350Z Z33 inspection checklist

Look for: The Z33's aggressive multilink geometry and factory camber chew the inner edges of the tyres, feathering them and wearing them out quickly - a classic, well-known 350Z complaint, worse on staggered setups and lowered cars.

Look for: The external concentric slave/clutch master seals fail with age, the pedal goes soft or sinks to the floor and gear selection becomes difficult or impossible.

Look for: The 2005-2006 'Rev-up' VQ35DE is the version most associated with heavy oil consumption - owners (including in Australia) have reported litres consumed within a few thousand km. The cause is crankcase pressure/PCV behaviour and oil-control ring design; if ignored it leads to oil starvation and engine failure.

Look for: The factory catalysts can break down and, combined with oil consumption, ceramic dust can be drawn back into the cylinders causing bore/ring damage - a known VQ failure path.

Look for: The VQ35DE family can consume oil through crankcase blow-by and the PCV system, with worn piston rings/oil control rings causing it at higher km. The early engines are generally less affected than the Rev-up, but any Z should be checked - running low destroys the engine.