Nissan 350Z thoughts..

ION08

What are peoples thoughts on this car? - I am seriously considering it as my next car (realistically planning to buy one early next year as I am away at the moment)

I used to drive an RX-8 and loved it. I was actually considering a 350z beforehand amongst other cars, but the practicality (4 seats) and the tax (1.8) of the RX-8 swung it for me amongst many other reasons - primarily that i've always wanted an RX-8 to begin with!

But now that ive had one, i feel like i'd like to try out the 350z aswell

I know its heavier, and I know the interior on earlier models apparently isn't that spectacular.

I think i'd be able to bite the bullet on the 2 seats and the astronomical road tax for the 3.5 V6 ... but thats what worries me the most - could other people also stomach the road tax associated with this car - would it be hard to sell on in, say, 1 yrs time??

Any thoughts & opinions appreciated

SV

I used to think they were nice but now..I don't know, they're really just starting to look very very boring. =/

seanybiker

horrible looking yokes.

BArra

they are seriously nice machines, its v6 note is very...very nice

absolutely drinks the juice though!!! :pac:

watch the rear end going around bends, any bit of spirit if you arent well versed in its quirkyness will punish you badly

id say go for it if you can stomach the road tax, but get one in black and dont get a shoddy jdm, go for an irish one or uk import model

the 2005 gt4 issue is very nice with the uprated alloys, they set the car off nicely

mik_da_man

Yup - Black 350Z GT is what ya want

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/1221979.htm

Absurdum

Awesome cars, and seriously good value now. Though I wouldn't fancy trying to offload one anytime in the next year or two.

colm_mcm

These are a serious machine, there's a supercharged one in the country with 400bhp. it's an animal

_Buck Rogers

If you want speed, nissan is the way to go, jsut not the 350z

Matt Simis

I wouldnt worry about the tax. It is what it is, anyone that wants one (or nearly anything high performance) is presumably already mentally prepared for higher tax and insurance costs. Remember you are looking at the difference in Tax cost vs say, a 2.0l, its not that this is EUR1500 odd and everything else is free.
Go get a test drive, you should find thanks to the plentiful torque its a more white knuckle experience than the RX8.

ION08

_Buck Rogers wrote: »

If you want speed, nissan is the way to go, jsut not the 350z

Yeah, but its not just ONLY speed I want...

Matt Simis wrote: »

I wouldnt worry about the tax. It is what it is, anyone that ones one (or nearly anything high performance) is presumably already mentally prepared for higher tax and insurance costs. Remember you are looking at the difference in Tax cost vs say, a 2.0l, its not that this is EUR1500 odd and everything else is free.
Go get a test drive, you should find thanks to the plentiful torque its a more white knuckle experience than the RX8.

.. Some really good insight there matt.

I myself really like the car as a package, but its not really 'in taste' with the current economic situation, which is where my main concern stems from - would a car with 2 seats and a petrol thirsty 3.5 V6 thats in the highest road tax bracket be hard to sell on in 1yrs time - exactly as per 'Absurdum's' point above.


Black looks nice alright, but i think the gun metal Grey with tan leather interior looks the biz :cool:

Matt Simis

ION08 wrote: »

Yeah, but its not just ONLY speed I want...

Black looks nice alright, but i think the gun metal Grey with tan leather interior looks the biz :cool:

Yeah, that combo would be excellent indeed!
I think unless you are buying a run of the mill A-B car, its going to be hard to sell on later, so I wouldnt just pin that on the 350Z. On the flip side, the 350Z will be even cheaper due to depreciation next year, opening up your sale to even more potentials. Cars like that always come with a built in fan base, someone will want a newish but affordable Z car, especially when the 370Z starts appearing on the roads.

MPG afaik hovers around the mid-twenties mark, its decent for the engine size.

tdc

i was thinking of getting one of these last year but the insurance was just too much. im only 22 so most wouldnt even entertain me when i went looking for a quote. how much exactly is road tax per year? i know its something around 1500-2000?

if you are going for one i think irish or uk models are the ones to go for, no jap imports. im starting to consider one again with all the talk of vrt being abolished. unlikely as it is, if it is dropped then the 350 will become the bargain of the century. on the other hand, they may be a bargain to buy but insurance/tax/running costs are going to cost u ALOT in the long run.

agree about the grey/tan colour combo, black and bright blue also look great on the 350.

good luck in your search for a 350, let us know how u get on

unkel

Matt Simis wrote: »

the 350Z will be even cheaper due to depreciation next year, opening up your sale to even more potentials.

You should go into sales, Matt

Owen

I traded one in about 3 years ago and drove it for a week when it was in. The interior is shocking. The plastics - to use a clarksonism - are like those from the inside of a chocolate box. Great car to drive, but seeing as you spend 99% of your time on the inside, shouldn't that be a nice place to be? The whole thing just reeked of cheapness to me.

Ferris

Buy Cyrus's Z4 3.0 coupe instead. Far better car.

ION08

unkel wrote: »

You should go into sales, Matt

Seconded - he makes a valid point though!

PaintDoctor wrote: »

I traded one in about 3 years ago and drove it for a week when it was in. The interior is shocking. The plastics - to use a clarksonism - are like those from the inside of a chocolate box. Great car to drive, but seeing as you spend 99% of your time on the inside, shouldn't that be a nice place to be? The whole thing just reeked of cheapness to me.

Really that bad???

I totally agree that the interior of a car should be a nice place to be in, but im not the overly pretentious type either, however, if it is infact THAT bad it would definitely be a put off.

BArra

the interior isnt that bad, theirs plenty of far worse examples out there

sit into one and have a fiddle around in it, a good speced one should have the gt spec, heated seats, electric seats, air con, cruise, bose 6 cd sound inc a woofer ect

TheBazman

I used to have one, a 2004 Kuro Black one. Loved the car - just for the power, the sound, the looks. In the end it was the lack of practicality that made me change. Kids dont work in a 2 seater. I'm quite tall and also noticed that the drivers seat is limited in the amount it can move so definitely sit in one, drive it and know the feel of it. There is also a great big strut across the boot which hinders room a bit. In terms of running cost, well yes tax is high on it, but I was getting around 24 mpg on it using it on my daily 120km commute (60% motorway, 40% city driving). Looking back things like servicing /tyres etc werent bad (albeit the tyres can be hard to get sometimes), certainly in comparison to the 535d it was dare I say it good value for servicing and tyres.

Best advise it sit in one, drive it and see how it makes you feel. When I got mine it was a huge step up and I felt like a king driving it, however if you have been driving similar cars in the past maybe you will feel differently

Berty

Oh well. Its not as though you can get another RX-8 anyway. Mazda Ireland dropped it from the sales sheets.

If anybody wants one of these new - to the UK with thee! :mad:

biggus

Make sure you go for the european spec car post 2005 much better/ different suspension set up to Japs.
I had a convertible which overcomes the boomy noise that people give out about in the coupe. Convertible was also stiff and handled well and never rattled.
Either way Make sure you get the brembo brakes too. Overall a Great yoke.
Interior was good enough for me and i liked the heated leather seats.
350z's feel unbreakable and are easy to drift safely cos of the torque. Far better car than Rx8 and not half as thirsty. Engine is the opposite of the rx8 loads of grunt low down and nice sound too especially with roof down.
Drove a supercharged one in UK and was like fast forward in a playstation game.

Gearbox can sound like a truck at idle even in a brand new one so don't let this put you off (can sound chattery/slack)

Not complicated mechanically and i think there will always be a market for them at the right price. So depreciation will hit a certain level and stay there a lot of people /traders would have a 350z that wouldn't dream of going near a porsche the may need specialist attention at some point. Pay the big tax and enjoy.!!!

Absurdum

ION08 wrote: »

I myself really like the car as a package, but its not really 'in taste' with the current economic situation, which is where my main concern stems from - would a car with 2 seats and a petrol thirsty 3.5 V6 thats in the highest road tax bracket be hard to sell on in 1yrs time - exactly as per 'Absurdum's' point above.

This is pretty much the only thing stopping me from buying a Murano (2 seats just don't cut it for me ) at the moment, huge spec for relatively little money but surely it will be one of the most sale-proof cars around in a couple of years.

madmac187

ION08 wrote: »

What are peoples thoughts on this car? - I am seriously considering it as my next car (realistically planning to buy one early next year as I am away at the moment)

I used to drive an RX-8 and loved it. I was actually considering a 350z beforehand amongst other cars, but the practicality (4 seats) and the tax (1.8) of the RX-8 swung it for me amongst many other reasons - primarily that i've always wanted an RX-8 to begin with!

But now that ive had one, i feel like i'd like to try out the 350z aswell

I know its heavier, and I know the interior on earlier models apparently isn't that spectacular.

I think i'd be able to bite the bullet on the 2 seats and the astronomical road tax for the 3.5 V6 ... but thats what worries me the most - could other people also stomach the road tax associated with this car - would it be hard to sell on in, say, 1 yrs time??

Any thoughts & opinions appreciated

Nissan skyline 2.6 will put it in the ground definitely for the same money. An evo FQ360 probably will just about kick its ass and an evo FQ 400 defo will aswell. Both have less tax. Depending what ones you buy won't be scummy looking either

SV

madmac187 wrote: »

Nissan skyline 2.6 will put it in the ground definitely for the same money. An evo FQ360 probably will just about kick its ass and an evo FQ 400 defo will aswell. Both have less tax. Depending what ones you buy won't be scummy looking either

I'm pretty sure every single evo would..


It's 0to60 is only 5.7 like, it's nothing to write home about for a 3.5V6 engine.

tdc

how much exactly is the tax for an 03/04?

Absurdum

tdc wrote: »

how much exactly is the tax for an 03/04?

€1,566 per year

galwaytt

...if you're worried about running costs: tax, insurance, fuel, you don't any of the cars mentioned, you need a Micra.

I love the Z, but the two-seats only confines it to one step beyond useless for me. I'd say on balance, the extra tax etc is offset by the better economy compared to the RX-8, so it'll be much of a muchness, really.

But you'd need to use it to get value. If it's going to spend a lot of time parked, the Eur 1500+pa. will really, really annoy you. I have an MX-5 that's a lot cheaper, and irks for that reason. That's why I don't mind the tax on the 968 so much - gets used everyday, and the 2 small people fit in the back. I'll never need 3 seats in the rear - damhik.............

The Z sounds great. In the right colour - say, electric met blue - it's a stunner.

I'll get one, eventually. But I'll probably end up with an RX before that, though !

Oh, and as for the 'in a year' it'll be unsaleble - if that's what drives your choice of car..........see the first sentence. Whatever these things we desire, are......they ain't transport........

Hookey

Had one back in the UK (sold it in 2006), fabulous car. Great fun to drive, fast enough, excellent stereo if you have the GT pack. You have to get a European-spec one (the Jap-Fairlady spec is very different) and if you can, get the later version with 296bhp (mine was the earlier 276bhp), not much difference in performance but a more flexible engine in-gear apparently.

Ignore the comments about interior build quality; its nonsense in relation to European-spec cars (except for the flip-up lid over the satnav, that is crap). Be aware that it is utterly impractical though; the strengthening bar across the boot, effectively makes two small boots, both useless, and there's no glovebox either (although there is a cubby behind one of the seats). NB. Its supposed to run on 98RON fuel as well, but I guess you can say that about most performance cars these days.

I'd say go for it.

Biro

PaintDoctor wrote: »

I traded one in about 3 years ago and drove it for a week when it was in. The interior is shocking. The plastics - to use a clarksonism - are like those from the inside of a chocolate box. Great car to drive, but seeing as you spend 99% of your time on the inside, shouldn't that be a nice place to be? The whole thing just reeked of cheapness to me.

Who gives a crap on a car of this type? The MINI interior is cheap, was in a not so old one with the paint flaking off the dash (the cheap-looking silvery paint!) but I didn't care, cause that's not what it's about.
If you're looking at a Lexus or Merc or Audi or BM coupe, then interior is important.
A car like the 350Z the handling is the most important part.

--Kaiser--

BArra wrote: »

tdont get a shoddy jdm, go for an irish one or uk import model

Japanese imports generally have way better build quality that the European versions of the car. Also their version of the NCT (shaken) is so stringent that a second-hand Jap import is going to be in far better condition.

The only reason not to buy an import is the VRT costs.

Hookey

--Kaiser-- wrote: »

Japanese imports generally have way better build quality that the European versions of the car. Also their version of the NCT (shaken) is so stringent that a second-hand Jap import is going to be in far better condition.

The only reason not to buy an import is the VRT costs.

Sorry that's nonsense. The Euro-spec cars have a better build-quality than either Jap or US-spec versions; particularly the interiors. Euro-spec cars also have suspension settings tuned to European roads. I've driven a Jap-spec car and the UK one I eventually bought and there's a huge difference between them. The only advantage I ever saw to the Jap-spec models was they came in a couple more colours (I was quite taken with the white one).

--Kaiser--

Granted Jap cars aren't designed for Irish roads, but a 10 year old Jap car is going to be in better condition than it's UK or Irish equivalent due to the fact that the roads in Japan are a lot better maintained.
Also due to the aforementioned car tests most Japanese cars will have either a new engine or a rebuilt one at 60,000 miles. There is little salting/gritting of Japanese roads resulting in that they are practically rust free.

Japanese cars are known all over the world for their build quality, and where did the style of production originate? That's right. Japan.

Hookey

But the oldest UK spec 350Zs are at most four-five years old, and the thing about interior build quality stands; thanks to premium German companies Europeans have a higher expectation of interior build-quality, and actually, European-built Japanese cars usually have a higher standard of fit and finish than their Japanese equivalents (the Sunderland Nissan plant for instance builds the best finished cars in the whole company). You may be right about standards of older second-hand grey imports, but new European spec Jap cars are almost always better made, no matter which plant in the world they come from.

ION08

galwaytt wrote: »

...if you're worried about running costs: tax, insurance, fuel, you don't any of the cars mentioned, you need a Micra.

I love the Z, but the two-seats only confines it to one step beyond useless for me. I'd say on balance, the extra tax etc is offset by the better economy compared to the RX-8, so it'll be much of a muchness, really.

But you'd need to use it to get value. If it's going to spend a lot of time parked, the Eur 1500+pa. will really, really annoy you. I have an MX-5 that's a lot cheaper, and irks for that reason. That's why I don't mind the tax on the 968 so much - gets used everyday, and the 2 small people fit in the back. I'll never need 3 seats in the rear - damhik.............

The Z sounds great. In the right colour - say, electric met blue - it's a stunner.

I'll get one, eventually. But I'll probably end up with an RX before that, though !

Oh, and as for the 'in a year' it'll be unsaleble - if that's what drives your choice of car..........see the first sentence. Whatever these things we desire, are......they ain't transport........

"if you're worried about running costs: tax, insurance, fuel, you don't any of the cars mentioned, you need a Micra." ..... what???!!! :rolleyes:

I dont recall saying that those factors are a worry for me, but surely if they were there would be other classes of cars inbetween micras and 350z's??

Also, surely worrying about the re-saleability of a car is a common and high enough ranking factor of consideration - reasonable enough I would have have though when it comes to buying a car

galwaytt

you're misinterprating what I said.

With cars of this ilk, in this financial climate, with fuel cost skyrocketing, and more taxes in the pipeline, you need to assume the worst. That is, that it will be expensive. That it will be limiting in it's usefulness. That it's of limited appeal to most people.

Those factors will have a great influence on the likely resale value. So, rather than get deflated then, after the money is gone, gird your loins for the worst-case-scenario now, and then see if it's still what you want. Worst-case scenario is that you can't sell it at all, best case is at a big loss. Think sterling prices - and less (without VRT).

Unfortunately, the issues that affect your purchase are actually mostly nothing to do with the car itself............unfortunately.

Ronanom

I've just put my 350GT up for sale. Had it for nearly a year and enjoy every minute of driving it. Unfortunately, getting made redundant a week before xmas means it has to find a new home.
I had originally considered a 350z but for practicle reasons I went for the GT for the back seats and the rarity of them.
Exact same engine / parts etc as the Z but looks better imho.