Dicky

Each to their own, but when I see a private plate I think one of two things. If its random, then your bothered about how old your car is. If its personalised then it looks a bit sad, especially when they cost big bucks. Ill probably get flack for this but thats my opinion

Isn’t it a pity the tiles/debris hadn’t fallen off your roof or even if the car was in your garage and something was blown off a shelf and hit the car when say a door was opened. Maybe your house insurance would have covered it. If they did, then the act of god would be in your favour ????? Dicky

I like yours Sarnie (spoiler I mean) what make is it and where did you get it. Im well tempted. Dicky

Its official, Nissan now admit that the slight catching sensation when 2nd is engaged is a characteristic of their gearbox and is within normal manufacturing limits. Got a reply from Gerry Friego this morning along with a free service offer as a gesture of good will. He also said that my local dealer, who had refused to give me such a letter in the first place, will now be doing so. Progress at last, its only taken six months!

Had the car 2 1/2 yrs now and still haven’t got around to getting the phone system working. I’ve been tempted to buy one of the many cradle/phone deals I’ve seen on here and ebay but can never be sure which of the old style phones would work the best. I’ve recently read posts referring to Bluetooth kits but don’t understand if there a better alternative, how they work or what bits I’d need. Any advice welcome.

When I was 18 and got and erection I had to use two hands to bend it over! Now that I’m 80 I can bend it over with one-------- Does this mean I’m getting stronger doctor? The old ones are the best!

Why not log on to the Paypal site www.paypal.com and be sure you’re where you think you are. A guy I work with clicked on his link to the Halifax to do some banking and discovered a short while later that someone had been into his account and cleaned him out. It had been a false site he’d gone to, made to look like the official site! I’ve just had an email from Paypal myself asking me to activate my account by confirming my email address. I clicked the link and was asked for password etc. I DON’T THINK SO. If the hairs on the back of your neck stand up ring them or leave it. You can’t be too cautious when your hard earned bucks are on the line.

You won’t believe this but I’ve actually made contact with someone in Nissan Customer Services who has a BRAIN. Yeh, he actually understands what professionalism means and takes ownership of problems. If he promises to call back HE ACTUALLY DOES . It also bothers him that a 350Z UK poll of dealer and customer service satisfaction, rates them both so poorly and that other Z owners are experiencing the same gear change problem I am. Before discovering this guy, Id already written a letter of complaint to one of Nissans big guns, Garry Friego, and laid out my whole sorry story. Highlighting their incompetence and the lack of professionalism shown by both their customer services and local dealerships. My gearbox complaints been going on since May and I’m no further forward. They never call me back and I have to constantly chase them. Having blasted this guy during the phone call (I hadn’t dealt with him before, he must be the only one!) He actually called me back; he’s rang the local dealer and is currently sorting things out for me. He said that Nissan are aware of problems with 1st to 2nd gear change and if the dealer won’t produce a letter saying that my problem is "a characteristic" then they’ll fix it. I’m GOB SMACKED. The poll results, although a small sample size, still made them think and were very useful when blasting them. Ive also included them in the letter to Mr Friego. Thanks to all who contributed.

Thanks for all your input guys its been useful iwhen dealing with the crap the Nissan dealer crew try to fob you off with. Dicky

Yup had it from new. To be fair it’s a bit better now than it was some 6mths ago. This is the first close ratio box I’ve had so don’t know if this sort of thing is to be expected. As I said the dealer said there all like this and it’s because it’s a close ratio box. If that’s fair comment then OK. But at the moment I don’t know if it’s a fob off (because they tried that one before to!)

I’d be interested to hear your views on the finished product. Regarding other comments. I’ve only gunned it from rest on two occasions (sad barsteward I know) and I’ve got to be honest I tended to be holding on rather than ponder the gear change performance. I would define “notchyâ€

Currently in the heat of battle with local dealer/customer services re a gear change problem. When changing from 1st to 2nd I feel something catching as I engage 2nd. Ive got an 04 car and it’s the same most times but on occasions I’ve managed a smooth change. Its worse when cold but noticeable most of the time. I’ve raised it before but think I referred to it as a “notchyâ€

Same here. I reported damaged paintwork on my front bumper. The Nissan engineer came out to look at it and said "yep well fix that for you" Took it to the local main dealers and to cut a long story short, on the day I was to take it in they told me they would only paint half the bumper and made me pay for the other half £175 as far as I recall.

Interesed in you thoughts in this one too

Hope this works. First Poll don’t you know. Interested to know as I’m in the heat of battle with both Main Dealer and Customer Services. Would also like to know your thoughts on Customer Services. Think Ill have to set up another poll for that one?

Scuse the poor spulling. Just noticed it

I suppose I could have it looked at under WARRANTY----Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha, ---oooooh, that’s a goodun.

Where our own worst enemies. I’m as much to blame as anyone, requesting main dealer service history when I know their work is crap. I’ve had nothing but BAD experiences over the years with the majority of main dealers but Nissan have to be one of the worst and that includes Customer Services (there’s a contradiction in terms). When you take your car to a small garage you generally talk to the guy who does the work, who then has to face you should there be a complaint. This tends to motivate him to do a good job, first time. Bloody main dealers have several cushioning levels between you and the guy doing the work. There’s no real motivation to do the job right. He can squirt a bit of oil at it and pass it back if he wants. When you go to complain you get some dolly bird flicking her hair around offering the most sincere apologies, forgetting them as quick as they leave her lips. Wouldn’t it be nice if this forum could start the revolution to change peoples thinking? Let’s face it, the industry manoeuvred us all into this position, to get at our hard earned bucks, allowing them to buy more technicians certificates to hang on the wall. It’s about time we stopped being controlled in this way. IM WITH YOU LOT. NO MORE MAIN DEALER WORK ON MY CAR, unless absolutely necessary and I’ll sell the benefits of Joe Blogg’s garage to any prospective buyer in future.

When I turn off the climate control I get a strong smell of hot water and the windows start to mist up. Anyone else experienced this? Dicky

My heart goes out to you Astonal! You call yourself prick, but we’ve all been one of those in our time. You say it’s not an insurance job (yet). Please take my advice and let them know ASAP, your on dodgy ground as it is leaving it so long. It sounds like it could turn out to be a very expensive job and you don’t want to cut corners on such a new car. Don’t forget you’ll have to sell it one day. I think most people would rather buy a car repaired to the standards required by an insurance company than from the guy who had the work done himself. So it’s going to cost, we all pay for our mistakes. My fear is you might loose at both ends, i.e. getting it on the road again and loosing when you sell. Just wish I knew more about cars so I could help. Dicky

I’m with you on that Ming. When I argued the toss with the service manager he pointed to a notice on their wall, no kidding, it was about 200yds away, down the yard, from the service reception entrance . When they damaged my wing mirror they insisted their technician had spotted the damage and recorded it before he started his work. "Oh Yeah", I said, well ticks are easily applied to a piece of paper and in any case you checked the car over youself before he started. Oh, were a pratfessional dealer sir, he said. His understanding of the word was obviously as bad as my spelling! I had to arrange a meeting with him, next day, in his office and go over my whole sorry experience of the damage and poor service I’d received from his “professionalâ€

Sorry, I should also have mentioned I have max NCD and I got a small amout off cus the wife's also insured with them.

Just thought Id feed back this years insurance quotes. *Quoted for the wife and I to drive *Bonus protected *Legal *Courtesy car *We each have an SP30 *She had a bump a couple of months ago in her car. *Were both 59 (but highly intelligent and devastatingly good looking in a wrinkly sort of way) Prudential (renewal) £488 Excess £500 Direct Line £755 Excess £450 Privilege £571 Excess £400 Saga £458 Excess £500 Budget £454 Excess £500 Sainsbury £463 Excess £500 RAC £424 Excess £520 And the winner---- More Than £322 Excess £500

Same thing happened to me. Damaged wing mirror one time, brake fluid all over the bonnet the next time and again when I returned it to get the shoddy work sorted out Then they put tyre brace marks on my alloys when changing the front tyres. All damage by two local main dealers. Ive ranted about this before and I now get the service manager to check out the car, as you do with a hire car, and take note of its condition before I hand it over. Beware though. One of the dealers who always has loads of cars parked outside leaving hardly any space to get into the garage, told me that the car is only their responsibility when it’s in the garage and not out on their parking area. Any damage caused here is down to me. Dicky

OooooooH Simon, don’t park so close, minimum recommended distance is 500yds all sides from any other car. Id hate to see such a nice example get scratched or worse dinged!! Dicky