Please help me out by giving your opinion on this dillema:

 

I have been looking for a good z for a while and had my cash all sorted out, then wrote off my banger and had other major cash problems. Finally I am sorted cash-wise again and looking for a z here, and through Auto Trader etc with a car budget of £6000 (which still leaves me a bit of an emergency fund).

 

The question I have is this- I have seen a good few zeds but so far narrowed it down to two hopefuls- if any one has any thoughts on these cars will you let me know? Maybe someone has even taken a look at them and know which ones I am talking about (out of Auto Trader)

 

Which would you go for out of these;

 

1991 J, N/A, dark red metallic Jap import

This car is in IMMACULATE condition- 14k BIMTA approved miles, full detailed service history (from Japan), just imported by what seems to me to be quite a professional company who have a guy who speaks Japanese and picks the cars with some skill. It really is immaculate- one tiny stone chip, perfect alloys, lovely clean cloth interior. Two seater. The other cars on the forecourt really did look good too.

 

The engine looks like it is in good condition. There is a little road whoosh when going fast, which the Salesman says is because the rubber on the tyres is old and has hardened. He says the lowest he can go is £5995

 

1993 K, TT, pearlescant white, Jap import

45,000 miles (but I havn't checked any records, or asked if there ARE any records yet). Bomex body kit, big bore stainless steel exhaust (which looks like it is in good cond. , new immaculate alloys, racing suspension (I havn't asked what make). The engine looks like it is good condition, and idles smoothly. There is no smoke after a long idle, or when accellerating hard. The boost seems to come up well up to about three quarters on the standard boost guage, and I can hear the dump valve blowing off cleanly. There is an aftermarket boost gauge and turbo timer, but I don't THINK the timer was opperating when I saw it. The guy didn't seem too careful when starting and revving or shutting off the engine. The suspension makes for a REALLY bumpy ride.

 

The body has one chip to the metal on the wing and some bad grazes to the side skirt. The rest of the body has no rust, looks in good condition. The front spoiler/bumper is cracked from mounting the kerb, but the alloys are perfect. I really like the bit rear fin. I am phoning the dealer again in the morning to ask some more questions. £5700

 

Which of these cars sounds like the best deal? I WANT a TT, but the N/A really is in amazine condition. I don't think you could fine one in as close to show-room condition as this. I THINK the TT has a good engine with pretty good miles, if I can see some proof of milage.

 

Which would you go for? Can pearl white body kit be touched up well? is an N/A really a lot slower? I just didn't get the exillarating boost when overtaking like I did in the TT. If the kit has been scraped, does this indicate a careless driver?

 

My final question(s) is(are), has anyone got a better offer at the moment? Some kind people helped me out a couple of months ago with cars they had, or knew of up for sale. I am looking for a TT in good condition with less than 60000 miles (if possible) preferably 2+2, Jap import, with the engine in good condition. I liked the body kit on the K reg, but don't know about the quality of fitting. It looked OK but not fantastic. Would it be better just to go for one in factory state?

 

Any help or comments would be gratefully recieved. Sorry for the long post. If there is anyone here near Newcastle would they possibly have a look at the TT and let me know what they think of it? Long post, hoping for some opinions,

 

Thanks,

 

Rich

Hi Rich,

 

Japcity have 2 or 3 Zed's on ebay at the moment including a lovely swb tt and he's been selling them for a while so you might get a good deal off him.

 

In my limited experience if you want a tt and you buy a na you will regret it all the time so if your not happy with the white one then walk away and find another one :)

 

There is plenty of good ones around

 

Cheers

Kirbz

I forgot to add. I have thought long and hard, and I really want a manual, not auto. The two cars are manuals.

 

cheers

Cant help you with the choice mate thats down to you........but speaking as one who has learnt the hard way if you get the TT check the turbos out thoroughly..... they are fookin expensive to put right....most dealers will offer you a warrenty but in the case of turbos ,oil leaks etc theyre not worth the paper theyre written on as they require 'a sudden mechanical breakdown'......... luckily i bought from a local dealer who haveing discovered the warrenty wasnt much good is digging into his own pocket to sort it out

I think the white has a good engine. Pity about the body work and less than perfect kit, which I think is a nice one

Neither of those......

 

This one:

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2429725495&category=18238

Hi Rich - I'm in Leamington if you want a look and spin out in mine (might convince you autos are great ;) ) when I get it back next week?

 

The N/A boys generally sound happy with their N/As, but if you want to mod at a later stage TT gains are easier I believe :) Mind you the dark red is a gorgeous colour :cool:

 

It also depends what you want out of it, mechanical soundness is obviously preferable but on top of that I would like the body to be flawless, or budget for resprays etc.

 

But it's up to you ;)

Trying not to be biased here:

 

I have an NA which was tatty (still is , just tatty in a different shape :)).

 

You wont get the rush of a TT off an NA, but it is still not a slow car.

 

The service history, in my opinion, is more important in a TT, not that i believe they are less reliable, but if they both go wrong, chances are the NA will be cheaper (and easier) to put right.

 

Both give you a fantastic looking car with street cred.

 

I wouldnt swap my NA for a TT, but I never wanted a TT in the first place, having said that i am currently sticking nos in it.HTH

 

Hugh

pearl white TT with bomex kitd all those mods, YES PLEASE :D

Thanks for your views.

 

I have gone and bought the NA. I just couldn't pass up the chance of a car in such fantastic condition. But I know I will regret it and want a TT, so what I plan to do is get used to a z in this one and look for a really nice TT over the next six months or so. I think the stereotypically immaculate Japanese service records swayed me. It had pristine records for services and had only done, say, 3000 km in between. The cambelt had been changed and it has only done 14k MILES. I think for me it will be worth learning the engine on this one and hopefully will still have a superb low-milage z to sell on in 6 months.

 

I got a serious rush from the TT, but I just didn't think I could risk it- I phoned the guy back and he had no service records whatsoever- the car was sold as seen. It had HKS suspension and lovely alloys, and I would recommend anyone to look at it. To my inexpert eye and ear the engine seemed really good.

 

I would be really interested in a ride in an auto- thanks again Pete. I will get in touch by e-mail (if I can work out how to send mail to you). Maybe you could have a look over my car, pass on a few tips to me? I pick it up next Saturday. Many thanks for the offer. I am still, and always will be, a die hard manual man. If you know what I mean. Maybe it's the frustration of driving round an M reg Granada with an auto box that has sent me mad. I have been trying out manual zeds and embarrassing myself completely by totally forgetting how to change gear.

 

I am also now impressed by the dealer I am buying from. It seems to me that you can get really nice cars from Japan, in great condition, with low, low miles. The insurance quotes I have had have not been outrageous for a Japanese import. I didn't buy from Group20, but have had details of what seem to be well nice cars from them. Am I missing something here? Has anyone else bought from a dealer like this?

 

I think it's time I subscribed now, so once I have worked that one out maybe I will be a 'proper' z owner!

 

Cheers,

 

Rich

lol, the autobox on a granny is absolutely dire, try out an auto zed, even better a fast road box with level 10 TC ;)

Originally posted by Clarkey

lol, the autobox on a granny is absolutely dire, try out an auto zed, even better a fast road box with level 10 TC ;)

 

& then convert to a manual & really feel the difference ;) :D