Just picked up the new Japanese Performance mag, they have a good article on a 240Z with a SR20 engine. On page 123 they list the data and ratings for the 300ZX (UK) and FairladyZ import which is pretty good (4 stars). However, this comment caught my eye and irked me a bit -

 

"Supercar performance, fulfilling handling, ultra low prices, but an image problem."

 

Anyone have an idea on what image problem they are refering to?

I know I am frequently asked about the reliability of my car (very good, thank you very much). I also notice when I attend large meets with a good mixture of cars the 300 can be a bit overlooked, even though it is one of the best looking cars IMO. Maybe we are stuck between the supercar and luxury groups. Just looking at a Skyline, Impreza, etc... you know they are performance focused and therefore forgive the poor interior and boxy styling. Anyone in the know will tell you that there are 300zx's running around with power to rival anything else on the road, but the average Joe just doesn't seem to be aware.

Japanese Performance magazine should know better as they featured the Pentroof Z not long ago...

i think its bacause they are calssed as an 80's lardy sports car for the americans by the un-educated

I can see where they are coming from tbh.

 

They never had the Kudos of some of the similiar performing cars of their day. The Nissan badge never helped i should imagine.

 

Where they ever marketed correctly upon release, as marketing and branding create an image!

the Fast and Furious era didnt really help the zed, were the Supra got most of its recognition by joe public

and i supose because you dont see 300zxs in top level motorsports anymore, no one in D1 or TA uses them, they didnt appear in JGTC (correct me if im wrong, but ive never seen one)

 

I mean that last time i saw the zed in any top level motorsport was with Steve Millen at the helm

the Fast and Furious era didnt really help the zed, were the Supra got most of its recognition by joe public

 

That crap didnt help any jap car enthusiast!! lol

I suppose it does'nt get alot of recognision from petrol heads, however it gets ALOT of looks from joe public as most people don't have a bloody clue what it is :D

 

I get asked all the time about my car, and i'm always getting looks when driving it.

I suppose it does'nt get alot of recognision from petrol heads, however it gets ALOT of looks from joe public as most people don't have a bloody clue what it is :D

 

I get asked all the time about my car, and i'm always getting looks when driving it.

 

As above, average Joe tends to drool, petrol heads ask me if I have a pipe and slippers to go with it!:rant:

and i supose because you dont see 300zxs in top level motorsports anymore, no one in D1 or TA uses them, they didnt appear in JGTC (correct me if im wrong, but ive never seen one)

 

I mean that last time i saw the zed in any top level motorsport was with Steve Millen at the helm

 

The actual 300zx was never a works JGTC car, the JGTC didnt start till 94 and used the skylines. Pre to that Group A cars were in the Japanese Touring Car Championship which Nissan again used the Skyline

I suppose it does'nt get alot of recognision from petrol heads, however it gets ALOT of looks from joe public as most people don't have a bloody clue what it is :D

 

I get asked all the time about my car, and i'm always getting looks when driving it.

 

Very true i feel this would be what they are all tallking about as an image problem! Iv had kids say my 99 Vectra was better than TT Zed as they had no clue! Also at Milton Keynes Cruise some chavs asked me what i had done to my Ferrari XD

 

Just not known a hell of alot out there i think thats the prob! Everyone knows a Skyline, Evo, Impreza and Supra but we are Different and special moving away from the crowd!

The number of people that think I drive a red ferrari...!!! Of course I feel proud when I tell them 'Of Course not...it's a NISSAN!'......ahem...

About 5 years ago, before the respray and body kit, I was parked up in town waiting to pick the mrs up. Anyway I was standing a metre or two away from the car chatting to my mate when a rather drunk couple staggered past. The bird says to her fella: "Awww look at that!! *long gawp*". Only to follow it up at few seconds later with: "Oh.... it's a Nissan. *attention lost*" as they walked past the front!! Cheeky bint.

zeds have always had a bit of a chest wig medalion man type thing going on i think thats what they mean .I dont know why ,maybe its the targas ,smokey and the bandit trans am style.

I'm not really concerned about my Zed's 'image' or what Joe Public thinks of it!

 

I've had a fair few cars in my time, must be over 60 over the last 47 years, and I have never been so attached to a car as I am my Zed. Both it's looks and performance are perfect so far as I am concerned....feast your eyes on my sig.

 

If someone doesn't rate it that's their perogative, it would be a very boring world if we all liked the same things.

I'm not really concerned about my Xed's 'image' or what Joe Public thinks of it!

 

I've had a fair few cars in my time, must be over 60 over the last 47 years, and I have never been so attached to a car as I am my Zed. Both it's looks and performance are perfect so far as I am concerned....feast your eyes on my sig.

 

If someone doesn't rate it that's their perogative, it would be a very boring world if we all liked the same things.

 

 

:bow::bow::bow:

not a truer word spoken

:duffer:

Agree 100% that the 300zx is a very special car and I am proud to own one, and for the money nothing even comes close. Since this is a 300zx club I would expect everyone to feel the same. I also get looks wherever I go but always have to explain what it is! I guess the bigger question is how to fix this "image" problem, as when people see what the car can do they respect it and will want one. It's nice being one of the few enthusiasts in on the secret but resale prices would be better if a few more people were aware! To me the best way to fix the image is to get high powered examples out on the track (road course or quarter mile) at the big events. Problem is most of the owners of high powered examples refuse to go near the track as there afraid of damaging them! There was a thread some time ago about someone building a monster for 10 of the best, did they follow through or is it still in progress?

I think there are worse cars for image. Next time your walking down the highstreet and some scooby/ evo races by with the music blasting and the usual BLAP BLAP BLAP exhaust just watch people roll their eyes, you can almost hear them thinking "what a w***er" LOL

I'm not really concerned about my Zed's 'image' or what Joe Public thinks of it!

 

I've had a fair few cars in my time, must be over 60 over the last 47 years, and I have never been so attached to a car as I am my Zed. Both it's looks and performance are perfect so far as I am concerned....feast your eyes on my sig.

 

If someone doesn't rate it that's their perogative, it would be a very boring world if we all liked the same things.

 

Have to agree with you there z32dave I have had countless bikes/cars 18 I think total in 20 years driving apart from company cars I've driven in audi's bmw's etc but I love the zed. You just love it from sitting in the very first time without even starting the engine. I'm gonna be lovin' this summer as is nearly a year since I got her and now she is purrrfect to go full summer ahead :hyper:

 

ps forgot to ad who give a sh#t what others think I'm driving one and they're not catch me if you can

the carbon kitted R33 on the cover belongs to the guy sitting at the next desk to me , its now undergoing a 1000 BHP rebuild with a 200 Nitrous shot ....ive had a ride in it was stupendously fast as was with 650+ bhp will let you know what its like as he is popping round to take me for a spin when its built in two or three weeks time :)))

Just remember, if anyone doesn't like your zed, they are wrong a clearly a w@nker.

perhaps its because at the moment they are so cheap , they attract the pre pubescent pimply pratts in back to front caps and burberry who have no intention of maintaining and keeping them in their true glory but just think "cor free undrid ponies" and it only cost a grand ...they then procede to stick spinners and caz and dave windscreen banners on them , put on ludicrous melted welly body kits and raz the nads of them till they break or they crash them ....i think that is the image that is being refered to , a particular brush that i for one do not want to be tarred with thank you very much .........

...they then procede to stick spinners and caz and gaz windscreen banners on them

He'll love you for that :rofl:

To me the best way to fix the image is to get high powered examples out on the track (road course or quarter mile) at the big events. Problem is most of the owners of high powered examples refuse to go near the track as there afraid of damaging them! There was a thread some time ago about someone building a monster for 10 of the best, did they follow through or is it still in progress?

Watch this space ;) My car is being built with this purpose in mind.

 

....im not the only one either it seems that finally people are starting to introduce the 300zx to some serious competitions so the next couple of years should be interesting.

Watch this space ;) My car is being built with this purpose in mind.

 

....im not the only one either it seems that finally people are starting to introduce the 300zx to some serious competitions so the next couple of years should be interesting.

 

Who are you gonna get to drive it, so that its competitive LOL. :tongue:

Who are you gonna get to drive it, so that its competitive LOL. :tongue:

 

Lol i will ^^ I weigh nothing wooo :P

I think all the time owners of these cars put body kits and other bolt on goodies on them it will never be treated with the Super car status that it deserves, people who buy other Super cars don't graft body kits on them so joe public cannot see what the car is, until this stops happening it will be seen as a cheap car to customise. The only thing that people who like the Z as it is, (ie no body kits) can do is to maintain them to the highest standard possible and hope that one day they will get the status they deserve.

 

This not a pop at the people with body kits, it's your car to do as you wish. Just answering the thread as I see it.

 

Paul