It’s hard to find a Japanese sports car with a six-cylinder engine, or even rear-wheel drive. With the same horsepower rating as an Acura NSX of its time and a $63k lower starting MSRP, the 350Z makes the sportscar experience available to us commoners. However, this is a double-edged sword, as you’ll find many distastefully modified (“riced out,” if you will) examples on the market today.

If you can find an unmolested 350Z and vow to uphold its integrity, you’ll see that Nissan thoughtfully planned out all aspects of its design. From the little “Z” cutouts in its side AC vents to its front and rear multi-link suspension, Nissan ensures you’ll get the most enjoyment out of your 350Z. I believe the only design flaw is the treatment (or lack thereof) on the rear end of the roadster. Adding a very low-level decklid wing or spoiler could balance out the long trunk and it’ll look a bit more normal when the top’s up. Tastefully done, it’ll seem like an option that Nissan should’ve offered on these cars from the factory.

If you’re looking for luxury, you can opt for a higher trim level and enjoy accommodations such as leather and heated seats, a navigation system (for the full 2000s effect), and a Bose sound system with an 8-inch subwoofer in Touring and above trims; no need for a German “luxury” sportscar.

Full of pep and drifting power, the Nissan 350Z offers the full enthusiast driving experience without taking out a crowd (I’m looking at you, Mustang owners). The VDC (Vehicle Dynamics Control) system makes this possible by applying the brake appropriately to each wheel independently to correct a fishtail. Your unscathed vehicle and insurance company thank you in advance.

Earlier models were equipped with the VQ35DE V6 producing 287 hp until 2005 (2006 if you opt for an automatic). The VQ35HR V6 powers the remainder of the 350Z’s production run, which was revised to produce 300 horsepower. The 0-60 mph run lies between the 5.3 and 5.7-second range, enough to confidently challenge a Porsche Boxster S of the same era. According to a Car and Driver article written in 2002, the car offers “short shift throws, linear throttle response, excellent torque, excellent steering, and excellent ride and handling responses.” Keep in mind that was before the 350Z’s power output was increased. The NISMO edition was available in the U.S. from 2007-2008 and offers a very aggressive body kit and six-horsepower bump. There were only 1613 NISMOs produced, therefore they’re considered rare and very valuable.

Thankfully, both motors get gold stickers for dependability. Owners do report oil consumption issues, so it’s best to use one of these as a second car and keep an eye on oil levels. Other reported issues include a leaking rear differential, so be sure to take a look underneath any 350Z you’re considering purchasing. Looking out for differential maintenance in the vehicle’s service records and/or having your mechanic perform an inspection and fluid change on the vehicle upon purchase (or before) couldn’t hurt either.

I feel that the styling of the 350Z marks a sweet spot in Nissan’s style evolution. While the succeeding 370Z offers a larger engine and more tech, it features quite bulbous and odd styling. Nissan’s current design language is laden with hood bulges and swooping lines that make the car look more goofy than anything. The 350Z is a classy representation of 2000s engineering and is bound to become a classic.