Blast From The Past: Ruined Z

"Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura" (sundowne36) 12/16/2014 at 22:31 • Filed to: Blast From The Past

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Y'know, it was a weird circumstance for me to remember this when I was told I may be moving down to San Diego, CA in a few months and was told to sell the bike. I contemplated on getting a 350Z and somehow, !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

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Aaron James > Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura 12/16/2014 at 22:55

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He got what he paid for really, that is $750 work. If you go with the cheapest possible option, it's your own fault. That would be several grand at a good body shop for good results. I also have to assume he bought the cheapest kit he could find instead of a well engineered, properly fitting kit. I'd be pissed too if it was me but I'd also realize the mistake was just as much mine in hiring a hack body shop to sloppily put my car together for 1/4 the price of what it should cost.

JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7 > Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura 12/16/2014 at 22:56

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Honestly mind blowing! I just want to see that guy when he's working. Unless he's in elementary school, in which case this would just be very disappointing work.

Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura > Aaron James 12/16/2014 at 23:05

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You still don't drill into the chassis, though. I wouldn't mind $750 of shitty worksmanship, but if someone feels the need to drill into the chassis MULTIPLE times, that person shouldn't be anywhere near cars, period.

TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut > Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura 12/16/2014 at 23:06

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I feel like I could've done a better job and I've never had any experience with bodywork...

Aaron James > Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura 12/16/2014 at 23:20

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I agree, but that's what $750 buys you

Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura > Aaron James 12/16/2014 at 23:22

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Again, despite the cheap price, you still don't drill into the chassis.

Aaron James > Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura 12/16/2014 at 23:23

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The guy who cuts corners and only charges you $750 does though. That's why it's so cheap.

Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura > Aaron James 12/16/2014 at 23:30

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Apparently, the judge at the time thought otherwise - the shop owner's out of business and unfortunately, so did the person who did the Z's restoration.

First being that he said "You get what you pay for" to the judge. The judge had a confused look on his face (more like WTF?) and said that no matter what a customer pays, the business should have at least some level of professionalism.

Aaron James > Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura 12/17/2014 at 00:20

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He should be out of business, I'm not sticking up for him, his work is shit.

Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura > Aaron James 12/17/2014 at 02:05

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He is. The car's owner got $5,500 (not exactly enough to cover the repairs but hey, it's something) and the Z gets to live another day.

feather-throttle-not-hair > Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura 12/17/2014 at 02:14

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heyo! I remember this thread on my350z.com!

feather-throttle-not-hair > Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura 12/17/2014 at 02:36

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Hmm not sure if this means you're considering a Z so here's my honest opinion from a 350z owner of about 8 years (it's been my only car that whole time.)

Pluses

Steering feel

Forgiving rwd handling

Adequate power

Cool styling

Nice, direct feeling gear change

minuses

Crappy materials on the interior

Shitty sound from inside (sounds great from the outside...I'm told)

General NVH

Visibility

Utter disregard for practicality

No glovebox (wtf Nissan?)

Overall, the thing I appreciate most is the honesty of the vehicle. It was built to do all the performance car stuff that performance cars have been doing for the past 70 years. And to be affordable. Corners were obviously cut in non-performance areas, but not in any area affecting how well the car actually drives. It's basically a fast, heavy fr-s with absolutely zero fucks given about practicality.