Originally Posted by ZKindaGuy

Folks:

Just a very important heads up. When taking your 350Z or 370Z into a dealer for an oil change insist on them doing the oil change using the drive-on ramps NOT the side-arm lift.

Back in July I had my first oil change of my 370Z done at the dealer. The next day I noticed the running board right behind the tie into the front fender well was bulging outward and had a soft-curved upward impression from underneath. Also the gap between the fender and the running board lip was increased to 3/4-inch. Not knowing what had caused it when I took it into the dealer they said it looked like someone kicked it from underneath. Having been at a restaraunt after the first oil change I thought that very plausible since there are plenty of red-neck hillbilly azzholes in Ohio where I live.

Needless to say to have it fixed the entire running board had to be replaced, painted and installed to the tune of $879.00. The new running board alone was $679.00.

The other day I took the car into the dealer for its second oil change. I picked the car up after it was finished and drove it home. I noticed when I got out of the car that theere were grease finger prints all over the exact same spot of the previous problem area. I wiped the finger prints away and low and behold the identical same soft-curved upward impression from underneath but no bulge and no gap problem this time.

So I immediately drove it back to the dealer and blew my top about it. I decided not to have it fixed (though they offered) because it is completely under the car and is this time just the soft impression pressed into the running board plastic. You cannot see it at all unless you get down under and look up underneath the running board.

However I did indicate that this is clear proof that the first time it happen that it had to be caused by their first oil change as the soft-curved impression this second time is identical to the first time it happened and I demonstrated to them that it was an exact match to the side-arm lift dimensions as it skirts across underneath the running board when placed onto their side-arm lift.

They conceded the fact that the side-arm lift caused the problem. As a result they are going to work out an oil-change maintenance agreement with me to make up for the $879 I shelled out the first time it happened. Needless to say this dealer immediately issued a local-shop directive that all 350Z and 370Z oil changes must be performed on the drive-on ramp from now on.

Make sure before leaving the dealer when picking up your car that you check this area immediately behind the front wheel well/fender where the running board converges with the fender/well. If you feel or see any noticeable impression then your Z has been the victim of the side-arm lift.