2004

can get it anyway you want.

hmm... well thats weird.. i have no idea why they did that to her?.... Hers is a 2004, blue touring Z... has white/cream leather and heated seats, and everything, BUT navigation and a spoiler... She said the dealership said to go on and buy the car and they would order the navigation to go with it and spoiler... She said that the Navigation alone was 1,600 bucks... I think shes gettin ripped but I dont know... I thought it was around 1,200 but then again I said I THOUGHT... Any Ideas?

The NAV option is a *factory only* option, ie not available for dealer install. It is available only on the Touring model, because it only works through the Touring model's Bose audio system. It lists for $2,000 when ordered from the factory with the car.

Got it on my car (a 2004 Touring roadster, Daytona Blue with Frost leather interior). It is very nice, *much* better than any of the aftermarket systems I've checked out. It is highly integrated with the car (talks to the wheel sensors among other things), so it goes to dead reckoning navigation when driving in places with poor GPS availability. I don't think any aftermarket system does that (they just go stupid when they can't get a signal from the satellites).

The necessary wiring harness will not be present in a Touring ordered without NAV (that's what Nissan says). There are several harness issues, GPS antenna, connection to the map database DVD player behind the driver's seat, connection to the car's CAN system for dead reckoning ability, and voice navigation integration with the Bose system. So a dealer install would be more than just plug and play. They'd have to rip into the car to install all the various pieces, and run a new harness too. It is technically possible, but difficult, and likely quite expensive to do properly.

If they can do it for $1600, she isn't getting ripped off. But I doubt they can, that's $400 below factory, and the factory doesn't have to tear the car apart to install it. I suspect the salesman was just trying to sell her the car that they had on the lot, and told her anything, true or not, to make the deal.

There are aftermarket NAV systems, several are cheaper than the factory system. They can't integrate with the Bose system, but that system sucks anyway, and you'd probably want to replace it too if you decided to go aftermarket.

(The only reason I haven't replaced the Bose in my car is the tight integration with the factory NAV, which I really like. I'm just going to replace the amps and speakers, and add an outboard EQ in an attempt to find some midrange, leaving the HU as is because I don't want to lose that integration with the factory NAV.) Spoilers are a different matter. That's a fairly simple body shop job. The dealer can do that easily and cheaply. But get his promise to do it in writing.

Keep in mind that the aftermarket has a slew of different spoilers and partial or full body kits to choose from. Some of them are more attractive (IMHO) than what the factory offers (but some are pure ricer boy). None of them are particularly functional.

The car already understeers, adding a rear spoiler that *worked* would just make it worse. Fortunately, most of them don't work. If you like the look, fine, otherwise forget about it.

(Adding a front spoiler lower than stock just ensures you'll be a steady customer of the body shop.)

If you want something real to improve handling, get a set of aftermarket adjustable sway bars, and wider front tires. That's the most bang for the buck you can do to this car.

You're going to be replacing front tires often anyway, due to the tire feathering issue with the 350Z.

350EVO's new adjustable upper control arms can potentially fix that problem (excessive negative camber), but that's another 800 bucks, and the negative camber does help cornering on the track.

Gary

ok... well actually she didnt get ripped off i guess.... But she DOES have it in writing, and the Navigation will be here in 2 weeks she said... then the car will be taken to the dealship and installed.... its ok... Thanks for the info though... but YES it is being installed on it... She cant wait...