H5

That's what I was fearing. I've got a guy who did my previous car every 6 months regardless (he always finds something) and has drilled holes in door ways etc before to get behind it to removed it without filler and paint. They never look the same IMO once filled and painted so am hoping to avoid it if at all possible. Printing things up, I work for a rather large company that makes printing type machinery (that starts and ends with X!) so could happily print and laminate something!

Yup, and gonna make me put the loudest prox on it I can find!!

On my way out of the shops yesterday and return to find the result of some genius who doesn't know the length of their door or their own strength - a nice dent right on the offside rear wheel arch, on the wheel arch line Despite parking away from anything, still happened! Anybody had a dent repaired on a rear arch and can it be accessed through the wheel arch? Otherwise it's drilling and grommets again... Then while finally spending some TLC on the car last night (removing some surface sratches on the rear) decided to give the whole of the rear bumper a going over and somebody's kindly driven into the rear bumper at some point and cracked it!! Anybody replaced a rear bumper and know how much these are?

I'd agree with the comments above about the interior, personally when I saw the black interior I wanted something to contrast against the dash, door panels, boot etc. It's nowhere near as garish as the Nissan website makes it look!! I was going for a black interior until I stumbled across mine and I wouldn't change it now. Good point also about modding it - if you're going for retrim, wheels, etc. it doesn't make much difference. According to the map IIRC the most popular colour is Gunmetal?

Not yet, although the last few journeys it's only happened a couple of times. Sometimes it's quite consistent at low speeds (under 40mph) but still there. Essentially I'm waiting for Nissan GB to get back to the dealer. The guy I spoke to said he was waiting to see if they were issuing another bulletin, since everything they'd expect to be there and to have been done has been.

Not directly but family have done on a few occasions. WHSmith normally have a few magazines on buying or moving to France / Spain / Portugal and go through what the process is etc. They'll normally have links to estate agents that have English speakers there and you can also search properties.

I agree on the cost argument, but also think that some cash now will save repiars, no claims loss, embarrassment, points etc. rather than driving like a goon on the roads to learn. Too many tractors and 4x4's to risk it. As for drifting, it's then all about completing a course. I want an open space so I can drive in a straight line at 50 / 70 / 90 mph and see what happens when to try and corner as hard as possible etc. Having spent the last 6 years in a heavy diesel Volvo (jokes can start now! ) I need to be able to get more confidence in the car. I'll have a look on t'internet when home and see what I can find. Many others be up for it, and if so how much cash is reasonable? I'm happy to arrange it for those who want to come play.

I know that most of them do that, but you do lose some of the sound quality. Alpine units really do sound good and the last few years worth have been good too. If you're looking for a head unit I have one going soon..... Alpine CDA-7998R, only ever used for competition.

Hi Kennydies, I've just responded to your other post here: http://www.350z-uk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3118 As for the adaptor, I think it might be a Micra one from discussions I've had with my dealer (stereo, not Nissan). And I think you can get the steering wheel control to work too, but we're going to be testing that very soon with my change. Someone else here should be able to answer for sure.

Does anyone know of anywhere, on this windy little island of ours, that can be hired out for a few hours / day to chuck a car around? I'm not talking about track days or anything, just a disused airfield or similar that you can play about and see how your car handles before you start playing with armco and gravel on tracks. I'd like to get the Zed a lot closer to it's limits, and a few other firends have recent acquisitions (inlcuding a Red Rose TVR T350C ) and don't want to risk reshaping the car to find this out. Thanks.

The outputs from the BOSE system are somewhere between your standard high level speaker outputs and low level RCA outputs. They go to the BOSE amp (not sure where, probably under the sub or something) where the signal is then sent to the speakers. You could do one of a few things. Find the amp and take the speaker wires from the head unit and cut into the circuit after the amplifier (so you don't have to run new wires to the doors) but then you'd still need to get something to the sub. With a decent set of front speakers and some Dynamat in the front doors, you probably wouldn't miss it. Alternatively, get yourself an amp for the sub too and cut in after the BOSE amp again and connect the BOSE sub (personally a waste of your new amp!) or replace the sub for a new one. As for the rears, very little point other than for general ambience in the car, fade your headunit to the front a bit so you don't know they're there. Result should be a much nicer stereo sound in front of you. Rob.

In Slough at Brunel Roundabout near Dan Perkins dealership at about 8.30 this morning. **55 ZRZ. With strange looking electrical contraption next to the rear view mirror! I was in the courtesy Micra....

Right, got my stereo back (it is actually a NEW one! ) and all good there. As for the noise at the rear, they have already carried out the work and done everything Nissan have said and provided. They now think there's something else that needs doing and are waiting for Nissan GB to tell them what to do (expected time, 1 week). He hinted that there may be another bulletin on it's way...... So, I wait and see what they come back with and how long it's off the road. BTW, no X-Trail or Almera, just a delightful Micra again

Don't pay any attention to 'power' outputs from most head units. Your Alpine was a cracking unit and sticking with the same make would get you quality laser and DAC over other Japanese makes. If you're after power etc. then external amps will prevent it becoming an 'UNSA' car....! As for something being between the headunit and speakers, I'd guess there's something between the head and the sub at least? Only had mine a few weeks and not had it all out yet..... HTH.

Mine goes back in tomorrow to get my replacement from Clarion. The reason for the wait (according to my dealer) is Clarion expect a replacement unit within a few days of sending the other one, or the dealer gets billed 700 Euros for it. This way, they make sure they don't get stung by people not returning (can't think WHY you wouldn't though!!). Anyway, mine will go back in tomorrow and I can update ya'll then. BTW, when I told my dealer over the phone about the problem they ordered on there and then as the car was booked in anyway. They said it was a known problem and there was no point waiting. So if yours 'hasn't heard of it', then you can always invite them to call Dan Perkins in Slough. Not that any of this defends having to drive around with just the sound of a 3.5 litre V6 as the sounds track....... And for the record, the output from the unit is pony, so if you want to get round the problem once and for all and get a better sound too, replace the head unit for a double din Sony or Pioneer item, or better yet get yourself a nice Alpine player with EQ in top.......!!

Is the kit factory fit or been added after market? BTW!

With things like the carbon bits it'd be good to see more detailed pictures (weave, finish etc.) to give you an idea if it's good pricing. So many people claim to make carbon bits but when you see them up close they're pretty poor. The pics on the site don't show a much bigger picture and I'd want to see it before buying. Hope this helps!

Done now....

Cheers Mike, link missing? I just wanna be the one burning the 101.9p Optimax rather than Nissan mechanics for once!! Rob.

I've taken everything bar the spare wheel out, and it still does it. Although it does it at any speed, any road surface, sometimes a few in a row, sometimes just the odd one. Anyone in the Berkshire area had this that'd know it? Just spoken to the dealer and they've had one other come in with this but won't say what they did to fix it. Out of interest, what sort of 'fixes' have people been offered / had in the past? Thanks all.

Ever get the feeling certain things just aren't gonna work out.....??!! Once this click is looked at and repaired, is it a permanent fix or something that's likely to re-occur? I'm starting to think about saving for that extended warranty. That'll delay those wheels and install a bit.

OK, I've got an intermittent clicking / rattling noise coming from the rear. Just before I went away I removed everything in the boot and tried to put the tool kit etc. back together to eliminate that as being the noise. Now back in the car after two weeks, it seems to click / rattle at different speeds and not always over bumps or rough roads. Is this the dreaded 'click' or do I need to pull the rest of the rear of the car apart to fix something else?? It really does sound like a part of the jack knocking against something or the boot not being shut properly, is this the same sort of sound? If it is, it's a pretty clear noise for something outside the car!

55 plate on the roundabout at the Maidenhead junction, about 7.40 this morning.

I completely agree. Mine seemed ok (with 26k on the clock so a bit more!) and put it in for full alignment, result being a much sturdier feel on the road and, believe it or not, less road noise.

Here I am in the sunny Algarve (where even the oldest Portuguese speak fluent English) and they even gave me a lovely Nissan as my hire car. Shame the Micra 1.2 doesn't have the same poke as my Z, but it does have auto headlights. Which begs the question, why is it on a 7k euro and not on our 'flagship' vehicles?? Anyway, other than that, it's surviving the rough roads and so on pretty well!!!