[Most recent first] '04 Civic Type R; '02 BMW 325Ci; '01 MR2 Roadster; '00 Astra Bertone Coupe; '95 MR2 GT Rev3; '98 Civic EK
That original snap that inspired a dream
"Back in 2003 I took a grainy picture on one of the early camera phones of a silver 350Z sitting on the forecourt of a Nissan dealership, just after the car was first launched. Back then I wasn't even old enough to drive, let alone afford one, but I kept that picture... Nine years later I made the seven-hour round trip to buy my very own, having seen it advertised on an enthusiast forum.
"Having owned a couple of cars with lots (four or more) seats prior to this one, I wanted to go back to owning a strictly two-seater, although I wasn't fussed on a soft-top. Moving on from the Type R I also fancied something with an engine that didn't need its neck wringing to go anywhere quickly, so the 350Z seemed to tick all the boxes."
What I wish I'd known:
"Before looking at any 350Zs I trawled the owners' forum, 350z-uk.com to get an idea of what to look out for. Known issues included the rear axle clicking, the Bose CD Player skipping or speakers cutting out altogether, the exhaust splitting and that the clutch could need replacing at as few as 40,000 miles along with the flywheel at a considerable expense! Another known issue I read about was that the motors for the electric windows aren't the best and many need replacing; invoices on my car show that they were indeed replaced, although there are guide on how to refurbish them yourself and save yourself a bit of cash.
"I knew that I wanted my car to have the GT Pack, which added heated electrically adjustable leather seats, cruise control and an upgraded Bose sound system that also added a dedicated subwoofer.
"Mine is fitted with the 280hp 'DE' Engine; later models came with the 'Rev-Up' engine increasing power to 300hp, and finally the 'HR' in 2007 which produced 313hp."
Nine years later Jonathan is living it to the full
"After nearly two years of ownership, my favourite thing about the car is the noise, which is helped by the stainless steel exhaust fitted to my car. From a deep growl at low revs rising to a howl as the revs chase the red line it really does sound pretty great, and much more characterful than the usual four-cylinder sound that is growing more and more common as manufacturers chase lower emission figures. I love its classic sports car looks that (in my eyes) have aged well, even painted in Sunset Orange, which I appreciate some people will hate! I also like how it plays a number of roles well - it will comfortably cruise and eat up miles, yet when you put your foot down it will entertain and shove you back into the seat; the suspension set-up has a pliancy about it which keeps things controlled without crashing over the UK's less than smooth roads. The Brembo brakes are also great and progressive, even more so since the upgrades I fitted to my car (see costs)."
Things I hate:
"The interior isn't on a par with its German counterparts of the same vintage, although it isn't as bad as some would make out (once you've forgotten about the standard fit cassette player on the Bose head unit!). Speaking of which, considering it was supposedly made by a premium audio brand the headunit was pretty dire, but once I swapped it for an aftermarket one the sound quality has greatly improved."
Considering a Z? Just go for it says our man
"Fuel consumption is actually more reasonable than many would believe; a diesel it ain't, but on a run 32mpg+ is possible. Insurance costs are also better than many cars with similar performance. There are many specialists that I have found through 350z-uk.com who can supply parts a lot cheaper than Nissan directly; I needed a new starter motor last year and managed to find one for a quarter of Nissan's extortionate price from a specialist.
"My car had already had a few things done to it that I would have done anyway- plenum spacer, stainless steel exhaust, airbox off a later car and Uprev remap- the latter is said to make a substantial difference to the feel of the car.
"Since owning it I have made a few changes, including a new exhaust, having the roof wrapped in black vinyl, upgrading the headunit and overhauling the brakes with uprated DBA discs, EBC Yellowstuff pads and HEL brake lines after I melted the original discs after a couple of laps of Oulton..."
Where I've been:
"This year I met up with 50 or so fellow owners in the owners' forum annual Wales meet, which was a great weekend driving some amazing roads. I have also done a couple of 20 minute 'taster track days', which have been huge fun despite my lack of experience or talent on a racetrack."
What next?
"I'm totally happy with the way the car looks and drives at present, especially since I swapped the tyres to Goodyear Eagle F1s recently. This is the first car that I haven't wanted to change after six months of ownership, and in the near future I cannot see me getting rid. What would I replace it with? E46 M3, VX220/Elise and a Cayman have all tempted me, but so far I've stayed strong!
"If you're thinking of taking the plunge and getting one, I can't recommend them highly enough. Just go for it!"
Vid here
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