I'm a bit of a newbie to this 300ZX lark, but had a drive of one a few weeks ago and now I really really really want one!

 

Thing is I have been looking around for a UK TT and they are seemingly pretty damn rare. I have, however found more imports available.

 

I was wondering if any of you experienced 300ZX gurus could give me an idea of your thoughts on the UK v Jap debate. A couple of import garages I have spoken to said they refused to deal in Jap TTs and would only sell non turbos (which is hardly the same now is it!?) They seemed to reckon that all import TTs had been thrashed and trashed by their previous owners and would be nothing but trouble. I find this a bit hard to believe - surely there must be some good Jap TTs over here!

 

Also, can anyone tell me how a standard Jap spec TT compares to the UK version? (BHP? any other differences?)

 

The one thing I have found is that imports are very hard to insure. My best quote for a UK TT so far is £820. Best for a Jap TT so far is nigh on £1500!!! And I have tried quite a few import garage recommended insurers! So if anyone knows of a good import insurer please let me know that too!

 

Cheers for any help provided!

 

Matt

hi matt

 

took me ages to find a decent uk zed.

 

as for all imports being thrashed - there are good ones and bad ones, same as UK models!!!

 

i had the same probs with insurance 75% of companies wont touch imports, most of the others load them right up!!

just insured mine for £540 through the insurance factory - they said they dont care if its UK or import, so it may be worth trying them.

 

Uk & imports are all 280bhp, tho jap cars have speed limiters on, most have been derestricted over here tho.

 

interior specs may be different - many imports have cloth trim where most UK have leather elec seats etc.

 

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I feel the need, the need for speed!

 

Originally posted by MattW:

A couple of import garages I have spoken to said they refused to deal in Jap TTs and would only sell non turbos

 

 

Then I should walk away from that garage - all non turbo 300zx's are imports. DOH!

 

Imports are often in better nick.

 

Try Insurance Factory or Norwich Union.

 

HTH - great cars

 

Glen

 

Insurance Premiums! STupid, Just Stupid.

 

I pay £371 for insurance on my UK Manual TT and I have no NO CLAIMS.

 

Not bad I say!

 

Firebond! Firebond! and I'll say it again, Firebond!

There are many different ways of looking at the Import/UK debate.

 

Yes the Insurance will be higher and there are a few anomolies, such as windscreen colour, headlight bulbs but, none of these is a major problem.

 

A few of myths to dismiss:

Jap cars are treated to rust protection

Jap cars are available with leather (mine is)

Jap cars are not necessarily thrashed, in fact they are likely to have a lot fewer miles under their wheels.

 

So, UK or Import? The Jap car will probabally be cheaper to initially purchase, but the insurance will be higher. But, consider this: the youngest UK car you will find will be 8 years old and have suffered the UK climate with salt and rain - the consequence of this RUST! The Jap car will probabally still be restricted to 112mph, so it may have been driven hard to that limit but not beyond, yopu can virtually guarantee that a UK car has been 'tested'.

 

Weight up the pros and cons, a saving of £600 on insurance against a higher purchase price for a UK car, a car that might well be showing signs of its advancing years. I bet the figures balance out. Parts are cheaper to import from the US so that is of little importance btw.

 

I bought my Jap import TT direct from an importer 14 months ago, I've covered 23K trouble free miles, and my insurance went down by £125 this year.

 

My advice would be to see as many cars as possible, both UK and Import.

 

Try Ian: http://www.northwestimports.co.uk/nissan300.htm It's where mine came from, and I'm still getting sood after sales service from him over a year later!

 

Good luck

 

Tim

UK cars have a bigger radiator and also a diff oil cooler - could be useful if you are a track day fan or plan any long distance very high speed stuff! I think they also have harder shockers - according to a comparison site I saw the other day.

Willie

Yes that is true.

I think on Jap and US Autos the oil cooler is next to the gearbox. People in the US change it for a larger front mounted one.

Also, Jap Autos have a smaller oil sump, again people have been known to change it for a larger one becuase it has been said to cause problems with th gearbox

Originally posted by SRRAE:

I think on Jap and US Autos the oil cooler is next to the gearbox. People in the US change it for a larger front mounted one.

Also, Jap Autos have a smaller oil sump, again people have been known to change it for a larger one becuase it has been said to cause problems with th gearbox

 

Nah, I think you're losing it now.The auto oil cooler is part of the radiator on all cars. Many people change this for a separate cooler.

 

& smaller oil sump ? That's a new one on me ....

Think I've captured most of the model differences here http://www.300zx.org.uk/mod_comp_1.htm although it's not a definitive list since there are many subtle differences between different years, plus you also get some 'bleed' of features when they're moving from one model to the next.

 

 

 

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Z32 technical article index

Blimey, thanks all! A very comprehensive reply - especially from AndyP - cheers!!!

On transmission oil coolers I'm confused, my UK has a little one in front of the big engine oil cooler, it also has 2 sets of pipes going into the radiator, 2 each side. Does that mean the series 2 cars use rad oil/water cooling as well as a oil air one?

The oil air one looks like it was there since day 1.

Willie

In response to the post on rust on UK models, this is actually LESS likely than with jap cars, as the UK models from Nissan have underbody sealing whereas the Jap ones don't. UK and jap autos are both 263bhp (series 2) uk manual is 283bhp, not sure about jap one though...

Auto's 263 bhp and manual 283 bhp? I thought they were all 280 bhp after all the bhp comes from the engine not the transmission.

Originally posted by Brian Corish:

In response to the post on rust on UK models, this is actually LESS likely than with jap cars, as the UK models from Nissan have underbody sealing whereas the Jap ones don't.

 

Sorry but this just isn't true, mine has plenty of underseal and it was bought direct from Japan, and anyway it is not solely about rust revention, climate has a huge role to play, in short we have crap wet weather, we use rock salt on our roads, roads that get covered in water retaining mud, mud that sticks to wheel arches and sill ends.

 

Tim

 

 

[This message has been edited by TT Tim (edited 10-08-2002).]

Originally posted by b19rks:

Auto's 263 bhp and manual 283 bhp? I thought they were all 280 bhp after all the bhp comes from the engine not the transmission.

 

Different cams and turbos....auto v man....best not to go there

My Jap car also has plenty of underseal underneath!

 

 

Oops! I stand corrected on the underseal issue, I know that the Jap skyline has no underseal whereas the uk one does, I assumed that the same applied to Zs.