Pissed. Going to just break it in a minute.

Tazicon

Interesting read, thats for sure. Since I currently own both American and Jap products I think you are way off base. Good rant though glad you got it out here and not on your car.

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ImportConvert

That was my goal.

I have found from working on both American and Japanese cars that they are vastly different. Everything about how things are done on them is different. I grew up working on American cars. Everything on them "makes sense" regarding mechanics. The Japanese stuff appears overly complex, is very fragile in comparison in my experience (once you reach 100K miles, you WILL have broken suspension parts, motor mounts, Transmission mounts, etc. on a Japanese vehicle. At least, Nissan/Infiniti. With American cars, you replace a tie rod and rock on, if that. Maybe a bushing squeaks.), and while it looks "oh so neat" when it's put together, and has all these little tweaks and adjustments, it just doesn't get it done the way I am used to.

Suspension systems are a HUGE example of this. My corvette looked SO SENSIBLY under there. My Japanese cars have parts that even Infiniti master techs shook their heads at and ask "WTF is that for!?" when they see it. Parts diagrams don't even exist for some of that stuff what was under my G20.

It's over-engineered and under-delivers, is what I am trying to say, while managing to be more frustrating and expensive to work on.

Just my .02 from when I wrenched on my own stuff instead of just taking it in for warranty work now that I buy new. (Will probably buy CPO in the future, but had to own a couple of new one's. Grew up poor, all that, wanted to see what the fuss was about with a NEW car.)

They do stupid stuff. Like put the thermostat on the BOTTOM where all the coolant must come out to change it. Just dumb crap like that. I don't like how the Japanese build a car if I am ever going to have to lay a wrench to it. Sure, American cars have poor examples, but maybe I'm just buying crappy examples of Japanese stuff. Does Honda do this crap? Lexus? I can't say. I do know the Lexus' I have worked on were pretty complex and did have a few "quirks" about how they were put togather, though.

American cars just have crappy window motors and electronics. Which I suppose is its own gremlin.

Trying the Germans next. I hear with them it's either you pick a winner, or you trade it in ASAP! and pick a winner, lol

Japanjay

I find this to be true in my line of work but also applies to the german stuff too. Alot of their electrical equipment when regarding indutrial stuff is super chincey and so are their hand tools that they use. I had a bag of kleins one day around some germans in the middle east and they were practically drooling over them. I ended up giving one of the guys one of my screwdrivers because for 6 months he wouldnt stop talking about it. I told him I would let him have it when I got my flight out. It was funny the first time he saw it, it was like it was magic or something. Lol. I really really hate their breakers and relays too. Garbage.

ImportConvert

I have heard this A LOT about German electronics, and honestly, would rather deal with JDM poor mechanical engineering than German poor electronic engineering. That said...warranty.

Apoc370z

OP is German, thr makes a lot of sense.

I am not trying to be racist (seriously, no offense intended to Germans) but i came across a couple of German friends/coworkers in the past, cool people but waaaaay too prideful when it comes to German products vs the rest of the world.

I have owned several cars, from JDM imports to Mercs, they dont have a single good thing to say about japanese car or american cars. Convos with them always ended up with them picking on little things and how the rest of the world will never be as good as German products.

Funniest thing is, they dont have a single complaint when i drive them around in my SLK, and the SLK was making all sorts of noises due to the fact that it is a convertable.

I do admit that german products are at the top of the line, but that doesnt mean that other products are bad. Like others said, it doesnt take a rocket scientist to take apart the console cover, and i never have any power steering noises.

But nissan seriously needs to work on the paint..

ImportConvert

I simply want to try a German car. For the experience. If I thought they were so much better I would have just bought an M3 instead of a Z06 and ended my "car quest" right there. Or traded the Z06 for one when I got out of it. No, I want to try them because they are different. That said, I have experienced a BMW E92 M3 from 1 lane over, and it wasn't any quicker than my 370Z. I was proud of my little V6! Of course, this happened during a dream I had.

bullitt5897

or it didnt happen.....

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theDreamer

5 minute search:

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Z-Girl 12

So cranky...

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RonRizz

Note to self....Keep license in WALLET.

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NitrousZ34

Your a "True Z Fanatic" but yet its the car that will never make you want another Japanese vehicle because god forbid you cant replace the tires, rotors, or get something out of the cubby????

I would always get my license and credit cards stuck in my Z it's not that big of a deal lol. I replaced my front rotors with aftermarket ones and never had problems, and burned through several sets of tires. Its part of the game haha

ImportConvert

I understand the new tires being crap. Still, it is crap to the point that I feel they are unsafe on wet roads when going traffic-speed. Even when new.

The rotors shouldn't need to be replaced in the first 10K miles without track-use. That was just crap. Even the dealership said the rotors on that car sucked.

My power-steering pump shouldn't "be considered normal" when it sounds like this (this is about 1/2 as bad as it can get sometimes, fluid level is normal, and Nissan dealership found nothing wrong and called Nissan Corp tech line and was told "characteristic of the car"---horseshit!):

December 12, 2012 9:59 AM - YouTube

(I have a Berk CBE. It also fits like crap, and screw Berk, they never sent me the parts to fix it that I gave them my CC info to bill me for. The left hanger just swings in the breeze because it won't fit. I posted about that about a year ago. NEVER! do business with them again. Crap products, and zip for CS other than they will talk to you and "yes, yes, yes" over the phone.)

How do YOU get the CC's out of the Z? I used superglue and a paint-brush, finally. Ridiculous. Almost as ridiculous as taking the console out to get them.

DEpointfive0

When are we closing this thread?

NissanGuy23

Didn't read much, don't want to flame, but i understand you saying something like "i don't like the Japanese mindset", but it goes both ways, i hate the "American mindset", horrible interior, leaf springs, flimsy plastic, poor handling, poor exterior design, think if they add enough HP it suddenly becomes a good car, ect... to each their own. Sounds like you could pick up a vette or mustang

DEpointfive0

I didn't either...
I can only buy Japanese cars because of build quality...
Like when I wanted to install the 4th brake light, the damn bolts would NOT come off no matter what I did.
I felt like killing anyone and everyone at Nissan... I told my dad about the amount of thread locker and he saw how much shít I had to go through to take it off and his reply was, "You see, the Japanese build cars to last"

Great answer



Also, regarding squeaks and rattles, sorry brothers, some there are less bolts and welds in cars, and more BS clips and such, you're going to get more squeaks with every car. Another reason to buy the extended warranty, my door panel has been replaced once in this car and my previous Maxima