Help with buying used 300zx

[jma3660]

Hello everyone, I'm new to the forums and would just like some advice on buying a used 1990 Nissan 300zx N/A 2+2. I found the car on craigslist, and I just went and looked at the car today. The car is in very good shape for being an almost 24 year old car. The paint is good, no major dings or scratches, and the leather interior is in great shape. So the good part is the car looks really nice. The car has 127,000 miles on it and has had 2 owners. The car looks like it has been taken care of by both owners. None of the hoses had any cracks and there were no signs of any leaks. When I was looking at the car today he told me he was bleeding the clutch, and had just replaced the clutch slave cylinder. He said he did this because the clutch was feeling a little stiff. He said it still fells stiff, but he's going to bleed the lines again because he thinks there is just air in the lines. My main concern is what is the reliability of these cars? This will be my daily driver, and I dont want to end of spending the same amount I bought the car for in repairs. Hopefully I've provided enough information for you to help me make a smart decision. Thank you for any help!

[sk808]

Number one thing to ask him is if he got the 120k service done and proof/receipts to prove that it was done if he claims that he got it done. Also, any car can be reliable, you just have to not skip out on all the necessary and preventative maintenances!

[jma3660]

Okay I will I ask him if he did the service. If he didn't get the service done is it too late to do it if I buy the car? How much does this service typically cost? Should I be worried about a transmission problem if the clutch feels stiff?

[300ZXttZMAN]

Number one thing to ask him is if he got the 120k service done and proof/receipts to prove that it was done if he claims that he got it done. Also, any car can be reliable, you just have to not skip out on all the necessary and preventative maintenances!

This is true.

Jma3660 you may want to watch this video:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-UzW6G- ... 0B2AE272A2[/youtube]

Also check this link out:
everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-z32-t508376.html

Welcome to NICO!

[Phan]

don't buy the 1990-1992 or 1993 300zx convertible. Old style injector will only cause headache later on. Go for the 93-96 300zx or 94-96 convertible.

[nexus08]

The big deal about knowing if the 120k was done is the cost of that work if it hasn't been done. It will run you close to $1500 to have it done. If your good with a wrench, it probably would only cost about $400 to do yourself.

The reason it has to be done is the timing belt. If it breaks then it will ruin the engine before you can turn the engine off. Plain and simple. These cars have an interference engine which means if the valves aren't turning, the pistons will hit some of them and bend them all up... at which point it is game over for that engine.

If found this out AFTER I bought a car with no history on it. After I found out about the interference engine issue, the next thing I did was take it to a shop and have it done. Nearly doubled what I had in the car.

[DCaff300ZX]

If you are looking to buy a TT 300ZX, you MUST do a lot of research and really you do not want a TT if:
1. No records of maintenance performed- these cars REQUIRE thorough maintenance, often more than called for (injectors, electrical connectors)
2. No 120K service- WALK AWAY, or get the owner to reduce the cost of the car the cost of the 120K service.
3. It has been modified more than cosmetically- most owners do not know or understand how to mechanically modify these cars correctly, and unless done professionally STAY AWAY.

Hope this helps, if you are mechanically inclined and know some Z32 enthusiasts you may be able to work with some of the above but if not, these are the signs to avoid at all cost.