Raja93

Interesting to know, thanks for the feedback, it’s appreciated. Good point about warming up - I do the same always, even on my daily, so I guess not as much need to worry about cold temp performance. I’d quite like the high load protection and do love millers oils, so sounds quite good to be honest. The fact the oil needs to be replaced often due to the expensive Ester based synthetics, is probably suitable for us as we all change oil so frequently. I’ve been sticking to the 3k miles interval or every 6 months. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks mate [emoji3] Not too sure actually - all I know is it’s what they use on all their cars they do including the drift/track cars. I can ask them if you want to know for your zed? They subbed the sandblast/painting to another shop in their little business park, which is filled with jap performance or motorsports shops. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks for this - very helpful [emoji1417]. Hope yours is going ok! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

After dropping her off on 27th October, I just got the Zed back yesterday morning. In typical fashion, it was raining as it was on the way there - seems to be a curse with this car and long journeys! ?? Originally I was going to get the Underseal stripped off and re-done, however the garage advised there was no need as it was in good condition. It was the suspension arms that had very mild surface rust starting, which made me think oh stuff it, let's just get it all re-done. Once they removed the suspension arms, the chassis was in great condition, apart from a small area of surface behind the fuel tank I think, which they sanded away, treated, primed and applied new under seal to. So the total list of works carried out; - Front/rear subframes and all suspension was stripped off. Both subframes, all suspension arms, arb's, brackets and misc. small items were sand blasted and painted in gloss black. Heat shields were sandblasted and done in a silver colour. - Replaced every suspension bush apart from some Whiteline adjustable FUCA bushes which were under 2 years old. Fitted Nismo bushes for all the ones they offered except the diff bushes, as I wanted something a bit more solid to take my hard summer driving and also more power in the future! Ball joints to front and rear also replaced. - Energy Suspension bushes fitted to front steering rack, front arb, rear arb, diff and rear subframe. - Front drop links replaced as they were so seized, they couldn't be removed. I wish they replaced the rear ones they as they've got nasty looking surface rust on them. I didn't ask them to, as having no practical hands on knowledge of suspension until I started ordering the bushes (other than basic knowledge you pick up here and there), I didn't think to do them. I'll sand and paint them at home though so all good. - Replaced rear brake pads for a set of Mintex items that I think RichardS recommended earlier this year. They had started coming away from the backing plate which I didn't realise! Handbrake cable replaced as it was damaged/falling apart. - Michellin Pilot Sport 4 tyres fitted to the rear, to replace the old Nexen's and finally to now match the fronts! Now I've got the confidence to really push the car ?. - Sills had been bent by being jacked in the wrong place by local garages used by previous owner. They were straightened out and any surface rust treated/painted over - I'll do the diff painting at home and also do the rear drive shafts. - My boost controller had some seriously dodgy wiring which has now been resolved thankfully! - Front wheel bearings replaced with new OEM items, as they couldn't guarantee when stripping off the suspension/hubs, that no debris would get into the bearings, which would damage them, so opted for replacement. - And finally a mandatory 4 wheel alignment. Unfortunately, when they had finished the works and taken the car out for a test drive last Wednesday, they found the rear end had symptoms similar to worn subframe bushes. They took the car back to the workshop and inspected on the lift. The subframe was tight as torqued to spec however the drivers side front and passenger rear energy suspension bush had deformed at the top, and compressed. Sadly they don't have time to remove the subframe and fit replacements until January 19th, since they were already behind schedule when they started my car, and have back to back bookings until then. I opted to take the car back home slowly, as it was a bit sketchy with those dodgy subframe bushes. I've got it booked in on 15th December with my local garage (who fitted my diff and do my basic service work), and I'll replace them then. I ruled out the fact it could have been bad workmanship since all the work they do, day in and day out is work on 90's Japanese sports cars and mostly Nissan 200sx's, Skylines, Soarers, Evo's etc. All they seem to be doing this winter is suspension/chassis overhauls on these types of cars. The steering feel and general feel of the car otherwise was lovely, and I cannot wait until I've sorted these subframe bushes so I can go for a blast on a nice sunny day. I'll update following the subframe bush replacement, with hopefully positive news! Some before and after shots. I'll get better pictures when its at the garage again in a few weeks.

I really wanted to use millers oils when I first got the zed this year, since I had previous cars and it really smoothed out the engine idle noise - mind you on diesels this was. I couldn’t find a non competition spec oil from them though, as I was worried the competition spec wouldn’t be suitable for road use in terms of cold temp protection. Assume you’ve had good experiences with it? Would you recommend considering when I use my zed it’s either to go for a blast or to pop to town etc so mixed use really. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Happy birthday [emoji3060][emoji1][emoji1417]. Hope you have a great day! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

He knows many shortcuts like this. When I mentioned we took the bumper off to fit my 99 headlights, he said no need to remove it, you can get to the screws using this extension and so on. I’m sure there’s tonnes of tricks he knows on our cars! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Royal Steering Wheels seem to be the most well known and used in the UK for all other cars, as an alternative. Bought from them before and top quality. Paid about £150 ish as well. You can post your wheel to him and he can do in any finish you’d like. Hide n Seat (Mondo) know our cars inside out though, so I’d be more inclined to try them first. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Glad you’re keeping the zed then and probably best to get a daily to keep the zed living on long term. I’ve just bought an e46 330cd as a daily, which I don’t think is Ulez compliant. But my old 3.3 Lexus was compliant! Some of the cars that are compliant really do confuse me. Let’s hope those are the only issues then and looking forward to seeing updates. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I’m relatively new to the club so not a wealth of knowledge compared to others, but my cars just getting all new bushes at the moment. From my research, I found pretty much the companies you’ve noted. I bought all the Nismo bushes they made, and the rest I went with energy suspension. Nismo is regarded the best by the long term gurus on the club, as they’re a happy medium between bone shaking polybushes and overly soft original bushes. I bought the Nismo ones from greenline motorsports japan who have a helpful website and suspension diagrams. Energy suspension ones came from CZP. When I get my car back hopefully later this week, I’ll post up feedback on my project thread. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Haha I’ve just seen this car on eBay. Apparently the car was the owners ‘joy ride’ [emoji1787][emoji1787], according to the advert. My favourite parts are the chrome trim around the rear lights and did you notice the ‘automatic’ and ‘limited’ badges on the rear end as well. Never mind Funkysi, this has sent me over the edge, in fits of laughter!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The 996 generation is definitely the best value for money out of the lot, and no reason for it to be cheaper than the rest, as it’s a very capable car. People don’t seem to like the headlights but I think the headlights in facelift form look great, it’s only the pre-face light ones that haven’t aged well - I guess it’s like marmite really. What’s the actual problem with this car then? IMS bearings gone or something? Hope you keep using the zed still! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Oh wow very nice - I do like the flat 6 noise! Good luck with it and keep us posted. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Great to hear you’ve solved the issue [emoji1417], and also good to know CZP offer 10mm versions. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The Merc is a lovely looking car, but if you’re after a great handling chassis, the BMW’s are on a different level, probably at the cost of comfort as usual. As Gaz says, these modern cars are so fast, I’m going to have to build my engine to high HP to make sure I beat them all [emoji1787]. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Looking goooood [emoji1417]. Are you buying the Z4 for yourself? As a daily? It’ll be a quick one in the 40i guise, quite tuneable those engines and super popular these days in the 1/2/3 series models. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks Darren and Richard - yeah I checked the a pillar and it was properly screwed in - not piercing the drain. It was such a painful job haha because for the first time in my life I’ve hated having long legs and arms! It wasn’t all a waste of a job though, as I ruled out the fuse box, and I also cable tied both the bottom and top joins to the inlets/outlets of the drains, to future proof them from popping off. This weekend I’ll get my wife to hold the hose pipe over and I’ll sit in the car, looking out for this leak. Haha yes good spot Richard! CZP said the red ones were on a long lead in time so I cancelled it off one of my orders. Will get it fitted when I get the full interior retrim done next year. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks lexx for the guide - I found a guide Jeff issued maybe a year before, otherwise there’s no way in hell I’d be able to work out what to do! Probably the most involved and pain in the backside thing I’ve done on a car! Great guide, very very helpful. Took absolutely ages but no success really. I wanted to take the fuse box off anyway to rule out corrosion causing the lights issue so it wasn’t a wasted effort, but it turned out to be squeaky clean with no corrosion at all. It had what I believe is a date stamp and Nissan logo for 2009, so I believe it was replaced in 2009. It was dry as well, but that could be because it’s not rained this week and I’ve had the heater on full blast aiming at feet about 4 time’s this week, plus having dried out a little the carpet and floor matt with a hair dryer. It didn’t rain this week, but I noticed the wet floor first last Saturday. It rained a lot that week, so it must have been caused that week. I saw the bottom targa drain and it was fully connected. I poured water down and nothing dripped onto the floor, so am very confused as to the cause. I need to take off the A pillar because I do have an A pillar pod which is screwed in, that could have pierced the drain - maybe only leaks under heavy rain if the hole Is tiny, so will pour more water down there to see if it leaks. The carpet was drenched as was the underlay/insulation, so it’s definitely been caused by water pooling in the footwell, not from above the carpet. I smelt the water and it was so drenched my hand was soaked - it was completely clear and smell free, so that rules out any other fluids; I’ve seen people mention it can be the heater matrix but when it’s that, the passenger side also gets wet they say - the passenger side is bone dry. So my reverse lights had been re-wired so when reversing, only the right 2 reverse lights illuminate, and the left ones were wired for fog lights, which never actually worked under my ownership. Now what happens is when reversing, the right side and left side really bright fog lights illuminate. When the headlights are on, only the right side reverse lights are stuck on. It could just be a wiring issue, but the water makes me think otherwise - confused!! I’ve got work Monday to Friday, so will have to then try taking off the A pillar and pouring more water down next weekend, to try and find the source. Let’s see what happens [emoji21]. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ah thanks for the previous post and this - much appreciated. Will tear it all apart today and hopefully find the cause. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks Bones and Rich for the wise advice - will check it all out today and see the state of it. If it is corroded, can you just remove the fuse box and wire brush off the corrosion, then reuse? Or will it need replacement? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hi all, I’ve got a completely random issue here. Yesterday I noticed when I parked car at work (with headlights off) that my reverse lights are stuck on, then I engaged reverse and back to neutral then they turned off. Tonight I went out and as soon as I turned headlights on, the reverse lights are stuck on. I reversed a couple time’s and went forward and back on my driveway to see if it was the switch getting stuck engaged, but it didn’t turn off, nor during my ten minute journey. For the past week I’ve also had a very wet drivers side floor under the carpet, I can feel it’s drenched. I’m assuming the bottom of the front targa drain has become disconnected and drained into the floor. I dried it out today with a drive and full blast hot air to floor, followed by a hair dryer all over. Has anyone experienced the reverse light stuck on issue before? I’m assuming it’s to do with the targa drain leak causing chaos with the electrics, but could it be the reverse switch getting stuck on also? Tomorrow I’m going to try and remove the driver seat and lift the carpet, to properly dry out under there, to see if it does the trick. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ah yeah you’re right about the spacers. My car when it had the old veilsides fitted, had a set of driftworks hubcentric 15mm spacers on the front, which had studs on the spacer itself, so solved that issue. Just checked the driftworks website and turns out they don’t do 10mm hubcentric ones, only slip on ones which you want to avoid at all costs. But to be honest, you’re probably right in the issue being solely to do with geometry, after lowering the car, so probs best the OP checks geometry first.

Hi Andrew, it will be indeed. I’ll probably keep the original bumper in case I have a change of heart, as it’s growing on me with time! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I’ll try Pm you now - should work hopefully! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Now I’m doing pre-Covid long days at work again (oh how I miss furlough!), I haven’t had the chance to drive the beast much this week. Went a good 4 days without driving, which is too long for me! Today I had to scratch the itch and so I woke up early, filled up with v-power, did a good 50 miles without realising. Afterwards I gave the Zed a good clean for a couple hours, and applied gel to all the exterior trim, as the rain had dried it all out. Hopefully will be buying a new daily car first week of November, so will keep the car under cover from then on when it’s raining. Now back to it’s shiny clean self! Can’t wait to get the respray done early next year and replace all the exterior trim, so I don’t have to apply the gel to keep them looking fresh all the time. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk