Is this Z32 a good deal?

[paqmanbiker]

Hey, new to the forums, long time Z fan, first time looking at buying. I'm in Utah, and there aren't a whole ton of 300ZX TT's near me. I'm willing to travel to buy one, but it just so happens that there is one about 20 minutes away from me, and I'm wondering what you all think of it. My initial plan was to look for a turn key model with low miles in good condition for $7-$10k. This is way below my price range, but I had to go give it a look.

This one is a '93 with only 93k miles on it, and the seller is only asking $4500 for it. His ad had no pictures of the interior, and VERY little info in the ad. Here's the whole ad: "twin turbo, low miles, t-top, runs great" So at $4500 I figured it had some serious issues or the interior was garbage. Well I went and test drove it last week, and it kind of surprised me. There was nothing wrong mechanically that I could find just from my quick test drive and once over. The interior was in shockingly good condition (for $4500). T-top seals were really good. Engine bay was dirty, but looked ok. The only real problem with the interior was the drivers seat had a couple tears. But everything else seemed to be ok. But here's the kicker, and his ad didn't state this, and no pics of the interior meant I didn't know it till I got there. It's automatic.

I did have my heart set on a manual, but at that price, it is super tempting. How is the automatic transmission on these things? Is it reliable? Riddled with problems? If they are semi reliable, I am tempted to buy it. Should it ever fail, it would be a good excuse to try out a manual swap, no? Paint is decent, front lower lip is cracked a bit, and I haven't given it a serious look under the hood or undercarriage. I would definitely take it to a good mechanic to give it a good once over if I decided to do it, but I'm kind of conflicted. It seems to pull strong, and drive well.

Also this is the first 300ZX I've ever driven, so I don't really know what to expect. There are no other twin turbo's near enough to me to just go drive even if it were just to get a feel for them. There are some N/A's around that I could go test drive though.

Thoughts? To be honest, in the last couple weeks I have been having a few doubts about buying a 300ZX anyways, just because I know it will be a beast to maintain, and these cars are technologically packed and hard to work on. And while I like to do all the work on my cars, I'm no mechanic, and don't want to get myself into something I can't handle. I've always wanted a Z, and originally was looking at getting a 280z, but after a while decided that my lifestyle can't really handle daily driving a 40 year old car right now. And I've loved these TT's ever since high school (I graduated in the 90's) I meant to take more pics of the car when I was looking at it, but it was in the WRONG part of town, and I didn't want to hang around there any longer than I had to lol. So here are the pics from his ad:

[nexus08]

Looks like a good deal to me.

Find out when/if the timing belt has been replaced.

[paqmanbiker]

Ah yes, thanks I forgot to mention that. It was replaced about 10k miles ago, proven by the metal plate stamped in the engine bay stating that. That was one more thing indicating to me this might be a good deal. Honestly I'm having a hard time with this. I drove a Miata the other day too. While a bit on the slow side, those things sure are fun to drive. Also there's a sweet Audi S6 Wagon near me for $9500 that is tempting lol. But I do love these Z's. It is very tempting.

Edit: Also, this things has been up for sale since early this spring, not sure why it's not gone yet. Could be with the way he's listed it. I don't think the local classifieds site (kind of a local craigslist thing) is reading his post right, because there is no carriage return after the word turbo, so if you search for 300zx turbo, it doesn't come up. It only comes up if you take out the word turbo. And in the header it looks like this: "300zx twin-turbot tops" So I may be lucking out and maybe it's just not getting the coverage it should because of that typo. :-D

[ZL8NING]

Jump on it!

[paqmanbiker]

Dang, you are not helping lol. Now I really want to go have a second look at it. I kept telling myself I should hold out for a manual. But this price seems too good to pass up. Current owner is a 17 year old kid that really doesn't seem to know what he has. Although he could be hooning it to death every day for all I know. How about the reliability of the auto trans? What type of things should a good mechanic look for when checking out this particular car?

[paqmanbiker]

Oh I just remembered. He didn't mention A/C in the ad, so I asked him about it. His response was "yeah I think it works it just needs a recharg". LOL. That does not give me much confidence. And since this would be my summer driver, I really need it to have working A/C. So that is one factor, I would have to look into before buying it.

Oh man I just found out that 1993 and newer use R134 refrigerant. That would be a little less costly to work with. At that price, it might be worth it, even if I have to fix the A/C.

[ZL8NING]

Because it IS a TT, you will be upping its power with mods. That's a given. And because you will be modding it, maybe not going big bank all at once, but gradually. So, a transmission upgrade is going to be crucial. Get this auto, and you can drive it while you gather up manual transmission + clutch upgrade.

[paqmanbiker]

Because it IS a TT, you will be upping its power with mods. That's a given. And because you will be modding it, maybe not going big bank all at once, but gradually. So, a transmission upgrade is going to be crucial. Get this auto, and you can drive it while you gather up manual transmission + clutch upgrade.

Yeah I hear ya. I don't have huge plans to upgrade, but would definitely not be against certain mods in the future. Good to know. And in searching I am finding a few things to watch out for. Nothing major, but it is giving me a good idea. Thanks. Only real thing I need to sort out is if the A/C really just needs a charge or not. That could be a big expense if it's more than that. Even if it is just that it's not cheap. And in my experience, if an A/C system needs recharging, there is something else wrong with it lol. If I could talk him down to under $4k, I could justify throwing a good grand into fixing it up a bit. (A/C/, drivers seat maybe, front bumper, etc.)

[YinYang]

I would probably get this if I were you(and if I saw something like this in my area I would take it for myself ) ... because I bought a pearl 2+2 auto 93 for kind of cheap... not many major issues that affect driving, all electronics work. But there are a couple of annoying ones like fuel level sensor or something like that so my fuel gauge dont work..Using trip meter for gas is annoying though.

After im done getting everything together, I may as well have spent this amount on a TT.... 4.5k or 4k I would jump on this.

With these cars its a bunch of suprises sometimes but fck it... I figure out about things as I go lol.

I like my auto transmission, idk if the fluid has even been changed... i check it(I have no leaks).... it doesn't smell burned and im NOT changing it gonna leave it alone because my car shifts smooth when cruising, and shifts fast when under hard acceleration. I believe with Auto TT you lose less boost between shifts?

I recently rolled over 150k miles now so it is what it is still going strong though. I wish I had the extra power of TT sometimes.

[nissanfreak12]

Because it IS a TT, you will be upping its power with mods. That's a given. And because you will be modding it, maybe not going big bank all at once, but gradually. So, a transmission upgrade is going to be crucial. Get this auto, and you can drive it while you gather up manual transmission + clutch upgrade.

Yeah I hear ya. I don't have huge plans to upgrade, but would definitely not be against certain mods in the future. Good to know. And in searching I am finding a few things to watch out for. Nothing major, but it is giving me a good idea. Thanks. Only real thing I need to sort out is if the A/C really just needs a charge or not. That could be a big expense if it's more than that. Even if it is just that it's not cheap. And in my experience, if an A/C system needs recharging, there is something else wrong with it lol. If I could talk him down to under $4k, I could justify throwing a good grand into fixing it up a bit. (A/C/, drivers seat maybe, front bumper, etc.)

If the AC system doesn't have any freon or refrigerant in it, it more than likely has a bad seal. It's a sealed system and should not leak. You can convert to 134a and have it work fine, may not cool as good as r12, but will still be sufficient. And living in Utah, why do you need AC? lol.

4500 still sounds like a good deal, but just remember, these are high maintenance cars. They get expensive fast. I believe the 93 tt has the old style injectors, which are prone to failure because of ethanol. If and when the turbos go out, it does require an engine pull. That gets expensive real fast. Just be prepared to shell out some decent money to fix any issues. Don't go cheap on the parts, they are picky and really only run good on OEM parts.

Not trying to scare you out of it. I have a tt swap, and love it. I have pulled the engine 3 times because of various things either breaking or freezing on me. Just do the research and remember this is a 20 year old car and will always have its issues. Again, I think that is why most of us have them is for the power and project all at the same time.

[nissanfreak12]

And about the auto transmission, they have their quirks. I believe the TT auto is much stronger than the NA one and less issues, but still have issue none the less. They call it an autotragic for a reason. I first started with an auto and had very little issues, some were not that lucky. Just get the fluid transferred with a new filter and go from there. Autos can be fun, so who cares what everyone else think about it, and you will get crap for having a sports car with an auto.

[paqmanbiker]

If the AC system doesn't have any freon or refrigerant in it, it more than likely has a bad seal. It's a sealed system and should not leak. You can convert to 134a and have it work fine, may not cool as good as r12, but will still be sufficient. And living in Utah, why do you need AC? lol.

4500 still sounds like a good deal, but just remember, these are high maintenance cars. They get expensive fast. I believe the 93 tt has the old style injectors, which are prone to failure because of ethanol. If and when the turbos go out, it does require an engine pull. That gets expensive real fast. Just be prepared to shell out some decent money to fix any issues. Don't go cheap on the parts, they are picky and really only run good on OEM parts.

Not trying to scare you out of it. I have a tt swap, and love it. I have pulled the engine 3 times because of various things either breaking or freezing on me. Just do the research and remember this is a 20 year old car and will always have its issues. Again, I think that is why most of us have them is for the power and project all at the same time.

I was under the impression that the 1993 had 134 already? Either way, yeah there is definitely something going on with the AC. And if you think we don't need AC in Utah, you haven't been to Utah in the summer lol. Seeing as this would be pretty much only a summer car, as I already have a winter beater, it is definitely going to have to have working AC. From June through September have many many 90 plus degree days. We even get some 100 degree days.

And you don't have to worry, you aren't scaring me out of it, I was already at that point, and kind of the reason I came here to discuss it a bit more. I would love to get one, but I do know they are beasts to maintain, and can get pretty expensive. That being said, I do like to do my own work on them. While I'm no mechanic, I would not be opposed to pulling the engine on my own to do work, simply because I would enjoy it. However I do have 4 little kids right now, and RARELY have that kind of time. Which is why I'm starting to think this car might not be for me right now. I should really get something that will be more reliable on a daily basis lol. I'm not saying boring. But after thinking about it for a bit, I think maybe it's not the right time for me to enjoy a 20 year old twin turbo Z. I'm also afraid that by the time I have the time to enjoy it, they will be much much older and much more finicky.

Oh well, rant over, I'm looking at other fun stuff too. Audi S6 Wagons, Mustang Cobra's, Miata's, even 350 Z's, even though they're darn near everywhere you look. I'm all over the board. I hate to come on a Z board and end up saying I might not buy a Z, but that's the thick of it. And I still might buy one, but I'm waffling right now.

[nissanfreak12]

I was under the impression that the 1993 had 134 already? Either way, yeah there is definitely something going on with the AC. And if you think we don't need AC in Utah, you haven't been to Utah in the summer lol. Seeing as this would be pretty much only a summer car, as I already have a winter beater, it is definitely going to have to have working AC. From June through September have many many 90 plus degree days. We even get some 100 degree days.

And you don't have to worry, you aren't scaring me out of it, I was already at that point, and kind of the reason I came here to discuss it a bit more. I would love to get one, but I do know they are beasts to maintain, and can get pretty expensive. That being said, I do like to do my own work on them. While I'm no mechanic, I would not be opposed to pulling the engine on my own to do work, simply because I would enjoy it. However I do have 4 little kids right now, and RARELY have that kind of time. Which is why I'm starting to think this car might not be for me right now. I should really get something that will be more reliable on a daily basis lol. I'm not saying boring. But after thinking about it for a bit, I think maybe it's not the right time for me to enjoy a 20 year old twin turbo Z. I'm also afraid that by the time I have the time to enjoy it, they will be much much older and much more finicky.

Oh well, rant over, I'm looking at other fun stuff too. Audi S6 Wagons, Mustang Cobra's, Miata's, even 350 Z's, even though they're darn near everywhere you look. I'm all over the board. I hate to come on a Z board and end up saying I might not buy a Z, but that's the thick of it. And I still might buy one, but I'm waffling right now.

Even though I live in Denver, I still compare EVERYTHING to Phoenix weather, I can handle the 1-2 hours of 95-100 degree weather, not the 115 from 12-5 and not cooling down at night. Quit being a baby and take off the T-tops, lol.

In all seriousness, I could completely understand having AC, it is nice. Whether the weather is at 80 or 115.

And we know Z's are not for everyone, as a community we would rather give you the ups and downs of these machines so hopefully there can be an educated decision. We would rather have that than someone buying a beat up one and trashing the Z name because he is an idiot. Even if you don't buy one, we welcome everyone who wants to be part of the forums as long as they don't cause a scene or trash the Z. These cars have a lot of heritage and deserve the respect some of us give them. We are not a Honda community and have something to prove with a 6" fart can on the back.

That being said, nothing is more exhilarating than boosting with the tops off and windows down. They are becoming rare and hard to find.

[DCaff300ZX]

I was under the impression that the 1993 had 134 already? Either way, yeah there is definitely something going on with the AC. And if you think we don't need AC in Utah, you haven't been to Utah in the summer lol. Seeing as this would be pretty much only a summer car, as I already have a winter beater, it is definitely going to have to have working AC. From June through September have many many 90 plus degree days. We even get some 100 degree days.

And you don't have to worry, you aren't scaring me out of it, I was already at that point, and kind of the reason I came here to discuss it a bit more. I would love to get one, but I do know they are beasts to maintain, and can get pretty expensive. That being said, I do like to do my own work on them. While I'm no mechanic, I would not be opposed to pulling the engine on my own to do work, simply because I would enjoy it. However I do have 4 little kids right now, and RARELY have that kind of time. Which is why I'm starting to think this car might not be for me right now. I should really get something that will be more reliable on a daily basis lol. I'm not saying boring. But after thinking about it for a bit, I think maybe it's not the right time for me to enjoy a 20 year old twin turbo Z. I'm also afraid that by the time I have the time to enjoy it, they will be much much older and much more finicky.

Oh well, rant over, I'm looking at other fun stuff too. Audi S6 Wagons, Mustang Cobra's, Miata's, even 350 Z's, even though they're darn near everywhere you look. I'm all over the board. I hate to come on a Z board and end up saying I might not buy a Z, but that's the thick of it. And I still might buy one, but I'm waffling right now.

Unfortunately I got caught on that one as well when I bought my '93 TT, the TT's in fact do have the old style injectors while the '93 NA's got the new style for all produced after a certain month, but can't remember which month. 1994 is the "magic" year where all Z's are new style injectors/harness/fuel rails.
Nissanfreak can't have put it any better about the Z community, we want Z owners to know and understand their potential Baby, and treat her as such despite the fact that like any car she has her warts. The Z's warts lie in her age and a few unfortunate Nissan choices along the way (injectors, connectors, PTU, other small things due to TT) combined with just small enough production numbers to keep many of the service parts costs high, and service labor costs higher. This forces a Z owner to tackle many/most of the service and repair needs, which is VERY difficult with all Z's and the TT in particular due to design and space issues.
Bottom line is that you need to be more like me (single, no kids, decent income/low debt) to take on a TT, and even then you are a couple of medical issues and two blown turbos away from a empty bank account, parked Z, and time spent planning on how to do the repairs and much time spent sourcing/buying expensive upgrade parts...

[paqmanbiker]

Even though I live in Denver, I still compare EVERYTHING to Phoenix weather, I can handle the 1-2 hours of 95-100 degree weather, not the 115 from 12-5 and not cooling down at night. Quit being a baby and take off the T-tops, lol.

In all seriousness, I could completely understand having AC, it is nice. Whether the weather is at 80 or 115.

And we know Z's are not for everyone, as a community we would rather give you the ups and downs of these machines so hopefully there can be an educated decision. We would rather have that than someone buying a beat up one and trashing the Z name because he is an idiot. Even if you don't buy one, we welcome everyone who wants to be part of the forums as long as they don't cause a scene or trash the Z. These cars have a lot of heritage and deserve the respect some of us give them. We are not a Honda community and have something to prove with a 6" fart can on the back.

That being said, nothing is more exhilarating than boosting with the tops off and windows down. They are becoming rare and hard to find.

Ha, yeah I'm with ya, I would probably be driving with the tops off anyway lol. And you don't have to worry about me ever bashing on Z's. I've been a fan since I was a kid. Originally, I wanted to buy an S30 like a 280 or something but after test driving a couple realized that those were not really going to work out in my lifestyle right now either. So I thought about getting the Z32 TT because it would be more modern, easier to drive on a daily basis, and, ok, relive the high school glory days a bit lol. And problems to mean a crappy car to me. It just means a car has "character" :-). And I like a good project. Anyway, I will always be a Z fan, even if I don't end up buying one right now, and even if I do, and it turns out to be an expensive mess.

Unfortunately I got caught on that one as well when I bought my '93 TT, the TT's in fact do have the old style injectors while the '93 NA's got the new style for all produced after a certain month, but can't remember which month. 1994 is the "magic" year where all Z's are new style injectors/harness/fuel rails.
Nissanfreak can't have put it any better about the Z community, we want Z owners to know and understand their potential Baby, and treat her as such despite the fact that like any car she has her warts. The Z's warts lie in her age and a few unfortunate Nissan choices along the way (injectors, connectors, PTU, other small things due to TT) combined with just small enough production numbers to keep many of the service parts costs high, and service labor costs higher. This forces a Z owner to tackle many/most of the service and repair needs, which is VERY difficult with all Z's and the TT in particular due to design and space issues.
Bottom line is that you need to be more like me (single, no kids, decent income/low debt) to take on a TT, and even then you are a couple of medical issues and two blown turbos away from a empty bank account, parked Z, and time spent planning on how to do the repairs and much time spent sourcing/buying expensive upgrade parts...

Yeah the kids do kind of make or break the kind of car you can have. Honestly, I am enjoying shopping around, and will enjoy whatever car I buy. I appreciate all your input on this.

[ZL8NING]

Blah, blah, blah blah blah!......

In the meantime, car finds a serious buyer. Then the original poster says "I wanted an Audi wagon anyway....... "

Moving on!

[paqmanbiker]

Blah, blah, blah blah blah!......

In the meantime, car finds a serious buyer. Then the original poster says "I wanted an Audi wagon anyway....... "

Moving on!

Lol you're totally right. Ad is still there, not sure why it hasn't sold yet lol. Yeah I've decided I don't want to take a chance on this particular one. Honestly I'm seriously considering 350z's even though they're not near as cool or unique. It would still be a fun car, just more reliable and cheaper to maintain.