Hi all,

I'm planning to import a GCZ32 from Japan in a few months, and am looking for general advice. The car will be manual, and ideally a '94-'96 with low mileage in pearl white. My budget will stretch to about €10,000 so I'm really looking for the right one.

 

So mainly around the following areas:

• Significant differences between JDM and Irish/UK models (mainly mechanical and anything that could cause registration/NCT problems)
  
• Any concerns with getting the car on the road (in Ireland)
  
• Things to do before getting the car on the road (underseal and timing belt will be definite). Security recommendations?
  
• How supportive can I expect Nissan Ireland (or UK if it comes to it) to be in terms of parts and possibly servicing?
  

 

I guess any suggestions for insurance would also help as I'm not expecting it to be easy at 22.

 

Cheers, look forward to joining your community.

Are you getting a LWB or SWB Jay? Below is a link on the difference between Japan Europe and US models. Tulip would be good to talk to about you other concern's.

 

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

Only real significant mechanical difference is that the UK/Euro spec cars are all only Long Wheel Base (2+2 seating) and twin turbo engines in either auto or manual.

 

The JDM imports cover all bases including the above spec plus LWB non turbo auto/manual, Short Wheel Base (2 seats only) in twin turbo/non turbo auto/manual/Solid top/T-top.

The SWB car is the only true solid top option, known as a Slicky/Slicktop. All LWB cars are T-top.

Then there is a true convertible option, again only in SWB 2 seat format. This car is only non turbo.

The SWB cars are a few inches shorter, a little lighter, tighter and a tad faster, especially the slicktop. Obviously the convertible which is the heaviest 300zx due to extra strengthening and is still the 'wobbliest' is the least performance orientated version, but probably the best posing car on a lovely summers day!

I don't think anything here will cause registration/NCT problems, there are quite a few Irish members on here with JDM cars, I don't recall hearing about any issues.

 

Security is standard poor! Get a decent installer to fit a good quality cat 1 alarm/immobiliser. This will also upgrade the standard key central locking to remote locking.

Nissan dealers are generally useless when it comes to significant service and repair - don't go there!! Supply of parts they can be useful, but there is little need because the traders on this Forum are very clued up and generally cheaper. MJP/Zedworld for OEM parts.

Otherwise the 'Zcentre' is very good, then many here have used the US to supply parts. Z1, CPZ to name a couple are my favourites.

 

Under sealing is always a great idea, as is the cam belt and other associated components - water pump, pulleys etc.

 

Your budget is awesome! To be fair I doubt you'll find one with a price tag that high. You can buy mine for £10k!

Personally 4-6k will import you a really tidy one, then I'd use the rest of the budget to make it yours as required, whether that is a vulgar body kit or renewing various bits of worn OEM trim, suspension etc.

Trust me, there will always be something to do, even to the best example for sale, so don't spend much more than 4-6k.

The exceptions would be one or two examples on this Forum, problem is those cars will never be sold as the investment levels are just so high!

See example Funkysi / JoelyP

Edited December 13, 201411 yr by lonezedder

To clarify the GCZ32 is the LWB twin turbo - maybe this is only the JDM chassis number.

 

Your budget is awesome! To be fair I doubt you'll find one with a price tag that high. You can buy mine for £10k!

 

I'm looking for something unmodified and as near as possible to showroom condition. Was quoted €10k recently for one that sold at auction, 1989 with less than 5k on the clock. That includes all costs except VRT which is about €950.

Of course I expect to pay less; this is more the maximum.

Have a chat to Torque GT.

They'll talk you through it. They're based in Devon but source cars for Eire.

I can second the advice about Torque GT. I just imported my own GCZ32 with them, literally 2 weeks ago. They fitted a Thatcham alarm system and gave it a good going over with Underseal. All I had to do was choose from the ones they found at auction. It takes a while (almost 6 months from when I started looking) but you have a much higher budget than me so should have much more choice. Definitely give them a call, much less hassle that finding a decent manual car in the UK.

You might want to look a little harder in the UK there are some hidden gems here, recently looked at a an early UK manual with 32k on the clock, looked good enough to go into concours show without anything to do and sold for £8k I know to some late 96/98 imports already here and on this forum you would get for that kind of money and you can touch before you buy!

 

Jeff

The upside of getting a fresh import is the fact that usually the structure of the car is genuinely rust free. I was amazed the first time I bought a car "straight off the boat". The underside/chassis/suspension components of 12-15 year old+ cars looked like they were 6 months old. No rust/dirt/claggy muck etc...anywhere.

 

They were so good that you could polish the underside, Nuts, bolts, washers, clips, brake pipes, hoses, fittings etc ec shiney and almost like new.

I took a Mitsubishi jeep for its first MOT and the tester thought the car could've been a "ringer" when I told him it was 13 years old! He brought other staff in to see it.

 

There are downsides to imports but getting a fresh one can be an easy route to a structurally superb car

good luck

Mines pearl white! I imported it!

Tradecarview have a good web site!

Chose it, bought it, got it to UK!

Some nice Zs out there!

But with comments here u could get a sound one in the UK!

You might want to look a little harder in the UK there are some hidden gems here, recently looked at a an early UK manual with 32k on the clock, looked good enough to go into concours show without anything to do and sold for £8k I know to some late 96/98 imports already here and on this forum you would get for that kind of money and you can touch before you buy!

 

Jeff

 

The thing is... in the past year I've seen maybe three in Ireland or England that I would consider buying. In that space of time, I've seen a handful of ones at auction in Japan that looked even better. I know I'll have to pay a bit more due to fees and taxes, but the value of the car itself just doesn't compare.

The other thing to consider & I aint trying to put u off importing,

the cars history is all in Japanese!

Again tradecarview will get a car inspected for u! before u buy.

They also give u the cost of shipping/insurance for u first.

my z in Japan

 

 

One week after import (10 weeks later!)

The other thing to consider & I aint trying to put u off importing,

the cars history is all in Japanese!

Again tradecarview will get a car inspected for u! before u buy.

They also give u the cost of shipping/insurance for u first.

my z in Japan

[ATTACH=CONFIG]84647[/ATTACH]

 

One week after import (10 weeks later!)

[ATTACH=CONFIG]84648[/ATTACH]

 

That's true, but the company I've been considering, which is local to me, also those services. They also provide auction sheet translation, so I'm sure translation of the history could be arranged.

Thats good.

I think all ur other Qs have been answered.

 

Good luck with the search for a Z

Cheers.

 

How much of a difference does VVT make to performance and fuel consumption? Questioning whether '97 would be worth it.

It was reckoned to reduce top end power by about 20bhp, not sure on the fuel consumption, but doubt it would be significant.

I wouldn't let it put you off a 97 car though, nice to have a later car, but they aren't any better than the earlier ones though, buy the best you find - simples! That may be a late car, but it could just as easily be an early one. Age and mileage is of little consequence with these cars because they are ALL old enough for it to make no difference, how they have been looked after and maintained is a much bigger factor.

It was reckoned to reduce top end power by about 20bhp, not sure on the fuel consumption, but doubt it would be significant.

I wouldn't let it put you off a 97 car though, nice to have a later car, but they aren't any better than the earlier ones though, buy the best you find - simples! That may be a late car, but it could just as easily be an early one. Age and mileage is of little consequence with these cars because they are ALL old enough for it to make no difference, how they have been looked after and maintained is a much bigger factor.

 

Yeah, that doesn't sound like a big deal. I do like the revised styling of the later ones (except the round tail lights!), but on the other hand I'll be able to get a classic policy in a couple of years - or at least named on one - so from that perspective I don't think it's worth going later than '97, but the VVT had me wondering whether I should set the limit at '96.

Styling wise, again very little difference across production.

Difference between series 1 and 2 to series 3 up is simply the rear spoiler, some call the horse shoe.

The biggest difference comes at the end with the 99 spec series which has a different rear spoiler again and a new front bumper. The 99 spec also featured clear rear tail lights that many have upgraded to.

There were some minor differences inside too, but nothing worth writing home about, though the 99 spec had some nice little touches.

Round tail lights are only an after market option.