300zx running costs vs (cough) Omega

Russ

Russ

Club Member
Hey all,

Well I very cleverly pretty much wrote my car off yesterday all by myself. Anyway

Now I'm having to find a replacement, I've been interested in saloon cars and so far the best bet appears to be a 3.0ltr Omega Elite, all the toys, I personally like the looks, I don't mind how the Vectra drives so the Omega can only be better)... but I also like a 300zx.

300zx insurance is about £500 more but at least I would have a Z car then.

The only thing is turbos and a car thats 6-7 years older, well I'm scared I'd buy one, something would break and that would be it, off the road till I finish uni.

I know you can test to see how things are looking and I can by the Z consult software but how much are services? I live in Somerset so Bournemouth isn't a million miles away and with all the nice people here I'd have plenty of support but I'm still not sure.

Can anyone throw some mileage/service figures at me please? When camchains need doing etc? I guess there must be an article somewhere but I went and broke the article sections so I screwed that up as well :p

I was looking at either

This one or this one

hopefully those links will work for you.

Also can you get an import with leather interior??

Thanks for your time
 
Hi Russ - pop over to 300zx.co.uk and your questions will be answered by people who know. There are also some forum owner cars for sale - some lower than your price band others higher.

UK TTs are cheaper to insure than imports, and leather can be found quite often. If not then it seems to be available from breakers every now and again for around the £400 or so mark.

Oil changes are every 3000 miles - most garages seem to charge £100 or so for doing it. Cam belts at 60,000 miles or sooner - again this seems to be around £240 or so. I'm mechanically inept but I was advised it's a seven hour job!

If you want to avoid big bills then go for one that is not heavilly modded in the engine bay.

I got mine quite reasonably priced in November 03, and have spent about £800 on it bringing it up to scratch - with, I'm afraid a little bit more to go - but then I'm picky.

Big saloons - I'd go for a Caddilac Seville STS right hand drive, 4.6v8 300BHP. Incredible fun to go big merc baiting.
 
Cheers,

Cadillac not much good for me seeing as I'm 20 though, insurance companies dont like me as it is even though i've never claimed and have 3 years ncb :(
 
Originally posted by Russ
Hey all,

Well I very cleverly pretty much wrote my car off yesterday all by myself. Anyway

Now I'm having to find a replacement, I've been interested in saloon cars and so far the best bet appears to be a 3.0ltr Omega Elite, all the toys, I personally like the looks, I don't mind how the Vectra drives so the Omega can only be better)... but I also like a 300zx.

300zx insurance is about £500 more but at least I would have a Z car then.

The only thing is turbos and a car thats 6-7 years older, well I'm scared I'd buy one, something would break and that would be it, off the road till I finish uni.

I know you can test to see how things are looking and I can by the Z consult software but how much are services? I live in Somerset so Bournemouth isn't a million miles away and with all the nice people here I'd have plenty of support but I'm still not sure.

Can anyone throw some mileage/service figures at me please? When camchains need doing etc? I guess there must be an article somewhere but I went and broke the article sections so I screwed that up as well :p

I was looking at either

This one or this one

hopefully those links will work for you.

Also can you get an import with leather interior??

Thanks for your time
Click to expand...

Hi,
You can get an import with leather although most Jap spec cars tend to have the tweed cloth seats.My import car had leather.
The first car in your links looks like it's had a shunt and has one of those lop-sided HKS exhausts, which are only made of mild steel, apart from the rear can!
The second car is an auto, normally aspirated car and I would say you are better to go for a manual NA rather than the slower, more fragile automatic!
The import TT autos are also more likely to break, with expensive results!
Cheerz,
JEZ
 
Nipper, check out the pearlescent 300ZX that has just come up on ebay. Its in Poole which is down your end of the field. Owner has just got a 350Z now so probably a bonafide sale.
 
camchains??? cambelt i think you mean do it anyway for your own peace of mind belt should cost about 40 to 50 ish dont go by the miles on the clock because most imports have been clocked thats why you never get service history
i was lucky because i did the cambelt myself but a garage i dont doubt will rip you off if you dont know them well.
you can get imports with leather but watch the rear seat on the top because they crack in the heat i guess and cloth seats always go on the outside arm support on the drivers seat.

twin turbo should be the same insurance as a non turbo i was told buy axa before i bought
group 20 and that also applies for man and auto gearboxes
im with axa direct they were good for me

im in portsmouth aged 24 if you need anymore help
daviddustyy@aol.com
 
most imports have been clocked thats why you never get service history
Click to expand...

That is a very damaging and sweeping generalisation that I feel needs some qualification and/or proof before members take it at face value! Usually the service history is not transferred as most new owners over here would not be able to read or understand it anyway. The Japanese system ensures that most cars are very well looked after and once you have wandered around under a few fresh imports, you will get the impression that they are very clean cars by comparison to some of the neglected and rusty examples that have been in the U.K. since new.

I'm not suggesting that the Japanese market is rogue free, but IMO, clocking is no more likely than it is here. The most likely occurence is that a U.K. dealer swaps in a lower mileage clock to convert the speedo.

Reputable importers will carry out a cam belt service on a fresh import for their own peace of mind, but don't then expect that car to be sold for a couple of grand.......

As with all car buying, buyer beware - there are always tell-tale signs of a clocked vehicle, but I think import Z32s often have genuine low mileage when they arrive.
 
NEVER EVER buy an Omega or a Vectra, especially the
V6 models.....absolute rubbish. Had a V6 Vectra fr 2 months,
cost me £500 in repairs! Will never buy a Vauxhall again.
Speak to any mechanic and they will tell you they are shite!
Most slated car in the industry.
Don't worry about the age of the z's, as long as you
get one thats been looked after, with fsh, you'll be fine.
Take someone who knows about z's with you to see one.
I read that jap autoboxes are better than uk models, shift
quicker....apparantly! Not had any probs with mine.

Stay away from Omegas & Vectras, 'orrible cars!
For some info on the benefits of jap imports, log onto
www.jap-city.com
I got my z from him, think it's still on there too, pearl
yellow one, & i got fsh!!
 
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