Nissan 370Z Forum - View Single Post

gbhrps · 07-17-2017, 10:00 PM

LisaZ,

OldFloGuy and I agree on most things about the Z Roadster model, but here I have to disagree with him.

You are trading an 09 for possibly a 2010 Roadster ...... that tells me that you don't have deep pockets (read lots of money), or you would be in the category of purchasing a newer car, say a 2016 or 2017. There is a big difference in the pricing of 2010 to 2017. No surprise there.

Here's what you need to know:

The 370Z Roadster's top mechanism is perhaps the most intricate system of any convertible top system for any car sold in North America. It has 8 hydraulic rams, each with two sail switches (tell how far the ram has extended), the plumbing for all of those plastic pipes and wiring, a hydraulic pump, computer modules, bungee cords in several locations, and many pivoting arms and frames, all of which must work flawlessly.

Very few Roadsters are sold, so very few service techs will ever work on one often enough to be really efficient at diagnosing where and what needs fixing. That leads to hours searching through the service manuals at over $100 an hour. It adds up quickly. So some say take it to a specialized convertible shop, where they will have the same track record with 370z Roadsters. There just aren't that many out there.

If after several hours of diagnostics they find the issue, now you have the cost of the parts issue to deal with. Be aware, that if one of the rams goes south, it is not a part that Nissan will sell you. You will have to buy an entire top system. You can send it to Oregon (TopHydraulics will rebuild each ram at $200 each) for a fix but doing all 8 sits at $1600 before shipping, etc.,etc.

The present price for just the complete hydraulic system, no wiring, no frames, no cloth, etc.(sold not by parts, but only entirely as one unit) is $6 917.13.

When things go wrong, badly wrong, Nissan's solution is to just replace the entire convertible top mechanism and cloth assemblies in one swoop ... at nearly $13 000.

If you are prepared for the possibility of this kind of cost, however remote it might be, then buy the Roadster. But if, as I suspect, you aren't in the position to foot such a bill, I'd advise you to pass on the Roadster until you can.

OldFloGuy and I are in our late 60's, have no mortgage, lots of pension and retirement funds, and in my case, I have 55 years experience of working on cars and convertibles, and will fix the top on my Roadster myself after the warranty expires, because I can, and I won't have to take it to Nissan for big bucks. That's one of the reasons I bought the car.

To get a better feeling for what I'm suggesting, go to the Roadster section of this forum and search through 10 or 12 pages of the issues roadster owners are having with their tops. That should help you make your decision.

The Best, which ever choice you make! And I apologize for spoiling your dream, if indeed I have.

Gene

07-17-2017, 10:00 PM	#8 (permalink)
gbhrps Base Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 213 Drives: 2016 RDSTR TS 6spd Rep Power: 7996	LisaZ, OldFloGuy and I agree on most things about the Z Roadster model, but here I have to disagree with him. You are trading an 09 for possibly a 2010 Roadster ...... that tells me that you don't have deep pockets (read lots of money), or you would be in the category of purchasing a newer car, say a 2016 or 2017. There is a big difference in the pricing of 2010 to 2017. No surprise there. Here's what you need to know: The 370Z Roadster's top mechanism is perhaps the most intricate system of any convertible top system for any car sold in North America. It has 8 hydraulic rams, each with two sail switches (tell how far the ram has extended), the plumbing for all of those plastic pipes and wiring, a hydraulic pump, computer modules, bungee cords in several locations, and many pivoting arms and frames, all of which must work flawlessly. Very few Roadsters are sold, so very few service techs will ever work on one often enough to be really efficient at diagnosing where and what needs fixing. That leads to hours searching through the service manuals at over $100 an hour. It adds up quickly. So some say take it to a specialized convertible shop, where they will have the same track record with 370z Roadsters. There just aren't that many out there. If after several hours of diagnostics they find the issue, now you have the cost of the parts issue to deal with. Be aware, that if one of the rams goes south, it is not a part that Nissan will sell you. You will have to buy an entire top system. You can send it to Oregon (TopHydraulics will rebuild each ram at $200 each) for a fix but doing all 8 sits at $1600 before shipping, etc.,etc. The present price for just the complete hydraulic system, no wiring, no frames, no cloth, etc.(sold not by parts, but only entirely as one unit) is $6 917.13. When things go wrong, badly wrong, Nissan's solution is to just replace the entire convertible top mechanism and cloth assemblies in one swoop ... at nearly $13 000. If you are prepared for the possibility of this kind of cost, however remote it might be, then buy the Roadster. But if, as I suspect, you aren't in the position to foot such a bill, I'd advise you to pass on the Roadster until you can. OldFloGuy and I are in our late 60's, have no mortgage, lots of pension and retirement funds, and in my case, I have 55 years experience of working on cars and convertibles, and will fix the top on my Roadster myself after the warranty expires, because I can, and I won't have to take it to Nissan for big bucks. That's one of the reasons I bought the car. To get a better feeling for what I'm suggesting, go to the Roadster section of this forum and search through 10 or 12 pages of the issues roadster owners are having with their tops. That should help you make your decision. The Best, which ever choice you make! And I apologize for spoiling your dream, if indeed I have. Gene Last edited by gbhrps; 07-17-2017 at 10:03 PM.