Used Nissan 350Z cars for sale ...

With a 3.5-litre V6 engine driving the rear wheels and a six-speed manual gearbox, this is one mean coupe. You can sprint from rest to 60mph in seven seconds and max out at 155mph. The engine sounds far bigger than it really is, and delivers great acceleration low down in the rev range, as well as having mid-range grunt. It may have loads of grip, but the 350Z isn’t quite as nimble as many rivals through a series of fast bends. However, the ride is firm but compliant, and the steering weights up nicely as speeds increase, providing plenty of feedback. The 350Z is strictly a two-seater, and although driver and front passenger have plenty of head- and legroom, useable cargo space in the boot is very limited.

Running Costs
The 350Z has strong residual values, and because there aren’t many around, you may have to pay high prices for the car you want. Running it will be an expensive business, too. Average fuel economy is just 24.8mpg and, according to the handbook, you should feed the 350Z higher-octane premium unleaded petrol. Insurance costs will also be dear because the coupe has a rating of group 19. Servicing intervals are quite frequent at every 9,000 miles. However, you could opt to use an independent garage for this, which will save you about 20% off your bills. For all that, compared to the competition, the Nissan looks a good second-hand buy. And, although it’s clearly in a lower league than the Porsche Boxster, the Audi TT and Mazda RX-8 are squarely in its sights. The 350Z holds its value well and it should prove cheaper to maintain, but for some the stumbling block will be that it doesn’t have the same quality image as the other two.

Convertible
If you want a quiet life, ignore the 350Z roadster. Without the coupe's roof, you get an aural assault from the V6 engine, which sings as you wring out its 300bhp. Thanks to the extra 150kg of body stiffening, there's no shaking when you tackle imperfect or twisting roads, but the loss in performance is virtually undetectable. The coupe's chassis stiffness and steering feel have been retained, and the car rides bumps well, even it does lack the ultimate agility of the best roadsters. The 350Z is big enough for a couple of tall adults, even with the roof up. However, the fabric hood folds neatly under a metal cover, so the boot is even smaller than the coupe’s. At least, the folding top is easy to use - simply pressing a button stows it electrically in 20 seconds - and there's precious little buffeting inside, thanks to the snug driving position and effective glass wind blocker behind the seats.

Running Costs
The roadster is quite a bit more expensive than the coupe, so it’s likely to hold its value even better, and be more expensive as a used car. Servicing intervals are quite frequent, at 9000 miles. However, you could opt to use an independent garage, which will save you about 20% off your bills, but you’ll need to make sure they follow the schedule and use the particular type of oil the 350Z has a taste for. You may also spend a fair bit of time in the petrol station - average fuel economy is just 24.8mpg - and you should use the more expensive premium-grade unleaded. Insurance costs will also be high. The BMW Z4 and Audi TT are the Nissan’s competition, and while the 350Z doesn’t have a prestige brand behind it, and doesn’t drive quite as well, it should prove cheaper to run.