As the 280Z advanced to the 280ZX and then the 300ZX, the car’s appeal shifted. The 280Z retained a sporting demeanor, but by the time the luxuriously-appointed 280ZX arrived, a new buyer had emerged – one looking for a grand touring experience. The 300ZX shed the Z’s remaining sex appeal by employing suddenly disjointed styling – a disappointment despite its mechanical competence. The car still sold well. Proving it knew how to respond to criticism, Nissan assigned the 1990 facelift to Isao Sono and Toshio Yamashita. With silky transitions from one panel to the next, the styling was vastly improved. Buyers could opt for a naturally aspirated 3.0 liter V6 now in a twin-cam configuration, but the single turbo option ceded to a twin turbo with 300 hp. The 300ZX was finally all grown up. Here on craigslist is a 1990 Nissan 300ZX twin turbo, with an asking price of $24,500. It’s located in Mount Freedom, New Jersey. It’s drivable, but a few projects await the new owner…
One turbo is punchy, but two bring the car into a different league. With 300 hp on tap, and a suspension to match, the twin turbo received rave reviews. This car has a four-speed automatic. The owner has replaced or repaired injectors, the main engine wiring harness, the struts, all brake components, the exhaust system, and the tires. The car hasn’t been driven much in 23 years and the seller advises that it needs more exercise.
The interior is tidy enough, though the seller notes a few cracks in the leather seat upholstery on the driver’s side. We mentioned a project: while the car was in the shop, the heater/AC circuit apparently shorted out, damaging the wiring harness in the instrument panel. The seller has a dash harness that conveys with the car, but that repair is up to the new owner. It will involve dismantling the panel, an 8-10 hour job. On a positive note, the heating and AC components are now brand new. This is a T-top car, and the seller notes a couple of rust spots on the tops.
This is a two-seater; Nissan also made a 2+2. The automatic is a demerit as far as value goes; the five-speed will sell over $20k while the automatic will rarely venture out of the mid-teens. What do you think – are these later Z-cars an attractive value? Thanks to Barn Finder Mitchell G for sending along this tip!
I had to age into my 50’s before I recognized the structural validity of the slicktop. I have owned at least 20 240-260-280-300 Z’s, but never the Z32. It just didn’t strike a chord in my head or heart. Fellow Nissan aficianados love the car for its quickness and tech (for the time). I have finally come to kinda, sorta understanding pricing on older cars and this still seems wildly high with the vague electrical needs which we all know from experience will be like chasing ghosts. Perhaps if it were ready to drive?
Current ride is 1999 Eclipse GSX AWD Turbo. Automatic is fine for older crowd. Wiring issue is concern and pric eneeds to reflect this. 13K to 15K better value here.
The autoloader did 0-60 in well under 6 seconds.
Car and Driver magazine.
Every time I see one of these it reminds me of the commercial with Barbie running off with GI Joe with “You Really Got Me” playing. Van Halen version of course.
$24,500 strikes me as very high for an automatic car with not low miles and quite a few needs. But I always really liked these.
Has to be a manual to get anything close to the ask and even then it’s a hard sell.
Taking the dash apart? can’t be that hard, just get the Chilton manual!
That comment hit close to home. I’ve sworn at more Chilton manuals than I can remember. They give the illusion of confidence, but then abandon you in the midst of greatest need.
240-260-280Zs still rule when it comes to beautiful and capable sports cars for me, but I almost bought a Z32 and would still jump at one now as many Z enthusiasts rate it as the best driver overall. And it was far from just a facelift on an 89 300ZX, as the handling, feel and available power was light years beyond the previous generation. As this twin-turbo shows.