Photo : Craigslist

The seller of today’s Nice Price or Crack Pipe 300ZX claims to be seeking a buyer who will hold the car in the same “high regard” as does he. Before that can happen however, we’ll have to regard its price.


Well, we all learned something last Friday, and that is that pretty much everybody hates the Land Rover Evoque convertible. Not since the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet has there been a car quite like it, and based on the responses to the 2017 Evoque HSE we considered one would hope that there won’t be many more to follow.

The Evoque is an oddball car to begin with—not particularly utilitarian, or efficient, or even effective off- road. Add to that the convertible’s odd proportions and tiny trunk and a $53,000 price starts to look a little crazy. At least it did to the overwhelming 90 percent of you who dunned Friday’s so-priced car, giving it a decisive Crack Pipe loss.


I noted that the Evoque convertible could be directly compared to just one prior car, the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet. That was also a car that was equally vilified and effectively shunned when new. It could be seen that the Muano was either a major misstep by Nissan, or an example of the company’s ability to push the envelope and fearlessly sail waters both uncharted and unabashedly weird .

I don’t know about you, but I like it better when companies don’t try and make things awkward. This 1988 Nissan 300ZX Turbo is an example of Nissan doing things in an exciting way, while still coloring inside the lines.


The Z31 edition of Nissan’s Fairlady Z represented the third major redesign of the mode line, but was the first to eschew an inline engine for an available V6. The VG30E would prove to be Japan’s first mass production V6 engine and did duty here in the U.S. not only in the ZX but in the Maxima, pickup, and Pathfinder as well . A version even found its way under the hood of the Mercury Villager, a model codeveloped by Nissan and Ford.

Here it’s the turbocharged VG30ET which when new was spec’d at a solid 200 horsepower and 227 lb.-ft. of torque. An interference engine, these come with timing belts that need timely service. This one sports 140,500 miles on the clock and the claim from the seller that the timing belt has not only been refreshed but has been done so with original Nissan parts as well. Speaking of trips to the parts desk, check out the pic of all the updates the seller has either put into the car or made way for a new owner to do so.


In his comprehensively descriptive ad the seller notes that he wanted to keep the car as stock as possible while at the same time updating it so the performance would align with modern expectations. To that end he has added S32 four-pot brakes up front and updated the suspension with new poly bushings plus springs and struts. Motor mounts have also seen attention along with a bunch of the drivetrain consumables.


It’s not just a well attended car either, this one is kitted the way you’d want it. That means that it’s the aforementioned 3-litre t urbo. Behind that though, is a five-speed manual and an R200 LSD in back. The seller claims that all works as it should, resulting in a car that “drives extremely well (not just for its age), and yet still has plenty of opportunity for further modification if/when desired.” There’s no mention of the T-tops leaking which I take as no news is good news.


It’s not all Sake and Soba here however. First off, t he bodywork is a little rough around the edges. The car apparently has spent its entire life in Colorado and that has not been kind to the clear coat. Additionally, someone was less than kind to the driver’s door which evidences a good bit of wave where it looks like a dent was half-pushed out. A few hundred bucks at one of those paintless dent pullers might be all that takes to correct that. The rear bumperettes are showing sun damage as well, and there’s a dent on the passenger side fender. The seller says he has a solid replacement for that last bit.


The interior come across better. The seller notes some splits in the dash, as they do, and a bit of a seam issue on the outer bolster of the driver’s throne. Other vexing problems include recalcitrant oil and temp gauges and a power antenna that defies repair. The car comes with the factory radio but the ad doesn’t mention whether or not it has the voice warning system. It does have analog gauges, the digital dash being one ‘80s hangover this Turbo doesn’t provide.

The title is clean and the reason given for the sale is lack of time for the car’s upkeep. The seller says he fears what the car might become should it stay under his stewardship and he wants to sell it only to someone who shares his initial goal of keeping it pure in its purpose.


That likeminded soul will need to come up with $6,000 as that’s the seller’s asking price. Actually, I’d bet that anyone who shows up with six-large in cash asking for the pink slip will be driving home in this silver bullet, regardless of their intents.


Ah, but should they? These big Z tourers for whatever reason haven’t seen the crazy appreciation that their Toyota Supra category mates have. That makes them a bargain at the moment, but at $6,000, do you think this one is one of those deals?

You decide!




Denver, CO Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.

H/T to RevUnlimiter for the hookup!

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