Buying a car! need advice.

[ultrasuede]

Hi everyone, the 260Z has been my dream car, and now 1 has popped up for sale near me. I'm going to look at it (cash in pocket). What should I look for? Questions to ask? and what price should I ask (listing below)

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/toowoomba-4350/cars-vans-utes/1975-datsun-260z/1073747234

[dat2kman]

You bought lts of o

D type cars before? Do the sual checks you'd do with any 30 year old car!

Just 'cos it 's red and shiney, it could be hiding the odd surprise.

Take a felt covered magnet, to run it along body work, a decent small torch to look in nooks and crannys, a jack and axle stand to have a look at bits where your head dont fit.

 

It is a 2+2 and these usually do not sell for as mch as a 2seater.

Is s priced a touch high.

Ask to see all reciepts for parts and work done.

A Toowoomba, or country car should have less rust than say a coastal city car.

 

220 hungee's is a bit to stick in your pocket!

[chris240]

Yep, as the kind gentleman has said, $22k looks a "tad" high. Id expect some sort of detailed engine bay, fully rebuilt suspension, perfect interior and possibly updated brakes for 22k.

[zzzzed]

If you don't mind buying interstate I could put you on to a much nicer 260z for about the same price.

 

[gav240z]

This looks more appealing to me.

http://www.carsales.com.au/private/details/Datsun-260Z-1975/SSE-AD-3269743/?Cr=3

 

I could potentially be persuaded to check it out, but time is money and I have little time at the moment.

[oldmates260z]

I am guessing you like the Red and that is what is attracting you to this car. The blinge factor is always a very emotive thing when picking this type of car. The only issue is the price for the 2+2. Unless it is concourse level at best in the current market it is too expensive.

Do you want a 2+2?

Should never buy the first one you see until you have at least seen a few others.

This guy should be able to show you a full build thread of photos and receipts. Make sure you get that and are happy with it. Feed that back yo this forum and we will no doubt critic it for you.

[PB260Z]

Hi Mate

 

Have to agree with all that has been said by th previous posts.

 

For a 2+2 to be worth $22,000 I would expect the car to be almost perfect and come with photographic record of any restoration work done. The bright shiny red paint whilst looking fantastic worries me.

 

Good luck with the hunt for a Z

 

Cheers

 

PB

[zzzzed]

This one is for sale for around the same price. I know the car well it's had big dollars spent

[gav240z]

That orange one looks nice but how does it look without photoshop.

[zzzzed]

It is a bloody nice car gav. I did the body work and gave it the full bare metal rotisserie treatment.

Here are se more natural pics that I took when I was putting it back together.

The first one was taken the day I delivers it back to its owner.

 

And a few more recent pics

[oldmates260z]

That's one of the nicest 2+2 I have seen.  That is worthy the $20k

[peter t]

For 22k come to my house. Lot more than that spent on my car but hey time to move on.

[PeterAllen]

Buyer's guide by Hagerty

 

Bunch of motherhood comments - fairly useless.

 

[gav240z]

Buyer's guide by Hagerty

 

Bunch of motherhood comments - fairly useless.

 

 

Maybe next time I'm in Melbourne with my red 72 240z I'll do a buyers guide video using my car. I can go into a lot more detail than the Hagerty Video.

[oldmates260z]

Great overview of everything to check and one dam nice 240.

[ultrasuede]

Thank you for the advice everyone, REALLY helpful. I'm open to sales if you guys want to sell. I'm traveling to Sydney this week, would love to drive a Z back.

[dat2kman]

I got a 2 seater for sale, built as a Group S Prod Sports, it certainly could be pulled back to being a road car, currently unreg.

Its all riginal, back to ketal, rust free body, high  HP L28E engine, close ratio bx, full plated LSD, can supply as either 4.4 or 4.1 dff,

It s double the price f that Toowoomba car.

Welcome to inspect, can get it up on my hoist for an under check.

Buipd/resto photos and documents/recits. Car was fully rebuilt in 2003-2004.

 

If you want a docile, dont look at ,e, gentlemanly type car, forget this one! She's a grumpy cammy rock'n'roller circuit car, buipt to the rules as set for Historic Group S Sports cars.

Current lap record holder at three circuits, often runs in top ten places at most race meets, has had plenty podium outright places, and won a few lcal champoinship series.

[CroS13]

hang on 1 minute.... if i had 22k to spend on a Z, i would not be getting a 2+2... and i own one!

 

Just so we are 1000% clear, there is a big difference in body shapes between a 2+2 and a 2 seater zed, that even i didn't notice when i started looking at them, hell i had 2 sitting right next to each other and i didn't notice.

 

The difference:

 

 

 

 

 

there is a big difference in what they command value wise, hence why everyone is saying it better be perfect for 22k, because that is double what you usually see for a 2+2. A 2 seater on the other hand that is about right.

 

Rudolf.

 

 

[peter t]

I have spent up to $40k on my 2+2 and I would get as many looks as any 2 seater and have the bonus of taking not only one friend for a run but three. {As long as they are not too big.} Seriously I have had four average guys in my car after a run to the Sunny coast and  they didn't want to get out. 2+2's handle better anyway due to the longer wheel base. And I certainly wouldn't take anything less than $25k for my car. If you want a jazzed up two seater, go buy a Holden UTE.

[zzzzed]

I have spent up to $40k on my 2+2 and I would get as many looks as any 2 seater and have the bonus of taking not only one friend for a run but three. {As long as they are not too big.} Seriously I have had four average guys in my car after a run to the Sunny coast and  they didn't want to get out. 2+2's handle better anyway due to the longer wheel base. And I certainly wouldn't take anything less than $25k for my car. If you want a jazzed up two seater, go buy a Holden UTE.

 

I have to agree. And a car is worth what some one is willing to pay for it. I have been watching the for sale threds on face book for the orange car I pictured. And it gets so many comments from non zed people asking at $25k why it's so cheep. As these cars are getting less and less the 2+2 prices are climbing.

[CroS13]

And both of you are right, and I have spent about 9k on my bus since Ive bought it, and its still getting rust repairs!

 

I love my car too, if i ever sold it id be asking the same price, mid 20's. I foresee my car owing me 50k by the time im done, and id never see a return on that being a bus, if it was a 2 seater on the other hand, maybe it would be possible.

 

Before i pulled my car off the road i took it to a end of month meet at Harry's cafe De wheels, which is famous in Sydney, people have even driven up from Canberra for it. When i rocked up i commanded EVERYONE'S attention. Torana's, monaro's GT falcons were everywhere..... i was the only S30z there, i could hear everyone saying "wow haven't seen one of those in years" and people arguing if it was a 260 or a 280zx or whatever. It gets the looks no doubt about it.

Also, 99% of people wouldn't be able to tell the difference between the two. Hell, even i didn't notice the difference between the two at first. i was looking at 2+2's thinking that there is something odd about them, but i couldn't put my finger on what it was, i put it down to not having "stance" with flares and a duck tail spoiler.

 

I wondered why the hell the 2 seaters were double the price of a 2+2, and didn't really notice the body differences until i bought my car. Ill be honest, when it dawned on me, i was quite deflated for a while, i really had yearned for a 2 seater all these years looking at photo's. I did some research, and saw some buses that inspired me, and i thought, "yeah i can make her look real pretty." I got over it, and now have the goal to try and build one of the best 2+2's in the country, if i fail, because Ive set my bar so high, i should at least end up with a dam fine street car. I don't ever plan on selling it either, due to the blood swear and tears ive put into it.

 

But i even recal reading the members rides on the front page, cant remember who owned it, it was the blue bus on white nismo rims, i think it ended up getting written off. anyway, i remember reading in the profile that even he didn't spot the differences before he bought the car.

 

This bloke is a new member, 4 posts, wanting his dream car, i just want to clarify the differences between the two cars that i, and some others, didn't notice when buying our first zeds. If he wants a bus then great! But if he really wants a 2 seater, i just don't want him to be disappointed after his purchase like i was for awhile.

 

Rudolf.