2006 Nissan 350Z GT DE

‘NH06 BJJ’, a 2006 Nissan 350Z GT DE finished in Kuro Black and fitted with the high-spec GT pack, is being offered for sale as a result of its owner having sadly passed away.

It had been his pride and joy since 2017, and he poured a lot of time and money into it to maintain it in the condition you see here. 

With just 59,000 miles on the clock and no fewer than sixteen services in its lifetime, it’s got a peerless record behind it to back up its good looks.

Black is a helluva colour, both in the impact it makes - and the way it highlights even the slightest flaw. But, if you can find a good ‘un then there are few better colours for a sporting coupé like this – and this is very definitely a good ‘un.

The front and rear numberplates have a black ‘Z’ logo and a matching border to maintain the look, which leaves only by the front indicator lenses, rear lamps, silver door handles, and gold Brembo brake calipers to lighten the monochromatic look; it’s a subtlety we love, full of menace but stealthy enough to fly under the radar, something that might come in handy given the performance on offer.

The rear view, which is the one most drivers will see, sports twin meaty exhaust tailpipes and a wonderfully subtle boot spoiler.

Squatting down to peer along its flanks reveals nothing but straight panels and a complete absence of the sort of dinks and dents careless parking leads to. The door edges are free of chips too, and the four corners are unblemished. Even the door mirrors, often a casualty of city driving, are intact and unmarked. That the shutlines are excellent can be taken as read. 

It also sits on a set of desirable RAY Engineering forged alloy wheels, which are in great shape. All four were fitted with Michelin Pilot Sport tyres in May 2018, so there is life in them yet. 

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but it does perhaps give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

The light lenses are all in good shape too, as are the badges and the window glass, which means we can’t see anything on the outside that will need your attention other than a slightly crusty windscreen wiper arm.

The GT pack is an upgrade over the base model and adds, among other things,  electrically adjustable and heated front leather seats and a seven-speaker Bose stereo system that includes a sub-woofer behind the driver’s seat and a 240W amplifier; the GT spec is worth having then, especially as any premium you pay now should be returned when it’s time to let it go.

And what seats they are! Beautifully sculpted, they are as much of a treat for the eyes as they are the butt. Comfortable and supportive, they’ve weathered the past eighteen years well, with only light creasing to their outer edges and base.

As for the rest, the monochrome colour scheme has been carried through into the cabin with only orange instrument markings and matching stitching alleviating it. And yet they, along with the brushed metal controls and handles, punch well above their weight and the overall feel is far from gloomy.

The short-throw gearlever, alloy pedals, and chunky steering wheel conspire with a perfect driving position to give the 350Z a suitably sporty feel for the driver.

The comprehensive instrumentation plays its part relaying information on speed and engine revs as well as time, fuel level, distance travelled, battery charge, and oil pressure.

It’s also as practical as any two-seater car can be with plenty of legroom plus storage bins behind the seats. The boot is a very good size. It’s also very clean and contains what looks like an unused space-saver spare wheel, a pristine tool kit, and a solid metal floor.

As for the condition of the rest of the cabin, the carpets are good, including the plastic heel protector in the driver’s footwell. There are good overmats too, and they’re embroidered with ‘350Z’, which is a nice touch. 

The headlining is clean and undamaged, the door cards are excellent, and the overall feel is of a car that been well looked after.

There are a few minor flaws including some scratches to the metal trim on the door pulls, some wear to the leather on the handbrake handle, and some marks on the dashboard near the lid for the sat-nav system.

The service history, which comprises sixteen services in eighteen years, is a mixture of Nissan main dealer and independent garages and specialists thereafter:

• 12.06.2006 and 21 miles – pre-delivery inspection by Axial Technical Services
• 01.12.2006 and 5,790 miles – service by WLN Nissan West London
• 16.01.2008 and 9,486 miles – service by WLN Nissan West London
• 15.01.2009 and 12,331 miles – service by WLN Nissan West London
• 16.02.2010 and 15,536 miles – service by WLN Nissan West London
• 16.02.2011 and 18,998 miles – service by WLMG Harwell
• 14.02.2012 and 21,861 miles – service by WLMG Harwell
• 13.02.2013 and 24,781 miles – service by WLMG Harwell
• 11.04.2014 and 28,302 miles – service by Junction 17 Cars Limited
• 15.05.2015 and 30,085 miles – service by Junction 17 Cars Limited
• 01.06.2016 and 33,861 miles – service by Briggate Service Garage
• 26.04.2018 and 45,136 miles – service by Abbey Motorsport
• 11.07.2019 and 49,425 miles – service by Abbey Motorsport including suspension arm bushes, the offside front droplink, new front brake pads, and a wheel alignment
• 21.07.2020 and 51,590 miles – service by Abbey Motorsport including a differential bush kit 
• 05.07.2021 and 54,001 miles – service by Abbey Motorsport
• 04.08.2022 and 56,199 miles – service by Abbey Motorsport
• 26.07.2023 and 58,379 miles – service by Abbey Motorsport

As you can see, the last service was carried out just 1,000 miles ago. Taken in conjunction with the advisory-free MoT, the car is chomping at the bit to provide many more miles of high-octane fun for its new owner.

And it will be fun. The 3.5-litre V6 engine snaps into life with enthusiasm, idles well, revs beautifully, and has a cracking exhaust note.

The engine bay is clean without being overly so; too clean and you’ll be afraid to use it, yet too dirty and you’ll be ashamed to show it off. This one treads the line ‘twixt the two better than most and features sporting essentials such as a strut brace and K&N air filter. 

The underside is also good. Sure, it features the usual surface rust on things like the suspension components, but it looks good and strong and no MoT tester has ever mentioned rusty floors or sills.

Which means it won’t come as too much of a surprise to learn that the Nissan’s MoT certificate, which is valid until February 2025, was gained, like many before, with no advisories.

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear, and the Nissan comes with three keys, the book pack and wallet, and plenty of historical paperwork to leaf through and organise. 

The Nissan 350Z is an overlooked gem, folk playing safe when it was new by buying German rather than Japanese – but what might have been disappointing at the time is now anything but as they were bought by enthusiasts and enthusiasts look after their cars better than most.

This means there’s now a rich seam of carefully curated 350Zs, of which this is one. 

As to its likely value, we think this one will fetch between £10,000 and £15,000 but as it is being offered with no reserve it’s going to sell from the very first bid.

Form an orderly queue, eh? 

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am- 12pm or 2pm-4pm. To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.