Nissan 300ZX, all models
Just wondering if there are any other Z owners like me out there. I am the original owner of a 1985 Aspen Gold 2-seat 300ZX with T-tops and 5-speed. I have the standard gauges and cloth seats. This car looks almost as good as it did the first day I saw it at the dealer showroom. It has 79,500 miles on it and the following is what I have had to do to it in 17 years: replace a faulty switch that kept unlocking the passenger door (happened within a month of purchase; covered under warranty); replaced the sterio due to a sticking cassette player; replaced the clutch about 60,000 miles; replaced the transmission about 78,000 miles; replaced the tires about every 22,000 miles; regular oil changes; a couple of batteries. I had one weird experience where the taillights would not go out...my mechanic fixed that for about $20.
This has been the most incredibly reliable and satisfying car I can ever imagine owning. Although I am about ready to retire it to the other side of the garage and give it "classic car" status, I don't think I could ever bear to part with it. Every single time I approach this car I still think to myself "that is the most beautiful car I have ever seen".
But this good soldier probably deserves to retire with honors. I am thinking about getting a 2002 Nissan Xterra for the other side of the garage. I would like to hear from anyone else who loves his Z as much as I love mine.
This has been the most incredibly reliable and satisfying car I can ever imagine owning. Although I am about ready to retire it to the other side of the garage and give it "classic car" status, I don't think I could ever bear to part with it. Every single time I approach this car I still think to myself "that is the most beautiful car I have ever seen".
But this good soldier probably deserves to retire with honors. I am thinking about getting a 2002 Nissan Xterra for the other side of the garage. I would like to hear from anyone else who loves his Z as much as I love mine.
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There's a website dedicated to these cars, www. Z31.com, which is Nissan's model designation for the '84-'89 300ZXs.
Host
And, strangly, I liked the goofy digital dashes too! Like a Nevada slot machine!
But they are very troublesome.
Mine is an '82 280ZX 2-seat 5-speed that I bought new [almost - a dealer demo] 20 years ago. It is an 80's metallic brown, the same color mocked by Automobile Mag a few issues ago. Aside from replacing the starter motor, it has been rock-solid reliable; it still has the original clutch at 115,000 miles. It is also a very beautiful car, at least in my eyes and those of a legion of strangers making that observation over 20 years. Unfortunately, since it became the third car in a 2-car garage family about 10 years ago, that beauty is succumbing to rust. Like jcliffo, I can't imagine parting with it, even though it has been relegated to the background at times by an old Corvette and a new BMW. It costs next to nothing to own. So, I am instead embarked on an amateur (VERY amateur) cosmetic resto, selectively grinding, filling, sanding, spraying, compounding, etc. Frankly, I could use some advice.
Thanks for your consideration.
Shifty the Host
I can't believe you still have the original clutch on your 1982 Z. But I think I have a heavy left foot, especially while backing down my long driveway; mine had to be replaced at about 60,000 miles and at 13 years of age (not too bad since most of the mileage has been city mileage).
With the stock market like it is, I decided to hold off on getting a second car, so the Z remains my one and only and predict it will be for some time.
I could talk some about values and possible collectible status in the future.
We could also go to the other boards and invite Nissan people over here.
Of course, someday the 300ZX might bottom out and start to rise again, but not anytime soon since there are a lot of them surviving.
ZILCH
as you might have realized.
It's one thing for an owner to ask $10K, but it's another when you wave $8,000 in cash under his nose and his phone hasn't rung in two weeks.
Maybe you aren't supposed to do this, but can you recommend the best methods/locations to find a nice, good condition Z in NYC area? I'll travel to find something, but I hesitate to drop 8Gs to a private seller. Maybe that's my only option, though. Maybe you could drop me a private e-mail, if it's against the rules? (check my profile)
Thanks!
Hal
Also, I had to laugh at the remark above about finding a clean one in Detroit. I was living in Plymouth, MIchigan when I decided I wanted to buy a used one, black leather on black, non-turbo. I was using cars.com, looking all over the US, wondering how much chance I was willing to take by flying out to a potential car and driving it home, when I found one on cars.com with 78,000 miles from a little old lady in Westland, MI, who only drove it in the summer! It had new tires and a new clutch and new timing belt. Lucked out that time.
Would like to hear others' high mileage stories, hopefully tales of victory with little repair costs. Are there any other 300zx enthusiast sites that might help me find out this type of info?
Andy
-Jason
There's also www.traderonline.com, and use the "collector car" option as well as the normal "used car" option. Sometimes you get different listings that way.
Hal
huh? 300ZX owners will give up their machines for new 350Zs?! Do you reallllly think so?
If you are near Western Kentucky or passing through with an interest in Z's you might want to stop in. I'll gladly provide his name, address and phone number to anyone interested.....
Later,
Hal
Many of these older complex cars are simply not worth fixing if something major gives up the ghost. You will see more and more modern cars junked as they age because of this problem--their repair bills equalling or exceeding their Book Value.
Now, of course, you've raised the value to what an '85 ZX with a good trans and good body and paint should be worth....around $3.5K-4K.
So in that sense your investment comes back to you at least...a break even move and it makes sense.
But a new engine would cost more than the car is worth and would be a questionable decision.
Naturally, demand goes up with condition, too, since a nice clean car is more desirable to most people.
This is why with "common but desirable" cars, like say a Miata, there is often a HUGE difference in price between a sharp one and a ratty one; whereas with truly rare cars, the difference in price between say #2 and #3 or #4 isn't so drastic---because you can always say "Okay, but if you don't buy it, where you gonna find another one?"
-Had the transmission serviced. Fluid and filter change. Didn't really help at all.
-Had a scanner put on it to see if there was a computer/electronics problem that prevented the transmission from knowing when to shift gears. Nothing abnormal was found.
-Had a transmission fluid additive put in. Didn't really help all that much. Maybe a little.
I plan on keeping this vehicle for a long, long time, so I'd really like to get this tranny issue taken care of. What can I try next--short of
having the transmission rebuilt? If I have to resort to a complete transmission rebuild, then I'll just have to bite the bullet and come off of the cash to have it done.
Any sound mechanical advice that may save me some bucks will most DEFINITELY be appreciated. I am also in the process of having this Z car painted, including the replacement of all exterior trim pieces, NISSAN emblems, etc. The wheels are going to be powder coated silver. It should look great when it's finished.
Thanks in advance for any tips!
Regards,
R.M.
I'm not sure on your model if there are any linkage adjustments that can be done but this can help that type of car whose shifting is actuated mechanically and with vacuum.
Has the tranny been pressure tested?
Stay away from certain types of additives. These can be harmful, depending on the ingredients; however Redline, etc. makes good products.
This sounds like the type of problem that cannot be fixed out of a can unfortunately.
I have a 1985 300ZX Turbo, black & gold with border stripes. No, not an anniversary edition, those were silver. It has 110K on it and currently just occupies space in my garage. Along with improper storage prep (that's what happens when you get married and get other responsibilities), 2 door dings and a good hood ding, it received a $4K repaint to better than OEM specs back in 1992 (on the insurance company) and only has about 12 months weathering and 15K miles on that paint job.
It also has an elusive electrical short somewhere in the passenger side headlight and the synchros are gone in the 5 speed manual transmission. That started at 60K miles, so I'm less than impressed with the manual transmissions durability. But, I wonder what a rebuild/refurb/replace would cost minimum?
One problematic item I haven't seen addressed here is the adjustable shock absorbers. At $200 a piece plus installation, they are prohibitive to replace, but 3 of 4 of mine are originals, and thou not leaking, they haven't absorbed a shock for the last 30K miles. Does everyone else just give up on the adjustables and buy the fixed type to save money?
BTW, nothing wrong with the post-1984 Turbos if they have been treated properly. In 1985 they finally got the bearing cooling right and with proper cool down, no problem! I haven't had a bit of turbo trouble and I think the engine will go 200K miles. I had a good Nissan shop thoroughly test the engine at 90K and it exceeded all original specs. One of the smoothest V-6s ever built I believe.
I've got the light tan velour interior with standard components. I kept everything working and keep most of the plastic parts replaced when they broke from age embrittlement. Other wear items like the center console cover have been replaced OEM.
Another chronic electrical problem with the 1985 ZXs is the door activated interior lighting. The door switch constantly sticks, always has, so one often doesn't get interior lights.
Well I've been rambling, so I'll sign off and check back to see if anyone still works this site.
Thanks
great condition. Is there anything specific I need to be concerned with? anything that should be checked specifically to this model/year?
thanks in advance. I am purchasing from a dealer, not a private owner and they do not
have the service history. Carfax has checked out clean.
However, don't rely on CARFAX--the car could indeed have been wrecked or had any number of calamaties done to it, and Carfax will not know about it. Be sure to get a thorough underbody inspection to check for collision damage, and be sure to check ID numbers and title papers for accuracy. CARFAX is helpful but by no means can prevent you from buying a bad car with previous damage. It's a "gross filter" for problems only.
The only way to really prove low miles is to see a pile of consecutively dated service records with the VIN or license # on them; otherwise, you could try CARFAX and see what turns up with that.
Of course, if CARFAX shows 39,000 miles 5-6 years ago and nothing since, that is equally suspicious because the car was laid up for some reason.
http://165.235.17.9/activestns/pubtstqrydo.asp?LB=NO
Maybe other states have a similar website.