I have been researching this and found that an imported 300ZX TT firstly will have Kmph speedo, not undersealed, restricted to 112mph, restricted to 275bhp (UK 300BHP) require a new radio as Jap radio's frequencies are above what our stations are broardcast on, Number of owners is very hard to prove, service history again hard to prove - however equivalent MOT in Japan is very very strict so if the car has recently passed it should be a good one (Or the owner is getting rid of an MOT failure), all UK cars have leather nearly all Jap are cloth, much Higher Insurance.

 

From the above there is a clear advantage in going for a UK car over an import (Expect Imports are cheaper compared to an equivalen UK car) - does anyone know a dealer (car) for UK 300ZX's in the UK?

cheers james300

Originally posted by scoobydoo

This brings me to the point that why are imports such low mileage when they are so old? How rare is that in this country? They have been clocked and are offered with no history because 'it's in japanese' - rubbish - get it translated!!!

 

Scoobs

 

Ah tis the wisdom of Scooby......

 

why are imports such low mileage

 

They have travelled little distance.

 

How rare is that in this country?

 

They are not from this country. The is arriving from the land of congested Traffic...marvellous train systems = mostly parked and just run to Shonan of a Shumatsu.

 

They have been clocked and are offered with no history because 'it's in japanese' - rubbish - get it translated!!!

 

Clocked! Japanese people of highest integrity deep dishonour to be of the clocking dieseae.......

 

Scoobs maybe you gone barking ?

 

Ginja

I've had an Import ('89, TT, auto, leather, a/c, cruise etc) and it was a shed..

 

I bought it off someone who'd bought it off an 'importer' though.. Wouldn't do that again :) It was (is, technically) tatty, almost certainly had the odometer wound back (I imagine once it landed in the land of crooked car dealers.. uh.. I mean Blighty).. But zero rust, and everything dismantled without shearing nuts..

 

I've got UK - bodywork aint so good, not really much rust though underneath, doesn't need any welding (yet...), but every bolt you touch is rusted in place.. High mileage but fantastic interior, also leather, a/c, cruise etc..

 

If I was doing it again, I'd get one imported for me by someone with a good reputation - Neweraimports seem an ok bunch by previous posts on here, I think, so someone like them.. And it'd be a low mileage, very recent model..

 

In fact.. No.. I can't.. I can't import another one.. Someone stop me! :)

 

Looking for a 'runaround' car at the moment, and I was looking at brand-new UK cars (MX-5, MR-2 Roadster, MGTF).. Having looked at the Neweraimports website, I'm leaning toward a late 90's FTO.. Wonder if I could get a '99 300ZX for £16k though? :D

Found this on ebay http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2424132383&category=18238

 

THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN AN IMPORT AND UK CAR, a uk car

comes with full specification, including all the electrics, leathers (optional on jap car, so most have cloth interior). the jap import twin turbo had the same brakes as the uk non-turbo. this is due to all jap cars being restricted to 110mhp to comply with japanese laws. As the cars in uk are restricted to 155mph you get better brakes. jap cars also come with H speed rated tyres unless aftermarket. most uk high power cars have Z speed rated tyres. the jap use smaller ceramic turbos which spool up faster. UK cars use alu blades that can take more boost. jap cars usually have KMH clock and not MPH. if the radio is the standard nissan one then the jap radio will have to be replaced because of different radio frequencys. Jap imports have higher insurance costs. im 23 and paying just over £800 fully comp in a med to high rated crime area (i was 22 when i got it insured). i was quoteed nearly twice that when i was looking at buying a jap import. a quote on my dads name was under £450 fully comp. UK cars have a checkable service history. jap cars dont unless you are fluent in japanese and dont mind paying international call charges calling people up to comfirm that the information like mileage and service hitory is correct. parts can be more expensive on imports as even though the engines look the same, the parts are different. you may find you need to wait for part to be ordered from japan at extra costs for shipping and time payed by you. you can not get parts from nissan dealers and will have to find specialist dealers, who dont usually dont have stock of everything you need. the jap imports come with plastic headlight lens whilst the UK car has glass. you will also have a higher resale value on a UK car as they hold value better than a jap import.

Hmmmm, what a surprise that he is selling a UK!!

There are good and bad points for both. With the age of these cars now its not about whether its a Uk or Jap, it is about how its been looked after and what condition it is currently in, etc.

 

End of story.

a uk car comes with full specification, including all the electrics, leathers (optional on jap car, so most have cloth interior).

 

True ish.. Though most I've seen are all leather, it's just that in the UK cloth wasn't even an option.

 

the jap import twin turbo had the same brakes as the uk non-turbo.

 

Nope - not on a Z at least. Perhaps something else. Three brake styles on the Z - early NA (1992), from memory. Very early NA's have thinner discs, early TT's & NA's have aluminium calipers, and late TT's & NA's have iron calipers. There is no difference between Jap and UK brakes..

 

jap cars also come with H speed rated tyres unless aftermarket. most uk high power cars have Z speed rated tyres.

 

Yes, but that's just one of those things.. Jap tyres are a much much harder compound anyway, so they have bugger all grip over here.

 

the jap use smaller ceramic turbos which spool up faster. UK cars use alu blades that can take more boost.

 

Not true of the Z, can't speak for other cars. The Z's use the same turbos in the UK, EU, US and Japan. The only difference is between manual & auto cars, where the A/R ratio is slightly different. ALL Z's use non-ceramic turbos with plain bearing cores as stock.

 

jap cars usually have KMH clock and not MPH.

 

Not usually. Always.

 

if the radio is the standard nissan one then the jap radio will have to be replaced because of different radio frequencys.

 

Yes, or fit a band expander - about £15 or so, got one in my garage in fact. But who wants a 10y/o stereo anyway :D

 

Jap imports have higher insurance costs.

 

No arguments there, been there, done that..

 

UK cars have a checkable service history. jap cars dont unless you are fluent in japanese and dont mind paying international call charges calling people up to comfirm that the information like mileage and service hitory is correct.

 

True enough, but then few UK cars have a decent service history now. But yes, no verifiably service history on most imports unless you know someone who can read it :)

 

parts can be more expensive on imports as even though the engines look the same, the parts are different.

 

Not true on the Z for any mechanical parts. Some bits are different - indicators and glass being the major ones.

 

you can not get parts from nissan dealers and will have to find specialist dealers, who dont usually dont have stock of everything you need.

 

Actually, most Nissan dealers are now quite accommodating. At least, if you give them someones UK chassis number :D Or just import everything from Courtesy like any sensible person does ;)

 

the jap imports come with plastic headlight lens whilst the UK car has glass.

 

Simply.. wrong. Headlights are the same, all glass, projector beam construction.

 

you will also have a higher resale value on a UK car as they hold value better than a jap import.

 

Only if it's not rusty :D And sadly, it's not that true these days either.. Most buyers aren't switched on to the differences, and will pay the same for either.

 

 

None of that is aimed at you Homebrew, but I HATE bad advice being posted, so had to dispell the obvious myths.

 

Aaron

God! My head hurts!

 

As James said, and I did, in a round about kind of way, there are good points for both.

 

If insurance is your main gripe then I think that perhaps you are looking at the wrong car.

 

Even the cheapest bits are expensive for the Zed. Brake pads = £105 (EBC Reds), Tyres = £420 (GY Eagle F1s) etc etc.

 

But, at the end of the day as James also said condition is everything.

 

We could argue the point until we're blue in the face, but at the end of the day I'm still very happy with my J'Spec import and would recommend a grey import to anyone.

 

Tim

it's just that in the UK cloth wasn't even an option

 

I've got a UK TT with cloth trim!

Russ.

Originally posted by russtic

I've got a UK TT with cloth trim!

Russ.

 

Arse, there's always some clever bugger.. :D

 

Ok, so cloth was an option on UK cars..

Point taken.

I've had both, Jap (4 years ago) and just bought my new UK.

Personally, I much prefer the drive of the UK, just seems to feel more solid somehow!! (I think this may be because my Jap was a bit of a dog however.!!!)

 

The main reason for me going for the UK over Jap was the insurance difference, £469 on my UK, nearer a grand for an import!!! That difference pays for a shit load of welding :D

My UK also came with full histroy from new, which also swung me.

 

How these insurance fcukers decide their premium's is beyond me. My bird has just bought herself a Honda S2000 and was wondering if her insurance company, Diamond who are women only, would put me on as a named driver. Not only did they put me on, having me added bought her policy down by £60 and I 'aint a bird!! :confused:

Homebrew,

 

Just noticed your sig. Nice choice!!!:D

No matter what anyone on here says, we all know that black manuals are a) Easily fastest and b) by far coolest looking:cool:

 

/hides under desk/;)

So what you all appear to be saying is that UK's are almost always leather, will have a higher mileage and rust where as the Jap ones can be either leather or cloth generally lower mileage better body work..

 

Apparently the turbos are the same???

 

What about suspension and power are they the same??

 

Also the're autos and manuals, I don't wish to start WW3 but can somone with and auto tell me why they chose the auto and IN THERI OPINION why the auto is better Please not I asked for their opinion.

 

Many thanks

 

G.:p

UK spec TT manual =300bhp

Jap spec =280bhp

and me to a uk tt with cloth :D

And UK comes with the electric actuators on the rear shocks that changes them from stiff to rigid by the famous handbrake trick or by ecu underc ertain driving conditions - proof anyone? 2 rectangular rear fog lamps buty only one with a bulb in it. Plus UK/Euro cars have a 17% bigger cooling surface radiator and a differential oil cooler with its own leccy oil pump - important for your flat out Autobahn running - as if you did anyway!

 

Rust comes free!

Originally posted by Homebrew

UK spec TT manual =300bhp

Jap spec =280bhp

UK spec TT manual = 280bhp

Wrong. UK spec TT manual is 300bhp.

Originally posted by Homebrew

Wrong. UK spec TT manual is 300bhp.

 

i thought they were OFFICIALLY 280 bhp, both in the UK & japan, as this is the limit imposed by the japanese car manufaturers.

 

although the actual figure may be a little higher.

 

what made a UK car have 20 bhp more then??

Jap laws restrict cars to 280bhp, that includes skylines evos rx7's infact any jap car. UK cars dont have that restriction. I guess 300bhp was a nice round figure?

Hi Guys

 

just bought a load of original brochures and magazines from early 90's. The JAP spec is 300bhp and the UK is 276BHP (Manual) The AUTO is less on both.

 

The reason for less power in the UK is that the fuel had to be rated for 95RON unleaded - which is very low. In Japan they run on 100RON.

 

One of the benefits of chipping is to tune the engine for 97RON unleaded (obviously as well as upping the boost) this helps on the power.

 

Scoobs

Actually, Ive just read it again and the American car has 300BHP as well - so it's our shitty petrol over here..!!

 

Scoobs

OH, and back in 1989 the 276bhp Jap 'gentlemens agreement' (not law) limit had not been sorted then, this happened around the time the Supra was axed (326bhp).

 

Scoobs

just bought a load of original brochures and magazines from early 90's. The JAP spec is 300bhp and the UK is 276BHP (Manual) The AUTO is less on both.

 

by Scoobydoo

 

So what does your brochure say for a UK spec auto??

According to Nissan data, ALL Zeds for Europe (manual & auto) have 280bhp.

 

Jap Aussie & USA spec manuals have 300BHP, while autos have 280, owing to smaller turbos which spool up quicker.

 

USA petrol is actually worse than ours, their "regular" is only 91RON but their "premium" is 95, the same as our regular.

 

I don't want to enter the manual vs auto debate, each of us has their preferences but according to a US forum (ttzd I believe) the manual is quicker 0-60 but the auto is supposedly quicker 0-100mph........!! Test anyone???