How many miles can a Nissan 350Z last? When you’re in the market for a new or second-hand 350Z, that’s a very reasonable question. After all, you’re probably looking to get the most bang for your buck. In this blog, we’ll look at this question in great detail but first, let’s start with a quick answer:
On average, a Nissan 350Z lasts between 190.000 – 220.000 miles. A 350Z needs to go to the garage for unscheduled repairs about 0.3 times per year, with an 11% chance of the problem being severe. Furthermore, 350Z owners spend an average of $526 per year on repair costs.
Having said that, we’re certainly not done. Below we’ll explain in more detail how many miles a Nissan 350Z can last. After that, we’ll also show you how much a 350Z costs annually and which production years are the most and least expensive. Furthermore, we also discuss the common problems that the car can have. Read on!
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How Many Miles Can A Nissan 350Z Last?
Typically, you don’t buy a 350Z for its reliability; you buy it for the thrills, the weekend fun, and the… Woah, hold on for a minute, let’s answer your question first, and then we will get into the good stuff.
To answer your question, we have conducted extensive research, and after that, we made a list of numbers through which we will be able to tell how awesome, I mean, how reliable the 350Z is.
We went through 201 350Zs on Autotrader.com, and it turns out that they are reliable. On Autotrader.com, we selected all these models and divided them into groups based on their mileage.
To know if a vehicle is reliable, a minimum of 3% of all analyzed units should cross the 150k mile mark. If a vehicle fails to get that minimum of 3%, then it’s not reliable, and in this case, we see a number close to 4%. We based those numbers on hundreds of vehicles we analyzed the same way, so we’re pretty confident in this benchmark.
The highest mileage we have seen on the gauge cluster of a 350Z comes out to be 279k. About 20% are below the 45k mark; these are the ones that you should consider.
Also, make sure that if you want a project car, you go for a stock model, don’t buy someone else’s project, as it would defeat the purpose, and you might end up with a problematic one instead.
| Amount Of Miles | Percentage Of Cars |
| Cars With 150.000+ | 3.98% |
| Cars With 100.000 – 149.000 | 31.84% |
| Cars With 45.000 – 99.999 | 44.78% |
| Cars With 0 – 44.999 | 19.40% |
Go for the low miles and clean title ones. You can go for the 45k-100k miles, but you must be extra cautious when inspecting the Nissan 350Zs. We have made a whole section dedicated to the common problems you are expected to see; you can check that out so you would be better equipped for what’s coming ahead.
How Reliable Is A Nissan 350Z Compared To Its Competitors?
Knowing how many miles competitors of the 350Z last; will give us a better picture of the reliability. We have put in great effort and made a list of competitors. One of the most apparent 350Z rivals is its elder brother, the Infiniti G35, which has much stuff similar to the 350Z but in a more extensive package.
The numbers for the G35 are much better only because it’s driven as a daily driver, and the 350Z, on the other hand, is mainly used for weekend fun.
Other 350Z competitors; include Audi TT, BMW Z4, Toyota MR2, and others on the list. Some competitors have better numbers because they have been around for a very long time, which means a more significant percentage of them have achieved higher mileage. You can check out these other options if you haven’t decided on the Nissan 350Z and want to explore more options.
| Model | Sample Size | Cars With 150.000+ Miles | % Percentage Of Cars With 150.000+ | Highest Mileage |
| Nissan 350Z | 201 | 8 | 3.98% | 279.000 |
| Infiniti G35 | 331 | 94 | 28.40% | 250.000 |
| Audi TT | 238 | 9 | 3.78% | 200.000 |
| BMW Z4 | 483 | 9 | 1.86% | 170.000 |
| Mitsubishi 3000GT | 29 | 24 | 17.24% | 230.000 |
| Toyota MR2 | 79 | 2 | 2.53% | 140.000 |
How Reliable Is A Nissan 350 Compared To Other Nissans?
Knowing how well a vehicle performs in its own circle is valuable, which gives us a clearer picture of how reliable Nissans are in general.
The data suggest that Nissans are doing okay in terms of reliability. Still, the Nissan Maxima performs the best as it’s one of the most reliable Nissans – even more reliable than the Murano. And after the Maxima, we have the Nissan Titan as one of the most reliable.
With all that said, the Nissan 350Z hasn’t gotten any less reliable; it’s still a reliable masterpiece with tons of after-market support.
| Model | Sample Size | Cars With 150.000+ Miles | % Percentage Of Cars With 150.000+ | Highest Mileage |
| Nissan Murano | 7.188 | 300 | 4.17% | 240.000 |
| Nissan Maxima | 3.932 | 205 | 5.21% | 296.000 |
| Nissan 350Z | 201 | 8 | 3.98% | 279.000 |
| Nissan Titan | 5.125 | 251 | 4.89% | 300.000 |
| Nissan Sentra | 10.446 | 228 | 2.18% | 230.000 |
How Much Does Maintenance Cost Per Year?
It’s not just the buying cost you would have to account for; it’s also the regular maintenance cost that you should know to have a proper functioning vehicle that wouldn’t ditch you in the middle of the road.
| Model Year | Annual Maintenance Cost |
| 2003 | Not available |
| 2004 | Not available |
| 2005 | Not available |
| 2006 | Not available |
| 2007 | $395 |
| 2008 | $452 |
| 2009 | Not available |
To the lack of data, we couldn’t give you the exact numbers for each year, but on average, you would have to spend about $452 annually on maintenance. 2007 onwards models are the better years because early 2000 models are getting quite old.
Owners’ Reviews Of The 350Z’s Reliability
Besides knowing all the data, it’s, of course, also essential to see how owners experience the 350Z. For this, we went to Kelley Blue Book, Edmunds, and Everyauto.com. All three platforms have gathered hundreds of reviews from actual car owners. We summarized our findings in the image below.
While doing our research, we found that the 350Z is considered an incredible car by its owners. Almost all of them give the car a 5/5 star rating, resulting in the incredibly high scores you see in the image above.
One of the reasons for this is that the 350Z doesn’t have any significant problems (as we’ll discuss in a moment). Furthermore, it offers a lot of power and is relatively cheap to maintain. This is exactly what owners of a 350Z are looking for. Overall, we can only say that the reviews speak for themselves.
I’ve been a Nissan fan for some time and finally grabbed a Z as the kids went to college. I laugh at those who buy BMW’s or any other expensive sports car. Not only do I get compliments all the time, I look forward to even running to the store. This car is fun, fast, solid and enthusiastic.
Source
Nissan 350Z Common Problems
If you are in the market looking for your next possible ride, the 350Z in this case, then you must know the common problems you might encounter. When you know these common problems, you can better diagnose a 350Z if you intend to purchase one.
NOTE: Before buying a used car, I always like to make sure the vehicle isn´t having any problems that you should be aware of. The easiest way to do this is by buying an OBD2 scanner. These scanners can easily be plugged into any car you’re interested in, and they’ll give you a rundown of potential problems.
Paint Chips Away
This is a common issue that the 350Z owners face, especially at the front bumper. Some chipped paint is typical to see on these, but because of these chips, you might also be seeing some rust where this paint chipping and the issue wasn’t dealt with.
Crankshaft And Camshaft Position Sensor
These sensors were a common problem in the earlier models and were recalled later and fixed (recall number: 03V455000). The general concern was that the circuit board for the crankshaft position sensor or cam position sensor had an improper solder joint due to solder deformation caused by heat stress accelerated by the existence of flux residue during this process.
This particular issue can cause the engine to stall, and you won’t be able to drive it unless you fix these sensors. The general diagnosis is going to cost you about $100. The sensors replacement is going to cost you about $350.
Fuel Filler Hose Leaked
Especially the 2003 – 2004 model years of the 350Z had problems with the fuel filler hose, which was of low quality and would develop cracks over time. A recall was issued for this problem (05V555000), which also solved the issue for later model years.
Ticking Noise Coming From The Engine
This noise is caused by a faulty fuel damper/fuel pressure regulator. You would have to spend about $300 to fix this issue.
Eats Lots And Lots Of Oil
You have to keep on adding engine oil to maintain the required level. Otherwise, your engine will get severe damage; the first sacrifice will be of those timing chain components, and then your engine will go to heaven if the oil levels are dangerously low. Make sure to keep on adding more oil every 1,000 miles.
Is a Nissan 350Z A Smart Buy?
In general, we would consider the Nissan 350Z a reliable vehicle. With proper maintenance, there’s no reason this car won’t cross the 200,000 miles mark. Furthermore, we saw that Nissan builds reliable, high-mileage cars in general, which strongly indicates what a 350Z can do.
Furthermore, we also saw that owners have incredible experiences with this car and rate it highly. Add this to the fact that the 2005 – 2009 model years have very few problems, and the 350Z can be considered a smart buy.
The Nissan 350Z is one of those icons which has made a name for itself in the industry. Furthermore, you will be able to find loads of mods for it; lift a rock, and there’s a mod; the sky is the limit to how much you can modify them. So let your imagination go wild within your budget and make a car you can be proud of.
Nissan 350Z Maintenance Schedule
It’s essential to know about the maintenance schedule so you won’t miss out on any crucial repairs and maintenance that could affect the normal working of your 350Z.
Before/On Every 1,000 Miles
- Keep on adding oil at 1k miles because it will go down
Before/On Every 10,000 Miles
- This is where most of the manufacturers recommend changing engine oil and oil filter, but you should consider changing them before 7,000 miles to get the best performance and long-lasting reliability.
- Check the brakes
- Tire rotation
- Check for any rust
- Lubricate the components that require lubrication; it will reduce the rattles.
- Check for any electronic issues.
Also read: The Exact Bolt Pattern Of A Nissan 350Z & 370Z
Before/On Every 20,000 Miles
- See the condition of the spark plugs; given that this car is already in high mileage, you would need to change the spark plugs sooner or later if the previous owner hasn’t done it yet.
- Check the brakes
- Rotate the tires
- Check the suspension components
- Check the transmission fluid level
Before/On Every 40,000 Miles
- Inspect the timing chain; if it does have a fault, you will hear a lot of rattles from the engine.
- Inspect the PCV system along with the EGR valve and the hoses for any leaks or clogs; usually, these are the culprits in making your car have poor idle and then lose power.
- Coolant replacement
- Drive belt replacement
- Transmission service
- Cabin filter replacement
- Brake pad/rotor replacement
- Tire replacement
Before/On Every 60,000 Miles
- Chang the ignition coils
- Replace the spark plugs
- Replace the fuel injectors
- Replace the fuel filter
Hi! My name is Stefan; I’m the owner and lead writer at TheDriverAdviser.com.
I’m an active writer on this blog myself, as well as a novice car mechanic. For the really technical stuff, I find writers with experience as a mechanic or who have studied mechanical engineering.
Read more about our fantastic team on our about page!