Restored 240 vs New 370

[GV260]

I have a similar question to RBZ260's re Rb v L for all to contemplate and comment on - if you had the budget would you do a full complete resto on a 240 or spend the cash on a new 370 (or 350)? Alternatively is there a budget limit to the amount you'd spend on a 240 resto before giving it away and look at buying something new ala 370/350/R32-34?

 

Me, well I've gone the full resto route and have now spent way too much - my wife will kill me when & if she finds out. If I had known it was going to cost me this much in the end I'd probably would not have done it being an accountant and thus a tight arse! But ignoring the $$$ now that I have I couldn't be more pleased as I have fulfilled a life long dream since I fell in love with Zeds....... Everyone has a vice and mine is my 240Z.... God knows I've worked bloody hard and long enough to endulge myself in a passion......that's my excuse anyway!

[Lynton]

To me one is like being the sculptor and producing the visionary outcome and having the passion that others encompass and enjoy, dream of or wish they could produce, a work of art.

The other is like going along to an art auction and buying a beautiful painting to hang on the wall that you personally love and will forever enjoy and keep and show amongst your friends.

Each to their own and the cost is an individual choice one makes and enjoys in their life, the outcomes are individual persona choices.  Lynton

[sco_aus]

These days, I reckon the 370Z, mind you with the money I have spent on my 260Z, my 370Z would fecking fly..

[gav240z]

Well for me it's simple really...A 370z may be more practical and more suitable to everyday driving but...

 

Every Tom, Dick, Harry and Louise is going to own 1. As soon as you buy it you'll loose several thousand dollars on it. For a couple of weeks people will talk to you about it and say "hey cool car man". Then before you know it a later version will be out and it will just be another car on the road...

 

Restoring a 240z on the other hand.. well you get something pretty unique. Everywhere you go people will stare at it or wanna talk to you about it. People will offer to buy it off you and it will be something that feels pretty special to take out on weekends.

 

If you do ever decide to sell it, you'll probably not loose too much money on it. Almost all cars loose value mind you, very little provide a return on investment..

 

I must say I much prefer the look of the earlier Z over the later series, that's just me though.

[modular9]

I had this discussion recently with my bro who is a " bugger it get a 350 " person. My answer was :

 

- Have you had fun restoring the car ?

- When you drive your car do you stress less and feel just a little less frantic and more laidback ?

- Do/did you have a sense of achievement and pride in the job or work that you did?

- Do you enjoy the looks of jealousy from other blokes who were forced to buy some SUV/MPV/bus to haul the kids/wife/dog/groceries around in ?

- Do you hug your car ?

 

If the answer is yes to any of those questions then it is money well spent. Nowadays it seems only real men choose the harder/costlier but ultimately more rewarding route.

 

Also restoring an older car is in fact a form of recycling. You are in fact helping the planet by not buying a new car but keeping an older one still running. In fact carbon credit wise you have SAVED money. The government should subsidise classic car owners ( lower rego would be a nice thing ) for not increasing the carbon debt by buying a new car every 5 or so years.

 

You should be applauded for spending obscene amounts of money on classics. Not derided. I intend to drink a few beers in your honour and get wonderfully buzzed. Thank you for giving me a reason.

[stevo_gj]

I like this thread.

[sco_aus]

" it seems only real men choose the harder/costlier but ultimately more rewarding route."

WTF? Please explain? Lol

[gav240z]

Also restoring an older car is in fact a form of recycling. You are in fact helping the planet by not buying a new car but keeping an older one still running. In fact carbon credit wise you have SAVED money. The government should subsidise classic car owners ( lower rego would be a nice thing ) for not increasing the carbon debt by buying a new car every 5 or so years.

 

You should be applauded for spending obscene amounts of money on classics. Not derided. I intend to drink a few beers in your honour and get wonderfully buzzed. Thank you for giving me a reason.

 

Damn right, you know living in Ireland may be ridiculously expensive, but at least they offer classic registration for a flat 50 euro per year. Also classic car insurance is cheaper (same in Australia) and there is a flat 50 euro import tax on cars over 30 years old.

 

I wish you could get CH plates for everyday use or at least regular use of a classic vehicle. You shouldn't be punished for owning a classic car and preserving history, you should be commended as you said.

 

So back to the topic at hand, classic vs new car.

 

A classic will always be something special, it will never handle as well or have the same power output stock, nor will it be free from trouble. It will however have it's own unique character, something special about it. It will have it's own quirkiness. It's own strange behavior and needs. However that's what makes it all the more fun.

 

The best way to judge a car by it's coolness is show kids. Kids instinctively know what's cool. Show them a 370z and show them a 240z. See what they think is cooler, my money is that they will pick the 240z.

[Zeddophile]

 

The best way to judge a car by it's coolness is show kids. Kids instinctively know what's cool. Show them a 370z and show them a 240z. See what they think is cooler, my money is that they will pick the 240z.

 

Yeah.... just make sure they don't see the Batmobile.....

[modular9]

" it seems only real men choose the harder/costlier but ultimately more rewarding route."

WTF? Please explain? Lol

Sco-aus :

what I am meaning is this.

Choice between the easier route ( 350/370z ) or the harder/costlier/painful route of restoring and owning a car you have always wanted. Not that I look down on the blokes who work hard to get the money to achieve 350/370z. Just that I assume if you are on this forum that you have a love of the 240/260 and therefore would do as much as you could to achieve the end goal. Which is a car that blokes are jealous of, blokettes get weak at the knees and old people lose control of their bowels when you pass by.

 

Also I am a bit odd sometimes, I like to live in a fantasy world where angelina jolie likes fat balding hairy men who drive old datsuns and can burn water when they try to cook. If I didnt live in that fantasy I'd probably do something stupid like try to run the country while taking part in ironman contests wearing lycra.

 

 

[sco_aus]

hahaha, awesome answer.  I know what you are saying, I just found it a bit odd with the "real men" statement.  But its cool, wasn't having a go, just curious.

[MaygZ]

Lynton,

 

beautifully put.

[lightmaster240z]

I simply lov my 240z and I don't like the 370. there I said it.

I love the drive of old cars there is something about hearing the growl of the old girl  love and the two drive in the 370 that i have done doesn't do it for me. So I will have to wait for the next one before a upgrade 

Bruce

[Stivva]

Wet my jocks over 370z's all the time but still prefer building up an old girl and turning heads that way on the road.

[Veloce]

You could buy a very good 240z for the amount a 370z will depreciate by over a couple of years...

 

For new 370z money you could get one of the best 240z's in Australia, already restored and still have plenty of money left over for an interesting modern (second hand, or even new) daily driver if need be.

 

So why not be patient for the 'right' car to come on the market and not worry about blowing out resto costs? 

 

 

 

 

 

[sco_aus]

But the topic is either restoring it yourself or buying a new 370Z.

[Veloce]

I didn't relaise thinking outside the square was not allowed on this forum 

 

The two options seem so far apart i thought i would throw in another alternative 

 

Restore a 240z?

 

Buy new 370z?

 

Why not buy a 240z in near new condition? Sounds like a good compromise to me...

 

Waiting for that example to come up though is another matter... Could always import a restored car from Japan with that kinda money.

 

 

[sco_aus]

yeah sure, but the point is, purchasing a zed that has had the work done defeats the purpose of the question, cos you can bet your life that buying one restored you are spending less than the person who restored it, which can = near on the same money for a 370Z, where as you will probably not see a 240/60 sell for the same money as a 370Z.  Not only that the question is about the passion of restoring the car.

[herrods]

Im sure most people here have seen Eric Bana's "Love the Beast"

 

Jeremy Clarkson in an interview said "if you built the car this last time yourself, you wouldn't have crashed it" (talking about paying for a build rather than building the XB coupe himself.

 

And to a certain extent I think thats true.  If you put in the time and effort to build the car, then you will respect it, and enjoy it.  If you just bought a damn good one, although you may respect and enjoy it, it will not quite be the same, it will have no memories, and nothing (other than the new-found wallet hole) to attach you to the car.

 

I think most people here will swing toward the older cars... we wouldnt be here if thats not true!

 

There will always be more money later, who says you cant have one of each!  I love my 260z, but the 370z is also mmmm *drools*

[Quandary]

It is sad that every Z I have bought was a wreck and are either still wrecks or is in pretty ordinary condition in comparison to some of the Z's around.  It's more sensible to buy a new or partially/fully restored car cos from scratch restoration time is endless.  I find the 370's are boring (and they still have those silly door handles).  Restored 240 or new 370 are both just dreams.  It isn't even really a fair comparison because living with those cars would be entirely different.  The classic car is about learning how it works, how to care for and maintain things, unexpected conversations with strangers, looks of admiration from kids, and some of the older generation that remember when they were new.  For me stuff like this is just something I wouldn't want to lose so I'd be happy with a lump of rusting steel from the 70's sitting in the garage over a new Z.

 

Also give the Z another 30 odd years and see how many 370 it takes to buy a single classic Z.

[herrods]

thats true,

and here is another one to throw in the mix.

 

the 240z is undoubtedly a classic., 40 odd years from production

 

Will we (or not) see the 370z being a sought after classic.

 

I for one believe that the s15 200sx will enjoy that status, as the last of the "modern but without a computer for everything" cars, that still required a good dose of brains and common sense to drive.  the 370z is getting some good reviews, and is in my opinion carrying on the zed lineage (unlike the zx's and the 350z (im sure i'll get some flame for that )  BUT  i dont think it will be sought after as a classic like the 240 (and lesser extent the 260z has been and like i predict the s15 will be (if you can ever find one that hasnt been widebody 22" chromasized.

 

lets discuss

[620Z]

I guess the problem here is that people have had there cars for 10 or 15 years. Of course the 370Z wasn't out then. So the question is what would you of had to drive, some crappy bom for all those years. The other problem is you never invisage how much cash (not to mention time and stress) you will spend on your car whilst building it up. From a practical side you will do your balls come time to sell a 240/260Z if you have spent a shite load doing it up. At least a 370Z you will see some money back. But to get all my money back for my old Zed and buy a smooth driving 370Z with all the mod con's. Sure I would as long as long as I could still tweak it to go faster of course.

But since I won't be getting my money back I will just have to keep modifying my Zed till it drives like a 370Z. I think I only have power steering to go.

BUT if you were to decide today. My advise as a bean counter go the 370Z. 

[bluerat]

I was a bit shocked a couple of years ago, a new guy joined our local car club with a 300zx twin turbo, he said he was in the Zed car club(??), but wanted to try some racing, great, my mate and I were talking to him, and asked about the Zed club, and he said they don't menion the "D" word as it was embarrassing!! Little did he know he was talking to 1600 and a 180B owner. Dont like the new Zed's now...LOL

 

[Scando]

My car owes me about the same as the cheapest 2nd hand 350Z's getting about, has an extra 150kw's or so and weighs 400-500kg less.  Pretty easy decision I think.  A 350Z would run smooth, be quiet, etc, etc but to be honest (unless it's for a daily driver) I find all that boring.

[Zedman240®]

With me, after owning a zed as a first car, then owning two Z32's (auto and manual) then R33 Skyline, I went back to the zed twice! Just the fun factor and the noise was enough to want to own one again. The later cars don't have anything that comes close. I believe the early zeds are real sports cars as they should be; fast, noisy and uncomfortable! but most of all... fun!