Known as the Nissan Sunny on its home turf, this variant of Japanese import was marketed in the U.S. as the Datsun 210 from 1979-82. It was the entry-level econobox sold by Nissan in those days and was similar to the Toyota Corolla (of which I had one). From 1980 comes this one-owner 2-door sedan with just 48,500 miles. It looks to be in nice shape, although its Rusty Jones application was unable to prevent a little bit of rust from creeping in by the rear wheels. Located in Scranton, Pennsylvania, this fuel-sipper is available here on craigslist for $12,500. Our thanks to Barn Finder Mitchell G. for the tip!
Nissan didn’t begin selling cars in the U.S. under its corporate name until 1986, so they were still called Datsuns when the seller’s auto rolled off the boat. You had your choice of four body styles of which the 2-door sedan would have likely carried the lowest sticker price. What should be under the hood of the seller’s 210 is a 1.4-liter inline-4 that produced 65 hp and the seller advises it’s paired with a 5-speed manual transmission (my Corolla only had 4-speeds – darn!). The 210 stuck around until the Sentra was introduced in 1982.
These cars were built to be inexpensive and disposable when their useful life was reached. So, it’s rare for you to see a 43-year-old Datsun 210 today – in any condition. Does that make one collectible? Perhaps, but that’s usually in the eye of the beholder. The same family has been caretakers of this little machine since it was new and even sprung for rust-proofing back in the day, which may help explain its largely rust-free appearance.
Overall, it looks nice enough, including the austere black interior. The mileage is low (below 50,000) and we’re told this car has been garage-kept, another reason for its longevity. The sticker price for this car when new was something in the $4,000 range which would be the equivalent of $15,000 today. But that’s new. This is a used car and not one that typically attracts a long line of buyers, so is the seller’s asking price fair and reasonable?
Russ, I also owned a 1979 2 door Toyota Corolla in a beautiful copper metallic. In my memory I paid $5200 new. I bought a new 2 door Chevrolet Nova in 1977 for $4200. I remember thinking $1000 more for 2 years inflation. I loved both cars.
It states “INEXPENSIVE AND DISPOSABLE” .. 40 Years later 12500 HhhhaaAa
3000 usd is already well paid. I don’t believe anyone will pay the requested price. It has not collection value .. maybe if you or your parents had when when you were young… but still, no more than 3K
Had a silver one. Same year. Same body style, but with the cloth seats. Delivered pizzas with it. Economical. Not much else. Some little heathens poured motor oil on the seats once and I had to sit on cardboard and my rear endvwould get oil stained still. Never caught the bastards These rust pretty prolifically. Mine was pretty rusted in the early 1990s. It was in Illinois, a salt state, of course. Traded it to a buddy for a 1978 Bonneville with a 301. Another total hooptie.
Can’t understand all the sentence pieces…
Suffice it to say it was an econobox, as we called them back then. Not exciting to drive but good on gas. Mine wasn’t in good shape. This one is in good shape, but I surely would not pay 12k for it. You can get more modern transportation appliances, such as a Lexus RX300, for about half this money that are much more versatile and have more features.
Judging from the rockers on both sides of the car I would say that the rusty Jones rust proofing didn’t work very high price buy hey if I had it I would start high and see who bites
Is the asking price fair and reasonable?
Not exactly the right question. Will the market pay this, for this car?
I suspect the seller is going to have to move the mark a bit. As noted, this is a commodity of a car, intended to deliver pure transportation. Now it’s old – but old doesn’t equal valuable. It’s 43 years old, and on the dark side of two major reorganizations of Nissan. I doubt there are parts or even part lists at dealers; and given how Nissan has burned its previous reputation for quality and reliability, there are few fans of the marque left.
If it were 20 years newer, I’d consider it. There’s a lot to like, here.
But no one is going to shed any tears when the last one of these is crushed. There’s minimal interest – an old Rambler or Biscayne will hold more, much more.
If it was a late-1960s/early-1970s 510 there might be some interest, but this thing? $12,500 for what is virtually a tin can with wheels? Doubtful in this lifetime.
Taken a few Sunnies to their graves in my ownership over the ears. First, a mid 80s four door in bronze, was a tad over two hundred dollars to buy; the second under $500. Not in any universe is this car worth that asking price.
It’s not the rust you can see that should be concern, it’s the rust you can’t. In our area (Salt City NYS) when they showed rust like that, where the rear suspension attached to the unibody would be past the point of repair. And you just can’t go to the junk yard and pull a good not already rusted part, these just didn’t survive. IMO avoid the car, unless you have other plans for it.
I bought a new 1980 two-door 210 in white for $4200, totally stripped with a four-speed manual transmission. Added an am/fm with cassette deck later. Used as a daily commuter for five years. Good, basic reliable transportation that was cheap on gas. The hills of Pittsburgh eventually wore out the transmission which I replaced with a used one, then traded it in on a new ‘85 Subaru sedan.
1983 is when Nissan started putting their name on the cars. Not all but it did start then…
I had a 71 and 72 510 – the progenitor of this car. A hoot to drive but disposable and the salt from a dropped McDonalds French fry would dissolve the floor.
No amount of oil spray or washing could keep them from rotting.
One winter on the road in Scranton and that car will disintegrate.
Seller needs to move a decimal point over.
Must be owned by Sleepy Joe in Scranton, only one dopey enough to think it’s worth more than $500. Corn Pop rode in the back seat.
To many of us who’ve been around a while, the asking price is high even though it is a low milage car in good shape. But, nowadays the rarely seen survivor imports are more sought after than we think.
My son went to a cars and coffee (photographer) and while there sends me a text/pic of a bone stock 90 Camry
all-wheel drive saying it was drawing larger crowds than the tuners around it.
Proof that the the dare-to-be-different
is generational but still alive.
The likelihood of someone paying the seller’s asking price for this is about the same as the red Cutlass at double the ask.
But, they are both very decent vehicles and to the right person who has been shopping and disappointed with what they have have found, then anything is possible.
Realistically, though, these sellers are going to have to be flexible.
I had a 78 510 wagon that had slightly higher mileage but looked basically the same.I had a ton of nos sstuff and other items that came with the car when I got it. When I relocated I tried to get 750.00 for it, turn key. I then came to the realization that the only car Nissan made way back that anyone cared about was/is the Z since I also had a non running, rusted turd that guys were fighting over. I watched that car go up the shoot with all its parts in the back and dump into oblivion and received more than anyone offered at the time…sad. Lots of luck on this one. I recently bought the Toyota equivalent to this car in better shape for 20% of what they hope to get for this one…good luck.