Reliability?

[Dead Roman]

Ok im looking to get a 240z(or 260 maybe a 280 in a pinch) but i got to thinking, im about ot be in college and i wont have enough time or money to do much more than basic maintenance onit. Is the z not for me?? if i buy one thats in good working order should i expect to have to work on it too much for it to be my daily/ only driver. I know its a 30 year old car bu i figured you would be the guys to ask.

[Smokey]

Been there, done that, got the scars on my knuckles to proove it.

The Z is gonna be like most other cars as far as your question goes. How it has been taken care of in the past will determine the current/future reliabilty. If you are mechanically inclined the Z is a very simple machine to work on, heck the engine bay is so roomy you can stand in it to work on the motor. They are great cars and I think everyone should have the privaledge to own one at least once.

That being said, I was in your shoes (college student with Z as DD) It worked fine for transportation. It was a hoot to drive in the mountains of NC. But, being a daily driver meant driving in rain, snow, and salt (latter two depending on your location, of course). Any of the above, or combination can lead to the death of the metal. Moisture begets rust, and rust begets LOTS of work. So, to make an accurate decision you must be able to answer these questions.

1. Can I keep it dry?

2. Can I deal with the occasional break down?

3. Can I keep it dry?

4. Will a 2 seater sports car fit in with my needs for transportation?

5. Can I keep it dry?

6. Do I have the financial resourses to keep the car up?

7. And, most importantly, Can I keep it dry?

If you have a serious partner you can add the question

8. Will she hate it?

Mine did, and she made me sell it. Fortunately, 10 years later I still have the girl. Married now, might be able to slip a Z back into the family if I play my cards right.

[tanny]

The Z is definitely easy to work on if you have a reasonable amount of knowledge and mechanical skill. However, I would stick to as late a model Honda or Toyota sedan as I could afford, these being the most reliable brands available according to Consumer Reports and general hearsay. Not sexy or exciting, but about a thousand times more practical. In fact, I would check out the Consumer Reports Used Car book for advice on various brands and models. If you have limited resources and not much mechanical ability and minimal spare time, I'd stay away from the Z. Good luck, Victor.

[brianglawson]

get you a 240sx if you want a daily driver, they are fun cars and to tell you the truth, i think a 1989-1993 240sx fastback is more of a spiritual succesor to the orginal 240z than the 300zx is, as far as looks weight, and the fun to drive faster, i have both a z and an sx

[Dtsnlvrs]

I drove a 71 240z through my college years....mind you it was only 17 years old at the time, but if it is in decent shape when you buy it and you are halfway mechanicaly inclined....they can be very easy to maintain and very reliable

[Inf]

What part of the country will your school be in?

That will have a lot to do with whether you can use it effectively as a daily driver. Living in Texas, I can tell you that using a 240Z without A/C as a daily driver is definitely not ideal. During most of the summer my Z stayed in the garage on the hotter days and I ended up driving something else. During the winter in the Dallas area they tend to go nuts dumping sand and whatnot all over the bridges. Some people say sand isnt harmful, but just head downtown to where they keep the piles of sand under overpasses... the sand has literally caused the concrete of the support pylons to disentegrate.

After a good freeze and subsequent sand-panic, my Z will probably not come out again until after a few good warm rains (be it spring or otherwise). Having not properly rust-proofed the underside yet, I don't want to turn a relatively rust-free Z into a mess.

I'll likely be transferring to UT in Austin next fall, and I plan to bring my Z along provided I can get some other guys in on splitting the rent on a house with a garage. If the Z has trouble, I can always ride the metro bus system.

[Dead Roman]

UNT in denton all the way.

going to be attendint the university of north texas college of music next fall. I dunno how the weather there will be, but as far as heat go's, ive grown up here, and the heat isnt to me what it is to other people, i wouldnt call texas hot, more like tropical. I didnt know that sand would kill a z, il have to lookinto what they use up there.

[mushupork5]

im down here in houston and use my z as a daily driver, it has its occassional problems but you quickly get the hang of what i call 30 second fixes, and the problems that are more than that are rare if you find a car in decent shape, just take it to a mechanic that knows his zs to get checked over and make sure ypu're not getting ripped off

[Smokey]

Originally posted by Dead Roman

I didnt know that sand would kill a z,

Anything that absorbs moisture will kill a Z. The sand used to gain traction on the roads is very absorbant. If it ends up in the crevices in the fender wells and then you drive on wet roads, or even wash it. That sand will keep the moisture right up against the metal. Very important to keep the undersides clean and debris free.

Also, if you are going fast enough to pick up the sand with any force. Think of it as slowly sandblasting your body panels.

[Dead Roman]

ARE YOU IN THE 1'O CLOCK LAB BAND? i

i have only heard stories about it biyt i hear thet its an amazing thing to be a part of.

Im a guitarist and i am into all styles of music, mostly rock/jazz fusion blues and stuff of the ilk, with occasional forays into the classical(mostly baroque)(sp?) periods. i HOPE AND PRAY to attend there next fall, i took a year off because i had some bad experiences in high school (and because im po bitch and need the extra money)

are you attending?