I am looking for a 300zx, it needs to be manual, '90+, twin turbo, in good condition. I have a budget of £3500-£4000 I live in clevedon (near Bristol) but am willing to travel upto 150 miles. Also, i may be interested in importing one. Any help or suggestions would be appreciated, also anyone with experience of importing cars who could give me advice would also be appreciated.

well first of, so long as you understand they are very high maintenance vehicles.

Im not sure what type of nick youll find one in for that money. Probabally best to import in my opinion.

If you are looking at models in the UK try get someone to go with you that owns one already i would say.

 

Milage is an important factor. Seat wear ect.

Get all valid paperwork check if it is nto nicked in japan ect

 

If you want to get a 'decent' one you would have to double that price range but saying tha you can pick up the odd 'bargain' for about £4,000 to £5,000.

 

Best of luck with the search.

 

 

Matty.

 

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Bounce...Bounce...Bounce...Bounce...Bounce...Bounce...Bounce... (sorry no sound!) LOL

I got my one for £4500.

It has got a lot of miles on it, 136,000 when I got it, and it needed some sill work. It took 2 days perside to fix but its done. The arches are starting to need attention too. However, it did have almost full history (97-98 is a void for the car only got MOT's) and it has been looked after very well. I have not had 1 problem with the engine and I do push it sometimes. I know people on this board who bought there car with half the mileage and had loads of problems with the engine.

 

You can get an OK one, spend some time and money on it and you can make it good.

 

Stuart

Alex,

 

My advise would be if you're looking at the 'lower' end of the market just be aware of the running costs, I have read these estimated at £3000 pa, given fuels costs, insurance etc. I quite believe it.

 

I have had mine 6 months and have ploughed in £2K in fuel, £880 insurance, £400 tyres, etc. etc!

 

The bottom line is purchase price is not the only cost! If you can't afford the running costs keep clear, they can be major, expensive, grief if the go wrong.

 

Good luck in your quest

 

Tim

 

[This message has been edited by TT Tim (edited 06-01-2002).]

Yeah same here.

I got the car for £4500,

with in months it needed 4 new tyres, £550, and I put in £20/£25 a week and I dont drive it very far. About 100-150 miles a week. My Old astra was £25 to fill it and that would last 3 weeks

 

Stuart

yeah but they go really really fast and everyone looks at you when you are driving one

 

But there are some superb examples out there. I bought my 92 UK TT just over 2 years ago now, 18 months before I'd heard of this forum for uh...considerably more than £4000...and the only issues that I have had have been

*PTU

*Turbos

*Dead battery.

 

The former 2 of which were handled under warranty (a good option to go for, if you chose the right company. Mine is with WH Holdings and gives me unlimited claims of up to £1000 each, all for £32 a month) and the latter was £70 odd from Beds Battery.

 

She's now done 128,000 on the bodywork and 31,000 on the new engine that was installed (at a cost of £11,000 - I have the receipts to prove it) prior to my buying her.

 

Good luck in your search. It took 9 months for me to find a decent one but once you get one, you won't regret it.

I looked at many 300's before i bought my first one of all prices and milage. I have to say that the vehicles at the lower price range were not very tidy and needed a fair bit of work. Personally i think it would be cheaper to pay a little extra buying one with full history and low miles/owners than buy a cheaper one that is patchy and will end up costing 1000's in repairs all the time because it has not been looked after. My first zed was a 91' black manual from osaka in japan. I sold it after 6 months because it was killing me in insuruance!!! I then bought a skyline R-33 with my brother who is in the navy so never really at home. This was very fun but i then had an accident (not my fault) which left me with a smashed left leg which after i recovered made driving a manual very painful after an hour or so. I needed another car so i bought another ZED!! Just couldnt resist it it was like a bug!!! Yes its an auto (call me grandad if u like!!!!) and i wasent too keen on buying an auto but i was very impressed with it. The auto's are actually very good, mine having 450BHP is also a contributing factor- Dont knock it till u try it!!! Basically mate try and pay a bit more for quality or it could cost u heavily in the long run. Get the AA to check the car, its £240 for an advanced check and worth every penny. Ive had this 300zx for a few months now and it has been very good. I paid a £8000 for it and its had a new engine gearbox clutch etc. I've had a few niggly problems with it but at the end of the day these cars are SUPERCARS and u will pay over the odds for parts, but if u can afford to buy insure and maintain a decent one they are well worth it!!! Rare, fast, sexy, snorting testosterone car that craps on everything else for value for money. Happy hunting mate..............

 

Regards

 

THE ZEDSTER

...............................................

there's a red uk spec k plater that i saw in a car showroom near ince/hindley for the princely sum of 6995 not bad for a uk spec

If you're going to look at a car near Bristol and want a second opinion then send me an email as I'm in Bristol quite a bit. I'm not an expert but I've learnt a fair bit from owning one for 9 months and reading this forum.

 

Good luck and happy hunting

 

 

 

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Alex

 

I have to agree with Zedster.

 

I spent weeks calling around and travelling up and down the country looking at Z's.

 

Infact, I got to a red one just North of York and after taking it for a gentle spin, and I mean gentle, spoke started coming from under the rear of the car.

 

It is imperetive that you conduct turbo tests on the day and not 100% rely on RAC and AA because a lot of their stuff is just procedure. Don't get me wrong, they do a good job but in the end of the day it is you putting your neck on the line.

 

The things that I usually look for are little give aways to see if the owners have been meticulous about keeping tidy like making sure all ilumination lights on window buttons and heater controls are working and if the car has leather seats, checking down the slits of the seats for dirt.

 

Theres loads more but I'm sure you've had enough off me sucking an egg.

 

Just my 10p worth.

When I phoned up the RAC to do a car test on the Z, they wanted over £450 to do it. They said with complicated car, they would take most of the day and test everything, turbos, intercoolers, everything. The thing is I am not prepaired to spend what was at the time 10% of the budget on test. What happens if it says whats wrong is too much and I dont get the car. True I then wouldnt have a duff car, but you cant do that to every car you get interested in, it could take a few attempts before you find one that is in very good nick, which would cost you thousands.

 

I think I have been lucky with my car. I did the cardinal sin and took the first one I saw. I just fell in love with it. However I think I have been very lucky. The engine has never even coughed and starts within half a second of turning the key, even when it went down to -8C which did suprise me. However, there was a bit of body work that needed doing. Lucky me and my dad can do it, but it would prob take about a week of our time non stop. In a garage it will cost thousands.

 

My 2 Euro Cents worth

 

Stuart