1995 vs 1996 Nissan Z
Draft: this page has not had its final check yet, so check the sources behind anything you rely on.
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4th gen
1990–1996
Sold as 300ZX
- 5 warnings
- 0 recalls
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4th gen
1990–1996
Sold as 300ZX
- 5 warnings
- 0 recalls
Both years are the same generation, so most of what they offer is shared.
Watch out for
Reputation: what owners and the press report. Tap one to see what to check.
1995
Nothing that 1996 lacks.
1996
Nothing that 1995 lacks.
Both years
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
Rare catches
1995
Nothing that 1996 lacks.
1996
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Good find
Commemorative Edition Package
The last 300 cars for the US Hagerty, a published reference
300 built for the US Hagerty, a published reference
Why it is a good find: SlashGear's buying guide names it as the special edition to find for anyone who minds what the car is worth later. SlashGear
Both years
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Rare
SMZ by Stillen Package
Developed by Steve Millen Motorsports with Nissan North America A published reference
104 built A published reference
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Rare
Two-seat hardtop coupe Body style
Hagerty calls slicktop coupes quite rare Hagerty
What changed between
After 1995, up to and including 1996.
- 1996OBD II arrives, variable cam timing is dropped, and the last 300 US cars are Commemorative Editions. Hagerty, a published reference
What it came with
1995
Nothing that 1996 lacks.
1996
Both years
What owners and buyers say
Reputation: what owners and the press report
1995
Nothing that 1996 lacks.
1996
Nothing that 1995 lacks.
Both years
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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
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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