Need help with estamating milage

[twnygren]

Hi, tomorrow im going to go pick up a 1972 240z, The odo is at 38k and I was wondering if there are any good ways to tell what the actually mileage is. The body is in really good condition, the paint is not however. It has next to no rust. Are there any tell tale signs that would distinguish a 138k from a 238k car? thanks for your help

[overdrivex]

carfax and hope that the shop he takes it actually reports the millage. unless colorado doesn't require state inspections. other than that not sure how else. these cars usually get exempt once the odmeter resets though.

[zbane]

carfax will be of no use to you, the vin number is too short for their system to recognize.

Hope for service records (something you should try to get whenever purchasing any vehicle). The L series engine is fairly bulletproof and easy enough to work on, so if everything else looks good (check for rust everywhere), and the price is right, don't let the unknown mileage stop you.

[psdenno]

Assume it's 138K, or even 238K, and then start looking at the physical wear signs which are:

Wear on the pedal pads

Upholstery (original?)

windshield (original glass?), chips sand blast

shift knob

Ask for maintenance records

original headlights or later US replacements

original carpet & pad or replacement

wear on the steering wheel - or replaced?

These are just a few of the easy ones. There are more under the hood if you look for grime build up on the engine and replaced parts that shouldn't have gone bad in 38K miles.

Good luck, always assume the worst and hope for the best when buying a used car.

Dennis

[=Enigma=]

Always be skeptical at claims of a Z being rust free. Aside from all the common areas, be sure to check the following areas on a Z: area under the battery tray, rear hatch deck, front frame rails, and floorboards.

Here's a link to some the places you should be checking: http://zhome.com/Classic/CommonZRust/RustPrevention240Z.htm

The Rust bucket Support Group thread here is another good place to become familiar with the cancer.

[Pop's Z]

It might have been a good idea to have one of us Colorado guys help you with this. There are a few of us who have a ton of experience with these cars and would be happy to help. If you are anywhere near northern Colorado send me a pm and I'll help out.

Cheers, Mike