This 1986 Nissan 300ZX achieves several key feats: for one, it is in very nice condition, clearly deserving of the survivor title. For another, it comes with all records since new, a striking achievement. Finally, the seller is asking a reasonable $7,000, which seems like a fair deal for a car that’s in as nice of condition as this one is. The 300ZX is a naturally-aspirated model with 159,000 miles and a few quirks, which the seller is up front about. Find it here on craigslist and thanks to Barn Finds reader Curvette for the tip.
The Z31 300ZX is a familiar sight to most of us. It was quite popular when new, as it was an attainable sports car for many. The 5-speed is the one to get, but even with the automatic, these sporty two-doors were fine drivers. I suspect that’s why we see so many of them with two pedals versus three, much like the Porsche 928: why row your own gears when the car does just fine shifting for you? In the case of the shift action, the seller notes that this one rows through the gears just fine but that it may need a transmission control computer in the future.
The interior really is stunning for the miles this Z car has. It has all the bells and whistles, from the digital gauge cluster to the talking computer that reminds you that your door is ajar. The slick stereo system has been partially updated with a newer head unit which is really my only complaint; the original cassette player and equalizer put Nissan in the front of the pack when it comes to factory stereos. There’s no leather seats in here, but the cloth buckets present quite well. The seller notes he is the third owner, with the second caretaker owning it from 1988-2024.
The documentation is always a plus to me, and I hope whoever goes and looks at this sweet 300ZX is smart enough to grab any and all physical records. Honestly, if this seller had a way to present all of the data in a digital format, it would make for an even better presentation. Since he took possession of it, he’s performed a claimed-$4,000 in maintenance despite driving it less than 1,000 miles. The big highlight is the recent timing belt and tensioner, so the lion’s share of the heavy lifting has been done for you. This seems like a great buy all day long from where I’m sitting.
Not my favorite edition of the Z, but as the author says, for someone it might be a reasonable deal.
Love the digital dash. Not a fan of the slushbox.
But the mortal sin is that the original stereo is gone. I have a thing for 80’s Japanese car stereos; they are part of the vibe and experience in cars from then. I bet this one had the EQ and all the cool stuff, too. I wonder if it is difficult to find one to buy.
Not cheap to replace the original stereo. I found one of these in the junkyard and proceeded to take as many interior parts as possible for resale. I think I got around $400 for the stereo/equalizer and bezel. Untested. The asking price for this car is reasonable, lots of folks out there restoring them now.
Ha… have to agree regarding the stereo (not so much the digital dash)… I have an ’84 RX7 GSL with the (for that year) top of the line factory Clarion set-up. Modular/separate styled… all in brushed aluminum… stacked Tuner, Cassette and Graphic Equalizer… with the joystick/speaker fader down by the shifter. Very of the period…
Had a friend that bought one new in ‘86. Loved the car, back then it was awesome, but the stereo/EQ fell flat. Absolutely 0 bass, but he bought a box with 2 10” subs in it. Fixed that rpblem quickly. 😎
Oh, I’m not telling you they sounded great (I’d argue the best stock stereo at the time was the Corvette Bose system, and it isn’t all that, either). I like 80s cars for their vibe. I’m Gen X, and I want to feel and see the whole vibe lol.
And yes, I also drove a hatchback with two 10’s, nice speakers in the stock locations, and some big power. I want that stock vibe now.
I had an 84 with a stick, that car was every bit as fun as the 86 ‘vette I replaced it with. Mine had the digital dash and would “talk” to me as well
Really clean looking 300ZX for a very reasonable sounding price. Too bad it’s not a stick but still a really great looking car. Would love to see more of the ’85 Daytona turbo z in pic #14.