SwissZ

Well I've been blasting around Germany all week and until today hadn't seen a single Z. The Germans have no taste! First one I see, a RHD UK plated Kuro who must have have been a bit surprised to see a Swiss plated Roadster with the owner waving at him Anyone from here?

I've got the Logitech Harmony 895 which is not bad. Connect it up via USB to your PC, start the software (need to be online), type in the model no's of all your equipment and all remote functions will be downloaded to it from the internet site. It will learn if they haven't got whatever you're trying to control listed, but I haven't needed that yet because everything's (pretty much anything that has a remote) been there. Even the stranger stuff like light control! Its got a wireless option but although the 'gadget freak' part of me thought it was something I had to have, I haven't actually bothered (or needed to) using it yet. Oh yeah, one last thing... although it is great having one remote to control everything in the house, the damn thing is never in the room where you need it!!!

Another 'sat at home with flu' person here! Only problem is, this flu bug is going to cost me because a little known by-product of flu is 'wheelitis' caused by having too much time on your hands which is best filled by looking for new wheels! Andy - PM on its way.

I get a strange vibrating noise when I change over 4500 revs. Dealer changed the thrust bearing no Q's asked and told me it was sorted. Unfortunately it didn't actually solve the problem so they've agreed to change the entire clutch assembly. Just waiting on the parts from Japan now. Hope your dealer's as helpful (but not as stupid) as mine!

The last time my car was in the garage I was given a Micra. The key was exactly the same as the Zs. Must confess I found myself wondering if I could change the badge on my key to a Z or something! I don't think I'll bother changing the ones on the car though as it speaks for itself I find.

Hmmm if they're that good, Michelin must have improved them a lot since I had them on my last car 3 years ago. I changed to Goodyear F1s and found the F1 to be miles better. btw. if anyone's putting winter tires on for ermmm winter I would steer clear of Dunlop Winter Sport M3s. They might be great (according to all the test reports I read) on snow, but on a wet surface Mind you, it might be because it's not actually been cold enough to justify having winter tires on yet. I actually wanted Goodyear Ultra Grips but apparently they don't make them in sizes that'll fit a Z with standard Rays...

Not necessarily slowly..... German autobahn, stone gets kicked up which scared the hell out of me because I saw it coming straight towards my head... cool me thinks, that was lucky, only a really small chip. Yeah right... imagine my surprise when after accelerating up to about 220kph the damn screen cracked from my 'small chip' right across the passenger side If your insurance will cover it, I'd just get it replaced.

Hi from Zurich How you finding the Pirellis? I put Dunlop M3s on my Rays last week and am finding the back end to be a bit 'lively' especially in the wet. I'm hoping they'll get better once worn in and it gets colder. Oh and I know what you mean about the smile thing!

A plane needs to be moving forward to take off. On that conveyor belt it would be static Only if the power was coming from the wheels. Its the jet engines that are moving the plane forward, not the wheels. (granted, the wheels would be spinning seriously quickly) If you put a plane on sheet ice with the brakes hard on and turned the jets on it would still move forwards even though the wheels were stationary. No idea if it could get off the ground but it would move forwards because of the jet power giving you air flow and lift. The conveyor belt would just make the wheels turn backwards whilst the plane was being jet powered down the runway conveyor belt thing. My vote's a yes .

Top idea. I'd be up for this, especially as you'd be pretty much driving past my front door Although a trip up to the Nürburgring sounds like fun as well.

I've no idea what my car says about me as a person, but I know it's turning me into a bit of an... one second.... cut... paste... attention seeking whore Driving round Zurich I've had my photo taken twice at traffic lights (and not because I jumped the lights!!), I've lost count of the times I've come back to the car to find someone taking a look at it (at first I thought they were attempting to steal it, but I've gotten used to it now) and my proudest moment was last Saturday whilst getting my winter tyres put on when it pretty much bought the place to a standstill because everyone wanted a look and a chat about it. I actually blushed as I was driving out accompanied by comments like 'damn it sounds as good as it looks' etc. I had no preconceptions whatsoever when I bought it as I saw one at a dealers whilst out food shopping, went into the dealers and ordered one. And then panicked like hell because I realised I hadn't even looked in the boot before signing on the dotted line! What I would say though is that every single Z owner I've met so far has always been friendly, (do you wave at each other in the UK as well?) in no way 'stuck up' and genuinely proud of their cars, not because of the badge etc but because of the way it looks, goes and sounds. Mark (now selfconfessed member of the 'attention seeking whores' club)

Okay... hope the judge at my trial likes his cars and understands why I had to kill the muppets at the dealers!!!! Gets a call on Friday afternoon (they had it all week!!) to tell me everything is sorted. Picked the car up drove away.... juddering still there.... strange noise still there!!! It turns out they didn't replace the clutch but something else. I still have no idea what it was they changed because although I speak pretty much fluent German, I've never heard of this bit before... exactly translated - something like a dual weighted jump wheel. (Fly wheel maybe??) Anyway they've now said they want to change the clutch as well!! Why the hell didn't they do it in the first place??? I'm off to get a second and maybe third opinion tomorrow before I do anything else. Damn I'm pee'd off! As for the bridgestones, only time (yeah right ) I've really put them to the test was a blast over a mountain pass so I'm not quite sure what happened there.... I've just put Dunlop winter tires on anyway so I'm legal again. Oh well, here's hoping I get a better result with other dealers tomorrow. Cheers! Mark

Must just be my bad luck then... Funny (or not so funny) thing is I had a 2.7 V6 Hyundai Coupe (it wasn't as bad as it sounds!) before the Z from new and 6 months into it's life I had to have the gearbox and clutch replaced. Think I must just be jinxed with new cars.... Just so I know it's not me breaking them, to change gear you press down on the clutch pedal, select your gear and release the clutch?? Oh and the garage called me again today to tell me my rear tyres are almost illegal. Is this normal with Bridgestones after just 6000 - 7000 miles???

Dropped my car off at the dealers this morning.... Symptoms were: - When accelerating to over about 4,500 revs and changing gear there was what I would describe as a kind of vibrating noise (no vibration felt though) - When pulling up and pressing the clutch pedal down there was sometimes a clunk and it sounded rough as if a bearing had gone. - Occasional juddering when pulling away. The garage already had one attempt at sorting it and changed the release bearing, but the strange noises were still there. I've just spoken to them and they are now going to replace the clutch and some other bits and pieces (we were talking in German and I'd never heard of the part he was talking about, but I'll get him to explain it to me....) It's been doing this since new and now has 6000 miles on it. Thats how long its taken Nissan to admit somethings wrong so as you can imagine I'm slightly unimpressed at the moment... I was just wondering if anybody else has experienced this and its a known problem (didn't see it in the list)? Cheers Mark

Very strange that the seats are causing you problems. I broke 3 vertebrae at the top of my back a while ago which sometimes cause me pain, but never from driving. I've done a couple of 10 hour trips from Zurich to Slovenia since I had the Z and am frequently to be found blasting around Germany (gotta love those Autobahns!!!) for 5 or 6 hours a go. No back pains at all.... Only thing I had a problem with was bad sunburn after forgetting to put suncream on my neck on the way back from Slovenia, but I can't really blame the car (roadster) for that Sorry you're not happy with the car, but as McDonalds would say (if you get this advert) I'M LOVING IT!!!

I spent ages cleaning mine at the weekend. Didn't see this problem coming though..... I have the seats quite far back and where the headrest and seat back touches the plastic trim (roadster) the damn seats have started squeeking. It's driving me nuts! Anyone got an idea how to stop that? I was toying with the idea of washing the polish off with water but I'm not sure thats a good idea. Cheers

Funnily enough, thats how I imagined it..... big empty snow covered car park...... Z. hours of fun!

Must admit I'm interested/worried about how the Z will handle on snow. Living in Switzerland I ain't really going to be able to avoid it. Only driven FWD cars on snow before so I'll be taking it easy! It's not going to be a cheap winter either.... 4 new winter tyres for the rays and then if all goes to plan, Kahn RS-V 2 piece alloys for next summer Roll on next summer!

3 hours????? I'm about half finished by that time! Might be a roadster thing though as you have to put the roof up and down a couple of times to a) clean under it and around it and get rid of any trace of water under it and around it thus stopping any drips. Oh yeah... and then I take it for a 20 min drive just to make sure the roof is completely dry before putting it down... Am I mad? And am I the only one who uses the corner of the sponge to clean the little square thingys on the rays?? Probably not!

The rear axle click (more like a creak on occasssions) on mine appears to be sorted. What I've noticed now though is that when I start the car and the air con is on I get 1 click which sounds very similar to the axle noise. I assume its the air con starting up but it sounds very similar to the noise that the axle used to make, but it only happens once. Could that be the source?

Not just Nissan UK. Nissan Switzerland are naff as well! I had mine in for the clicking noise today. This was their second attempt after orignally telling me some spring or other in the braking system was causing it So far so good repair wise, clicking seems to have disappeared......

Nah, if you heard the noise, I'm pretty sure you wouldn't think it was normal. The noise it makes when changing gear at high revs is especially worrying. I've driven 3 Zs so far and the other 2 were fine. The mechanic confirmed straight away something was wrong. I'll let you know if the bearing change sorts it. It'll be in for 2 days as apparently, the entire gearbox has to come out

Yup, I've since discovered thats exactly what it's doing. It also makes a worrying vibrating noise when you change gear at over 4,500 revs Hadn't noticed that before as I was taking care running it in. Your mate's right. Mines going in tomorow to have the release bearing changed. Not exactly happy about it, but what can you do. Car's not even a month old!

Flys aren't my main problem.... pollen is driving me nuts! My black roaster is turning yellow! Inside and out and there's no point cleaning it at the moment because if you leave it parked up outside for 10 mins it's yellow again!

Whereabouts in Germany? I'll be dropping into JHQ in a about a week or so with my black roadster. (after I've ragged the ar$e off it up the autobahn ) Man am I looking forward to that! Look out Hermans here I come