Cool Cars with Chris: Car Talk, Driving Tips & Auto Life May 4, 2026

032 | Nissan 350Z Build Story: Bagged Setup, VQ Engine Fix & a Meaningful Tribute (Michael Castro Garcia)

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Topic

Willow Springs

They mention Willow Springs, which is a race-track area. It’s where they’re recording this episode.

Car

The Nissan 200 SX is a smaller sports car made by Nissan. It’s built to be fun to drive, with a focus on handling and driving feel. It comes up with car fans because it’s part of Nissan’s classic sports-car lineup.

Car

Z Cars

They’re talking about a specific car: a 2005 Nissan 350Z. It’s a sports car that a lot of people modify, and it’s known for being fun to drive and having lots of parts available.

Concept

sits fairly, fairly low to the ground

“Sits low” means the car is closer to the ground than it was from the factory. People usually do this by adjusting the suspension so the ride height is lower.

Part

battery

They’re talking about the battery placement. In custom builds, moving or fitting the battery differently can help the car sit lower and fit the rest of the setup.

Concept

low rider

A “low rider” is a car that sits very low to the ground. Here, they’re talking about how the build helps achieve that lowered look.

Term

VQ

“VQ” is Nissan’s name for the V6 engine used in the 350Z. In this story, they’re talking about a common issue where the engine can start using/burning oil, and the owner is trying to stop that.

Part

special seats

They installed special seats instead of the original ones. Custom seats can be chosen to look right for the build and to keep you supported while driving.

Car

BMW G31

The BMW 5 Series is a luxury sedan that’s built for comfortable daily driving. It’s designed to feel sporty and refined rather than basic. People talk about it because it’s a well-known BMW model line.

Term

HR

“HR” is a label for a newer version of the V6 engine used in some 350Zs. They’re saying the engine changed to the HR version around the middle of that year, which can change how the car behaves and what people recommend for fixes.

Term

airlift air suspension system

This is an aftermarket air suspension system. Instead of regular springs, it uses air bags so you can adjust how high or low the car sits.

Term

3P

“3P” is the name of the controller kit inside the air suspension system. It helps control how the air bags fill and empty so you can set the car’s height.

Term

hydraulics

“Hydraulics” means using pressurized fluid and pumps to move the car’s suspension. The speaker is saying their setup uses air instead, so it won’t bounce around as dramatically.

Car

Tesla Semi

The Tesla Semi is a large electric truck used to move cargo. Instead of using diesel fuel, it runs on electricity. The big questions people discuss are how charging works and how it fits long-distance routes.

Term

cold crank abs

They’re talking about “cold crank amps,” which is how strong a battery is when it’s cold out. A higher rating helps the car (and the air suspension) work reliably even in colder conditions.

Part

ripped bushings

Bushings are small rubber parts that help the suspension move smoothly. If they rip, the car can feel loose or bouncy and won’t handle as well.

Part

seized tie rods

Tie rods are parts that help control where the wheels point. If they seize, steering can get stuck or feel wrong, which is a safety concern.

Part

three piece suspension system

A “three-piece suspension system” means the car’s suspension was upgraded with a set of related parts, not just one. People do this to make the car handle better and feel more controlled.

Part

Corbo seats

Corbo seats are aftermarket seats meant for driving hard, like on a track. They’re usually more supportive and can be lighter than stock seats.

Car

Chevrolet Corvette

They’re talking about a Chevrolet Corvette—one of Chevy’s well-known sports cars. Here it’s mainly used to say their friend had similar seats.

Term

curb rash

Curb rash is when your wheel gets scratched or scuffed from hitting the curb. It’s mostly cosmetic, but it can also mean the wheel took a hit.

Brand

CSF

CSF makes aftermarket cooling parts. Here, they’re using a CSF radiator to help the car stay cooler.

Term

aluminum radiator

A radiator helps keep the engine from overheating by moving hot coolant through a heat exchanger. An aluminum radiator is a common upgrade because it can cool more effectively.

Term

oil cooler

An oil cooler is like a small radiator for your engine oil. It helps keep the oil from getting too hot, which helps the engine run smoother and last longer.

Term

Shell T6 Rotella

Shell T6 Rotella is a type of engine oil. The speaker changed to it because they think it performs better when the engine oil runs very hot.

Term

oil temperature

Oil temperature is how hot your engine oil gets. If it gets too hot, the oil can’t protect the engine as well, so watching it helps you know if your cooling setup is working.

Term

lip mode

Limp mode is when the car protects itself by limiting power. It usually happens when the computer thinks something isn’t safe, like overheating or a sensor reading a problem.

Term

burn oil

“Burn oil” means the engine is using oil as it runs, so you have to top it off more often. It can happen when internal parts or seals wear out and oil gets into places it shouldn’t.

Term

five way 30

“5W-30” is a common oil type that’s thinner than heavier oils. If an engine is already burning oil, a thinner oil can sometimes make the problem worse.

Term

10 way 40

“10W-40” is the type of oil thickness. A thicker oil (like 40 when hot) can sometimes slow down oil burning if the engine is letting oil slip past seals.

Term

extra pressure

They’re saying thicker oil can create more “push” inside the engine and help it seal better. That can reduce oil loss, but it doesn’t necessarily fix why the engine is leaking or burning oil.

Term

wear and tear

They’re warning that changing oil thickness can have downsides. Even if thicker oil helps with oil burning, it might not be ideal for how the engine was designed to lubricate.

Term

higher mileage engine

A “higher mileage engine” just means the engine has been driven a lot. Over time, parts and seals wear out, and that can lead to using more oil.

Term

higher mileage oils

“Higher mileage oils” are special oils made for older engines. They’re designed to help with issues like oil leaks or oil burning, often by using additives that condition seals.

Concept

longevity

Longevity just means “how long it lasts.” They’re saying that with care, their car should keep running for a long time.

Term

RGB module

An RGB module is a small electronic controller that lets lights change colors. People use it to make car lighting look different or more personalized.

Brand

spec D

Spec-D is a company that makes aftermarket car headlights. The speaker is talking about using Spec-D headlights on their car.

Term

GTR headlights

“GTR headlights” means headlights that are styled like the ones on a Nissan GT-R. People swap them onto other cars mainly for the look.

LIVE

Hey, what's happening? How are you doing today? Thank you so much for being here.

I am Chris and this is the world famous cool cars with Chris didn't know the

show is actually world famous. Well,

40 countries on the world say it is and that is that.

So today we have a fantastic episode coming to you live from Willow Springs.

And once again,

these episodes are going to be recorded in video format.

So if you're listening to this on an audio podcast, that's fantastic.

You keep on doing that, but just a heads up.

This will be in a video format on YouTube and Spotify. You go ahead,

get right there. There you go. And on today's fantastic episode,

we have the legend himself,

Michael Castro Garcia and his 2005 Nissan

350Z. You know, I'm a Z guy. I love Z cars. I have a Z myself.

I've owned two Z cars in my lifetime. I've actually driven a few,

but that's beside the point. We're talking about Michael's cool car today.

And he actually got into the 350Z because like most of us,

he loved the fast and furious movies. And the big one,

I think it was Tokyo drift is the one featured the 350Z

as DK drift Kings car.

The kind of the villain of the movie had a 350Z. Anyways,

he liked that movie so much.

He wanted to get a 350Z of himself and he actually loves it.

But the cool thing is about his car,

it sits fairly, fairly low to the ground. And how did he pull that off?

He uses his battery to actually make this car somewhat of a low rider.

So we're going to be talking about that.

And when it comes to 350Z,

the V known to burn oil.

So how does Michael combat that?

Well, he figured a little hack out a little secret sauce on how his VQ

never burns oil. I kind of could believe what he does and how he does it to his

engine.

We will be discussing how he was actually building out his car,

putting in these special seats and how it meant something,

a very special tribute to a friend of his.

And also stick around and hear how,

why Michael's biggest enemy isn't a rival racer like you would think it would be.

It's actually a local McDonald's drive-thru.

Hear about all that and more on this episode. Let's go.

Car. Do you have today?

I have a bag 350Z, which is right behind us.

A 350Z, the car that made my love for Z's come back.

I used to love the, the, the G 32, G 31.

I know people have G 31's and everybody, no one's had a G 31.

And you say he's had a G 32 and I wanted a 350 when it came out and

in 03 or whatever it was. What year is your 350?

05 2005. That's a good year for 350. Really good.

Really still use a D and then I believe a little bit during 06.

And then I believe in the middle of that year they switched to the HR.

Okay. Yeah. I know the HR came out around 0506 or maybe 07, 08 for sure.

So your 350, dude, it is something to look at, man.

It is sitting like lying on the ground, man.

What kind of suspension do you got in that thing?

I have a 3P airlift, airlift air suspension system.

Nice. Nice. So can you adjust?

Can you raise it up and down on the concave?

Yeah. So think of it as a low rider, but without the hydraulics, it's just

they can't dance. They can't bounce the thing.

I can't. It depends if you put a semi truck air bags that you can.

Oh, wow.

My buddy Sheldon has one and has a semi truck air bags on his and his connect

and go really fast. Yeah, really.

And just curious when for the system itself, do you have to have like any other

like power, power supply for it or you run on battery?

Really? OK. Yeah.

But not its own dedicated battery. It's it's like the car battery.

OK. Got you. Got you.

I was where is that battery located at the engine compartment?

Oh, OK. I'm not having a regular car battery, but the battery for the for the

suspension is on the car battery runs off.

Oh, right. Actually, I had it.

It'll run off. Did you have to upgrade the car battery to a bigger battery for all that?

You could get a battery with more cold crank abs.

Right. Right. That's what I did. OK.

Nice. Nice. So how long have you had this car?

I've had it for two and a half years.

I got it in September of twenty twenty three, a little post college graduation

gift for myself. Nice.

Let me get to reward yourself for something.

I've rewarded myself for this thing.

You know, reward myself for going through a nasty divorce and I picked

myself out of this and this thing.

So but have you ever taken the car to the track today?

It's his first time. Oh, it was supposed to come last year,

but I had a lot of suspension issues, you know, ripped bushings and

seized tie rods with the original. Yeah.

Twenty years old. Yeah.

That could have happened to the cars get old.

They sort of rip into bushings or tearing and things like that starts happening,

whatever. But as far as like modifications go, I know the car is not stock.

I made notes if I'm looking at it, it's not stock for transparency.

He was going to ask us for another piece of paper to fill out all of it.

They ask him a girl here.

What kind of mods do you have on the car?

He lives there writing a book.

So so what are your top three mods on the car?

Definitely the three piece suspension system.

What else? The Corbo seats.

Oh, OK.

For two reasons. One, those were a birthday slash Christmas gift

by my beautiful girlfriend, which oh, thank you. I love you.

Shout out to the girlfriend.

Thank you. And to show me friends.

By the way, it doesn't ask it for me here for I don't know.

And then second reason, I was going to go with other seats,

but because my good friend Scott Cohen passed away last

year in August, a couple of days before I got the car back.

Well, he kept asking me, bro, when's the car coming back to you, man?

Where's it coming back?

Sadly, he did not get to see the final product of the car.

But it's a fun fact. We did have the same seats.

OK. He had a what was a 0605 Corvette.

Oh, wow. He had the same seats as me.

So I'm like, you know what, as a little bit of a tribute, I'm keeping those seats.

Oh, nice. Nice.

They work as well. Rest in peace, Scott. Love you, man.

Oh, man.

RAP, buddy.

So I'm surprised the wheels weren't on that list.

So we're talking about that.

That's the thing at the beginning of people telling me, dude,

how do you keep your wheels like not curb rash?

I'm like, just keep space, man.

So make sure you don't just driver skills.

What it is. Yeah, a little bit of driver skills.

You got me like, you know, I mean, I mean,

my car's got a little bit of curb rash on some of the tires a little bit more

meatier than most people are running on such a steep fall.

Oh, I know you feel it, though.

You feel a little pebble you feel on the road.

The one thing that's tough is drive through parking lots

or drive through like driveways when you go like, say, McDonald's, Burger King.

Yeah, I'm picky with that.

But some of them are really, really tight.

And I've had instances where like from the inside,

it really like I did not feel confident going around the bend

because I felt like the back tire was going to get caught.

So I feel like that sometimes is like one of those like even if you're skilled,

if you kind of misjudge that, that could be a bit of a screw.

So what do you do like engine wise to the car?

I mean, not stock engine. What do you got?

I have a bit of a stock engine.

But really, we have most I've missed mostly maintenance, a little bit of performance.

But I want to go performance wise.

I have a CSF gracing, aluminum radiator.

It's three times thicker than an original.

Really? Now, what does that do for the performance of the car?

It just cools it.

But it cools it down mainly and it just require more cooling.

Oh, really? It's three times thicker than OEM.

It's been a cool if you didn't kind of oil cooler on the car.

I don't need to because the oil is thicker.

Now, why is the oil thicker on your car?

So I.

I switched over to a Shell T6 Rotella

because think about it, the VQ35Ds, those run so damn hot.

Now, you ask yourself, what other car or other engine,

the cars run that run so freaking hard?

Think about it for a second.

Diesel, look at Volvo.

Oh, yeah, diesel, Mercedes diesel.

So when they run with the first hot goes, what temperature those run at?

I'm honest. Oh, no.

So I know they're not going to be hot.

Now, your car and what temperature did it run at before you switched the oil?

I didn't really look at the stats.

Really? You didn't look at your gauge of oil gauge, nothing?

I just look at my gas mileage.

OK, OK. Yeah.

Like I look at my most cars and look at the oil temperature in my in my car.

And I think today, I guess you're right out here.

It was pretty hot. It got to like 230, which I think it's pretty high.

Yeah, I mean, I think 260 is top of the needle.

So I think when you get to 260, the car goes in lip mode and shuts off.

And I wonder if your car does the same thing.

It doesn't go in lip mode, but the oil like the idol has just felt a little like weird.

I'm like, oh, that's not good.

And I look at my oil every month, I'm like, I need to top it off again.

And it feels like water.

I'm like, damn, I need I need 10 30 or something.

Yeah, I know the cars totally out of warranty.

So it didn't make a difference whether oil and switch with it or whatever.

But I just kind of curious if like if you had any like issues at all,

like I mean, anything you think of that that may may cause any issues

by switching total oils completely like that.

Oh, honestly, I don't know.

I've you know, I've heard it because I even with the Z, but now I have an M 35.

I think with the same motor as your car.

And and those like still that the common issue is that they start to burn oil

out of the servo and usually they do stay to step up, you know, step up oil.

And now we're like, instead of going like five way 30, you go 10 way 40.

And and they say that even that helps kind of seal things a little bit better

because of the extra pressure, but the extra thickness, the extra extra thickness.

But, you know, the downside is sometimes a little bit more wear and tear

just because the motor wasn't designed for that.

But, you know, with a higher mileage engine, you're doing whatever you can

in the track preserve it feel like.

Well, I think if you look at higher mileage oils in general, I think

they're a little thicker, thicker base.

I've got to leave then then I was thinking of miles.

How many miles or nothing?

Oh, let me see.

So I got it at one twenty nine thousand.

It's now at one hundred and fifty thousand miles.

It's still running strong, man.

Oh, yeah.

They do that gives me hope for my car.

But when I hear about Z stories, I've got Zs of like over a hundred thousand

miles, I'm like, gives me hope, you know, that that mine can make it to 200.

Yeah, or whatever.

These things yourself.

But the cool thing about Nissan and Infinity of them just doing like

this, keeping the same formula for so long is that they've really worked

out some quirks with that platform, I feel like.

And so, you know, I wouldn't worry about longevity, especially taking care of it.

You know, these are solid.

So if you could do any kind of mod that you haven't done already to the car,

what would it be and why?

Oh, man.

Um, maybe have an RGB module in my spec D headlights, because I have never

seen in person a 350Z with spec D GTR headlights.

Really?

I want to be the first.

Well, I'm still out there somewhere.

Look at Instagram.

Just search on Instagram.

Sure.

Instagram's got everything now these days.

You know, we've got crazy mods.

Are you going to Instagram, by the way?

Yes, I do.

What is your handle?

Oh, Michael underscore three fifty Z.

Nice.

Michael.

One hundred worth three fifty Z.

Thank you so much for being here, man.

I really appreciate you all your time today, man.

Nice meeting you, Eric.

Yeah, nice.

About this episode

Michael Castro Garcia walks through his 2005 Nissan 350Z build, from the Air Lift 3P setup and battery tweaks to the suspension repairs needed before a track day at Willow Springs. He also explains how he keeps the VQ35 healthy with a different oil choice, while the car’s Corbeau seats carry a personal tribute to his late friend Scott Cohen. The result is a practical build story that mixes performance, maintenance, and memory.

10 way 40 airlift air suspension system aluminum radiator battery burn oil Corbo seats CSF curb rash five way 30 higher mileage engine

BMW 5 Series Chevrolet Corvette Nissan 200 SX Nissan Z Tesla Semi

Original notes

In this episode of Cool Cars with Chris, we sit down with Michael Castro Garcia to talk about his 2005 Nissan 350Z build.

Inspired by Fast & Furious: Tokyo Drift, Michael shares how he turned his dream into reality with a bagged 350Z running a full air suspension setup that allows the car to sit extremely low while still being street driven.

We also dive into the common VQ engine oil burning issue and the method he uses to help manage it, along with what it’s like owning and maintaining a higher-mileage 350Z.

This episode isn’t just about the build—it also tells a deeper story. Michael shares the meaning behind key parts of the car, including a tribute to a close friend that makes this build truly personal.

Topics covered:

Nissan 350Z build and modifications
Bagged air suspension setup
VQ engine reliability and oil fix
Driving a slammed car daily
First track experience at Willow Springs
The story behind the build

If you’re into 350Z builds, JDM cars, car culture, and real stories behind the machines, this episode is for you.

Subscribe for more episodes featuring unique builds and passionate car owners.

FOLLOW & CONNECT

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cool_cars_with_chris619/

👤 Follow our guest Michael Castro Garcia:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michael_350z/

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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheDriveNDad22

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00:00 Introduction to Cool Cars with Chris
00:36 Meet Michael & his Nissan 350Z build
01:00 Inspiration from Tokyo Drift
01:28 Bagged air suspension setup explained
02:26 Overview of the 2005 Nissan 350Z
03:17 How the air suspension system works
04:25 Ownership story & buying the car
05:11 Top modifications on the 350Z
05:33 Tribute story behind the seats
06:49 Driving challenges with a lowered car
07:31 Engine setup & cooling upgrades
07:58 VQ engine oil discussion & fix
10:27 Mileage, reliability & ownership experience
11:13 Future plans for the build
11:33 Outro

This episode features a Nissan 350Z build story focused on a bagged 350Z with air suspension, VQ engine reliability, and real-world ownership. If you’re searching for Nissan 350Z builds, 350Z mods, bagged cars, air suspension setups, VQ engine oil fixes, or JDM car culture content, this episode covers it all. From a 2005 Nissan 350Z build to discussions around high-mileage 350Z reliability, engine maintenance, and modified car lifestyle, this podcast is perfect for car enthusiasts, 350Z owners, and anyone interested in automotive builds, stance cars, and performance upgrades.

#Nissan350Z #350ZBuild #350Z #Bagged350Z #AirSuspension #VQEngine #JDM #JDMCars #CarBuild #ModifiedCars #CarPodcast #AutomotivePodcast #CarCulture #StanceNation #LoweredCars #CarEnthusiast #ImportCars #PerformanceCars #CarMods #StreetCars #TrackCars #WillowSprings #CarLife #AutoLifestyle #CoolCarsWithChris

Cool Cars with Chris: Car Talk, Driving Tips & Auto Life

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