300zx

[himalaya333]

Hey, I want to buy a nissan 370z but sadly, i am a broke college student, so ill am settling for a 300zx!

I found one in my area in NJ.

27,000 original miles! only thing is that there are 3 owners. The first owner drove 24,000 miles, the second and third combined are 3,000 miles.

The guy selling it says he has 7 cars and does not drive it. It has always been garage kept for all owners.

no accidents

He said 10,000 dollars, but i got it down to 9,000 dollars. Good deal or no?

This one does not have twin turbo. it is the 1990 model and it is automatic.

I also found a 2003 nissan 350z with 32,000 miles on it for 14,000 and the guy said the price was firm.

Whats a smarter buy? Is the price good for the first one? will there be a lot of maintainance? how long will it last? I am going to buy the 370z nismo or whatever nissan comes out with in 6 years with my first paycheck as a physician assistant

[Joe@ZSpeed]

The 350 is going to be much less maintenance than the 300zx, IMO the 300 is overpriced for a NA/auto. I love the old Z32's ( I have 2 1990 Twin Turbos) but for a broke college student the 350 would be much more reliable.
The smart move would be save your money and buy the car you want when you can afford it

[LakeShow]

Go 350z. Check your local Craigslist, seen them going for reasonable prices and slightly modified.

[djpathfinder]

I agree...350Z

[dvo]

350Zs can be bought for the same price...

[m4a1mustang]

Not sure if the OP is legit or not, but it almost seems to me like he should be looking for something more practical like a used Civic/Corolla... something inexpensive that a broke college student can rely on!

[280z/300zx]

OP, do yourself a favor and get the newest best condition car you can afford while at the same time not hurting your check book. I'm a PA-C, which is what your are looking to become, and I was in your shoes not too long ago. During school one of the requirements is going to be 1 year of rotations and you will need very reliable transportation. Your preceptors won't accept the excuse that your car is in the shop or broke down; you'll fail your rotation. During my undergrad I used my 84 300zx and 77 280z as my daily driver. I had planned ahead though and saved enough money that upon entrance into PA school I bought a new WRX. I'm not saying you should do the same but you should definitely be planning ahead to have reliable transportation for PA school.

As for your two options I would say forget the 300zx. Unless you have 1-2 years prior to PA school to sort out any mechanical problems it's not a good bet on reliability. Plus the 90's 300zx is expensive to repair due to tight engine compartment. The 350z is a better option but is already starting to reach that age where little things are going to start needing attention. Don't get me wrong. The 300zx can be plenty reliable but be prepared with any car of that age to do repairs/up keep. My 84 300zx had 52k original miles on it when I bought in 1999. Dispite being original miles I still put more money than the car is worth into general repairs and up keep. It's just the name of the game when it comes to old cars. Obviously by the fact that I still have the car after this many years it was a good investment but the point is old cars cost money over time. They also require down time for repairs which for me again wasn't a problem because I also had my 280z.

I can't stress enough, get the newest most reliable car you can without going broke. Get something you'll be happy driving but don't focus on having the fastest thing either. Honestly if you have 9-14k laying around for these cars you are looking at I would say buy a certified used civic, corolla, etc for cash OR if you have the means via a part time job put that money as a down on something a little more exciting like a slightly used scion TC, miata, civic si, etc. Doing so would mean a monthly car payment but it should be rather low considering the amount of money down. Or if you aren't hurting with your current transportation just save the money until closer to PA school.

On a side note my 370z was my present to myself for graduation PA school. However don't be fooled as many of my classmates where. After graduation you still need to study and pass your boards as well as get licensed before you can even think about finding a job. That means you still need to plan on living off loans for a few months after graduation. After that you should give yourself a few months on the job to make sure it's going to work. You'd be surprised how many PA's leave their first job within a few months due to conflict of personality or poor contracts. I was the only one in my class that planned ahead and had plenty of money to tide me over, the rest had to live off credit cards. Now they are not only paying off student loans but their credit cards as well. Hit me up if you want any further info on PA stuff. Great career, great salary, and good times. I'm currently doing Cardiology and run the primary care/urgent care facility as well.

[fullmonty]

A little off topic but my father is a PA and has been doing clinical research for 30 years, decent enough job with good pay. Being a PA really opens up a lot of options depending on what you want to do. Between the 300 and 350, go with the 350.

[Rui Z]

I'm always more suspicious when there are alot of owners with so few miles put on by them. It makes me wonder if there's something wrong with the car. If you are gonna get the 300ZX, you should take it to a trusted mechanic and have them inspect the car. I put my vote in for the 350Z.

[370Ztune]

I've owned quite a few different Zs of different vintages (about 11 different cars), and I know A LOT about the Z32 platform in particular. I highly suggest that if you're looking for a good daily-driver and want something that's cheap to own, then stay away from the Z32. Maintenance parts are very expensive, and as the cars are 15+ years old things are always breaking/failing to do age. Engine harnesses often need to be replaced due to heat in the engine bay, and now they're scarce and subsequently expensive.

If you really want a Z, go for 350Z. Easier to work on, newer, and readily available for $10K +/- $1000.

[Jeffblue]

z32 should not be bought for being a daily driver. Plus, i dont care if its got 5k on the odometer, a 1990 NA automatic is not worth 10k. its a slow old car. Don't get one.

i think your best bet if you want something fun is some kind of subaru.

[Brazilbro]

Originally Posted by Jeffblue

z32 should not be bought for being a daily driver. Plus, i dont care if its got 5k on the odometer, a 1990 NA automatic is not worth 10k. its a slow old car. Don't get one..

I've seen TT's go for under 10k. and N/A under 5k. Skip the 300 and get the 350.

[erkthejerk73]

i have a 350z for sale i will beat his 14k price b 2k, pm me!