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Buying my first 350....


jaytt

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Morning all,

Going to look at a low mileage (30k) 2005 Zed (possibly today)...

Its a roadster, which tbh I am not keen on because when the roof is down its gorgeous, but pics of the roof up (which it will prob spend most of its life with in our current weather) it reminds me of a noddy car!!

 

But going to look at it in the flesh may change my mind...

 

It ticks *nearly* all the other boxes for me....

 

Want a low mileage, UK (for cheaper Insurance), 2005 or earlier model (tax reasons - damned if Im paying an extra £200 per year), GT in Black or Grey.

 

Few things I would like to know..

 

I noticed the steering wheel controls are not there on the left side..I believe this may be stereo controls? Are these easy to add later or is it a new steering wheel needed?

 

Weight - I take it the roadster is a fair bit heavier/slower...Any idea on what the extra weight is and real world performance losses?

 

Mileage:

Its on 30K and just had its 2015 service (Nissan serviced every year - approx 3-4k per year)...

I want to keep full Nissan history with it, so would look to take it to a Nissan dealer for servicing but that sort of scares me...(Cost).

Anyone know when the next service is (mileage) and costs. Is there a big service coming up...?

I normally pay local garage £60 for yearly service on Audi so need to be sat down for answer probably.... :)

 

Pic below of what Im looking at...

It says 18" Rays, but from the pic they look to small.

 

I will want to add satnav to it when I get one, was this a factory option or aftermarket only?

 

Trying my hardest to like it with the roof up!!

 

Many thanks for any replies.

Edited by jaytt
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Keep looking at the lines on the coupe model - its much nicer!! 2nd thoughts about the roadster now...

 

One more question - apart from the "driving experience" is the auto box on these any good?

Thanks

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Cant do it - spent last hour studying roadsters vs coupe and the black coupe is just perfect...black matte wrap even nicer...

 

 

Think its gotta be a black coupe..

 

Still like to know if the auto box is any good in real life though :)

 

Cheers

Edited by jaytt
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I have had bad experience with nissan dealers so i now refuse to use the main dealership, i take it to my local garage who is a japanese car specialist and its gets treated with the respect it deserves. I am not too bothered about the "Nissan" service stamp, my car gets serviced every 4/5k with all major changes by someone who takes care of the Z and not a major garage who leaves engine oil all over the bay and "forgets" to put engine oil cap back on.

 

 

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Going to a main dealer for servicing doesn't add value to a car after the first couple of years in my opinion. As cars like the 350z get a bit long in the tooth, you'll find most buyers will want to see a specialist stamp in the service book.

 

I recently bought a 2003 coupe with just 16k miles and like you was torn between the coupe and the roadster before buying. Most coupes seemed to have lots of mile on them compared with the roadsters, which was the main draw to them for me... but the coupe just looks better in my opinion. 30k miles on a coupe for example will be deemed as extremely low and you can expect to pay a bit more - which when you think these cars a 10 years + old is quite a find...

 

Some good buying guides on here and do all checks regardless of mileage because low mileage cars have still aged just as much as the higher mileage examples and often with less maintenance.

Edited by mdunbar
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Morning all,

Going to look at a low mileage (30k) 2005 Zed (possibly today)...

Its a roadster, which tbh I am not keen on because when the roof is down its gorgeous, but pics of the roof up (which it will prob spend most of its life with in our current weather) it reminds me of a noddy car!!

 

But going to look at it in the flesh may change my mind...

 

It ticks *nearly* all the other boxes for me....

 

Want a low mileage, UK (for cheaper Insurance), 2005 or earlier model (tax reasons - damned if Im paying an extra £200 per year), GT in Black or Grey.

 

Few things I would like to know..

 

I noticed the steering wheel controls are not there on the left side..I believe this may be stereo controls? Are these easy to add later or is it a new steering wheel needed?

 

Not available on the roadster and not easy to add

 

Weight - I take it the roadster is a fair bit heavier/slower...Any idea on what the extra weight is and real world performance losses?

 

Insignificant losses

 

Mileage:

Its on 30K and just had its 2015 service (Nissan serviced every year - approx 3-4k per year)...

I want to keep full Nissan history with it, so would look to take it to a Nissan dealer for servicing but that sort of scares me...(Cost).

 

Don't bother with Nissan ... take it to a trusted garage ... if you tell us where you are, someone will come up with a good contact

 

Anyone know when the next service is (mileage) and costs. Is there a big service coming up...?

 

Big service comes up at 54,000 (plugs, brake fluid etc.)

 

I normally pay local garage £60 for yearly service on Audi so need to be sat down for answer probably.... :)

 

Pic below of what Im looking at...

It says 18" Rays, but from the pic they look to small.

 

Car looks better on 19" IMO but standard Rays are OK ... here's mine on 20"

 

IMG_0361.jpg

 

I will want to add satnav to it when I get one, was this a factory option or aftermarket only?

 

Factory option but it was crap ... go aftermarket

 

Trying my hardest to like it with the roof up!!

 

I know what you mean

 

Many thanks for any replies.

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Cant do it - spent last hour studying roadsters vs coupe and the black coupe is just perfect...black matte wrap even nicer...

 

 

Think its gotta be a black coupe..

 

Still like to know if the auto box is any good in real life though :)

 

Cheers

 

Pretty sure you'll have to go JDM for an auto

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Early roadsters are 100kg's heavier than Coupe's. Later models, 2006 facelifts onwards are 85kgs heavier. Facelifts in general both coupe's and roadsters are 75kg's heavier than prefacelifts.....so an HR roadster would be 160kg's heavier than an early coupe. Adds around 0.3 sec to 0-60 time.

 

Pete

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I noticed the steering wheel controls are not there on the left side..I believe this may be stereo controls? Are these easy to add later or is it a new steering wheel needed?

 

Not available on the roadster and not easy to add

 

 

Got them on my GT Roadster.

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I noticed the steering wheel controls are not there on the left side..I believe this may be stereo controls? Are these easy to add later or is it a new steering wheel needed?

 

Not available on the roadster and not easy to add

 

 

Got them on my GT Roadster.

 

I stand corrected ... is the right hand controls that are missing on the roadster ?

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I noticed the steering wheel controls are not there on the left side..I believe this may be stereo controls? Are these easy to add later or is it a new steering wheel needed?

 

Not available on the roadster and not easy to add

 

 

Got them on my GT Roadster.

 

Early GT roadsters only had 3 buttons but later ones have the full 6. I'm guessing the change was in 2005?

 

Pete

  • Like 2
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I noticed the steering wheel controls are not there on the left side..I believe this may be stereo controls? Are these easy to add later or is it a new steering wheel needed?

 

Not available on the roadster and not easy to add

 

 

Got them on my GT Roadster.

 

I stand corrected ... is the right hand controls that are missing on the roadster ?

 

Not on the GT one anyway. Cruise on the right, and Media on the left.

Mines an 06

Edited by Juggalo
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  • 2 weeks later...

I noticed the steering wheel controls are not there on the left side..I believe this may be stereo controls? Are these easy to add later or is it a new steering wheel needed?

 

Not available on the roadster and not easy to add

 

 

Got them on my GT Roadster.

 

Early GT roadsters only had 3 buttons but later ones have the full 6. I'm guessing the change was in 2005?

 

Pete

I've got an 06 JDM Roadster with just the three on the left.

What's the spec on the GT model?

I don't have a clue about the spec as there was no manuals with it (they'd have been in Japanese anyway) lol

Sorry, what i mean is - Is my Roadster a GT or not?

Don't have a clue, are there any dead giveaways?

Edited by Quinster
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