Oppo PSA: Leave 300ZX Alone

"Nauraushaun" (nauraushaun12) 02/12/2017 at 20:11 • Filed to: 300ZX

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I hear it often enough: 300ZX is fat, 300ZX is heavy, 300ZX is slow. Supra is better. ENOUGH! No more!

Meeting up on our way to the famed Great Ocean Road

The 300ZX was a different car to the Supra and friends, not unlike !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . Apparently the X was to imply luxury . It was a semi-tourer, more luxurious than your average sports car. A victim of the fate that befell all the Z cars, first with the 280 which was available as an X, then with the Z31 300ZX, and finally the Z32 where the X came mandatory.

People hate this stuff. Bring back the 240Z they say! The lightness, the sportiness! Stop adding power, weight, flab .

Somewhere North of Melbourne

But why did Nissan/Datsun do this? Was it because they forgot what sports car was? They liked ruining things? They wanted to make a worse car? No! They were chasing sales. Making the car easier to live with so it would appeal to more people and make more money. They’re a business, after all - that’s what the people wanted. The people who were buying the cars , not the children and internet critics.

But here’s the thing : it worked . The Z32 300ZX outsold the Supra by a huge amount, something like 8x the cars . It sold more than twice the cars of Supra+3000GT+RX-7 combined.

Just in-land of the Great Ocean Road. This road was killer

And that’s why the Supra and 3000GT died.The RX-8 tried to pull the same trick, making the RX more usable to more people, but it died too.

That’s why we still have the Fairlady Z today, and it’s the last sports car left from Japan except the 86. Say what you will about the 370Z, it’s outsold the MkIV Supra as well.

You know how, as informed enthusiasts, we know that Porsche need the Cayenne and Macan so they can keep making the 911? Well, the truly informed know that the path the Zs took is the right one. If you don’t at least have a mass-market model to back up your hardened sports car, it’ll go the way of the Viper. You can’t sell a Z4 M without a plain-jane Z4.

That’s the world we live in in 2017. The 90s wasn’t so different, and the 300ZX was a better car than any its competitors.

Feel free to tell me how wrong I am. Yes, I’ve owned three ( !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! ) of them, I’m biased.

The pictures in this post were taken by me, mostly a collection of Z cruises I’ve been on, fun I’ve had in the cars.

PS9 > Nauraushaun 02/12/2017 at 20:17

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They do say that lightness and handling matter the most. But out in the real world, their wallets say something quite different.

TheHondaBro > Nauraushaun 02/12/2017 at 20:18

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Jalopnik commenters: “Bring back the 240Z!!!!!”

Toyota, Subaru: “Okay here you go.”

Jalopnik commenters: “Too slow!!!! Needs WRX STi TRD Gazoo turbocharged supercharged GTR version or else will not buy!!!!!”

Nissan: “Okay here you go.”

Jalopnik commenters: ”Too fat!!!! Not a true sperts car!!!!”

Toyota, Subaru: *facedesk*

Ford: “Did someone say sports car??”

Jalopnik commenters: *swoon*

AestheticsInMotion > Nauraushaun 02/12/2017 at 20:18

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Surprisingly I see a MUCH smaller number of 300zx’s compared to fd rx7's, vr4 3000gt’s and Supra’s... That said I have a ton of love for all of them.

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > Nauraushaun 02/12/2017 at 20:24

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I want one so badly...not as badly as an ITR but a 300zx TT is on my “90's dream car list”

Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. > Nauraushaun 02/12/2017 at 20:24

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I have no desire to own a Supra (except maybe one from the early ‘80s). I’m not a huge Z fan, but I’d love to have a Z32 in my fleet. That was the pinnacle of the Nissan Z car as far as I’m concerned, especially in TT form.

Back in high school a friend of mine drove an S30 280Z 2+2, and a few years ago was talking about finding another; I also wanted to find a version of my high school car, a 1983 Rabbit GTI. I know most people don’t like the elongated looks of the 2+2, but I kind of dig it, just like I prefer the Targa version of ‘70s/’80s 911s over the standard hard top, another unpopular opinion.

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > Nauraushaun 02/12/2017 at 20:38

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Can we also leave the MINI alone too?

DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time > TheHondaBro 02/12/2017 at 20:39

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Ford: We’re making a hybrid Mustang

Jalopnik commenter: OMG Hybrids have really fast 0-60 times and they get good MPGs. This is THE sports car of the future.

*Then performs NSFW act to Elon Musk.

TheHondaBro > DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time 02/12/2017 at 20:41

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Toyota: “ Hybrid Supra possible!”

Jalopnik commenters: *hiss*

Toyota: “B-b-but MPG and acceleration-”

Jalopnik commenters: *raptor screech*

Nauraushaun > PS9 02/12/2017 at 21:08

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That’s right! And in the real world nobody buys Lotuses

Nauraushaun > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras 02/12/2017 at 21:10

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Don’t get me started on sports cars that are awesome and light and have a sweet high-revving engine but are FWD

Nauraushaun > AestheticsInMotion 02/12/2017 at 21:12

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That’s very strange! I only see RXs once in a blue moon, and I think I’ve only seen 2 or 3 3000GTs. Supras are relatively common, but I’d say I see more Zs.

And this is Australia! Where we never got the turbo 300ZX or the slicktop or the 2-seater or the ‘vert. By all rights buyers should’ve flocked to the others. Guess they just imported them.

Nauraushaun > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. 02/12/2017 at 21:14

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It certainly was the pinnacle, and when it came out it was well ahead of the competition. Here I’m comparing the RX-7 and Supra and whatnot, they came out 3-4 years later! DON’T FORGET!

I like the targa 911s too :) I think, especially on the Z32, the 2+2 suits it as well as the 2-seater. The earlier cars have a stretched roof which is a little weird, I think the 2+2 changes to the Z32 were more comprehensive.

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > Nauraushaun 02/12/2017 at 21:15

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Too late

I want a Type R

Nauraushaun > TheTurbochargedSquirrel 02/12/2017 at 21:16

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Um. Maybe. I’m all for the New Mini being a bigger car, but it’s hard to deny that the range has bloated more than it should’ve . I guess it’s all a testament to how popular the original New Mini was.

Nauraushaun > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras 02/12/2017 at 21:21

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:(

I’m sure they’re better in real life than they are in video games. In GT5P I’m playing at the moment, I’m always at the limit which means I’m always understeering.

:(:(

Boxer_4 > Nauraushaun 02/13/2017 at 20:47

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I love all of the ‘90s Japanese GT cars. In fact, that may be my favorite genre and era of vehicles. My heart belongs to the SVX, but I do dream of owning a Z32 300ZX on occasion.

Nauraushaun > Boxer_4 02/13/2017 at 20:55

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I’m with you :D Get an SVX! they’re so uncommon! I’d be drooling over your every post, I’m not even sure if I’ve ever seen one.

I still dream of it and I’ve owned plenty :P Not sure about that one though, his roof and side-window strips require replacement. And I’d wager his third brake light panel does too. And I like them with spoilers ;) Though maybe they came stock like that in the US.

And clean your damn wheels, theoretical owner!

Boxer_4 > Nauraushaun 02/15/2017 at 17:36

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The SVX is going to happen, it’s just a question of when. As soon as circumstances allow though, that’s for sure!

I believe Australia only got 249 SVXs as official imports (at quite a high MSRP), but I know that JDM versions have been imported over the years.

The Z32 300ZX was the first of the ‘90s Japanese GT cars that I remember seeing in person. I was probably 5 or 6 when I saw a white 300ZX in my neighborhood (only visiting someone, and not a permanent resident unfortunately). It must have left an impression, because I still remember it pretty well...

I’ve posted about the above 300ZX before (and I believe you commented on it, too). That was from a year or so ago.  

Nauraushaun > Boxer_4 02/15/2017 at 20:54

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Oh my god, that’s nothing ! My understanding is that we aren’t allowed to import cars that were for sale here. For example we only had the 2+2 NA 300ZX up ‘til ‘96, so we can’t import one of those but we can import a post-1996 or a turbo or a 2-seater.

Ooooooh , cheap! Close! Don’t tempt me Frodo...

Maybe the JDM ones were different enough to allow it. Or maybe we only got them a single year or something, so other years can be imported.

There’s a Jap Classic show I attend that only allows cars from 25 years ago or more. It always has a couple of Vortexes. Technically 2016 was the first year the SVX was allowed, hopefully there will be one present in 2017 :)

Haha! I remember seeing a red one near my friend’s house when I was about 15. There was a house near there with 2 of them, I wasn’t thrilled by them and never dreamed they would be the car for me. It went past and my mother said “What was that? A Ferrari?”. Made me chuckle. They sure leave an impression ;)

Oh that’s right! I didn’t recall when I saw the picture. That was when I was trying to fix my one, trying times :)

You’re cool.

Boxer_4 > Nauraushaun 02/16/2017 at 02:12

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I believe the SVX was sold in Australia from ‘92 to ‘97. I’m not very familiar with how Australia’s import laws work. It all seems kind of complicated and a tad arbitrary; at least in the US everything is allowed after 25 years, even if that is an excessively long time to wait.

That red SVX in the listing looks to be in fantastic shape. Maybe overpriced by $800 AUD if it was for sale in the US, but Australia is a bit short on supply (we go 14,257 in the US, but the majority of ours aren’t nearly as nice as the one in the listing.

I actually saw two SVXs at a show this past July (Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix). One had awful aftermarket chrome wheels and wasn’t in the best shape, and the other had slightly less awful chromed factory wheels (possibly a dealer option) and was overall in much better shape.

And speaking of mistaking a 300ZX for a Ferrari, I forgot that I saw this a while ago...

“ Different ” is the word that comes to mind.

You’re cool, too.

Nauraushaun > Boxer_4 02/16/2017 at 03:30

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It is a bit complicated, I’m with you. For example, in addition to what I said about cars being different to what were sold here, you cannot import a 300ZX later than ‘97 since that’s when we introduced some airbag law that it didn’t comply with.

But it seems living with the car in Japan for 2 years then importing it trumps all laws! So there are extremely few 2000-spec 300ZXs in the country.

But the upside is that we do get cars younger than 25 years :) we don’t have the same idolization of Skylines over here that Americans do.

I like to think it’s probably not as nice as it looks in the flesh. It’s a dealership car, so no doubt they’re masterful in the arts of detailing and taking photos that show strength but not weakness.

Those are awesome. Shame about the shape of the cream one, I’d much prefer that color to the red. Very nice cars though.

Ugh. People love those Ferrari or Skyline style lights. I loath them. The 300ZX has nice tail-lights, and the horizontal tail-light is one of the very few design traits that carried right through from 240Z to the Z32 300ZX. But that Z looks to be in very good condition otherwise, so there’s that. It’s the right color too ...

Boxer_4 > Nauraushaun 02/22/2017 at 11:57

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I’m honestly not sure which import system I like better. On the one hand, you you guys are able to import a decent amount of vehicles earlier. On the other hand, once 25 years are up, there is no limit to what we can import. I feel like a mix of the two would be a great solution; enforce stricter import rules for newer cars, then relax those rules significantly or remove them entirely once a car reaches ~25 years old or so... that would be nice...

That SVX appears to be listed as a Private Sale rather than a Dealer Sale. Regardless, I’m sure who ever is selling did try and make the car look as good as possible in the photos; though, that does only go so far.

The Pearl White SVX was in overall rough shape; cloudy headlights, paint flaking off the bumpers, resprayed front clip (Pearl White is a difficult color to match)and rust in rear quarter panels by the wheel wells. The rust was the biggest clue to its condition. Unlike most Subarus of the ‘90s, SVXs don’t rust easily (the only metal body panel that wasn’t galvanized was the optional sunroof. Also, the a PVC undercoating was applied to the entirety of the underside, with the thickest application being in the wheel wells and the unibody side rails).

I never understood people putting “Ferrari” lights on anything but Ferraris. They never look right, and like you said, the Z32 already had nice tail-lights.

I’m guessing that the two-tone on that 300ZX wasn’t factory either? 

Nauraushaun > Boxer_4 02/22/2017 at 16:21

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I’m not sure either. I don’t like how arbitrary the 25 year rule is. But as you say, it means there aren’t rules on what can be imported. Then again the only cars we can’t import are cars we’ve already got, so that’s alright.

Oh maybe you’re right. Something about the style of language and LOTS OF CAPS LOCK made me think it was some inbred dealer. Maybe it’s a mix of the two.

Ah I see. My first 300ZX was pearl white, the previous owner gave me documentation for a front fender fix that came to $2700! But the match was flawless .

Me neither. As if round tails somehow makes a car better.

Nah definitely not. It doesn’t look bad, and I appareciate that he kept the body stock in terms of kit, but it’s not stock paint ;) Perhaps the previous owner neglected to properly wash the underside of those side panels as mine did, and the paint started to flake as mine did, so he went with a cheaper color.

S65 > Nauraushaun 03/02/2017 at 16:54

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I thought this was going to be a post telling people to stop modifying 300ZXs..

Nauraushaun > S65 03/02/2017 at 21:26

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That too. But I can’t win that battle :(