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I had a friend of mine who had a 1976 280Z as his first car, this was 20+ years ago. Even being much newer back then, it required almost constant attention. It was also a rust free car, being in TX its whole life. However, an old car is still old, and many things will go wrong with them.
I'd find something newer, like a 90's Z.
Z32 300Zx Twin Turbo are worth some decent $$$ in good condition and the N/A Version probably have been used up/abused and many of the good condition ones were taken off the road during cash for clunkers
If the Op can find a nice Mid-Late 90's 240SX that would be great Reliable first car that is RWD fun to drive easy to mod and has modern safety features and huge aftermarket support and the 2.4 L KA24DE I4 is great engine.
Z32 300Zx Twin Turbo are worth some decent $$$ in good condition and the N/A Version probably have been used up/abused and many of the good condition ones were taken off the road during cash for clunkers
If the Op can find a nice Mid-Late 90's 240SX that would be great Reliable first car that is RWD fun to drive easy to mod and has modern safety features and huge aftermarket support and the 2.4 L KA24DE I4 is great engine.
If this is your only car I'd go with 240sx, reliable, easy to work on, but gas mileage is bad, it drinks gas like a v6. I own 93 300zx TT manual myself. While it's been reliable(b/c I've got OCD for maintenance) 400+hp car, I do not daily drive this thing mainly due to horrific LA traffic. Also when things break on Z32's, it will get expensive and not all mechanics will be happy to work on it because engine bay is cramped. For me I got used to it, I've done everything except engine pull on this car. For daily duties, got a cng civic with hov sticker which is awesome.
I'm not a Nissan guy or Infinti as some of their models are made by cheaper Korean companies and just experience with some of the trades. I worked in the auto industry for 5 years. If you are looking at something solid that's older from this manufacturer you might want to consider an Infiniti G20. I still think its one of the most solid cars Nissan ever built. Just my 2 cents.
If you can afford a completely restored 240Z, go for it. Great looking car. Odds are you can't afford a fully restored model. A cool first car is a matter of bank account and personal taste. A good first car is easier because so many modern used cars are far more reliable than previous generation vehicles at the same age.
You have good taste in cars...I would love to have a 240z-280z in great condition, but if your driving is going to demand reliability (commuting to work/school ect) that's a pretty old vehicle to be depending on. Who knows tho, in Cali you will find some still in regular use and. I would think there are plenty of places that work on old cars there going by the number you see on the road.
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