240z or 300zx?

T

tmsaws

New Forum User
So Im a high school senior and Im pretty content with my life. Im going off to college but staying home rather than dorming. Im saving up for a car to fix and I cant decide which I like more the 240 or the 300.

-Which car would be the most beneficial to fix up and learn from?
-Which is relatively simple for a first time project? This will be my weekend car so Ill slowly build it up.
-How much should I be looking at for each of the cars?
-How much is each car going to cost to fix up back to running order? I use that term very loosely because, like I said this is my first project...

Any opinions to help me make a decision will be appreciated! Thanks Z-lovers.
:cheers:
 
Aceman

Aceman

Well-Known Forum User
From the way you write, where are you based? You talk as though you are American in which case no contest - 240z every time.

Seems you can pick them up much cheaper over there than here due to numbers!

They are definitely the easier to work on (take a look in the bay of a Z32 - it's so jammed full of wizardry and gizmos whereas a 240 is just good old fashion mechanics).

Real issue is parts mind. From a UK perspective, Z32 parts are easier to come by and cheaper. 240z parts are often rare and pricey. Certainly in the UK anyhow.

Choice is yours though. Best bet is to test drive a few of each and see how you get on. You may prefer the comfort and luxury of a leather seated, air conditioned, cruise controlled Z32, but might then fall for the raw, basic, pure driving experience of a 240.
 
JakTheRuby

JakTheRuby

Club Member
Get a 240 from one of the dry southern states where there is hardly any rain. If it's a first time project then the mechanicals will be a lot easier to get to grips with. With regards to a 300zx are you talking about the Z31 or Z32? The Z31 was / is the biggest selling Z in the US so getting one cheap wouldn't be too much of a problem. Or if you want the classic stylings of the earlier Z cars go for a 280Z (not the ZX) as that was the biggest selling S30 Z in the US and again probably the cheaper option. 280ZX sold in droves too so that's always something you could look at.

Whatever you decide to do, let us know and any builds, mods, re-builds etc show us all what you're up to with pics etc. It's always good to see how peeps tackle issues depending on what part of the world they're in. Welcome along too!
 
vpulsar

vpulsar

Well-Known Forum User
The answer for me would be 240/260 just because the 300 is a right pig to work on, In fact it's so unpleasant to work on a lot of garages over here wont touch them with a barge pole.

The other reason would be that the 240 is a lot prettier.


Rob
 
zpuppy

zpuppy

Well-Known Forum User
vpulsar said:
The answer for me would be 240/260 just because the 300 is a right pig to work on, In fact it's so unpleasant to work on a lot of garages over here wont touch them with a barge pole.

The other reason would be that the 240 is a lot prettier.


Rob
Click to expand...

Hehehehe,,cept of course for the early Z31 :thumbs::eek::D
 
zpuppy

zpuppy

Well-Known Forum User
True Rob,,unfortunately ive seen waay more S30's and 280's than i have the early Z31,,,we are a fading entity I'm afraid lol. :bow: Would be nice to save as many as we can,, but granted they are not everyones cuppa :D
 
vpulsar

vpulsar

Well-Known Forum User
zpuppy said:
True Rob,,unfortunately ive seen waay more S30's and 280's than i have the early Z31,,,we are a fading entity I'm afraid lol. :bow: Would be nice to save as many as we can,, but granted they are not everyones cuppa :D
Click to expand...

I think they went through the "what a shit car faze" like the 280's did, When I had my first 260z 20 odd years ago I hated 280's with a passion. But over the years they've grown on me especially the 2 seater versions, As for the Z31 I'd have to see one in the flesh to make an informed opinion ;).




Rob
 
T

tmsaws

New Forum User
I live in SoCal...I think Im gunna go for a 240. Now all I need to do is find a car in decent shape and isnt too riced up. Any ideas of where to look for an almost stock car? haha
Oh, I was talking about a z32 btw.
Thanks for all the replies
 
N

North

New Forum User
Since you're in the States, if you're looking for something like a Z31 or Z32, autotrader.com would probably be the best place to look, as you can search all over the country.
For an earlier model Z's it'll probably be best to check with any of these sites: autotraderclassic.com, zcar.com, hemmings.com, etc. to name a few. I know there's a company that specializes in them in Orlando or Tampa, FL, but not sure if you're willing to fly/drive or have one shipped.

Regardless, if you want, say a 240z that's in pretty decent condition, they're going to cost you as owners usually know what they're worth. You can find the 260/280z's for cheaper, and a Z31 you can find for pretty cheap, most of the time. A Z32 TT is another that'll be expensive if it's in good condition. Hope this helps
 
T

tmsaws

New Forum User
Thanks, I think I found a decent 240z for $4.5k on craigslist ...we'll see how this turns out, not gunna rush into anything.
 
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