The heart of the 350Z is a 3,498cc V6 naturally aspirated petrol engine with a bore and stroke of 95.5x81.4mm. It has a compression ratio of 10.3:1 and gives 268lb ft of torque at 4,800rpm and 280hp at 6,200rpm, so it remained faithful to the notional power limit Japan's car makers imposed on its performance machinery.
This engine emits 273g/km of carbon dioxide, which means a hefty £505 annual VED bill for the post-March 2006 cars; even beforehand you'll be hit with a £290 charge. Average fuel economy comes in at an official 24.8mpg, which chimes in with most owners' experiences and they say around 30mpg is possible at a motorway cruise. With an 80-litre tank, this gives a theoretical fuel range of 445 miles, but most owners reckon on around 300 miles between fills. It's also worth bearing in mind the 350Z should be run on premium unleaded to get the best from the engine and performance.
The longitudinally mounted V6 engine is very strong and owners report no problems with the motor. There were some incidences of cars from 2006-07 and the GT models with the revised valve timing consuming more oil, but this was rare and Nissan replaced a few engines under warranty so it should not be an issue now. Incidentally, Nissan reckoned an engine using two litres of oil every 1,000 miles was not excessive at the time. The earlier and later engines are unaffected by this problem, and all engines use a timing chain rather than a belt to give peace of mind here. Regular services are every 9,000 miles.
More of a worry with early 350Zs is the six-speed manual gearbox, which can start to crunch between gears as the synchromesh wears. It is likely to manifest itself as a graunch and difficult change between first and second gears, especially when the 'box is cold, but it can affect other gears.
However, you shouldn't be unduly worried by a buzz from the gear lever as you drive. This was something Nissan was aware of from the launch of the car and it said this flaw was left in to give the driver a more direct feel. The gearchange itself is quite heavy compared to the likes of the contemporary Audi TT or Mazda RX-8, but again this is normal.
Clutches can wear out quickly and need replacing as early as 40,000 miles. Clutch master and slave cylinders can also fail and both need replacing to cure the pedal going down but not returning. When replacing the clutch, the flywheel might need to be replaced at the same time, which makes this an expensive job that can run to £1,000 all in. For just the clutch replacement, reckon on spending £350. The clutch release bearing becomes noisy but will carry on working for a long time.
Radiator fans on the 313hp HR models can stop working, so listen out for it kicking in if the car becomes hot. On all models, the exhaust rusts at joint between pipe and rear silencer, so many owners replace with an aftermarket exhaust for cost and to improve noise
Another common modification is a plenum spacer for engine, which is easy to fit. But may require the front suspension brace to be removed and replaced with an aftermarket item for clearance. Combined with a freer flowing air intake, a plenum spacer will let the engine breathe and rev more freely, though it may not add much power and you will need the ECU revised to make the most of the changes.
A minor service should not be too expensive and come in at around £150, with a major service around double that.
PHer's view:
"The HR mode is a little easier to drive day to day, the clutch and gearbox feels a little lighter as does the steering around town. The cabin feels a little better put together and the engine revs a little higher which is a bit more fun! It's basically an easier and nicer place to be."
Ed Orsi