Used car guide

2005 Nissan 350 Z: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2005 Nissan 350 Zs, from 1,125 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

1,125MOT tests in 2025
71%pass first time (all 2005 cars: 58%)
4,400typical miles a year
3.1×the usual rate for exhaust emissions (catalyst)

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2005 Nissan 350 Zs than on all cars registered in 2005.

  • Exhaust emissions (catalyst)3.1× usual
    Nissan 350 Z
    7.1% All 2005 cars
    2.3%

    Failed outright at MOT: 7%, against 2.2% of all 2005 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.

  • Airbag warning light2.8× usual
    Nissan 350 Z
    4.4% All 2005 cars
    1.6%

    Failed outright at MOT: 4.3%, against 1.5% of all 2005 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.

  • Rust around sub-frame mountings2.1× usual
    Nissan 350 Z
    3.2% All 2005 cars
    1.5%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1.2%, against 0.3% of all 2005 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.

Better than most

Engine oil leaks: 3.1% here, against 14.5% of all 2005 cars. Number plate lights: 2.4% here, against 8.2% of all 2005 cars.

By area

The share of 2005 Nissan 350 Z MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Brakes
    32% 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.

  • Suspension
    32% 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.

  • Tyres
    24% 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.

  • Lights and electrics
    23% of testsRough price £10–£80

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

  • 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
    8% 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%
20041,034Suspension 37%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2005 Nissan 350 Zs registered in 2005. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score