I just stumbled across this and thought id share with you guys "DON?T buy a Nissan 300zx, unless you?ve got a lot of technical knowledge" http://www.gearboxmagazine.com/timos-nissan-300zx/
I think its a fairly good representation of a Z in one perspective. But some would argue that selected tools can reduce the required amount technical knowledge significantly when working with Z's or indeed any cars. When Nissan combined low coefficient sloping bonnets over a front engine TT V6 24VVTi you just knew it was going to be tight and technical under the Z bonnet but when they then wrapped it into the first complete CAD designed car, things then just took a whole new level in "tight and technical" with the new fully sectioned and compartmentalised bay (which now often required removal of several parts to access at least just one with no access space anywhere anymore - lol) Arghh....shame on the things Nissan had to do to make this car, not only competitive but aslo gain an edge, against those high end racers like Vettes, Porsches, Astons, Mercs and the like in competitive racing who also just happen to have tight engine bays with tech engines. It was really quite a startle to the then motor sports to have the TT's finally perfected and obviously this new version jap pip starter Z had its Twins banned the next year from the competition in response for the sacrilege committed against the high end sports rollers What I am really hinting at here is that the car was designed to be a luxury sports car with performance edges rather than the context of a practical daily driver car with reliability and easy access for maintenance as the single title quote would suggest or imply imply (without reading the full story). Any person contemplating buying a Z should be fully aware of this before buying one just like any other luxury sports car with a low coefficient, so its really a choice to own a technical car, rather than owning an average car where easy maintenance can be performed but performance is low. So this is actually not really a problem of a Nissan 300ZX but all sports luxuries and this should be kept in context be it even a Supra Ti / WRX Sti / Mazda / Honda NS Sports etc. Having said that, enough money can buy any man his dream car and so technical knowledge is still not required by all. I do agree in the general context that if your not a passionate, little technical, somewhat game and your really quite poor then the Z's probably not for you - you want an old holden six you can swing a cat in or a sexy new daewoo that runs on the sniff of an oily rag but its still everyone's own choice in the end and not always the case as many have testified to in this forum with stories of loads of dosh - only to change the whole bloody thing around again to some different look or part! Just my rave on, to emphasis some other perspectives for overall context purposes but overall, I actually thought it was a good well styled and delivered article that was fairly accurate to the Z. I own a technical Z money pit too! :rofl: :zlove:
Great read. I think there should be a "how to own a zed car on a budget" write up. 1) Buy one as cheap as you can 2) Drive it till it dies 3) Sell/scrap 4) Goto step 1 It would actually be CHEAPER that way (now....not back in 2011 when that was written)
That's how most cars not just Zs leave the road. With something like a million new cars on Aussie roads each year you've also got a million old cars leaving it (at the other end of the price scale) and what you describe is how they mostly leave it. If you have a car worth 3K and you find you need to spend +3K to keep it on the road (because the engine blows or something) it makes no rational sense to spend more than 3K to end up with a car worth only 3K. You're much better off scrapping it and putting the +3K toward your next car. The completely irrational thing to do is to buy a car for 10K then spend 40K over 5 years repairing and restoring it knowing full well that at the end of it all it is now only worth (in terms of what people will actually pay for it today) 6K. That is irrational and insane but it is exactly what I have done without regret. And if we still have Z32s on the road in 50 years it will be because of people behaving similarly irrationally (though they may be worth more by then).
Soooooo very true mate. Not to disrespect those that form a "bond" with the car. But if you can avoid that emotional attachment I think you're better off. hence why most of my cars have been sold after pissing me off in some way. 350Z included.
Yeah, so you repeat this process 5 times, have dropped 15k and have a car worth zero. Your better of buying a decent example at fair market value and trickling in whats required to maintain it to that level.
well of course if you start with a good one. ..if you can find one. Or if the body and interior are immuculate. but if not, scrap yards will always pay "something" and watching a crusher can be such fun [TIS]
There'll always be a clean one somewhere, you're all enthusiasts with the desire to maintain your cars well right? Or have I just been away for too long...
The problem is at all happened incrementally (plus I bought a bomb without realizing it - heart got in way of head when buying. Shouldn't have just bought the 1st Z32 I looked at. Basically paid 10k for a 5k car). If I had known I was going to spend as much as I did I would have just gone with the cleanest most expensive Z out there e.g. Rob260s (not that it was on sale at the time) and been done with it. Problem is I get bored so I go perusing Z stores for amusement not intending to buy anything and before I know it I'm another 1K poorer. I am very happy with the car I have ended up with though.
another way to approuch this (and I know a pure enthusiast wont agree) but..... Life is short there's a TON of nice cars to own/try/drive So buy a Z32 (for example) cheap as possible. On break, ditch it and buy..... Maybe a MG? Maybe a Porsche 968? Maybe a Z33 (very cheap now)? Maybe a Celica? MR2? MX5? RX7? BMW? I could go on and on and on RInse and repeat as each car dies and you've no reason to be put off ANY car because "they're too expensive to keep on the road". If keeping it on the road FOREVER is not your goal, the options REALLY open up. EDIT: Keeping in mind this is all just concept thought. I've considered "downgrading" to MR2/Celica just for something fun on backroads but I cant bring myself to part with a car I didn't purchase to "bond" with.....but have anyway. I friggin love my car.
I have spent soooo much money, stress and time on my Z over the 5 years of ownership. Every time I work on it, the project always blows out in time and money and I always say "nup that's it!, I have to part with it. It's causing me too much stress"....But...I never can bring myself to part with it. Reasons can go on and on but yeah, the "bond" is pretty strong. It's a hobby/passion so money is no concern, like any other hobby or passion people have. It shouldn't be treated with the notion of "it's a car, don't waste your money on it". I love buying new parts and fixing all the "little jobs" that in a big picture-once combined, makes for an enjoyable drive. It's a love-hate relationship. Will never sell it. Can't replace it. And yeah I agree....don't buy one if you're not mechanically inclined.
Perfectly worded and couldn't have said it any better. Reading that felt like I was reading an article in a car magazine.
