Why 350z is the best

The car dutifully followed the Z-Car blueprint of a long-hood short-deck design, and the sloping fastback style arched roofline, unique brushed aluminum door handles, high waistline, and bulging fenders pushed right to the corners of the vehicle gave the Z an aggressive look that gave more than a hint of the performance available from this superb car.

As well as telling you where to go to get the very lowest prices on new and used vehicles, I also cover finance, insurance, parts, detailing and other stuff too. OEM parts for the Z are plentiful and reasonably priced, but as the Nissan Z is far more common than many exotic and expensive sports cars , there are also plenty of aftermarket manufacturers producing parts at a fraction of the price of the already affordable OEM parts.

Although the engine in the Z was updated over the years, it never moved from being a solid 3. The first version was the VQ35DE used in the and model years which produced horsepower and lb.

The standard engine continued to only be offered with a five-speed automatic transmission. There are plenty of very good regular Z models still out there, but the true enthusiast or collector will probably be on the lookout for something a little more special. Of course, there are special editions and there are special editions of the Z.

These ultra-rare cars feature a longer nose and rear overhang, as well as several add-ons for aerodynamic purposes because they were only produced in Japan for homologation requirements to compete in the Super GT racing series. Listen for knocking over bumps and inspect tyre wear. Rear driveshafts are prone to clicking; packing grease into splines will usually cure this. Worn droplinks from the anti-roll bar cause rattles, but are cheap to fix.

Inspect for bolster wear, and try all functions on electric seats. Confirm that VIN stickers on the doors and lids are matching. Check the electrics, from warning lights to aircon and ABS. The Z evokes its ancestors, with fun handling and effortless performance from the torquey V6. Engines will do , miles without trouble given regular oil changes, but beware high oil thirst — especially on bhp unit. Mods and upgrades are common, either official Nismo or aftermarket; avoid cars that have been thrashed on tracks.

A ticking sound from the engine, increasing when revved, denotes a worn fuel dampener there are two. Spares are common on eBay due to drivers unused to rear drive crashing the cars. Slave cylinder failure is common, especially on late HR cars, requiring transmission removal to replace. A spongy pedal brake or clutch may just need a fluid change, or new master cylinders. The cars are very sensitive to tyre choice, so if brands other than the OE Bridgestone S02s are fitted, it may cause a loss of poise on the limit and even confuse the ABS and traction control.

Also try the fuel filler and boot releases. End of year bhp HR engine, taller with bonnet bulge. I learnt that this was a top spec and one of just 72 in Ultra Yellow. Then I test drove a Z locally. The silver was so boring, but I liked the car. A lot. The 3. Later cars got even quicker. The Z is a porky car and few people fell in love with the styling, which you could defensibly describe as porky, too.

The main criticisms of the Z, however, concern the interior. Then again, the attainable price tag made most of these shortcomings forgivable. For the first model year , the Z was available in Base, Enthusiast, Performance, Touring, and Track trim levels.

The difference between each mainly came down to styling and interior equipment. Base models got only cloth, manual-adjust seats and little else, while the Enthusiast model got a limited-slip, cruise control, and traction control. The Z Touring got more in the comfort department with power heated leather seats and an optional factory GPS which is mostly useless these days as well as xenon headlights.

The sporty Track model, meanwhile, got the same engine and suspension as the rest of the lineup but got Brembos as standard, along with the limited-slip. Nissan added a Z Roadster in select trims to the lineup for , and a Grand Touring trim for The Z could also be had in 35th Anniversary trim with an uprated engine, special badging, cast aluminum wheels, and either Ultra Yellow or Pearl Blue paint.

The Z got an update for with revised styling, some changes to the interior trim, speed-sensitive steering, and better brakes. For , the engine got a power bump, crossing the hp barrier to , and the extra height of the V-6 required a bulge in the hood.

For a little over 38, NISMO buyers got a body kit with an underbody diffuser, specially tuned suspension, Brembo brakes, forged alloy wheels, and special exhaust. After a healthy production run, the Z bowed out in , replaced by the Z Z