This Z31 chassis Nissan 300ZX features the upgraded turbocharged engine with the preferred five-speed manual gearbox. But that’s just one aspect of its appeal, as the car itself is in incredible survivor-grade condition, with a beautiful exterior and equally well-preserved leather cabin. While this era of the 300ZX isn’t quite as desirable (yet) of the models that preceded it or of those that came later, enthusiasts are waking up to the fact that the first generation of Nissan’s modern sports car made good power and had plenty of whiz-bang features that other cars didn’t – like a digital gauge cluster – and is a cheap collector vehicle at the moment. Find the 1984 Nissan 300ZX Turbo here on eBay with a Buy-It-Now of $34,000.

Now, $34,000 isn’t cheap. I realize that. And I suspect the seller will be waiting a while to find someone willing to pay that much for one. But given the condition on display here, they may find someone willing to cough up $20,000 or maybe $25,000 given they rarely show up with multiple boxes checked like this example does. The turbocharged V6 made good power when new, and the design of the Z31 pulls on the nostalgic heartstrings if you grew up a car lover in the middle 80s: rear window louvers, pop up headlights, T-tops, turbocharged – the list goes on of standard features that make some 80s cars downright iconic. The Z31 isn’t there yet, but it’s getting closer.

Some of the lagging of the first-generation 300ZX’s is due to the fact that it suffers from what I call the middle child syndrome. It wasn’t as classic as the 240Z; it wasn’t as fun to drive as the 300ZX. This is the same thing that happened with the E21 3-Series BMW, as it slotted in behind the much-loved BMW 2002 and just ahead of the E30 chassis that drivers adored. The E21 wasn’t a bad car, but it also wasn’t as good as the other two. The Z31 seems to have the same predicament, but given how many show up in pristine or tine-warp condition, plenty of owners obviously liked their cars enough to preserve them for the long haul. Look at the leather – it’s damn near perfect.

Though the seller doesn’t directly address it, mileage is listed as being 17,000 which sure seems like a possibility given the condition on display here. The engine bay isn’t overly detailed but it’s far from messy. The seller notes the previous owner was a stickler for maintenance and ensured that the timing belt and water pump have been updated and that the fuel injectors were replaced under a factory recall. The 300ZX of this era came with plenty of gadgets and buttons and the seller assures potential buyers that everything works, including the sexy digital gauge cluster. While the asking price is top of the market and then some, this does look like a special car and one deserving of a special price.