And probably the biggest reason it’ll be a future classic and worth something is because the insane amount of modified ones. I get super excited when I see a bone stock one cuz you only see em like a couple times a year lol
I haven't seen an unmodded one in over a decade. Shame people treated these cars as disposable. I have an unmodified low mile AP2 S2000 but would also like a Z. People say the V6 exhaust note isn't very good, but beats the muffled turbo cars today.
That's AWESOME!! I always hear internet warriors talk about the VQ being unreliable, but everyone I've talked to who's actually had one has loved it and said it's been very reliable. 🍻
I drove 2 of them a year after they came out and both had bad transmissions. Never thought about them except when someone would complain about them. Glad they weren't all crap, lol.
i can almost guarantee the exact car they used in this episode is now clapped out with a big ass wing, rep wheels, straight piped and is used to drift at street takeovers. such is the life of a 350z
Well most of the people modding these to crap are people in the US. In other parts of the world these cars are treated with respect in my country 90% of them are stock with average millage being around 60k to 90k miles, most are garaged kept but to be honest a lot of people thought these would sell for top dollar when they are 20 years old but they just dont... Soo best advice is to enjoy these cars if you mod it or not this is no R34 gtr or mk4 supra
@@peterjamieson2441 I first saw this car back in January of '01 and it felt so futuristic back then, just like you said. The 370 literally softened the edges too much, but that's a deep backstory for a whole 'nother day.
Correction: The 1989 Nissan Z (the real Nissan), looked futuristic way before the 2003. In fact, all 90s Nissans were timeless, sophisticated, futuristic design when the Japanese were in total control.
I agree with you. The first few years were the best and had good low end torque. Then they made some changes to the VQ(making it more refined) and the engine felt less torquey on the low end but slightly more powerful top end. But the original VQ engine was my favorite.
Sadly, most of them have been modded into oblivion and sadly, crashed. I've accepted that if I want a 350Z nowadays, I'll probably have to get one from a dealer.
@@Gr8thxAlot Yeesh.... really? In comparison, any Z32 was much less reliable and the non-TT versions would get walked by any Z33 trim out there. The TT's packed a lot into a small engine bay, not great for longevity. 16" wheels? LOL.
@@jacquesc3166 I'm old enough to have been able to experience factory fresh, mint Z31's and Z32's. They were true GT cars and the level of build quality was far better than the Z33's plastic interior. Ergonomics and sightlines were better too. Nobody cared about the engine bay size and period wheels at the time, as they were class leading cars and brand new.
It sounds very Mazda KL-ish. Never noticed that before. It sounds great! Only complaint is I wish it revved higher so we could hear it scream even louder.
I owned a 05 and later bought a 06. Both roadsters. Loved both of them. Amazing to drive and own. Very reliable cars and great looking. I wish I still had the 06. Future classic for sure.
They did a great job on this Z. I personally owned 2 of them. The first one(2003) was built with APS twin turbos and the second one(2006) was full bolt ons. Miss them both....The VQ is a monster. The new Z just doesn't do it for me and there's not much innovation considering its the same platform, which is sad but at least your still getting something from Nissan in the Z form.
Guessing this was taped in August 2002, right when these went on sale. Crazy how that's nearly 21 years ago and someone born then is almost legal to drink! According to CPI Inflation Calculator $26,809 in August 2002 was equal to *$44,385.44* in January 2023 dollars. And $34,619 was equal to *$57,315.81* . A fully loaded 2003 350Z Track cost a hefty $37,613, which with inflation was $62,272,72. A loaded 2023 Z today costs LESS at $60,783, as there were markups on these back in 2002 as well. Nissan's done a great job to keep pricing inline.
@@OP941nine This aired in 2002 and MW tapes several weeks in advance. Read the episode description. These cars debuted in January 2001 (preview) and October 2001 (production vehicle). Began production in mid-2002. The debut was more than 21 years ago.
When i seen a stock 350z smoke a bolt on Foxbody circa 03' i was hooked. Doesn't have to be the fastest car in the world, but if you can outrun a Foxbody you're pretty fast. They look just as good today.
I have an 07 HR manual. Good, not great. Had lots of problems, despite me maintaining it religiously and not driving it too insanely. It was fast for the time, though, and never left me stranded.
I’m trying to decide if I want to buy another one of these to daily drive or a 1999 em1 civic si. It’s been hard to find either in stock form. The z is definitely easier to come by though. I don’t really care about the power difference this won’t be my only car. I have 1991 MR2 turbo and a 67 Camaro as well. Just looking to have a fun daily with better gas mileage than my suburban.
Nothing beats late 1980s through mid-1990s Nissan designs. The '89 Z design blows this design out of the water. That's when the Z was an aspirational purchase and not a cheaper alternative.
Mi trizte comentario ...fue que compre uno chocado en copart hace siete años ...Chocado de enfrente ...fue mi peor error ...no encontraba nada de enfrente ...más que nuevo muy caro por cierto ...dure un año en repararlo ...nunca se me hizo usarlo como yo quise ...en cuanto lo termine ...no dure días con el ... Me ofrecieron buena oferta y se fue ...
What parameters would you look for in a collectible 350z? Would a coup be more desirable than a roadster? Should it have less than say 50,000 miles on it or is a well maintained car with more miles just as collectible? Does color matter? I’m assuming unmodified is better with the exception of say an updated radio. I think I’d like to get a 350z and would hope to get one that is collectible.
Doing a basic CPI inflation calculator on Google $26,809 in 2003 would be $44,200 in 2023 and $34,600 would be $56,900 in 2023. I think that makes the new Z pretty on par with the 350z when new.
Nope. That's probably not even accurate, so do better research. MW in this video tested the cars around July-August 2002. You can't base your numbers on 2003's inflation against today, since pricing can change during a given model year. Nissan actually priced this car in the summer of '02 and then pricing increased in the first half of 2003 from this amount. Just using the model year as a metric for inflation, is never an exact science. Per CPI GOV Inflation Calculator: August 2002 vs January 2023 (latest) $26,809 is $44,385.44 *$34,619* is $57,315.81 Probably even higher, if you account for this month instead of January 2023. I get tired of this, because new models always come out the year before and are reflective of economy conditions then. Model Years are generally not literal. We already got 2024s out, based on pricing set last year. Remember that.
I had a 2005. The plastics on the center console and dashboard were just junk! Didnt age well at all! The interior plastics warped and scratched very easily.
They cars got revisions almost every year but for some reason only 03/04 didn't have that crappy coated plastics. My 02 build 03 still looks MINT inside and every revup/hr/nismo looks like the owner had wolverine claws.
The forward half of the block sits on the front axle. More than enough to achieve front mid-ship dynamics in cornering & braking situations... true 50/50 platforms like the S2000 or the C5 are more difficult to drive at the limit, the FM chassis is more forgiving.
It's gonna be a future classic. At least unmodified ones
And probably the biggest reason it’ll be a future classic and worth something is because the insane amount of modified ones. I get super excited when I see a bone stock one cuz you only see em like a couple times a year lol
I haven't seen an unmodded one in over a decade. Shame people treated these cars as disposable. I have an unmodified low mile AP2 S2000 but would also like a Z. People say the V6 exhaust note isn't very good, but beats the muffled turbo cars today.
Yeah, and how much would that unmolested example cost? With low mileage? At least $35k
@@oreally8605 For 35k you can buy two old AMG’s lol
@@oreally8605 I have an original unmodified 2003 touring. I bought it new and it has just over 99K miles
Bought mine shortly after watching this, 20 years and 125k later only failures have been an o2 sensor and a bushing! Such a great and reliable car!
Same here and the only issues Ive had is motors on the doors and back seat
That's AWESOME!! I always hear internet warriors talk about the VQ being unreliable, but everyone I've talked to who's actually had one has loved it and said it's been very reliable. 🍻
@@Robby94LS It's probably idiot "modders", who trash out these cars in the first place.
I drove 2 of them a year after they came out and both had bad transmissions. Never thought about them except when someone would complain about them. Glad they weren't all crap, lol.
@@Robby94LS only if tracked
20 years on still great design, such a lovely little car to drive too.
It's even more than 20 years. First saw this at the 2001 NAIAS over 22 years ago.
i love the back of it
19 years later my VQ is still running strong
20 years later and it still looks sharp!
i can almost guarantee the exact car they used in this episode is now clapped out with a big ass wing, rep wheels, straight piped and is used to drift at street takeovers.
such is the life of a 350z
Either that or it was wrecked from doing so 10 years ago
Or used and abused and now soda cans
Everytime I see one, without fail, looks like sh**, sounds like sh** and driven by some douchebag kid.
Atleast the Infiniti G35 had a more relaxed and quiet life.
Well most of the people modding these to crap are people in the US. In other parts of the world these cars are treated with respect in my country 90% of them are stock with average millage being around 60k to 90k miles, most are garaged kept but to be honest a lot of people thought these would sell for top dollar when they are 20 years old but they just dont... Soo best advice is to enjoy these cars if you mod it or not this is no R34 gtr or mk4 supra
This car looked futuristic in 2003...
Make that 2002, when this aired.
@@nwezetx1 Right
@@peterjamieson2441 I first saw this car back in January of '01 and it felt so futuristic back then, just like you said.
The 370 literally softened the edges too much, but that's a deep backstory for a whole 'nother day.
Correction: The 1989 Nissan Z (the real Nissan), looked futuristic way before the 2003. In fact, all 90s Nissans were timeless, sophisticated, futuristic design when the Japanese were in total control.
@@fp5495 Yep, the 300ZX was beautiful!!!
Really miss my 350Z. Bought it in 2003 at 19 yrs old. Loved that 6-speed.
I agree with you. The first few years were the best and had good low end torque. Then they made some changes to the VQ(making it more refined) and the engine felt less torquey on the low end but slightly more powerful top end. But the original VQ engine was my favorite.
This is retro now? Dang I'm getting old.
Same feeling here
This was 21 years ago, so yep.
Yup born I'm 83
I was made in 03, guess I'm retro 😅
@@zenkoz3158 Nope
Used to see a lot on the road all the time, but now it is quite a rare sight.
Sadly, most of them have been modded into oblivion and sadly, crashed. I've accepted that if I want a 350Z nowadays, I'll probably have to get one from a dealer.
Now, a performance classic. I still miss the earlier Zs. The 80s and 90s though.
Miss their looks. Seems like they look worse almost every iteration. None are ugly to me though
The 350Z was a big disappointment after the Z32. The interior was terrible and the blind spots awful. A step back in my opinion.
@@Gr8thxAlot indeed. The Z32 ZX was king
@@Gr8thxAlot Yeesh.... really? In comparison, any Z32 was much less reliable and the non-TT versions would get walked by any Z33 trim out there. The TT's packed a lot into a small engine bay, not great for longevity. 16" wheels? LOL.
@@jacquesc3166 I'm old enough to have been able to experience factory fresh, mint Z31's and Z32's. They were true GT cars and the level of build quality was far better than the Z33's plastic interior. Ergonomics and sightlines were better too. Nobody cared about the engine bay size and period wheels at the time, as they were class leading cars and brand new.
Still looks great to this day (2023) 🔥
And still looks good in 2024.
Good grief, 2003s are now retro reviews. I think the oldest non-retro review is from 2009. Time man, it never stops ticking.
Still one of the best sounding stock v6 exhaust notes IMO.
And either sounds like garbage when straight piped (they sound alright with the muffler deleted)
It sounds very Mazda KL-ish. Never noticed that before. It sounds great! Only complaint is I wish it revved higher so we could hear it scream even louder.
@@Swag_K1RBYyeah as long as you keep the resonators and cats or do HFC's they still sound great. They sound horrendous without resonators
I owned a 05 and later bought a 06. Both roadsters. Loved both of them. Amazing to drive and own. Very reliable cars and great looking. I wish I still had the 06. Future classic for sure.
07 (HR) roadster here, 65K miles. Stock w/ Enkei flow formed 18" rims & Conti ECS tires. Never selling it.
Sounds like a beautiful car! Definitely keep it! 👍👍
I was 11 when this came out. Remember the first time I saw one and I was like that's a Nissan? Still looks good to this day.
20 years later nissan hit the ball out the park it was fantastic in 03 and it’s still in 2023. it’s aged very well kids in 2023 are hyping it up
Wow those stock wheels are like the aftermarket wheels everyone gets these days.
Rays forged wheels baby!
they kinda are, they are rays racing wheels :)
Had the 2004 Infiniti G35 Coupe 6 speed manual. Loved that car
They did a great job on this Z. I personally owned 2 of them. The first one(2003) was built with APS twin turbos and the second one(2006) was full bolt ons. Miss them both....The VQ is a monster. The new Z just doesn't do it for me and there's not much innovation considering its the same platform, which is sad but at least your still getting something from Nissan in the Z form.
love my Z, and don't have any plans of adding any aftermarket parts anytime soon
Guessing this was taped in August 2002, right when these went on sale. Crazy how that's nearly 21 years ago and someone born then is almost legal to drink!
According to CPI Inflation Calculator $26,809 in August 2002 was equal to *$44,385.44* in January 2023 dollars. And $34,619 was equal to *$57,315.81* . A fully loaded 2003 350Z Track cost a hefty $37,613, which with inflation was $62,272,72.
A loaded 2023 Z today costs LESS at $60,783, as there were markups on these back in 2002 as well. Nissan's done a great job to keep pricing inline.
Extremely underrated comment. Great job on the numbers.
I'm not a sports car guy, but I really like this car
in my opinion this is more proper looking than its successor, the 370
20 years ago...let that sink in
21 years ago*
@@nwezetx1 no yet
@@OP941nine Yes, it is 21 years ago.
@@nwezetx1 prove it
@@OP941nine This aired in 2002 and MW tapes several weeks in advance. Read the episode description.
These cars debuted in January 2001 (preview) and October 2001 (production vehicle). Began production in mid-2002. The debut was more than 21 years ago.
Stood next to one as a kid just like that in 2004
It's aged well I'd say.
"Thats Z truth" CLASSIC!!!
People don’t realize how big of an improvement the 07 and 08 models are. Having the redline at 7,500 is exhilarating.
The HR is a great engine, but the early cars are still fantastic.
The difference between the DE and HR makes a bigger difference if you decide you want to modify. If your keeping it stock a rev up DE isn’t miles off.
The price difference is fairly significant though
I read the HR just moves the power around in the rpm band but its not any more powerful, great motor in either configuration though.
@@Kingsoupturbo I mean very technically it makes more power but it’s negligible, like you said the powerband is the biggest difference
This and the Infiniti G35 coupe (Nissan Skyline 350GT in Japan) are the best sports cars of their time. (I can’t believe it’s over 20 years old.)
Picking mine up tuesday! Its fully stock besides a short shifter
welp.. I guess I'm old. I remember when the 350Z was a concept car in Gran Turismo 3 and now it's a retro review on MW.
When I had mine I was searching so desperately for this video. Kinda pissed I see it now 2 years after I sold mine lol
One of the coolest cars of my childhood, thanks to NFSU2!
Those column mounted gauges blew my mind as a kid lol
I've proven that this engine is bullet proof......I drive my G35 so hard and it just keeps going......💪
VQ engines are not known to be reliable. At least not the new ones.
I can just imagine what type of owner you are...
@@nwezetx1 u don't have to imagine.....my channel is right there😏
@@PhillyDee215 No I don't actually. Great channel!! You're much better than most VQ35 owners today, that's for sure.
@@nwezetx1 .....🤙
When i seen a stock 350z smoke a bolt on Foxbody circa 03' i was hooked. Doesn't have to be the fastest car in the world, but if you can outrun a Foxbody you're pretty fast. They look just as good today.
Ahh yes the vq engine note is stellar
Love my z. Got it a year ago and it still runs great. Trying to make it full bolt on
I have an 07 HR manual. Good, not great. Had lots of problems, despite me maintaining it religiously and not driving it too insanely. It was fast for the time, though, and never left me stranded.
"Lots of problems" is definitely not the typical ownership experience for an HR Z33, just putting that out there for folks who research the Z.
Seeing a car from 2003 being called a retro classic makes me feel old.
Such an iconoc style that even 2 decades later, still looks current and serious.
Good luck finding the used stock one
This car age well love it
Love my 2008 350z Nismo…
Lucky my dude... Look after it I wish I could buy one but they never came to my country.
This isn't an old , read , antique car! A late model performance machine!😁
Definitely becoming the replacement for the S chassis..the new 240sx won't be able to find a unmodified one here soon
Legend drift Car
Childhood car of my youth ❤
350z being considered a retro review makes me feel ancient
Nissans most important engine of the modern era is still strong and taking abuse daily from most owners lol good ol trombone vQ
I’m trying to decide if I want to buy another one of these to daily drive or a 1999 em1 civic si. It’s been hard to find either in stock form. The z is definitely easier to come by though. I don’t really care about the power difference this won’t be my only car. I have 1991 MR2 turbo and a 67 Camaro as well. Just looking to have a fun daily with better gas mileage than my suburban.
20 years. Wow!
So wanted one at the time
Need for Speed Underground
I once sat inside one with the exact same color as a kid during a visit to Pennsylvania.
Nothing beats late 1980s through mid-1990s Nissan designs. The '89 Z design blows this design out of the water. That's when the Z was an aspirational purchase and not a cheaper alternative.
Mi trizte comentario ...fue que compre uno chocado en copart hace siete años ...Chocado de enfrente ...fue mi peor error ...no encontraba nada de enfrente ...más que nuevo muy caro por cierto ...dure un año en repararlo ...nunca se me hizo usarlo como yo quise ...en cuanto lo termine ...no dure días con el ... Me ofrecieron buena oferta y se fue ...
20 years later, many family sedans, pick ups, and SUV’s are as fast or faster than this sports car. Crazy.
More to performance than a straight line.
@@shawnbauman5463 ok... lol
@@shawnbauman5463 translation?
@@luptonpittman6520 it's a sports car...... handling, braking, general fun experience that other stuff cannot compare.
@@shawnbauman5463 I see. I was just speaking of 0-60.
Think that's the same engine as I have in my 21 maxima. Those are good engines. Nissan doesn't get enough credit for their V6
My favorite Z car of all time, the 350Z.
What parameters would you look for in a collectible 350z? Would a coup be more desirable than a roadster? Should it have less than say 50,000 miles on it or is a well maintained car with more miles just as collectible? Does color matter? I’m assuming unmodified is better with the exception of say an updated radio. I think I’d like to get a 350z and would hope to get one that is collectible.
Yeah…. We’re old now.
😁
Wait... the 350Z is 2 decades old now? What?
Debuted in 2001, went on sale in 2002. That's a long time ago.
This car is currently used in Turkey (150k-250k km) worth about 90-100k dollars😌
Seriously? 90K?
lol
Overall beautiful car! But I never really liked the cat eyes rear taillight’s
please also upload a 2002 BMW Z4 review😊
All Z are powerful
I always wondered why they do the 0-60 and 1/4 mi tests on what looks like a strip with a huge downhill grade.. wtf? how can this be accurate?
The Z has always been so hot 💯🔥
4:30 Something is inside that luggage….why is it moving? 🤔
To think that this 20 year old chassis is still in use today.
So weird that the 350 is now 20 years old, it looks like it could come out just 2 years ago
Doing a basic CPI inflation calculator on Google $26,809 in 2003 would be $44,200 in 2023 and $34,600 would be $56,900 in 2023. I think that makes the new Z pretty on par with the 350z when new.
Inflation is the killer. Thats a big difference in a few years.
Nope. That's probably not even accurate, so do better research. MW in this video tested the cars around July-August 2002. You can't base your numbers on 2003's inflation against today, since pricing can change during a given model year.
Nissan actually priced this car in the summer of '02 and then pricing increased in the first half of 2003 from this amount. Just using the model year as a metric for inflation, is never an exact science.
Per CPI GOV Inflation Calculator: August 2002 vs January 2023 (latest)
$26,809 is $44,385.44
*$34,619* is $57,315.81
Probably even higher, if you account for this month instead of January 2023. I get tired of this, because new models always come out the year before and are reflective of economy conditions then. Model Years are generally not literal. We already got 2024s out, based on pricing set last year. Remember that.
Classic
No wonder why my 2005 Infiniti FX45 drives like a sports car, cause sharing the same platform as Zee.
I'm never selling my 370Z. 😎
Wow a stock one lol
I had a 2005. The plastics on the center console and dashboard were just junk! Didnt age well at all! The interior plastics warped and scratched very easily.
They cars got revisions almost every year but for some reason only 03/04 didn't have that crappy coated plastics. My 02 build 03 still looks MINT inside and every revup/hr/nismo looks like the owner had wolverine claws.
@@zbrembo I couldn't believe how cheap the plastics were in my 350Z..i mean like worse than a 1980's GM car!
I used to have a fast and furious Tokyo drift Nissan 350z toy car.
G35 video?
Oh yeah, I'm on my 5th VQ, an 4th Z! Jus bought another one Last week! VQ power varooom varooom 💪🚗💨💨💨👏🤙😎
How is this retro the same chassis/structure is still in production.
Que da hora 😁👍👍 é carro muito lindo
I would take this recipe any day, less for less money
Caraca é muito da hora amigo 👍😁😁
Take a shot everytime he says "Z"
Hi
0:25 stood more for luxury?!? Beg to greatly differ?!?
A Z available for every take over .
Wasn't impressed with a 05 G35 if I'm being honest.
0:20 Cancel culture was around even back in 1996. 😉
The engine is NOT behind the front axle. Look under the hood of a Z then a Corvette. The Corvette is actually behind the axle always has been.
Look at the 1964 chevy cheetah...
@@alexander1485 Bill mitchel Cheetah...
Mustang has a front mid engine too.
The forward half of the block sits on the front axle. More than enough to achieve front mid-ship dynamics in cornering & braking situations... true 50/50 platforms like the S2000 or the C5 are more difficult to drive at the limit, the FM chassis is more forgiving.
@@jacquesc3166 which is why those platforms actually get ran at autox and track days and the Z car is a drift special.
They are pushy in stock trim.
Those wheels are original rays forged, I don't know if it was placed on the american versions
03/04 track edition only
Before every el cuhh bought one off facebook, cut the muffler off, and then wrapped it around a pole 2 weeks later trying to sliiide dat shiii, lmao
Coupes - yes. Roadsters, not so much...
The year the 350z beat the Rx8
and wasn't Supra around.
RX-8 wasn't out yet in 2002
I should’ve bought it when I had the chance! 🤬
Never was a fan of the squashed roof look.
Great car for twisty bits and it had a feature with revmatching downshifts
That wasn't added till the 09' 370z
I like putting up comments that are just plain incorrect but have enough tidbits of real-world facts to make the purists compelled to correct me
Nissan before Carlos Ghosn infected the whole company with the awful, soul-draining CVT.....good times