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The Nissan 350Z Is A Fun Japanese Sports Car That Will Still Turn Heads At The Parking Lot.

The 350Z was based on a recipe of simple fun.
1969 was an important year, first, the Apollo 11 moon landing took place, the premiere human touch-down on the moon using state-of-art equipment for the time.

Arguably, the second-most significant thing that happened 53 years ago is the launch of the Fairlady Z car – or 240Z.

This car was a reasonably affordable, lightweight rear-drive sports car with a relatively-small engine but a focus on bringing coupe styling and fun to the Everyman.

With a 2.4-liter straight-six engine making 150 hp and a manual gearbox in a cool two-door body, it was a recipe that would allow the Z-car to carry on its legacy all the way into the new millennium as the super-fresh 350Z.

Nissan’s 350Z: A Great Engine In A Quirky Coupe Body


Launched in 2002, this car is now two decades old, which is hard to believe, partly as it seems to have aged well on the outside.

Inside, you will notice the plastics look cheap and that the screen is small by today’s standards, but the design still holds up looking sporty and well, Japanese.

Rear-wheel-drive was combined with a 6-speed manual or 5-speed auto and power went from 290 hp / 275 lb-ft to 305 hp / 270 lb-ft in the revised 2007 with a different engine variant under the curvy hood at the front.

By now the 350Z was around 3400 lbs, quite a lot heavier than the first-gen 240Z but with also twice the power and a more efficient fuel-injected engine.

Other things the 240Z did not have was cruise control, a limited-slip differential and navigation as well as heated seats and more – the car cost around $30,000 new, and today is a bargain if you’re feeling nostalgic with the arrival of the latest Z car and want a piece of classic car history.

 

The Nissan 350Z Is A Fun Japanese Sports Car That Will Still Turn Heads At The Parking Lot


If you are thinking of getting one, you are not alone as this car is one of those archetypal accessible sports cars that can be bought for less than you think and driven by practically anyone – like the MX-5, the Porsche Boxster, the BMW Z3/4, the Alfa Romeo GT, and so on.

The 3.5-liter V6 engines are unstressed and reliable, and the electrics and parts shouldn’t give you more problems than any other 20-year-old car.

Over on AutoTrader.US, there are currently almost 300 cars advertised.

At the bottom of the pile, there are five cars at around $6000, all Touring models with the higher-spec like heated leather seats, 18” wheels, and xenon headlamps, with mileage ranging from 100,000 to 200,000; there’s even a roadster model (produced from 2003) with 155,000 miles for $6000 in Colorado.

The ad does say that the car needs new camshaft sensors which are due every 2 years and cost up to $300, but we’d take that for a clean-looking drop-top 350Z; although the mileage is not ideal.

There’s A 350Z For Everyone And Every Budget


On the same site, there are also a lot of shabby-looking examples too – with high mileage being a common theme; but when you jump up to $10,000 there are examples with 100,000 miles on the clock – clean ones, too.

Performance versions with the front aero kit, spoiler, and optional Brembo brakes command a premium over the Touring and Base models, but in any case, 0-60 mph times of 6 seconds and 150 mph max speed should be within reach in any of the trim levels if the engine is still fit.

There are really many, many examples to suit anyone’s budget with all kinds of conditions and mileage on offer, so you can just keep on looking until you find something which fits your bill.

In the end, what we really want anyway is an attractive, manual, reliable sports car with simplicity baked in; that is what the 350Z has in spades.

For A Better 350Z, You Don’t Need To Sell Your House Or Children


Upping the price to $13,000 you can get the keys to a 350Z with 50,000 miles or fewer, which is more like it, the lowest-mileage cars are a mint couple with 10,000 miles and 4600 miles at $22,000 and $26,000, respectively.

For a mint car at around $25,000 which will provide you with many years of tire-burning fun, just check the maintenance history, look into that camshaft sensor and other drivetrain consumables as these cars have all the chances of being driven hard by many people.

Then, just put some money away for tires, as you’ll likely burn through a set if you live in an area with roundabouts – there are 8000 roundabouts in the US and about as many 350Zs for sale in the classifieds, so come jump in and see what the fuss is about.

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