Listing snapshot
| Spotted | July 2023 |
| Asking price | $15,000 |
| Mileage | 119,000 |
| Status | Ad expired. This page is our archive of the listing. |
We spotted this 1983 Datsun 280ZX in July 2023, listed for $15,000 with 119,000 miles. The ad has expired, but we keep the record. 1983 was the last year of the 280ZX, and an honest description with real flaws listed is a useful reference when pricing one.
What this car was
A red two-seat coupe with a black roof, glass T-tops and silver alloy wheels, photographed outside a house in dry, hilly country. The paint is shiny overall, with some touched-up chips. Inside are grey cloth seats and a grey interior, with a carpet cover over the dash. The engine bay looks stock, with the original air box and plumbing in place and no aftermarket parts in sight.
The seller gave an unusually frank list:
- A few minor dings and imperfections
- Rust on the passenger rear quarter by the taillight, and a small rust spot on the passenger fender
- Floor solid under the padding
- Chipped paint touched up by the owner
- Original interior; the dash is cracked, which the dash cover hides
- Radio not working after a wrong fuse blew
- Cruise control works and the A/C blows cold
- Runs and drives well
Was $15,000 a fair ask?
It was a confident price. Good 280ZX values had been rising, and this one had cold A/C, working cruise, T-tops and an owner who was open about every flaw. Holding it back: 119,000 miles, rust starting in two places, a cracked dash and a dead radio. Rust on a Z only gets worse, so a buyer would want to check the quarter, the fender and the floors closely before paying anywhere near the ask.
A little 280ZX history
The 280ZX replaced the 280Z for the 1979 model year. It was softer and more of a grand tourer than the original Z, with a fuel-injected 2.8-liter straight-six, and came as a two-seater or a 2+2. A turbocharged version arrived in 1981. After 1983 it was replaced by the 300ZX, which carried Nissan badges instead of Datsun.
More cars from the archive
- Every Datsun 280ZX we’ve spotted, with asking prices
- 1986 Isuzu Pickup Long Bed, another 1980s Japanese car
- 1987 Nissan 200SX XE, another 1980s Japanese car
- 1988 Mazda 323 GT, another 1980s Japanese car
- 1989 Isuzu I-Mark XS, another 1980s Japanese car
