Sorry, I got a chuckle when I read this.

Tell me if its a repost.

http://autoweek.com/cat_content.mv?p..._code=09000774

 

Not a repost, but it is a pretty well known problem. Someone I know with a Z had Nissan replace her tires TWICE in the almost year that she's had it, and even though the fix they report didn't fix it, they are refusing to pay for any more tires. Needless to say, she's pretty pissed off, and is considering pursuing the problem through the lemon law.

 

sucks for them

 

I have heard rumblings, but I don't like to talk about things with out official word. And you can't get more reliable then Autoweek.
I actuly think Nissan should do something about that. The owners don't deserve to take the bite for Nissan's mistake. Just like us. Hopefully they will do something to make it right. But, I have to say I am glad that I can say something against the 350 owners who completely bash the 8's hp issue and have an offical word on it.
But, bottom line is all new cars have issues, and its sad that the people who love them and buy them have to suffer why the manufacturers work out the kinks.

 

thats the nissan quality these days, again, they are like korean cars

 

That sounds funny coming from a Mazda board.:p

 

WHY

 

Nissan quality has taken a turn for the worse after Carlos Ghosn took over control. In order to get Nissan profitable again he had to squezze suppliers for lower cost materials. The area that was cut the worst was in plastics that were used in production of the cars. Thats why the interior and the plastics on the Z are so cheap. The Z's underpinings and frame work are top notch. You will find much more work done on a Z's body than the Skyline/ G35. You will find support braces that just don't exsist on the G35 on the Z. But, cost had to be cut to make the Z happen and to make a affordable sports car. If you doubt any of my words. Here is a book you can pick up.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...99234?v=glance

 

Yea...ill be the first to admit my interior isn't the greatest, but i also don't think its the worst. I guess thats just where i'm different, for me its all about performance. Luxuries and interior plastics quality comes second. I just love the VQ engine and FM midship platform. I wonder if anybody here went from a BMW to the RX-8 to see how the interiors compare there? I know Acura now is up there with BMW as far as interior quality and build are concerned.

....o yea and my tires do get a bit loud when slowing down, but its not that big of a deal to me. Its probably not as loud as everyone here thinks it must be, but it is noticeable.

 

The Z is a strong perfomer. Don't get me wrong. It just got touched with the cost cutting knife like the other Nissan products. Check out your handles also...they skimped on the plastic quality there too.

I have driven a lot of BMW's haven't driven a M3 yet, but have been in one. Now BMW's build quality and interiors are beyond reproach. They are just great. But, you should get nothing less for the price your paying for the cars.

The RX8's base msrp is 26k, and when you take they quality and time that they put in the car and the quality you get...you just can't beet it. There is nothing that feels cheap about what you physicly touch or see with the RX8.

9-K Rever

 

Yes, my friend's Z's front tires got wore out when there's around 10k miles on the car, but the dealer replaced them for free. Every first year model cars has problems, not a big deal. :o

 

All you have to do is look at the 84 pages of people complaining about the problem with the suspension causing feathering on the front tires within 1500-3000k miles and I'm conviced to never buy a Z. http://www.my350z.com/forum/showthre...threadid=15758

They even did a fax campaign to Nissan, which did get them some attention. They have sent engineers over from Japan to look at how dealerships are aligning the cars, but some of the folks on the thread have proven through tests that it's not enlignment, but bad engineering. I feel sorry for them. If you read around on the rest of the board there you'll see people having to replace trannies several times, rods, etc. Not pretty. Too bad cause I think the Z's exterior looks great.

[edit]Whoa..that's weird...my nick is not Renesis-powered....[/end edit]

 

My door handles are metal both inside and out...not sure what kind though. I'm assuming aluminum. The base price of the Z is also $26k, but you still get the 287hp engine...correct me if i'm wrong, but at $26k you have to get the automatic 197hp RX-8 no? For that similar of a price, i'd personally take the Z just b/c it has almost 100hp advantage, not that the RX-8 isnt worth it though. They're both great values to me, they compliment each others strengths and weaknesses well. I want to meet someone who owns BOTH cars!! It would be like Romeo and Juliet hahahahaha

 

I went from a '96 BMW to Millennia S to RX8 and I would say that the RX 8 is exceptional for the price point of about 10K less. I would not agree though that the BMW is without reproach. In its price range, there are better interiors IMO - Mercedes comes to mind (very flowing)

 

:D I guess everyone has their own takes when it comes to 'quality plastic.' IMO, BMW 3 series interior is nothing to brag about, but it is definitely solid. Now Audi, Lexus and Acura know what they are doing when it comes to luxury and quality. Mercedes (these days) has awesome interior design, but the quality is lacking behind. Nissan 350Z interior is not the best in class, but if you were to compare it to similarly priced vehicles, it's not bad either.

RX-8 has a pretty solid feeling Dash, but the rest of the car is pretty much standard Mazda. The RX-8 interior is about on par with the Millenia, which is pretty good for Mazda, but not something worth braging about. For example (since people would ask anyways) take a finger and push the plastic silver trims on the RX-8, you'd notice these hallow pieces bend and flex. Tap the A pillar and along the roof line and you'll see the panels are loose fit and not firm to the touch. Most of all when you shut the door on the 8, you get a fluff instead of a solid thud like in luxury cars. The looks of its center console shinny black plastic is questionable as well. (it's solid though, which is good) Still, I'd say overall the interior of the RX-8 feels slightly better than the old Millenia.

zthang: Mazda RX-8 6MT can be had for around $25k these days. Local paper has been running $2500 off since the day the car is out, and now it's up to $3300 off. Good deal~

9k Rever: the 350Z FM platform is actually based off a Skyline sedan (G35) not the other way around. The 350Z test car is a short wheelbased G35. The only thing missing in the G35 present in the Z car is the front upper brace tower. (which actually seems to correct the understeer problem to a certain degree.....?)

 

ummm..??

it's very thunky from my point of view... not Camaro heavy-*** **** door BANG, but certainly not the Echo's juddery puff... especialy the rear door, the latch sounds awesome snapping into place... very nice.

 

That is because there are air bags behind them. They are designed to blow off.
Tap the c-pillar and see if you still feel the same way.


That was an obvious design choice. Compare it to the closing of the rear door.
I liken it to the sound of a high-end refridgerator closing.

 

Skyline Maniac..

Thats not true at all. The G35 is a elongated Z platfrom it was based of the Z. The Z has a carbon fiber drive shaft that the G35 doesnt' and more supports and braces on the underbody then the G35.

Here is a video you can pick up that breaks down the design of the Z vs the G35. There is also a short bit on the 8 speed EXTROID 8 G35. That was in the Japanese version, don't know about the American version. But, anyway pick this up. Its in English Its called Z Shock and they do a good break down on the fundemental diffrences between the G35 and the Z.

http://www.bestmotoringvideo.com/dvd.html

 

Maniac...

Thanks man...you saved me from giveing the same answers!

Good looking out!

 

Wow are you serious? Isn't that like $3-5K off of MSRP? Why is it so cheap around where you live? Didn't this car just come out a couple of months ago? Looks like maybe i can pick one of these bad boys up! Then i'd have a Z and 8....time to visit my local mazda dealer.

 

Actually if you look at the time line, the G35 *Skyline sedan* came out in Japan long before the 350Z. The FM platform was designed for both the G35 and 350Z, but it came out on the sedan first. Thus~ the 350Z test mule was a chopped Skyline Sedan with shorter wheel base and lowered height. (Just like the test mule RX-8 was a elongated last gen Miata) Actually there were two test mules for the Z, one is a shortened G35, the other one a shortened R34. Anyways, G35 suspension is softer than the 350Z, but besides the brace tower over the engine, all other parts are present and accounted for on the G. btw: I did watch the Best Motoring videos... still can't believe the 350Z got beaten by the Skyline Coupe. :D

 

I am not sure if that is true. Can you get some liturature on that. I know the Skyline Sedan was released before the Z. But, I have read test mule reports of the Z before the Skyline Sedan's release. See if you can get some proof of that, and I will read it over.

 

Was it anything like the "chuckle" I got when I got my buyback letter in the mail?