Things to look for when inspecting 09 370Z?

STB370Z

Hey Guys, I will be possibly taking a 3.5 hr journey this weekend to go check out a '09 370Z that I'm interested in buying. Unfortunately, the only nearby Nissan dealership service center is closed during the weekend...So I will have to rely on doing my own inspection the best I can. Good thing is the car still has some bumper to bumper warranty left, and plenty of powertrain warranty, so if something goes wrong I should be able to get it taken care of...

Anyway, my question is do you guys have any tips on things I should look out for? Are there any issues common to 370Z's, '09's in particular? Any noises, rattles, weird behavior I should pay close attention to? Any specific engine or transmission quirks? Any other general pointers on what to check?

I'm trying to be as thorough as possible because it'll likely be my only drive out there, so I either buy it or leave it.....

Thanks!

LafitteZ

Is it a manual?

STB370Z

Yes it's a 6MT

wheee!

Listen for the High Pitched ECU whine that a lot of the early cars had. That had a TSB for replacement.

Also check to see what version of Steering Lock it has. Version D is the best, anything before is prone to failure sooner or later.

Look for leaks around the differential. Hard driving/acceleration/wheel hop will cause diff bushing failure and a leaky diff brace.

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SPOHN

Does the car have mods on it also?

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reldas

what is that high pitch noise i have that in my 09

harman.khinda

What are the repercussions of a diff bush failing and the leaky diff brace?

STB370Z

@SPOHN: No the car doesn't have any mods on it. It's a lease return so I doubt the previous driver installed any aftermarket stuff.

@wheee!: Do you have any tips on how I should listen out for the ECU whine? What does it sound like and when does it happen?

Also guys, what should I do if it doesn't have Revision D of the steering lock? It is being sold at a non Nissan dealership so I doubt they'd do anything about it plus I'm driving from very far away to check it out.... I doubt it has D since it is a mid-09 and there are no records of it coming in for that maintenance at the Nissan service dept the guy used to take it to. It still has some bumper to bumper left but I doubt they'd change out that steering lock without it failing first....

wheee!

All of the above are negotiating points. You may not be able to do anything about the older steering lock or diff issues (if it has them) other than try and get a price reduction in line with the wear/tear etc. The ecu whine is a high pitched whine, noticeable at idle by some people. I never had it with mine. There is a TSB for that though.
The diff leak indicates an abused car. That in turn indicates possible problems for other parts you can't see....

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Spikuh

ECU whine is just within the upper range of human hearing. It is almost dog whistle high in pitch. If you are trying to listen for it, just leave it idling and turn off the radio. Should be able to hear it coming from the front passenger side if your car is affected.

corbin09

The main thing that I would check are oil levels (obviously but some have consumption issues.) I would check oil level, drive it for a while, and and check again. I know it wouldnt really be a tell-all but it would make me more comfortable. The diff bushing is in the rear of the car and you will be able to tell if it is out. The rear wheels will "shimmy" over uneven surfaces and on harder acceleration you will wheel hop. Just get under the car and see if the diff has any brownish fluid on it. If that bushing is gone, figure in about an additional 800 bucks to the asking price. Other than that you should be good to go. They are pretty reliable.

ZOperaMan

There are two major issues with (some) '09s - mine had both:

1. Synchros - you can tell by trying to shift quickly through all gears. If the synchros are bent, you'll grind gears; most apparent when skipping a couple of gears with a large change in RPM (1-4, 2-5, or 3-6). Sometimes happens on upshift, sometimes downshift. Dealer fix is complete transmission replacement.

2. Oil consumption (probably bad rings) - there's probably no way to tell from a single-day inspection; the TSB says you have to measure how much the level drops on the dipstick after 1000 miles - Nissan says 8 mm after waiting 1/2 hour, so that would mean proportionally you would have to drive the car at least 100 miles, then wait 1/2 hour to see a ~1-mm drop. Maybe you can do this in a day if they'd let you. If the oil hasn't been changed and is low, it's browner than on an engine without the problem.

My car showed no other signs of oil consumption - no blue smoke, no power loss, just had to carry a quart around with me if I drove long distances. Dealer fix was a new short block.

--OD

Lug

You need to check and see if there is an oil cooler Nissan should have put in!

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keep Chubbs in your pocket - Chubbs