I've been toying with the idea of buying a manual ZX recently, not for any other reason but my SLK is an auto so having a manual ZX would be different.

 

Anyway, I've seen a 1994 "L" reg UK spec fully loaded manual advertised in a car dealers near me. It's had very few owners (the last, a Z-club member, for the last 8 years) and it has only covered 70k miles with full detailed history. It's going for £5k.

 

Now I'm very attached to my current ZX - it's a 1991 UK spec with only 88k miles and has never let me down at all. A manual conversion is not an option as I consider it a waste of money; I think it more sensible to replace the car rather than do that.

 

I'm not desparate to change, especially given the reliability record of my current ZX, so what would you do?

 

Richard :)

 

PS anyone want a nice UK spec auto with history..............? ;)

Sounds like a nice spec....series 3 so Nice velour dash and doors instead of tweed, electronic hicas..etc

 

p.s I would'nt consider a manual conversion a waste of money, far from it, when it will up to £1k to the vehicles value. It is ofcourse a more cost effective change when you have a failed autobox though.

I agree with Legrath. I personally think that a manual coversion will be of great benefit. You already have a car that is ideal for you and, most importantly, a known quantity. You know that if you had a manual conversion, that the rest of the car is solid and how you want it to be.

 

You could inadvertantly purchase what looks like a nice car, only to spend a few thousand either getting it to how you want it, or rectifying any issues you may have with it.

................p.s I would'nt consider a manual conversion a waste of money, far from it, when it will up to £1k to the vehicles value............

 

Do you really think it would add up to £1k to a vehicle's value?

 

I hadn't thought of that, given the current low prices some ZXs are going for. Also at the time I bought mine there was no noticable difference in prices; in fact the Glasses Guide (almost 5 years ago) had the auto valued a little higher.

 

I'd guess the manual fetches a premium now because of demand; they are more rare, plus the younger generation of potential ZX drivers do not want an auto........

 

....oh and all J-spec autos will go bang if they haven't already :tongue:

 

Richard :p

Hi Richard - if your insurance will cover it, you can have a test in my manual fnarr fnarr. Spookily I nearly changed the other way when ZTech came up with a good UK auto (as a cure for sitting in the North Circular Road twice a day and being a fully-paid up member of the LLOC thanks to a loose nut on the handlebars).

 

Having driven both, I am very impressed with the auto but not enough to change. I guess it comes down to a) how you like to drive and b) car condition. Me - despite the LLOC - I prefer the control and clutch / gearstick / throttle stuff. For 95% of my daily driving, the auto would be the more sensible choice - go figure! As Ralph Waldo Emerson said (paraphrased by Isaac Asimov) "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of tiny minds".

 

I agree with you: if you want a manual, buy one and if you want an auto, buy one. Conversions are never as factory as the factory and bad ones would rip the value as well as give you a lot of time at the roadside. If knowledgeable owners want to take that risk, then fair enough but Mr Borings like me would never buy an amateur conversion as there is no way the quality or completeness of the work can be guaranteed and it drives a truck through the originality.

 

Anyway, it's time for Life on Mars so I ain't writing any more and you won't be reading it :tongue: let's just hope it's a proper ending rather than the cliff-hanger-leading-the-way-to-another-series like the first one.

 

Cheers - Gio

I agree with Legrath. I personally think that a manual coversion will be of great benefit. You already have a car that is ideal for you and, most importantly, a known quantity. You know that if you had a manual conversion, that the rest of the car is solid and how you want it to be.

 

You could inadvertantly purchase what looks like a nice car, only to spend a few thousand either getting it to how you want it, or rectifying any issues you may have with it.

 

Nothing needs to be added to the above.

Agreed 100%

I know auto boxes dont fetch a lot but someone WILL buy yours to help offset the cost of going manual.

Hi Richard - if your insurance will cover it, you can have a test in my manual fnarr fnarr. Spookily I nearly changed the other way when ZTech came up with a good UK auto (as a cure for sitting in the North Circular Road twice a day and being a fully-paid up member of the LLOC thanks to a loose nut on the handlebars).

 

Having driven both, I am very impressed with the auto but not enough to change. I guess it comes down to a) how you like to drive and b) car condition. Me - despite the LLOC - I prefer the control and clutch / gearstick / throttle stuff. For 95% of my daily driving, the auto would be the more sensible choice - go figure! As Ralph Waldo Emerson said (paraphrased by Isaac Asimov) "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of tiny minds".

 

I agree with you: if you want a manual, buy one and if you want an auto, buy one. Conversions are never as factory as the factory and bad ones would rip the value as well as give you a lot of time at the roadside. If knowledgeable owners want to take that risk, then fair enough but Mr Borings like me would never buy an amateur conversion as there is no way the quality or completeness of the work can be guaranteed and it drives a truck through the originality.

 

Anyway, it's time for Life on Mars so I ain't writing any more and you won't be reading it :tongue: let's just hope it's a proper ending rather than the cliff-hanger-leading-the-way-to-another-series like the first one.

 

Cheers - Gio

 

A fair comment on DIY conversions, but a lot of the Zed specialist Traders are very experienced with this conversion. I know for example, that just in the last 4 months alone SWZ Performance have done 7 Manual conversions on Z32's.

 

...and the conversions are exactly as they would of come out of the factory as all parts used come from a Donor vehicle using full Nissan OEM components.

velour dash??

I'd worry about anyone doing a job as big as replacing a gearbox. There's lots of potential for things to go wrong.

 

Plus you're putting in a 15 year old gearbox that you won't know the full history for. And getting rid of your own working gearbox.

 

Takemetothepub kust sold his nice series 2 TT manual for £3K. Would a manual box really add £1000 to the value of your car? Wiser folk than me say it will but I'd still tread carefully.

 

I wouldn't do it TBH. I appreciate others would.

If you look around, it's not easy to find any reference to the definitive list of "parts which must be changed" and "work which must be done" to change a factory-spec auto to a factory-spec manual. It all appears to come down to individual workshop's opinion. Now you or the person who you might want to sell the car to might not share the same opinion as to what a competent auto > manual change is.

 

I am not a techie (just a pedant) so I have no idea if the following differences are or are not important. Where I don't understand stuff, I tend to look to what the factory did as they spent squillions of yen more than I did to develop their solution. Others are more cleverer than what I am so go to it but don't be too surprised if this restricts your market.

 

It's even more complicated because different markets got different combinations of auto / manual / TT / NA / 2+2 / 2 str / slicktop / targa etc etc

 

Differences appear to include:

- flywheel

- flywheel bolts

- propshaft

- diff

- turbos

- clutch booster / lines / master cylinder

- alternator harness "It plugs in almost exactly right except for some splicing..." eek (but someone else has a different view - see links below)

- a whole bunch of boots and stuff

 

My sources are:

Service Manual http://www.300zx.co.uk/cgi-bin/manual.cgi

Parts fiche http://www.300zx.lv/catalog/?m=Z32

http://www.z1motorsports.com/PDFs/Autoto5spconversion.pdf

http://www.twinturbo.net/net/viewmsg.aspx?forum=technical&msg_id=874620

http://www.twinturbo.net/net/viewmsg.aspx?forum=technical&msg_id=916979

http://www.twinturbo.net/net/viewmsg.aspx?forum=technical&msg_id=746049

 

As I said before, competent people can do this and / or evaluate it to their own satisfaction. But not me! So I clearly fall into the category of people who would never buy a conversion without understanding every change done or not done and why (and I never will - don't have the expertise, don't have the time). If you fall into the category of tech wizard, then go ahead, have fun.

Hi Richard - if your insurance will cover it, you can have a test in my manual fnarr fnarr. ................Cheers - Gio

 

Thanks for that Gio.....

 

.....although I have driven both when I was originally looking to buy a ZX. At the time I wasn't really fussed which one I ended up with as I like both versions, I just chose the best car on sale back then ;)

 

TBH I'm not desparate for a manual that I would actually bother to get the conversion done. However seeing a low mileage late model UK spec at £5k only 6 miles away from home does get me thinking............ :slap:

 

Thanks for the input chaps

 

Richard :cool:

... as I like both versions, I just chose the best car on sale back then ;)

 

OK please could everyone who wants to pick a fight over manual vs auto vs conversions (not that there's anyone like that on here ;) - just a comment for visitors :D ) please read these words of wisdom. Good advice :)

buy mine

Dilema over........

 

.....for now ;)

 

http://www.300zx.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=92152

 

Hopefully it went to a good home and the new owner will turn up on here.

 

Richard :cool:

Dilema over........

 

.....for now ;)

 

http://www.300zx.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=92152

 

Hopefully it went to a good home and the new owner will turn up on here.

 

Richard :cool:

 

when u find your next dilema car... let me know and il end your dilema for you :tongue: ;) :p

when u find your next dilema car... let me know and il end your dilema for you :tongue: ;) :p

 

Will do mate!

 

That wasn't the first by the way. Back in February I saw a nice 1996 "N" reg import TT manual with leather in metallic blue for sale in a garage around Royston way IIRC. (called Red something??) It was about £4995 too....

 

I didn't go and see it because I'm a lazy git. :slap:

 

If I'd have known you were looking then, I'd have let you know.

 

Richard :cool:

nevermind matey... im quite open minded for this one and my criteria has a very wide spectrum so it shouldnt take too long to find/import one. as long as it is in good mechanical and structural condition with reasonable mileage il take it, colour doesnt matter as it will soon be on the operating table, and im not bothered about it being a 95/96 as i was going for and im now in the frame of mind for preferring a 93/94.

 

Joel

Go for a 92 :)

Go for a 92 :)

 

lol, if yours was a targa top mate i would probably have had a look... also want a lwb really so i have sumwhere to put the dog :)

 

Joel

Ahh, just buy a cheap runaround for the dog lol.

we have, weve got the impreza estate... but he'll be coming with us to zed meets and the odd summer trip etc so with a 2+2 we get the option to bring him with us ;)