Couple of points. The Super HICAS rear steering was used to stabilise the car under cornering to balance out understeer and oversteer. Its the same rear axle as the R32 GTRs. The rear wheels only rotate a degree or two, so doesn't reduce turning circle. They are known for being quite complex to work on (have driven quite a few and owned two of them), and that is true. Very little space in the engine bay, and have a very complex induction system prone to vacuum system leaks, causing rough running. They came in several different body types, the 2+2 LWB (per the one tested here) a 2 seater SWB, with and without the T-top and SWB full convertible. In addition they also came with a normally aspirated engine as well as the twin Turbo (depending on the spec) but were never sold in the UK. The UK market models had a number of other changes over the Japanese or US market models. I drove the 300GT, the Supra, the RX-7 and the 300ZX extensively and I have to say the best was the RX-7 (but very fragile). The 300GT was a cruiser, four wheel drive and very heavy. Between the 300ZX and the Supra I preferred the 300ZX (just). Massively under-rated car overall.
2+2s are gross. 🤮 I had a 1991 5 speed NA coupe, black with peanut butter guts. Dropped in Eibachs, KYBs all around, twin turbo sway bars, on 17x7.5s. I still dream about it.
I own a 1990 300zxtt black/black leather interior 2-seater. This car is fun to drive without going to extremes. Quite comfortable and gets more thumbs up recently. people are starting to recognize how unique this car is. bonus is how reliable it has been considering it will soon be 35years old. i am glad you like it
Hey Jack! As someone who has owned a few of these as well as many other JDM classics, I feel qualified to say that despite their flaws, the Z32’s have stood up extremely well. They’re playful, easy to work on by modern standards, well made, and comfortable. What made them undesirable to most was the fact that the engines are apparently “difficult to work on.” By 1989 standards, they definitely were - compare a D-Series Honda Inline 4 with a VG30DETT and it’s night and day torture. But by today’s standards, they’re no harder to work on than a base BMW E90 N-Series engine. What made them bad was bad owners who repaired them with poor repairs, cheap parts (for what would be a £60,000 car in todays money) and a lack of technical understanding for how they were made and engineered. Overall, I rate the Z32 10/10 personally. Such a beautiful, underrated sports car.
Well said and I absolutely agree. Ive had my 300zx for 21 years now, and I also had an E92 335i (N54) for a number of years. I would much rather work on the 300zx than the Bmw, unfortunatley the Bmw needed a lot more regular work !
The best looking Nissan Z car ever made. Just stunning. Even 30+ years on. If they were to start building these again with minor changes and modern upgrades, it would still sell. A car ahead of its time. Oh, and this was not a competitor to Ferrari. Porsche 944 maybe, Mazda RX 7, Mitsubishi 3000gt, Mustang and Camaro here in the States.
Never in a million years was the 300ZX a wannabe Ferrari. Its competitors were the Supra, GTO and so on. Great car and it's never been pretending to be something it's not.
Agree. They were competing against the local competition, who were all making a giant leap forwards. I had a 1jz JZA70 which blew me away for an “old” car. People do need to remember that these are not sports cars but GT cars, with enough power to close the gap on sportier competition.
Twenty years ago I owned a 300 ZX TT 2 seater imported from Japan. Only cost £5000. It had custom suspension springs. Had a firm ride but because it was Japanese quality the feel was tight and not a rattling box of parts. Acceleration was amazing. Deaccelerating with standard brakes was not great. I had Falken 451 tyres fitted which made a huge difference to handling which was never wobbly. I loved every minute I owned it. A wonderful cruiser. Up until the moment one of the turbos blew. I have not driven a lot of cars but my 300 ZX TT was a fair lady. Which was its name in Japan.
Just what I came here to say. From what I heard, the 4ws is not very reliable either, but it's hard to say since almost everyone just delete it even before it has a chance to fail.
I had one for 7 years. One if the very best cars I had. Very reliable indeed. It had the two tiny turbos replaced with one large diameter turbo. Manual gearbox too which only about 10% of them had. 360hp on a rolling road. In the early 90's living in rural NZ you could drive fast. I would buy one again now. They are very well made inside and outside. You can sharpen up the steering response by a wheel alignment variation. The brakes need upgrading they are 1800kg and really need wider wheels and bigger brakes. So good on a long trip!! The engines are very tunable 700hp and more.
Loved my 300ZX, the looks, the technology, the roof but not the repair costs. The tail tried to overtake me sometimes when I put power down in sharp bends/roundabouts. The review is pretty spot on and I really should have kept it as it's appreciated in value since.
Still own my 93 TTZ. I remember seeing several of these everyday in CA even in late 00s. Now almost impossible to spot one. I see alone or two a year. Love this thing!
In your retrospective you missed a car. Between the 280Z and the 300ZX there was the 280ZX. They are often confused, but they were very different cars. The 280Z was a continuation of the original S30 chassis but with the bigger and heavier 2.8 litre motor and which continued the option available from the 260Z of being available in a 2 seater and a 2+2 seater version. The two seater 280Z was actually a very good car as was small and nimble with more power. However export versions were predominately 2+2 which was not as good, at least in terms of being a purpose built sports car. A 2 seater 280Z was a very good car which had better interior quality and whose extra power more than compensated for the slight increase in weight The 280ZX was a new second generation with the only thing carried over being the 5 speed transmission. This however was aimed at a more upmarket sector and the addition of the "X" to the name signified "Luxury". In Japan it was available as a 2 seater and a 2+2 but for export markets was predominately the fatter heavier 2+2 version. It was a real sword of Damocles car though as it was very popular in America and attracted a number of new buyers who loved it but also lost most of the goodwill from the lovers of the original who disliked its new GT focus as opposed to the rawness of the original. The 280ZX was popular car but it fundamentally changed the image and the subsequent 300ZX did nothing to bring back fans or the original S30 cars and of course it was up against the 944 range against which it was found wanting.
The 280ZX carried over the L-series inline six as well as the transmission, from the S30 series of cars, as well as the differential. The L28 is only marginally heavier than the L24 due to longer crank throws. Aside from that it was a completely new design. Even the rear suspension was based on the 810 (200B here in Australia, Maxima in USA) not the arguably superior first generation setup. The first 300ZX was based on the 280ZX albeit with a V6 in place of the I6. As an owner of a S30 260Z for over 25 years, and having driven both the 280ZX and 300ZX, they are a far inferior car dynamically, but far superior as a GT. I think the Z32 does a good job of being superior in both respects.
I loved these when they came out! Much quicker than they felt but I couldn't give you any 0-60 times or top speed quotes, what I do remember is that compared to my 2nd gen Supra it was infinitely more comfortable, as well as stable feeling. It was an instant confidence builder of a car and even with 300hp and the stock exhaust it sounded the business! Great review Jack, thanks as always for your efforts, and for the gentleman who lent you this car!! How goes the Pantera?!?
Interesting to see a Turbo in 2+2 configuration. The turbo was only available in the US as a strict 2 seater. The 2+2 was actually a stretched chassis, having a longer wheelbase than the 2 seater. The car was a twin turbo, but they are both the same turbo size, attached to one bank of cylinders each. So it's not a sequential system with a smaller and larger turbo like that of the contemporary Rx-7 or Supra. Both turbos should come on at the same time.
I thought it was the opposite ? I only ever saw 2 seaters as non turbo versions (unless they were swaped), and all came from the US. And 2+2 came as both, at least in Europe (but we never got the 2 seater version here). The holy grail being a US 2 seater swaped with a turbo engine/GB, iirc it's around 100kg lighter.
I never owned one, but a friend did back in the day. We took a road trip across most of the US in his new car and it was superb. Again, compared to the little countries in Europe, the US and Canada cry out for cars that can do a thousand miles per day if desired without breaking down, overheating, etc. This filled that bill and was very, very comfortable for long distances.
@@AutoAndChill Here in Texas, larger than France, it's big pickups that dominate car sales. Hard to see around, hard to park, but people feel boss driving them. Massive waste of resources; Trump supporters love them.
Interior boring cause grey and black? These are the same idiots praising German cars that have the most boring interior ever with just everything plain black. 🤦🏻♂️
I agree completely. I don't get why 90s Japanese cars have such a bad rep for their interiors when they're far more pleasant than all the modern German nonsense
Because those so called journalists are racists and they suffer from this disease called superiority complex. A Japanese car 20 times better will always be picked on fire all sorts of things, while a leaky, unreliable German one will be presented as a gift to the mankind. They get so overexcited about an Aston or Jaguar as if they are about to collapse! This Nissan is a beautiful car inside and out. Very futuristic too.
Hard to believe motoring journos were that impressed by a bit of wood in a Mercedes. That said, interiors from that time were nice - check out a Jag from that time.
I think VG30 is an underrated engine. Many Nissan engines of that era were probably the best. The vg30dett, rb26/25, CA18 ... all iron block aluminum head design, square / oversquare, liked boost. And that soft chassis feel / turn in could be corrected with the boat load of aftermarket support for not much money. Z32 was a great car and worth the money as a modern classic.
I suppose engines are so bad now because no real development is being done, they're just being phased out so no one is bothering to make them reliable or economical any more. We've gone backwards.
The 240, 260 & 280 were all good models: in fact, they were only slight variations of the original 240z It was actually the 280zX (and later models) which became a boulevard cruiser or a "Japanese Buick"
Sadly, I've never driven a 240 but I currently have a '77 280Z in maligned 2+2 form and it's a blast to drive. Maybe I'm only comparing it to the modern cars, which tend to be sterile and boring. Maybe a 240Z would dwarf it for fun but it's hard to see it being that much more of a raw or sporty experience.
This was never a 348 competitor. The Honda NSX - sure - but never this. Never ever. I don't even see this as a copycat. This was a Mitsi 3000GT/Supra/RX7 or 8 competitor. Porsche 944 if you want. But why Ferrari? I don't get it...
I applaud Nissan for matching Ferrari performance for far cheaper than a Ferrari. The fact that you get a touring-like drive with the given performance had to have been amazing for the time.
These are so, soooooo underrated! I had one 18-20 years ago. A Japanese grey import in fantastic condition......blue with blue leather. Mine also came with the fabric on the doors and lower dash. For me, the only downside was mine was an auto....the 4-speed really hampered the fun factor. For me, this was the best looking of the Japanese coupes (Mk4 Supra, Mitsubishi 3000 GT, Mazda RX7). I have a theory that because these didn't feature in the Fast and Furious franchise, they were soon deemed not as desirable, so the fell by the wayside. I can't recall seeing one on the road for years, although there was one quite close to where I live up on jackstands for almost a year, looking very sorry for itself before that disappeared too! Great to see one being reviewed though, thank you!
One of the best features I love about this era of car is the swooping dash. Just look at how that centre consol comes down toward the gear gaiter. If you look at the Honda NSX the same design concept. Beautiful.
I borrowed my mates 300ZX for a couple of months about 10 years ago. What a machine. Super reliable, great performance, comfortable enough and an all round good car.
Great review - If I had the garage space I'd certanly consider a 300ZX, styling and interior sweeter than the 350/370Z. R.E. Comparisons - In 1990 the Mk4 Supra was not yet available, top Toyota in the UK would have been the MK3 Supra Turbo. That put out 230hp - so the 300ZX would have been a big step up in power.
No puzzle, over engineered, difficult to service and expensive to build. Also the Supra was the comp... BUT.....One of the coolest cars and looks ever. one of my favorites. Awesome stuff brother!
I had the non-turbo 300ZX from 1992. It really was one of my favorite cars, so much so, that I ended up buying the 350z track version when that came out. I would love to purchase these cars again, for sentimental reasons, but it's nearly impossible to find one that hasn't been modified and ruined. At least here in the States. Great video, Jack. Thanks for always getting the interesting cars. ✌️
Nissan's target vehicles for the Z32 were the Corvette, 928, and the 944. They wanted to take the best qualities of those benchmark vehicles and build "the world's best sports car". The final product did beat the 928 around the "Ring" by 7 seconds. Remember, these came out in 1989 so there really wasn't any noteworthy Japanese competition at the time for this amazing sports/GT. The Z32, IMO set the styling and technological standard for modern sports cars to come. About the curb weight, when comparing to other sports/GT cars of the era, these weren't exceptionally heavier. Not sure why the internet peanut gallery always says otherwise. 300Zx- 3,533lb Corvette- 3,420lb Supra- 3,480lb 3000GT- 3,860.
Having owned a Ferrari 308, Porsche 928 and the 300ZX I can honestly say the ZX was the easiest to drive and more comfortable than both the Porsche and Ferrari. Yes the other 2 were more powerful especially the 928 but I could drive the ZX for a 1000kms and feel refreshed. The other 2 I would need a chiropractor at the end of 1000kms. Have been thinking of getting another ZX recently and this video has spurred me on to find one.
I can answer with my experience as a ‘90s kid. When I was at uni, one of the professors had a black 300ZX Turbo, another one had a Maserati 4.24V saloon. We can argue that the ZX was better in every way, but every time the Maserati V6 roared to life, everyone turned their head and looked at the plush white leather and walnut interior and that trident grille. The Maser screamed Italian old school emotions, the ZX was just a soulless speed machine.
I had one of these for 15 years - hugely under rated and IMO, a better looking and more exclusive car that the other obvious car in Nissan's stable that always overshadows it. A more engaging and precise drive also than the GTO and supremely comfortable. I drove it all over Europe and it was super reliable. Ownership of this took me to Z events all over the US and Europe. I even met the designer at a Z Convention in Dallas, one Toshio Yamashita who gave a wonderful presentation on his styling of the car. Sadly many were ruined with the most horrendous bodykits which always made the cars look worse than their beautiful origins. People are starting to restore these now and there are some nice, but still hard to find examples out there. Mild boost upgrades really transforms the power and response. HICAS does not operate at parking speed, it just has a great turning circle for the type of car it is. Ian Callum actually used the proportions of the 300zx as the inspiration for the beautiful DB7, something I was surprised but please to see during his presentation at the last Aston Martin Heritage Festival.
The 300zx is what the Supra tried to be. An amazing vehicle. Car had highest top speed modded from home country, Twin turbos. The new GTR35 Skylines use this VG30 design just updated. This car started so much stuff in the car world that people fail to recognize.
Yet another car I owned when they were worth next to nothing, think I paid 3 grand for mine, an h reg in black. You were saying the 2nd turbo comes in at 4000 rpm but they weren't sequential turbos, it was 2 the same, one for each bank of the v6. Love the look of them and easy to bump the boost up a bit and make it a pretty quick car.
I had a 2+2 NA. Still miss that car. They are so good. Hard to work on, immpossible not to get bloody knuckles in that tightly packed engine bay. But once you get them sorted they are quite reliable, and after 200k miles, still tight as a drum.
I’ve always loved these, from every angle. One of the few cars that has great headlights, great taillights, a great side profile, a cool roof that opens up and a classy, functional interior. They did such a nice job on these. Look at how much light there is in that cabin, it’s an actual greenhouse; what a nice place to be in daytime or night.
When I bought my 1998 Nissan 240SX off the showroom floor, there was a 300ZX. The ZX had a $34,000 MSRP. My 240 had a $24,000 MSRP. $24,000 I could not afford. It was on sale for $17,998. Nissan did a great job with the cloth interiors. I wish mfg's brought back the good cloth.
This car is an example of 1990s cars having such understated sleek styling. So much purer than anything out there now. I think higher door lines due to legislation these days are one of the reasons. The interior layout reminds me of the Honda NSX
Greaat video! Love that car! I think its worth noting that these cars have a twin turbo setup, and that means both turbos work at the same time, as opposed to the sequential setup that you described.
The 300Z is the only Japanese car i've ever driven.Had taken my Thunderbird in for some engine and exhaust upgrades and needed a temp car to use whilst it was being worked on.As the shop was attached to a used car lot i had my choice of used cars to drive,i chose the 300Z they had on the lot.I'm 6'3" so it was snug but not too bad,but it was a brilliant car and i'm glad i had a chance with it.
I have owned and driven many sports cars . STI, Porsche 911, BMW, but I have owned not one but a total of Three 300zx cars . My first Z was a 1996 NA , 5 speed . Drove itcto 166K mikes sold it in 2002 . Later I bought another 1996 300zx in 2009 , drove it upto 160k mikes and sold it in 2021. In 2023 , i got my third 300ZX, 1990 TT , 5 speed and it had 49k miles, plan to put another 100k miles with a lot of Smiles :)
A friend owns a 1989 300ZX, it's been sitting for 6 mths due to a leaking fuel line, problem is no one wants to touch it because they are very difficult to work on, their lack of "love" is mostly down to their under bonnet access difficulty. The 240Z was much loved and one of the reasons for that was its simplicity, it was very easy to work on, the 300ZX is the opposite. Friends car also has a faulty heater core, it would cost almost more than the car is worth to replace it so the hoses are sealed at the engine and its not much fun in the winter.
Tell him to find a better mechanic, or learn to work on it himself. They are a lot less complex to work on than most modern cars. All the fuel line are easily accessible except one small section at the front of the engine that requries the inlet manifold to be removed if that the unfortunate one that is leaking. Usualy its just the hose clamps that need tightening though. New Heater matrix is a couple of hundred and lives behind the dashboard. Its fiddly to get to, but thats the case for any car really - It can be replaced by removing the glovebox and some other trim.
I remember at the time thinking these were stunning to look at, I think they have aged very well, it still looks awesome. This one sounds lovely too. Brilliant review, thank you!
I was 5 years old when the 300ZXTT went on sale. I instantly wanted it. To 1980s kids, turbo power sounded like magic. To my childish logic, twin turbo was ultra magic. When I was 14, I picked up a magazine article about how to get 450HP out of one. It mentioned what a Mass Air Sensor was. It was then I knew I could work on modern cars. In that magazine, I saw what a Nissan GTR was. I knew what one was before most of the others, and was ahead of the curve. In the USA, it is legal to import cars over 25 years old. I told people that if they dreamed of getting a 300ZXTT, maybe they should importing a Z32 Fairlady TT from 1998 or later.
In my early years, this was my dream car. I've always seen it as a long distance GT and never thought of comparing it to a Ferrari. I found its shape beautiful, a pinnacle of Japanese design. Meanwhile, this particular example is a bit watered down by its red paint, aftermarket wheels and that giant spoiler at its back. As far as I can remember, the standard one was much more discreet, improving rather than spoiling its shape.
Miss mine, had forged pistons and rods, 18psi boost on bigger turbos, 400hp on the Dyno at Noble in chesterfield. Was a nice quick car at 320hp at 12psi At 18psi it was a rocket 🚀
I remember seeing an ice blue 300 the first time I seen this model in 90. I just remember thinking how futuristic it looked and it was gorgeous! Then a buddy got one in period and I got to ride around in it. It got allot of attention that’s for sure. Then the Twin turbo came out and another buddy got a pearl white TT with gold BBS wheels and that would shut down the parking lot car meets every time! Love em!
Thanks for another great video. I get that the Z31 is "unloved" by the general public, but I have owned a few of them, did a LOT of driving in two of them, and they hold a special place in my heart. I never felt like any of them were "underpowered" but I think people of my generation have a different perspective on that. My '85 Turbo was undoubtedly the most fun but it demanded respect with its "Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde" turbo boost delivery and wild camber changes from the rear suspension. I mean with a hack-saw and some plumbing parts you could make a T3/T4 turbo Z31 put down 12 second 1/4 mile times which was impressive for that time. I was not into drag racing but that car surprised plenty of people. Sure I did need to swap out three sets of rear tyres for every set of front but all of those carcasses died in the name of fun. I also remembering some maniac with a modded '84 Turbo being one of the absolutely fastest at Thunderhill ages ago. I test drove three US spec Z32TT's in the hopes of buying one but was never able to make that happen. It was very easy to see and feel that this was a completely different animal. I wish I would have had that experience but the costs and work involved (look up a timing belt job on a VG30DETT) were more than I could take at the time. The Z31, with all of its flaws, was a much simpler and more accessible device. I miss the days when I could find one lurking in the shadows, take it home for a couple hundred $$, rejuvenate it and sell it to fund the one that was more fun. I did that three times.
One of my all time favourites! What a car! Felt so bad when Hammond had one on Top Gear and didn't get the love it deserved. And how could they throw out that roof panel?!?! Thanks for yet another great car and video Jack. Greetings from the Netherlands
There are two reasons these never shot up in money like some of the others - firstly they are a pig to work on and anything involving turbos is either engine out or a lot of swearing. Mostly though its because they never starred in Fast and Furious and never took off as a platform for big dyno numbers. The world was awash with stories of triple rotor RX-7's and 1000hp Supras but not many people went into heavily tuning these - partly because of that awkward layout under the bonnet. Most with basic mods are 350-400hp and at that taken for what they are they drive very well. As a daily usable fast GT they were absolutely brilliant. There were loads of quality of life touches in them and you don't really notice until you use them regularly. Oh and the boost in power you can feel higher up isn't from the turbos - these are a genuine twin set up rather than big and little. That surge is where the variable cams switch to their aggressive profile. They shouldn't be stepped because in theory they are infinitely adjustable but I've always noticed that little uptick in torque around that rpm and larger turbos didn't change it.
The interior "Sea of Black and Grey" is of course one of the ways that this DAILY USABLE, 300 Horse-POWER Sports-car - Managed to be SO Affordable and SO Pracrical !
This has always been my favorite JDM car, perhaps the RX-7 is my second, with all others not even making my list. I've had 2 of these and tried to wire money to a HK seller of a yellow 1999 R spec but they backed out 😢 I have a garage full of nearly $12k n NOS rare JDM Z32 parts. They are a nightmare to do major servicing on those, but easier once you've done it.
I had one as a toy car when I was little, I received it as a gift..... By chance, it also was red 😄 It was a high quality one made in Hong-Kong, all in metal with very fine details. ..I absolutely loved it, unfortunately I never knew even the model name, all that it had proudly written on its bottom was "Nissan" When one day I lost it.... What a tragedy that was for me 😅 Now it's the first time in years I got reminded of it, what a joy to see it in real, and to find the model name 😊 ... My dream was not in vain.... I love it ... 😁
Wonderful cars. Test drove the 300Z, not the more powerful ZX and the hi-cas steering was a different experience. At the time, very lust worthy. Pricey in today's dollars. Gorgeous and fresh design. These were gong for only $10K for a good example just a few years back,, no doubt twice that now at least.
Gorgeous. Doesn't really look like anything else. Always liked them. Be a brilliant GT. A really nice one here in NZ around $NZ30K, but very nice ones can be found for under 20K, so now I'm thinking..... :)
The 300zx is such a great car, especially considering its age. Mine has the leather interior and the lower half is made of suede, which is a very nice touch.
I bought one new while living in Switzerland , i was about 26/27 ,It was grey with leather , I remember driving on the motorway open top one summer and it wasnt until i stopped i could feel the sunburn on my forehead. I loved the switches and its look ,however i had to send it back twice to the dealer with brake shudder due to warped discs.. it was certainly not a sportscar but a good GT car.. i kept it for about 18 months.. lost a fortune and i remember no garage would take it as part ex for a NSX ! .. a couple of years later i did buy a NSX and the driving experience was like night and day.
A buddy of mine in law school had a 300zx in '90 or '91 -- also red. I thought then and still think it is a totally awesome car! The seating was so low. A gorgeous shape. Power was amazing. I'm surprised #27 said the ride was soft. What I most remember about the car is that it had an almost rock hard suspension; I still remember thinking it rode like a buckboard. Thanks for the review!
I owned on of these (in black) and we absolutely loved it. It was, as you've said, very stable and a wonderful GT, if not a full out "sports car" - but sport"y" as all hell. I will say that as a home mechanic, the engine compartment was kind of a nightmare (you had to remove the upper intake manifold just to change the spark plugs) and doing anything with or around the turbos was NOT fun. What did mine in was a coolant leak that led to two blow head gaskets ... and then it sat for a while and the rocker panels rusted badly sitting on a concrete pad. It will always be, for me, one of the ones that "got away" 😓
I think these are massively overlooked. A family friend chose one of these to buy when he lived in Japan back in the very early Nineties. He still has it and bought it back to the UK where he now lives. Owned from new, but his is an auto with the same cloth interior as this one. Barely any miles driven in it as the thing has been off the road and garaged for donkeys years. Always thought they were really cool and a bit rare groove. Never driven one unfortunately.
I'd love to test drive one of these. It basically picks up where my 91 Supra saw the writing on the wall. All the specs and features really make it feel like a smaller brother to a Mitsubishi 3000GT / GTO. The look of it really reminds me of a blend between Opel Calibra and a late Lotus Esprit.
I think it's aged quite well. I had one for a week as a loan car back in 1996 when my TVR was in the garage for a while. I remember it felt a little heavy and not as quick as the TVR but very stable esp at speed. Quite fancy one now
Always loved these and crossed my mind to get one a few times. At first I really couldn’t have afforded to run one, even if I could have bought one. By the time I could afford one I figured they were probably too old and I went for something else….including an HR engined 350Z. The wheel and exhaust mods on that one look great and it’s a really special thing. Great vid.
To everyone saying this wasn't a 348 competitor... Yes you're correct, but motoring journalists were struck by it's styling at the time and I clearly remembered it being compared with "Italian exotica", so like it or not it was the comparison made back in the day 👍
Never noticed you use the same road as Harry's Garage. Always loved the Z32, just missed buying one a few hours ago on Cars and Bids. As Tony would say... they're GREAT!
Over in the States, these didn't sell well due to the 1990-1996 economy, which was a period of high unemployment and slow growth everywhere but in high tech. I remember being severely underemployed during that period, making due with used base model compacts and feeding my performance addictions with motorcycles. Another car that didn't sell was the now legendary Toyota Supra, much for the same reasons. A few years back, just about any 300ZX variant was an inexpensive gem in the rough because they weren't too far gone not to be made runable again, and they were ridiculously inexpensive. And as you've noted they were fairly stylish. But everyone in the States remembers Nissan's TV adverts for the 300ZX, which featured a G.I.Joe doll drifting a remote control toy 300ZX through children's bedrooms, impressing the Barbie Doll, and making off with her much to Ken's dismay. Those TV commercials rocked.
I loved my UK spec Z32TT and had it for more than six years. Agreed it is much more of a GT than a sports car (bit on the heavy side but very comfortable), but wind it up and it was very capable. After it hit 100K miles the head gaskets failed and I opted for a new engine rather than repair, and I also had to have a new AFM meter fitted towards the end. The digital clock was notorious for failing, rear subframe bushes (silicon filled) were known to fail, the dealer I used tried to tell me mine were duff at one of the oil change services, but I baulked at the cost of replacement. Funny the subject was never raised again at subsequent services and I never noticed any issues! Only other issue was the roof seals on the one of the targa roof panels. HICAS system made high speed lane changing very safe. On a trip through France I had it flat out in the early hours on a very quiet autoroute showing an indicated 158mph, only ever been faster on a race track in a single seat race car. Thanks for your review Jack, brought back a lot of enjoyable memories.
In my opinion, this car was excellent in the looks department, wouldn't change a thing and I agree with you on the interior as well, AND T-Tops! it works.
i bought a TT manual uk car in 2007 for £2200 !! probably the sickest car ive ever had .....sadly a cracked exhaust manifold rust starting and lack off funds forced sale
Around 10 years ago I had both the ZX300 and GTO which were 1990/91 models and both naturally aspirated. I put them both up forsale and whichever one I was left with would be the one that I kept. The ZX romped away leaving me with the Mitsubishi. Kept that car for a few years before moving it on as it was getting ready for front and rear main crank oil seals, plus it was terribly thirsty. But a great fun car to drive and always got plenty of looks. Not particularly quick compared to modern cars, but definitely had some fun factor. It was also AWD with 4 wheel steer and an auto. Even today both cars don't look old fashioned, they have stood the test of time really well which is a testament to their design teams.
It appears that the version being driven is the 2+2... which is the heaviest of the bunch. Yes, it is more of a GT, and when compared with its european counterparts, it has Japanese reliability, durability and quality. Another channel on TH-cam drove both the 300ZX and a contemporary Porsche 928 across the U.S. It makes for a nice comparison, seeing which one is really better... particularly 30 years later. The jewel of the Z32's is the slicktop (hardtop version) being significantly lighter, with a shorter wheelbase and stiffer chassis, it is is a true sports car, very light on its feet. Here in the states, it is very popular to drop in the all aluminum LS engine with significantly more horsepower and torque, whilst reducing about 50 kg off the front. It is still one of the most beautiful, iconic cars made. Well Done.
Thanks for another great review Jack. Although I didn’t lust after these when they came out, they have aged very well. The cloth seats take me back. High quality material, well built, and durable. Same with the Japanese switchgear of that era.
Couple of points. The Super HICAS rear steering was used to stabilise the car under cornering to balance out understeer and oversteer. Its the same rear axle as the R32 GTRs. The rear wheels only rotate a degree or two, so doesn't reduce turning circle. They are known for being quite complex to work on (have driven quite a few and owned two of them), and that is true. Very little space in the engine bay, and have a very complex induction system prone to vacuum system leaks, causing rough running. They came in several different body types, the 2+2 LWB (per the one tested here) a 2 seater SWB, with and without the T-top and SWB full convertible.
In addition they also came with a normally aspirated engine as well as the twin Turbo (depending on the spec) but were never sold in the UK.
The UK market models had a number of other changes over the Japanese or US market models.
I drove the 300GT, the Supra, the RX-7 and the 300ZX extensively and I have to say the best was the RX-7 (but very fragile). The 300GT was a cruiser, four wheel drive and very heavy. Between the 300ZX and the Supra I preferred the 300ZX (just).
Massively under-rated car overall.
2+2s are gross. 🤮 I had a 1991 5 speed NA coupe, black with peanut butter guts. Dropped in Eibachs, KYBs all around, twin turbo sway bars, on 17x7.5s. I still dream about it.
Ironic note on the NA not being sold in the UK, here in Australia ONLY the NA was sold. All Twin Turbos (of which I owned) here, are Japanese imports.
@@JoshJones-37334SWB certainly a lot more lively than the LWB but preferred the LWB on longer journeys. Both rusted Nissan style.
@@JoshJones-37334 diasgree i think the shortys are naff ....lwb tt with the wider rear wheels like i had was da bomb
@@martinparker9249 eat more limes
I had a 1990 300ZX, it was my daily driver for 16 years. Most comfortable car I’ve ever owned.
I own a 1990 300zxtt black/black leather interior 2-seater. This car is fun to drive without going to extremes. Quite comfortable and gets more thumbs up recently. people are starting to recognize how unique this car is. bonus is how reliable it has been considering it will soon be 35years old. i am glad you like it
I have a 1990 TT that I just got running recently and it’s a blast to drive
This is by far the most beautiful car Nissan has ever built!
About the price: in 1995 this car cost 100000 DM in Germany, which was really expensive.
Wow, danke für die Info. Wusste nicht, dass die so teuer waren.
@@Krezo200 Ich mußte auch Google fragen.
It was boring looking and very expensive for what it was.
You ever seen one with a Veilside body kit? Menacing! 😏👍 😎🇬🇧
Erm….any Vision Express branches down your way?
Probably one of my favourite Nissan’s ever made❤️
Silvia or 200 and 32 gtr..
@@gregorizi 200 sx was a fantastic car too✊🏻
Maybe you can find a decent road instead a melancholic countryside path in order to make real analysis
Hey Jack! As someone who has owned a few of these as well as many other JDM classics, I feel qualified to say that despite their flaws, the Z32’s have stood up extremely well. They’re playful, easy to work on by modern standards, well made, and comfortable.
What made them undesirable to most was the fact that the engines are apparently “difficult to work on.” By 1989 standards, they definitely were - compare a D-Series Honda Inline 4 with a VG30DETT and it’s night and day torture. But by today’s standards, they’re no harder to work on than a base BMW E90 N-Series engine.
What made them bad was bad owners who repaired them with poor repairs, cheap parts (for what would be a £60,000 car in todays money) and a lack of technical understanding for how they were made and engineered.
Overall, I rate the Z32 10/10 personally. Such a beautiful, underrated sports car.
Indeed. The Z32 was not intended to be a cheap car for cheap people.
Well said and I absolutely agree. Ive had my 300zx for 21 years now, and I also had an E92 335i (N54) for a number of years. I would much rather work on the 300zx than the Bmw, unfortunatley the Bmw needed a lot more regular work !
The best looking Nissan Z car ever made. Just stunning. Even 30+ years on. If they were to start building these again with minor changes and modern upgrades, it would still sell. A car ahead of its time. Oh, and this was not a competitor to Ferrari. Porsche 944 maybe, Mazda RX 7, Mitsubishi 3000gt, Mustang and Camaro here in the States.
Totally agree
Ridley Scott made a great US ad for this. Wish they still made adverts and cars like they used to!
From a time when Japan waived the rules and created so many fabulously stunning, world beating automotive icons.
Had to read that one twice. Waived the rules? xD
The BEST JDM car of the 1990s period!
Never in a million years was the 300ZX a wannabe Ferrari. Its competitors were the Supra, GTO and so on. Great car and it's never been pretending to be something it's not.
I always thought 944/968 and RX-7 were its most obvious competitors.
I had a 968 and loved it, but I bet this Z is just as nice to drive and own.
Yes, you are right ; nor in styling nor in any other marketing attempt, Ferrari was a target.
In hindsight, it's probably more like the Japanese Jaguar.
Agree. They were competing against the local competition, who were all making a giant leap forwards. I had a 1jz JZA70 which blew me away for an “old” car.
People do need to remember that these are not sports cars but GT cars, with enough power to close the gap on sportier competition.
Nissan produced a factory turbo 300ZX that was as fast as a Ferrari 348. But it could be tuned to reliably produce *double *the Ferrari's power.
Twenty years ago I owned a 300 ZX TT 2 seater imported from Japan. Only cost £5000. It had custom suspension springs. Had a firm ride but because it was Japanese quality the feel was tight and not a rattling box of parts. Acceleration was amazing. Deaccelerating with standard brakes was not great. I had Falken 451 tyres fitted which made a huge difference to handling which was never wobbly. I loved every minute I owned it. A wonderful cruiser. Up until the moment one of the turbos blew. I have not driven a lot of cars but my 300 ZX TT was a fair lady. Which was its name in Japan.
For me ZX is nissan's bmw 850, rear end still look futuristic
couldnt agree more :)
6.00 I suppose you feel the start and built-up of the boost, the engine does not have sequential, but has a parallel turbo set up.
Yes. Jack needs more turbo experience. Boost starting to build at 2ish. Full boost at 4.😂
Just what I came here to say.
From what I heard, the 4ws is not very reliable either, but it's hard to say since almost everyone just delete it even before it has a chance to fail.
I had one for 7 years. One if the very best cars I had. Very reliable indeed. It had the two tiny turbos replaced with one large diameter turbo. Manual gearbox too which only about 10% of them had. 360hp on a rolling road. In the early 90's living in rural NZ you could drive fast. I would buy one again now. They are very well made inside and outside. You can sharpen up the steering response by a wheel alignment variation. The brakes need upgrading they are 1800kg and really need wider wheels and bigger brakes. So good on a long trip!! The engines are very tunable 700hp and more.
Sequential would of been better.
Loved my 300ZX, the looks, the technology, the roof but not the repair costs. The tail tried to overtake me sometimes when I put power down in sharp bends/roundabouts. The review is pretty spot on and I really should have kept it as it's appreciated in value since.
Still own my 93 TTZ. I remember seeing several of these everyday in CA even in late 00s. Now almost impossible to spot one. I see alone or two a year. Love this thing!
There’s a twin turbo z32 auto at the Stockton UPull-It lol. $5500 last month from what I remember
In your retrospective you missed a car. Between the 280Z and the 300ZX there was the 280ZX. They are often confused, but they were very different cars.
The 280Z was a continuation of the original S30 chassis but with the bigger and heavier 2.8 litre motor and which continued the option available from the 260Z of being available in a 2 seater and a 2+2 seater version. The two seater 280Z was actually a very good car as was small and nimble with more power. However export versions were predominately 2+2 which was not as good, at least in terms of being a purpose built sports car. A 2 seater 280Z was a very good car which had better interior quality and whose extra power more than compensated for the slight increase in weight
The 280ZX was a new second generation with the only thing carried over being the 5 speed transmission. This however was aimed at a more upmarket sector and the addition of the "X" to the name signified "Luxury". In Japan it was available as a 2 seater and a 2+2 but for export markets was predominately the fatter heavier 2+2 version. It was a real sword of Damocles car though as it was very popular in America and attracted a number of new buyers who loved it but also lost most of the goodwill from the lovers of the original who disliked its new GT focus as opposed to the rawness of the original. The 280ZX was popular car but it fundamentally changed the image and the subsequent 300ZX did nothing to bring back fans or the original S30 cars and of course it was up against the 944 range against which it was found wanting.
The 280ZX carried over the L-series inline six as well as the transmission, from the S30 series of cars, as well as the differential. The L28 is only marginally heavier than the L24 due to longer crank throws. Aside from that it was a completely new design. Even the rear suspension was based on the 810 (200B here in Australia, Maxima in USA) not the arguably superior first generation setup. The first 300ZX was based on the 280ZX albeit with a V6 in place of the I6. As an owner of a S30 260Z for over 25 years, and having driven both the 280ZX and 300ZX, they are a far inferior car dynamically, but far superior as a GT.
I think the Z32 does a good job of being superior in both respects.
I loved these when they came out! Much quicker than they felt but I couldn't give you any 0-60 times or top speed quotes, what I do remember is that compared to my 2nd gen Supra it was infinitely more comfortable, as well as stable feeling. It was an instant confidence builder of a car and even with 300hp and the stock exhaust it sounded the business! Great review Jack, thanks as always for your efforts, and for the gentleman who lent you this car!! How goes the Pantera?!?
Interesting to see a Turbo in 2+2 configuration. The turbo was only available in the US as a strict 2 seater. The 2+2 was actually a stretched chassis, having a longer wheelbase than the 2 seater. The car was a twin turbo, but they are both the same turbo size, attached to one bank of cylinders each. So it's not a sequential system with a smaller and larger turbo like that of the contemporary Rx-7 or Supra. Both turbos should come on at the same time.
I thought it was the opposite ?
I only ever saw 2 seaters as non turbo versions (unless they were swaped), and all came from the US.
And 2+2 came as both, at least in Europe (but we never got the 2 seater version here).
The holy grail being a US 2 seater swaped with a turbo engine/GB, iirc it's around 100kg lighter.
@@pbe6965 Nope, in the US the turbos were only 2 seaters. Check out the US magazines.
And no convertible turbo cars or slick tops in the US either
I never owned one, but a friend did back in the day. We took a road trip across most of the US in his new car and it was superb. Again, compared to the little countries in Europe, the US and Canada cry out for cars that can do a thousand miles per day if desired without breaking down, overheating, etc. This filled that bill and was very, very comfortable for long distances.
Is the back seats usable for people or children to sit in?
Tempted to go there just to have an excuse to own a car bigger than the tiny city wagons we have here.
@@AutoAndChill Here in Texas, larger than France, it's big pickups that dominate car sales. Hard to see around, hard to park, but people feel boss driving them. Massive waste of resources; Trump supporters love them.
Interior boring cause grey and black? These are the same idiots praising German cars that have the most boring interior ever with just everything plain black. 🤦🏻♂️
I agree completely. I don't get why 90s Japanese cars have such a bad rep for their interiors when they're far more pleasant than all the modern German nonsense
Because those so called journalists are racists and they suffer from this disease called superiority complex.
A Japanese car 20 times better will always be picked on fire all sorts of things, while a leaky, unreliable German one will be presented as a gift to the mankind. They get so overexcited about an Aston or Jaguar as if they are about to collapse!
This Nissan is a beautiful car inside and out. Very futuristic too.
Hard to believe motoring journos were that impressed by a bit of wood in a Mercedes. That said, interiors from that time were nice - check out a Jag from that time.
idiots LOL
even a video about car interior lights up the comments
thank heavens for social media
Europeans have a bias against almost anything not European. Especially when it comes to cars.
I think VG30 is an underrated engine. Many Nissan engines of that era were probably the best. The vg30dett, rb26/25, CA18 ... all iron block aluminum head design, square / oversquare, liked boost. And that soft chassis feel / turn in could be corrected with the boat load of aftermarket support for not much money. Z32 was a great car and worth the money as a modern classic.
I suppose engines are so bad now because no real development is being done, they're just being phased out so no one is bothering to make them reliable or economical any more. We've gone backwards.
You did quickly become my favorite UK car reviewer. Stick to the facts, very knowledgeable, no boastful, no "everything European is better". Bravo!!
The 240, 260 & 280 were all good models: in fact, they were only slight variations of the original 240z It was actually the 280zX (and later models) which became a boulevard cruiser or a "Japanese Buick"
Sadly, I've never driven a 240 but I currently have a '77 280Z in maligned 2+2 form and it's a blast to drive. Maybe I'm only comparing it to the modern cars, which tend to be sterile and boring. Maybe a 240Z would dwarf it for fun but it's hard to see it being that much more of a raw or sporty experience.
"The proof of the pudding is in the eating" is the original saying.
Great channel, never miss an episode. Keeps improving. Excellent.
This was never a 348 competitor. The Honda NSX - sure - but never this. Never ever. I don't even see this as a copycat. This was a Mitsi 3000GT/Supra/RX7 or 8 competitor. Porsche 944 if you want. But why Ferrari? I don't get it...
It's a Jack thing....😂😂😂
Agree, the 348 was a completely different beast.
Probably in terms of reliability
Agreed! This wouldn't even have considered Ferrari as competition?
I applaud Nissan for matching Ferrari performance for far cheaper than a Ferrari. The fact that you get a touring-like drive with the given performance had to have been amazing for the time.
These are so, soooooo underrated! I had one 18-20 years ago. A Japanese grey import in fantastic condition......blue with blue leather. Mine also came with the fabric on the doors and lower dash. For me, the only downside was mine was an auto....the 4-speed really hampered the fun factor. For me, this was the best looking of the Japanese coupes (Mk4 Supra, Mitsubishi 3000 GT, Mazda RX7). I have a theory that because these didn't feature in the Fast and Furious franchise, they were soon deemed not as desirable, so the fell by the wayside. I can't recall seeing one on the road for years, although there was one quite close to where I live up on jackstands for almost a year, looking very sorry for itself before that disappeared too! Great to see one being reviewed though, thank you!
One of the best features I love about this era of car is the swooping dash. Just look at how that centre consol comes down toward the gear gaiter. If you look at the Honda NSX the same design concept. Beautiful.
I borrowed my mates 300ZX for a couple of months about 10 years ago. What a machine. Super reliable, great performance, comfortable enough and an all round good car.
“ZED’s dead baby!” Hahaha very good reference there Jack, and a great video, as per.
"It's not a motorcycle baby, it's a chopper"
@@jebediahgentry7029 Who's chopper is this?
😆😆😆 glad you enjoyed the reference dude!
Great review - If I had the garage space I'd certanly consider a 300ZX, styling and interior sweeter than the 350/370Z. R.E. Comparisons - In 1990 the Mk4 Supra was not yet available, top Toyota in the UK would have been the MK3 Supra Turbo. That put out 230hp - so the 300ZX would have been a big step up in power.
No puzzle, over engineered, difficult to service and expensive to build. Also the Supra was the comp... BUT.....One of the coolest cars and looks ever. one of my favorites. Awesome stuff brother!
I had the non-turbo 300ZX from 1992. It really was one of my favorite cars, so much so, that I ended up buying the 350z track version when that came out. I would love to purchase these cars again, for sentimental reasons, but it's nearly impossible to find one that hasn't been modified and ruined. At least here in the States. Great video, Jack. Thanks for always getting the interesting cars. ✌️
Nissan's target vehicles for the Z32 were the Corvette, 928, and the 944. They wanted to take the best qualities of those benchmark vehicles and build "the world's best sports car". The final product did beat the 928 around the "Ring" by 7 seconds. Remember, these came out in 1989 so there really wasn't any noteworthy Japanese competition at the time for this amazing sports/GT. The Z32, IMO set the styling and technological standard for modern sports cars to come.
About the curb weight, when comparing to other sports/GT cars of the era, these weren't exceptionally heavier. Not sure why the internet peanut gallery always says otherwise.
300Zx- 3,533lb Corvette- 3,420lb Supra- 3,480lb 3000GT- 3,860.
Remember when these were introduced being driven around Millbrook bowl at indicated 165mph sitting in the back. Quite an experience.
Having owned a Ferrari 308, Porsche 928 and the 300ZX I can honestly say the ZX was the easiest to drive and more comfortable than both the Porsche and Ferrari. Yes the other 2 were more powerful especially the 928 but I could drive the ZX for a 1000kms and feel refreshed. The other 2 I would need a chiropractor at the end of 1000kms. Have been thinking of getting another ZX recently and this video has spurred me on to find one.
One of the best nissans ever made, and my favourite Z. Just bought one a few months ago as a weekender...love it.
Japan and Nissan were building some great sportscars in the 90’s. I love them all! This red 300zx is a very nice example!
I can answer with my experience as a ‘90s kid. When I was at uni, one of the professors had a black 300ZX Turbo, another one had a Maserati 4.24V saloon. We can argue that the ZX was better in every way, but every time the Maserati V6 roared to life, everyone turned their head and looked at the plush white leather and walnut interior and that trident grille. The Maser screamed Italian old school emotions, the ZX was just a soulless speed machine.
I had one of these for 15 years - hugely under rated and IMO, a better looking and more exclusive car that the other obvious car in Nissan's stable that always overshadows it. A more engaging and precise drive also than the GTO and supremely comfortable. I drove it all over Europe and it was super reliable.
Ownership of this took me to Z events all over the US and Europe. I even met the designer at a Z Convention in Dallas, one Toshio Yamashita who gave a wonderful presentation on his styling of the car.
Sadly many were ruined with the most horrendous bodykits which always made the cars look worse than their beautiful origins. People are starting to restore these now and there are some nice, but still hard to find examples out there.
Mild boost upgrades really transforms the power and response.
HICAS does not operate at parking speed, it just has a great turning circle for the type of car it is.
Ian Callum actually used the proportions of the 300zx as the inspiration for the beautiful DB7, something I was surprised but please to see during his presentation at the last Aston Martin Heritage Festival.
The 300zx is what the Supra tried to be. An amazing vehicle. Car had highest top speed modded from home country, Twin turbos. The new GTR35 Skylines use this VG30 design just updated. This car started so much stuff in the car world that people fail to recognize.
Yet another car I owned when they were worth next to nothing, think I paid 3 grand for mine, an h reg in black.
You were saying the 2nd turbo comes in at 4000 rpm but they weren't sequential turbos, it was 2 the same, one for each bank of the v6. Love the look of them and easy to bump the boost up a bit and make it a pretty quick car.
Yes I thought they would be. Did it have variable valve timing that might explain the power change at higher revs. Seems a trait of vvt type engines.
I don't think these were ever to be compared to a Ferrari, more a Porsche 968 - and at 15k great car! keep those videos coming
I had a 2+2 NA. Still miss that car. They are so good. Hard to work on, immpossible not to get bloody knuckles in that tightly packed engine bay. But once you get them sorted they are quite reliable, and after 200k miles, still tight as a drum.
I’ve always loved these, from every angle. One of the few cars that has great headlights, great taillights, a great side profile, a cool roof that opens up and a classy, functional interior. They did such a nice job on these. Look at how much light there is in that cabin, it’s an actual greenhouse; what a nice place to be in daytime or night.
I've had four of these; very smooth and easy to drive, loved the targa roof, thought it was a brilliant idea and I made good use of it
When I bought my 1998 Nissan 240SX off the showroom floor, there was a 300ZX. The ZX had a $34,000 MSRP. My 240 had a $24,000 MSRP. $24,000 I could not afford. It was on sale for $17,998. Nissan did a great job with the cloth interiors. I wish mfg's brought back the good cloth.
Nissan's cloth interiors were the best of anyone's in that era. I miss that.
This car is an example of 1990s cars having such understated sleek styling. So much purer than anything out there now. I think higher door lines due to legislation these days are one of the reasons. The interior layout reminds me of the Honda NSX
Greaat video! Love that car! I think its worth noting that these cars have a twin turbo setup, and that means both turbos work at the same time, as opposed to the sequential setup that you described.
The 300Z is the only Japanese car i've ever driven.Had taken my Thunderbird in for some engine and exhaust upgrades and needed a temp car to use whilst it was being worked on.As the shop was attached to a used car lot i had my choice of used cars to drive,i chose the 300Z they had on the lot.I'm 6'3" so it was snug but not too bad,but it was a brilliant car and i'm glad i had a chance with it.
I have owned and driven many sports cars . STI, Porsche 911, BMW, but I have owned not one but a total of Three 300zx cars . My first Z was a 1996 NA , 5 speed . Drove itcto 166K mikes sold it in 2002 .
Later I bought another 1996 300zx in 2009 , drove it upto 160k mikes and sold it in 2021.
In 2023 , i got my third 300ZX, 1990 TT , 5 speed and it had 49k miles, plan to put another 100k miles with a lot of Smiles :)
i have always had a soft spot for these. Nice review. Thanks.
A friend owns a 1989 300ZX, it's been sitting for 6 mths due to a leaking fuel line, problem is no one wants to touch it because they are very difficult to work on, their lack of "love" is mostly down to their under bonnet access difficulty. The 240Z was much loved and one of the reasons for that was its simplicity, it was very easy to work on, the 300ZX is the opposite. Friends car also has a faulty heater core, it would cost almost more than the car is worth to replace it so the hoses are sealed at the engine and its not much fun in the winter.
Tell him to find a better mechanic, or learn to work on it himself. They are a lot less complex to work on than most modern cars. All the fuel line are easily accessible except one small section at the front of the engine that requries the inlet manifold to be removed if that the unfortunate one that is leaking. Usualy its just the hose clamps that need tightening though. New Heater matrix is a couple of hundred and lives behind the dashboard. Its fiddly to get to, but thats the case for any car really - It can be replaced by removing the glovebox and some other trim.
I remember at the time thinking these were stunning to look at, I think they have aged very well, it still looks awesome. This one sounds lovely too. Brilliant review, thank you!
I've always wanted one, or... (even newer 350Z?) I went for a Mazda at the time. I think they are amazing. No way on Earth would I feel disappointed.
I was 5 years old when the 300ZXTT went on sale. I instantly wanted it. To 1980s kids, turbo power sounded like magic. To my childish logic, twin turbo was ultra magic.
When I was 14, I picked up a magazine article about how to get 450HP out of one. It mentioned what a Mass Air Sensor was. It was then I knew I could work on modern cars. In that magazine, I saw what a Nissan GTR was. I knew what one was before most of the others, and was ahead of the curve.
In the USA, it is legal to import cars over 25 years old. I told people that if they dreamed of getting a 300ZXTT, maybe they should importing a Z32 Fairlady TT from 1998 or later.
In my early years, this was my dream car. I've always seen it as a long distance GT and never thought of comparing it to a Ferrari. I found its shape beautiful, a pinnacle of Japanese design. Meanwhile, this particular example is a bit watered down by its red paint, aftermarket wheels and that giant spoiler at its back. As far as I can remember, the standard one was much more discreet, improving rather than spoiling its shape.
Miss mine, had forged pistons and rods, 18psi boost on bigger turbos, 400hp on the Dyno at Noble in chesterfield.
Was a nice quick car at 320hp at 12psi
At 18psi it was a rocket 🚀
A legend on it's own making,still a sexy sports car
I used to own the short wheel base version of this. I should never have sold it. Was such an awesome car.
Same....
Our cars in New Zealand normally also have righthand indicators, even my '22 German built Ford Focus
I remember seeing an ice blue 300 the first time I seen this model in 90. I just remember thinking how futuristic it looked and it was gorgeous! Then a buddy got one in period and I got to ride around in it. It got allot of attention that’s for sure. Then the Twin turbo came out and another buddy got a pearl white TT with gold BBS wheels and that would shut down the parking lot car meets every time! Love em!
Thanks for another great video. I get that the Z31 is "unloved" by the general public, but I have owned a few of them, did a LOT of driving in two of them, and they hold a special place in my heart. I never felt like any of them were "underpowered" but I think people of my generation have a different perspective on that. My '85 Turbo was undoubtedly the most fun but it demanded respect with its "Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde" turbo boost delivery and wild camber changes from the rear suspension. I mean with a hack-saw and some plumbing parts you could make a T3/T4 turbo Z31 put down 12 second 1/4 mile times which was impressive for that time. I was not into drag racing but that car surprised plenty of people. Sure I did need to swap out three sets of rear tyres for every set of front but all of those carcasses died in the name of fun. I also remembering some maniac with a modded '84 Turbo being one of the absolutely fastest at Thunderhill ages ago.
I test drove three US spec Z32TT's in the hopes of buying one but was never able to make that happen. It was very easy to see and feel that this was a completely different animal. I wish I would have had that experience but the costs and work involved (look up a timing belt job on a VG30DETT) were more than I could take at the time. The Z31, with all of its flaws, was a much simpler and more accessible device. I miss the days when I could find one lurking in the shadows, take it home for a couple hundred $$, rejuvenate it and sell it to fund the one that was more fun. I did that three times.
One of my all time favourites!
What a car!
Felt so bad when Hammond had one on Top Gear and didn't get the love it deserved.
And how could they throw out that roof panel?!?!
Thanks for yet another great car and video Jack.
Greetings from the Netherlands
A friend had one, he loved it, it would pass everything... except petrol stations!🤣
Haha
There are two reasons these never shot up in money like some of the others - firstly they are a pig to work on and anything involving turbos is either engine out or a lot of swearing.
Mostly though its because they never starred in Fast and Furious and never took off as a platform for big dyno numbers.
The world was awash with stories of triple rotor RX-7's and 1000hp Supras but not many people went into heavily tuning these - partly because of that awkward layout under the bonnet.
Most with basic mods are 350-400hp and at that taken for what they are they drive very well. As a daily usable fast GT they were absolutely brilliant. There were loads of quality of life touches in them and you don't really notice until you use them regularly.
Oh and the boost in power you can feel higher up isn't from the turbos - these are a genuine twin set up rather than big and little. That surge is where the variable cams switch to their aggressive profile. They shouldn't be stepped because in theory they are infinitely adjustable but I've always noticed that little uptick in torque around that rpm and larger turbos didn't change it.
The interior "Sea of Black and Grey" is of course one of the ways that this DAILY USABLE, 300 Horse-POWER Sports-car - Managed to be SO Affordable and SO Pracrical !
This has always been my favorite JDM car, perhaps the RX-7 is my second, with all others not even making my list. I've had 2 of these and tried to wire money to a HK seller of a yellow 1999 R spec but they backed out 😢 I have a garage full of nearly $12k n NOS rare JDM Z32 parts. They are a nightmare to do major servicing on those, but easier once you've done it.
I had one as a toy car when I was little, I received it as a gift..... By chance, it also was red 😄
It was a high quality one made in Hong-Kong, all in metal with very fine details.
..I absolutely loved it, unfortunately I never knew even the model name, all that it had proudly written on its bottom was "Nissan"
When one day I lost it.... What a tragedy that was for me 😅
Now it's the first time in years I got reminded of it, what a joy to see it in real, and to find the model name 😊
... My dream was not in vain.... I love it ... 😁
This Nissan brought back sweet memories. It's a stunner, even now, it ages gracefully.
Wonderful cars. Test drove the 300Z, not the more powerful ZX and the hi-cas steering was a different experience. At the time, very lust worthy. Pricey in today's dollars. Gorgeous and fresh design. These were gong for only $10K for a good example just a few years back,, no doubt twice that now at least.
Gorgeous. Doesn't really look like anything else. Always liked them. Be a brilliant GT. A really nice one here in NZ around $NZ30K, but very nice ones can be found for under 20K, so now I'm thinking..... :)
Excellent solid engineering
The 300zx is such a great car, especially considering its age. Mine has the leather interior and the lower half is made of suede, which is a very nice touch.
I bought one new while living in Switzerland , i was about 26/27 ,It was grey with leather , I remember driving on the motorway open top one summer and it wasnt until i stopped i could feel the sunburn on my forehead. I loved the switches and its look ,however i had to send it back twice to the dealer with brake shudder due to warped discs.. it was certainly not a sportscar but a good GT car.. i kept it for about 18 months.. lost a fortune and i remember no garage would take it as part ex for a NSX ! .. a couple of years later i did buy a NSX and the driving experience was like night and day.
Hmm I wonder how those rotors got warped? ;)
A buddy of mine in law school had a 300zx in '90 or '91 -- also red. I thought then and still think it is a totally awesome car! The seating was so low. A gorgeous shape. Power was amazing. I'm surprised #27 said the ride was soft. What I most remember about the car is that it had an almost rock hard suspension; I still remember thinking it rode like a buckboard. Thanks for the review!
Always absolutely loved the 300ZX. It looked like a spaceship when it came out, and still looks sensational today 👌
I owned on of these (in black) and we absolutely loved it. It was, as you've said, very stable and a wonderful GT, if not a full out "sports car" - but sport"y" as all hell. I will say that as a home mechanic, the engine compartment was kind of a nightmare (you had to remove the upper intake manifold just to change the spark plugs) and doing anything with or around the turbos was NOT fun.
What did mine in was a coolant leak that led to two blow head gaskets ... and then it sat for a while and the rocker panels rusted badly sitting on a concrete pad.
It will always be, for me, one of the ones that "got away" 😓
I lusted after the 300ZX TT as a kid and would still love to own one now. Beautiful car..
I think these are massively overlooked. A family friend chose one of these to buy when he lived in Japan back in the very early Nineties. He still has it and bought it back to the UK where he now lives. Owned from new, but his is an auto with the same cloth interior as this one. Barely any miles driven in it as the thing has been off the road and garaged for donkeys years. Always thought they were really cool and a bit rare groove. Never driven one unfortunately.
I'd love to test drive one of these. It basically picks up where my 91 Supra saw the writing on the wall. All the specs and features really make it feel like a smaller brother to a Mitsubishi 3000GT / GTO. The look of it really reminds me of a blend between Opel Calibra and a late Lotus Esprit.
Wanted one of these for years. As standard as possible. Stunning design even today.
My dream car when growing up 300zx
I had a 95 Twin Turbo back in 1996, I believe the design still looks contemporary today. Fun trivia, the Lamborghini Diablo used the 300ZX headlights!
Really, REALLY love this one, the Honda NSX and the Mitsubishi 3000 GT... With this being the most tunable of the 3. Love them!
I think it's aged quite well. I had one for a week as a loan car back in 1996 when my TVR was in the garage for a while. I remember it felt a little heavy and not as quick as the TVR but very stable esp at speed. Quite fancy one now
Always loved these and crossed my mind to get one a few times. At first I really couldn’t have afforded to run one, even if I could have bought one. By the time I could afford one I figured they were probably too old and I went for something else….including an HR engined 350Z. The wheel and exhaust mods on that one look great and it’s a really special thing. Great vid.
To everyone saying this wasn't a 348 competitor... Yes you're correct, but motoring journalists were struck by it's styling at the time and I clearly remembered it being compared with "Italian exotica", so like it or not it was the comparison made back in the day 👍
Never noticed you use the same road as Harry's Garage.
Always loved the Z32, just missed buying one a few hours ago on Cars and Bids.
As Tony would say... they're GREAT!
Over in the States, these didn't sell well due to the 1990-1996 economy, which was a period of high unemployment and slow growth everywhere but in high tech. I remember being severely underemployed during that period, making due with used base model compacts and feeding my performance addictions with motorcycles. Another car that didn't sell was the now legendary Toyota Supra, much for the same reasons.
A few years back, just about any 300ZX variant was an inexpensive gem in the rough because they weren't too far gone not to be made runable again, and they were ridiculously inexpensive. And as you've noted they were fairly stylish. But everyone in the States remembers Nissan's TV adverts for the 300ZX, which featured a G.I.Joe doll drifting a remote control toy 300ZX through children's bedrooms, impressing the Barbie Doll, and making off with her much to Ken's dismay. Those TV commercials rocked.
I loved my UK spec Z32TT and had it for more than six years. Agreed it is much more of a GT than a sports car (bit on the heavy side but very comfortable), but wind it up and it was very capable. After it hit 100K miles the head gaskets failed and I opted for a new engine rather than repair, and I also had to have a new AFM meter fitted towards the end. The digital clock was notorious for failing, rear subframe bushes (silicon filled) were known to fail, the dealer I used tried to tell me mine were duff at one of the oil change services, but I baulked at the cost of replacement. Funny the subject was never raised again at subsequent services and I never noticed any issues! Only other issue was the roof seals on the one of the targa roof panels. HICAS system made high speed lane changing very safe. On a trip through France I had it flat out in the early hours on a very quiet autoroute showing an indicated 158mph, only ever been faster on a race track in a single seat race car. Thanks for your review Jack, brought back a lot of enjoyable memories.
In my opinion, this car was excellent in the looks department, wouldn't change a thing and I agree with you on the interior as well, AND T-Tops! it works.
i bought a TT manual uk car in 2007 for £2200 !! probably the sickest car ive ever had .....sadly a cracked exhaust manifold rust starting and lack off funds forced sale
@@martinparker9249 enjoy brexit, loser
@@martinparker9249 go to the dentist
Around 10 years ago I had both the ZX300 and GTO which were 1990/91 models and both naturally aspirated. I put them both up forsale and whichever one I was left with would be the one that I kept. The ZX romped away leaving me with the Mitsubishi. Kept that car for a few years before moving it on as it was getting ready for front and rear main crank oil seals, plus it was terribly thirsty. But a great fun car to drive and always got plenty of looks. Not particularly quick compared to modern cars, but definitely had some fun factor. It was also AWD with 4 wheel steer and an auto.
Even today both cars don't look old fashioned, they have stood the test of time really well which is a testament to their design teams.
It appears that the version being driven is the 2+2... which is the heaviest of the bunch.
Yes, it is more of a GT, and when compared with its european counterparts, it has Japanese reliability, durability and quality.
Another channel on TH-cam drove both the 300ZX and a contemporary Porsche 928 across the U.S.
It makes for a nice comparison, seeing which one is really better... particularly 30 years later.
The jewel of the Z32's is the slicktop (hardtop version) being significantly lighter, with a shorter wheelbase and stiffer chassis, it is is a true sports car, very light on its feet.
Here in the states, it is very popular to drop in the all aluminum LS engine with significantly more horsepower and torque, whilst reducing about 50 kg off the front.
It is still one of the most beautiful, iconic cars made.
Well Done.
Thanks for another great review Jack. Although I didn’t lust after these when they came out, they have aged very well. The cloth seats take me back. High quality material, well built, and durable. Same with the Japanese switchgear of that era.
Mnay thanks for this - I've always really liked these and have also felt them totally under-rated. Great looking car really well engineered.
Always loved this model. Beautiful style that aged very well. Even the interior was well conceived with the citroen'ish control satellites. Nice ride.
It handled well, it out did g force ring, mine did 13s quarter miles, had turbo one and na and both brilliant
One of the best GT cars to come out of Japan, it still looks superb today 👌