clutch and new struts and in some horrendous misfortune both in the same year, but you could have said 'there's a magic piece of bad engineering that needs checking/changing every 5k miles and £150 a go' which may have been worth considering... On that note, anybody any experience of J Tech in Basingstoke? Their service costs seem very reasonable.

And FWIW I don't want the sat Nav for sat nav's sake, it just looks better If I'm putting 15k miles a year on it, would anyone care to estimate what it's likely to cost in non-fuel running assuming I don't buy a lemon? The car I'm looking at right now has 46k on the clock, 06 plate.

Thanks for the replies. Economical's gone out of the window if I'm honest, just trying to budget this is a clearly as I can. I'm not so much worrying about being to afford it as I am just taking the step confidently and really being able to budget for my next car (lol) accurately. If I'm honest, I feel like I can get a more reliable, better resale car if I go newer, and that probably outweighs the money I'd save on something older - that's my gut - but I can't tell if that's fair or I'm just rationalising because I want a faster car!

Hi all, I hope this is in the right place, I've introduced myself but assumed based on previous forums that this would be the place to actually pose my question, so here goes. I've recently entered the market for a reliable car, and since I've settled into a career and have always been something of a would-be car person, I've steadily come to the conclusion that a 350z is the perfect car for me. Now I'm still on something of a budget, I was going to spend £10k on an 'economical car' but given that most of the ones I'd looked at - BMW, Seat, Volkswagen - are all very capable of going very wrong and costing a load of money when they do, I decided to go less economical for less money and essentially offset the cost of the fuel against the money I'm saving. Or some similar wonky rationale. One of the things that appealed to me about the Z's that fit my budget was the £285 tax instead of £500 for the power and type of car, but lately I've seen a few newer cars with low mileage and lots of kit on that has me questioning how much that matters. With a budget of about, let's say, £7k (though the less I can spend the better haha) I've found a couple of 06/07 cars with the 300 engine, sat Nav, Rays... The whole 9 yards. I've heard these cars are more efficient (80 mile a day round trip) and would expect will hold their value better. So do you think if I were to keep the car three years, that extra £660 I'd spend on tax would be offset by the better resale and (lol) marginally-better-but-still-bad, shouldn't-matter-but-does economy? Or am I better off buying a £5k 100k plus mile 03/04 plate and dropping £500 on service and risk having to change a clutch, struts or similar? Thanks for having me!

Hey, I'm Nick, from Hampshire, and given my old runaround has finally sold (pending collection, fingers crossed) I'm hoping to join the club in the next few days. In the mean time, I hope to pick your experienced brains and in return will provide my dry wit and bring the average standard of knowledge down a few points. Hopefully we'll change that though!