My First Car: How'd I do?

[CarCzar]

Recently, I received my license from the great state of Wisconsin. After being nice enough to swindle $200 of title transfers, license fees, and various add-ons, I finally was able to insure, and drive my new car.

A 2005 Nissan 350Z 35th Anniversary Edition (Yellow Pearl).

I have no pictures of it at the current time being, but I will try to get on Flickr and upload some shortly. Believe me, I am familiar with the 'Pics or it didn't happen' rule.

For those not familiar with the 350Z, it is a V6 DOHC VQ-35 Engine. 3.5L, and roughly 260 whp, and 287 at the crank. Don't quote me on this but I believe the curb weight is just above 1.5 Tons. In kg, it may be around 1400 from what I saw in GT5. Again, I am not Euclid here, so the math doesn't line up.

When I purchased it, it had a few issues, small but enough to request that they be fixed.

The hood ducked to the left about an eighth of an inch. (Fixed)
Needed power window motor replaced. (Fixed)
Cam shaft sensor was faulty. (Fixed)

Lately, 350Z's have been getting flak for being a 'ricer' car. I don't see it, but I am just curious on the community's opinion of my new best friend.

 

[Small_Fryz]

You posted a thread about having a new car, yet you were not able to upload some simple pictures?

Yesterday I bought some golf clubs and within 5mins I had photos up on Imgur.

Its-not-that-hard

 

[Organ-Donor]

Congrats on the car. How many miles on it? Nice color too, post pics when you can 👍

 

[BobbyBRAKEaNek]

Pics or it didn't happen… and no, it's not a ricer, well maybe....

 

[MaliciousMD]

Hood aligned an 1/8" off huh? Not a good start. Hope you crawled under the car and had a good hard look at the frame rails. Most of the front end body support being composite FRP, easy to fix visually, but not always done right.

VTC I've never had issues with unless someones taken it off for whatever reason. This includes VQ35DE (single and dual VTC) and VQ35HR. Never had a faulty sensor either, problems in sluggish power always seem to be poorly maintained engines that clog the oil passage which actuates the VTC. VTC cam gear rattle I've only ever had issues with SR20's. People always talk about it with the VQ's, I've never had to deal with it...

 

[slowman]

CarCzar writes eloquently enough that I'll take him at his word. Also, there is no car that is inherently a "ricer". That is up to the owner. It all depends on what aisle you most often find yourself in at the auto parts store.

 

[NissanSkylineN1]

I think that the hood hinges are siezed and/or bent. The hinges on my bro's G35 (almost same car) has had its hinges replaced, as they were siezed and bent. Its a normal wear and tear thing on those cars.

 

[Azuremen]

So, you're a recently licensed drive (likely young) that just got a 350Z?

And you want to defend your car as not being a "ricer" car?

This is going to end well...

 

[MaliciousMD]

I think that the hood hinges are siezed and/or bent. The hinges on my bro's G35 (almost same car) has had its hinges replaced, as they were siezed and bent. Its a normal wear and tear thing on those cars.

It's "normal" wear when you don't take care of your hood hinges. I lube the hinges on ALL of my cars. What do you expect to happen to a painted hinge that opens and closes. Paint wears off and rust beings to form. I do not consider this normal, but more like lack of maintenance. Forcing your hood open/closed (causes the bending) because it's un-lubed/rusted is a retarded idea. I've worked on a lot of 350Z's and G35's since their release, can always tell a hoopty from a well taken care of car.

G35 in my garage as well...

I mention to the OP to check the frame rails as the whole radiator support is FRP/FRM whatever you want to call it. Light and relatively strong, cheap and easy to fix when crashed. 1/8" off hood alignment on a newer car where body lines are so tight is a sign the car has been fiddled with. So check it, all I'm saying. My hood wouldn't even close if it was 1/8" off.

 

[rb240tuner]

Most people don't think of the hinges on a car are just as important anything else on the vehicle. Bad hinges could mean neglect if you aren't careful.

 

[Eric.]

I've honestly never heard of someone having "rusty hinges" and it being a legitimate problem.

 

[Kylehnat]

Don't quote me on this but I believe the curb weight is just above 1.5 Tons. In kg, it may be around 1400 from what I saw in GT5.

The great state of Wisconsin should have the curb weight listed on the registration and the title...in pounds.

I've honestly never heard of someone having "rusty hinges" and it being a legitimate problem.

Neither have I, particularily on a car from the mid-'00s. This sounds like a crash/rebuilt-title to me.

 

[Perfect Balance]

and roughly 260 whp, and 287 at the crank.

Not that I genuinely believe you have the car, but you're looking more at 230-240ish whp, not 260.

 

[Eric.]

Not sure why its so hard to believe somebody bought a 7-year-old Z.

The great state of Wisconsin should have the curb weight listed on the registration and the title...in pounds.

Neither have I, particularily on a car from the mid-'00s. This sounds like a crash/rebuilt-title to me.

Illinois titles do not list the curb weight, and I don't recall our registrations saying it either.

 

[Anna+Reece]

not sure why its so hard to believe somebody bought a 7-year-old z.

+9000

 

[Paulie]

I've honestly never heard of someone having "rusty hinges" and it being a legitimate problem.

+1. I've worked as a parts interpeter for 4yrs now and haven't once sold bonnet hinges due to rust, at least not that I can recall.

 

[NissanSkylineN1]

Its not rusty hinges that were the problem, they weren't lubed by the previous owner, and they siezed.

 

[Kylehnat]

Illinois titles do not list the curb weight, and I don't recall our registrations saying it either.

Fair enough. Washington has it listed on both. IIRC, 350Z's are somewhere around 3300-3400 lbs.

 

[Perfect Balance]

Not sure why its so hard to believe somebody bought a 7-year-old Z.

Because they're still about 10-15k. Now, if he said my parent bought it for me, that's one thing, but if he did with his own money, that's a bit more rare, no?

Its not rusty hinges that were the problem, they weren't lubed by the previous owner, and they siezed.

I've worked on a few thousand vehicles and have never found hinges that needed to be lubed, or worse, actually bent because of lack of lube.

 

[Leonidae@MFT]

When I was a trainee in a shop that worked on MB, Mitsubishi, Honda, Citroen etc, it was standard to lube the hinges. Then again, conditions here are different..

 

[Kylehnat]

Because they're still about 10-15k. Now, if he said my parent bought it for me, that's one thing, but if he did with his own money, that's a bit more rare, no?

Insurance must also be $3000-$4000 per year for a 16-year-old driving a 350Z.

Thread could use some pictures too .

 

[Eric.]

Because they're still about 10-15k. Now, if he said my parent bought it for me, that's one thing, but if he did with his own money, that's a bit more rare, no?

I've worked on a few thousand vehicles and have never found hinges that needed to be lubed, or worse, actually bent because of lack of lube.

My friend bought one for $8500. 350Zs aren't all "ludicrous claims" worthy.


And yeah, again on the hinges, my 25 year old MR2 doesn't have any hinge issues.

 

[MaliciousMD]

I've worked on thousands of cars of different makes and models as well. The problem is "common" for 350Z/G35's. Crap hinge design, no way around it other than to take care of your hinges so they don't bind. Cars that have had the hood off for extended periods of time seem to be the worst.

Nobody's ever junk yard hopped and found it difficult to open or close the hood on a car? 99.9% of the time it just a rusty hood latch or hinge if its not obvious the cars been in a front end wreck.

I lube my hood hinges, door hinges, etc probably once a year. For good measure. If you don't find lubing hinges to be maintenance maybe you should ignore lubing your drive shaft. Because it's not critical to driveability doesn't mean it doesn't need to be done. Enjoy your creaky doors...

EDIT: Add tri-five Chevy's to the crap hood hinge list...

 

[Eric.]

I don't have creaky doors either.

 

[Small_Fryz]

Still waiting for proof.

I don't know any 16yr olds capable of buying such a car on their own. Rich parents though?? sure.

 

[JrDarknes]

Still waiting for proof.

I don't know any 16yr olds capable of buying such a car on their own. Rich parents though?? sure.

Believe me or not 350z's sell for 3000-10000 where I live. Insurance would probably be 100-300 a month. He is capable but its only where I live so it depends.

I almost made 4000 dollars in 3 months working at burger king and I'm under 18 >_<. Could of got my Toyota Mr2 but school started .

 

[hawkeye122]

Notice how we called him out and he silently slipped away...

 

[Pako]

You posted a thread about having a new car, yet you were not able to upload some simple pictures?

Yesterday I bought some golf clubs and within 5mins I had photos up on Imgur.

Its-not-that-hard

GTP Sign or it's not real.
(talking about the golf clubs, btw)

 

[E28]

Notice how we called him out and he silently slipped away...

He's too busy enjoying his new 350Z.

 

[ZohsixGT5]

Could be totaled by now.