Mikevv Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Hi guys, I've only recently discovered your forums and decided to get myself set up and prepared for when I eventually make the move to a 350z I'm in the Bournemouth area, and a bit young ( 20 ) but I've been having an itch for something fast for a while. Been driving a 2003 BMW 318i since I got my license, and to be honest although it is reliable, comfortable and practical, I'm bored of it Ideally I would be wanting a facelift '06/'56 model with low ish mileage, under 65k would be ideal, but from what I've read on here ( cheeky I know ) is that FNSH is more important than mileage. I'm not exactly a mechanic, but I can follow a Haynes manual quite well haha and there's always Dad. He's been helping me maintain my current car, with minor things like ball joints and oil changes etc but from research going to a main dealer is doable, virtually 50% off what the bimmer cost, so that's in my favour. My main concerns are people who tracked their cars, ( I'm in no way a race driver myself it will just be used as a daily ) My old fashioned thinking tells me that people who "rag" their cars and beat on them will generally be buggered. Granted they can still be maintained but maybe that's just me nit picking. Would you say it's a bad car for using as a daily? Unfortunately my drive to work is only about 10 miles but most of it is 60mph. Do you guys think that would ruin the car as it will barely get warm? My driving style is mostly relaxed, but when she's warm I like to open her up a bit, not " rag it " just go through the gears a bit more enthusiastically. I hope my age doesn't show in this post, and the fact it's 3 am when I'm doing this lol Thanks in advance for any helpful tips you can throw my way Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steel Lynx Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Welcome to the forum Mike. My run to work is mostly main road too. I tend to not go above about 2500rpm (which turns out at about 70 mph on the speedometer anyway) until she's warmed up. Good luck with the search, you won't regret getting one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newkid Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Main dealer is not necessarily a must. Most on here will tell you that a good specialist is much better than main dealer for servicing. Somebody like horsham Dev, japex, clarks etc... As for used as a daily ....it's a great daily. Comfortable, quick, refined and a joy to drive. It's not overly fuel hungry and a 10 mile journey won't hurt it at all. Hop on board buddy you won't regret it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikevv Posted June 4, 2015 Author Share Posted June 4, 2015 I spoiled myself last year and test drove a 370z around October, had the damn Zed-bug since haha. Was very refined, the gearbox and clutch were actually easier and nicer to use than I thought they would be, most people telling me " it's a sports car, it'll be heavy and notchy " I mean the sound and performance make up for fuel, I get like 28 mpg at the moment, So I can handle low to mid 20's for the level of performance and (cliche) smiles to the gallon Are there any specialists to be avoided? I only mentioned main dealer cause there's one about 25 mins away, which is where I got my test drive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z370Z Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetpilot Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 I would imagine a lot of zed owners have done a track day or three, its a performance car and the track is a good place to enjoy that performance, doesnt mean its been "ragged" or "beat on", if anything, enthusiast enjoyed and maintained 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZMANALEX Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 to the forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev T Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Hello and welcome, i track my car a few times a year ( did Brands Hatch yesterday ) but it is the most pampered and looked after car you can imagine ( just ask the wife ) so not always a deal breaker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikevv Posted June 4, 2015 Author Share Posted June 4, 2015 I would imagine a lot of zed owners have done a track day or three, its a performance car and the track is a good place to enjoy that performance, doesnt mean its been "ragged" or "beat on", if anything, enthusiast enjoyed and maintained Hello and welcome, i track my car a few times a year ( did Brands Hatch yesterday ) but it is the most pampered and looked after car you can imagine ( just ask the wife ) so not always a deal breaker Forgive me, I meant more as in "boy racers" who drive it hard from cold sort of thing, and generally not mechanically sound things, very hard to explain what I mean but you know the people I mean right? See them hanging around in Mcdonalds car parks and dump the clutch on their way out sorta thing. Track days are fine by me, as long as they were obviously cared for with enough oil etc, which being a forum car I think would be highly likely as you said, enthusiast owned Part of me thinks " well the car is capable of doing this, surely the manufacturers wouldn't allow it to be possible if it was TOO bad for the car " and then the other part of me wants to pamper it and be a garage queen ( but where's the fun in that!! ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Payco Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Welcome Mike. Try and make it along to the Woodman meet on the 14th (see regional meets - South East) You can have a good chat to us and see some cars. Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
veilside z Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Hello and welcome along. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firemansim Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Hi and welcome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glrnet Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Bradders- Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Welcome! Did you go Bournemouth wheels last weekend? I was down there lol! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Mcgoo Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Welcome to the club. As others have said, buy on condition rather than age or mileage. Service history is a big one, but I'd much rather a car from member or enthusiast that has been to a good independent garage or self serviced as long as there is evidence and receipts that it has been done. There is no Nissan garage out there that would look after my car with as much care as me. That will be the case with most true enthusiasts so don't be put off by owner serviced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoker11 Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Hi and welcome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newkid Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Main dealers suck bro. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lyndzzz Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Hi and along Good luck with the search Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMballistic Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Welcome aboard Mike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iwanprice12 Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Welcome to the forum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buster Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikevv Posted June 4, 2015 Author Share Posted June 4, 2015 Main dealers suck bro. Can you elaborate a bit more on that please? My local main dealer for BMW is fantastic, but the quality comes at a price :S Dad got lucky servicing his car, they gave him a 328i courtesy car, nothing special, but better than the usual fleet of 116d's they give everyone My local nissan dealer always has at least 2 GTR's in stock and last time I was there had 6 370z's, 3 of which were Nismo's!! Obviously that wouldn't be my courtesy car hahaha probably get a Micra or Leaf, and TBH I'd rather walk the 15 miles home Sorry for the rant, were you referring to the service they give? Is it bad value, or just bad service? I did some digging and a minor service was quoted around £250 while a main was £350, which I think is reasonable, for a stamp in the book too! Not just word that " Me n mah mate Derek from down da road innit " haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMballistic Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Mike if you like throwing money away just for a stamp in your service book then stick with the main dealer. Personally I have found them less than satisfactory and at double the price of a good independent too. For example: When I first got my 350 I had my local Nissan dealership supply & change my spark plugs. For this I was charged around £220 and when I got the car back I found the mechanic had wrecked a new K&N sticker which was on my air filter box. This is obviously a minor thing but to me it shows a lack of respect for my car. Later I also found that when replacing the spark plug they had stripped the threads on one of the coil pack retaining bolt holes. To fix this the "mechanic" had filled the hole with silicone and then put the bolt in. Bodge job if ever I've seen one and I have never gone back because of it. If I can't do the work on my 350 myself I now use a good local independent garage for smaller jobs, MOT's etc and take a drive to Horsham Developments (around an hour away) for anything more serious. I know that when selling my car anyone who really knows anything about the 350 or 370 Zed for that matter will be more impressed with a good service history from Horsham Developments (the Cougar Store, Abbey Motorsport, TDi, RT Performance etc to name a few more) than any Nissan main dealer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyser Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Along You are less than 10 Miles from the Zed Shed if you are in Ringwood mate - drop me a PM and come over for a cuppa we can talk cars all evening Buster has the Ginger Ninja (350z light modifications) and is never far away and I have Hissing Sid (370z almost stock) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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