As with most Japanese carmakers, Nissan’s naming system in the 1970s and 80s was more than a little confusing. It makes even those of us who consider ourselves fans and aficionados of vintage Japanese vehicles scratch our heads a lot of the time trying to decipher which model is which. This 1980 Datsun 210 can be found here on eBay in York, Pennsylvania with aggressive bidding and a current bid price of $5,150! I know! The crazy part? The seller’s reserve isn’t even met yet! Thanks to JimJ for sending in this tip!
Nissan, or Datsun as they were known as prior to 1983/1984 in North America, mixed home market names with actual letters (I know, what a concept) with numbers for other markets and it can be hard to keep up sometimes. Most of us know that the Datsun Sports and Z-series cars were known as the Fairlady in some other markets. That name wouldn’t have worked in the US. This generation of Sunny – another name that most likely wouldn’t have worked in the US – would be known as the B310 Sunny. We knew them as the 210 in North America. It was the last version with rear-wheel-drive and this generation was made until the 1982 model year.
This example looks like it’s in outstanding condition but I’m very surprised at the high bid price and even more surprised that the reserve isn’t met yet. I know, it’s a two-door and it’s the last generation to have rear-wheel-drive. The seller says that the odometer reads 39,900, which could mean 39,900 or 139,900 miles, they don’t say. Still, I recently had a 1983 Datsun-Nissan Sentra, the year when Nissan was changing from Datsun to Nissan in the US. It was in at least as nice condition as this 210 is and mine had a 5-speed manual and was literally almost like new. I ended up selling it for a very painful $2,000. This one is over $5k already with no end in sight!
And there it is, this one has a Jatco L3N three-speed automatic, further blowing my mind given the current bid price. In my mind, and most likely in this post, I’m going to end up comparing the condition of this car to my Sentra, my apologies in advance. They were really totally different cars, different platforms, and layouts, etc. I’m just going by the condition and features. The interior looks great in this car, but those vinyl seats will be hot in late-July. The trunk looks perfect.
The seller is a dealer so the hazy photos are a little surprising. I hope that they can get that under control on future sales. It doesn’t seem to be making a difference in the price here, though. The engine is Nissan’s A15, a 1.5L inline-four with around 65 horsepower. The automatic won’t help the fun-to-drive factor, but owning a vintage car for me is more about the memories of the era than it is for whipping through corners and stoplight racing. Have any of you owned a Datsun 210/Sunny?
I too am surprised by the $–it’s not the infamous B-210, and not even a stick! I owned a 1980 310GX 4spd (FWD), and while reliable as heck it could hardly get out of its own way. Like Scotty says, it’s gotta be about the nostalgia!
1979 Datsun B21- 4 door Burgandy Red, 5 speed was my first real car. Bought it with 90,000 on it. I think ex wife got it with 165K on it. Never gave me any real problems. Ate an alternator in College, and think I put 2 sets of tires on it. Front brake pads and rear shocks. Tune up, and I think a carb rebuild. Regular oil changes.. got 32 or so MPG in town and 36-38 MPG at highway speed… Got a 1976 B210 2 door hatchback when I went to Tech school from a dealership in Texas… Repainted it, replaced the tire, tuned it up.. just was not the same as my 79.
Yes it’s a very sharp little car but I doubt it will get bid much beyond $6k, even so. After all, it’s a tiny car with underwhelming performance. With 65 hp and a 3 sp auto, it goes from 0-60 in 15.5 secs, does the quarter in 20.6 secs and gets 22 mpg. The sellers are greedy even for a dealer with their asking price of $10.9k and a probable reserve of about $10k.
I had an ‘80 Nissan 210 2-dr 1.5 I bought new, mostly because it was convenient and affordable after my previous car died right when I was transferred to another state. The car handled well but that engine was a dog. It constantly ran spastically. The dealer worked on it several times without improvement. Come to find out it was the same engine used in Canada cars but they ran on leaded gas. The carburetor used on the US had seals that had to be drilled out to make mixture adjustments but the dealer couldn’t do it due to EPA regulations. I had the seals (2) drilled out and took it back to the dealer. It took quite a bit of fiddling but finally got it running much better. It’s interior noise was another issue that was hard to fix. It had little to no sound-deadening anywhere. I added a bunch of expensive acoustic insulation panels everywhere I could put it but with minimal improvement. This was before the sticky foil over asphalt sound deadening was really available. It did get around 30 mpg which was nice. It ended its life a few years later trying to avoid a car that made a u-turn coming the other direction at night with no lights on. It whipped wide into my right lane right in front of me. I swerved to the outside emergency lane but clipped their right rear with my left front, flipping me up onto the passenger side, skidding well over s hundred feet on its side. There was no door or other gaps visible nor paint, looking as if someone took a big grinder to the entire passenger side.
I was already working at a Datsun/Nissan dealer back then, and my memory says only the automatic equipped wagon got the A15, the sedans still had the A14 I wonder if its my memory or this ad thats mistaken…
Doug, the 1.2L or 1.4L would have been in the early cars for this generation other than the wagon with an automatic which had the A15. You’re 100% correct on that. Good memory, sir! This car, in 1980, would have had the A15.
Had one of these back in ’91. Used it to deliver pizzas. Mine was silver with a manual and black and white houndstooth cloth seats, which somebody cruelly poured motor oil on. I remember I would have to sit on cardboard to deliver, and I would still get oil stains on my pants. It also been kissed on the front end before I got it. I don’t really have any memory of it other than this.
This car is advertised on CL for $10.9k. I had a 4sp 210 back in the day – had what must have been the flabbiest, least supportive seats ever installed on a car. Durable mechanicals with wafer-thin body metal – water pressure from a garden hose blew a hole through a rust spot on the front fender while washing.
Asians had such silly names for their cars. Americans wanted numbers and wild animal names, not “sunny, happy days” car names. And that air cleaner, what’s up with that? This was kind of Datsuns answer to the Corolla. When the author says, “nicest one left”, and it is, but a more accurate term would be “the ONLY” one left”,,,these were, like all Asian cars,terrible rusters. They were cheap, tinny, uncomfortable, lousy heaters ( did ANY Asian car have a good heater?)lackluster cars, but did what we needed the most, point A to B, dependable cars with great gas mileage. When this came out, it was a hit, but today, it’s really nothing special and only a true vintage Asian car fan would spend 5g’s on this, but a great find.
Howard; “all Asian cars”? Really?
My 81 SR-5 was far from “cheap, tinny, uncomfortable, ..lousy heaters”.
Sorry, but yours is an inaccurate and gross generalization here.
I don’t know about the heaters , but the Asian cars at the time were tinny cars with cheap plastic interiors and they rusted badly, at least on the East coast, much worse than the U.S or German cars . I worked at a Toyota dealership in the early 80s and owned a 80 Toyota truck . The truck ran like clockwork, but you couldn’t keep up with the rust all over th body and the frame eventually broke between the cab and bed.
In the late 80s I managed a salvage yard and Asian cars would come in droves- they usually ran, but were falling apart after 6-7 years. They were built to be light and economical and they were, but the winters destroyed them. I’m sure thats why this one is going for a high price. Thee just aren’t many left anymore.
Howard, I agree that this was definitely a Toyota Corolla doppelganger. I worked at a Toyota dealership back in 1981 and we got in about 6 used 1980 210s, probably former rentals. I always felt the Corolla was a better car, because they would run circles around these.
I own a station wagon 210 79 automatic had for 35 years. runs well.. no plan to sell it. when first got it i carried furniture, sand bags, and bricks all construction stuff. suspension still good and not sagging. sad that is getting hard to find parts for it.
???? Is there not a DEEP and WIDE network of parts suppliers for Datsun and Nissan products going back to the 70s? In this day and age someone restoring any JEM vehicle has a lot of resources at their disposal. I may have a skewed opinion only because I hang with Nissan people and worked there for two years.
West coast J-car aficionados kill for unmolested vintage rides like this. Doesn’t surprise me it’s listed for north of 10k on CL. Total nostalgia play, most likely destined to be mildly modded by the new owner, retaining as much originality as possible
I used to have a ’80 B310 GX basically the same engine but it had 5-spd. It was a P.O.S. to look at, with peeling metallic blue paint the interior was torn but it ran like a champ and the A/C worked fine. Even with a manual it was very slow….I recalled on my various trips from Socal to LV, I was in slow lane going up the GRAPEVINE! But it had great gas mileage and the A/C was blowing cold air! I had to “junk” it at 350K miles after unknown reason the engine simply died! It was the best $300 investment-mileage at purchase 150K mile maintenance; tune up, clutch, brake job and clutch. It was simple to repair and cheap ride. I missed that old GEISHA GIRL :(…Sayonara baby…
I took my driver’s license test in a tan hatchback version of this car that my father owned at the time. In a world of mostly big, American cars, this made the driving test simple and even made my parallel parking look good!
Howard, good to hear from you as always. Someone will jump on this as a driver or a commuter. Nice find. Well done.
Hi Maestro, thanks, not everyone thinks so, and that’s okay. 50+ years and hundreds of vehicles, of all kinds, allows me to make those “generalizations”. I may not know what “AUDI'” stands for, ( got lambasted for THAT one) and Asian cars were great mechanically, but you could dent a fender by leaning on it, and they had terrible heaters. How many Asian cars did you see with the windows all frosted up on the inside, unless that wasn’t part of your driving climate. For someone not familiar with these, and spoiled by today’s chilled cup holders, it’s a pretty basic car.
My boss bought a red one of these for me to use for delivery of medical supplies in 1979. It had a stick and I had fun tossing it around until I lost it on a rain-slicked curve and almost grazed a few big trees. Only damage was the headlight busted from a small sapling I said hello to. I’m not at all surprised by it sitting at the $5000-6000 mark. Doubtful it will sell for the Craigslist price. If the Nissan folks in Tennessee were still buying examples of Datsuns they would write a check for this one today. Unfortunately, they are disbanding their Heritage Collection and may never offer showings to the general public.
I had a used 79 Datsun 210 fastback 5 speed years ago, same color. Best car I ever owned and that car turned me to liking Japaneses cars. Condition of this car is amazing. I’m glad it isn’t a fastback because I would have to buy it.
Sticker in 1980 was $4946. When an automatic, 1400 cc 2 dr Datsun 210 sedan is worth more than sticker at 40 years old you know the world has spun off its axis.
I owned a 1979 210 sedan with a Kamei front spoiler, FIA head, Japanese SU carbs, 5 speed, 6 inch wide steel wheels with Kleber tires, brown with light brown interior. Oh and a trailer hitch to tow my Formula Vee! It was an awesome little car, one I’d have again for fun but not at the kind of money they bring today.
Had this car in white on tan. It also, thank God, had A/C. I thought it was a hell of a lot better built and styled than a Chevette or Pinto. Come on. 🤨
Ahh the nostalgia !!! Although the price is unfathomable, I’d buy it if I could.
I had a 1979 210, grasshopper green with tan vinyl interior & 4 speed manual, it was manual everything. But it was wonderful. 52 mpg & was the car that helped me explore when I moved to Tennessee. The only slow car I’ve ever owned that was as reliable & fun was my 73 Super Beetle.
Mark, where in Tennessee? I’ve been here since 1985. The 1979 red 210 hatch I drove for the medical supply company was still going strong when I left the DC area to come to Nashville.
I live in Blount County, just outside Knoxville. Moving back to Ohio was/is 1 of my worst mistakes. It took me moving back, to realize how much I loved it down there. So many good, loving & welcoming people (although when I moved there, I was considered a yankee come to steal their jobs but within 6 months I was “1 of them” :-) ) It’s an amazing area, so many people with barns FULL of old cars, especially muscle cars. I haven’t been back since Aug. 2000. TYVM for your kind comment/reply. Be well & have a Blessed Day my friend !!!
I gotta disagree with Howard regarding the whole “bad heat” statement. My experience was a bit different.
In 1989, I bought my Uncle’s 1983 Sentra. It had a feature I had never seen before (American cars back then didn’t have this) that let you pick fresh or recirculated air. I didn’t know what it did, so I left it on recirculate. Yup, my windows would fog up lol. My Mom, in 1984, sold her 1973 Riviera & bought a brand new Sentra for herself. She had figured out what that switch did, but she never mentioned it to me lol.
She sold me her Sentra in 1990. It too fogged up, but that was because the weather stripping had all dried up & disintegrated & in the winter, with the heat on, the snow & ice would melt & seep in through the gaps where the weather stripping was missing, then it would become humid in the car and again the windows would fog up lol. This era Nissan cars had great heat, just they were so cheap, cheesy & tinny that the heat didn’t matter to keep the windows clear lol.
You would think for that kind of money the seller would have a better camera…