Project car budget is already getting away from me

I parked the 2023 Nissan Z and wrote down what I already tested so I'm not repeating myself. That's my plan before I call anyone.

Don't overfit one forum story to your car. If it still isn't clear on the 2023 Nissan Z, a specialist hour can be cheaper than another round of parts. I'd do that before spending real money. I'd want a dollar figure or a measured spec, not 'should be fine.' A day of patience here is cheaper than a wrong part. If the story changes I'll post the new data.

I'd keep this practical. Verify the cheap/easy branch on the 2023 Nissan Z before a big repair or a big spend. Then you'll know the next fork. This is from a 2023 Nissan Z in San Diego with 8,200 miles. Parts cannon is a personality type I try to avoid. Your commute and mine probably aren't the same, but the test still applies. I'll update if anything new shows up.

Write down what you already tried. A second data point from another 2023 Nissan Z owner helps more than a generic diagnosis. I'd do that before spending real money. If you share a photo of the worksheet, easier to sanity-check. If this is nothing, great. I want that in data.