Help Should I Buy?
 

hi everyone im new to this forum... i was wondering something.. im only 14 but when my family goes to church we pass by this 1983 datsun 280zx turbo. The guy is selling it for 3,500 but it has 139,000 miles on it
is that a good deal? i stopped by and looked at it the interiorand it looked nice. I did not see any rips in the seats and seemed to be in good condition I examined the car exterior it was ok i didnt any rust that i can recall. It didnt have many scratches or dents in it. The 280zx also had the Z rims and Z logo on the front and on the stearing wheel. Is that worth it? and would it be a good first car ? (im planning on being very careful and taking very good care of it not abusing it by racing it or anything) I know im only 14 but it has been sitting there for months im going to turn 15 in november so i can drive a car legaly. I really love all the Z cars they are great. Are they good reliable cars or will they break down and be very liable? Update: me and my dad checked it out today we found some rust but the car had been repainted.. and it burns oil.. why does the car burn oil ? what causes this to happen?

can someone help me out please

Well if its got a little rust you really cant say much as its 20years old or so :)

If it burns oil it proberally needs new rings..

Oh and if u say u wont race it think again i bet you would ;) give the chance to race a CRX you wouldnt hold back :P

overall it sounds like a good car. a little rust is to be epected cause yes it is 20 years old. as for oil burning like the last post it is probably just the rings. but for 3500 i would see if you could talk him down a bit. good luck though cause it only has 139000, that's pretty good for a 20 year old car. but as for your first car it will be very reliable. the z's in general do not break down that much. but i would go back and take a real close look at the engine. check all the hoses and see if any are crack bad. i bought my z and about a week later i had a cooling hose break on me. thankfully i was close to a service stationed and fixed it for under 10 bucks. but yeah you say your not going to race it i don't belive that either once you get in it and see how well it handles and how fast it goes...you will be racing it as much as you can. but i'd say go for it but try and talk him down to around 3 grand for it.

Jay

my 280 was and is my first car, I got it 4 years ago when i was 17 for 4 grand. It only had 62,000 miles on it and stored every winter. It now has 84,000 on it. The clutch just went out along with the fly wheel, there was basically nothing left of those components when they went. I believe this was the stock clutch and flywheel. Other things I have replaced on the car in 20,000 miles include a distributor and starter. The block is SOLID. These engines are built to last. The car is very reliable in all conditions, it never misses a beat. So yeah ive had a few things go bad and had to be replace but nothing really major or internal engine work. Now i dont know what could all be wrong with 140,000 miles on it, you definatley need to take it for a test drive and see how she feels, but as long as the car was properly maintained it should be in pretty decent shape. I would try to talk him a little lower though, cause that is still kind of expensive for a car with that many miles on it even though its in pretty good shape. But once you get the car, it will turn heads EVERYWHERE.

I bought mine a few months ago for 3000AU with 240,000k on the clock so about the same as yours but half the price. appearance wise its good but 3 days after i bought it started to miss. I'm getting it fixed now. I said I wouldn't race it either and i haven't but it gets a good squirt every now and then. I'd say go for it! mine is my first car and every1 loves it. they're a good car for the price. even though parts can be pricey. Hope u enjoy

L28 e's
 

L28e's I have four 280zx's. I bought one as a rust bucket but the engine at 220,000 puffs a bit of smoke if you rev it but starts every time. The second buy was a mark 2 with 192,000 engine runs like a top revs hard and no rattles. Third car is a red 1980 model which I bought for $500 over the internet. It had been crashed in the front some time in 1996. I put a new radiator in, new water pump repaired the airbox ducting and added a battery and it started after 6 cranks.
It runs and idles like a dream.
I see a turbo 5Sp in Australia asking $4900 and they are rare, so at $3000 plus US what's stopping you. If yo don't buy it you will only miss the epxreience of a lifetime,. Its only money mate.