toffeeman Posted March 3, 2007 Share Posted March 3, 2007 I've decided to come back to the 350Z family after being away for a couple of years. I had a brand new 2004 UK Kuro black Zed with GT pack and sold it after a year to release money for property, I loved the car loads . It had everything I needed, very well specced. I'm now going to sell my 2003 Impreza STI Type UK PPP to get another Zed . The only thing I'm not sure about is whether to go for a cheaper Import or not? Knowing what my UK Zed was like, and knowing nothing about the Imports, do you think I would be dissapointed with the difference between the two or not, would it be noticable? I gather the Imports have 10bhp more and have noticed that the pictures on Autotrader show no steering wheel buttons, does that mean no cruise control / stereo controls? What do you think I would miss from my UK Zed that the Imports don't have? Is there and difference in performance / handling? I've had a look at the spec's on the sticky thread elsewhere on the site but I'm more interested in opinions rather than figures? Any thoughts / opinions welcome, especially from the Import owners on here. Many thanks, Craig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nixy Posted March 3, 2007 Share Posted March 3, 2007 I'm sourcing an import because my budget is not great enough to get what I want in a UK car. I'm sure they are no different in terms of driving and engine but do have differences in spec. If money was not an issue I would get a UK car however, I do think the flood of imports onto the market recently will ultimately affect the second hand uk price as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GC350z Posted March 3, 2007 Share Posted March 3, 2007 I’m not really sure if imports have any effect on the value of second hand UK models. Dealers put people off imports by insisting that the cars are completely different and that parts will cost a lot more. For most Jap cars this simply isn’t true. With my last car, a Celica 190, I decide to go JDM because the suspension was better and the engine was tuned to run on higher octane fuel that they get in Japan. Didn’t want leather seats as the bucket in the JDM were better and the only other thing I can think of was the UK car had a headlamp adjustment knob. Great, I really needed that. With the Z it’s a different story. JDM has no headlamp washers (they can be annoying), different rear bumper as a result of license plate shape, no rear fog lamp, brembo’s are an option as are a few other parts, and the same applies with the interior. Had a link that explained the options on the JDM Z but cant find it right now. Will keep looking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GC350z Posted March 3, 2007 Share Posted March 3, 2007 http://www.j-garage.com/nissan/z/spec07.htm http://www.j-garage.com/nissan/z/spec05.htm Cant be bothered looking for diffences between the two. Will give an idea of spec anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuro Posted March 3, 2007 Share Posted March 3, 2007 I gather the Imports have 10bhp more and have noticed that the pictures on Autotrader show no steering wheel buttons, does that mean no cruise control / stereo controls? What do you think I would miss from my UK Zed that the Imports don't have? Is there and difference in performance / handling? As far as I'm aware, there's no difference in power output between the two models. I do know that UK spec cars are fitted with a larger radiator, as we apparently do more long distance driving (and at higher sustained speeds) than our Japanese cousins. Not a great deal of concern unless you're a 'Ring freak Handling should really be exactly the same, aside from the effects of having slightly smaller wheels. (easily cured) I did hear that the exhaust was different, resulting in a less fruity sound - this seemed to be the case when I test drove an import before settling on mine. One small feature of the imports that I didn't like was the fog lamp. Some owners have done this very tastfully and integrated it properly, look out for those who have simply chopped into the rear bumper and made a complete hash of it (yup, I did see one like that!) Good luck with the search anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toffeeman Posted March 3, 2007 Author Share Posted March 3, 2007 Thanks for swift replies, Some good points there... The headlamp washers I never liked and never used due the mess they made, lets face it, how much use are they really! The smaller wheels issue is easily fixed as mentioned. The 10bhp difference is mentioned on here, in the sticky spec thread, so I'm not sure if thats true or not. Can anyone confirm about the steering wheel buttons, or lack of, does the import have cruise control? Keep the opinions coming guys!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nixy Posted March 3, 2007 Share Posted March 3, 2007 as the others have mentioned - a lot of things on the JDM seem to come as options. Someone on here only the other day mentioned that they bought a 'base' model and it still had brembos and leather, some have had steering wheel controls and some not so I guess it's just a case of looking at each individual car. However, one thing for definite - on an S you get 18 inch wheels and brembos and on a T you get leather and Bose - the ST combines the two. I also hate those wheels they seem to all have that look like tubes so I would be changing those when I could afford it anyway! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toffeeman Posted March 5, 2007 Author Share Posted March 5, 2007 Another couple of queries ref the import Zed? Are the speedo / odometer clocks in miles or kms? I ask because my imported Impreza Type R from many moons ago had clocks in miles. Also, if the import is designed to run on a higher rated RON fuel from Japan, is there a power loss using our 97 RON Super Unleaded fuel? I can't be bothered adding octane booster like I used to with my Type R. cheers, Toffeeman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M13KYF Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 just use V Power from shell or BP Ultimate. I think the speedo is converted for the SVA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nixy Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 so would you have to definitely use higher octane fuel for an import then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuey Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 i would say no for the higher octane fuel because the e.c.u will adjust accordingly........... as for spec my jdm dosent have cruise brembos or steering wheel controls but has everything else a gt would... electric heated leather seats ...climate..folding mirrors ect....... for the speedo they just put a chip in it to convert it to mph..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GC350z Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 Nope. ECU will adapt to lower octane fuel. Wouldn't touch octane boosters myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GC350z Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 I think the only option you can't get at all on a JDM is heated mirrors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nixy Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 that's good because I only put nice petrol in as a treat! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M13KYF Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 treat it to the good stuff all the time Once in a while won't make any difference Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nixy Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 go on then, explain the science bit to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M13KYF Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 you'll have some residual petrol still in the tank when you put the V Power in and it cleans the engine over a prolonged useage rather than a one tank fill up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toffeeman Posted March 5, 2007 Author Share Posted March 5, 2007 Can we just clarify this clocks query... Does that mean the clocks stay exactly as they are, but the electronics are converted to read MPH on the speedo using the km scale? Does that mean the odometer suddenly starts measuring in miles after reading kms for years previously or does it still measure kms? Is the trip computer switchable between miles / kms? As an aside, when I was a member in 2004 there was an almighty uproar on here due to the poor paintwork on the UK Zeds. Did Nissan eventually get round to sorting this out or not? The paint was very soft back then I seem to remember. Apart from a couple of stone chips I got away with it. Is the paintwork on a import any better? Cheers, Craig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lomoto Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 Can we just clarify this clocks query... Does that mean the clocks stay exactly as they are, but the electronics are converted to read MPH on the speedo using the km scale? Yes Does that mean the odometer suddenly starts measuring in miles after reading kms for years previously or does it still measure kms? Yes ,starts measuring in miles Is the trip computer switchable between miles / kms? no not switchable , still in Kms on dial but actually measures in Miles ?? As an aside, when I was a member in 2004 there was an almighty uproar on here due to the poor paintwork on the UK Zeds. Did Nissan eventually get round to sorting this out or not? The paint was very soft back then I seem to remember. Apart from a couple of stone chips I got away with it. Is the paintwork on a import any better? Same, but if you dont use motorways it will be OK Cheers, Craig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toffeeman Posted March 5, 2007 Author Share Posted March 5, 2007 Thanks for the swift reply Lomoto, Are there any legal ramifications when switching from a scale that shows kms to one that reads miles? How do the DVLA keep track of the true mileage? If you have, say, 36,000kms on the clock and then convert it to miles and do, say, another 10,000 miles. How do prove the car has done 32,500 miles as opposed to the 46,000 it will have on the clock? Do you just use the paperwork to show this? Craig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lomoto Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 Thanks for the swift reply Lomoto, Are there any legal ramifications when switching from a scale that shows kms to one that reads miles? How do the DVLA keep track of the true mileage? they dont keep track, you just keep a note ,with old Mot's etc. dont get tempted to alter oddo reading though , It is a criminal offence. If you have, say, 36,000kms on the clock and then convert it to miles and do, say, another 10,000 miles. How do prove the car has done 32,500 miles as opposed to the 46,000 it will have on the clock? Do you just use the paperwork to show this? see previous reply Craig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toffeeman Posted March 5, 2007 Author Share Posted March 5, 2007 Lomoto, Many thanks for the swift replies, I now have a much clearer grasp of the whole km / mile issue!! Cheers, Craig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lomoto Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 Lomoto, Many thanks for the swift replies, I now have a much clearer grasp of the whole km / mile issue!! Cheers, Craig. No probs , I know it seems a big issue now ,but in a few months time of ownership you wont give it a second thought , i know I dont Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leenx Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 I've got a T version JDM Zed, and all T versions will come with the steering wheel controls - for Bose. However I don't use them as I had to switch over the stereo due to crappy radio frequency ( in my opinion the only real drawback of an import). I know there are slight interior and exterior diferences but not really noticeable though - except for those lovely Brembos of-course! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nixy Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 so what would you rather have if you had to choose between an S and a T JDM? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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