Hi folks firstly some lovely looking cars on here seeing them has made my mind up that i want one! :D

 

I was wondering if you could impart soem friendly advice on buying and insuring?

 

I have no experience of Nissan im a Vw golf man at present and with a limited budget to style the 300 series looks the business and the fact theres such a big following for the car that gives me some confidence.

 

If you were me and had about 3k to spend on one what things would you look for and what could i hope to expect from this amount the other thing i need to consider is the fact im 27 and have been driving for only a year (i know bit of a lazy one!)

 

My current car is a mk3 golf gti 8v so theres going to be insurance to consider my current fully comp amount is £401 which considering it was £698 last year isnt bad!

 

Does servicing cost a lot?

Is there a lot to consider from the import versions?

i would want a manual gearbox, are these harder to find?

what sort of things can go wrong and can it turn into a money pit quickly?

 

 

I have lots more im sure but i thought i would take it easy with my first post!!

 

thanks for any input folks

 

Kev :duffer:

Welcome to the club Kev..

 

Check this 'Buying Guide' out:

CLICK LINK:

 

http://www.300zx.co.uk/tech/BuyingZ.htm

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Welcome and good luck on the zed hunt!

£3k will buy you an ok'ish 300zx. But you will need £1500 in the bank for a rainy day each year for when it brakes, and it will brake!

 

You have only just started driving and your looking at a 300bhp rear wheel drive sports car??

In all honesty I would say get some more driving experience behind you and then start looking at rear wheel big power cars. If you come off a roundabout even a little too hard in one of these its not like your golf, this will hurt you! Maybe look at some advanced driving classes first.

 

If you do bite the bullet and go for it the costs are high to run one of these.

 

Each year your looking at two sets of tyres (£1000) Two sets of brake pads (£180) Four oil changes (£240) MOT they normally fail so (£400ish) repairs are often and more likely than not expensive (£1000 a year) then insurance and petrol.

 

So your looking at £3k a year to run without fuel or tax or insurance.

 

Don’t mean to put you off, but think hard about it, and if you do buy you will love every minute of it and will always get loads of help from the people on here.

Does servicing cost a lot?

 

Not really, but need to be done a more often than normal cars, eg. oil changes every three months.

 

Is there a lot to consider from the import versions?

 

Normally less rust on imports and a better spec than the UK ones, other than that they are the same car.

 

i would want a manual gearbox, are these harder to find?

Harder to find as they are not for sale as often and go for higher prices as they are more desirable.

 

what sort of things can go wrong and can it turn into a money pit quickly?

 

Mainly lack of servicing and money being spent, find a car with LOTS of history.

wow thanks for the quick responses guys!!

 

Takemetothepub.....your probably right it was at the back of my mind about cost and experience but they are sexy motors lol but can i afford to pay that much for sex each year???? hmmmm...I was also looking at the 200's maybe a better idea to go for the baby version first?

 

any opinions on these?

 

thansk again

wow thanks for the quick responses guys!!

 

Takemetothepub.....your probably right it was at the back of my mind about cost and experience but they are sexy motors lol but can i afford to pay that much for sex each year???? hmmmm...I was also looking at the 200's maybe a better idea to go for the baby version first?

 

any opinions on these?

 

thansk again

 

I would say go for a non turbo 300zx to start with, for you it will be MORE than powerfull enough to make you smile and you can learn the rear wheel drive experience.

 

Also they are cheaper to run and tend to break down less ;) Less power at the wheels wears the rubber down less, less speed brakes last longer etc tec

 

Oh and cheaper to buy :duffer:

ok non turbo check and a yearly budget rethink check...

 

gonna go a hunting and do some serious thinking, im impulsive sometimes thank god for forums!!

 

cheers

 

are the 200's any good out of interest? or am i cheating myself lol

 

are the 200's any good out of interest? or am i cheating myself lol

 

200's are ok, good fun cars. Dont know a great deal about them myself but a few people on here have/had them so someone can help you

Each year your looking at two sets of tyres (£1000) Two sets of brake pads (£180) Four oil changes (£240) MOT they normally fail so (£400ish) repairs are often and more likely than not expensive (£1000 a year) then insurance and petrol.

 

 

As a comparison for my SWB, Non-turbo, manual the running costs have been roughly as follows:

 

Tyres - 1 set in 3 years and still loadsa tread left (approx 3000 miles per year)

 

Brake pads - still on the ones that came with the car 3 1/2 years ago

 

Oil changes - 2 per year approx £100

 

MOT - has sailed through the last 2 with no problems

 

Repairs - less than £200 per year on average over the last 3 1/2 years

 

Insurance - A classic car policy with 300 miles costs me £290 fully comp

 

Fuel - average of 20-22 mpg

 

I have done a few basic performance mods and now get a proven 243 bhp and have also refitted the interior as well.

 

Cheerz and welcome ............... :D

welcome to the club

Tyres - 1 set in 3 years and still loadsa tread left (approx 3000 miles per year)

 

 

Fook me mate try using the pedal on the right some time! :D :nelson:

Fook me mate try using the pedal on the right some time! :D :nelson:

 

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

lol i like the idea of your running costs...i want this to be my daily driver and i dont do that many long trips but i think 3000 miles is not enough as i love driving round the scottish back roads!

 

but that is a more attractive amount to be spending....

 

oh and thanks for the welcomes :hyper:

As a comparison for my SWB, Non-turbo, manual the running costs have been roughly as follows:

 

Tyres - 1 set in 3 years and still loadsa tread left (approx 3000 miles per year)

 

Brake pads - still on the ones that came with the car 3 1/2 years ago

 

Oil changes - 2 per year approx £100

 

MOT - has sailed through the last 2 with no problems

 

Repairs - less than £200 per year on average over the last 3 1/2 years

 

Insurance - A classic car policy with 300 miles costs me £290 fully comp

 

Fuel - average of 20-22 mpg

 

I have done a few basic performance mods and now get a proven 243 bhp and have also refitted the interior as well.

 

Cheerz and welcome ............... :D

 

sorry forgot to ask how much was yours...if that not too cheeky!

sorry forgot to ask how much was yours...if that not too cheeky!

 

 

Bought it 3 1/2 years ago for less than £3500 :D At that point it was standard apart from a de-catted SS exhaust and a Sony Stereo. It's not standard now.............. :D

sorry forgot to ask how much was yours...if that not too cheeky!

Hi,bought a NA 6 months ago not spent a penny on it apart from an oil change. Lookin at the pics of the other members is the costly bit!!!makes you want yours to look like theirs!

Paid £400 insurance fully comp paid £3100 for a 96 jap spec uk cars loads cheaper on insurance. NA well powerful enough too. Just had a custom 4 exiy SS exhaust fitted £360 for cat back sounds beautiful. Go on dive in I did and Im in love spend it before the women pinch it!

Hi,bought a NA 6 months ago not spent a penny on it apart from an oil change. Lookin at the pics of the other members is the costly bit!!!makes you want yours to look like theirs!

Paid £400 insurance fully comp paid £3100 for a 96 jap spec uk cars loads cheaper on insurance. NA well powerful enough too. Just had a custom 4 exiy SS exhaust fitted £360 for cat back sounds beautiful. Go on dive in I did and Im in love spend it before the women pinch it!

 

 

Guys im gonna begin looking for one of the non turbos and see what mr elephant.co.uk says....

 

now time to fix and sell the golf!

Guys im gonna begin looking for one of the non turbos and see what mr elephant.co.uk says....

 

now time to fix and sell the golf!

Mr elephant may only do uk cars try adrian flux and go for a limited milage say 5000 it makes a real difference if you can put a lady on it it makes it cheaper cos they are much more careful apparently! putting my beautiful wife on my policy saved me nearly £100

i have the missus on my policy too but no way is she allowed to drive it!!

i have the missus on my policy too but no way is she allowed to drive it!!

Nor mine but it does make it cheaper lol

Mate I stay in Aberdeen and have a TT, where in Aberdeen are you from??

 

Normally less rust on imports and a better spec than the UK ones, other than that they are the same car.

 

 

Isnt the UK better spec then imports? I know you get folding mirrors on the Import and not on the UK, but the uk spec 1 got 3-point rear belts, headlight washers, sports suspension setting i think, Diff Cooler, Larger oil Cooler.

Mate I stay in Aberdeen and have a TT, where in Aberdeen are you from??

 

 

Alright stevie, for my sins i bought a flat on fraser street near pcworld?

 

Had to cos of the budget andf crazy house prices!!

 

What about yourself when i get the golf up and running again i might have to come perf on your machine lol! :x:

Just up the road, Ashgrove beside NEXT. My car is in bits as I have big plans for it. It sleeps in the Bridge of Don and can have a look whenever you like mate.

Just up the road, Ashgrove beside NEXT. My car is in bits as I have big plans for it. It sleeps in the Bridge of Don and can have a look whenever you like mate.

 

 

nice one sounds like a plan when the little VW is on the road i will drop you a pm :D