If this really proves to be an issue you need not wait two years for Nissan to acknowledge it. All you will need is one lawyer who owns a 370Z stuck in LA summer traffic to start the ball rolling!

i just called nissan consumer affairs....i told them all about the problem and about my opinion but i couldnt get a chance to submit the concern after talking to the rep for 30 minutes because i'm not an owner of the vehicle yet. The people are very helpful - I ADVISE EVERYONE TO CALL IN. IT ONLY TAKES ABOUT 5-10 MINUTES OF YOUR TIME AND WITHOUT RAISING AWARENESS WE WILL BE STUCK WITH THIS!

Ok, I have 2000 miles on my 370Z now. It's been exactly 1 month since I have owned it. Temp in Oceanside is around 75 F in the afternoon and around 48 F in the evening and mornings.

I have notices that around town under normal, grandma style driving the oil temp is around 180 F. When I am driving aggressively or on the freeway it goes up to 220-240 F.

This is with driver only, no other passenger or loads in the back. Mine is a touring, sport, 6 spd.

Also, considering our tires are soft 140's I do notice that in the morning they are a bit lop-sided from sitting in the cold outside overnight. It usually takes about a mile of driving to warm the tires up and get them back into their proper shape.

The other thing I have noticed is that the shifter is a bit mechanical or grindy from 1-2 and 2-3 but this does not happen always. Sometimes very smooth other times it feels crunchy but not in a bad-way more of a very mechanical feel. I have noticed that this feels goes away when the ambient outside temp is above 80 F so it could just been that the gear oil is not viscous enough and needs time to warm up for it to feel proper.

On a side note, the engine I think is finally broken it and it feels way smoother than when I just got it. Average fuel economy is hovering between 20-22 mpg depending on how much city driving and aggressive driving there is in the mix. I know this is totally off subject, but I was on a roll from describing the oil temp. :D

Haha when you're on a roll go with it! lol. I'm assuming 75 with low humidity...

I've been to Japan a few times and let me tell you in Tokyo it gets HOT and really HUMID starting in may. Was just thinking about that earlier, and was wondering if the Japan cars came with oil coolers???

Actually, this is an excellent question.

I live in Sylmar I get off work @ 2:30pm I take I-5 north from Burbank in oil temp reads 210-220 and it's not summer yet.

and that's not even with aggressive driving either rite?

I'm planning to put an oil cooler on mine even though I probably won't track it much (if ever), I'm just waiting for a good kit from a reputable vendor (did I see elsewhere that Stillen has one coming soon?). Houston gets insanely hot and humid during the summer and early fall, and between that and me being a bit aggressive at times, I know this oil cooling thing is going to be an issue.

Weather here is pretty mild right now (highs in the 70s, overnight lows anywhere from 40s to 60s). If I drive like a grandma, the car stays around 200-ish on average. However even a few minutes of "spirited" driving pushes it up to 220-230-ish and it takes quite a while to come back down closer to 200. If I tried, I'm sure I could hit 250 even in this weather.

Musashi,

I appreciate your points on the manufacturer knowing that the oil could overheat and the idea of principal.

On the point of over heating Nissan has acknowledged it in the implementation of the RPM reduction when it hits 300F. My guess is that they do not think the typical driver will run into this issue. Remember that the people on this list form a small population of the total customer base. To that end there will have to be a significant number of people complaining 'after' they have experienced this issue. If I encounter this issue, trip to Mid-Ohio in about two weeks, I'll write a letter with return receipt and make a phone call.

For those that have read about the oil temp issue and then purchase the car I think those people will not have the proverbial 'leg to stand on'.

Having posted on this you may think I don't care, I do. I also know there are two solutions:

1. Make phone calls/write letters and hope for a solution.
2. Remedy the situation on your own.

Number 1 may not happen and number 2 may be made to happen by the individual. Number 2 might lead to a warranty issue. But there is some ammo on the part of the owner. The fact that the magazines noted the presence of oil coolers on the press vehicles and the fact that the vehicles were presented to the press at a track. There is a certain enticement for track/spirited driving presented by the manufacturer.

Will Nissan step up and introduce a mid model year change and add a cooler, don't know. How about their making a retrofit of an oil cooler? Nissan's cost would most likely be less than $200 per cooler in their quantity. Give the dealer 2 - 3 hours to install it and your out the door for about $500 per car times the total cars manufactured to date. Maybe this would be the right, principals, route to follow for the manual sport models. We'll have to wait and see.

Rest assured that I will post my experience on this board when I encounter an over heating issue.

There are other considerations to note as well: Typically manufacturers reserve the right to modify or change specifications at any time without notifying the customer. Nissan might very be doing just that in the 370Z production today. You simply will not know until time allows.

Alan I do agree... I'm working on it and will report back as soon as I here more. Thank you for your post, you're totally right.

A poll at this time to see how many people have had an overheating issue and their geographic location would be helpful. Ideally it would be good to see the same for the end of June. Data talks.

Sounds to me like Nissan shot themselves in the foot by including an oil temperature gauge...

did the 350 have an oil temp gauge?

Nope. Well, my '06 didn't. Not sure about later model years. Btw, small pet peeve people (this isn't directed at you, tbone) -- it's principle, not principal. A principal is typically a person in a school whose office you get sent to after stirring the pot a little too much. ;)