Why is the 350z so hard to find and what do you think of these?

[ascoolasice]

I am set on buying this car after looking at some used M3s the RX8 the 350z just has the best bang for your buck. I am from Canada so I am going to get ripped off no matter what I buy but anyway here are the 2 that I am going to look at tomorrow.

2006 Orange 350z performance package. The cost is $28,800 with 26000km

and the other is

2006 black performance/navigation package. The cost is $29 900 with 32000km

I have been looking for this car for about a month now and the 3 that I went to see got sold within a day of seeing them. One even got sold while I was looking at it.

Another problem I am having is that I know very little about cars and my best friend is a mechanic. He told me that there are things on that car that even he cant fix due to the amount of stuff that runs with computers now. Basically implying that its going to be a huge inconvenience for me.

Everyone I have told as of now has said don't buy it. I cant tell if its jealousy or general concern.

I have done a ton of research on this car. I have read some of the horror stories mostly from early years and the clutch/transmission troubles that this car has but you all are owners and maybe give me a clear look at what I am really getting into here.

[evildky]

I think you can get a new entheusiast model for that prrice?

[sonsters]

well as out of the 3 cars u picked... i would say do not get the rx-8, a friend of mine had one of those and when it got cold in miss. it wouldnt hardly start after he ran it for a short time.. we still to this day do not know why but alot of ppl told him that he wast the only one with that problem.. also rx8 is rotary and not alot of ppl know how to work on those or work on em well... i love the m3's and z's to me its just got to do about price between those 2 cars... (insurance, price of car, repairs etc...), as for the z im planning on gettin an 06 and bout the only thing i know that is a little off is some ppl complain bout a clanking noise when the clutch is engaged.. but by the time the 06's came out nissan had fixed a bunch of the old problems.... hope that helps man... g/l with the buy... post some pics!

[tazboy]

I bought a 06 Grand Touring Roadster Interlagos fire (not sure if i will like the color yet or not) with 10,600 miles for 26.800, I did buy it in Jan when there was alot of snow on the ground and everbody was thinking abougt snowmobiling. Hope it gives you an idea.

[ascoolasice]

Thanks guys. I am still looking for the Z over any other car. The sky has come to my attention too now but I don't like the soft top convertible look. Anyway the 2 cars I was going to see today are sold again. The guy told me you have to jump on any opportunity. I have looked at auto trader and all over the net at used car lots. I have purchased the auto trader books and got every possible used car mag that I have seen. Where els can I look for this car? I am in the GTA.

One more issue. Since this car gets sold so fast if I do finally get there first what do I check for to avoid getting a lemon? I want to get my mechanic friend in there but fact is when I leave the car will probably be sold so I am sort of left to fend for myself.

[sonsters]

some dealerships will let u take a car to a local shop of your choice and have a mechanic check it all out and give u the info. on the car.... but as for as just checking and lookin... id check the tires (they tend to feather), and oil... sometimes the 06's have been known to burn oil and if someone doesnt know this and drove the car a little hard while the car was burning oil it could show some metal shavings in the oil.. if there are metal shavings id back out.... (if someone nows better than me plz correct me) and check the clutch and see if it makes any noises while engaged or disengaged.. thats bout all i know bout...... as far as looking for others i just looked on forums and cars.com.... i couldnt find any 06's in my price range within 500 miles so i gotta fly and drive mine back but i got a really dang good deal... 06 enthu. with 19k miles for 19k$

[ascoolasice]

thats great info man. How are you going to fly and buy the car without seeing it first? Or are you just taking a chance?

[sonsters]

dealer offered me a thing that i agreed to sayin if the car isnt as advertised when i go to buy i have the right to back out... pretty much if there is anything they didnt tell me or i find out when i get there i dont have to buy it ( it did cost me 200 bucks but it was the only blue one that ws standard and enthu. so i reallly reallllly wanted it also that 200 will go to price of car).... another way is my dad got his car by asking the dealer to send him the car ( he had to pay shipping) and if it was as advertised hed buy it... (very few dealers do that though).....

[snwbrdr435]

well as out of the 3 cars u picked... i would say do not get the rx-8, a friend of mine had one of those and when it got cold in miss. it wouldnt hardly start after he ran it for a short time.. we still to this day do not know why but alot of ppl told him that he wast the only one with that problem.. also rx8 is rotary and not alot of ppl know how to work on those or work on em well..

sorry to thread jack but the reason it wouldnt start is probably because he was flooding the engine. Rotarys are know for that. The start your car move it and turn it off can flood them.

good luck finding a z or a m3

[sonsters]

yeah... we never knew why just knew it wouldnt start

[rmezz13]

Thanks guys. I am still looking for the Z over any other car. The sky has come to my attention too now but I don't like the soft top convertible look. Anyway the 2 cars I was going to see today are sold again. The guy told me you have to jump on any opportunity. I have looked at auto trader and all over the net at used car lots. I have purchased the auto trader books and got every possible used car mag that I have seen. Where els can I look for this car? I am in the GTA.

One more issue. Since this car gets sold so fast if I do finally get there first what do I check for to avoid getting a lemon? I want to get my mechanic friend in there but fact is when I leave the car will probably be sold so I am sort of left to fend for myself.

One thing to consider is the power, how much do you want? The M3 is going to be more powerful, the Z is probably the most fun all around, and the RX8 is, well slow, but handles well. Now the sky is good looking. Notice how i said good looking, and nothing else! I test drove the Sky turbo last week at my local saturn dealership. Power is 260hp not bad, but not impressive for a turbo car. The car is too quiet, can barely here the turbo, the ehaust is quiet, kind of dual. Pretty quick accelerating, but it does have turbo which is always fun. As far as handling, the suspension is soft, and the steering is very loose/sketchy. Definitely a girl car, and one more thing, that rag top look you like is completely manual and not available in a power convertible top. Also the interior was kind of cheap, the cup holder i thought i was going to break just touching it. Really cheap, and you have to make sure the doors are shut when you close the hood or you will be visiting the body shop, and your trunk space is about the size of a brief case. if i were to research these cars and drive all of them it would definitely come down to the Z and the M3. If price is the factor and you like curvy roads than the Z is for you. If you like rag tops, look into the S2000. Now thats an amazing car for under $15000 USD. (i had one)

[ascoolasice]

I am worried that if I buy an 06 Z that I will love it this summer and then by next summer all the new cars will be out and I will feel like crap. I mean I see the GTR, Hyundai is even coming out with a cheap 300 hp coupe that looks amazing. I know that the 09 z are going to have a redesign. I just don't know what to do. I always get stoked about something, then 2nd, 3rd and 4th guess it until I am so confused and worried that I don't get anything.

I got 30 000 to spend and I want a fast car that turns heads and is a lot of fun. I don't want to race or tune my car to much but I want to enjoy shifting and taking off with some power. What would be best for me? Maybe the Z is not the right car?

[rmezz13]

save some more and buy a lotus exige S...... 0-60 in 4.1 sec, and you'll turn some heads fo sho.

[ascoolasice]

I wish I could buy that. I'm only 23 so insurance will kill me.

[rmezz13]

when i pay the Z off i will probably buy a lotus exige S. They're not too bad priced used and its my GF's dream car. Plus they are super exciting: faster 0-60 than a Z06 and more agile than anything under $100k...... Thats definitely my next sports car buy.

[sonsters]

man theres a guy with one of those lutos exige s' round where i used to live and i pulled up on the side of him to race in my old z and he wouldnt do it... i never really looked into em cause i wont lie i thought they were slow because thats how the guy was acting in his.... but after reading on how bad u wanted one rmezz, i read that they can get to 60 in 3.9 seconds..... amazing for a 4 cylinder supercharged... although lotus has always dominated the 4 cyl. with their old esprit.... if i had the funds that would b my next car (not for daily driver though)...

[rmezz13]

i'll keep the Z because by the time i pay it off i should be done with everything i want to do, but my Z isn't my daily now. Yeah the Lotus Exige S is a bad car that not a lot of people know about. I mean, like you said, no one realizes that this car with 220hp goes 0-60 in less than a Z06!! And it will out corner any car under $100k..... Check out the Exige S videos - search you tube for "Top Gear Lotus Exige S". Bad little car!

[sonsters]

dang dude those things are so bad.... they take off like a little rocket.... pretty amazing... i see the elise all the time at autoX's and they dominate

[tooskerdo]

Don't fly to see a car and buy from a far dealer! You can go to any dealer and they will buy that car from any other dealer and bring it in for you. I live in ohio, and i had a dealer do a search for the yellow 350z in the track package. They found 1 all the way over in washington. They charged me $900 to ship it, but way worth it.

Also, if you are looking for a good car i may be willing to sell mine. 05' track model (1st of the rev up for 06) jp body kit (done very well) vortech super charger, stillen true dual, rays wheels, brembos (come on track models) color match in engine bay, and rear strut. glow shift triple pod. Nismo oil, rad cap,etc.18k on the car.Car is in a calander, and in the end of a video titled " clevelands most wanted" still shot at the end w/ some other high end cars.Just a thought man? I probably would be looking to get rid of till oct. Go to ( ohionissans.com ) look uunder 350z section. Title is called tooskerdo's 350z and you can see a couple pis of it. I can also email you some if your interested! A good car at a good price!

[ascoolasice]

I wish I could buy that. I'm only 23 so insurance will kill me.

[carbon z]

There is an 03 touring with 19"s 6 speed, in Michigan for sale. 16K You can find it on myzfrenzy.com

[Soravia]

Rx-8 has lower insurance than a Z and better handling too.

The quirks from earlier RX-8 has been fixed by ECU updates and sparkplug coil replacements.I had one and it ran pretty fast once you hit 4,7000 rpm where the second injectors kick in. Eats a lot of gas when you hit that point too.averages about 15MPG when I drove it.

[ascoolasice]

im looking for an 06 and im from toronto need to find one around me:S

[MTLbroker]

Where r u in Canada? I'm in Montreal and just made a deal on a roadster, touring, auto, with 11,000 kms for a bit over C$30k. There are lots of them here - maybe the Montreal dealers are buying them all up??

I just got out of an RX-8 GT. Great car. Never had any problems. Drove it thru 4 summers and 3 winters. Rotary engine is incredibly smooth. I loved driving the car everywhere and playing with the gears to keep it above 6000 rpm. Don't let anyone scare you away from an RX-8. They are great used car bargains.

[ChanceWarren]

I spent 6 months looking for my Z. I had specs in mind but let me tell you from experience--If you can only afford to get it used, you have to be very flexible. I was extremely lucky and found an '07 for under 20k USD. It had a salvage title, and upon extensive research, I learned it was only due to a technicality. No frame/engine/drivetrain dammage; in fact, my mechanic told me (and showed me) that it might as well have been brand new and he doesn't know why they called it a salvage. At the end of the day, all you really need is patience. But if I could give you a bit more advice... I'd stay away from the '06 model. As someone else said up there, it's known to burn oil, and almost -every- owner of an '06 that I've met has experienced that first hand.

Also, shop around for insurance... My previous car was an '05 Eclipse and when I got the Z I changed carriers--now I pay $100 less a month!

[nterrigno]

30 grand? One simple suggestion. DOWN PAYMENT ON GTR

[MTLbroker]

30 grand? One simple suggestion. DOWN PAYMENT ON GTR

I thought about that.......Prolly wait a couple of years, let someone else take the initial depreciation, sell the roadster to get into GTR. Always someone willing to sell.......