New to the Z

[BimmermanZ]

I am wanting to get one of these cars. As my username says i am a BMW fan. I know a lot about the E30 BMW and the S motors. However i have always liked these cars ironically a S30. Well what im wanting to know is what are the common issues of these cars? And i also saw a Z that i thought was absolutely gorgeous. http://static.cargurus.com/images/site/2010/10/05/09/00/1973_datsun_240z-pic-7827081713729940921.jpeg

What are those fenders?

I cant get one of these just yet unless i find one with no engine.

[siteunseen]

I think it's the M30 engine that is similar to the Z's L Series engine, straight 6 with overhead cam and timing chain. I had a '89 325is that I drove into pieces, best car I've ever owned, sold it in 2010 with over 300K on it. It had a cast iron block like the Z's have. Nissan parts are so much cheaper than BMW's it makes owning one or more a lot easier to do, for me anyway. You'll see that a lot of the folks on here also have Beamers. That car is sort of a mystery to me, I heard it was in Atlanta but someone said otherwise. Gray with white stripes and flared fenders to accommodate those wheels, beautiful. It's a 240Z, find you one!

[grannyknot]

Rust is really the only issue, anything else is easily fixed. I seriously considered dropping the S38 engine from an M6 into my Z during the resto, I did all the measurements and it fits perfectly with the stick shift sitting about 2" farther back than stock. As siteunseen mentioned, Nissan is cheap by comparison.

Oh, and by the way Welcome fold.

[bartsscooterservice]

Looks like those JDM fenders, not my cup of tea. But some people like em.

I personally like the original look of the Z car.

[240260280z]

Yeah the L24/6/8 motors in Z's look uncannily like many SOHC German motors.

[SteveJ]

I think Carl has a good collection of information:

General Discussion - Buying A Z Car:

What To Watch For When Buying A Z Car

Common Rust Area's Of The 240-Z

Collectable, Classic, and Special Interest Z Cars; A Buyers Guide

[FastWoman]

I used to own a very nice little Z3. Awesome engine, somewhat weak body (for that engine), and really complicated and expensive to repair. After the failure of a steering angle sensor ($700), I decided a 280Z (my most loved car) would be much cheaper to keep in repair, even as an antique. In fact I decided it would be much cheaper than most modern cars, and I think I was right. So I sold the Z3, bought the 280Z, and I haven't looked back.

One thing that attracts me to both cars is the inline 6 engine -- the only configuration besides a V12 that has perfect primary and secondary balance. The 280Z is a pleasure to work on, as long as the bolts aren't corroded in place. I think you'll enjoy owning one.

Common issues: The fuel injected 280Z is going to run far more reliably than a carbureted 240 or 260 when in good repair. However, you are not likely to find a 280 in good repair. It might look pretty, but the EFI will almost certainly need a good going over. The good news is that it's not a particularly complicated EFI, and the parts are relatively cheap. However, the bad news is that the ECU on the later models (especially '78) seems to drift leaner over the years. (It's an analog device.) There's some help coming over the hill, though. Superlen is currently developing a plug&play digital ECU for the 280 that is upgradable with the engine. We're all very excited about it. Meanwhile, there are fixes for this issue, and you should be able to get your 280 to run as well as it did back in the day.

Of course the carbureted models also have their issues, about which I know relatively little, but a company called ZTherapy will be able to help.

All the Z models have pretty awful timing advance mechanisms. They commonly stick in place.

[ninjazombiemaster]

And i also saw a Z that i thought was absolutely gorgeous.

That very picture was one of the reasons that sold me on my Z. As others have stated, rust is a major concern. And maybe your girlfriend getting jealous of all the time you spend with your car.