Hi all,

I am looking for a new car at around £10,000 and was thinking of an early Toyota Supra Turbo (new shape) when I noticed a lot of interest in 300ZXs. Can you tell me what sort of car I would get for £9-10k and what problems they tend to have (i.e. cambelt, four wheel steering, turbos etc.), running costs, servicing schedules and the like. Also if there are any specialist dealers in the Midlands that sell/service these cars, that would be really useful.

 

Thanks,

Dominic

Dom,

 

10K will buy you a lot of ZX, I'm fairly sure about that. But 10K on a Supra would be a little dodgey, I read a review on buying used Supras recently and they warned of being "warey" about buying around the 10K mark. Suggesting that 15-20K buys the best.

 

But if you were to spend 10K on a 300 I'm sure you wouldn't be disappointed. My best advice would be to try and take someone from the forum with you when you start looking. Matty is round the Mids. area and has three purchases to his name, first all bad so he knows what to look for now, most recent two have been OK as far as I know.

 

CheerZ & hope you get a good one...

 

 

Tim

;-)

 

Heres some info from an old post from Eric (Lymon) which lists alot of stuff to look out for:

 

Ok..here's a 'small' list apart from the basic things that I could think of and that you might want to check :-)

Engine/Mechanical-stuff:

-Have a compression-test done

-Check ECU for error codes, if everything's ok it should show code 55.

-listen for weird sounds during test-drive. (whining, rattling sounds from the engine bay is generally not a good sign)

-after you drove the car hard during a test-drive, let the car idle and open the hood and see if smoke is coming from the area around turbo's or on the bottom of the car from the cats-area.

Also check if blue smoke is coming from the exhaust (this might take a little while, so let the engine idle for a few minutes)

-maximum boost-level on a stock 300Z should be around the first and second positive line on the stock boost-meter. (which is around 9psi, 0.6bar)..although the stock boost-gauge might not be very accurate.

If it doesn't go past the first positive line it's probably in safety-boost and something is wrong.

if it wanders off the scale, the boost has been increased...and without the right chip (JWT) this is NOT good.

-oil pressure should be between 30 and 60 psi during normal driving.

-Timing belt should have been replaced every 60k miles..make sure this has been done !

 

(Automatic) gearbox-stuff:

-try to avoid automatics from '90/early '91,

especially higher mileage ones..

-check (dipstick) oil-color and smell of gearbox-oil (dipstick is behind the engine)

Dark or black oil and/or burned smell is generally not a good sign.

-Do a Automatic-gearbox diagnostic

-check for oil leakage from gearbox/differential

-check for grinding.

 

Body-stuff:

-Lift up any rubber seals on the car even around the windows & look for a paint edge.

-Check every wheel well & even see if you can lift up the edge of the liner to see if there is a paint edge.

-Pop the hood & hatch. Check the bolts that hold the quarter panel on, should be covered with factory paint & look like it's never been removed, if it's been removed you will know it because it's near impossible to line it back up & not show where bolt location was previously.

-Check the gaps on both sides of hood, should be small & equal. Check the gaps right under door where fender meets door, make sure same on both sides.

-Check gaps on both sides of bumpers front & back.

-Open doors & look through hinge ares for messed up sheet metal on the pillar.

-Check in back upper hatch seal area for signs of wreck.

-Always look in the spare tire well.

-Look for OEM glass & always check for cracked windshield this is easy to miss & not uncommon.

-Look up under the bumper at the frame that connects to it, look under hood area at that also, this is what gets straightened from a head on collision.

-Whatever you do NEVER & I mean NEVER buy a car at night! Even if you go where lights are. In the day look down the body for dings & depressions especially since Zs are durasteel.

-I don't use a magnet since I can generally knock & tell if has bondo but feel free. Owners will look at you funny & get irate sometimes...hey, if they don't like it, don't buy it, this is NOT a small investment. If the owner knows the car is excellent they will have no problem whatsoever letting you check it up & down, normally they are pretty proud when it's really clean.

-I prefer stock paint that has been maintained.

-Check the calipers, see if they look all the same.

-Check lights for condensation..though sometimes this is not indicative or wreck, check the seal area & alignment around the lights very hard to get to factory spec.

 

 

Also it might be worthwhile to try to get someone from this forum to come with you if you think you have found one that you're considering to buy :-)

 

-Eric

 

The full post is here : http://www.300zx.co.uk/forums/ubbforum/Forum1/HTML/000825.html

As Tim said best to get someone who knows what to look for...Hope this all helps,

Trev

I have mentioned a garge in Plumtree Nottingham a few times that i visit when im bored - they have a good rep, for quality and after sales service - they had two TT's in last time i was there one with a aftermarket wing and stuff on it. the web addresss is www.charlesworths.co.uk i think.

 

they are not the cheapest in the world but for the money you have it would be best to buy peace of mind. You can after all get a TT for about 5K these days.

 

Also if you dont plan on modding it look gettin a 97,98 moddel from japan.

 

Z ya

Nico 91TT

Dominic,

 

If you need any help, Just drop me a mail...

 

Where abouts in the Midlands are you?

 

Any help you need just let me know.

 

 

Matty.

Yeah A good idea - Matty's got a rite nose for a bargain

 

Z ya

 

Nic0 91TT

...just keep yer daughter(s) locked up and don't let him near your Mrs.

 

LMAO!

 

 

Tim

;-)

 

Timothy........

 

What you trying to say mate?

 

I am offended....

 

I wouldn't touch another man's woman....Unless she wanted me too.....

 

Matty.

Hi Dom

I was looking in exchange and mart today and saw an awsome UK 300TT 1995 Blue with only 15,000miles on it one onwer full service history youll not find many that good, Its over your 10k mark but only another 4k i bet it would be worth it though.

 

good luck

Terry

 

 

Terry,

 

Sorry to disappoint you, but they only made UK 300zx cars upto the year 1994. I know, I've got one of the last ones !!

 

It must therefore be an imported car.

 

Hope this info helps.

 

A.

Matty de Mat Man,

 

I know matey, just as Rappers have Parental Warnings on, you have to have Elk Hunter warnings on!

 

You da man, you know dat...

 

REZPECT to the Mat Man!

 

Send money to...

 

LOL!

 

 

Timmy Turbo Titan!

 

;-)

 

Alesi,

You'd need to check the VIN etc. It could be a late registration.

 

I saw an 'N' reg car that turned out to be a 1989 or 90 model.

Sorry i was only putting what it said in paper you never no wat reg they are as ive seen a w reg round my way.

Terry

Dblundell, I've actually stuck mine up for sale if your interested. Theres piccies in the rides section.

 

Buzz me if you are.

 

Chris