Hi, I've just bought myself a 300zx, black, and have previously done most work to my cars myself. I would be grateful for any useful tips with regards to servicing and any faults I should look for. I was recommended to come on this site by a friend and have already been through alot of the topics posted. However it would seem no-one seems to use their real name. Do I need a 'nick name' and if so are there any suggestions.

 

Heidi

 

How about Topsquads?

Nice try Matty.

I'm sure you will find us a helpful bunch.

 

What does Topsquad mean? and who's Matty?

There was a post recently about whether any women drive 300's and yes we do. I normally deal with horses and four wheel drives so this is a bit of a new area for me. Any sensible emails would be appreciated.

 

On my mothers life.....This is not one of my alter ego's.....

 

Heidi I think (And hope it's a women) is real!!

 

Again I swear this is nothing to do with me.

 

Has everyone got me down as a wind up merchant?

 

(Clueless)

 

Matty.

 

 

 

 

Sorry, I was just pulling Matty's leg.

 

Before the advice starts rolling can you give us some leads. Is it a turbo or N/A, is it auto or manual, what year is it...?

 

Any specific problems?

 

 

I take it you two are mates? It's a 1991, TT Auto. I've previously owned a Toyota Hi-lux, Nissan Patrol and my ideal would be a Hummer, Know what one of those is? I've yearned for a sports and it was between a Nissan 300 and Skyline, unfortunately couldn't afford the latter!!!! I've done all my own servicing before but this things scares me, lots of electrical gadgets. One problem I've had, or perhaps it's a characteristic is losing control of the back end and feeling out of control. With some four wheelers this is natural but did not expect it from a sports car. Any advise would be great and whether dealers or back garages are the best to consult?

 

Hmm..loosing control of the back end and feeling out of control...

Now that is a seven pints of Stella and questionable kebab situation.

I recommend changing your oil.

 

Glen.

;|)

 

Hi Glen

 

Not really a Stella kind of girl!!! More of a Taboo sort .....

 

I was told it might be something to do with the HICAS. With four wheelers they usually roll from side to side on cornering, nothing to do with alcohol (honest) but like I said, I would of thought a sports car could hold the road under any circumstances. It doesn't feel safe and just wondered if was something I'm supposed to get used to. Nobody has answered my question on Hummers. Any other fans out there?

 

 

 

hummers are a bit impractical around here... although the idea of driving over everything that is in your way does appeal...

 

you need to earn money like arnie or eubank to afford to run them though

 

on your Z, losing the back end could be caused by a few things :-

 

crap tyres

worn shocks

mis aligned hicas

hicas ball joint broken

broken spring

 

or, too much right foot for the conditions...

 

first of all, check the make of tyre you have, if you have an import, then it is likely they are complete rubbish

 

a four wheel alignment is about 40 quid, and will tell you if you have a hicas problem, or broken ball joint

 

other stuff on the list i'm sure you know how to check, if you are used to getting your hands dirty

 

Hi Heidi

 

My car was also a bit tail happy and unfortunatley it was not that cheap to sort out. As Craig has suggested my cars Hicas ball joints were broken along with most of the bushes on the car. Some of these parts were a bit expensive but once changed it made the car a much tighter drive. Problem is with these cars is so much power going through those rear wheels they just love going up the road sideways!!

 

Safe driving and Good luck with your new Zed.

 

Simon H.

 

Hicas Ball joints (inner Track Rods )are not the most expensive things on the planet - i think about 70 - quid for a set. Easy DIY too.

 

Check Lateral play in the rear wheels. if it is exessive then you probably have bearing joint problems.

 

Check Shox and Springs for wear also.

 

You can try pulling the hand brake up a notch that puts the supsension into sports mode - No im not havin ya on - it really does strange i know but that helps.

 

I would recommend a rear ASB as well if you wanna go aftermarket to sort the problem out - Make sure you fix what is wrong first tho.

 

Z ya

Nico91TT

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heidi,

 

What area (roughly for security obviously) are you in?

 

It's just that a black Z has appeared in my area (Mid Sussex) Don't think its got a rear spoiler though, so maybe the NA version?

 

Glenn

(White UK 92' TT)

 

A simple check that does make a lot of difference to the TT is your tyre pressures. They should be 33 Front 36 Rear. If they are out it will give you noticeably bad handling.

Just to add to the Females Who Drive 300ZXs - Hello!

 

Mine can be spotted around St Neots / Sandy way at the weekends or Berkshire during the week as that's where I work.

 

Problem wise, apart from the turbos seizing on me, my ignition amplifier went. Fortunately I was ooh...about 150 yards away from where I worked at the time down a nice quiet street.

 

Called the AA out only to have them tell me that the problem was with the battery in my alarm's remote! Ooookay...if you say so....just tow me to a Nissan garage, would you?

Welcome...to the tail-slide club.

 

Its bhp>rear wheel problem.

 

Be very careful in the wet.....lock it away when frosty/snow....long for hot sunny sunday afternoons on open roads..zzzzzz dreams...

 

Regardz

 

Or get traction control !

Get 'Burning rubber' the video by Tiff Needell and take his advice on developing those rubber howling skills.

 

Practice the opposite lock stuff on a car park on a sunday. Get used to the sliding action. It's sooooooooooooo much fun!!!!

 

Simon

for the girls:

 

my god.. girls with 300zxs.. servicing them too... why do I never meet girls like you down my local ?

 

as for slides, I. again, have to side with Simon... to buy a 300ZX and then put TC on it is to miss the point entirely. The 300ZX is a pussy cat to drive sideways. You should be looking out the passenger or driver side windows for maximum fun. My mates vauxhall omega has TC.. that about says it all.

 

Get yourself onto an empty carpark, or better still, a bit of road (industrial estate) that has a good run up to a decent sized roundabout) late at night and practice

carrying speed though the corner then hanging the back out. Once you get the hang of it I guarantee you'll have a smile from ear to ear.

 

Do it when it's wet to practice at lower speeds, then when you get more confident, start to do it in the dry... it doesn't mean high speeds, and it doesn't mean getting anywhere quicker, it's just fun. My view on it is: think about the ZX as a TVR/westfield/caterham. Don't expect it to do anything to help you.

 

Once you get the hang of it you'll find yourself slowing down to go through corners slower than you used to do, just so that you can kick it down (sorry biker coming out in me) a gear to get the torque/boost to unstick the back end and power slide round.

 

If you're impressed with Tiff's antics on top gear, the 300zx is THE car to drive like this (along with the above).

 

It comes down to whether you are the sort of person that finds it enjoyable to max out on a motorway (we all do it once....had a great race up the M74 with a supra at 160+ once... for about 10 miles), or your the sort of person that likes to throw it around. The 300 is a big car, but once you forget about the size, you can throw it around like a far smaller acar and it'll reward you. I test drove a new Lotus Elise a few weeks ago, and it was shite. Far far slower than my 300 around little country lanes (which surprised me), and all out: brakes are shit. handling is no better, and sounds like a hair dryer.

 

You've made a good choice of car, now just spend a bit of time playing with yer toy and you'll be sorted!

 

And heidi... nick names.. man, heidi, how much better can you get...stick with that.

 

stu

 

Dear Guys

 

Have spent the last week getting used to having throbbing monster between my legs and getting used to that slippy slidy feeling! I haven't been on all week as been too busy riding, but having come back on tonight I notice that people seem to be having trouble with my name. An unfortunate one it is as there aren't many Heidi's about and when you do something wrong people always remember it. Is it so silly that someone would think it's my nickname!!!!!!