Unpopular Post (no doubt but...)

Slynky

So, I'm still pondering a 370Z and I've been semi-lurking/posting here for a few weeks now. And while the prices don't seem too far out of whack with what I can swing, as an old person, I try to put my money into some kind of quality.

So, is it just me remembering how things used to be or is it now expected cars come off the assembly line with too many defects and incomplete design/component testiing?

To wit, a brief review of the various threads I've read:

Hatch problem (Nissan won't fix and the "coin repair");

Oil heat problems;

Paint defects;

High pitch whine / ECU noise;

Engine oil leaks (and at least one engine replaced);

Shifting problems (1-->2) and shifting/clunking noises (differential?).

(and maybe other problems I haven't even seen yet)

Now, I have a Nissan PU ('98) and I had to take it to the dealer 3 times for a cab leak (water) and it's never been fixed and a repair to something in the steering wheel column down in the engine bay. And the right-side mirror can't be tightened enough to keep it from vibrating (I've gotten used to it).

And my RSX had a TSB on the strut housing or something (clunking when turning and going slowly over a speed bump or driveway) and a known shifting problem that you have to fight like hell with to get Acura to deal with.

SO...

Having said all this, a couple of questions:

Is this number of problems with a new car to be expected these days? What happened to all that quality I learned to expect from Japanese cars? For those with multiple problems, would you buy again? Should some of these problems be fixed in 2010 (or do you think Nissan will just continue to pass them along as long as sales are doing as well as they want)?

Yeah, I'm rambling and I don't expect every question to be answered but if you feel like commenting, I'd appreciate it. And if you feel like flaming me, go ahead and take a shot. I know I'm in the forum where people are likely to get upset at my comments.

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370Zsteve

Great post!

Put things into perspective. An any forum, you are going to hear about issues, defects, complaints.

There are thousands of members on this forum, I reckon. I wonder how many of the folks who complain about "clunking when shifting" are just lousy at working a manual, especially a manual in a sports car.

I won't even get into the amount of BS I've read here in the threads regarding oil.

The hatch issue? Let's not forget this is a first-year car. There has always been a history of problems with first-year issue, regardless of manufacturer.

To put things into an even finer perspective: This car is the JD Power award winner for initial quality. That drowns out al the noise I read on this forum. Even a high-pitched noise coming from "somewhere in the rear of the car". I too am "old", and my high-frequency hearing loss from too many years of electric guitar has seen to that.

I'm buying a Z this week.

Cheers!

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SOLD MY Z MARCH 2018 - another Core OG moves on - new ride 2019 Z Corvette Grand Sport - no mods necessary but already have eyes on HFC and intakes LOL IT NEVER ENDS.

Nick911sc

To be honest...There is so much fear mongering on this forum about problems with the Z. I was scared shitless...and then once I get my I realized majority of it was really minor. I never see my car having oil temp problems. Leaking oil because of bad sealing is not a common occurrence. Paint Defects? I know I have none.. Same with the hatch problem.

But idk...that's just me..YMMV

370Zsteve

+1 rep!

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SOLD MY Z MARCH 2018 - another Core OG moves on - new ride 2019 Z Corvette Grand Sport - no mods necessary but already have eyes on HFC and intakes LOL IT NEVER ENDS.

JakeZ34

I understand your concerns and I'll try to explain and address it according to what I know,

-stuck hatch problem was not a concern to me maybe I got lucky, I havn't had the stuck hatch release problem. BUT however I did have that problem on my 05 350Z.

-Oil Temp problem is a concern if you decide to track / push your car hard, but during normal daily driving conditions it shouldn't be a concern, and there are after market options that you can do to correct the problem but be mindful about your manufacture's warranty when do so.

-Paint defects, again I'm the lucky couple few that didn't experience this problem.

-High Pitch ECU noise I have experienced and trying to work on it with Nissan.

-Engine oil leak, I've followed the proper 1200k mi break-in and my engine has not experienced leak so again it's a luck thing I guess.

-Shifting problems from 1st to 2nd is common in this tranny, my 350Z had it even worst, it's a car that has hard shifting from 1st to 2nd, it takes a while to get use to but once you're used to it you should be fine. As far as the clunking, I only found it to be a problem when I push the clutch in super super fast, if I was driving under normal clutch releasing and engaging speed, no clunks are heard.

Hope that helps a bit.

SmoothZ

Problem is that too many people complain about the smallest things or what they perceive to be a problem. I have an 03 Z that I'm very happy with, but I don't really post about all the little things. I'd rather find the problem and fix it first. If it's major, then that's a different story. Thankfully, I don't really have major problems with the Z.

Matt

When I was narrowing my decision down to a few cars, I checked out the forums for each. 135i, Lexus IS, 370z, G37 and the Camaro. I went to all the forums and to my disbelief, each of them was littered with complaints, defects, and problems.

One of the reasons I chose the Z was the fact that it had far less than the others, for whatever that's worth!

And I've zero issues listed in the OP other than the 1st-2nd shift clunkiness...and with the little time I spend in those gears, I'm not really worried about it!

Spelling error

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"Any man who can drive a 370z while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the Z the attention it deserves." Albert Einstein....modified.

frost

Right, if you go to the camaro board and read about their problems, you would think the thing was going to blow up. Not to mention the fact I've seen one broken down on the side of the road already.

m4a1mustang

Hopefully no one jumps on you for this post, because there's nothing wrong with it. Your concerns are legit.

The hatch sticking and ECU whine are definitely unacceptable. Those are issues that should have been caught in testing and never made it to production.

Oil leaks... this is a touchy subject. I haven't heard of any oil leaks but it is common knowledge that engines burn oil... some more than others. You just have to be proactive and check your oil levels regularly to get an idea for how your engine behaves. Your driving habits, environmental conditions, and luck of the draw when it comes to which batch of parts are on your car are all going to contribute to how it performs. I doubt keeping up with maintenance is going to be an issue with you, but for some on this board they can't even be bothered to check oil levels let alone tire pressure!

Paint defects... I think the paint quality on this car is "average" when it comes to quality of factory paint jobs. It's not the worst but it certainly isn't the best. Unless you get an expensive paint job sprayed by a skilled painter, you are never going to have a flawless finish.

Shifting problems... this is mostly a driver issue. The 1-2 "clunk" is normal on these transmissions. One thing that lots of people don't realize is that this isn't a quick-shifting manual. The transmission doesn't like being forced into gear... you have to be easy and just resign to the fact that this ain't no Mustang TR3650 with Steeda Tri-Ax shifter. Flat-footed, super quick shifts just aren't going to happen. We had a discussion about the benefit of a short-throw shifter on this car and pretty much came to the conclusion that there really is no benefit to having the shorter throw since the transmission doesn't like those quick shifts. The only real benefit is improved feel by removing some of the slop from the rubbery factory shifter.

This is a fantastic car. Unfortunately for some of us there are some issues that really make us reconsider. The ECU whine is horrible for me and my 24 year old ears. Seems like some of the older drivers aren't picking up on that frequency. I am sure my dad wouldn't be able to hear it if I put him in the car. Makes me jealous, actually.

The hatch-stick... if you use the hatch a lot this is going to drive you crazy. Nissan really needs to issue a TSB to replace the short springs with longer ones that will lift the hatch. Hell, they don't have to install them for us... just give us the replacement springs and we'll do it on our own!

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m4a1mustang

One of the things about complaints on message boards... if you go to a board looking for complaints, you're going to come out thinking the car is completely messed up regardless of which board you go to. It's a lot like those apartment rating websites. NO ONE bothers to make a post to boast about how great their apartment is... they go there to complain.

People are always more likely to vocalize their complaints than their praise. It's just human nature.

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Slynky

Thanks, everyone, for the well-expressed concerns.

ONE of the items I did NOT mention in my initial post was that I realize more complaints will get posted than posts talking about how their car has no problems.

Like a restaurant. People will complain when the service or food is bad but never take the time to call the manager over to compliment excellent service or food...which I take the time to do EVERY time it happens.

So, I expect there to be a disproportionate amount of "problem" posts.

And... LMAO... haven't been to any American car forums...I imagine the comment about them is on target.

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Matt

Yeah, if you go to a dodge website, it'll say,

"Sorry, our cars...err...site is still under construction! You will now be redirected somewhere else!"

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"Any man who can drive a 370z while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the Z the attention it deserves." Albert Einstein....modified.

cptspeed

consumer reports rated the g37 almost all high marks. And the Z should be rated good as well. I've had 7 nissans and nevr did one visit a repair shop. That being said, the paint on my sentra was terrible. The 350 not a whole lot better. The hardbodies, pathfinder and my titan had great paint. The 370 detailed out real well. Time will tell.

Urbanracer

You pretty much hit the nail on the head as far as how automotive forums work regarding manufacturer issue. Even the most reliable cars have the same posts on their forums. Some problems are ligit, others not so much.

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Trips

I'm one of the majority here with no major issue's. The hatch was corrected but that's it!

I'm very happy as well as most the 370z owners in here, like it has been said if you go to

another car forum your going to see the same thing, I think if car makers were making

really bad cars don't you think it would be in news also? I used to Own a 2005 Bmw 530i

and, the Bimmer forum also contained issue's from some members that left the newbie

thinking there we're all these software issues and blah blah blah, I never had a issue with

my Bmw, so don't let some turn you off from anything your wanting unless it's proven

beyond a doubt. From a Happy Z owner..

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