Choosing The Car - Part 1

This should be as simple as hitting up AutoTrader, selecting "350z" and picking the one that has the best combo of miles and price, right? Not quite.

One thing I've learned from 8 years in the Street Touring category, you've really gotta live with what you buy. There's no update/backdate allowance like the Street Prepared cars get, so you need to choose what you buy very carefully. An example of this from my WRX is that in 05 Subaru decided to swap out the slower steering rack used in the WRX, to the faster one that had previously only been used in the STI. Doesn't seem like much, but that can be a big deal when it comes to slaloming and fast transitions.

The 350z has only one branding, but more or less 3 revisions, and a handful of option packages. The chassis, suspension, differential and transmission all remained the same throughout the run, as well as most of the body. First, I'll breakdown the option packages, because they carried more or less through all the revisions.

• Base
  This is the no-nonsense package. It came with zilch.. not even cruise control. No traction control, no VLSD, no vehicle stability, manual seats, manual mirror.. everything is stripped. Easiest way to spot a base model is the steering wheel. it's the only one with no steering wheel controls at all.


• Enthusiast
  This package picks up cruise control, traction control, and a VLSD


• Performance
  This includes all previous packages and gains 18" wheels, TPMS, and VDC. Easily spotted by the VDC button regardless of wheels.


• Touring
  All Previous Packages, and adds heated leather seats and the BOSE stereo system.


• Grand Touring
  Everything the touring includes, plus Brembo brakes. Top of the line fully loaded.


• Track
  The Track package is a cross between Grand Touring and Enthusiast. You get everything in the Enthusiast package as well as VDC, 18" lightweight Ray's wheels, and Brembo brakes.

For my purposes, I'm targeting a Base or an Enthusiast model. I'm going to wind up adding an aftermarket diff in STU trim anyway, and changing the the tire stagger messes with VDC. The only reason the enthusiast is on my list is cruise control. 5+hr road trips are not uncommon for cars pulling autox duty for me, and that's a very ice thing to have. For the new Street classes, an Enthusiast model will be the best option.

Next up we have the "Revisions", all of them are based around the engine they came with. Easiest way to determine which engine the car came with is the gauge cluster. Each revision had a different redline.

• DE
  The original release of the 350z was sold from 2003-2005, and equipped with the VQ35DE engine. This put out 287hp and 274lb/ft. The redline is 6500 RPM. Base weight of these cars is 3,188 lbs


• Up-Rev or RevUp
  The second revision, sold only in 2006, but first making an appearance in the 2005 Anniversary edition. Still a VQ35DE engine, but with a 7000 RPM redline and some reinforced internals it outputs 300hp and 26o lb/ft. This car maintains the same weight as the original. There are many noted concerns with higher than average oil consumption for these engines.


• HR
  In 2007 the VQ35 got a large overhaul. now carrying the title VQ35HR, updated connecting rods, heads, exhaust manifolds, and independent intake plenums yield 306 hp and 260lb/ft and a 7500 RPM redline. All these changes did add to the car though, as the base weight is up 151 lbs to 3,339. These cars are easy to identify externally by a revised hood that is raised in the middle.

Now that I've covered the models themselves, in part 2, I'll be covering the thought process to which one I want to purchase.