Car & Driver 1979 280zx Review

[Wade Nelson]

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/1979-datsun-280-zx-first-drive-review

Interesting comments, including "mashed potato" suspension. I believe my expectations about the 280ZX's handling capabilities were too high, even after replacing all sorts of front end componentry.

My other sports car is an MR-2, which handles nothing short of superb.

I'm not willing to suffer a noticeably rougher ride to tighten the Z up much more.

I may still go with a thicker front sway bar, and haven't done the rack & pinion mounts yet.

[Gary in NJ]

I remember reading this article as a 16 year old and thinking "they've ruined my dream car". Not to many years later my college roommate and I both owned 240Z's. My roommate thought that the newer ZX just had to be a better car and sold his beloved 240 for a '79 ZX. Within a week he knew he made a mistake. It was a great "date-car" but not a drivers car. Back then we did more driving then dating.

I hated the car. My reaction today is the same as it was 33 years ago, they ruined a great car. But they sure did outsell the original. The vast majority of people like cars that look like they deliver performance, and don't really care if the car delivers the goods.

BTW Wade, I too owned a '86 MR2 and agree that it was one of the most fun cars I've ever owned, only tied with a 240Z. When I come across one in the right condition at the right price, I will own one again.

[Wade Nelson]

Here's another Z forum thread on improving the wizz-poor handling of so many 280ZX's... Worthwhile read...

http://www.zcar.com/70-83_tech_discussion_forum/improve_handling_280zx_600264.0.html

[260DET]

That Car and Driver test is rubbish, for a start they quote Goetz as designing the S30 which he did not and then go on to quote his criticism of the front shape of the S130 which was largely dictated by aero requirements as Nissan said at the time and was something apparently neither Goetz or C&D were aware of. Maybe the US S130's had a softer spec suspension but generally speaking a good stock S130 will handle better than a S30, around a race track they go quite well and their much improved aero usually makes them faster than a S30.

Basically the tester seemed to think that the firmer and noisier a car rode the better it handled which of course by itself is nonsense.

[Wade Nelson]

Here's a much kinder review of the ZX ---

http://www.roadandtrack.com/tests/comparison/four-automatic-sports-gt-cars

[SportBikeMike]

I think the 280Zx might have been a little bit of a letdown when they came out in 1979, but I think Datsun more than rectified the situation when they came out with

the turbo version. These are true sports cars. My 280ZXT is a blast drive and is super comfortable and all the girls think its "cute" (not 100% sure thats a good thing though....).

[Gary in NJ]

Here's a much kinder review of the ZX ---

Yes, they found wiggle words to call it a Buick...

"The Datsun was not a stellar performer in the traditional sense (speed, cornering), but won everyone over with its amenities, layout, looks and comfort. “Luxury, opulence even,” one tester wrote. “Quiet and comfy,” said another."

[Wade Nelson]

Girls think your car is "cute?"

Girls think Miatas are "cute" too. That's not a good thing.