All automotive journalism, even the most colourful, creative, and story-driven examples of the medium, essentially boil down to one question: Is this car worth the price tag?
I’ve had a lot of fun finding examples of often overlooked, lesser-known or just simply forgotten vintage cars that I believe are worth the asking price — at every price point for this weekly column. I’ve typically avoided writing about new cars because it’s just not my beat here at AutoTrader.
But often, the question of “is this car worth the price tag?” is mostly answered upon a new model’s debut. Journalists often review and judge a car in the context in which it comes into the world. This was perfectly reasonable when the market was predictable. The market these past few years, however, has been anything but. Unthinkable markups have given way to extreme price cuts. The context has changed for a lot of new models — and that means their “worth it” question is worth reevaluating.
I was incredibly harsh on the 2024 Nissan Z when it arrived. On the road, it failed to deliver the kind of everyday thrills you can have in a Mustang GT or Camaro SS, and on-track it felt sluggish, wayward, and unfocused — the polar opposite of its obvious rival, the Toyota GR Supra. While the redesigned bodywork was undeniably attractive, the inside was rental car sad — a parts bin special of warmed over leftovers.
But here’s the rub. I made that evaluation of the Z within the context of the time.
Put aside the fact that social media comment section critics had made up their minds that the Z was the real-deal Japanese sports car we deserved, whereas the BMW co-developed GR Supra was a mere imposter (in driving experience, the opposite couldn’t be further from the truth) and that sort of dogmatic, group-think rhetoric demands to be challenged. The real problem with the Z was the price.
Markups on the Z were out of control. While the car was supposed to start at $54,000, there were reports of the car being marked up into the realm of six digits. You couldn’t touch one of these things for less than $80,000 a few years ago. For that kind of money, I could never recommend it.
Now, however, the market is very, very different for the Z.
Brand new 2024 Nissan Zs aren’t just sitting on lots at sticker price, they’re being discounted up to $10,000 off.
This brand new base model on AutoTrader with 10 km on the clock is sitting in the showroom at Niagara Falls Nissan with its price slashed from $53,093 to $43,999.
Niagara Falls Nissan says that the price isn’t final and they’ll consider offers. Take it from the descendant of three generations of car dealers: that is desperation talking. They want that thing gone yesterday and so badly that they’re willing to slash prices. And they aren’t the only dealer marking down Zs to that degree.
This Nissan dealer in Barrie, Ont., has taken $12,000 off the price of this performance model. And they’re willing to store it for you until spring.
At under $50,000, my entire evaluation of the Z changes.
That’s a two-seater, rear-wheel-drive, twin-turbo, 400-horsepower, all-Japanese sports car out the door with a warranty? And it looks like that? Yes, please.
No longer does the Z sit in this weird place where you can spend less money, buy a GR86 and have way more fun, or spend the same money and buy a GR Supra and have way more performance.
The Z is now just a small premium over the GR86. Sure, the 86 is still the better driver’s car because you can push the car to the limit all the time, but the Z is more comfortable and easier to live with every day, even though it doesn’t have a back seat. And while you’ll still get slapped down by every bad credit score coated in Axe body spray driving a Scat Pack Challenger, 400 horsepower is still more than enough to bully most others.
And did I mention how good the new Z looks? They modelled that metal strip that runs down the roof line after a samurai sword. How cool is that? The taillights are modelled after the 300ZX, and that’s the sort of thing that makes my Millennial heart tick up a beat.
Best of all, what really makes this new Z a worthy Find of the Week? You’ll still be the only one on your block with one. Because, damn, these cars are not selling well.
The story of the Z is changing. While it may not be the kind of win Nissan wanted (arguably needed), it may turn out to be a win for the savvy buyers who waited for the iron to cool before striking.
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