SO Just How Reliable Are The 370's....Looking at Buying Used
 

I understand that every problem is discussed on forums and you can get freaked out by just about any car by reading about these problems on forums.

But all in all, how reliable are the 370's? My assumption would be they are pretty reliable - most Japanese cars are far more reliable than American or European cars. This is the main reason I'm looking at the 370. Would definitely get a manual transmission.

I have read about the CSC (Concentric Slave Cylinder) which seems to pop up a lot. What % of 370's encounter this problem? Are there any other big issues I should know about? I have had pain the rear cars before due to unreliability and really don't want to go back. Frequent repairs saps the fun out of owning any car.

Also looking at C5 Z06's, Audi S4's, and BMW 335i's. This is going to be a long-term car for me. I want to find something I love and keep it for a long time, which will be a new experience for me!

Had an RX8 R3 before my current Maxima. It was surprisingly reliable. If it had more horsepower I'd be tempted to go back.

Any information and/or opinions and thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

I bought my 09 used and havent had any problems that others have claimed at all. It is really hit and miss, just check the car over and get info from the dealer

I got an '09 with 25k on it 2 years ago-
Only issues have been steering lock (left me stranded with a $175 tow).

"Also looking at C5 Z06's, Audi S4's, and BMW 335i's. This is going to be a long-term car for me. I want to find something I love and keep it for a long time, which will be a new experience for me!"

z06 will be much faster - less quality interior by a long shot, maybe more mechanical issues.
s4 - older gen has around the same hp as the 370z, except its AWD. Interior is better. Worse MPG. EXPENSIVE Maintenance. EXPENSIVE Parts.
335i - Nicest interior IMO. Fast, but around the same as 370z without bolt ons. Parts are expensive. Service is expensive. Itll last a long time (probably til turbos go or another part breaks).

The CSC failure is pretty common. Just plan for it. Buy the HD replacement and have it handy when the OEM fails. The rest of the issues are the same as any other used car. It'll be far better than a used BMW or Audi.

buying used is buying someone else's problem.

i sound like a fortune cookie... :ugh:

Thats why you stick to the virgins right? hahaha :happydance:

:tup:

wait, wat are we talking about here again?

115k on my odo (bought new) and had the steering lock fail, which was fixed via recall. other than that no issues. just do your research into the history of the vehicle, service, repairs, etc... and you should be ok. don't get yellow, it gets tickets lol

It really is hit or miss. I would personally suggest to say away from 09's. While the CSC is a known issue, there are aftermarket solutions available.

The S4 isn't bad, but I wouldn't consider it to be in the same category as this vehicle. The Z06 is a monster but, as you mentioned, the interior isn't as refined.

The 335i is a great car (especially with the N54), but as you mentioned, the maintenance is FAR beyond what you would ever pay on the Z. The reliability on the block is great but the rest of the car is not.

If you're looking for a reliable ride, get a Z and expect to get the CSC fixed at some point. If you're into HPDE's, expect to put in a moderate amount of work to not have to deal with a decent amount of downtime between groups of laps.

Thanks guys. So what is the cost to fix the CSC? Is it a one time fix? At what mileage does that usually hit?

It seems that's the main problem, am I correct?

It can happen at any time. The HD part is around $300 if I remember correctly. The catch is the labor to drop the tranny.

There are always issues. All cars have them. But the Z is very reliable: Consumer Reports names most reliable cars - Sporty car - Nissan 370Z (13) - CNNMoney

It's probably the most reliable in it's class. Anything more reliable is either going to cost more or have a lot less power.

While this can often be true with modded cars, if you shop around & really keep a close eye on what you are buying you can find some very nice used cars that have been well taken care of. So don't let used scare you, just look for obvious signs of abuse. Sloppy mod work, poorly maintained lack of care for the interior ect ;)

If it's a stock car, I think it'd be no problem. The Z is naturally aspirated so fewer parts to break and maintain and there isn't any super fancy tech going on here, just you standard electronic systems, plus SRM. None of those parking assists, lane change assists, blind spot indicators, pop up speakers, etc with little sensors or motors that could break easily. Just change that damned steering lock haha.

Reliability is hard to quantify when it comes to sports cars. Some people drive them like an old lady and some drive them like an old lady on crack. The main issues that have popped up are as follows:

-Oil Consumption (few reported claims on early models)
-CSC failure and/or master cylinder(prevalent and will fail eventually)
-6-speed Transmission Problems (grinding/bad syncros)
-Steering Lock issue (Covered under recall)

Forums like this tend to over-exaggerate issues especially when you see 50 threads on the same issue. I have an '09 with over 42k and the only issue I've had from above is the transmission grinding into 5th gear. I'd say it's about 9/10 in terms of reliability, but then again, that's from my personal experience. Some have had better, some worst. It all comes down to how the car was treated, proper maintenance and a little bit of luck.

Be extra careful when doing your due diligence on a used sports car. I would make sure it's stock and lowest miles possible.

The Z does have a few issues, what years are you looking at? I would steer away from an 09. Late 2010s and up will be your best bet.

In addition to everything people have already stated, the n54 335i has a history of HPFP (high pressure fuel pump) issues related to the direct injection system. When I was looking at cars, my sense was that in the 335i/s community, HPFP was kind of like the steering lock problem with the Z... except there doesn't appear to be a reliable fix for the HPFP issue... and steering lock just means you're stuck at home or in a parking lot somewhere, while HPFP failure could mean sudden loss of power in traffic and being stuck on the side of the road. Also, the entire community seems to be on pins and needles to see if the N55 engine has the same issue.

Best of luck with your search.

Strongly disagree with this. My last four performance cars have been used, and all were solid, reliable performers. You have to buy smart, have the vehicle inspected, and run a CarFax or similar report. Many used cars still have warranty time left too. Lightly used cars are a smart buy if your smart about how and what you buy. My 2012 Nismo w/ 10K miles cost me less than $32k. Nothing wrong with a good, clean used car.....

Sorry I cant comment on the manual trans or used purchase I opted for 7AT because I do a lot of road trips.

That being said, I bought my 2010 brand new back in July '10, have done minor engine mods, always run full synthetic, and drove it across country 3 times. No outrageous issues to report from me.

When it comes to reliability, the Z has been spot on. No ridiculous breakdowns, no obnoxious smells, and it holds its ground in extreme weather. From the Oregon forests, to the Arizona desert, to the West Virginia hills and to the snow-frozen North Dakota plains, the 370Z has been like an uninjured first string QB for me. FTW.

bought mine a year and ~4 months ago new. 28k miles (mostly highway) and still running great. No problems at all.:worship:

The Z is built on the same assembly line as the Infiniti. Asian vehicles are normally more reliable and more reasonable to repair compared to German vehciles where parts and services are really expensive. I've got 30K miles on a 2011 touring sport six speed that I purchased new. No issues, no rattles, no problems. It's a daily driver so it's seen rain snow and sunshine.

Bought my '09 new and no problems. Had SLU done under recall. That's it. Conscientious maintainence is important. Light recreational mileage on my odometer to date though. But I plan to keep it 15 years and 100,000 miles and expect no systemic failures.

I'm waiting for JungleZ to troll here.
Bought mine new in 2011, no issues. I bought a new CSC though when I added a new clutch & flywheel. I think that's one thing that most would almost guarantee to break. Likewise the steering lock. If you are looking at a sport model with over 50k miles, might as well write off the diff. LAte 2011 models don't have a steering lock mechanism anymore. 2012's come with a small oil cooler, almost worthless, but it helps. That's the only real notable difference. Rest has been said already

Bought in June 2010 with 10 miles on the odometer. Clocked in around 63,000 now and no issues.

I have routinely changed engine, transmission, differential, and brake fluids throughout the course of time. Not easy on the car either because I will romp on it when I can.

I bought the car brand new in 2010. Currently have 26k miles on it and I never had it serviced in the nissan factory...EVER!

0 problem

I think it's a solid car that can run up to 200k miles(At least for the manual transmission) if you take good care of it.

Give it some frequent oil change and you're golden. Just remember.....the more aftermarket parts you add on the car, the less reliable it gets.

And my honest opinion is that you should get the car new. You never know the history behind a used car......especially sports car. People tend to put their sports car to its limit and abused the poor thing. Keep in mind that majority of the 370z owners are in their 20s with over the limit testosterone........and you know how we like to drive these things :stirthepot:

Buy it new. It's worth the extra cash. Good luck :tup:

The majority of the Z owners on forums are in their twenties, but the people I see driving them look to be more in their 40s and 50s, which is always preferable when buying a used car.

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:iagree:

I know what you mean. I bought a used 09 with 6000 miles and have replaced almost everything on it. :ugh2:



:roflpuke2:

:tiphat: but uhmmmm, I think that was the plan. ;)

Prior to the Z bought a used 07 Vette. Worst mistake I've ever made. Bought the Z new. No problems so far. Will never buy a used sports car again.

For what it's worth, the HPFP warranty has been extended to 10 years/120k miles.

The pump replacements seem to be working very well.

Some N55 engines have had the problem, as you've mentioned, but luckily BMW has been covering them under the same N54 policy.

i bought my 2011 used, only thing i have to do is change oil and replace fluids

Theres nothing wrong with buying used. I always bought new until recently as well. Buying used is a lot more work, even more for a sports car, but if you're smart about it and patient, you'll find a good one that matches what you want eventually.

We talking girls or cars? :happydance:

Congratulations. That is a fairly complete sentence you have there. You are definitely making progress. Keep up the good work!!!

Definitely a risk.


As long as you don't wind up with my old car you are probably fine.

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