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PostPosted: Tue Feb 23, 2016 9:48 pm 
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Location: Long Island, N.Y.
Since I haven't seen any Z's from 1997 thru 2002 I am assuming that Nissan didn't produce any. Does anyone have the back story on why?

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1985 300ZX- GLL Dark Pewter Metallic - Survivor


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PostPosted: Wed Feb 24, 2016 3:45 am 
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It's correct that none were produced. Not sure why though. Economy? Market?


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PostPosted: Wed Feb 24, 2016 8:11 am 
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Location: NY/CT
"The 300ZX was doomed to the same fate of many Japanese sports cars of the time. The mid-'90s trend toward SUVs and the rising Yen:Dollar ratio were both influential in ending North American 300ZX sales in 1996 at over 80,000 units sold (production for other markets continued until 2000). Probably the biggest killer of the 300ZX was its ever inflating price;[citation needed] at its release it was priced at about $30,000, but in its final year this price had increased to around $50,000. This left many people questioning its value, and despite a final Commemorative Edition of the final 300 units shipped to America (complete with decals and certificates of authenticity), the Z-Car was on hiatus. In Japan, however, the 300ZX lived on for a few more years with a face-lift including a new front fascia, tail lights, head lights, rear spoiler, and a few other minor changes."

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissan_Z-car

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Colin F. Gentle
1970 Datsun 240z #11137


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PostPosted: Wed Feb 24, 2016 10:20 am 
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Location: Long Island, N.Y.
Colin. Thank you for sharing your knowledge on the Z's history and the attached link to its ancestry. I totally enjoyed it. :thumbs_up: 8)

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PostPosted: Wed Feb 24, 2016 2:34 pm 
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Location: CT
The 300ZX had become a spaceship. It was incredibly complex and did things which no previous Zcar had done (HICUS rear wheel steering, for example). Accordingly, the price was also astronomical and repair became expensive. The car essentially priced itself out of reach of the common blue-collar US enthusiast. The average Joe simply could no longer afford to own and maintain a 300ZX.

Howard, if we can ever entice you to attend our monthly meetings, you'll get a chance to meet RDZ's Rich Amatulli, who is our resident 300zx guru. He has given us some fascinating presentations about the complexity of the 300s and what routine maintenance they need. It takes an hour to cover it all, and he does it as quickly as he can. The cars are simply astonishing works of mechanical art. They go like craZy but they cost as much to maintain as sending your twins to college. They simply priced themselves out of reach.

I think Nissan just didn't have any plans on the drawing board when they realiZed the 300zx was a dead issue. It took them 6yrs to put their heads together and start thinking 'simpler' and 'cheaper' and come up with the 350.

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PostPosted: Wed Feb 24, 2016 7:16 pm 
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Although I am a 240z nerd, I am no expert on the demise of the later generation Z's. I simply consulted the google and quoted that wiki page. Seemed like legit data to me (:

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Colin F. Gentle
1970 Datsun 240z #11137


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PostPosted: Wed Feb 24, 2016 7:44 pm 
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Colin ~

Everything you said is completely true; I didn't mean to imply it wasn't.

The driving factor behind the death of the 300zx was the cost associated with trying to feed and water them, and that's essentially what both of us said (however, you told us about the 300zx surviving for awhile in Japan which I didn't know. Maybe when the cost of shipping and feeding all those American salesmen was avoided, the cost of the car fell back into realistic figures). Sorry if I sounded like I was 'correcting' you ~ I agree with everything you said.

Frank

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PostPosted: Wed Feb 24, 2016 8:07 pm 
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Hah! Frank! I should have addressed my comment to Howard - just wanted to let him know I am by no means an expert on the subject and just simply performed a google search, as I was curious myself! And even if you did correct me, I'd be honored... :lol:

Cheers!

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Colin F. Gentle
1970 Datsun 240z #11137


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PostPosted: Thu Feb 25, 2016 1:43 pm 
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Location: Long Island, N.Y.
Colin and Frank. I am so very happy that I joined CTZCC because of all the relevant information I've been able to absorb from members like you. I've noticed nothing but respect and admiration between members of the club even when there are different opinions and, more importantly, no one gets berated for those opinions.
Down to earth human beings who try not to step on other peoples toes and who appear willing to go that extra mile for their fellow enthusiast ?....... WOW.."I'm not in Kansas anymore." Or am I ? I totally love it.:lol:

Just stand in line and pinch me when I get to my 1st meeting because nowadays everything and everyone is usually of a rush, rush, hurry up mindset. I can get used to this. :thumbs_up:

Howard Jay

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PostPosted: Thu Feb 25, 2016 5:26 pm 
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Location: CT
This is, in all honesty, one of the very best groups of people I've ever met. We're not rich (well, most of us aren't) or we'd be an Aston Martin or Ferrari club. We're not snooty and we respect each other. We're a family-based Club who are accustomed to bringing our wives, our kids, or our sweethearts to the monthly meetings or events, without fear of them being insulted or embarrassed. We don't allow drinking or drugs or swearing or other offensive activities. Kids can't bring skateboards or bikes around the cars and dogs aren't allowed either, because some folks have allergies or phobias and there's nothing good a dog, a bike or a skateboard can do to a classic car. We are friendly and fun, and we're FREE. We go out of our way to accommodate as many members as possible as often as possible; we even move our monthly meetings around the state in order to be accessible to people in every corner.

We've never had a fight, we've never been asked to leave anyplace, the only time the cops have ever stopped was to gawk at the cars, and everyplace which hosts us, asks us to please come back soon. We have a few venues vying to sponsor our Z Show each year.
We charge you no dues. We only take money from you if you want to enter your Z in the annual car show or want to buy any of the great CTZCC apparel. We feed you FREE each monthly meeting (piZZa usually, because of all the Zs in it 8) ) and we always try to help each other with any technical issues we might experience. Each meeting somebody stands up and gives an interesting Z-related presentation. We are not an internet Z club; we're real, and "most of us know most of us". We're "Z friends", and we learn something new from each conversation we have together.

This website is the glue which holds us together and keeps us (semi-) sane during the non-driving winter months. It began as our Club's official InterComm, but it has become an outstanding (and very active) Z forum in itself. We've had members from as far away as Europe, Canada, Scandinavia and Australia join us just to discuss Zs, and one of our most-active members brought his family here from Germany to meet us. We have members from doZens of states, and many of them have driven or flown here to meet us, just as we hope you will do. There's something you know about your Z which none of the rest of us knows yet, and you're going to teach us about it. In return, we're going to teach you what we know (or what we think we know) and share a lot of laughs and Z stories together.

You've joined a great Club, Howard. :thumbs_up:

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PostPosted: Tue Oct 11, 2016 6:51 am 
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Joined: Wed Aug 12, 2009 6:22 pm
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Location: Clearwater, FL
OK - Old Discussion Thread - new reply.
The Nissan 300Z was killed in the US with the end of the 1996 Model Year. Because it could not met the 1997+ US Emissions Standards without extensive redesign of the uni-body undercarriage and emissions controls on the engine. That could not be done because in 1996 Nissan Motor Co. Ltd was some $20 Billion in the Red and facing bankruptcy.

The Z Car required its own unique chassis, so the R&D Money needed to design a new Z Car just wasn't available in Nissan's budget. The resources/funds were still not available for a new Z Car - even as the Z was reintroduced in 2001. Unlike any previous generation - the 350Z was built on an existing sedan chassis/unibody - the Infiniti G35. Nothing wrong with that -but it did limit the styling options.

In addition to some of the factors mentioned above. Yes, it had grown too expensive. Yes sales had dropped off to almost Zero. But also and most importantly - because the US Marketing and Sales Organization reported to Japan that Sports Cars were dead in the US - and the market had moved on to SUV's.

In my opinion - that was just the Marketing & Sales Departments excuse for failing to Market and SELL the Z. The Madza Miata proved that the Sports Car market in America was indeed alive and well.
FWIW,
Carl B.


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PostPosted: Tue Oct 11, 2016 11:58 am 
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Carl, every time you open your mouth I learn something new.
WHEN will you write your own Z book?

Frank

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