Mistaken identity

[Walter Moore]

You know I thought that the whole issue of whether or not the Z cars would get more respect if they didn't have "Datsun" badges on them was silly, until I ask a guy at work who recently bought a new Infinity "So how is your Datsun running these days?"

His response was unprintable...

Needless to say I guess my opinon has been modified somewhat...

[Alfadog]

A student at my school owned a Z32 while I had my S30 - the Engineering teacher would always call his car a Datsun and mine a Nissan - it really peeved the other kid (he did it on purpose - funny man)

[Zrush]

The story I heard was that the "DATSUN" brand was more or less invented for (or at least used in) America because the "NISSAN" brand wasn't too well favoured in USA.

Ironically, these days I think we'd all be happier if it was a "Nissan 240Z" because the brand is strong, and they're making fantastic cars! 200sx/Sylvia (or 240sx in USA), Skyline GTR, 350Z, even the new Maxima (which probably has a "Q" model designation in USA??).

I don't think Datsun quite has the "street cred" of Nissan?

Nissan imported the Z cars under the Datsun brand incase the car was a flop here in the states. I would never call my Z's "Nissan 240Z" or "Nissan 280Z". In my opinion, when Datsun went to the Nissan 300ZX it was all down hill from there. I am proud of the Datsun name and it's recognition here. Datsun was a "strong" name in it's day, at least here in the states. Long live the DATSUN (brand)!!!

Vicky

[Fun_in_my_z]

Great way to say it Vicky. All the kids here seem to know what it is.

Some like it some dont.

[frankfou999]

I had a '72 V6 Capri (the flashy fluorescent green one) and the sad thing about this car was that you could be at any moment in a parking lot beside an old lady that had the 4 cylinder version of the car..... And I can tell you that it had not the reliability of other german cars. I don't remember a part of that car that didn't brake in the 3 years that I had it !!

[Gav240z]

I seriously think it's our fault for being shy about mentioning it's a DATSUN 240z. If we showed more pride in what we drive and what it is then maybe people wouldn't have such a low opinion formed on our cars based on brand name.

You know i thought about this whole brand image thing a while ago myself. Bear with me while i slightly go off topic .

Okay so my sister returns from Tailand a few days ago. With her she's brought some items as gifts the one i like most is my "FAKE" diesel watch. I thought about it for a few seconds and said to myself who honestly cares??? I mean DIESEL will probably make their product in Tailand maybe follow a quality assurance scheme but in all honesty the watch i have is a simple analogue watch. I'd pay $200+ in any shop here in Australia for something like it and my sister got it for $3 odd.

It all depends how you look at it if you worry about Brand Image all your life then i think your a sad person who has been fooled by good marketing .

Honestly I've been trying to get a set of badges for my Z the ones that read DATSUN on the bottom of the front fenders. I also wanna put the one on the bonnet back on.

As Bill said and you gotta love it. Wait till it blows them away and then it's even more of an insult cause it's just a shitty ol' Datsun .

Should have seen the look on the poor 944 the other night .

[san_maru_zed]

Datsun and the L series engine won many many races. With a racing pedigree like datusn has, I wouldnt be ashmed of the badge.

I dont know why Datsun has such a bad rep though, really it was only the 120Y and some of the older datsuns which were none too inspiring. All the L series powered cars though were great, especially in SSS form.

[zztom]

How about when you are at the local weekend car show and the "youngsters" whisper to each other, Who makes Datsun? Its not just an upstate NY problem.

[TomoHawk]

I feel bad about not having an interesting story to tell.

The few times I had somebody say something to me was more like, " I had one of those when I was young."

Yeah, so?

On the other hand, I'm not into name-dropping, so I take the badges off. I like not having to dig the wax out from the brightwork.

Clean looks cool to me. I even took off one of the pinstripes, so there's only a single line left.

[Coastieee240z]

HA! For some reason everyone I've met and actualy talked to knows exactly what a Datsun Z is... However there have been many times my car has been called a Porsche by random people and even one time it was thought to be "That green Mustang over there" HAHAHAHAHA!!! That chick musta left her glasses at home and was blind without them to give a comment like that hehehe!! :stupid:

[CoastGuardZ]

I know a chick that for some odd reason thinks that every "older" fastback is Ford Maverick?!? I think her older brother had one when she was growing up and it's embedded in her brain now. I remember walking in a mall parking in Western NY and she says, "oh look, a red Maverick" I almost had to slap the crap out her- It was a 260.

You know, I always figured if you took the badges off a car you were embarrased of it. Heck, I repainted the badges on my '86 Sentra... I loved that little blue sentra! I wish I had never sold it.