I've got around 4-5k to spend on a 300zx twin turbo, i'd prefer a uk model for insurance reasons and would rather manual but wouldnt be tottally adverse to an automatic. Im currently paying around 300 pounds a month for my current car, which includes finance. so that would be my top line for insurance and maintanence costs per month. I do around 6000 miles a year.

 

What i really need is advice on the running costs, how long clutch's last, gearbox's etc, assuming some tuning to around 400bhp, and one or two quarter mile runs every year. How they fair up for trackdays, will it just destroy the clutch in one go?.

 

ok, thanks for any help guys.

Be prepared for fuel bill hell, Optimax/Super Unleaded only, getting about 15mpg from my 400bhpish TT manual, improving to just over 20 on the motorway ;)

 

Servicing wise, pretty good if you use a specialist, mine isin at the ZCentre at the moment, great service, excellent prices. As far as I can see, for general maintenance, the costs are reasonable, but if something like the turbos go be prepared for a big bill.

 

Insurance might be tricky, depending on age/ncb of course, but they are group 18, so are going to be relatively expensive regardless.

 

Not had mine long enough to comment on the gearbox/clutch yet though, although I will read replies with interest as I plan to take mine on the 1/4 mile strip at Crail next year to see what like...

Originally posted by Zuban

I've got around 4-5k to spend on a 300zx twin turbo, i'd prefer a uk model for insurance reasons and would rather manual but wouldnt be tottally adverse to an automatic. Im currently paying around 300 pounds a month for my current car, which includes finance. so that would be my top line for insurance and maintanence costs per month. I do around 6000 miles a year.

 

What i really need is advice on the running costs, how long clutch's last, gearbox's etc, assuming some tuning to around 400bhp, and one or two quarter mile runs every year. How they fair up for trackdays, will it just destroy the clutch in one go?.

 

ok, thanks for any help guys.

 

Insurance depends on your age and situation. Do you have a daily runner? If so you can get a 10 year or older Z on Classic insurance with some companies which frees up your NCB for your 2nd car.

 

I pay £68 a month insurance, and if I used it as a daily driver I would use £100 a month petrol, but I have a 2nd car for running around.

 

If you can save the £100 a month for any mantainace that may come up or any modifications you want.

 

My last clutch lasted 70,000 miles according to the history. How long it lasts depends on the type of clutch you have and how you drive. Track Days I wouldnt say are that bad on clutches. 1/4 mile runs are a lot worse as to pull off quick you need to slip the clutch other wise you will bog down.

 

As for how long the manual gearbox lasts, I dont know any one who has had a problem with a manual box other than slipping clutch. The boxes are meant to be good for 600bhp.

 

Running costs again depends on how you drive and how long you drive. The most I have got is 32mpg while on holiday, but round town it goes down to 18mpg or so. Messing around and flooring it a lot will take it down to 10mpg or so.

 

Also how modified it is will effect the MPG. The basic mods Intake, Exhaust, Decat pipes could infact increase the MPG very slightly. But ECU mods and so on, will make it go down, but again it depends on how you drive. Driving a modded car nice and smoothly on a long run, you will probably not notice any difference, but flooring it all the time when modded you will.

 

Things like repairs it depends on a lot of things. There are people on here who can help you keep costs down. For example there is some one always breaking a Z or 2 so quality used parts are not so hard to find, and there are a few specialist performance parts people who can get parts cheaper than the highstreet or Nissan, and tend to be better quality too.

 

Have you been in a Z yet?

 

Stuart

well, trying to find a nice UK manual for £4k is gonna be fun ;)

 

assuming you do & you want 400bhp then an uprated clutch is gonna be essential, your looking at around £350 for a RPS clutch kit & the same again if you fancy putting a lightweight flywheel in at the same time.

 

i would also recommend traction control to be on the top of your wish list too.

 

quite a few on here go to the pod on a regular basis so that should be no probs.

 

auto boxes can be a little on the weak side (no rows now!! :p ) unless fitted with an uprated oil cooler.

 

good luck :cool:

Hey thanks for the reply's people, thats loads of help. I havent been in a 300z before the closest thing would be a 300bhp+ s13 200 and an s14 200. I was considering a s14 200 but thought to include the 300 as if i could afford it i'd take it over the 200. At the moment its looking like there wont be to much in it assuming nothing major goes wrong, i'd have to spend loads getting the 200 near the performance of the 300z and then the upkeep would be cruel so the z may be the best choice. I'm only driving 8 round trip to work, and my mother passes that way aswell so theres no reason i couldnt get a lift there either, and apart from the odd 20 mile trip i do every few days im not covering many miles. As for the budget to buy the car i was being hopefull with the 4k, i'm hoping to get around 6-7k for my current car so i'd be willing to go up in price to get a decent example although i'd like to avoid imports because of insurance, i'll be about 100 pounds a month already and if it were import it would go up about 30 pounds a month. I'll have to travel some distance to try one out as i'm in inverness in scotland and theres not many around here so thats why i'm asking for running costs etc, i didnt want to try one out and get hooked on them if it wasnt feesable. Any more advice would be great, thanks folks.