Foo - 300ZX....Good? Bad?

Any of ya'll know anything about the Nissan 300ZX? Good? Bad? Would you pay $12K for a 20 year old vehicle...with only 50K miles....that is absolutely immaculate?? I'm really tired of driving a grandma car and looking for something sporty to drive. I really like the looks of this car but I'm just having trouble with '20 years old'. :twitchy: LINK (http://buzzlot.com/YoungbloodAutomotive/details.asp?referer=http://www.youngbloodauto.com/ou/springfield-chrysler-kia-nissan/&s_account=bzres3,bzresglobal&contentid=YoungbloodU&search_contentid=_default_search_id&compare=JN1CZ24A2LX002994&detSend=n&lang=US&startLang=&lang_toggle=)

The 300 was a fun car back in the day. I am not sure I'd shell out 12k for it tho. Seems a bit steep.

Hmm... for $12,000 I'd probably look around for a better deal.

A few months ago, I bought a 1983 Toyota pickup with about 50,000 miles. I was concerned about buying an older vehicle, but it was in great shape and I paid $2200 for it. I've since put about $1500 into it and now have a vehicle that should last another 100-150K miles at least. Parts are still available and there are still mechanics around that know how to work on the engine. Can you say that about the Nissan? Maybe.

And it's an automatic? FREE or look for something else.

The Kelly blue book value for excellent condition 1990 300zx turbo LOADED- is $6800 (in the NYC metro area). They are WAY overcharging.

That said, it is a good car, fun to drive, but better in a 5speed manual.:thumb:

The Kelly blue book value for excellent condition 1990 300zx turbo LOADED- is $6800 (in the NYC metro area). They are WAY overcharging.

That said, it is a good car, fun to drive, but better in a 5speed manual.:thumb:

Yeah..that's about what I came up with too. It's a really nice car but I think they have it way over priced. I'd prolly give 68 for it.

As far as it being an auto....I'd rather have a manual too, but my messed up body no longer allows me to drive a stick. I could do it if I had to but I would not feel safe.

I bought a new 300Zx twin turbo (Z32) in 1991 and sold it when I bought the 350Z (Z33) in 2003. Odometer read 67K. It sold for my asking price ($10,800).

The Z32 was waaaay ahead of it's time. Super HICAS steering, auto temp control, superior handling at speed. If the car is in immaculate condidtion (and a twin turbo) a Z enthusiast will pay the $12K and not blink. Too bad it doesn't have leather interior, but everything looks tip-top.

The Z32 motor was never easy to service....but very relaible.

Cost perspective: in 1991 the Z32 twin turbo had a sticker price of ~$38K.
The normally aspirated Z33 I bought in 2003 was fully loaded with NAV, leather, traction control, every available option excepRays Engineering track wheels and it MSPR'd for ~$33k.

The Z32 was a high quailty build imo. Z33 not so much.

Pic of Z32 being off loaded. Great car.

12K is a bit much for that car, even with the turbo. I'd hunt around for something with a 5-speed.

Manual transmission are more reliable and costs less to maintain over the lifespan of the car. Most of that costs in maintaining an automatic comes in the 2nd-half of the lifespan. So if you're buying a used car, go for the manual or else you'll end up paying most of the maintenance costs for an automatic anyway.

..... If the car is in immaculate condidtion (and a twin turbo)
It is.... and... it is.


Cost perspective: in 1991 the Z32 twin turbo had a sticker price of ~$38K.
Holy crap!



..... I'd hunt around for something with a 5-speed.
Read my last reply.

It would put you on your insurance agent's Christmas card list for certain. :rolleyes:

Read my last reply.

Aaah, crap. Sorry.

As far as the sports car market, I really hate how people drive up prices based on "their" assumption of what it's worth. I own a boosted sports car, and I know I'll never get what it's worth, even though it's 3 times rarer than a turbo 300Z. They sold 18,274 turbo Z32's in the US. GM only made 5,806 cars like mine, it's only 3 years old, just as fast as the 300Z turbo, and it's only worth $11,000.

What can we say? It's supply and demand. If someone will pay $12K for it, then it's worth that much. If you have your heart set on one, keep your eyes open and scrounge the Z boards. I'm sure something will turn up.

Yeah....That's too much for a 20 year old car. I don't necessarily want one of these. Although I do like it a lot. I just want something sportier than a freakin' 2001 Accord sedan. That order should be easy enough to fill. :lol:

With your user name I would have assumed that you'd buy yourself an LS1 F-body in good shape for half that. The 300zx is a beautiful car, and it seems like an auto is unfortunately a requirement (although I still feel that real sports cars have 5 lugs, 3 pedals, and power to the rear wheels for most people).
I guess it depends on what you want to do. If you want something that looks sporty and feels fast while going slow, but feels ok going fast, a Miata is pretty good for that. If you want something a bit less, well Miata like then a 300zx is a good call, but I'm pretty sure you can find an equivalent one for less. Going fast in a strait line but don't mind a lot of them on the road, something with a Chevy LS1 in it.

Yeah..that's about what I came up with too. It's a really nice car but I think they have it way over priced. I'd prolly give 68 for it.

As far as it being an auto....I'd rather have a manual too, but my messed up body no longer allows me to drive a stick. I could do it if I had to but I would not feel safe.

Simple, show them Bluebook, make a counteroffer of 6000, and allow yourself to be negotiated up. ;)

YouTube - 300zx Review - Everyday Driver

Overpriced, I bought a bulldozer for that much this year, a lot more fun. :D

With your user name I would have assumed that you'd buy yourself an LS1 F-body .......Going fast in a strait line but don't mind a lot of them on the road, something with a Chevy LS1 in it.

No thanks, I'll stick with my other car for the "strait line" stuff....

http://www.luddite.net/showmedave/misc/me.jpg

....and go as fast as I want to go...LEGALLY. :thumb:

Very cool, entertaining, funny video LesMc. Makes me want one. Still think $12K is a bit much for a 20 Y/O car.

Very cool, entertaining, funny video LesMc. Makes me want one. Still think $12K is a bit much for a 20 Y/O car.

Why don't you send them an email on youtube. Ask the owner any questions on your mind about it.

Holy crap!




:lol: yeah...

In the final year of the Z32 chasis...1996, the MSRP was approaching $50,000 for a twin turbo. The final 300 "commemorative editions" may have been priced over $50K.

Nissan found themselves competing with M series BMWs and Porsches. Nisaan decided to bow out, as did Toyota with their monster cast iron block Supra.

The four wheel steering (super HICAS) on the Z was amazing though...I never felt like I was gonna lose it in a corner...handling was very predictable. The cockpit was ergo and tight and the interior materials were top notch...did not fade, warp or crack over the 13 years I had the car.

If I was in the market for this car I'd offer $10K (after a qualified VG30DETT mechanic checks out the motor and turbos)...Z32TT in this condition is sought after in the Z community.

btw nice vid LesMc

....In the final year of the Z32 chasis...1996, the MSRP was approaching $50,000 for a twin turbo. The final 300 "commemorative editions" may have been priced over $50K.... LesMc

Double holy crap! I had no idea. :eek:

I drove a 300ZX Twin Turbo in dark grey metallic, T-Tops, Auto, back in '89. It was awesome! It had 280hp and was 2+2. The Twin Turbo T-Top 2+2 was the only model officially available in UK. It was also available as a 2 seater and convertible in various other markets.

No thanks, I'll stick with my other car for the "strait line" stuff....

http://www.luddite.net/showmedave/misc/me.jpg

....and go as fast as I want to go...LEGALLY. :thumb:

You're defining "speed" as top speed whereas I've had enough fun defining it as getting to speed quickly, also legal. One question though, since I've had a couple friends who drag, do you still feel like it was worth the hassle of charging to remove the alternator?

Long story short - Twin Turbo 300Z's were good cars in their day, possibly better made than the more recent 350's. But progress has been made, and you could probably buy a nice 350Z for what they want for this one.

That car, once negotiated down to a realistic price, might be a decent car for a devoted Z car fan who missed the chance to get once when they were new, and is willing to deal with the issues that come up.

Also, I USED TO be a Corvette owner. That mileage that's on that Z really isn't all that low. The Corvette guys have cars that old and much older with 10k, 5k, sometimes even only 1k or 2k miles on them. That's why I never got a long with that crowd - I had the audacity to actually drive my Corvette and let it get dirty & worn. But my point is, for them to ask $12k for a 1990 300Z TT auto I would expect to see no more than something like 20k miles.