Tips for a new 370Z owner?

MasterD

Hey guys. I bought my 370Z a few days ago, and I was wondering if anyone has any tips or advise. I am looking around the forum for useful info. Thanks.

dxp09

yes, dont crash it...., I just drove it today for the first time, and I was blown away by the power, this car would get me in trouble if I owned it. I hope getting it in a year when I finish college....

dad

New Z Owners - Check your tire pressure



Breaking in your tires
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tirete....jsp?techid=5&

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We can do without any article of luxury we have never had; but once obtained, it is not in human nature to surrender it voluntary.

davidyan

- Pay attention to your oil temps. Let it cool down if it goes over 230 - 240 F. The motor oil on our car tends to get hot. Many recommend oil coolers. Normal cruising should be around 220F.

- Use either the Nissan Ester Oil or a Group 5 synthetic like Redline, Motul. Although, there is a lot of debate over whether the Nissan Ester is necessary, my friend also has the 370Z and when he changed the oil using a non-Ester, it made a lot of noise which I heard firsthand. Sounds way worse than mine (note- exact same car). He also mentioned the noise wasn't there until the change to a non-Ester. Nissan highly recommends its Ester based 5W-30 oil which is sold in its parts dept for anywhere from $9 - 20/quart.

- use a sunshade when parking the car. One person had his door split / crack open from the heat. Cheap plastic.

- If you have a 6MT, your first gear will sound loud, as will any clutch disengagement coming out of that gear. Nothing much you can do about it, its just the way it was built.

- Watch out going over speed bumps and into / out of parking lots. The little black piece of plastic coming from under the front bumper is very low and scratches easily even at the slightest of inclines.

kannibul

Don't listen to people complaining about oil temps. The 300F "limit" is there to protect the bearings which are more prone to damage if they get over 300F. Car goes into limp-mode to protect the bearings if you get around 280F. I'ev NEVER gone over 260F, and I tried for an hour (in 100+ temp) doing things that if a LEO was watching, would have given me a *few* citations for.

As for the oil itself, look on Mobil1's website, they say their oil is fine up to 400F...I suspect many others that meet the API-SM specification...

THis isn't you're "old oil" - it's not crisco...it's oil designed around the fact that today's engines run hotter and need more protection due to tighter tolerances and pressures...anyhow.


Also, you don't have to use a Group-V oil. Just because it's "Group V" doesn't mean it's any better than a Group IV for street use. I think there's a lot of hype surrounding oil and what's best for your car, etc...

Most important thing about the oil you use is that you change it when you should and use the correct viscosity. Outside of that..you could get the cheapest crap oil and filter and put it in, and your car will do just fine. API-SM / 5W-30...

Lady Z

YES!!! >>> A clear bra.

Do it right away. So you don't get chips in the lower front bumper when you drive highway miles.

Watch changing lanes to fast.......until you get used to your blind spot.

CONGRATS! on your new Z......enjoy her!

MasterD

Thanks for the tip guys.

Well, I live in Canada so we use Celsius degree. I noticed that the first day I drove the car, the Oil Pressure was at around 110C, but currently, it always seems to be around 85C to 95C. I'm not sure if that is good or not though.

Also, I was thinking about getting a Clear Bra, but I went to a Nissan dealership, and the "Business Manager" or w/e, told me about something else that is similar to a clear bra. I'm not sure if it has the same quality, but he said it was around $375 CND. I looked at it on an Altima, and it looked pretty good.

tbonesteak

Drive that bish like it's meant to be driven!!!..........after break-in that is. Enjoy!

355890

Start off in 2nd gear and avoid that construction malfunction altogether.

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Mergnthwirker

Congrats on your Z! Here's my list. Hope you find it useful:

* Check tire pressures. Many have found theirs over-inflated from the dealer
* Are you gonna drive that sucker in the winter in Canada? Whew! You're gonna want a set of 18" winter wheels with 225 section dedicated snows, & maybe studs.
* A net for the back is helpful. I remember the first time coming back from the grocery store (any excuse to drive the Z, right?) and finding my groceries heavily rearranged
* Don't worry about engine oil temps unless you are consistently over 240. These things are designed to run hot. If you track it, get an oil cooler and a differential cooler if you have the limited slip rear (recommended for winter use)
* If you don't have the factory limited slip, replace the stock differential with a Quaife like some of the 350Z owners are using. Makes a world of difference in winter
* Put Rain-X on the rear window. Helps visibility in the rain without the ugly wiper from the 350.
* Wax your wheels. Makes it much easier to rinse/wipe off brake dust. The sport wheels are a pain to clean otherwise.
* Put a decent set of tools in the trunk, if you know what to do with them. I got a nice tool bag, which fits perfectly in the cut-out next to the spare.
* Get a larger oil filter and Nissan ester oil (or equiv). Change the oil after you finish your break-in period (first 1,200 miles)
* Do you need a front plate in Canada? Look for an aftermarket mount that doesn't require you to drill holes in the bumper. There are several US alternatives, one of which might work for you
* Replace the butt-hole reflector with a European fog light (if your car doesn't come with it). Saw some at thezstore.com

That's all I can think of at the moment.

Hope this helps!

HJM

ZKindaGuy

Here is a link to a posting I made concerning the oil temp issues that folks are talking about.

limp mode temp.

Look under ZKindaGuy for the post which should provide some info about the normal v. hot oil temperature ranges and the average number of miles the engine will last given the average oil temperatures experienced for both NON-SYNTH and SYNTH kinds of oil.

Greg

Welcome to the site and congrats on your new ride.. Read and search thru the site, you'll find a lot of useful tips and advice.

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Chef Greg At Your Service

Pharmacist

Which oil filter do you recommend that would fit our engine? Also, why the need for a larger oil filter?

Well, thankfully, fog lights are not illegal here, so we get the actual fog light in the rear bumper and not that crappy black plastic cover.

Studs are probably too extreme. Roads get cleaned frequently. I'd say just normal winter tires are fine.

Rayoush, where you at in richmond hill? I live in markham. If you've seen a yellow z with sport package driving around in that area, chances are its me. lol. BTW how much did you get yours for?

ZKindaGuy

Crappy? The real cover looks pretty much identical to the "crappy" one with the execption of the translucense so how is it "crappy"?

davidyan

Its not about the flash point of the oil at 400F. When oil gets hot, the bearings are subject to being damaged. I havent gone over 260 either, but many people do just driving on the highway.