Well it looks to me like anyone with a well loved original Z or with "tasteful" modifications will have to sigh again as like me you may be thinking maybe it's just a sign of the times or as I often think. What is it with a lot of Z owners these days?

I seem to see more:

Interiors ruined with PVC film crap.

tasteless bloody stickers relating to manufacturers of performance parts that the cars have never even seen a sniff of.

Day glow accents

Vent shapes stuck on for no practical reason to wings and bonnets

Bloody Led under car lights or worse in car/ headlight strips from eBay that are poorly fitted.

massive base boom box things thrown into the boot any old way.

OTT tints.

massive stripes banged on like a terradactly has just dropped one as it flew over the car.

My favourite being downgrading to some cheap effort 4 hole ferrari knock off rear lights.

Don't get me started on stance, poorly selected wheel size and space etc.

 

Yes maybe I am going a bit OTT and it's everyone's choice sure.

Yes the Z is a lot of fun for not a lot of cash but it does annoy me somewhat that it seems to be ever attracting increasing numbers of upgraders from the Punto and Saxo evolution.

 

Surely I am not alone in this opinion. Surely for prospective buyers too a heads up that with a little research they will see that a highly modified Z can look stock but so much better and that less can look a whole lot more. There are no end of members and ex members cars pictures on here that look far better than some trash look at me upgrades.

People look at a well looked after smart stock looking Z and think class. They look at a tarted up old tired example and just think Shed!

 

Less is often more and even a clean detailed stock Z maybe only with a nice set of alloys can look much better than a body kitted "custom" Z.

 

Moan over. I know nothing will change but unless someone raises a point to discuss then it never will right. What additions do you most hate to see on a Z? Apart from the few cock drivers out there that would tattoo nutter to their foreheads because they can!

sorry

sorry just wanted to bring an a very old untidy zed back upto date with a little diff spin, and fresh look. but it woulnt do us any good if we all thought the same. hey ,

Firstly thankyou for your contribution however, I've got to disagree with you there though. When was time you attended a club meet national or local?

The vast majority of cars are near stock. Maybe the odd or few subtle differences but overall very stock in appearance. The wild whacky vented whacky racer cars are getting rarer. It's falling out of fashion rapidly as the kids go "hellaflush" which is quite the opposite of the aforementioned.

The Americans lead the way in terms of mods, go check out there cars. I honestly think the huge spoilers, fibreglass add ons and neons are dying a death. Actually it's as dead as chrome.

Agreed, the majority of the zeds I've seen are practically stock anyway...

Whilst I mirror your thoughts to a degree (as I am a staunch advocate of the 'less is more' route), there is a decline in Z32 ownership and as a result the amount of dreadful ones you see is also on the decline. I've noticed a lot less poorly modified examples around but I also notice a lot less poorly maintained ones too, the two aren't always linked

 

Traditionally though, the Z32 has been a real victim of the 'Max Power' and F&F scene by the billy-bolt-on and airfix brigade. It's a real shame as the car is a naturally beautiful and timeless car and things like big ungainly bodykits and lairy colours just do not work well on it AT ALL. Other cars with more aggressive lines can get away with it such as Skylines etc. But there are some modifications that really should be left for the dustbin such as undercar neon lighting, shopping lists, multi coloured wheels etc. As far as the Z goes, I completely agree with your comments regarding the rear lights. As a design piece, the stock rear lights are totally integral and tie in a lot of lines on the rear of the car and I too cringe when I see tacky/round rear lights or whatnot on the back. The main reason the Z32 looks as good as it does from the rear are the wide slitty rear lights. They set it apart from almost all other cars. Totally distinctive, an original design and nothing else looks quite like it.

 

Vented wings are probably my biggest pet-hate though. Awful things, they serve no purpose mechanically (there's nothing other than a wheel arch liner for them to cool) and they mess up the smooth shape of the doors and rear quarters with a mess of lines and vents. I also don't like those great big razor blade spoilers, any bodykit from Veilside and Wings West, Greddy bumpers, most vented nose panels (the ones you more commonly see).

 

I also agree on wheel selection. It really is a killer scenario and poorly selected wheels ruin the stance and overall appearance of the car to the point where stock wheels would have looked better. They can literally make/break it.

 

I think it all comes down to knowing what will work with the car rather than what you like as the two don't often go hand in hand, I like Ronal Turbos for example, but they'd look awful on a Z32 and that's fine line right there. Who am I to dictate to though, BUT, more recently general consensus points towards cars that are considered more appealing which is why things like COTM are winners in deciphering general taste. If you look at those, you'll see that most, that are monthly winners are what I'd call 'tasteful'.

 

So in summary, I completely agree with most of what you've said, but it seems the tides are turning and that people are either moving away from grafting half a boat onto their car, or the cars are coming fewer and farther between. I think it's a combination. As the cars become older, parts become harder to get and thus cars become harder to maintain - billy-bolt-on has moved on to pastures new.

 

It is cyclical, look at all the cars you see as 'retro' now. The MK2 Astra, the Nova, the MK4 Escort - cars around the same era as the Z32. They all went through the Max Power phase of hideous bodykits, stupid sound systems and awful colours, but you won't see that now. They've returned to their roots mainly. Any examples of these cars you see now are either restored items or immaculate originals. Z32 is heading that way slowly but surely (thankfully). You'll noticed though as the fads of gluing stuff to a marque/model decline, their prices go up. An immaculate MK2 Astra GTE about 10 years ago when they were slightly more common and there were plenty of butchered ugly ones were practically worthless, now they command good money. The bottom fell out of the Z32 market about 5 years ago and have been rattling along for some time. In the past 3 or 4 years, the bodykitted wonders and those held together with filler and packing tape have declined dramatically....people have noticed values starting to appreciate. I am not sure that's the case, but the recipe is there for them to start appreciating. IE, they have almost fallen out of favour with the F&F brigade, they have become increasingly rarer as many have been broken for spares and most that are left are now owned by hardcore Z enthusiasts rather than boy racers, not to mention the fact that the grey import market for them is non-existent.

 

They are still a car that evoke memories and a car that many people remember as being excellent. My boss who is a millionaire and owns a couple of Aston Martins absolutely loves Z32s and really likes mine. When we first starting talking about them he told me they were one of his favourite cars from the era. So it's not like a Morris Marina - a crap car that's become a classic, it's a good car that's slowly becoming a classic. Prices will go up....one day!

Edited January 6, 201411 yr by Funkysi

The 300zx has a history of being modified in many ways but the big kits and boy racers are moving on to other cars now and the badly moded zeds are being broken for parts. Having said all this the retro JDM body kits are getting very hard to find and some are very collectable and they will always be part of the 300zx heritage and rightly so.

TopChilla and FunkySi have a point. Funnily enough I was thinking of adding that to my "Zed Heresies" page which I haven't written yet (which also includes dump valves are a waste of time, the auto-box is perfectly good as long as maintained properly, UK rear tyres are not wider than JDM and actually the pre-99 spec front bumper looks better). So here's a challenge: can anyone here prove that any modification / aftermarket add-on has improved the value of the car by as much as it cost?

TopChilla and FunkySi have a point. Funnily enough I was thinking of adding that to my "Zed Heresies" page which I haven't written yet (which also includes dump valves are a waste of time, the auto-box is perfectly good as long as maintained properly, UK rear tyres are not wider than JDM and actually the pre-99 spec front bumper looks better).

 

:bow:

The 300zx has a history of being modified in many ways but the big kits and boy racers are moving on to other cars now and the badly moded zeds are being broken for parts. Having said all this the retro JDM body kits are getting very hard to find and some are very collectable and they will always be part of the 300zx heritage and rightly so.

 

Thing with the retro JDM kits like Impul and such like is they actually compliment the car - not just that, but it was actually of exceptional quality too. It was such a shame that stuff like this rarely found its way to UK shores and all we got were ill-fitting copies of all the ugliest stuff around. A visit to a certain UK supplier's website gives you a rundown of all the ugly stuff! lol

I had a moment of clarity the other day, I honestly think my wheels are the coolest things in the world. I didn't expect every one to agree but when I had my car in the hangar 10 engineers and the rest of the crew all thought they looked really stupid. I don't mind what they think, but expected at least a 50/50 split, I thought my car was styled so that all the mods go together and that it overall looks good. I should try and view it from an impartial perspective and consider that I may be a F&F car owner.

 

But, I still love it, and I really care for the car, I can't garage it but it never sits dirty or salty and never wants for a service. It is driven fast but with care and sympathy, it is warmed and cooled and I have a worried ear out at all times for any discomfort from the car. So it isn't a mod for mods sake sort of car, where every panel is somehow custom! And is not seen as cheap speed, I am in it for the long run.

 

Stock zeds are lovely machines, but I didn't buy mine stock so it is where it is today.

Spin doctor

 

Mate, your car is fairly lairy, but at least you have done a good job of it and it looks great, even a saxo that looks like a fairground ride I have respect for if the owner has put some love into it and some attention to detail. Your car is what those guys dream of :thumbup1:

Spin doctor

 

Mate, your car is fairly lairy, but at least you have done a good job of it and it looks great, even a saxo that looks like a fairground ride I have respect for if the owner has put some love into it and some attention to detail. Your car is what those guys dream of :thumbup1:

:rockon::punk::rockon:And thank you .

When i was reading that i thought leds= check, bodykit=check, led back lights=check, fook me thats me :lol::lol: but i have a UK TT staying stock looking and will be lovingly refreshed to as near original as poss, apart from the wheels, i hate the stock zed wheels they make it look so dated IMO

 

So best of both worlds for me :thumbup:

And who the fk would fit a side exit exhaust on a ZX for gods sake...its getting worse:thumbdown:

Least you haven't got astmostpheric dump valves

dump valves are a waste of time: they are but they're fun, 300hp in the road is also a waste of time legally but it's still fun

the auto-box is perfectly good as long as maintained properly: they never are and actually even when they work they're a waste of a sports car

UK rear tyres are not wider than JDM: I swear euro spec is 245 and Jspec 225

and actually the pre-99 spec front bumper looks better: they have equal merit, the 89 front is far more aggressive but the 99 is more in keeping with the rest of the lines, it's also a better bumper mechanically. What I dislike about the 89 which is why it's going is the under bite on the profile view. It's one hell of an over bite.

To me this is perfectly executed.

the auto-box is perfectly good as long as maintained properly: they never are and actually even when they work they're a waste of a sports car

...

UK rear tyres are not wider than JDM: I swear euro spec is 245 and Jspec 225

...

and actually the pre-99 spec front bumper looks better: they have equal merit, the 89 front is far more aggressive but the 99 is more in keeping with the rest of the lines

 

1) (touching wood furiously as I type) auto daily driver since 2007 and no autobox issues.

2) UK/Euro spec is indeed 245 as opposed to JDM 225 but the tyre tread is NOT wider - post is here http://www.300zx.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?25028-UK-Rear-Wheels-vs-J-Spec-Why but the pic fell off so I'll repost below

3) 90-98 front = great white shark; 99 front = whale shark. From the 240Z onward, that "shark" look has been almost a continual feature. Given the lengths the 300ZX designers went to lower and widen the look of the car by the hoizontal design cues, rear lights, the charcoalline whatever it's called, the original front is more in harmony with that than the 99-spec which looks like a reaction to the then Supra.

 

Which is the wider tyre:

225 JDM spec on the left, 245 Euro/UK spec on the right.

1) (touching wood furiously as I type) auto daily driver since 2007 and no autobox issues.

2) UK/Euro spec is indeed 245 as opposed to JDM 225 but the tyre tread is NOT wider - post is here http://www.300zx.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?25028-UK-Rear-Wheels-vs-J-Spec-Why but the pic fell off so I'll repost below

3) 90-98 front = great white shark; 99 front = whale shark. From the 240Z onward, that "shark" look has been almost a continual feature. Given the lengths the 300ZX designers went to lower and widen the look of the car by the hoizontal design cues, rear lights, the charcoalline whatever it's called, the original front is more in harmony with that than the 99-spec which looks like a reaction to the then Supra.

 

Which is the wider tyre:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]76214[/ATTACH]

225 JDM spec on the left, 245 Euro/UK spec on the right.

 

Sorry mate but theres no way all the 245 tires ive ever run on a UK rear are the same as a 225....the UK rear size is the fitment for a Porche 928 and same again they are nothing like to the eye as a jap front tire on a 225. Is that tape measure a joke shop model:biggrin:

The tyre thing is odd, however the tyre tread is wider, the contact patch for you is smaller though. I guess it's a pretty complex guess situation. However to me that would suggest overinflation. Weird.

As for the box, I didn't say they could work, just that they generally arnt looked after and even when fully functional ruin the car. Converting to manual transformed my zed from a lazy high speed cruiser to a responsive sports car.

The 99 well that's mostly cosmetic preference, it does improve airflow though...

Least you haven't got astmostpheric dump valves

dump valves are a waste of time

 

:bow: :)

Least you haven't got astmostpheric dump valves

dump valves are a waste of time: they are but they're fun, 300hp in the road is also a waste of time legally but it's still fun

the auto-box is perfectly good as long as maintained properly: they never are and actually even when they work they're a waste of a sports car

UK rear tyres are not wider than JDM: I swear euro spec is 245 and Jspec 225

and actually the pre-99 spec front bumper looks better: they have equal merit, the 89 front is far more aggressive but the 99 is more in keeping with the rest of the lines, it's also a better bumper mechanically. What I dislike about the 89 which is why it's going is the under bite on the profile view. It's one hell of an over bite.

 

:bow:

:bow: :)

 

Lol may I remind you a certain pair of red zeds arriving bovs a fluttering. I was being sarky lol.

I got what you meant, we must have logged into concourse zed owners club by accident.

Lol may I remind you a certain pair of red zeds arriving bovs a fluttering. I was being sarky lol.

 

Indeed, but Iiked that comment!!!

Lol let's have some fun now yeah.

Sorry mate but theres no way all the 245 tires ive ever run on a UK rear are the same as a 225....the UK rear size is the fitment for a Porche 928 and same again they are nothing like to the eye as a jap front tire on a 225. Is that tape measure a joke shop model:biggrin:

To the eye is one thing. That's exactly why I put the tape measure on it.

225 on left is 218mm wide at the sidewall and has wear-to-wear tread of 199mm

245 on right is 221mm wide at the sidewall and has wear-to-wear tread of 197mm

They were both correctly inflated, both Bridgestone S-02 (might have been S-03 but they were botht the same) and both measured by me with the same tape measure at the same time in the same place. If you read the thread, AndyP also measured his Toyo Proxes and their tread wasn't different (225 vs 245) and also Trevz measured his - same result.

So we have three people who actually measured their tyres and found 245s NOT wider - as against "everyone knows" and "they look" wider. Me - I prefer the evidence of the tape measure as opposed to one of the many Zed urban myths.