NEW! Award 107: 1982 Datsun 280ZX Turbo Automatic – Sold?

September 19, 2022, Update – We just confirmed the listing for this “Classifind” expired, so with no replacement found, we’re assuming this ride is “Sold?” While this one got away, please reach out either by email or call us directly if you’d like to be informed when we come across something similar.

Some classic car ads found on Craigslist just make us shake our heads.  If you want top dollar for your classic car, then be prepared to provide excellent pictures and plenty of them. Just three pictures with no interior or engine shots will not get you many calls, especially when you write, “Offers start at $50K.”  While this 1982 Datsun 28oZX Turbo, originally listed in July 2022 on Craigslist in Bloomfield, Connecticut (Hartford), features only 62K original miles and desirable T-Tops, this car is equipped with the much less desirable automatic.

Unfortunately, the Hagerty Insurance valuation tool likely gave this seller the false hope they can get fifty large for their Malaise Era Z as this guide confirms the pricing falls between this guide’s #1 “Concours” appraisal of $65,500 and its #2 “Excellent” estimate of $38,300.  As a second and more realistic data point, Classic.com, the analytics and search engine for the collector car market, confirms the ask is way above the one-year rolling average of this guide’s summary for all body styles and trim levels of 1982 Datsun 280ZX models.  By clicking on the green dots in the graph below, you can navigate to each comparable car sold as a way to help you evaluate the price of the car featured here:

As a third data point, the  Collector Car Market Review Online Tool reveals the seller’s ask falls unrealistically above this guide’s current #1 “Excellent” appraisal of $22,600 before factoring in adjustments for T-Tops (+10%) and the automatic (-15%).  The overwhelming evidence of prior sales not coming close to $50K has us giving the seller our latest “NEW!” (short for “No Effin Way!”) Award for an asking price not in line with what the market will bear.

First launched in 1970 as the 240Z and then later replaced by updated 260Z and 280Z variants, by 1978 Nissan elected to perform a complete redesign of its iconic sports car.  Nissan elected to call the new version the 280ZX and with it retained only the L28 inline-six engine and other driveline components from the 280Z. Nissan offered both two-seat and four-seat (2+2) designs. Compared to the more overtly sporting earlier models, the 280ZX was a much softer, heavier car, with less focus on driving and more on driver comfort and refinement.  Softer suspension, better sound insulation, more comfortable seats, and ample equipment including high-end audio systems defined the new ZX. In the spirit of the times, emissions controls and aerodynamics were markedly improved over the first generation Z-cars, while weight was down somewhat as long as the buyer did not pick much from the very long options list.  The exterior design was evolutionary, less rounded, and with better-integrated safety bumpers. Many parts, including the rear axle and the power steering, came from the Datsun 810 luxury sedan.  Most of the design effort went into an entirely different and much more modern interior.  The 280ZX became a grand tourer rather than a sports car, particularly in the plush Grand Luxury versions.

However, by 1982 Nissan hoped to get back some performance street credentials by giving the 280ZX a mid-cycle facelift in 1982 that included revised NACA ducting in the hood, new alloy wheels (fourteen-inch six-spoke alloys for non-turbo models, and fifteen-inch four-spoke alloys for turbo models), a revised B-pillar garnish, new pin-stripe style tail-lights, and rubber bumper over-riders replaced the earlier model’s chrome and rubber items. The bumpers were now also body-colored and wrapped around further. Interior changes were minor but included new seat trim styling. The 1982 model also was the first to offer the popular voice warning system, which warned the driver when the headlights were left on after the vehicle was turned off if the parking brake was on while the vehicle was in motion and many others.  This facelifted model has since come to be called the “Series II” 280ZX.  While the naturally aspirated 1982 and 1983 Datsun 280ZX boasted a 0-60 mph time of 9.1 seconds (1.2 seconds slower than the Corvette of the same year), opting for the Turbo version dropped that time down by a more respectable two seconds.

The MotorWeek Retro Review YouTube Channel features this vintage road test of the then-new for 1982 Datsun 280ZX Turbo:

Besides the optimistic asking price, the other question we have is whether this car is a real-deal factory 1982 Datsun 280ZX Turbo or if the Bob Sharp racing installed turbo was actually an aftermarket upgrade.  We’d need to see many more pictures of this car the scratch on the front bumper and what appears to be a damaged passenger side trim piece is not a great first impression.

Here’s the seller’s description:

Yea or Nay: Do you agree or disagree with our pricing assessment of this 1982 Datsun 280ZX Turbo?  Please comment below and let us know!