factory recondition?

[flyfisher]

I have a '79zx workhorse. With over 300,000 miles on it and I'm beginning to wonder how much longer I can depend on it for long trips. I can haul my fly rods, gear and a pontoon boat and get 28 to 30 MGP. None of the newer cars can match the cargo space and mileage. I've heard rumors of a factory reconditioning service. Is there any substance to that?

[MikeW]

No, never.

[sblake01]

Not that I'm aware of. You may be referring to the FRP (Factory Restoration Program) back in the late 90s. It had very little to do with the factory and it's debatable as to whether those cars were 'restorations', but they were done by a couple of independant shops with some type of authorization from Nissan to purchase the cars, refresh them, and sell them through a few Nissan dealers. The program was scrapped before the completion of the originally planned number of cars. But there's nothing like that from the Factory to recondition cars belonging to the general public. Heck, it's hard enough to get the present day Nissan to acknowledge that Datsun ever existed.

[AndysPlit]

Heck, it's hard enough to get the present day Nissan to acknowledge that Datsun ever existed.

How exactly do you mean?

[flyfisher]

Thanks. I'm sure the "factory reconditioning" program I'd heard of was the one you cited. I was afraid it was a myth. I'd love to keep my Z, but I'm a fisherman, not a mechanic. I'd just drop a new engine in it and keep going but there are so many little things that don't work that it would take me forever to track down the parts and fix them myself. It's a wonderful tool for my fish bum lifestyle and the only cars on the market that I can replace it with are the little SUV's. With their p.poor mileage, I don't want one. Most of all, however, I just love the trouble-free driving in my sweet little Z. I've had it for about 14 years and about all I've had to do is replace a couple of injectors and the tranny. I've given up on the AC, but after 300,000 miles, I sure can't complain about it.

[sblake01]

How exactly do you mean?

Well, I go to the shows here and I notice Toyota brings cars from their museum, Honda and Mazda does also. All we have representing Datsun are vendors, not the Nissan Corporation itself. And you have tried to buy parts for your Datsun from the Nissan dealer, right?

[MikeW]

It's a wonderful tool for my fish bum lifestyle and the only cars on the market that I can replace it with are the little SUV's. With their p.poor mileage, I don't want one.

FYI I recently bought a 2008 Toyota RAV4 Limited as a family car. Nissan doesn't offer anything equivalent that has an optional 3rd row seat for 7 passengers yet still get 28MPG on the highway out of a 269HP 3.5L V6. With a new baby I needed more than a 5 passenger vehicle as it's not realistic to have 3 kids across the back seat when two of them are in car seats.

0-60 is the same as a Miata and strangely enough for a small SUV it has the best acceleration of any Toyota. I have no doubt that it's faster in a straight line than my 240Z.

-Mike

[AndysPlit]

Well, I go to the shows here and I notice Toyota brings cars from their museum, Honda and Mazda does also. All we have representing Datsun are vendors, not the Nissan Corporation itself. And you have tried to buy parts for your Datsun from the Nissan dealer, right?

Could it be that Toyota, Honda, and Mazda are in a more desperate position in terms of making the public more concious of their heritage (maybe not)? Does Nissan have the public more aware of it's rich history because of the Z? Something that none of the other manufacturers have is a Z-car; something that has proven to be a landmark in automotive history and has attained true classic status.

However, I would agree with you that Nissan should be providing more than vendors at car shows.

As far as buying parts for my car, it's been about a few years from the dealer. But, I have gone to the dealer before when all else failed.

[Carl Beck]

The solution to your situation is pretty simple - just find and buy another low mileage 280ZX. There are lots of them still out there - and they are still very reasonably priced. Many very nice 280ZX's can still be purchased for between $3,500.00 and $4,500.00 with less than 100K miles on them.

FWIW,

Carl B.

[Carl Beck]

Well, I go to the shows here and I notice Toyota brings cars from their museum, Honda and Mazda does also. All we have representing Datsun are vendors, not the Nissan Corporation itself. And you have tried to buy parts for your Datsun from the Nissan dealer, right?

When Nissan Motors USA was located in California - they took their BRE 510 #46 to the Monterey Historics - and let John Morton race it there !

This past month, Nissan USA brought their BRE 510 to the Amelia Island Concours, to support John Morton and Peter Brock's seminar on the Trans/Am 2.5 Challenge Series from the 70's...

Since 1995 at least Nissan Motors USA has supported/sponsored all the Z Car Club Association (ZCCA) annual conventions which feature DATSUN Z's and ZX's as well as the later NISSAN ZX's

There certainly was a period after Mr. K was forced to retire in the late 70's - that Nissan Motors Ltd. did everything possible to eliminate the DATSUN Brand Name in the USA. However with the elevation of Mr. Hanawa to President of Nissan Motors Ltd in 1996 - a major effort to refresh the image of both the DATSUN Brand and Mr. K. had been made here in the US.

I'm sure that due to budget constraints - Nissan USA can't respond to every request for support to local car shows.... however they have been very supportive of the major events when possible. I think you'll see Nissan/DATSUN at some of the All Japanese Auto Shows in the future as well.

FWIW,

Carl B.

[sblake01]

I hope so. I haven't seen 'them' at any of the shows I've attended on the west coast. I've seen Morton, Brock, and even Mr. K but not any kind of representation from Nissan Motor Co. Even when they were located in So Cal. Well, they did let us 'use' their parking lot at the headquarters for the UFO (United Five Ten Owners) swap meet. I'm not so much a Z enthusiast as I am a Datsun enthusiast. The Z isn't the only car they built but it seems to be the only one they even show remote interest in.

[Carl Beck]

Mr. K is I believe, currently employed by Nissan Motors Ltd. So if he was there, Nissan Motors Ltd was there.

Ah.. it is the BRE 510 that they currently have in their collection.. and which they transport around the country.

While the 240-Z is the main car for me - I am a DATSUN fan. It's my Datsun 510 Station Wagon that I drive most often, now with 3002,000 miles covered.

FWIW,

Carl B.