Default How durable is 350z stock?

[johnnxiv]

I have been searching around for an affordable 350z at $10k,

For $10k, if I get a 350z above 100k miles. Assume that I dont race, and regular

maintenances. How long is it going to last? how many miles?

[BusyBadger]

Mine has 171k on the clock a daily driver that gets to cut loose in the mountains from time time. No major problems really, broke a serpentine bent once, the clutch had been replaced, but I take care of it. As long as you do that most quality cats are going to hold up.

I got mine with 40k on it so it there was no major wear and tear on it, if you can is try to avoid stuff over 60k miles, that's a big service that some owners mind of skip over.

[jerryd1987]

if they are taken care of they are durable, timing chain not belt is a big plus for them, its been nissans go to 6 for awhile.

[sprigelz]

Whats the big service at 60k?

[ManDogFish]

relative to other 300hp cars like the older m3, a vq35de in good condition if maintained good is very very bulletproof.

i got my 350z with 78k miles and now im on 108k miles. It gets floored every day unless im low on gas and it gets driven and floored through Canadian winter storms but it always gets warmed up before use. The only work ive done on it was trans fluid flush with redline, and just regular oil and air filters and stuff. The serpentine belt has had cracks on it for 6 months and I have not changed it yet. The spark plugs and clutch have never been changed I believe (according to the previous owner) and it runs like new. Im surprised on how the clutch is still pretty good at this mileage and the plugs have not started misfiring. The engine oil level now does seem to be a little lower at the end of the oil change interval than at the start but I hear thats normal.

I do a lot of preventative maintenance check ups though... like MAF clean.

If you end up with a lemon, it will be a nightmare... these cars are not easy to work on. Which is why I have not changed the spark plugs yet.
a lot of them burn oil faster... and the oil level drops without the driver knowing... he/she then floors the engine, causing excess wear and damage and after some time they sell it. Look for cam chain noise on startup on cold engine and smell exhaust fumes while the engine revs drop in a high rev.

Also try shifting gears very fast...many many of these transmissions grind syncros when shifting fast past 3rd gear (people just never changed the trans fluid)

nissan uses vq35 in many cars...cuz its very good overall. Its not idiot proof though, thus engine failures.

[BusyBadger]

Fish! Good to see you, it's been a while!

Change your serpentine belt, remember what happened to my hood when mine broke? I posted pics, I'm on my phone or I'd post a link.

I'll do it later once I'm actually at something with a full-sized keyboard.

[BusyBadger]

As promised...

Check Your Belts!

[ManDogFish]

will get it done...eventually. Im just pushing my luck a bit to be honest.
thanks for the heads up Badger.


A friend of mine has the same issue on a vq35de murano, car died on the highway and had to be towed.

[sams350zgt]

I can't remember the name of the guy who designed the DE engine but I can say that it was designed to cover 200,000 miles of trouble free motoring as long as the service schedule was adhered to as the biggest killer of engines is a low level of filthy engine oil. The designer of the car Yutaka Katayama tried to ensure that the components of the 350Z although built to a price were also capable of long life with minimal maintenance. There are now 350Z's that have surpassed the 200K mark and are still running strongly although it would be interesting to put these cars on a dyno just to see how many horses had escaped over the years. All in all I think its fair to say that bar a few components (window motors for one) the 350Z is one durable sports car.

[BusyBadger]

Yutaka Katayama (Mr. K) didn't design the 350Z, Diane Allen, Mamoru Aoki, Ajay Panchal from Nissan North America's design team did.

Mr. K did reveal the design at a ceremony where he was getting an industry however.

I'm in complete agreement with the oil though, it's the lifrblood if all engines.