300zx help needed

[zhead240]

wife needs another car. i think i might have her talked into a 1990 300zx. it's auto ( only way she can drive) but it has 300K km. ( thats's about 200K miles) AC and heater work. i'm going to look at it tomorrow. asking price is $4200. my concern is the mileage. it's a titch high. should i be concerned or should i walk away?? if it's as reliable as my 240 i'm in!!

[5thhorsemann]

$4200 is a little high for a 21 year old car with 200K miles, beat him to death on price, if you can get it for around $3K (in really good condition) go for it. With the economy where it is, nothing is moving fast.

[zhead240]

had a look today. the seller was a real peckerhead. very rude. i always ask if price is negotiable. his reply was " if u ask to negociate i'll up the price" huh??? no test drive, he'll drive , you ride. i wouldn't buy from him even if the price was right.

[Arne]

Hope you told him that. Some people need educated...

[240260280z]

1989's and early 1990's had valve metallurgy issues. Buy 91 or later to be safe.

I know the 5speed manuals had some inherent problems with 5th gear from club members.

I only worked on 1.5 of these: 1991 300zx and 199? J30 (same motor). The 300zx was pampered and it only had a loose boot on the intake manifold. We installed an electronic boost controller and had some fun.

The J30 had a water leak that took out some of the leads in the ECU due to corrosion and it killed some of the injectors or coils ( I forget). Changed some transistors, cleaned up the PCB and jumpered some traces and all was good (I did a similar fix in the power supply of a Moog Source synthesizer way way way back long ago).

Some 300zx buying info here (note the automatic transmission info (yikes)): http://www.300zx.co.uk/tech/BuyingZ.htm

Edited August 12, 2011 by Blue