Used car guide

2004 Nissan 350 Z: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2004 Nissan 350 Zs, from 1,034 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

1,034MOT tests in 2025
72%pass first time (all 2004 cars: 58%)
4,600typical miles a year
2.7×the usual rate for exhaust emissions (catalyst)

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2004 Nissan 350 Zs than on all cars registered in 2004.

  • Exhaust emissions (catalyst)2.7× usual
    Nissan 350 Z
    7.1% All 2004 cars
    2.6%

    Failed outright at MOT: 7%, against 2.5% of all 2004 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £175–£900 (catalytic converter) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Look for smoke when revving the warm engine and for engine or DPF warning lights.

  • Rust around sub-frame mountings2.3× usual
    Nissan 350 Z
    3.4% All 2004 cars
    1.5%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1.1%, against 0.3% of all 2004 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £300–£1,000 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look underneath at the frame the suspension bolts to. Flaky rust or holes are expensive to fix.

  • Airbag warning light2.1× usual
    Nissan 350 Z
    3.4% All 2004 cars
    1.6%

    Failed outright at MOT: 3.3%, against 1.4% of all 2004 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £10–£80 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light while you work the switches: indicators, brake lights, fog lights and reversing lights.

Better than most

Engine oil leaks: 4% here, against 15.8% of all 2004 cars. Track rod ends: 2.1% here, against 6.6% of all 2004 cars.

By area

The share of 2004 Nissan 350 Z MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Suspension
    37% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Brakes
    31% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Lights and electrics
    24% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Tyres
    22% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Exhaust and emissions
    13% of testsRough price £100–£1,200

    At the viewing: Look for black soot in the tailpipe, listen for blowing from the exhaust and check for engine or DPF warning lights.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    10% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

Looking at a Nissan 350 Z?

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2007579Brakes 30%
2006770Suspension 33%
20051,125Brakes 32%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2004 Nissan 350 Zs registered in 2004. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score