I am looking at a '06 Nissan 350Z. It has
some modifications, including lowered
suspension. Can anyone tell me what the
down side to that is besides being very close to the road? Is it expensive to have it raised back up?
The first major downside that I would envision is that the car was likely not driven conservatively.
In other words, someone who goes to the expense of lowering the suspension is likely to have been very aggressive in their driving habits, and that takes a toll on the engine, the transmission, the clutch (if manual trans), the trans (whether manual or automatic), the brakes, and the suspension.
And then, you have the cost of restoring the suspension to its original condition.
Additionally, you may find that the tires on the car are ultra high performance tires–i.e.–very short tread life, and useless in winter conditions.
Surely you can find a car that does not have evidence of being “hotrodded”.
I suggest that you keep looking.
I agree. If you don’t want a modded car, don’t buy a modded car.
Lowered suspension can do several things to a car, depending on how it was lowered.
If it was lowered the idiot way - by cutting the end of the springs off - then the car will bounce all over the place when it hits bumps (because while that does lower the car, it also increases the spring rate). That means that first off you need to get new springs right away because driving a car like that is dangerous as hell. And it also means that the underside of the car has probably bounced off the pavement more than a few times.
If it was done right - lowering springs and (preferably) shocks, then the ride is probably harsher, which has caused more shock to the vehicle over bumps than normal. That means things will wear out sooner, and rattles will develop sooner as stuff is shaken loose.
Whichever way it was done, if it was lowered too much, it’s possible (I’ve seen this happen) that the gas tank was scraping as the driver went over bumps. Do that long enough and your gas tank will spring a leak.
And as VDC said, if they lowered the car, they probably pretended it was a race car when they drove it.
I too agree with VDC.
I would add that lowering suspension in the manner usually used (chopping a coil from the springs) bring the static position of the suspension above its as-designed neutral position. That means that it’s already partway through its dynamic range, and the gemoetries are accordingly not going to change with the same dynamics they would if it were stock. That can have less than ideal handling characteristics.
The 350Z is a great handling car. Odds are that the lowered suspension has messed that up.