i have the chance to buy a 300 zx twin turbo 90 g reg, will it say on the log book if its import or uk model, is an import a bad buy, its got 2 owners from new and it very nice condition with full leather and cd player and 18 in alloys.

 

thank rob

Imports are not necessarily a bad buy. I PERSONALLY did not want an import, purely because I wouldn't know the service history and the conversion hassle, but many on here have imports.

On the V5 it will say the date at which it was imported into the country or something similar. Also, imports don't have a VIN number as such, they will use the chassis number.

Hi Rob,

 

Use the search key at the top of this page.

 

This topic has been discussed 100s of times.

 

There are merits to owning both an Import and Uk car.

 

UK

lower insurance

possible Service History

 

IMPORT

No rust (probabally, if freshly imported)

Lower mileage

 

There are many other factors but that'll get you started.

 

Oh, I have an import, bought fresh from Japan as all the UK cars I looked at were scabby, there are some good 'uns out there, you just have to keep looking, keep an eye on the For sale section.

 

Tim

Nothing wrong with imports - condition and service history are more important.

 

You will probably find insurance prices higher for import and usually they are slightly more difficult to sell / get lower prices than good UK cars. But good UK cars are very rare.

 

Some models (eg SWB or NA) were never imported into UK so there is less understanding about servicing and parts.

 

Parts supply is usually not a problem anyway - if dealers don't want to help (some do, some don't) there's always http://www.mjpauto.com, quite a few breakers on this forum in traders section and many guys order from the US (eg from Courtesy Nissan).

 

There's a bunch of buyers' guides here http://www.300zx.org.uk/tech_20.htm

 

Mine's an import and I'm very happy. :)

hi thanks for the welcome

 

i just have a feeling that this car is not right, it has a sticker over the kmph that says MPH and has lower fog light attached to the bumper, it drivers and looks superb tho so i am tempted the guy selling it swears its a uk car but im not so sure, ill have a search on the forums.

 

thanks again

Sounds non-UK to me.

 

Also check this out http://www.300zx.org.uk/mod_comp_1.htm

 

Is the licence plate recess in the rear bumper normal UK long and thin or J-spec rectabgular?

 

If the badge on the bonnet says "Nissan" it's US/UK/Euro. If it says Z its J-spec.

 

HTH - Gio

 

PS check out Luke Borg at ZCentre he's Tech Rep for the 300ZX in the ZClub and his business is in Nottingham. Maybe he can do an inspection for you?

Rob -

 

There are a couple of things that can give the game away:

 

UK cars (standard ones) have smoked (darkened) lights at the front corners, where US/Japanese cars have the indicators. UK indicators sit in the 'fog light' part of the car, closer to the centre. I suspect the 'smoked' effect can be removed by owners though I think it looks "ill" so I wouldn't do it myself...

 

Also, if the car has no rear seats, it's not from the UK! Another tell-tale for these Short Wheel Base (SWB) cars is that the petrol filler cap is forward of the rear wheel arch, whereas the UK car's will always be behind it.

 

Take a look at AndyP's excellent 300zx.org.uk site:

 

http://www.300zx.org.uk/mod_comp_1.htm

 

for more info.

 

Good luck,

Russ.

Rob

 

....and UK cars dont have mph stickers over kph - its an import.

 

And before you go for a NA import, even if its a good car, just remember that the insurance for the import NA will probably be as much as for a UK TT.

 

Lots of choices. The holy grail version is probably a low mileage summer use only UK TT 92 onwards, full leather full spec, unmodified, unthrashed, with a manual box. but there probably arent any left like that!

 

Good hunting

 

Willie

Apprently, according to one write up on the old forum...a UK TT low mileage, un-modified, manual Z32 is as rare as chickens teeth.

 

Just as well I've got one! :D :D

 

(unmodded apart from exhaust, shocks and stuff - but basically standard. :D)

Ajay

 

What has happened to your spelling/grammar during your absence? I remember when you held the privileged position of spelling/grammar monitor.

My apologies...I missed out an "a".

 

:p:p:p:p

 

My Pedant Queen title has become tarnished in my absence - I will endeavour to polish it back up to its gleaming standard. :D ;)

Ajay I'm sure you can spot more than that!

Yeah, I can...ok so it's "chicken's teeth" as well...there are 2 more, but am not going to be gauche enough to point out my own mistakes... :D :D

 

 

Craig - you should have your cheque tomorrow :D Oh! for the power to edit... :D :D :D

 

:p

Are you sure it's "chicken's teeth" Ajay matey? Anyway, what's a few hyphens and spaces between friends?

Can I have Ajay's pedant crown now please? I'm sure it's been buffed up to an illustrious shine. And can I also score additional points for thread hijacking please? I've never done this before!

LOL...yep - you definitely deserve to wear the crown for a bit...I'm sure I'll get it back soon. :D :D ;)

Originally posted by Ajay

ok so it's "chicken's teeth" as well

 

Now then - singular, chicken, a chicken and plural is chickens.

 

So, surely that should either be

 

"rare as a chicken's teeth" or (more likely) "rare as chickens' teeth"

 

More typically "hens' teeth"

 

http://www.hray.com/idiom/php/idiom.php?idiomid=1123

 

http://www.dcsb.org/sciday/2002/example.html

 

:p (teehee - Gio)

 

 

:D :D :D

 

Man, I make ONE post in error.... ;)

Just making a bid for inclusion in "..idiots, imbeciles, aliens, the insane..." :D :D

 

Please don't wave that bolt of lightning at me! lol

Thanks for the crown Ajay. On close inspection, however, it appears all stained and tarnished. You really haven't been looking after it in your absence have you? :)

Sorry Mike... :(

 

That's what comes of Muppeting over on the Subaru forum...you lose all sense of grammar, sentence structure and general English usage. :D

 

 

:p

 

 

I promise I'll take better care of it in the future. :)

 

 

it is indeed a j-spec has the tell tale signs, smaller license plate holder, Z badges, fogs were indicators should be, rear reflectors on back bumper, i checked it over and all the electics work every single one of em, so many buttons :) the engine sounds sweet enough too, tho the big 4 inch stainless pipes at the back seem to help that tho, its an auto twin turbo and i can honestly say its the fastest car ive driven.

 

i assume the speedo has been derestricted as 180 kmh is only 120 mph and it definately wasnt off the clock. how accurate will it be tho, its got 78k on the clock huge 18 inch wheels and is now sitting on my drive.

 

thanks for all the help

Nice one, beermonster - have you got documentary proof the timing belts have been done? Oooer- no if you've got 78k km(genuine) that's 50k miles so timing belts should be due shortly.

 

I'd get it checked over by somone who knows what they're doing before putting too many km on the clock.

 

Welcome to the house of fun that is Zed ownership :)

Yes - agree - the cambelts should be changed regularly - I change mine every year, whether it needs it or not! :) Mainly because I have a bill in my service history from the previous owner who forgot to change the cambelt and it went, taking his engine with him.

 

:eek:

 

If you have a Turbo model - an oil change is good every year or 3000 / 6000 miles or so. Good servicing and maintainance is worth its own weight in gold.

 

:D

Originally posted by Ajay

"...idiots, imbeciles, aliens, the insane and women..."

Law standing in Texas until 1918 regulating who could not vote.

 

That's a bit harsh that you couldn't vote in Texas in 1918 Ajay. Doubly so 'coz you'd also be ineligible to vote due to you being female too. ;)