DimitriSpain Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 So I'm living in Spain and I've decided I'd like to buy a 350. Looking for a little advice The secondhand market here is quite thin, and generally second hand cars are more expensive than the rest of Europe. Something I'm ok with and am willing to except. Currently looking at a 2006 350z with 53000km on the clock. The price of the car seems in line with what I've seen advertised on the rest of mainland Europe. It's being sold by a dealer and comes with a 1 year mechanical warranty. On the test drive I looked out for the usual problems. Clicking drive shift, smoke from exhaust on cold start etc. None appeared present. Interior of the car appears flawless. Exterior too with the exception of a small dent on the front bumper. Something I understand is normal due to the shape. The dealer resprayed the car from its original black to orange apparently due to some small scrapes. He copped to one issue which was the rear parking sensors don't work. Apparently it has had 2 owners. I've verified this with the traffic department. One owner from 2006 to 2009. The second the dealership itself from 2009 to present. Here is where I have some doubt. The dealer claims that the car was used by the owners of the dealership. He claims two people drove the car during that period. And it seems to avoid paying tax locally the dealership transferred ownership of the car 5 times (sigh..Spain). So while the traffic department states two owners, the number of transfers is 5. Carfax lists these transfers but with no names. My concern here is that their is essentially a 5 year period where anyone could have driven the car, who knows how. If the car seems mechanically sound though, and the dealer is offering a 1 year warranty on parts should I be ok with this? It doesn't sit right with me. Perhaps that's all that matters.. I'm really set on a 350. Easily falls within my budget. It's my first performance car purchase. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ebized Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 I think you answered your own question - too many unknowns during 5 years - I would continue looking...... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 It's an 8 year old car, I wouldn't worry about who has driven it. It might have been babied by granny, or thrashed by Chavvy Dave, you'll never know. As long as it's been serviced properly with the right number of stamps, and all else seems fine, go with your gut. Just try and find out if it's been fuelled on 97ron or higher, that's quite critical. They may lie, woo just ask casually if you can use 95 in it: If they say it's fine because they always did, then walk. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabbitstew Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 I think your gut feeling says a lot really. If you have doubts walk. Even if you buy the car, you will always have that niggling doubt about its history. The number of owners doesnt really mean its been driven hard. The first owner for all you know may have used it as a track car and wrung its neck for 3 years, and the other owners since then may have been little old ladies. The condition, service history and how it drives should tell you more. Finally the colour change would put me off. Unless its been done properly, you`ll always see bits of black paint around the engine, inside boot etc. A colour change is not cheap at all and I really dont see why a dealer would do this just because of a couple of *small* scrapes. It would be miles cheaper just to touch up those scrapes in the original colour. My verdict: Walk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DimitriSpain Posted December 30, 2014 Author Share Posted December 30, 2014 As long as it's been serviced properly with the right number of stamps, and all else seems fine, go with your gut. Just try and find out if it's been fuelled on 97ron or higher, that's quite critical. They may lie, woo just ask casually if you can use 95 in it: If they say it's fine because they always did, then walk. I did ask if it was run on premium. He flatly stated that "you can use any fuel in the car". Seemed to have no clue about it. I agree I should probably walk on this one. To be honest though I seriously doubt I will find an owner here who has run the car on premium. At this point I think I'd be better off purchasing and importing one from Germany. More complicated but the secondhand market there seems much larger. Thanks for the responses guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 The fuel thing would bother me more than some questionable ownership or a missed service on a car of that age. I'd walk too, I think. Are Zeds cheaper in Germany then? Or is that just the next biggest market? US imports an option? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mouthwash Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 Exterior too with the exception of a small dent on the front bumper. Something I understand is normal due to the shape. The dealer resprayed the car from its original black to orange apparently due to some small scrapes. I did ask if it was run on premium. He flatly stated that "you can use any fuel in the car". Seemed to have no clue about it. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhackyWill Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 Welcome to The Forum Its important its run on the correct fuel, there are horror stories documented on here about Zeds run on 95 RON fuel. Not sure I would be to keen to buy that one. I kept all my fuel receipts to show it was run on 99. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glrnet Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 Here you go:- http://www.350z-uk.com/topic/56308-what-can-happen-if-you-run-your-zed-on-95-ron/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy_Baton Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 I kept all my fuel receipts to show it was run on 99. I'm just keep my Shell petrol station lego collection - is that good enough proof? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bockaaarck Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 DimitriSpain, my advice, for what it's worth. Do not buy this car, walk away, have a bit of patience. Keep your eyes open for a better car that has better history. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithvmx1200 Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 Walk Walk Walk I have always run mine on 99 even if it is from Tesco and I know the owner before me always used 99. Regards Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PPod Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 Would be a nightmare for me to have a nice car in Spain. The driving is crazy and the parking is unreal it literally bumper to bumper parking and cars getting pushed to fit in a space lol. Hope you have a drive as when wee parked outside our house the car seemed to move a few inches after leaving it 😆 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DimitriSpain Posted December 30, 2014 Author Share Posted December 30, 2014 I'm sorry now that I didn't take a look inside the fuel cap too see if it had the premium sticker. If only to see the guy's reaction. He was the dealer's mechanic. The dealer himself didn't speak English so he had the mechanic speak to me. Nice guy. He was fairly honest with me about the car..perhaps too honest. Far as the Spanish 350 market there are substantially less available than Germany. Maybe half are roadsters which I have no interest in. Would be a nightmare for me to have a nice car in Spain. The driving is crazy and the parking is unreal it literally bumper to bumper parking and cars getting pushed to fit in a space lol. Hope you have a drive as when wee parked outside our house the car seemed to move a few inches after leaving it 😆 I see cars being pushed on a daily basis outside my building here in Barcelona. I'm originally from South Africa, been working in Spain two years. I wasn't able to exchange my South African B license in Spain so I had to take my B license test again. You fail the test if during parking section you don't touch the curb with the rear wheel reversing in, and if you don't touch the front wheel pulling in. In South Africa any touching of the curb is an instant failure. I have a large space in a communial garage. Twice width of a normal space with good reason. Spain is a great driving country though. Just stay out of the cities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harryjax Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 It's an 8 year old car, I wouldn't worry about who has driven it. It might have been babied by granny, or thrashed by Chavvy Dave, you'll never know. Neither me or my granny have ever thrashed the car. Honest 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mopedmark Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 There will be better buys out there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PPod Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 Haha that's crazy you're suppose to touch the curbs in test. Thank god you have a garage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chirag1988 Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 That's unbelievable driving laws. Over here it's a straight fail you touch the kerb and bumping anything at all especially another car would see a big red cross on your test sheet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhackyWill Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 If you want a driving lesson in "how not to drive" without dying ..Try Malta..?. :scare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rock_Steady Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 "So I'm living in Spain and I've decided I'd like to buy a 350. Looking for a little advice " ATTAK will love this opening sentence Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZMANALEX Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 to the forum. If the car has not had any serious damage which resulted in the respray and the 5 ownership transfer story is true then the only real issue is the 95 ron, so on this occasion I would definitely avoid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ebized Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 the only real issue is the 95 ron, so on this occasion I would definitely avoid. Interesting you say that Alex as when I first saw this thread it made me think that not all countries have super unleaded and I have wondered whether exports to those places would have meant Nissan catered for that in the ECU settings? And that said, I have never seen what fuel labels are put on other countries cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve916 Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 the only real issue is the 95 ron, so on this occasion I would definitely avoid. Interesting you say that Alex as when I first saw this thread it made me think that not all countries have super unleaded and I have wondered whether exports to those places would have meant Nissan catered for that in the ECU settings? And that said, I have never seen what fuel labels are put on other countries cars. Haven't we got some Irish members on here too, that have said super unleaded isn't available to them? DimitriSpain, do you have super unleaded available over there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 Spain definitely has 97+. You can get it anywhere, as I stopped in some pretty remote places when I did my tour last year and never had an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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