Every once in a while I go check out autotrader.com and look at all of the 300zx's and drool for a while. Some of these although several thousand miles away look really tempting.

So the question is what's it like to drive these things? From the NA to TT are they as fun as they look? I know the ultimate dream is to hold out for a TT but will a NA hold its own?

 

N/A isn't nearly as fun as the TT...its not too quick either due to the weight. I think in 5spd form its a mid/low 15's car BUT...as far as looks go...in my eyes the Z32 300zx was one of the VERY best looking sports cars EVER made!!! the look of one lowered with nice deep dish rims is a sight to behold! hold out for the TT if you want speed, but settle for an N/A if you just want mildly fast but good looks!

 

What's it like??? A cream dream... only a hundred times better.





If you're thinkin of gettin one, definitely hold out for a TT.

 

The N/A will hold it's own fairly well, you'll get a better kick out of the TT.

S

 

NAs are dog slow, but can handle a pretty big shot of NOS before having to do any upgrades to the engine otherwise. that'll make 'em quick (but NOS is $$ when used that much!)

All of the Zs also suffer from weak brakes. they're only a fraction larger than ours, but the car weighs a lot more.

handling is pretty good, but again, a modded max can beat it in the twisties.

Maintenance is also ridiculously expensive for the Z. it's a sports car, and everything is priced that way. you think parts are $$ for the Max? just wait until you have to do a timing belt on a VG30DE. There's $1000, easily.

 

Better than 1200 on a damn timing chain

 

if you're getting a 300ZX just get the TT version it will be worth the extra $$$$. Like Matt said, maintenance on the Z is expensive but if you can afford a Z then maintenace shouldn't be a problem.

 

I had a chance to test drive one. My GF hooked it up. It was a 1995 300ZX t-top NA. Man alive i almost crapped my pants. First off its the 2 seater, and EXTREMELY comfortable. Ill agree its oomph is a little on the low side but i hit 60mph on 1st before it hit the red. Ide agree, wait for a TT, but if the price is right, ide SO buy a NA no prob

 

They are like nothing you could imagine. I traded my 2k2 for a '95 TT; never a regret (and I LOVED my 2k2 max).

I've had mine for about 5 weeks now. They are incredibly useless in the foul weather however, you don't drive them in the snow you just kind of slide them around... Something to consider if it snows often and you are going to use it as a daily driver.

My modded 2k2 couldn't hold a candle to my stock (so far stock) Z in acceleration or handling in the twisties. For one thing the Z is RWD, so no more too fast corners bumbling for the e-brake with severe understeer (and I did have the RSB, springs/struts, FSTB). Second it has a fully independent rear supsension. The Z thrashes around corners that otherwise would have left me dead.

I miss my HIDs everytime I drive in the dark. And it can be hard to live without any backseat or real cargo room. The Maxima was a great blend of functionality and power.

Maintanance is ridiculous, but aftermarket is astongishing. Stillen and JWT have full support for the 300ZXs, as well as literally hundreds (worldwide) of other companies. It's remarkable! And when you see another Z you are part of this club, you wave or flash your headlights. It's like owning a Harley!

 

It seems the TT's hold there value at around 12 to 16 grand which is pretty steep. The NA's seem to hold around 4 to 9. I don't think I will be buying one this year or next year unless my max gives out. From what you guys say I should just hold out for a TT. Probably a pipe dream I'm sure but to each his own. How much HP can you get out of a NA given all the mods available? I heard the TT's can be a maintance hog sometimes...

How much more does the Z weigh then the Max? I thought it would weigh less. Is it because of having to beef up the frame since it doesn't have a "solid" top?

 

Remember these cars were over $50k in 94+ TT guise. The 94+ have electronic 4 wheel steering (as opposed to mechanical), and have dual front air bags (as opposed to driver's only). Other than that they were really not changed much after '90.

The TT tips the scales at 3400lbs (about 150lbs heavier than my 2k2!)with auto tranny. You wouldn't know it in a corner though, there is no body lean or roll (at least when the suspension is in "sport" mode, and there IS a difference in modes). The metalwork is a piece of art. It's an amazing array of crossmembers under the skin, the car was designed to have supreme safety and that is reflected in it's weight.

 

$12k is not steep for a TT. Depending on year, that could actually be on the cheap side. As far as going all motor with an NA it all depends on what mods you're talking about (I don't consider nitrous NA because it mods the aspiration of the car). The TTs, well, it's been said before and I'll say it again.



If you're getting a sports car, expect to maintain it like a sports car.

 

I have a 1984 300zx NA that I bought new in oct 1983. I am sure that people on the board that race would say that it is slow but it is still fun to drive and I would not trade or sell it.

 

The TT's are built for one thing, BUILDING! if you want something insanely fast, get the TT, I would get the N/A I would settle for a VE 5 speed, much better IMO.

 

You ever see those Sierra Mist commercials?...Yeah it's kind of like that.

 

OH GOD!!! That's frickin hilarious!!!

 

Matt, I know you are very knowledgeable and not attempting to start an argument, but have a few constrasting statements to make. First off, I have owned a 1990 300zx (intake, ECU, pulley, flywheel, clutch) for a year now. I have owned a 1992 Maxima SE (intake, y-pipe, exhaust, flywheel, clutch, springs, ST sways)for 3 months too. Both are 5-speeds :P

First off, I can say that the 300zx is not dog slow at all. With my current setup, I am faster than my Maxima, a friends 325is with similar mods to me. The races arent really close and the cars pulls unbelieveably at high speeds (above 130 mph).

As for the brakes, i wouldnt call them weak in any respect in my experience with them. I bought it with stock brakes, have barely shown any wear (10k miles of hard driving), and the 12 piston total stopping power is far more superior to anything i have been around. Even my Max cant stop as nicely (not due to traction problems either) as the Z with Z front brakes with slotted rotors. And the NA Z does not wiegh quite a bit more either. Figures are not much more than 100lbs apart (cant remember the numbers and am too lazy to look on autotrader).

As for a modded max taking a Z in the twisties, this is very far off my experience. My Z can out handle my Max like nobody's buisness. My Z can outhandle my friends MR-2 which has a stock roadholding of .86 g's (stock) and has wider wheels and tires.

And as for the timing belt, buy one that has a documented belt change.

Just as a conclusion, after driving both considerably, there is no question in my mind which is the better performer. Driving the Max is very nice, and is the most suprising 4-door car of its age that i can think of, but the Z is an incredible machine. The only way I could ever describe driving the Z is...being invincible.

 

Invincible... until you manage to get your hands on a Skyline...

 

With all due respect, what does that modded NA run in the 1/4? My VE 5 spd with intake and UDP runs high 14s, and have yet to be beaten by an NA VG under ANY body style- Max or Z. I've also played with a couple TTs until their brakes wore out on the highway-- keeping up on the power end of things fairly well.. then I handed them their a$$es in the twisties because they had to slow waaaay early to keep from dying in the turns since they had no brakes. (then again, I've got Skyline brakes on my car, so I'm at a bit of an advantage )

 

So Matt, would you take a 300zx (NA or TT) if some was to give you one or would you take another SE?

Also, why is it that Nissan's don't hold their value that much? I didn't know the 300zxTT was a 50,000 dollar car and it seems that finding one for around 16,000 that is only 7 or 8 years old is one heck of a bargin. Is it because Nissan is the undiscovered Gem?

One last thing, I remember seeing a website that had something like 17 stages for a 300zxTT. How much HP is theorhetically possible and has anyone ever seen such a heavily modified car in a race?

 

yah kinda like a sierra mist commercial, more like a sam adams light commercial.... OOOHHHHHHH YAAAAAAHHHHH!

 

Unfair advantage indeed. And here I thought you were talking stock to stock.

Tsk... Tsk.. Matt...

 

300zx's are notorious for weak brakes. I think all years of the TT had the HICUS all wheel steering. As far as $50K, new that may be pushing it a bit. Hold out for the TT, the car is a trip to drive. I love boost, I'm biding my time until a TT kit comes out for my 350Z. The standard brakes on the 350's are an improvement, but my brembos kick @ss.

 

If I had to choose between a TT and a VE, I'd take the TT. if I had to choose from the NA and a VE, I'd choose the VE.

now if I also had to pay maintenance and insurance on any of them, I'd stay with the VE.. I can boost the VE and get 300+hp for much cheaper than it would cost to maintain a Z for 200k miles. and being quite a bit lighter, it'll be noticeably faster with the same HP.
TT with 300hp = mid/high 13s.
VE with 300HP = low/mid 13s.

 

just curious.

 

I would go with a with an s13 240 with the sr20, great power and handling and it's pretty cheap. It does not look as cool as a 300z but you can get them there. They have an excellent front to rear weight ratio and they're RWD and light, just a thought.

 

absolutely. I think the 300ZX looks so awesome, I still like the look more of the TT then the new 350z, but the 350z is "fresh", so whatever... but in reality if you're going flat our for performance, I'd definately go the way of a beefed up 240... so much easier to work on too! I almost bought a TT until I popped the hood and asked how I could even fit a wrench in there?!?!

just my opinion.

 

Depends on the year; I have the sticker for my '95 (how nice to leave that in there!) and it was $52,149. I have a TT with T-tops, leather and Bose. The '90 was considerably less at about 35k (it was marked up quite a bit depending on location though).

EDIT: I really should have looked first. This price includes a $5000 "Dealer's Market Value Addition Fee" and a $900 "Preperation Fee" which are both appended to the original sticker.

I wonder if these were ever really charged, as sales had dropped considerably from earlier years. Although the '95 was the last of the true 300HP 300ZXs (the '96 lost variable valve timing, and went from OBD-1 to OBD-2, and also lost 20HP). If you plan to modify your Z look for a pre-96; no ECU exist for the '96 due to it's OBD-2 functions (at least that I am aware of).

 

GOD?!?! NO wonder they discontinued them?!? who the heck would pay that much!
I had no idea they were that expensive.