going to see a 2009 z, manual. what to look for??

[Juice14]

Whatt up guys. ive been surfing on here for couple of months now. I am hours away from buying an 09 with sport package.
I am planing on using the car as my second car. will ttack it about once a month or more. i just wanted to ask for those who know the car well. if there is anythkng i should look for in specific. soundss, clunks, feel, any kind of mechanical problems, etc.
The car is manual. if you can give me some input on how the tranny should feel, how high the clutch peddal should be, or anytjing else please let me know. i cant wait to drive it. i hope i can find the tcs off button rigdht away jeje

[Juice14]

I forgot to mention that i ran a carfax on the car and its clean. however there are always things you only see on a car if you own one. thanks in advance

[edub370]

They are pretty solid cars. there will be some clutch noises (clunking) at low speeds that will kinda throw you off at first, but thats normal these cars. other than that i dont really know of any other problems with these cars that a test drive could pick up. the 6mt tranny is great. pretty stout, and can hold power well. the syncro rev match is perfect for spirited driving. as long as theres no grinding or trouble getting into gears then theres nothing to worry about

long term: you will NEED an oil cooler to track it. these things like to get hot really quick. also, a change to some dot 4 brake fluid and different pads would almost certainly become necessary if you plan to hit the track frequently, as our brakes like to heat up and fade after prollonged track times

[lemon-fresh]

- Excessive ECU noise (high frequency sound coming from glove box area).
- Inquire about the steering lock issue and whether it has been fixed.
- Panel rattling when the stereo is on.
- Tire wear and no slipping when the clutch engages (obviously).

It really isn't easy to find mechanical things to look for on this car, as the previous poster said they are solid cars.

[edub370]

dont forget to see whther or not that exploding car issue was sorted out on this one as well....

[Juice14]

That helps. Thanks.

So in case they havent fixed the steering lock issue (what is that? Sorry for not searching im on my phone) how much would it cost to fix?

[lemon-fresh]

~$500 if DIY, could be much more if done by the dealer. I'm not sure how often it actually occurs but it is something to think about.
DIY: Replace dreaded steering-lock on 2009s and early 2010s.

[EazyD]

I also read on here about people with '09s that had a rear hatch problem that made it get stuck? Can anyone elaborate on this?

[UNKNOWN_370]

Originally Posted by lemon-fresh

- Excessive ECU noise (high frequency sound coming from glove box area).
- Inquire about the steering lock issue and whether it has been fixed.
- Panel rattling when the stereo is on.
- Tire wear and no slipping when the clutch engages (obviously).

It really isn't easy to find mechanical things to look for on this car, as the previous poster said they are solid cars.

this... and as stated above you will definately need an oil cooler. As well as Stillens new Brake cooler. Both are equally essential for this car. Brake failure was recorded on 09 models due to overheating. All models that have followed have the same issue. That cooler along with upgraded pads and rotors will be the best first mods along with the oil cooler to ensure the Z can hang on the track past 2 or 3 laps.

[edub370]

Originally Posted by EazyD

I also read on here about people with '09s that had a rear hatch problem that made it get stuck? Can anyone elaborate on this?

fill out a tsb and they give u new springs to pop the back open more forcefully. mine doesnt bother me too much yet

[Spikuh]

You may want to look into to better brake fluid and pads also.

And for some reason, my brain is telling me that some of the '09s had bad rear end differentials that failed early. I will try to search this out real fast.

[edub370]

^^ never heard that one before

[kenchan]

check to make sure there is no washer mod pre-installed.

[UNKNOWN_370]

Originally Posted by kenchan

check to make sure there is no washer mod pre-installed.

Good one... that was a popular mode that proved to be a shytty one.

[edub370]

idk who would think that was a good idea to begin with... i saw the video and thought creating a false exhaust leak was kinda dumb in the first place