2003 Nissan 350Z Reviews

Ewan Kennedy reviews the 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 Nissan 350Z and Nissan 370Z as a used buy.

It might be the last letter in the alphabet, but ‘Z’ is the first that comes to mind when thinking of the great sports cars Nissan has made over the years. It came into being with the great Datsun 240Z sports coupe in the early 1970s and has continued to identify the company’s sports cars ever since.Today it’s used on the 350Z, Nissan’s current sports car that first hit our roads back in 2003. When launching the 350Z, Nissan’s then managing director, Leon Daphne, said it was the company’s “halo” car, designed to represent the “heart, soul and passion” of the company.MODEL WATCH The 350Z continued the rich history of Nissan sports cars dating back to the iconic 240Z. With two doors and seating for two the 350Z is not a car for the family. It’s the car owned by those without kids, or those who want a second fun car for the weekends.The 350Z range was made up of three models: two coupes and a roadster. The Touring Coupe was tailored more to those who wanted their sporting motoring with a slightly softer edge than its Track Coupe cousin. It came with leather trim, drilled alloy pedals, Bose sound system with six-stack CD player, and rolled on 17-inch alloy wheels for a suppler ride. The Track Coupe had all of that, but had a more defined sporty edge with 18-inch alloy wheels, bigger disc brakes and electronic stability control.The Roadster could be transformed from a comfy and secure coupe to an open top cruiser at the push of a button, when the power roof would fold down out of sight.The 350Z’s power came from a wonderful 3.5-litre double overhead camshaft V6. When asked it would willingly deliver to the tune of 206 kW at 6200 revs and 363 Nm at 4800 revs. Down low there was plenty of torque on tap, whether you just wanted to cruise along without changing gears, or if you wanted to slam your foot to the floor and race through the gears.The 350Z was superbly tractable at low speeds, but ask it for its best and it would pin your ears back like few others. If you wanted it would reach 100 km/h in 6.5 seconds and race through the 400-metre dash in 14.5 seconds.But it wasn’t just a straight-line hero; it really came into its own on a winding country road where you got to experience its full performance repertoire. Buyers had the choice of a six-speed manual, which was criticized for its less than precise gearshift, or a five-speed auto with a paddle shift manual mode. Final drive was fittingly delivered through the rear wheels.The 350Z boasted an almost perfect 50/50 weight distribution. It was marginally heavier on the front than it was on the rear, but the near perfect distribution was one of the reasons the 350Z had a wonderfully balanced chassis.Underneath it had independent all-alloy suspension front and rear, speed sensitive power steering and four-wheel ventilated disc brakes. There was also a raft of electronics to keep a watchful eye over proceedings. All models had ABS antiskid brakes, brake force distribution, brake assist, and traction control. On top of that the sporty Track Coupe also had stability control and more powerful Brembo brakes.Inside, the 350Z was snug. There wasn’t a huge amount of space to stretch out, you felt surrounded, but there was a sense of security and plenty of support if you wanted to push things to the limit.IN THE SHOP Generally the 350Z is trouble free with few problems coming to the surface in the first few years it has been on sale. The earliest cars now have around 60,000 km on the odometer if they’ve been used daily, but there are a number that have been reserved for weekend use and haven’t got as many kays under their belts.The wonderful double overhead camshaft V6 is robust and doesn’t appear to give much trouble at all. It does, however, require PULP or better to be used. Likewise the transmissions and drive train seem robust and reliable. The chassis generally is standing up well, although there are some reports of high tyre wear.IN A CRASH The 350Z’s safety package was comprehensive, with all models having dual front and side airbags, and the Coupes also having curtain airbags. Add to that a responsive chassis and powerful brakes, with an extensive array of electronic driver aids, and the safety package is an impressive one.OWNERS SAY Greg Bird has owned his 350Z for the last four years, but has used it as a weekend car and it has only clocked up 35,000 km. He says it’s easy to drive, whether driven down to the local shops or hard around a racetrack. The steering is razor sharp, the handling great, while the engine has good torque and a good spread of power through the rev range. It’s also been economical, and utterly reliable. He’s not so rapt in the rear visibility, which he says is poor, the interior noise level, and the high level of front tyre wear, which he says was fixed under warranty.Derek bought his 2003 350Z Touring second hand when it had done 14,000 km and sold it when it had 35,000 km on the clock. He says it was the best car he’d ever driven. It had great performance, and loved corners and straight lines, and he loved the firm ride. The fuel consumption was 14.2 L/100 km around town and around 8.5 L/100 km on the open road. His only complaints were a squeak in the driver’s seat and the cheap look of the interior plastics.LOOK FOR • chunky styling• sizzling V6 engine• good road holding• responsive chassis• powerful brakes.THE BOTTOM LINE Good looking thrill-a-minute sports car with a great engine and agile chassis.RATING 80/100

It dropped the top to create a 350Z Roadster that's become a summer hit in Australia and one of our favourite new cars of 2003.There was no convertible in the '70s original, even though the Zed grew glass panels for a targa top in the '80s.Now there's a foldaway roof for a roadster that drives like a real sports car, yet has the refinement to compete with classy convertibles such as the BMW Z4 and Mercedes SLK.For Nissan, the open-air body also gives it a crucial selling advantage in the battle with the other born-again sports car of 2003, the Mazda RX-8. It counters the rotary car's four-door, four-seat layout with a fun factor that's tough to toss.The basics of the Roadster are just the same as the regular 350Z coupe, from its body and suspension design to the 206kW V6 engine. The suspension is a little softer, but that's no disappointment considering Nissan Australia has asked for a re-tune of the rock-hard ride in the Track version of the coupe.The roof itself is fully electric, with a one-touch operation once you have turned the twist-to-lock latch near the rear-view mirror. It is fully lined, with an electric rear window, and folds away under a steel panel.There's a clever perspex wind-blocker between the seats to cut backdrafts, and the boot space is barely less than the coupe.Nissan Australia decided to go for a one-model hit with the Roadster, though there is a choice of six-speed manual or five-speed automatic gearboxes, both with a viscous limited-slip differential and traction control on the rear-wheel drive.Prices are $69,990 for the manual and $72,790 for the automatic, which seems like a fair $10,000 premium over the basic 350Z Coupe at $59,990, and well below the $81,100 starting price for a BMW Z4 or $86,174 for a Benz SLK with only a 2.0-litre engine.The car comes well equipped with power steering and 18-inch alloy wheels, a Bose sound system, electric leather seats, automatic airconditioning, electric windows and cruise control. There is also a useful trip computer, which can be set to give a digital speedo readout...a great idea with so many speed cameras on the road.Nissan Australia has been overwhelmed with the response to the born-again Zed and is expecting delivery delays on the Roadster.It predicted sales of only 800 cars during the first year in Australia, but hit 1154 in the first seven months after the arrival of the coupe. By the end of October that was up to 1432. We liked the 350Z a lot when we drove it. Our time was mostly in the Track model, which rode a bit stiffly, and we weren't too impressed with the cabin plastics.But those were just minor quibbles in a car which was striking on the road, sensational in corners and all-round quick at any time.The new Zed proved Nissan knows what it's doing with its product developments, retaining the heart of the original 240Z but blasting it into the 21st century.The Roadster looked good when we first saw it, with a clever droptop that promised to open its appeal without downgrading its sports car credentials. It only took a handful of kilometres in the car to confirm that Nissan had delivered a winner.The Roadster drives really, really tight. Like a grown-up Mazda MX-5, but with more space in the cabin, more go and a bigger boot.You'd expect the practical stuff with a $70,000 price line, but the driving angle is a surprise. Earlier open-air Zeds were floppy flyers that were all about slow-speed posing.The 350Z is a car that's happiest when it's cracking along, and best with the top out of the way.The roof is quick and easy to use, there is very little bluster or wind at any legal speed in Australia, and the Bose sound system stays easily ahead of the extra noise.We loved flipping the roof away, tickling the lusty V6, and picking a low gear for some corner work. The Roadster even felt a bit more enjoyable than the Track coupe, with more feel back through the softer suspension. It turned just as easily, but was more responsive and easier to hustle along.The engine has more than enough go for most people, the six-speed shift is light and direct, and jobs like overtaking and stop-light sprints are quick and easy.The brakes weren't as powerful as the Track Zed, but we were happy to do without the black brake dust which built up on the coupe's wheels after little more than 150km.The Roadster wasn't quite as good with the top up, but not by much. It felt a little cramped, but that was about it – apart from the inevitable parking problems with only a small rear window.We liked the fine details in the equipment, particularly the grippy buckets and the digital speedo, and were pleased to see that Nissan has kept the sound system buttons off the steering wheel.Looking at the 350Z earlier this year we were forced to line it up against the Mazda RX-8, and it lost a points decision to the more practical rotary rocket. The Zed is fine for two, and great if you really want a sports car, but not so good if you just want to cruise and collect the looks and kudos.The Roadster is just as convincing as a sports car, but even more enjoyable with the fresh-air roof.It also avoids any comparison with the RX-8 and does better than expected against the costlier and slower BMW Z4 and Mercedes SLK. They are good, but the Nissan is better and costs less...provided you don't need a German bragging badge.If we were looking to buy a Zed, we wouldn't bother with the coupe. We'd go straight for the Roadster and really have fun.

The born-again Nissan sports car isn't perfect, as you discover the first time you try a tight parking space, but it comes close.The 350Z looks good, drives like a serious sports car, and returns the sort of value-for-money enjoyment that makes a starting price of $59,990 into a genuine bargain.It's no surprise the first shipment is a sellout, or that Nissan dealers are holding Zed-car orders that will create a waiting list until the second half of the year.Things will get interesting when the all-new Mazda RX-8 arrives in June, and final judgment on the 350Z will have to wait until it goes toe-to-toe with its only real showroom rival, but our test drive with the Nissan has made us believers.The 21st-century Zed provides an alternative for people who want Subaru WRX-level performance with a bit more style, or who need somewhere to go now the Nissan 200SX coupe has been dropped from the company's line-up.The original Datsun 240Z re-wrote the rules for Japanese carmakers in the early 1970s, proving they could build cars with passion.The Zed car has been on the comeback trail almost since the day the fat-old-fart 300ZX was chopped because people had had enough of the bloated 2+2 in the 1980s.It took the latest Renault-led management team to finally push the "go" button for a new hero car. It's the car Carlos Ghosn knew was needed to create some real excitement, and a sense of purpose, at Nissan.The car that's just arrived in local showrooms isn't true to the 240Z concept, but it's close enough. The styling is 21st-century corporate sports car, not a revival of the long-nose Zed design. But the rest of the car is hard edged and just as impressive as the original.That means a V6 tucked behind the front wheels, a two-seater cabin with grippy bucket seats and no frills, and a performance package built around big brakes and sports-car suspension.There are two choices in the 350Z family, the Touring and the Track, with prices from $59,990 up to $65,990. The extra cash for the Track pack buys bigger wheels and Brembo brakes, and it comes with only the six-speed manual gearbox.The V6 engine is a beauty and has been seriously upgraded from the version used in the Maxima. It includes everything from a growling exhaust note to howling induction roar, with a top end of 206kW – the maximum power output for Japanese cars – and a 363Nm wall of torque.But the new Zed isn't just about going fast: It also has a thumping Bose sound system, airbags for front-side-head protection, leather seats, airconditioning, alloy wheels, and remote central locking with alarm.THE 350Z is a great drive. Any time, any speed, any road.You only have to tickle the accelerator to get an instant response, it lights up when you leave the lights, and when you're ready for fun on a tough road the Zed will quickly move you along. It's the best news from Nissan since we cannot remember.Let's get the negatives out of the way first, so we can concentrate on the brilliance.It is tough to park, because the body drops away in all directions and the windows aren't big; the boot is cramped, and divided into two sections by the brace for the rear suspension; the headlamps aren't great, and neither is the horn; and the plastics in the cabin are cheap, more $19,990 Pulsar than Zed-car special.But that's because Nissan has spent its money on the stuff that counts. Take a look under the body at the beautiful suspension and brake bits and you will understand.Or, even better, push on the accelerator in second and third gears and be absorbed by the action. The V6 engine roars and goes, howling through the torque band from 3000 revs and on to the redline at 6200 – the gearbox has a clack-clack directness that's close to the Mazda MX-5, and the feel is tight and quick.The engine response, in any gear at almost any speed, is what gives the Zed its advantage over the push-and-wait turbo cars.The steering is firm and direct, the brakes – especially in the Brembo-equipped Track test car – are fantastic, the suspension rides all but the worst bumps, and the electronic traction control has been tuned to allow the driver – not the computer – to control the action.Best of all, Nissan's engineers have developed a car that's a complete package. There are no weaknesses, all the elements are at the same high standard.Sometimes it's great just to rattle up through the gears on a light throttle, feeling the mechanical action of the driveline, and other times it's rewarding to wait until late to brake to feel the firmness and response from the stoppers.That's what a sports car should be about, and it's what the Zed delivers.And the cornering power is fantas tic. It sometimes seems to defy gravity, turning into corners at silly speeds with no drama, and the cornering attitude can always be adjusted with the wheel or the accelerator.It's also helped by a great-looking body, fantastic seats and a dashboard that has just enough hints of 240Z – the three dials in the centre of the dash, including volts – to remind you the 350Z is drawing on a deep, rich vein of history.Finding rivals for the Zed is tough, because it's so good and so complete.Only one question mark hangs over the 350Z: how will it compare to the Mazda RX-8? That's why our comparison box this week is missing a star rating for the RX-8, which won't be available for testing until June.But the rating for the RX-8 really doesn't matter, and it won't really affect the success of the Zed.Plus – Sprint speed; cornering gripMinus – Tough to park; cheap cabin plastics