Answers in red. There is more going on here. I had ceramic pads on my G20 and I got them WAY! hotter than on my 370Z. I've never smelled or seen smoke on my 370'z pads. The G20? Got them popping and smoking when I first put them on. I broke the one's on my G20 in driving hard in the Arkansas mountains, never an issue in the 30K miles I owned it after that.

Small Claims would cover the pads/rotors.

Still, this is putting the cart before the horse until I speak with the Nissan area rep. I have left several succinct messages.

The consumer protection people at the local news can usually help move thinks along with the magic of bad publicity. Especially if you phrase it like "omg unsafe brakes!" when you're talking to them. I wouldn't do that until you get a concrete "no" from corporate, since the bridge will be burnt at that point.

I'm not going to hurt any profits or reputations in any way until Nissan completely shuts me out, which I hope won't happen. At that point, it will be vengeance for having to trade out of a '12 car, which will cost me. Hopefully though it will all get worked out. Trying to stay positive even though I am pissed.

This strategy is aimed at the dealer, not Nissan. One way or the other, one of them need to take care of you.

dealer won't do anything that Nissan isn't reimbursing them for.

Exactly. they are maxxed. It's up to Corporate, now.

2 days ago, I traded with my service manager for an Altima loaner car. It happened after hours and he took my 370Z home, and then to work the next day for work/evaluation.

I stopped by today to see how things were going. They had ordered the rear instead of front pads.

I asked him how he liked driving the car. He flipped out. He said that it was rediculous and that if he applied the brakes in a corner without both hands on the wheel it could have easily caused a loss of control, and that "the brakes are scary". He said that he had no idea what I was complaining about and that it was so severe, and that if the area rep were to ride in the car "he would have flipped out".

Now...we are getting somewhere. I'm not whining about a little shimmy. I'm whining about what feels to my hand like a mag dump from my Glock 19 every time I apply the brakes on an exit-ramp.

Sounds like you might be making some forward progress.

I feel like I am. Nissan cannot completely ignore a service manager when he claims there is a safety issue with a braking system. That's bad juju.

Also, sorry for being pissed earlier. I was stuck without a car, relying on my father, friends, and dealership personnel to drop me off at random locations every time my car was in the shop, and it was SERIOUSLY pissing me off. Now I have a loaner with a 5-day tag and I'm not so pissed.

Apparently the dealership ordered rear pads instead of front pads. The wait continues. I am enjoying my Altima loaner car. It's very nice in comparison to the atomic sybian that was my 370Z. Anyway, I made this video shortly before swapping it for my Altima. Here is what I've been bitching about...

053 - YouTube
(About 3000 or so street miles on Z1 slotted rotors and StopTech pads. This is what the Nissan stuff did at 10K miles. It didn't get this bad at 17K because we fixed it early, and it was about this bad again at 21 or so K when we went to Z1/Stoptech)

That video seriously looks about as bad as my stock front brakes after 35K miles. It felt very unsafe. However, new EBC slotted rotors in front paired with Hawk Performance Ceramic pads solved my problems completely (except there is still a little squealing during light braking at very low speeds). I had it on a track less than a week after doing the replacement myself, and it performed wonderfully.

Seeing as you are one of the few people on the forum having constant and/or recurring problems with the Z, I certainly hope Nissan steps up and actually helps solve your problems. FWIW, I do not purchase dealer warranties anymore (Honda is the only one I will consider and only because I had a very positive experience with some ridiculous electrical problems in my previous Accord). The third-party warranty may cost me a bit more in the long run (varying deductibles and such), but I'd rather not have to rely on a dealer.

I have never tracked my car, gotten engine temp above 225, or smelled the brakes, even. It should NOT do this!

OK, that was hilarious and erotic. :yum: