500 mile oil change and Aluminum v Illuminated...customer service!!

[AlanManouk]

So i went back to my dealer today to get illuminated kickplates installed. Please note that the drive one way is 30 miles so a 60 mile drive. I currently had 300 miles on the car. I go there and wait for about an hour for them to install my ILLUMINATED kick plates. After an hour the parts department guy comes to me and says we cant install it because we have aluminum kickplates not illuminated! is there a difference i never heard of just aluminum kickplates. Also he said itll take 3 hours and they cant do it so ill have to come back another day. I got home 60 miles later (360miles now) and almost 1/4 tank less! Is it true that I have to get a 500 mile oilchange, and is there a difference between the kick plates thanks!

[ImportConvert]

It sucks to have to drive the 370Z. I bought mine to look at.

I have never seen aluminum non-illuminated kick plates.

[kenchan]

Originally Posted by ImportConvert

It sucks to have to drive the 370Z. I bought mine to look at..

[IDZRVIT]

Originally Posted by AlanManouk

Is it true that I have to get a 500 mile oilchange,

No. Save your money.

[ImportConvert]

Originally Posted by IDZRVIT

No. Save your money.

I believe the OEM filter on the 370Z flat out sucks.

I have heard from "old timers" how it looked like glitter in the oil from all the wear metals. I don't think we are nearly that bad off with modern vehicles, though.

In short--does OP need it? Of course not. Would it hurt anything? Of course not. Could it help? Possibly, but likely not to a noticeable extent.

I am having all my fluids (diff/trans/engine) changed over to Redline synthetic this morning and putting a Veruspeed filter on (many people will argue over filter/oil, but I doubt anyone says nearly ANYTHING you could buy is worse than the OEM parts that came on the car).

Why? I want MT85 in the trans, and I want to put a full synthetic in the diff. I have heard that Red Line lowers temps by around 20* on average. With a VLSD, heat is THE enemy.

Again...not necessary, but certainly not a bad decision.

[kenchan]

Originally Posted by ImportConvert

I believe the OEM filter on the 370Z flat out sucks.

really? that's wat ive been using on my G the last 8yrs and my Z for 2yrs. no issues here. actually i seldom use aftermarket oil filters these days.

[ImportConvert]

Originally Posted by kenchan

really? that's wat ive been using on my G the last 8yrs and my Z for 2yrs. no issues here. actually i seldom use aftermarket oil filters these days.

People use Fram still, too. They are made about the same.

[speedfreek]

FRAM makes your engine go BLAM!

[MattP725]

No 500 mile oil change just follow breakin procedures... I'd probably change it aroudn 2k the first time just incase.

[harman.khinda]

nything but cheap fram or oem filter

[homeryansta]

isn't the engine broken in from the factory before it is installed on the vehicle? The clutch and the brakes are what you have to watch out for.

[ImportConvert]

Originally Posted by homeryansta

isn't the engine broken in from the factory before it is installed on the vehicle? The clutch and the brakes are what you have to watch out for.

No, it's not, but those, too, also the rear end and transmission.

[MattP725]

Originally Posted by homeryansta

isn't the engine broken in from the factory before it is installed on the vehicle? The clutch and the brakes are what you have to watch out for.

Engines are more efficient so it isn't quite as bad but you should still avoid racing the engine and should constantly vary engine RPM when possible just to get a smooth seat on everything.

[Huck]

Fwiw, when I got my civic with 2 miles on it, I immediately put a new filter on it and a frag mag/ mag drain plug. I changed my oil at 500, 1000, 2000, and 3000 miles and cut the filter in half to see what the frag mag caught. The 500 oil change sparkled so much it looked like Edward Cullen had been cremated and sprinkled in there. 1000 was about half as much, 2000 was almost completely clean, and 3000 there was nothing in it at all.

Z motors may be different, I'm no expert. But I wouldn't want to take a chance of all those metal shavings floating around in my baby's insides.


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[Mecinoid]

I hate using OEM filters. However, there is a chance Nissan will try to or be sucessful in voiding your warantee with the use of aftermarket filter. At the least you'll have to go to court and prove that the oil filter and oil is better than the OEM filter and Ester oil they recommend. Been there done that. It's not fun ... So, until I am out of warantee I use what they recommend even if it cost a tad more. I've been able to buy their oil filters and oil online and document my oil changes in a spreadsheet for all my cars.

On my cars out of warantee I use Mobil 1 and K & N filters. I love the nut on the bottom of the filters that you can safety wire and it also makes installation and taking the filter off a lot easier. I also use Redline in my race car and expensive modified cars. Mobil 1 is more than enough protection for a stock 370Z. However, it you want to every once of performance out of your car you might want to step up to a Amosol, Royal Purple, Redline type of super performance oil. I see Mobil 1 as a super oil and enough for all cases. It's just that the super performance oils have been tested better than Mobil lately.

I changed my Ester Oil* in the 370Z @ about 1500 miles. I think it's important to get any assembly lube / breaking metal shavings etc. out of the engine early. I then try to change the oil every 3000 miles even though it's synthetic. However, I do not worry if I go 5000K between oil changes. Many people go as far as 7500 miles betweem oil changes and I think that is on the edge of the oil breakdown formula. I think the oil looks pretty brown(dirty)at 5000 milesand I do not want any sludge building up in my car.

Oil changes are cheap insurance and they help the car work better. If you leave the oil in there too long it becomes sticky and dirty. Plus, the acids wear parts as well. So, change your oil often. For others I'd recommend 5000K after original 1500 mile oil change.

As for the alum vs illuminated kick plates. That was most likely a excuse because they were out of the part or didn't have the time to install it that day.

The factory kick plate is plastic with alum over a portion of it I believe. illuminated is plastic with more alum over it and the Z emblem backlit as you probably know by now.

Good luck !!!!

Note all - Check all your fluid levels, colors and belts for wear each time you change your oil that will save you breaking down on the road over a $10-15 item. I admit I forget to do this every time and I've lucked out the times I've forgotten.

*Nissan claims the high amount of Ester that they put in their oil is better for our engines and quiets it more than other oils. I don't know about that however some have claimed noise at high rpm. I do not notice that using the Ester Oil. On my next oil change I most likely will use Mobil 1 because it is what the dealerships have been using as a substitute for the Ester oil I'm told. However, they do state it does make the engine noisier especially on start up for a few seconds. They also state that it does provide the protection Nissan requires for the warantee. If they use Mobil 1 I figure I'm safe waratee wise. So, I figure I'll try it and see if I notice a difference. It only take my like 15-30mins to do a oil change so it's worth the experiment.