1986 Nissan 300ZX GLL review from North America
"This car is a labor of love"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
The second day I had the car I blew the engine up. I had a rebuilt engine replace it, though.
The t-tops leak on the passenger side, fixable but costly ($200 +).
The fuel gauge is not accurate and hasn't been the entire time I have owned the car. That too is also fixable but costly.
The drivers side window motor had to be replaced, the brake master cylinder had to be replaced twice, and the radio was great when working but I had to replace that too.
The rear quarter panel windows had to be resealed due to leaks.
The air conditioning does not blow cold air anymore, and during acceleration it blows hot air.
The antenna had to be replaced.
The transmission also had to be fixed.
The parking brake needed to have its cables replaced.
The rear suspension bushings needed to be replaced. The springs and shocks needed to be replaced.
All these things are somewhat expected for a car as old as this one.
General comments?
I love this car due to its aerodynamic design. I also enjoy the exclusivity of having one of the few Z-31s that are in great shape. As a friend of mine, who used to own a 86 turbo tells me, once these cars start to go bad they just keep on racking up the problems. So if you have the money then get the car; if you don't you may want to think about how much you will want to spend on the car. All in all, I am still proud to call the car my own.
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![]() ![]() | Fast, reliable and classy |
![]() ![]() | 1986 - 300ZX 300 ZX 2+2 V6 3.0L Non turbo Great Car, Love the style, handling and VERY QUICK! |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| First year of ownership | 1996 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2002 |
| Engine and transmission | non-turbo Manual |
| Performance marks | 7/10 |
| Reliability marks | 5/10 |
| Comfort marks | 10/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 7/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 2/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 114000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 167800 miles |
| Previous car | Chevrolet Corsica |
| Date of Entry | 16th January, 2002 |

