Hi everyone I want to get a ZX but use it as a daily driver. Unfortunately, I have'nt got the space or money to have it as a weekender. I need to be able to 'turn the key' and have it start everytime. Obviously regular servicing is crucial. I've been reading the forum quite regulary and get a little worried about reliability issues. I want a N/A model with auto but would a five speed be a pain in peak hour? Just wanting to get some thoughts from veteran ZX owners. Thanks. NJ
daily driver :thumbsup: i have a 91 n/a, i was going to be a weekender. but is now a daily driver, i would rather a 5 speed than a auto, even in the city, but thats just me. i think zed's need to be seen,:zlove:
Well some of these cars are 17 Y/o now And for a car of that age, I find the Z32 quite remarkable. A feat of great engineering IMHO. Most of the money I have spent on the Zed has been to improve something, rather than having to buy something because it broke. I drive mine every day, and will continue to do so.
Everday Z! When I first got my zed 9 months ago, I had another car that I used while I worked on my 1990 TT. I put a fair bit of money into fixing her up (100 000 km service, new cam covers, plenum pull, etc), but after all the work, plus heaps of help from Gavin Wood's Auto Tech on the Gold Coast and Zedcare here in Brissie, she runs pretty sweet. The other car is gone (and no, I DON'T miss the 1990 Ford Laser... :thumbsdown and the zed is my everyday car. I still need to replace my exhaust system to get the best out of her, but there's always projects to be done! But I couldn't give it up as an everyday car - I agree that the zed just has to be seen!!! :zlove: If you do what's right and use good oil, good petrol and remember to change the filters, they can run very smoothly.
Mines a weekender. I have a bodykit on mine so its a little low to use everyday, plus I dont like leaving it parked unattended. As pexzed said these cars are getting a little old now, so unless parts have been replaced expect issues. Mine has done just under 70,000 kilometers I bought it with 54,000 back in 2000 and have had no issues with it at all, I should mention I bought the car with 54,000 japanese kilometers on it (who knows if this is legit) Regards Mark
a Z is a fun car... it looks hot, goes fast and is FUN! I buy cars to drive them and have fun with them.... Not to sit in the garage all week till the weekend If/When you buy a Z, get some zedders from the forums to come down and have a look at what you are interested in.... That way your not going to buy a complete lemon. I am under the impression that most Z's need a bit of work done to them before you start driving them.
Thanks for the thoughts guys ..... I'm kinda from the 'old school' i.e. cars are to be driven .... I still turn my head when I see a nice ZX in traffic in the morning going to work .... They just stand out and look classy compared to the boring old Fords n Holdens .... I've always been an auto driver, but the 5 speed seems to be enticing me .... I will contact some Perth zeders when I see what I want .... Thanks for the advice from all ....
For a DD - Definitely choose a N/A The N/A is a surprisingly low maintenance package for a sports car of this standard provided you buy one in good nick and maintain it. My DD is a '90 Ausspec N/A and in the almost 5 years I've owned it and done >70,000 kms, total >170,000 kms, I've replace alternator, water pump, brake master cylinder and clutch slave cylinder, replaced both O2 sensors, replaced TPS, had a 1 piece tailshaft built and installed, had the wear point in the driver's seat re-upholstered, had a 2000 spec front bar installed at >$1k, etc etc. However, it's a plus 15 y.o. car so what could you expect? There is a level of cost (maintenance) to keep this car running well and looking the goods. It still goes great, handles great and looks great !!! Maintenance-wise, cost is contained if you do it yourself. I took it to Gilgandra at Easter 04 - the 1st 300ZX get-together. I'd happily and confidently drive it to Brisbane/Melbourne tomorrow. I'd recommend a N/A as a good DD with great presence. I also, have a TT but would not treat it as dismissively as I do the N/A. IMO basically, to produce that much power you must pay a price somewhere. Therefore, my TT is driven less and cared for more. Having said that, the N/A is definitely also pampered. Cheers, Peter
For a DD - Definitely choose a N/A Thanks for your thoughts Peter. I've pretty much decided on a NA 2 + 2 for a daily driver. I really prefer automatics, but from reading the posts on the forum, 5 speeds appear to be robust. I guess it comes down to the car, I would be stupid to pass up a good ZX because it was a 5 speed instead of an automatic. I'm also leaning towards an AUS SPEC ZX. But if there is a good forum owned import then I would look at it. I've been looking around for a couple of months getting a feel for the market. There is SO MUCH out there with varying degrees of quality and price. N/A seems the best choice for a daily driver. Cheers Peter and thanks for everyones input!
my N/A, auto, j-spec is a daily driver, a w/end driver, a coona driver with targas off every possible occassion .. with the assistance of this forum and it's guru members the car now runs absolutely tops .. just love it ...!!!! :thumbsup: one point to remember is that j-spec mileage will be understated to hell whereas an a-spec will be a lot closer to real mileage ..with log books, of course...
Lots of people on the forum use the Zed as a daily Just spend a little more and make sure you're starting with something good and reliable
Mine was a daily driver for 18 months but i have decided i would rather have it as a weekend car because i live a fair distance from where i work and put 30,000km on the car in that time and want to make sure it lasts a bit longer. now drive a old bomb corolla to work
I've got a 89 2+2 NA Manual (AUS Spec) and it's a daily driver into Melbourne peak hour. I think if you start with a good example ('cause there's plenty of ordinary ones out there too), you'll be OK. It's as reliable as any other car to me. I get in, start it up and drive. In 9 months the closest I've come to a problem so far is one night I didn't close the door properly and the interior light was on all night. Bit slow turning over in the morning - but it still fired up fine. There'll be some maintenance issues I should take care of soon, but nothing any other car wouldn't suffer from (Exhaust etc) I chose the AUS NA because I wanted a no-fuss experience (Turbos are fun, but more hassle too), and insurance isn't too bad. Good luck with the hunting. Simon.
Hi Simon Looks like you've read my mind regarding your situation. I drive in Peak Hour to West Perth CBD everyday and whilst it's not as bad as Melbournes peak hour, it can still be a pain! Regards Darren
Daily driver for 7 years Get a good car in the first place and above all look after it, do preventative maintenance when appropriate, and find someone who knows Z's well to work on it. Ben
