240z/260z Advice

I don't think you have the budget to run an S30 period, let alone one as a daily driver !

Buy a reliable cheap piece of junk, use it to visit other Zs for sale and meet other Z owners, maybe have a drive in one or two, save up and then come back. I assume that you have a garage in London ?
 
carcrazy said:
Hi guys....I need some advice,

Any advise would be much appreciated.

Thanks
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My advice is to do the following:

Graduate from uni first and get the job in the can.
Then buy a cheap run around car to get you from A to B.
Speak to as many owners, befriend them and seek advice.
Find out the costs of restoring a Z (I got quoted £5kish to restore a well conditioned Z, painted, shell, bay and an underseal)
Then factor in if you get a poor shell it'll need more work done to it and maybe some fabrication work too.
Would you want to upgrade the wheels/suspension/brakes? Check out the prices on the links of shops people have mentioned.

I personally wouldn't use a Z everyday. I'd use a modern day car for your 15k a year, my tip would be to get a VAG tdi. I have had fast cars before as dailies and a fast everyday car isn't appreciated as much as when it comes out on the weekend. I know fuel is cost factor but the thing is when you're driving the S30, would you really want to be concerned about the mpg?

I also wouldn't leave it parked on the street neither, it deserves to be cared for in a garage in dry conditions.
 
Our Tdi90bhp A3 returns 55mpg, is 11 years old and has done 124000 miles......my Kangoo van 1.5 dci 70bhp has done 50000 miles in the last twelve months - you could also consider a nice 306 diesel !

My Z gets 20 to the gallon on a good day and has done 5000 miles in three years.
 
All these suggestions are far too sensible. You only live once!

Buy one and enjoy it. If it doesn't work out...sell it and buy a new piece of shit and be miserable

i've been exactly where you are and have never regretted buying my 240 even when i was skint
 
zedboy said:
All these suggestions are far too sensible. You only live once!

Buy one and enjoy it. If it doesn't work out...sell it and buy a new piece of shit and be miserable
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Wise words, buy the RIGHT car & enjoy it, if you decide its not working out sell it on again, you should be able to recoupe your outlay so long as you buy a good one to start with.
 
I had a 260 2+2 at the age of 18 as a daily driver and never regretted it! That was 10 years ago and I still own an S30Z. You're likely to get one at a much better price, have 2 seats for mates and plendt of room in the boot if you put the seats down.

Plenty of cheap spares but I did do all the maintenance myself!
 
zedboy said:
All these suggestions are far too sensible. You only live once!

Buy one and enjoy it. If it doesn't work out...sell it and buy a new piece of shit and be miserable

i've been exactly where you are and have never regretted buying my 240 even when i was skint
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Too right!! I still laugh with my Ex about her wanting a kitchen for years and never getting one because I bought a delorean when I was 23 and then an Esprit...but come to think of it she probably wouldn't be my Ex now if I had bought her a kitchen :rofl:
 
There's a 260Z 2+2 for sale on here for less than your budget that's been looked after. Go through the FOR SALE section. It's being sold by DJZ60. Fab looking car (it's his pride & joy and all that). Excellent base and like a few of the non-zealots have pointed out, you only live once. I'm sure it'd give you more fun and smiles than you feel you've paid for it...
 
Yeah especially as she had to cook with a combination microwave oven and one of those work top dual ring hobs for 5 years:eek::lol:
 
twoforty said:
Yeah especially as she had to cook with a combination microwave oven and one of those work top dual ring hobs for 5 years:eek::lol:
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Maybe thats how I have been so lucky & got away with having all these Z's over the years by keeping the mrs happy in the kitchen department :D
 
JakTheRuby said:
There's a 260Z 2+2 for sale on here for less than your budget that's been looked after. Go through the FOR SALE section. It's being sold by DJZ60. Fab looking car (it's his pride & joy and all that). Excellent base and like a few of the non-zealots have pointed out, you only live once. I'm sure it'd give you more fun and smiles than you feel you've paid for it...
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Good one Jak, I had forgot about DJZ260's car, been trying to think of a good car on the market at the mo but can't thnk of one unless you have ££££'s to play with, DJZ's car should do the job very well with no messing about before hand, ready to rock & roll :D + it is a very very nice looking Z for a 2+2.
 
Yep - buy a Z, run it as a daily without garage on a limited budget and in a few years when you've paid your credit off and can't afford to lay up the car to restore it (and need to have a daily of course), just sell it on as a rusty restoration project !

You guys are great, use it up, throw away and move on.......'cept the poor Z !

These cars need love, attention and the right budget and I don't just mean the purchase price but what it takes to keep 'em not just on the road but staying there.

Call me a boring old fart......yeah, thanks but it's more out of respect for the cars that I caution against someone buying one under these circumstances.
 
SeanDezart said:
Yep - buy a Z, run it as a daily without garage on a limited budget and in a few years when you've paid your credit off and can't afford to lay up the car to restore it (and need to have a daily of course), just sell it on as a rusty restoration project !

You guys are great, use it up, throw away and move on.......'cept the poor Z !

These cars need love, attention and the right budget and I don't just mean the purchase price but what it takes to keep 'em not just on the road but staying there.

Call me a boring old fart......yeah, thanks but it's more out of respect for the cars that I caution against someone buying one under these circumstances.
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Hehe.. don't forget you were young too once, the cars are there to be enjoyed. Didn't you run your green beast into the ground? I know it's the wisdom of age speaking but sod it, life's too short to worry about these eventualities.
 
Yes, I ran my green machine everyday in central London without a garage, loved it, fantastic memories and didn't have the budget to keep it as good nick as she deserved, lost my job, quit the country and she was still being used everyday without a garage until finally 7 years after her restoration, she was shagged and I never recovered any money from her.

I'm quite sure that carcrazy here is quite capable of rash, young decisions on his own - he asked for advice - mine is, yes buy a Z but don't use it as a daily driver. If you must have a Z for a daily driver, get a 280ZX or even a Z31.
 
I couldn t really afford the cars i bought either but i worked 70 hr weeks to pay for them and parked them on the road outside my house . . Next door thought i was a bit mad i think. Live for today while they still let you drive without a speed tracker installed on your car
 
But there are draconian anti-traffic laws all the same, red-line roads, speed cameras, higher road tax, especially for cars of his budget, clamps, tow-trucks......!

Back then, there was none of that, parts (esp. 2nd hand) were easier to find, petrol was cheaper, cars were cheaper but on the plus side, he has internet now, ebay and us here.......

Us here, and the consensus of experienced opinion is 'do all the wrong things like I did, enjoy it, throw it away and buy another and do that properly' - there you have it mate :

buy the best Z that you can afford (no change there, it's in the Z bible) and run it 'til it drains you or falls apart - have a laugh and pay for it tomorrow. :)

Sound advice and one that'll surely keep fewer Zs on the road in good nick but we don't mind 'cos all ours are rust free US shells that'll only go up in value !

Petemac's our best friend !
 
I know it's not the same thing but don't those fitted car covers prevent a lot of the regular moisture devils? Surely, if the guy doesn't have a garage, a decent fitted cover and a bit of common sense would (not be perfect by any means) but a really good start. Otherwise it means that people without a garage would never get to experience ownership of an s30 (ie ME), and that ain't gonna happen Mr!

What's wrong with grey by the way? What about (and I know it's copying) that Aston Martin light silver with dark tan upholstery and dash on cream interior, chrome 15 or 16" wheels (maybe Minilytes or Watanabes with a dish), painted overfenders (the hidden join, wide-type). I can see that working... Wait and see what I mean...
 
Never store a car outside with a cover on - it'll trap moisture/condensation - let it breath and let the paint protect it. And a cover won't stop the moisture attacking from underneath.......a dry garage is best but there's no law against having a Z without one so go ahead :)

The man is asking for advice and there appears to only one giving sensible stuff - if ho goes and buys a Z for up to £4000, stores it outside, uses it every day IN LONDON and hasn't the budget to repair/restore.......what's going to happen to the car ? None of you to give a f**k - just spend it now and worry about it later - that might put him, off Zs altogether !

Jakko, I'll wait and see mate.....wait and see - you can do me that which I asked and try and sell me on another idea - I'm open - ish !
 
For 10 years I ran a 260 2+2 as a daily driver & it had to sleep out in the drive as the Sam took up the garage, it did have a full restoration after owning it a few years but by the time I sold it in 2003 it was wanting more bodywork doing (the annoying thing was, it was the new rear arches that was causing the problems) & as I thought I would be throwing good money after bad along with failing health & knackered shoulders I decided to sell it.
So they can be run as daily drivers.
 
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