Drake1416

Ok guys so I'm kind of new to the z31 scene. I've been looking around craigslist for a decent sporty car for cheap. What I ended up finding recently is an '84 300ZX turbo 50th Anniversary edition. And he's ok with trading straight up for my 2001 250 enduro bike..

Only problem is it seems sketchey. 200k miles and he doesn't know much about it. It looked great minus the seat tears. And considering it's a sought out car (only 5k+ of this version in the U.S.?) I want to know if you z31 owners think it's a good deal? Thanks

Drake1416

Oh and probably should've mentioned he drives it every once in a while and it runs fine, but he said it has died but thinks its bad gas? I'd be driving around 150 miles with the bike to it so I don't want to be unsure if I want it/if it will even make it back.

NismoPick

Welcome to ZDriver!

Well, how much is your bike worth?

Z31's had a lot of rust problems just like the 240z - 280zx... I dealt with an 84 AE a few years ago, nasty rust all over it, but ran like a champ.

If it died (meaning it cranks but won't start), it could be several things. If it has 2+ year old gas, that might be a contributing factor. Dunno what else to tell you with very little info (no pics) given.

rogerz

depends - I sort of think a 250cc enduro bike isn't worth a lot altho been years since I was on the motorcycle scene. z31 last but they also need some care. 200K miles wouldn't scare me off but I would get the timing belt replaced pronto unless the guy has some paperwork on it being done recently. Often you will find a silver sticker with the belt change info stuck to the plenum cover. as nismo said rust never sleeps. if the car has mostly been on the west coast it may not be an issue. East Coast where they salt everything more likely to be rusted a lot. pick up the rear carpet you will find rust under the tool kit but not important unless you can stick your finger thru it. See if the wheel well covers are in place. Figure on doing work on the car doesn't sound like the guy took good care of it. Some general advice Following is my general boiler plate things to do on a z31.

Get your battery load tested. Be sure you have clean, tight corrosion free terminals on both ends of your battery cables. Be sure the ground (negative) cable goes to a bolt into the frame before going to the starter. grounding through the starter is not a reliable connection. Z's don't like low voltage. causes the electronics to act funny. it is possible to have enough amps to crank but not enough voltage to run the electronics. If you have one size fit all cheapo clamp on terminals they are a problem waiting to happen.

Clean the connectors for the maf or afm, ecu and tps. Deoxit by CAIG is probably the best connector cleaner on the market. spray with CorrosionX after cleaning and before putting together this will help prevent any further corrosion.

Replace outer tie rod ends, and ball joints. replace the bushings with poly (don't forget to lube them as directed unless you like squeaky things). New shocks. all those things will make you think you are driving a different car. doing them piece meal is a waste you won't see a great improvement until you do the complete job. Rear bushings nice too but more work and you won't notice as great an improvement. Rear shocks also because if the fronts are gone so are the rears. if car squats when you jump on the gas the rears are gone. If you have the electro adjustable shocks they are DEFINITELY GONE.

If you are doing a turbo car shocks (electro adjust I think may be only on the turbos) then you need the adapter plates to fit modern shocks to the car. Easiest way is find an n/a at the junkyard and take the mounting plates. They may be available thru NAPA (listed) but I had the n/a plates.

you probably should do the usual tune up things. plugs, dizzy cap and rotor, wires. Drive it at least a mile or two close to his house before doing the deal. When they get warm sometimes gremlins rear their ugly heads.

for comparison in seattle area I wouldn't give more than 1000 bucks you probably got 500 bucks or more in parts right off the bat. I might go $1500 because it is an AE but be sure it actually is. do a search on how to tell if it really is. I've looked at many a z listed as AE but usually just some stick on badges. Don't think the car will make your fortune just because it is a little unique. you will probably put more money in it than you will ever get out of it. I love z31s but have spent a lot of time on them so know most of the pitfalls. is it an auto tranny or stick. the auto tranny is problematical on lasting

rogerz

new filters and fluids as soon as possible. tranny and diffy usually get forgotten. I usually drive directly to jiffy lube (after getting a used Z) and get them checked and changed. 20 30 bucks or so is nothing if you drive the diffy to ruin.

zxguy1986

Beautiful Z31s, the anniversary editions especially. I don't trust 'trades' unless I'm sure about the real market values of each vehicle. You know how good (and bad) your bike is and probably what it's really worth vs. what you can get for it - but little or nothing about the car. Tough choice there. You both have titles of course. Too bad it's 150 miles away. See if he can meet you half way for the required test drives at least.

If you're not experienced with older Zs, best thing to do is get somebody who is to take a ride with you in it. Drive it. You will be impressed with what a real Z guy can feel, hear and smell in a Z. The obvious things wrong now - and things about to go wrong in the near future - will either kill the deal for you or change the price in your favor.

Don't skip a Carfax on it right away.

If checking for rust that can be a 'must fix' see if you can pull the carpet up a bit behind the seats and check the floor pan under. If there have been roof/window leaks over the years, the pan can rust right through because water can just sit there. You'll smell the mold in that area.

Lots of other things to think about. If you decide you want it bad, great car to drive, care for - and spend some cash on from time to time.