RE: Nissan 300ZX: Spotted

[s m]

diddy_p said:

I had one of these back in 2005-2007, even back then most of them were butchered monstrosities. I always liked the 300zx and at the time managed to pick mine up with about 20k miles, 1 owner (Jim Marshall no less, RIP), always garaged, FNSH, no mods.

Even so, the car did suffer corrosion, as mentioned by someone else, the sills would corrode due to the targa drains, and factory rust proofing is just a bit crap (from what I can tell GTRs are no better).

As mentioned elsewhere - this was Nissan's global sports car, the GTR was JDM only. Also the Mk4 Supra came out some years after the Z32 (Z32 = 1989 at its earliest, MK4 = 1993 IIRC).

I focussed on handling so I fitted a set of KYB AGX Shocks, Eibach Springs, Whiteline ARBs, Nismo bushes all round, R33 GTR Brembos, 350z Rays Rims, and finally the 1999 Spec 300ZX bodykit (imported at great expense!) - Yes Nissan made these right through to about 2001 - I think the 1999 kit updated the cars looks without losing any character - and after all is OEM so fit and finish is perfect.

In the end the car was run into while parked one evening in london and got written off. Shame.

That looks a smart car




Was in the Car & Driver mag annual top 10 for a fair few years

Even beat the Vette through the slalom

[Cheapskate]

Alex_225 said:

I think also, if anyone remembers the cartoon MASK, there was a purple 300ZX in that which turned into a plane. haha

That was the Z31 though, which as a kid I thought was just about the coolest car this side of a Testarossa. Everything for the headlights to the digital dash captured the essence of the 80s.

Anyway, although I never quite took to the styling of these, the SWB 2 seat hardtop looks like great value against its contemporaries. You couldn’t get the TT model here, but I had plenty of US mags and it generally ranked first (I think R&T gave it the nod once against the RX7, Corvette and Elan and on another occasion against the Supra and similar GTs).

In my recent car search a 96 model was very tempting. But ultimately decided a 10 year old 335i did everything better for very little extra outlay.

As a driving experience, the 90s Japanese GTs were ahead of their time but lack the uniqueness of other 90s machinery. Whereas the MR2, S15 Silvia and WRX/Evo from that decade are ‘of their time’ enough that modern alternatives provide a completely different driving proposition.

[DanSkoda]

Makes the twin turbo automatic one of my colleagues bought for 250quid look like the bargain of the century!

[daztomo]

It’s a UK manual car which accounted for about 10% sold in the UK, it’s totally standard which it’s rare and no rot which is even rarer, the UK cars as were all jap cars in the 90’s allegedly 280bhp from factory as requested by the EU, as we all know that’s not the case.

The manual cars have more power than the Auto’s.

Everything on this car works and all 3 owners are known as is the history and I’m one of them.

£15,000 is strong money but you’ll be hard pushed to find a better unmolested car with real history and receipts.

Gutted when I sold it but a new project is on its way and who ever buys it will love the car.

[coldel]

It still feels way over the mark by at least 3k-4k - you can pick up an identical auto for 7k and spend under a grand on a manual conversion and you are on the road with the same spec/condition/miles but six thousand pounds better off.

[TwinExit]

coldel said:

It still feels way over the mark by at least 3k-4k - you can pick up an identical auto for 7k and spend under a grand on a manual conversion and you are on the road with the same spec/condition/miles but six thousand pounds better off.

Not quite.

If you bought a low mileage 'auto' for 7k it is likely to be a grey import car, the manual conversion will cost far more than £1k if you want a proper healthy box, clutch,misc parts and labour.

Then the car will be simply regarded as an auto with manual conversion, not quite the same as an ORIGINAL manual car so the price will reflect this.

False economy.

Edited by TwinExit on Friday 15th December 11:14

[DaveCWK]

I like the 300zx, especially the manual short wheelbase, but not at that price.

[Alex_225]

TwinExit said:

If that 300zx has evidence of proper care, maintenance and no cutting corners of replacement parts - £15k for a car 2+2 big power grand tourer that retailed for nearly £40k in the 1990's is a good price. Same goes for the 928, 3000GT, Jaguar XJ-S, XK-R, Supra etc etc

The problem is you are into budget French hatches, so its clearly not the car for you (nor for me either!).

I do own a couple of RenaultSports but also a Merc CLS63. I'm aware you can pick up an E/CLS55 or 63 for £15k+ so comparatively, they'd take my money. To me that 300ZX is a cool car and I'm all for a totally mint example but where a CLS63 was £70k in 2007 that is more of an appealing prospect to me than this particular car.

That's just me though and I appreciate some people have a thing for classic Japanese cars but I personally don't value this particular model at that price. That said, yes I do like a French hot hatch too but I wouldn't go and pay £20k for a R5GTT either.

Cheapskate said:

That was the Z31 though, which as a kid I thought was just about the coolest car this side of a Testarossa. Everything for the headlights to the digital dash captured the essence of the 80s.

That's the one, I only knew it from the cartoon so didn't know much beyond that. Still cool though haha

[Valgar]

hahahahaha NO

£15k, don't be absurd

[s m]

If it had a horse badge however......

[coldel]

TwinExit said:

Not quite.

If you bought a low mileage 'auto' for 7k it is likely to be a grey import car, the manual conversion will cost far more than £1k if you want a proper healthy box, clutch,misc parts and labour.

Then the car will be simply regarded as an auto with manual conversion, not quite the same as an ORIGINAL manual car so the price will reflect this.

False economy.

Edited by TwinExit on Friday 15th December 11:14

Nothing wrong with an import - will not have been driven through winters of salt filled roads especially if its a new import. Imports come with great cover if you use an import company - the idea that a UK car is superior is a bit old hat. Costs for manual conversions are around that when I was researching on the 300zx forum. I havent done it myself as I dont own the car, but thats the advice given.

But yes, its not a UK manual off the bat - but save yourself six grand and you will end up with something pretty much where you are with this overpriced example.

I guess we will see if its still on here in a few weeks!

[W12GT]

Ok had of these years and years ago. I loved it and tbh still get a little excited when I see one on the road that’s original and looked after.

I only had mine for less than 6months as it tried to kill me on 3 occasions - it never did give me much warning when it was about to go wayward and back then I wasn’t experienced enough driver.

Hopefully it will find a good home and be kept unmolested.

[soad]

coldel said:

For £15k you can easily pick yourself up a 370z if you want a big engined GT car

But this one has two turbos...different power delivery.

[coldel]

soad said:

But this one has two turbos...different power delivery.

Agreed. Depends if you like the turbo surge or NA linear delivery. But even then you could easily step into many other much more modern and faster turbo cars for that money. Hell even a 350z supercharged/turbo conversion would not set you back £15k and be much faster, more reliable etc.

[V8RX7]

coldel said:

you could easily step into many other much more modern and faster turbo cars for that money....

and be much faster, more reliable etc.

^^^ That is the argument against all classic cars

And yet they remain popular.

When I was younger and my Dad was a classic car dealer I couldn't believe that people would pay more for cars that were worse in every way.

[Limpet]

I've always loved these things. With the possible exception of the mk3 RX7, I reckon they are the best looking car ever to come out of Japan.

The fared-in headlights always reminded me of the Koenig Testarossa.

[s m]

Limpet said:

I've always loved these things. With the possible exception of the mk3 RX7, I reckon they are the best looking car ever to come out of Japan.

The fared-in headlights always reminded me of the Koenig Testarossa.

[Moonpie21]

Back in the early 00’s I had a twin turbo targa purple import auto standard. Loved that car, really handsome. Wish I could have kept it to drive on special occasions and look at fondly.

If I had a collection I’d want one of these in it.

[daztomo]

Remember we are talking about a rate UK unmolested UK manual car, leather interior with power seats, not a jap import with the cloth seats and totally different specs and a manual conversion and my mates just done one on his and it’s a lot more than a grand!!! Nearer £2500 to be done properly!

The head lamps are used in the Lamborghini Diablo, marked Nissan as well.

[Desert Dragon]

daztomo said:

Remember we are talking about a rate UK unmolested UK manual car, leather interior with power seats, not a jap import with the cloth seats and totally different specs and a manual conversion and my mates just done one on his and it’s a lot more than a grand!!! Nearer £2500 to be done properly!

The head lamps are used in the Lamborghini Diablo, marked Nissan as well.

Nice enough car if genuine but I've visited the dealer in the past. Wouldn't go near them again. Cowboys are high class by comparison. Couldn't see one car there without a story and they had circa 40-50 cars up there.