Car and Truck Exterior Door Handles for Nissan 350Z
As the proud owner of a Nissan 350Z sports car, you know that every detail matters. If one of your exterior door handles gets scratched or breaks, this can impact the look and drivability of your car. Fortunately, exterior handles are easy to replace as needed.
How do 350Z door handles work?In keeping with the sleek, high-performance design of the 350Z, its exterior handles fit snugly into the car door. To minimize air resistance, the latch fits sideways with the grip facing backward. This snug fit leaves very little room for error in terms of place and fit. If one part breaks, you will probably need to replace the whole unit to maintain that snug fit. In some cases, however, you may need to fix only one small part. Here is an overview of the handles major parts.
- Exterior handle: This is the part you grip to open the car door. When viewed from the side, this part should be sleek and only slightly curved where you grip it.
- Handle rod and cable: On the reverse side, the rod and cable assembly applies the tension needed to unlatch the car door. The rod slides into place, and the cable pulls on the interior mechanism.
- Door lock assembly and cable: These parts verify that the door is in fact unlocked using a second cable attached to the interior. If the door is locked, the assembly blocks the rest of the system from working.
- Keyhole and rod: On the drivers side door below the latch, a small keyhole and attached mechanism lets you manually lock and unlock the door.
Finding replacement exterior handles for your car is simple. Here are the key points to look for and keep in mind.
- Release year: The shape of door handles vary from year to year. Make sure to narrow your search with this in mind.
- Body type: In some cases, door shapes may also vary depending on body type. Always make sure to narrow by car body type, such as base, convertible, and performance types.
- Door side: When searching for replacement door handles, you can choose a set or just one door. Even if only one needs to be replaced, a matching set ensures that both look equally new.
- Custom detailing and paint: In general, 350Z door handles feature with a sleek chrome finish over sturdy metal parts. Whatever the original color of your car, the exterior latch was almost definitely chrome. If the handles are a different color now, this is probably aftermarket detail work. You can always repaint replacement handles to match.