How Much Is Too Much?
 

I'm going to look at an 84 Z31 NA in a couple days and I'm trying to figure out the most to pay. It's a 2 seater stick shift if it matters. I would like it but I don't want to be stupid and get burned. It looks like it's in great shape and it only has 95,000 miles. Any help would be appreciated!

Do you have pictures for the car.That will help!!

I don't have any pictures but it's white and apparently it's in mint condition inside and out.

I keep hearing people say to avoid them like the plague. Do they really have as many problems as people say they do?

Who / where are all these people saying to avoid them??? Do these people have automotive experience?

The Z car isn't a UFO... it's like any other sports car... some are neglected, some are babied. As long as you know how to inspect a car, you shouldn't have any problems deciding if you want to buy it or not. But... ALL 80's Japanese cars were rust prone. The Z31 was no exception. Check for rust, check the fluids, test drive it, etc.

It's pretty hard to give you a price on a car that we can't see... I've seen n/a's go for $100 ... some have paid a few thousand.

The guy wants $4500. Is that too much?

In 2011, I tracked the selling price of 1984 to 1986 Z31s for about 6 months preparing to buy the car I currently have. If this was a solid B+ grade, rust-free, turbo engined car with less than 100K on the odometer, I would say the $4500 would be a reaonable asking price. For a NA in the same condition. I would think $2,000 to $2,500 would be more reasonable. IMO, the car would have to be pristine to offer any more. Yes, sellers argue this is a 29 year old car, making it a modern classic. Unfortunately, Nissan sold something like 350,000 of the first series Z31 and a fairly good number of these are still around. Its simply not that rare a car, which reduces the relative value substantially.

This discussion depends on what you what do with the car. If all you want to do is drive a Z car for a couple of years before you roll it over expecting to recoup your expense, then what you pay should be less than these figures. Price matter less if you looking to buy a car to enjoy and work on for at least 10 or so years. Like others have said, check for rust especially along the frame rails (particularly on right side directly below the battery), under the rocker sills and around the wheel wells. Be sure to ask the current owner when the timing belt was last replaced.

Read this buyer's FAQ: What to look for when buying a 300ZX

Check carefully for rust issues, when the last timing belt change was done, Carfax accident reports, and whether or not it had Nissan's fuel injection service campaign work done. Read az-zbum.com for more information.

I've been participating in z31 forums for about a decade now and I've never read anything about avoiding z31s like the plague. Hang around z31 forums long enough and you'll see the most common problem is the digital dashboard feature.