1992 Nissan 300ZX

This 300ZX is one of those UK cars, first registered in August 1992. Although physically identical to a Japanese-market car of the same specification, the fact that there was only one UK specification means it's the full-fat, twin-turbo, t-bar roof convertible model and not a lower-range item.

It's had a life in the UK, with around 138,000 miles on the clock – although that's less than 5,000 miles a year – and remarkably is only on its fifth owner, who himself only bought the car in 2021.

As a highly rated sports coupe with era-typical technological wizardry and a lot of tuning potential, there was a brief interest in the car in the tuning scene in the late 90s. That resulted in a lot of cars gaining lurid body kits, enormous exhausts, and big power – single turbo conversions were all the rage. However the 300ZX here thankfully seems to have escaped that fate entirely and is in remarkably standard form.

While mechanically sound and in good condition underneath, some areas could do with a cosmetic refresh. That was indeed the reason the current owner bought it: as a structurally solid running project of a car he'd always liked and wanted. A lot of work has already been carried out, and he's moving it on with some reluctance.

For the most part, the 300ZX is in good condition, considering the fact it's a 30-year old and red car. The Ultra Red paintwork has largely stood up to the tests of time, and across the front and flanks it retains its lustre impressively.

In fact the only issue we could spot around the front end is a patch on the nearside lower edge of the splitter where a section of the fibreglass has broken and looks to be stuck in place, but a repair shouldn't be a complex job.

The t-top car features a pair of removable roof panels which rest on the windscreen and rear screen frames and a bar which runs between them. These are largely in great condition, with a couple of small sub-surface bubbles on the nearside item in two places that again look like a simple repair for a bodyshop. The glass is in excellent condition and both additional interior trim fixings are present and intact.

You'll find the most significant cosmetic issues at the rear, starting with the rear spoiler. Most obviously the entire paint coat is cracking and peeling away from the black plastic item beneath on the offside, although there are also large bubbles and ripples across much of the surface.

The actual spoiler itself doesn't seem damaged at all, so this should be another relatively simple bodyshop job to strip and repaint. There's some corrosion on the boot lid beneath where the spoiler mounts, although it's not possible to determine the extent without removing the wing itself.

Another cosmetic issue at the rear end comes in the plastics of the light clusters. There's significant crackling and crazing in the clear coverings – although the lights themselves all appear to work – which would most likely require replacement if you're planning a concours restoration.

Otherwise the vehicle glass, lighting, and plastics are all in good condition and function appropriately. All four wheels are in good condition with no kerbing, and good quality tyres. The rear tyres are almost brand-new items.

The 300ZX sports a full leather interior for all four occupants; it's very much a 2+2, with no centre rear seat and only really suitable for smaller humans and occasional journeys in the back.

Naturally, for a car with 30 years underneath it, the seats do exhibit wear in approximate order of use. The rears are in the best condition, with only a mild degree of marking across the centre bolster, while the front passenger seat has some small cracks largely around the front edge of the base.

As the most-often used seat, it's the driver's seat that has the greatest damage, with large cracks to the black leather exposing the cushioning material beneath. It's not structurally damaged though, so it's a case of re-covering rather than replacing. All of the seat electrics on both front items – including adjustment and heating – are in full working order.

Elsewhere, the carpets and interior trim, including suede door cards, are in great condition, and there's a set of original, contrasting green, floor mats which bear the 300ZX markings.

All of the vehicle controls are in good condition too, with labelling intact and showing very little evidence of 30 years of button pressing aside from the window rockers. The CD/cassette/radio head units all function as they ought, even the electric extending aerial, as does the electronic air-conditioning display.

The boot is on the shallow side, and even more so with the roof panels stowed away. However it's in great condition, and you'll find a space saver spare wheel, original fire extinguishers, and a complete tool kit.

The heart of the 300ZX is the VG30DETT, a three-litre, twin-turbo V6 engine good for the gentleman's-agreement appropriate 276hp and around 280lbft of torque. In this example it's paired to a four-speed automatic gearbox, with an overdrive function.

That delivers a 0-60mph time of under seven seconds and a 155mph top speed; still quick enough by today's standards, but really rather fast back in 1992.

The engine has always been a reliable unit in standard form, and it continues to perform as it should with over 130,000 miles under its belts. It starts up first time, settles to idle quickly, and revs well without smoking or noises of complaint. You might spot the non-standard stainless steel and blue pipework under the hood, but these are direct replacements for original items.

Brakes and suspension all seem to do the job without any fuss or untoward squeaks, and indeed the owner uses it as an occasional daily.

Despite the age and mileage, it's remarkably clean beneath the body. Some of the exposed components bear typical signs of age, but there’s no obvious signs of leaks and structurally it's in rude health.

One exception to this is some damage where the car has been jacked up inappropriately; the owner states that any future owner should make sure that any garage it goes to is aware of the unusual jack point locations on a 300ZX...

The 300ZX comes with a good bundle of history, including a dealer-stamped service book up to 89,000 miles in 2001. It shows that the car spent much of its life in and around Hertfordshire and Essex, before the current owner in Yorkshire – away from snowy roads and annual salting and well away from the sea air!

There's an original handbook and owner's manual, and a handbook for that entirely in-period Piranha alarm system, as well as a sheaf of more recent and relevant bills – and the current V5C showing four previous owners.

This is a car born of the PlayStation generation, made popular by its appearance in video games and tuning magazines. Despite sitting in the same company as cars now asking six-figures, the 300ZX has flown relatively under the radar – making it a relative bargain.

Finding one at all is a hard enough task, but finding an original UK market car in standard specification without significant engine alterations is surprisingly unlikely, so this is a rare opportunity.

Although it would benefit from addressing some cosmetic issues, it appears to be a mechanically and structurally sound base for a truly unusual running restoration project – as the current owner intended.

We estimate this vehicle to fetch between £8,000 - £11,000 in auction.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with the vendor in Sheffield, United Kingdom. To arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.