1 month into owning, questions and comments

walt007

Hello all, just over a month after buying my Z wanted to share some things and ask some questions

First off, it is a 2010 Base, black cherry, automatic with 11,000 miles
(i only have one arm so please don't rip on me about the automatic, i would love to use a manual)

I love it, the acceleration, the handling, the looks, all of it. After being an American car guy for so long (blowing 2 separate cranks in 2 separate chevys), my friend couldn't believe i pulled up in the Z.

I had been downgraded to driving a 97 maxima with 200K on it and decided it was time to upgrade, i wanted something crazy, something impractical, something FUN! I narrowed it down to 3 cars, early 2000's boxster, Z4 or newer MX5. After driving a few, i liked them but only being able to afford the lower models with higher miles made me nervous, my cousin asked why i wasn't looking at the 350Z? After driving the Z, i liked them a lot, but didn't want a car with so many miles that someone had beat up. Ended up spending more than i wanted to, but picked up the 370Z. I thanked him later for the idea

Driving around on NYC roads with pothole after pothole, and nothing but traffic, you find the few happy moments of your day are when you can goose it and feel the car move.

Questions
Whats the easiest way i can get my base brakes done with Red Calipers? I know its a little cheesy but it looks very plain without them, and hopefully one day in the future i will spend the 2 grand to upgrade to the sport brakes

The rubber pedals never bothered me until i read on here that they can be aluminum! now i want the aluminum pedals! is this an easy fix?

The aluminum illuminated door plates, again it may be cheesy but hey, can this be done, how easy is it on a 2010?

I have worked on cars minor things before (alternators, oil change, belts, horns etc.) but never brakes, brakes have frightened me up to this point


Hindsight is 20/20
If anyone is thinking about going Z, you are going to want the Sport Package. You will want the brakes and the posi-rear. Its easy to go without navi and leather, you will want the sport package


Previous Rides
1984 Tbird first car, epic fail of a car, 5 liter v8 with 160 horses, think the balance was about 80/20 in weight to the front, hell for RWD, but who didn't love your first car?
1995 Chevy Caprice 5.7 liter V8 retired cop car, loved it, people moved out of my way, corvette engine, oil and trans cooler, then crank blew
1970 Chevy Chevelle monster muscle car, loved it after a few years got tired of fixing it, sold 3 years ago
2003 impala ls good car with all the luxuries. constantly in shop then the crank blew
1997 nissan maxima base, not even abs, not that bad tell ya the truth, started every day, never let me down, would even get another one as a backup car


Thanks all if you made it this far into this long winded story
Walt

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Haboob

Painting the calipers shouldn't be too difficult and if done right don't look cheesy either. It's just removing the wheels and calipers if I'm not mistaken (I had a friend do mine for me on a previous car), then using proper caliper paint.

As for the pedals, check out this DIY thread about installing the Touring pedals on your car. Doesn't seem too difficult and I may try it in the future myself (base+sport trim).

2010ZilverZ

Wel-come to the club ...

The illuminated door sills are a plug and play ... takes about an hour at the most to install

enkei2k

Also for the kick plates:

DIY: Illuminated Kick Plates

Easiest way for the calipers is to remove wheel, cover the rotor/surrounding area, prep and spray. Is it the cleanest? No. But it is the easiest as it takes the least amount of steps so that you don't actually have to remove the caliper. Besides, who'll look at the backside of your caliper anyway?

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...need boost...

Haboob

Me.

I shall make it my mission from this point on.

enkei2k

Well, you have Sport calipers anyway so that's different. They're sexy regardless.

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...need boost...

DLSTR

+1 on this Walt! Welcome and nice Z! Great color and I love my 7AT as well. Nice gearbox it is.

Felix 808

Welcome. Glad you are enjoying the new ride

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Semper Fi

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Benadrylz

Black cherry!

Mikes350z

Welcome, as per the calipers check out:

Motorsport! POR-15 Caliper Coating Kit - The Z Store! Nissan-Datsun 240Z-260Z-280Z-280ZX-300ZX(Z31/Z32)-350Z-370Z Parts

You have to remove the wheels but thats about it. I am from the NYC area and the roads can be treacherous be careful!

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'09 370Z Touring w/Sport & Nav 6-Speed Magnetic Black Persimmon HKS NAV Tool Backup Camera 35% Tint SOLD
2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee Altitude Dark Gray

danegrey

ditto and welcome

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Lots of Changes
the Z needs to be driven and driven hard for the car lives for it

xxAGAVExx

I just painted my calipers a few weeks ago, pretty easy. You have to take the wheels off, but you can leave the calipers on. They look alot better, still not sport brakes though.

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l 09/6MT l BP Twin Turbo Kit l E-85 w/Fuel Return l FI 18" Res CF CBE l Powertrix Ultra-Lite Coilovers l Wavetrac LSD | Lots of SPL and Carbon Fiber |

Z-Girl 12

Welcome and enjoy!

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2012 Z-SOLD
2014 Nismo #565 Fast Intentions CBE/HFC/Swift/SPC/RJM/H&R-15/20mm/Z1 CAI/Headers/Intake Manifold w/Uprev Tune 328.31whp/263.64tq

walt007

Thanks for the warm welcome and direct links!

i didnt post the one gripe i have, the road noise is monumental! but you get used to it.

cannot wait until the weather gets nicer, then do the few changes and enjoy the ride!

kenchan

i did a diy on the factory pedals. check the diy page.