Just thought I would share this with listers and for anyone thinking of buying a Z. I bought my 92 spec JDM Auto as a stock car from Japan having seen so many many dogs via auto trader. I needed a stock car with history to form a solid and known platform for my mid-life crisis project. The car came with full history having been owned by a nissan employee at the Z factory with whom I was in correspondence via e:mail before the purchase. Yes the all important 60k miles service had been done andon arrival in the UK yes the visible belts had been changed along with a radiator swap and the all important nissan sticker and stamp for the 101,234kms service was present along with a stack of documentation. The owner had been extra honest and detailed the whole history of his time with the car.

 

After 10,000 extra happy miles my water pump gave up and only a keen eye on the temp guage prevented major damage. I asked my mechanic (superb independent local little set-up with all staff keen motorsport guys) to investigate & replace as well as do a full service as "it was due an oil change soon and I think the brakes need a look at too." Because his number 2 was following my workshop manual to the letter for a 'major service' he checked the cambelt 'just in case seeing as I had the water pump off' and to his and my horror found it was still the original !!!!! t was just about to lose a tooth and cracked to the point of just about to let go we shared a pint over his good fortuneand vigilence at finding this. After e:mails to taaichi san and a visit to his (japanese Nissan service center) we acertained that the service mechanic in japan had no belt in stock when he did the service and replaced the cover at the end of his first day on the car. Another mechanic working from another shift 'finished' the job replacing all the other belts and water pump hoses and stamped the book. The original guy forgot all about it assuming the spare had arrived and job was done. (they even listed the new belt as parts for the service!). Result Human error..........No intent just honest human error.

 

So the moral of this story if you buy a Z, any Z even with full service history AND receipts get the full 60k service done anyway for total peace of mind. Hell, factor it into your purchase costs and then get a reputable mechanic to do it. If the shop looks hurried or dirty, this is how mistakes happen. Shit I would do it even if I bought my car off me and was shown the old belt !!!!

 

My mechanic put things in a nutshell as we surveyed the 2 skylines & my Z in his workshop: "You are very lucky, these are 100% supercars, they have supercar running costs and even though they look a cheap option believe me they are not, I have lost count the number of these cars I have seen where the servicing is being done 'on-the-cheap' and things are missed that should be done..........Enjoy it but look after it properly!!!!1

 

Mines twinturbo

amen to that!