Blue Straggler Posted January 3, 2016 Share Posted January 3, 2016 Hi all, I started a thread before Christmas which has been useful but has run its course and I think this specific question warrants its own thread. I ideally had my heart set on a red Zed, based purely on seeing pictures of them on the Internet. They look lovely to me - perhaps my favourite of all the colours. But I soon gave up on the idea as there are SO FEW available (e.g. I did a quick Autotrader search around Christmas time, nationwide, all mileage, all prices) and only about 5 came up. One that I knew to be sold, one or two CAT C/D, and some that were too many hundreds of miles away (and 100k+ on the mileage, which I am trying to avoid - that's a discussion/argument for elsewhere). Gumtree and eBay and pistonheads similar. I concluded that if I do hold out for a red, I might end up compromising on some other aspect. Then this one came up. 100 miles from me so not out of the question to go have a look. Price is nice, it is old being a 2002 but it's a GT, got Rays alloys, low mileage etc. http://bit.ly/1O4LehV My question is two-fold: 1) why are there so few reds? Was it always an undesirable colour in the UK so perhaps far fewer original orders for them? 2) are there any issues with the red paintjob? Having owned three red cars of entirely different branding and vintage over the years, and seen the red form dull patches quite randomly on all three cars, I wonder if it is inherently something about red! Also someone I know who has looked at red Zed in the flesh, said the paint seemed somehow "thin" or "flat" (not literally thin, but just...no "life" to the paintjob, as it were). He was biased though as he is trying to sell me one in a different colour :-) He did also make the good point that the tail lights kind of get absorbed into the red. Any forum consensus on red Zeds? One to avoid? Do they hike up insurance premiums on reds? I am slightly going off the red ones already (I am so fickle!) but maybe just because the one in this ad looks more "tomato" than "Chilli" :-D Azure Blue seems (aside from the various orange/bronze options) to be the "unique" Zed paint. Sorry, bit of a rambling post but you get the gist! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shenley Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 Rear windscreen wiper looks odd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetpilot Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 Red seems very popular here on the forum so you would have thought was reflected at order time, but your right, few and far between, perhaps someone more in the know might be able to answer if it was a ltd run paint code? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shenley Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 A more detailed list of colours. http://www.350z-uk.com/topic/71866-350z-paint-colour-code-guide/#entry1158915 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Straggler Posted January 4, 2016 Author Share Posted January 4, 2016 Rear windscreen wiper looks odd. Thanks....but how so? (not arguing! Just trying to learn ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-G- Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 If you're dead set on a glorious red zed, then you shouldn't discount the option of wrapping any other colour of Zed to your liking. My Zed was silver to begin with, a wrap later its totally transformed. Wrapping protects the old paintwork, most 3M's are good for 10 years and they are very easy to clean. In the case of matte or satin, simply avoid waxing to keep it fresh. Just so you know, there are options for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Straggler Posted January 4, 2016 Author Share Posted January 4, 2016 Thanks, I've seen a few things on here about wrapping - is that just a different term for "respray" or is it a different technique? I had thought about the respray possibility which might have allowed to take my pick from the many many silver ones that seem to be on the market, but a full body respray is, I'm told, likely to be north of £2k which at my end of the market (£6k to £7.5k) feels like too great a proportion of the overall cost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Straggler Posted January 4, 2016 Author Share Posted January 4, 2016 (edited) Ok I have used this thing called Google! So a wrap is...a wrap! Hmm Edited January 4, 2016 by Blue Straggler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-G- Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 (edited) Wrapping refers to applying adhesive vinyl to your car, I was a bit dubious about it but its actually really cool & you wouldn't be able to tell unless you had a look at the door card or engine bay. Wrapping is deemed temporary & costs a lot less than a full respray. Assuming a respray is north of £3k - expect to pay just under half of that for a full body wrap. Where abouts are your located BlueStraggler? Edited January 4, 2016 by -G- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LRF4N Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 Hold out for a red one they do look good in red. Can't remember how deep the Nissan reds are but in terms of "life" and fading- it's all in the maintenance of the paintwork. A good detail will sort any lifeless paintwork There were 2 reds depending on year- chilli then rosso That one above is an import. Nothing wrong with the rear screen- the plate is square hence the rear looks different Insurance won't change with colour but price tag could. More desirable colours like red and blue tend to get more attention than grey and silver Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Straggler Posted January 4, 2016 Author Share Posted January 4, 2016 Thanks all, and yes I belatedly spotted that the red one on Autotrader is an import (well that was my guess based upon no rear spoiler at all - are there other signs?) G, I am in Loughborough (Leicestershire). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LRF4N Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 (edited) Square plate, 17" 7 spoke wheels and 2002 The square plate changes the proportions at the back Edited January 4, 2016 by LRF4N Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-G- Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 These guys are local to you. Pay them a visit to see what they've done in the past. http://www.premvaleting.co.uk/prem_wrapping.html http://pulsewraps.co.uk/projects/wraps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shenley Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 Rear windscreen wiper looks odd. Thanks....but how so? (not arguing! Just trying to learn ) Should be 'parked' vertical not horizontal. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
veilside z Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 Wraps good if you want to save money 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMballistic Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 Worth noting; In the advert it states "cruise control" ~ I can't see any cruise controls on the steering wheel so tbh I doubt it has cruise control (maybe just a mistake when they wrote the advert). In the advert it states "18" alloys" ~ another mistake when writing the advert I'd bet (probably a copy & paste job from another 350Z advert) as the alloys are the 17" base OEM JDM alloys. More info here on 350Z alloys: http://www.350z-tech.com/wiki/index.php?title=Wheel_Specifications Also in the advert it states "Computer (Driver Information System") ~ Most likely a Japanese Sat Nav so of absolutely no use to you whatsoever unless you speak Japanese & head over to Tokyo with the Zed one day. Should be in the centre cubby hole btw. It does have Brembo brakes, heated leather seats and the Bose system which are all bonuses as not all imports have those. Bear in mind though that the Bose system has a tape player (not a lot of use nowadays unless you happen to have some old Happy Hardcore on tape as I do ) and a lot of the Bose systems suffer a common problem were the CD's skip so that's a nuisance which is why most people replace them. Just fyi so that you know you may need/want to replace that in the future if you did buy that Zed. Also some other minor points are that it doesn't seem to have any car mats and the rear boot mat looks like a poor fitting aftermarket job. I'd also make sure you do as much investigative work as possible on the mileage as seems very low mileage ~ might have been on Kph for awhile before having the clock fixed to read miles or maybe just a genuine low mileage weekend car. Check the old MOT's as far back as you can & get a HPI check. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Straggler Posted January 4, 2016 Author Share Posted January 4, 2016 (edited) Everybody - thanks! Through today I magically managed to put myself right off red Zeds! And I have decided to buy one in Azure blue. In 2 or 3 weeks you can expect a slew of "new owner" queries from me Edited January 4, 2016 by Blue Straggler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMballistic Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 Great choice as the Azure blue is a lovely colour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Straggler Posted January 4, 2016 Author Share Posted January 4, 2016 (edited) Ahhh G-G-G-G-Granville, sorry you took the time to inspect the ad so closely and write all that out and post just as I was writing my post about forgetting the whole notion (at least of that one in London). Even with my non-existent level of expertise, I thought that ad was "too good to be true". I'm getting an 04 UK GT with the 19" LMGT4 wheels (and 4 Falkenberg453s), Scorpion exhaust and Black Diamond brakes. 64k miles. Strengthened boot struts. Owner for the last 3 years is an engineer and project manager at Aston Martin and this was his second Zed. I don't think I'd find a better vendor or car at my price point. I won't link the ad as it will be taken down within the week, leaving the forum with a tatty broken link. But here is one of the pics from his rather good "I saw you coming" ad :-) not sure how gumtree works but hopefully this won't disappear when the ad does. https://ssli.ebayimg.com/00/s/NjgzWDEwMjQ=/z/cwgAAOSwv-NWZg3b/$_86.JPG Excited now! Edited January 4, 2016 by Blue Straggler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Straggler Posted January 4, 2016 Author Share Posted January 4, 2016 PS I love tapes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATTAK Z Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 LMGT4s command a premium Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Straggler Posted January 4, 2016 Author Share Posted January 4, 2016 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Straggler Posted January 4, 2016 Author Share Posted January 4, 2016 LMGT4s command a premium Yes, he used this as a selling point in the ad and at first I thought "yeah right" but have now looked them up and it seems he is right. Aside from the looks, what is so good about them? All I know is that they are light. I am not enough of a driver to know how that alone is an advantage (and I doubt I would feel the difference!). They may go up for sale as long as I can get a convenient swap for Rays....although knowing me, once I have the car I'll just keep it as it is UNLESS I suddenly need a cash boost (hopefully unlikely...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PMX Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 Don't sell the LMGT4's....sell a kidney instead, if you are a bit strapped for cash! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATTAK Z Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 A pristine set of LMGT4s will sell quickly for over £1000.00 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.