Very Clean 280Zx - Why Value So Low?

[Classicman]

Hi

 

I've been offered a super clean, one owner, manual 280ZX back in South Africa, with 108,000km on the clock.  We would all kill for a 240 or 260 this clean and original.  It will land here at about $12k all in and registered, but I can't see that it will sell here at that price.  Its a hell of a lot of car for the money, and yet you can't buy a restoration project 240/260 for that price.  It just doesn't seem right, lol.  If anyone here is interested, I'll be happy to bring the car over for you.

 

 

 

 

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[andyk_79]

Unfortunately the late 70's early 80's boxy looking cars in general I think have not aged well and are not considered a "classic" look yet.  I pointed out a 280ZX to my wife one day not long after buying my 240 and she said "God it's ugly - I'm glad you didn't buy one of those".

[260DET]

A good two seater full tin top would sell for $12k, there is a reasonable demand for them. Not so much the T top though.

[gav240z]

I've only ever driven 1 280zx myself (Carby Turbo T-Top), and I'd be interested in driving another to compare since it wasn't the best set up car. However it drives very much like a boulevard cruiser and less like a sports car. The 240z on the other hand is very nimble and responsive. They really are chalk and cheese.

 

Of course I've not driven the turbo 280zx or the 2 seaters and I'd be interested in comparing them like I say. I also think being loaded up the wazoo with electronic gizmo's didn't help the home or shade tree mechanic / enthusiast.

 

You would be better off importing Bluebird Coupe's from ZA.

[pauly_adams]

i drove a targa top 280zx and hated it, they have so much flex in the body, i own 2x 280zx hard tops and they are a completely different animal, they drive alot more like a 260z but not quite as taily

[1600dave]

Applying logic to classic cars often doesn't seem right. I have both run-of-the-mill 4 door datsun 1600's and a fully imported 180B SSS coupe. The SSS coupe (on paper) should win hands down - almost the same mechanically, a more powerful 1.8l twin carb high compression engine, all fitted to a nice looking 2 door coupe body and considerably rarer than a 1600. 

 

Yet the 1600 would fetch 2-3 times what the SSS coupe would sell for.

 

Why ? Here's my thoughts. Every man and his dog had a 1600 back in the day, and want one now. They had considerable success in rallying and racing. They were one of the first big selling Japanese sedans with sporting performance. 

 

I see the earlier zeds as being similar. Every man and his dog may not have had one back in the day, but they wanted one. Race / rally history. One of the first big selling Japanese GT sports car. 

 

280ZX ? They had the reputation of loosing their sporting "edge". They were only one of a number of cars in their market segment by the time they came out. Just not as desirable when new, this has translated (rightly or wrongly) as being less desirable now.

 

The ability to pinpoint exactly why some cars become desirable, particularly in advance of them becoming popular, would be nice to have !

Edited January 5, 2016 by 1600dave

[Zedstar]

Have owned 280ZX about 12 years and consider them a highly underrated car. As most people know you have to rust proof in all the usual areas early on for long term preservation.

 

Agree that Datsun went down a path of more comfort in this model moving away from the sporting edge of 240/260. In stock form performance is on the sluggish side and and handling a bit ponderous. I rebuilt engine with some power enhancements, converted it to manual and combined with improved shocks have good performance without reducing drive integrity.

 

 

Took 280 on a 600k rally in 2014 and really enjoyed both twisties and high speed opportunities.

[xa1973]

Ive always believed like many other Vehicles of the Era the 280ZX will in time appreciate..as fewer and fewer 240 and 260's become available for sale

[blu260z]

Like most have said I think they will increase in value but over how many years, I dont know. I definitely dont think it will reach anywhere near the value of a 240 or 260z but look at the 260 2+2, everyone always says we scrapped them for nothing back in the day.

[260DET]

For any performance use it's the T tops that ruin them, same with the Z31. Every now and then I trawl through the ads looking for tin top Z31's and two seater 280ZX's, waste of time really, even the few private imports I've seen are T tops. No doubt that this T top affliction reduces their value considerably.

[gav240z]

280zx values will not increase unless they become interesting to the latte sipping hipster crowd. The 240z has cracked that market already. Hence values are rising lol..

http://jalopnik.com/this-nissan-fairlady-240z-is-the-perfect-hipster-jdm-ca-1736631367

[d3c0y]

The big problem for the 280ZX is we didnt get the good models here. How many of us would have a 2 seater Turbo 280ZX? I don't mind those at all, especially BLACK GOLD!

[gav240z]

The big problem for the 280ZX is we didnt get the good models here. How many of us would have a 2 seater Turbo 280ZX? I don't mind those at all, especially BLACK GOLD!

 

Funny I thought Black Gold was the problem...

 

[d3c0y]

Even more!

 

Edited January 24, 2016 by d3c0y

[Zedstar]

I'm in the fortunate position of owning the three Zeds reviewed by Motoman , they are all 2&2/targas. Particularly with Z32's many consider that the 2&2 is a better handling car than the 2 seater due to better weight distribution .Having driven many two seaters I am definately of that view , albeit I'm biased.

 

Love the targas , Nissan ensured that vehicles constructed with them had body strengthening so as not to compromise structural integrity . Interesting Motoman bemoans the fact that the Z32 was the last Z to have them.

 

IMHO the Z31Turbo is very underrated , I am in the process of converting it to manual from a donar car and adding 50Kw in power.

[d3c0y]

But 2+2s don't look as good and weigh more so they are slower, I used to own a 2+2 so i'm not biased.

Edited January 25, 2016 by d3c0y

[Zedstar]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder , prefer the look of my 240 to a 260 2+2 but there is no way I swap the others for a two seater.

[PB260Z]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder , prefer the look of my 240 to a 260 2+2 but there is no way I swap the others for a two seater.

Different strokes for different folks - I prefer the look of the 2+2 and the longer wheelbase.

[260DET]

Both the Z32 and 31 look good either way, I was interested in getting a Z31 2+2 tin top for a project track car but there aren't any, all T tops and let's face it glass tops are not the best for a track car. I believe that in the US both the 32 and 31 were raced in 2+2 form, better handling than the shorty's.

[gav240z]

I've said it before but in my opinion the 280zx was a rapid departure from what made the earlier 240z's so special. A true sports car no frills etc.. The 280zx had all the bells and whistles and tried to move more upmarket in terms of being a luxury GT.

 

Everything was going computerised and it was more about the gadgets.

 

I think where the S30z departed the market, the SA22 (FB) RX-7 picked up the torch and ran with it. Early RX-7's are still cheap and I think are under appreciated, as with other early rotary's soaring in value (just look at an R100 now) the early RX-7's (and not many are original anymore) will pick up in value soon.

 

Check out this R100. (not even Original)

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/slacks-creek/cars-vans-utes/mazda-r100/1101827150

 

 

Update... Due to a massive amount of interest I'm choosing a price of around $65000 or swap for a 67-68 mustang fastback or reasonable offers

 

 

When was the last time you saw an early RX-7 wearing these awesome wheels? Which remind me a bit of the Kobe Seiko wheels on the S30z.

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/guildford-west/wheels-tyres-rims/rare-mazda-rims-13-x5-5-110pcd-r100-rx2-rx3-rx4-rx7-series-1/1102215125

 

I think 280zx values will always remain muted, regardless of how few are left. But happy to be proved wrong and eat my words down the track. I do see a surge in 2 seater values along with the turbo model but I think the 2+2s will remain under loved for some time yet.

 

If I had the money, space and time I'd get an early series 1 RX-7 now. *Hot tip*.

[PB260Z]

Agree completely the early RX-7's are greatly under valued - for now.

 

A nice original S1 or S2 would make a solid and enjoyable investment - Good luck finding one though.

[d3c0y]

The series 3 looks so much better though and it has a non-stupid PCD that you can get wheels for and a 13B!

 

I personally jumped ahead and bought an FD. I think there is no way they won't be collectible as they are pretty much the ultimate form of the rotary sports car.

I have also changed to a single turbo and V-Mount setup which some people will say is the wrong maneuver, but keeping the stock turbos is just as expensive for worse result and i feel is on par with the setup that I have in my 240Z.

 

 

Edited January 27, 2016 by d3c0y

[gav240z]

The series 3 looks so much better though and it has a non-stupid PCD that you can get wheels for and a 13B!

I quite like the look of the series 1 cars. What makes a car more desirable isn't always what's "better". A 280z came with a 2.8L motor and fuel injection, along with a more solid chassis. But it's earlier S30z's that have the highest value.

 

I personally jumped ahead and bought an FD. I think there is no way they won't be collectible as they are pretty much the ultimate form of the rotary sports car.

No argument from me. But they are still a relatively modern classic.

[d3c0y]

I guess with Zs they started with the best looking one first! Also 280ZX = FC so i don't think using a 280ZX in your comparison like that is fair.

 

Do you think that the S6 front on the FD will ultimately be more popular than the S8? Maybe so, but only for the reason is that they will be rare because everyone swapped them.

 

[gav240z]

I guess with Zs they started with the best looking one first! Also 280ZX = FC so i don't think using a 280ZX in your comparison like that is fair.

First gen rx-7 was 1978.

280zx was introduced late 1978 also.

 

The ZX was done by 1983, where as the series 3 RX-7 was done by 1985.

 

1985 was when the FC RX-7 was introduced.

 

Did the RX-7 and 280zx go for the same market demographic? Not really, the RX-7 was a more simple bare bones sports car like the 240z was, the 280zx was more of a luxury GT car.

 

So I still think that if someone was looking for a 240z type of car by the late 70s their option was an RX-7 or perhaps to go up market and look at the 944 (or maybe even a 924??).

 

Do you think that the S6 front on the FD will ultimately be more popular than the S8? Maybe so, but only for the reason is that they will be rare because everyone swapped them.

Going a bit off topic now, but I think my crystal ball is as good as yours. Therefore I have no idea which version of the FD will be the most collectible. My guess is...

 

1. SP RX-7 (in Australia anyway)

2. Late Type RZ in white

3. Spirit R

4. Earlier Type RZ in black

5. Type RS-R (series 7)

 

But who knows?