The Z31 chassis Nissan 300ZX remains an eminently accessible sports car, with prices hovering at very reasonable levels for even nicely kept survivors. The car shown here is the most captivating example from a purely visual standpoint – the colors aren’t spectacular – but there’s no denying it looks pure as driven snow and shows zero signs of modifications. The seller claims it’s as good as it looks in photos, and it’s listed here on craigslist for $10,999. While it may indeed be worth that much, the market is still slow to embrace these as genuine collectibles, so it may be a while before the seller finds a buyer.
That’s one of the more unfair things about the car hobby: you can keep a car in near-perfect condition, perform all of the necessary maintenance, and still struggle to get top money simply because the “aura” around a certain model isn’t great. I ran into this with a pristine 1990 Audi V8 Quattro sedan that I purchased sight-unseen simply because it was the best specimen of the car I had ever seen. However, because it wasn’t seen as a particularly compelling vehicle, I struggled to sell it – after all, even the prettiest dandelion is still a weed to many observers. This 300ZX certainly isn’t a weed, but it’s also not a turbocharged anniversary model, nor is it a highly desirable Shiro Special.
The good news is it’s a 5-speed manual with the analog gauge cluster, so there’s far less to go wrong with this example. The naturally-aspirated V6 is a reliable runner and fairly cheap to operate, not to mention the fact it was used widely across the Nissan lineup, so finding good used parts is likely no trouble. Performance-wise, it wasn’t a rocket ship in naturally-aspirated form, but it was enough: 160 horsepower at and 174 lb-ft of torque. This was decent power for the 1980s, and even by today’s standards, it will keep up with traffic. The seller notes that the clutch master cylinder, tires, and battery have all been recently replaced.
Despite residing in British Columbia, the seller notes this 300ZX was previously a resident of Los Angeles. He purchased it from his neighbor’s daughter, who received the car after his passing. The evidence of preservation is clear in the photos, with gleaming paint, perfect finish on the painted bumpers, and strikingly clear headlight lenses. The clock shows 81,000 miles, and that’s not much on an annual basis, so there’s plenty of evidence that this Nissan has lived a charmed life. Although it may not fetch $11,000, I suspect it would sell quickly at around $8,500. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Curvette for the find.
Hoping the ask is CAD, which would make the car a relative bargain. Thank goodness for the third pedal!
As mentioned that shifter really makes this one. Real slice of the 80s here looking at the interior. 👍 😎
Got this one beat. I have an 85 300ZX unrestored in perfect condition. Only 63k original miles. But I’m not selling. I tried once about 5 years ago didn’t even get a minimum bid.
Let’s give it another try!
Not everything has to be collectible. To buy a low mileage really cool & sporty driver for $10k that will last you for years to come is getting hard to do these days. :-) Terry J
TerryJ, very well said. That’s exactly how I look at it. Someone could have a good time driving this for a not outrageous outlay of cash.
$10999 Canadian is $8000 US, since it’s advertised in Canada $8k should be the price. Great buy at that price.
In early 1985 I worked a short stint at a Nissan/Jeep store. It was run by a shister from California. (I find these things out too late) I made good money, but the stress of never knowing if my key would open the dealership each morning was too much to put up with. Anyway, he decided that his 300ZX should look like a racecar. So, lower the car and install a roll bar. The interior gets screwed up and the car sat in the police impound lot most of the time because of his drinking habits. I at the time before going to work there at worked for honest dealerships. I was appalled as to what dishonesty was perfected by a Mensa member. I learned so much about how not to run a dealership. The dealership went down the tubes, which was no surprise to anyone that worked there. I bailed out before that happened. And the new place that I ended up at bought the defunct dealership for a song. I was called in several times to offer opinions on different things that they uncovered when taking the place over. Sorry for the rant, but everytime I see one of these it brings back bad memories.
The HVAC controls on these are unobtainium so beware.
Any well-kept Z at this price is a bargain.
I had an 84 stick with T-tops and the digital dash and voice alerts, what a fun car. Ever bit as cool to drive as my later 86 vette.
Was never big into Japanese sports cars but these and the 80’s Supras and Conquests I really liked. Looks in beautiful shape for a 40 year old car. Plus it’s a 5spd with analog gauges. He’s certainly asking a fair price if it’s as nice as it looks.
Those two back seats bring the price down.