1989 vs 1990 Nissan Z

Draft: this page has not had its final check yet, so check the sources behind anything you rely on.

vs

Each year's own entries sit side by side, then what both share. Warnings of different generations are listed apart even under the same name, because what to check can differ.

Watch out for

Reputation: what owners and the press report. Tap one to see what to check.

1989

  • Rust under the rear carpet and seats All years

    What to check: Pull up the rear carpet and the foam tool tray, and look in the spare tyre well and under the seats.

    Three owners in two HybridZ threads name rust in the rear floor under the carpet, and two of them call floor rust a reason to pass.

    Owners' reports (unofficial)

  • Leaking quarter windows and tail lights All years

    What to check: Look for water stains and damp carpet behind the seats and in the rear corners.

    Three owners in two HybridZ threads say the rear quarter windows and the tail lights leak, and two of them say the T-tops leak too.

    Owners' reports (unofficial)

1990

  • Leaking HICAS lines 1990–1993

    What to check: Look for a HICAS warning light on the dash and for fluid along the lines that run to the rear, and ask whether the system was ever switched off.

    The hydraulic lines run the length of the car and leak with age. Electric HICAS from 1994 does away with them. SlashGear, citing Car and Driver, says some owners disable it to save on repairs.

    Hagerty, SlashGear

  • Leaking T-tops and blocked drains All years One source so far

    What to check: Look for water behind the seats and in the footwells, and check the T-top seals for shrinking.

    The seals shrink with age, and the drains in the B-pillars and windscreen frame clog, so water gets in.

    Hagerty

  • Rust in the sills and door jambs All years

    What to check: Look at the sills ahead of the rear wheels, the door jambs and the seat rails. A patched outer sill can hide rot inside.

    Hagerty says deep rust is rare on the Z32 but bubbling on the rockers and door jambs happens. SlashGear, citing Autocar, says blocked roof drains rot the sills ahead of the rear arches, and that rusty seat rails point to a car left open in the rain.

    Hagerty, SlashGear

  • Poorly repaired front end damage All years One source so far

    What to check: Check the fit of the nose panel, hood, bumper and headlamps, and use a paint thickness meter. Before 1995 a body-colour lower bumper means it has been repainted.

    Hagerty says bad accident repairs are common.

    Hagerty

  • Leaking turbo seals All years

    What to check: Ask whether the turbos were checked or replaced, and look for blue smoke.

    SlashGear, citing Car and Driver, says the turbo seals can start to leak between 60,000 and 80,000 miles. Hagerty says the turbos can fail with age or miles.

    SlashGear, Hagerty

  • Weak gearbox synchros All years One source so far

    What to check: Shift through every gear on the test drive, quickly as well as gently, and feel for grinding.

    Nissan fitted stronger synchros to the Japanese cars from 1999 to cure a soft-synchro problem that had shown up on earlier Z32s.

    A published reference

Recalls

1989

  • 95I006000 1984–1989

    Not a safety recall but a safety improvement campaign: the fuel injectors and their hoses, which could leak, are replaced. NHTSA

1990

Nothing that 1989 lacks.

What changed between

After 1989, up to and including 1990.

  1. 19904th gen begins.
  2. 1990The Z32 arrives as a T-top two-seater and 2+2, first without turbos; the Twin Turbo follows before the end of 1989. Hagerty, SlashGear

What it came with

1989

Engines
3.0L turbo V6 Nissan, a published reference
Body styles
Two-seat coupe A published reference, 2+2 coupe A published reference
Trims
300ZX Turbo Nissan, a published reference

1990

Engines
3.0L twin turbo V6 Nissan, Hagerty, a published reference
Body styles
Two-seat coupe with T-tops Nissan, Hagerty, a published reference, 2+2 with T-tops Nissan, Hagerty, a published reference
Trims
300ZX Twin Turbo Hagerty, a published reference

Both years

Engines
3.0L V6 Nissan, Hagerty, a published reference
Transmissions
5-speed manual Hagerty, a published reference, 4-speed automatic Hagerty, a published reference
Drivetrains
Rear-wheel drive A published reference
Trims
300ZX Hagerty, a published reference

What owners and buyers say

Reputation: what owners and the press report

1989

Nothing that 1990 lacks.

1990

  • Sought after: Manual Twin Turbo two-seater All years

    Hagerty calls the two-seat T-top Twin Turbo the most wanted Z32, and SlashGear names the manual Twin Turbo as the one collectors want. Hagerty, SlashGear

  • Avoid: Modified cars All years Less sought after

    Many Z32s were modified. SlashGear advises collectors to pass on cars with big changes, since the work is hard to judge in a tight engine bay, and Hagerty says to be patient and find a clean, mostly stock car. SlashGear, Hagerty