futurezedowner Posted December 1, 2016 Share Posted December 1, 2016 Hi everyone, I've been thinking about getting a Zed for a while, and then since yesterday it's all I can think about! I found a 2009 model on Autotrader with 33k miles for £10k and I want to go and look at it at the weekend. Problem is the most expensive car I've bought in my life was £1800 and let's be honest I'm far from being an expert. My question is what is the main thing to look out for when buying a used 350? Is there anything in particular I should be wary of? I don't know if there's anyone in the Brighton area that fancies helping out a future zed owner... Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
veeg33 Posted December 1, 2016 Share Posted December 1, 2016 (edited) Have a browse here --> http://www.350z-uk.c...um/18-350z-faq/ Buyers guide --> http://www.350z-uk.c...6-buyers-guide/ Service schedule -> http://www.350z-uk.c...ule-for-a-350z/ Good luck with your search!! Edited December 1, 2016 by veeg33 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikevv Posted December 1, 2016 Share Posted December 1, 2016 It sounds hard, but use your head when you look. I didn't and paid the price. I fell in love with it so fast haha. Sounds trivial but check EVERYTHING works, buttons/switches etc. My washers have stopped working, suspect a leak, but never fixed it. MOT is due in Jan so gotta get a move on hahaha. But yes, sounds silly, but check the lights as well - They're an expensive fix! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetpilot Posted December 1, 2016 Share Posted December 1, 2016 (edited) Consider possible repair bills within your budget, whilst normally very reliable, consumables can be costly, clutch and flywheel £800, decent tyres £500 plus, decent brake discs and pads £500 plus. Basically allow a contingency fund within your ownership. Edited December 1, 2016 by Jetpilot 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbad Posted December 1, 2016 Share Posted December 1, 2016 I totally agree , set aside a fund for fixes if you want to keep the vehicle in tip top shape: HR model Dual mass flywheel £2100 from Nissan and aftermarket flywheels about half that for the HR model, less if you get the DE model. My car has never broken down but have spent a little :Don it - enjoyment actor 20000000%% P3 service, brake pads cobra exhaust etc. Cracking cars though :teeth: :teeth: :teeth: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeezeebaba Posted December 1, 2016 Share Posted December 1, 2016 Make sure you have a decent test drive from cold and once warm let it idle with a/c off. Smooth roads can hide a multitude of issues with bushes etc so try a road with a few undulations and bumps to check for knocks. The Z is a heavy car and can be very hard on its suspension components. Check for smooth gear changes and whining, also any nasty noises from the rear diff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
futurezedowner Posted December 1, 2016 Author Share Posted December 1, 2016 What do you guys think of these professional inspections from the RAC/AA? I'm a bit embarrassed to turn up with one of those guys to be honest! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldel Posted December 1, 2016 Share Posted December 1, 2016 Never done one but they just check the basics as far as I know - they also are restrictive in what they will look at, depending on age etc. they can cost hundreds of pounds for a call out for a high risk car. Buying a used car is a game of chance but you increase your odds in being thorough, its also known for some of the more generous souls on here to accompany prospective buyers to see cars local to them in exchange for beer tokens or the like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
futurezedowner Posted December 1, 2016 Author Share Posted December 1, 2016 Buying a used car is a game of chance but you increase your odds in being thorough, its also known for some of the more generous souls on here to accompany prospective buyers to see cars local to them in exchange for beer tokens or the like. I wonder if there are any if there are any down here? Beer tokens are definitely up for grabs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldel Posted December 1, 2016 Share Posted December 1, 2016 Find a car you are seriously interested in and ask, if someone is local they might accompany you - this isn't a guarantee either you could still get unforeseen problems but it will reduce the risk a bit, but always good to have a second set of eyes anyway I always take car mates along to view cars I buy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldel Posted December 1, 2016 Share Posted December 1, 2016 Oh and do expect to travel to find the right one, I bought mine from Coventry whilst living in south London... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
futurezedowner Posted December 1, 2016 Author Share Posted December 1, 2016 I found a nice one in Shoreham(Brighton) that I'm going to see on Saturday. If there are any Zedders in the area that is willing to help out a noob that would be amazing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aashenfox Posted December 1, 2016 Share Posted December 1, 2016 (edited) To be completely honest with you (and it's fresh in my mind still, I bought one two months ago), there isn't anything that is a 'common issue' (at least a major one 'to look out for') that is specific to the Zed, the only common issues are the ones that affect all cars just the same. Steering pump and anything in the clutch are the two jobs to avoid. You really want to know that the clutch disc has plenty of life, ideally that someone has already fitted a lightweight flywheel (this may sound boy racerish but it's not, there is no disadvantage to shaving half the weight off the flywheel, only advantages, the standard dual mass design is ridiculous). The best thing to do would be to find a car that the owner admits needs a clutch soon, and get the price down the grand it will cost you to replace clutch disc, pressure plate, bearing and flywheel. Niggles that I wouldn't exactly call problems,awhich are probably mentioned in the above threads, the elecrtic seat switches fail, this can be a great bargaining point though, as the switches are over a hundred quid each, BUT, they never actually fail, they are a super sturdy design, they just get coke build up on th contacts from occasional arcing, you just whip your seat out, whip the switches off, take them apart carefull, clean the dirty contacts (will be obvious where) and replace. There's a youtube vid on this which is excellent. The other thing is the 2 gauge problems, oil pressure and fuel. The oil pressure gauge itself is rarely the problem, it's usually the sender, and it's not a part you want to replace. If the car has oil pressure gauge problems, again, don't let it put you off, for the cost of an oil filter sandwich adapter and a chinese copy of the OEM sender, you can sort this on your own in the time it takes to do an oil change. The fuel gauge is a similar issue to the seat switches. There are two floats in the tank (one behind each seat), and the variable resistor from which the fuel level is read, gets gunked over the years and sticky. Removeal of these units, a good clening of the contacts and test with a multitester can give you another 100,000 miles out of the original units. Boot lid raising problems are also common and cheap to fix, if I think of anything else I'll let you know. Edited December 1, 2016 by Aashenfox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Payco Posted December 1, 2016 Share Posted December 1, 2016 PM sent. I am in Haywards Heath, have a z for sale and happy to help in anyway I can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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