Hi all, hope you dont mind me asking what is probably the most asked question on here.

 

I'm after my first 300 and I'm going to go for a N/A cos at 21 a TT would just make the insurance companys largh and put the phone down on me.

 

Anyway my question. What should I look for in the way of any teltail nasty sighns that the car is a duff?

 

Thanks for any help you can give.

 

Nick.

I wouldn't count out a TT as the NA was never available here and so may be harder to insure?

They are both fast/stealable cars after all.

 

Nick,

A link to a buyers guide was posted by someone earlier today, Lymon I think.

 

Try calling for TT quotes before you make up you mind. A UK spec TT may be similar to a Jap spec NA due to the bizarre behaviour of insurance companies.

My mate bought a N/A then when he insured it paid the same as a TT as the N/A wasn`t available in the UK, give them a call b4 you go and buy one.

Then give me a call to get it belled up!!!

 

Bob

Think carefully from all angels, not just the insurance. Sure it comes to bite you in the butt each year... but also consider that if insurance is financially damaging to you, then the fuel costs will too. I've had my NA for nearly a year and last month decided to go for the extra power/excitement and get myself a TT. This week however I'm beginning to wonder if I made the right choice (too late to go back on it now)... as I've blown £100 on fuel in the last two days. The difference between insurance quotes is nothing compared to the difference in keeping these things running.

 

You know what they say.... a fool and his money are soon parted.

 

Jayen (HUGE fool - 100 smakeroo's lighter)

I was looking at a N/A ZX too when I was deciding which car to buy. Like you being only 21 I thought that this would make a difference for insurance. It was only about £30 difference.

Like others say, its the petrol that is the main difference. I had an Astra 1.3. The milage for that was terrible for a 1.3 but it beat 1.6i cars all the time. I could do with £10 a week petrol and on average it did about 30mpg. Around town less, long runs more. But now its about 25mpg I sturggle to use less than £25 a week, which is about 150 miles.

All the people in the world can tell you how much it does to the gallon, but you dont truley understand until you are at the petrol station putting in another £25 in 2 days after you last put £25 in.

I am a student and when term comes around it will be cheaper because, I take trains and walk to the station.

 

If you have no really essential bills to pay (morgage, food, girlfriend ) Go for the twin turbo.

1. If you dont you will regret it.

2. It is better to find out you cant afford it now, than later when money is needed for other things.

 

Hope this helped.

 

Stuart

The fuel bills are sometimes staggering.

I've used £120.00 in a weekend before!

A while back I managed to spend just over £500.00 in a month...

I use the Z for business (my own) so if I am out on the road the petrol is all covered by my callout fee but it's still cash that could be in my pocket if I was driving a "sensible" car (as my dad would say!)

Just spent £300.00 on a new tyre, brake pads, brake bleed, oil change last week. Things that would cost £100.00 all in for your average car.

Today it was MOT time and it failed on what looked like a couple of minor bits - a fuel leak and a couple of split bushes. The bill looks like it's going to be another £300 - £400 squids.

Just add this lot up and think whether your bank account can stand thousand pound bills on a fairly regular basis plus petrol.

Nothing has really gone wrong on my Z and it's still crippling my wallet.

My 17" rear tyres are nearly £200.00 EACH and the brake pads are around £50.00. Lucky if you get much more than 6000 miles out of 'em.

My brake disks were £350.00 and warped after a couple of thousand miles too.

My credit card is taking a hammering and I'm moving house at the end of the month with my first sprog due in October.

It's scary money and you need to be commited to the Z (or stupid) and prepared to stand up to your womans Z temper!

If you're like me you'll probably get one anyway...

But there's nothing like power sliding a Z on the way home on a sunny evening ;-)

 

[This message has been edited by ChrisC (edited 19-07-2001).]

Bills bills bills.. That's the trouble with running any car - it just gets worse the more powerful (or modified) your car gets..

 

I must admit that in my 19, the most I've spent on fuel in a weekend was £80... And that was towing cars around on a trailer all weekend

 

Simple solution - just get another credit card.... ;-)

 

Az

 

NB - Don't blame me when they heavies turn up to take your car/house/wife away

Could not agree with all the above sentiments more!

It is laughable (cryable?) how much these cars cost in comparison to normal cars. But these are NOT normal cars and you wont feel normal driving one. You feel like the king of the road! It is simple economics, if you think the great feeling you will get owning a Zed outweighs the financial cripplement you will also get, then my friend, get in debt and get Zedded!!

There are a million things to look for (try twinturbo.net for a guide) but my best bit of advice is not regarding the car but the person selling it. I know from bitter experience. I have bought 2 Zeds, one a complete shitter the other a complete dream. Difference? Dodgy car trader Zed#1, sound fella from the forum Zed#2 (Oh and about 4 grand too ).

If you dont like the sound and or look of the vendor run like you is Ben Johnson on Crack my friend

 

Glen.

Aaron.

Jump into the deep end and get a TT.

I love my car. I love it when people stare when they here it coming. The pride I feel every time I walk up to my car when surrounded by "normal cars" and think, THATS MY CAR.

I hate it that I have no money for weeks on end when some thing needs doing to it, but it is always worth it.

The first day I had my car, I went to show friends. Most of them didnt know what car I was getting or didnt believe me. This is a conversation between two of my friends, when Ste told Andy what Car I have got. Im parked outside his house behind a van.

Ste: Come and look at Stuarts new car

Andy: Whats he got?

Ste: A 300ZX

Andy: NO! Whats he really got?

Ste: A 300ZX!

Andy: Stop messin' Whats he really got?

Ste: A 300ZX come and look.

Andy walks round the van

Andy: What the F*%K!

 

I can tell you loads more reactions I got from my friends.

If you want to get reactions like that off people and you want a car that you will remember for the rest of your life. Bit the bullet and get a TT.

 

You know you want to

 

Stuart

 

P.S. Aaron, there is nothing wrong with the heavies taking your wife away. It is some times a welcome experience.

A lesson for you all who pay's insurance in installments by direct debits ! ! !

Just got a HUGE kick in the teeth this morning. Got my Certificate in the post for the insurance and it turns out that the TPF&T cover they agreed to, is actually Third Party ONLY on paper. 1.4K for that !?? They stuffed me up the arse AND buried my face in the ground!

 

The problem is I can't find my cover note !

I've been binning them once they've expired as they've been laying around getting mixed up with all the other papers. I KNOW I have one laying around somewhere.... but after a 2 hour search, can't find the blasted thing !

 

KEEP THEM ! ! ! Then you won't feel as shitty as I do this morning, and will also have amunition for your complaint.

 

SRRAE - it's OK.. You don't have to persuade me.. I've got the "I want that car... NOW" itch

 

The only problem is sorting things out.. Need to MOT the 19 (no good selling it with only 2months MOT), and it's decatted - which is erm, slightly illegal on a '94... Makes MOT's a problem!

 

Jayen - agh that sucks man! That *really* sucks..

I've been caught out a little like that this time... "I'll do about 8000 miles", "OK".. Get cover- find it's limited to 7500 miles.. Grr.. I didn't really want a *limited* mileage policy..

 

------------------

Az

I bought an NA and love it. I get the same looks as you TT drivers as they both look the same (in fact mine looks better than most as it's a 2 seater;-). Addmitedley it's not quite as fast as the TT but it's not far off (I've driven both and raced TTs and not done to bad). The NA also doesn't have the potential problems with expensive turbos going or HICAS being a pain.

 

Cheers,

 

Andy