Hi All,
As a passionate new 370Z owner and after reading numerous treads and postings on these issues I felt obliged to say a few words on this heated issue! “lol”
At the core of this debate is the meaning or the words "sports car" and what is the intended use of a “sports car.”
Certainly, the insurance companies don’t seem to have any doubts on the meaning of a sports car and how these cars will be driven when they provide the insurance on a higher rate.
The issue here, in my opinion, is how the Z cars are sold and promoted! On one hand Nissan says the Z cars were designed and built to directly compete against great sport cars like the Porsche’s Cayman and Boxer sports cars, and on the other hand they say there is no need for an oil cooler and will not warranty the car if you drive it any other way than "normal" day to day driving!
This is certainly a contradiction. The apparent loophole used by Nissan, is that it will only warranty the Z for normal every day use, not for spirited driving, furthermore, it is not obliged to fix any overheating issues resulting from such type of driving!
In essence Nissan suggest that there is no issue if you drive the car normally and views track driving as forfeiting the warranty.
The real issue for me is not so much “tracking the car” type of driving or competition driving that concerns me, but I find it odd that it doesn’t even provide an oil cooler for their Nismo car that is designed and sold for the street version of a track car!
Most intake and exhaust models increases power as well as heat. This begs the question, are these items a wise investment under these circumstance?
This is a a company that won’t even acknowledge that it has a heating issue and therefore many dealers may be tempted to deny warranties as a result of the intake and exhaust additions.
In my opinion, Nissan's biggest missteps have been....
- Selling and promoting a rocket and then only providing a horse and buggy warranty coverage.
- Voiding the warranty for anything other than normal driving!
- Misinforming customers.
- Making statements like if they had included oil coolers, the car would have been more expensive and out of reach for many consumers.
- How about letting the market and the costumers decide what they can afford instead of just quietly omitting a really needed item in the car.
- Why not cut back on the eight speaker and two woofers or something not as important as an oil cooler!
- Deceiving their loyal customers by adding oil cooling kits to their press cars for reviews and not including these oil coolers to its loyal consumers.
- Oil coolers are essential to what seems to me is a hot running car that is prone to running at the very edge of overheating under the normal driving conditions.
- Nissan is already aware of the potential problem, but turns a blind eye to it by not ordering an immediate recall.
- Not informing new buyers of the potential heating issues; where Nissan stands on the oil coolers thereby, giving consumers a choice to look elsewhere!
For now I will reframe from going any further with this. I will be driving up to Lockport, New York with my new 370Z, which is a 5 hour, 600 mile drive from my home. I previously made this ride with an Infiniti G350 xS, sedan without any heating issues. I will not exceed the posted speed limits nor push the car hard!
I am hoping I have no issues since I truly feel Nissan does offers a great product at a good value. I would be greatly disappointed if the car doesn't perfrom to its expectations.
That being said, thanks for reading my rant. It is only out of concern since I do enjoy driving my 370Z car!
If I should have any issues on my trip , I will post exactly what happens and take appropriate actions to get the matter resolved!
Please let me know your thoughts and opinions on this topic .
Thanks ,
Alex