Coffee and Z's

After months of struts, fluids, tires, and an oil change, I figured it was time to stop wrenching and start enjoying. So I took the 300ZX convertible out to Nashville Cars and Coffee to see how she'd do in mixed company.

This car has lived a pretty sheltered life at just under 39k miles, and honestly most of its recent miles have been test drives up and down my street after finishing a job. Getting out on the highway and into a crowd of fellow enthusiasts felt like a proper debut.

The drive out was smooth - the KYB struts and new Falkens made a world of difference compared to the 32-year-old originals. That's my wife posing with the Z - she's been patient through all the garage time, so it was nice to finally have something to show for it.

The turnout was great despite the overcast skies, and the 300ZX drew its share of attention. It's not every day you see a Z32 convertible in the wild - Nissan didn't make many of them. A few folks stopped to chat and couldn't believe the mileage. I get it. I still can't believe it either.

Not a bad reward for a winter's worth of garage time.

300ZX Oil Change - Restore & Protect

With the full suspension refresh wrapped up and fresh fluids throughout the drivetrain, the 300ZX convertible was overdue for an oil change. The factory fill was long gone from the other services, but I hadn't done a proper oil and filter change yet, so it was time.

I decided to switch things up this time and go with Valvoline Restore & Protect Full Synthetic 5W-30 instead of my usual Mobil 1. Valvoline's Restore & Protect line is formulated for higher-mileage and older engines - figured it was a good fit for a 33-year-old VG30DE with only 39k on the clock. Low miles, but age takes its toll on seals and gaskets. This Z also has a bit of lifter noise - something the VG30DE is known for - and I'm hoping the Restore & Protect can help keep those tiny hydraulic lifter orifices clear.

I paired it with a Nissan OEM oil filter (15208-65Y0A) - no reason to get creative with the filter when the factory part is still readily available. Drained the old oil, swapped the filter, and filled her back up. Simple and clean.

Odometer sitting at 39,020. She's not racking up the miles, but she's getting the attention she deserves.