NHTSA Complaint #10049256 — 2003 NISSAN 350Z

IN MAY OF 2003 I PURCHASED A NEW NISSAN 350Z. AFTER AROUND 9000 MILES THE TIRES BEGAN TO MAKE AN INCREASED AMOUNT OF ROAD NOISE. UPON INSPECTION THE INTERIOR RADIUS OF BOTH FRONT TIRES WAS WORN IN A VERY UNEVEN PATTERN. THE REAR TIRES ARE FINE... MIND YOU THIS IS A REAR-WHEEL DRIVE CAR. OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT 3000 MILES THIS NOISE BECAME INCREASINGLY LOUDER AND AT 12000 MILES IS UNBEARABLE. IT SOUNDS LIKE I'M DRIVING AN EIGHTEEN-WHEELER AS OPPOSED TO A SPORT CAR. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT IT - PETER'S NISSAN IN NASHUA, NH - THEY SAID THAT MY TIRES WERE "CHOPPED" AND RECOMMENDED REPLACING THEM. OF COURSE THEY WANTED ME TO PAY FOR IT, CITING A TIRE DEFECT. THE PROBLEM WITH THIS ARGUMENT IS THAT MY REAR TIRES ARE FINE AND THEY RECOMMENDED REPLACING MY "CHOPPED" FRONTS WITH ANOTHER PAIR OF THE SAME TIRE. IN MY MIND THERE IS OBVIOUSLY A SUSPENSION GEOMETRY ISSUE WITH THIS CAR. AFTER BEING QUOTED $1008.64 FOR TWO TIRES, MOUNTED AND BALANCED, FROM THE NISSAN DEALER I PROCEEDED TO CALL NISSAN NORTH AMERICA'S CONSUMER AFFAIRS LINE. (1-800-NISSAN1) I SPOKE WITH A REPRESENTATIVE WHO TOLD ME THAT ENGINEERS ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON A FIX AND HE BRUSHED ME OFF THE PHONE QUICKLY. I RECEIVED NO SATISFACTION AND AM STILL DRIVING AROUND MY "NEW", UNDER WARRANTY NISSAN PRODUCT WITH AN OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE SUSPENSION. EVIDENTLY NISSAN EXPECTS ME TO SHELL OUT (USING THEIR RIDICULOUS QUOTE) $1008.64 EVERY SIX MONTHS OR 10,000 MILES FOR TWO FRONT TIRES. ASSUMING THE LIFE OF THIS CAR AT A CONSERVATIVE 100,000 MILES, THAT'S $10,086.40 IN FRONT TIRES ALONE. MORE THAN A THIRD OF THE CARS VALUE NEW IN JUST FRONT TIRES! THERE IS A DEFECT HERE SOMEWHERE THAT NISSAN HAS YET TO ADDRESS. THE TIRES ARE A BRIDGESTONE POTENZA MODEL. WHILE I FIND THESE TIRES TO BE A LOW-QUALITY PRODUCT TO BEGIN WITH, THE SORT OF WEAR OCCURRING ON MY CAR IS NOT A TIRE ISSUE. AGAIN, MY REARS ARE JUST FINE.*JB