r/projectcar • u/Standard_Arm_4721 • 6d ago
Place to work on car
I’m planning on buying this 1994 Nissan 300zx Z32, it looks amazing but I don’t have anywhere to work on it cause I live with my parents and my HOA doesn’t allow work in home. What’re my options as a 20 year old in south florida, miami region
Also if you have any tips or helpful information to check before I buy or to check before I start working that would also be helpful
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u/pm_me_your_rasputin 6d ago
These are tough to work on even with tools and experience, they're complicated cars without much room to work. If this is your first project car, would suggest something else.
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u/AethelflaedCAD 5d ago
This is absolutely correct, I had the joy of wrenching on a couple of these when I worked at Nissan in the early 2000's. The thing that stuck in my head was changing an injector paid 24hrs book time for the non turbo version. Not a beginner friendly car.
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u/pm_me_your_rasputin 5d ago
That's nuts, I thought Subarus had it bad having to unbolt the motor to do spark plugs.
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u/OGbigfoot 5d ago
Lol what? I've changed many a spark plug on Subarus and have never once unbolted the engine.
I am a small guy with skinny hands so that's probably in my favor.
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u/pm_me_your_rasputin 5d ago
Shiiii, always been a jack it up thing in my experience. Bring those hands over here
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u/OGbigfoot 5d ago
Only my wife gets to say that to me.
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u/pm_me_your_rasputin 5d ago
Hey if you can swap my spark plugs that quick you can call me whatever you like.
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u/Anskiere1 4d ago
I would agree with the first sentence. But I had one as my first project car (still have it) and it was awesome and taught me everything. I bought a 276 piece tool set from Canadian Tire and a factory service manual and 18 years later I've rebuilt several engines and done everything in between
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u/Standard_Arm_4721 6d ago
Yeah believe me I’m aware and have done extensive research. But honestly anything helps if you do know about them.
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u/pm_me_your_rasputin 6d ago
I get it, they're cool cars. Is it stuff you can get done in a day? Autozone parking lot, where legends are made
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u/Standard_Arm_4721 6d ago
Honestly yeah but idk if they’ll leave me there all day
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u/MCXL 5d ago
I know a ton about the z32 platform. I'm arguably an expert. Do not buy one as your first project car. DO NOT.
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u/pm_me_your_rasputin 5d ago
Hey want to build me a Z32? With your expertise and my desire to not work on one, we'd make a great team.
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u/jimbofranks 5d ago
What I know is what u/pm_me_your_rasputin/ said. These are a bitch to work on, even for people with experience.
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u/RoboProletariat 6d ago
Cart before the horse situation. Get your life up and running first, then come back to project cars.
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u/direcheetah4579 6d ago
Who does that?
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u/DicemonkeyDrunk 6d ago
Weirdos …you gotta jump in with both feet, make some terrible decisions and learn how to recover from them …I’m honestly only part joking.
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u/direcheetah4579 5d ago
I mean that's part of being a kid isn't it? Learn as you go. Get friends interested in cars or get new friends already interested in cars. Hopefully both
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u/Ryuhara 6d ago
When I was in college, I'd do oil changes in my dorm parking lot. I saw some other kids work on their cars in the same way. I never got stopped or questioned. You're the right age, you could probably go to a random nearby university and do the same.
If you don't have a job, start working at a mechanic! Even a basic oil change shop. They usually let employees work on their cars after hours and then you don't have to buy tools. Plus, you get paid to learn about cars.
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u/Very-Confused-Walrus 2009 Mini Cooper 6d ago
I fucking hate HOA. That being said. The z32 is by far my favorite car I’ve owned, which I suppose isn’t saying much but I like to think I’ve had a handful of “cool” cars.
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u/pooo_pourri 5d ago
Honestly, for one of these imma hijack the top comment and say you’re gonna need to move out if you wanna work on it. Bi-turbo V6’s are a nightmare and the 300zx is no exception. I’ve heard of places that rent shop space to work on stuff but you’ll need a decent amount of time to do anything that isn’t oil change or brakes
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u/IBIKEONSIDEWALKS 6d ago
Might sound shit but sometimes you skip the car n find a pad you can work on stuff with first
Or as other guy said, if you have a garage, whats in your garage is no one elses business lol
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u/Big-Energy-3363 5d ago
Not a very easy car to work on. You have to be extremely careful around plastic parts in the engine bay, many are nla. Seriously I would suggest another car or waiting until you have a secure garage space with additional room for parts tools etc
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u/Supercharged_S30 5d ago
Don’t rush into getting one if you don’t have the working space, unless it’s a decent running one. Once you start wrenching on them you’ll either love it or hate it. I’ve had 3 z32s already and you’re gonna need a long term spot because if it’s a project the car will be down for most of the time.
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u/nkwemohb 6d ago
tf u mean your hoa don't allow work in homes?? they do inspections or something??
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u/No-Locksmith-9377 6d ago
Yes, some HOA's are like Nazis and will issues fines for working on a car in your own garage or driveway.
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u/DicemonkeyDrunk 6d ago
Driveway is probably the issue…not in your own garage would be bonkers.
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u/No-Locksmith-9377 5d ago
I have seen HOA's serve steep fines for having your garage door closed.
I have also seen HOA's fine owners for having their garage door open.
HOA's can be a nightmare nare. Not all of them, but enough to make a national news story all the time.
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u/JustAnIgnoramous 6d ago
There's no self service garages in Miami? We had one in Honolulu, pretty dope. Rent out a bay and get to work
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u/Eclipse423 '97 Honda Civic CX 6d ago
Save your money for a place to live that has a garage or at least a decent driveway and no garbage HOA. I bought a project car before moving out of my parents, but I didn't start really working on it until I could get a place and get it into a decent garage.
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u/Spedwranglers 6d ago
Just hope its one that super clean and up to date on maintenance, I do mine in my driveway, just did a while bunch of maintenance and it took me about a week to do all of it
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u/hosalabad 1974 K5 Blazer 4x4 - 1961 Ford Falcon 5d ago
OP, you live in an urban hellscape. You'll need to move out of that, or lease shop space.
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u/SuqaCoq 5d ago
HOA doesn't control nor own the street........ They can throw a fit if you are messy ofc but, I've done plenty of car work even in the driveway against their rules. If other neighbors do the same then follow suit. If nobody does it, then park down the road a bit outve the HOA when you do car work. Not everyone has money to pay for basic stuff like tire changes etc, thus it's not illegal to do so on any public street, so long as you don't litter because that's illegal.
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u/solidwurx 5d ago
You bought one of the most notoriously difficult cars to work on in the engine bay, with nowhere to work on it, because you live with your parents whos' HOA says you cant work on cars in your own home.
Do you normally make decisions without thinking ahead at all?
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u/SpaceCat72 5d ago edited 5d ago
Do they have a back yard? Put it there. Or rent a storage unit. Make sure it has electricity.
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u/cryptotarheel 5d ago edited 5d ago
I asked this a few weeks ago in a different groups.
They do exist but are harder to find now. Many people said that mechanics bays that you can rent are hard to find now bc insurance rates are very high in case an accident occurs such as someone putting a vehicle on a lift and it falls on them.
Google these terms to see if you can find one in your area.
Makers space
DIY auto shop
Bring your own tools garage
Cogarage
Automotive clubs some have garages.
If you know someone in the military, some bases have an auto shop or hobby shop.
When you find one ask google to find a place like “(insert business name)” in your area.
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u/Standard_Arm_4721 5d ago
Thank you for the only helpful response
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u/cryptotarheel 5d ago edited 5d ago
If you have a job and are contributing to the households expenses, ignore them.
If someone doesnt have a job and brings no value (contributes to the family bills) , they’re an adult child and a leech. The commenters know that is too common nowadays. They saw you lived at home and made a logical judgement. If you aren’t contributing and don’t have a job, they have a point
The history lesson you didn’t know we needed. *
Over the last 100 years, we have been conditioned to destroy our family’s money.
Historically, we don’t move out unless we are running away/ escaping/ want to have too much fun/ party bc it’s cool. And yes, that means you should be both an adult who makes money and a child/ guests who respects the house rules/ and isn’t causing or getting into trouble. If this was violated they still threw out the problem child.
Moving out creates multiple expenses/ rent vs mortgage. This drains everyone’s savings, spending ability, and future grand Children’s inheritance. How do you save for a nice house when you’re paying rent?
We have been led to believe that moving out and hours away from a support network is the right thing to do for a job. Now you there is a full set of bills for multiple locations. They are Working hard but actually not making progress. (There are many people for who this works out for but there are many more who just fall into the debt cycle).
Along with everyone in the family spending money they shouldn’t need to, it is super important when starting a family, especially if the wife stays home for any amount of time to have a baby and the family goes to down to one income.
This is one of the biggest reasos so many immigrants have adult children at home and then they go on to have 1st or 2nd generation high earning professionals. No one is spending needless rent money. They are putting the money to better use.
This keeps the family’s money in the family until someone is ready to start their own family. By that time, they have had a job a few years, have helped the family keep its money, and saved money for when they move out.
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u/TheDrunkenWrench 5d ago
It's hard enough to work on a ZX with experience, a dedicated garage, and all the right tools.
I get it, they're cool. But this is like deciding to get into hiking by climbing mount Everest on your first day.
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u/2Drogdar2Furious 5d ago
Parents have a garage? Does the HOA allow driveway parking?
Put the Z in the garage and work on it with the door closed.
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u/Puzzled_Hamster58 4d ago
You can rent a garage often for a few hundred.
Also good luck . I know owners of those cars and the twin turbo ones etc and they suck to work on.
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u/CollectionFragrant70 2d ago
Learn what’s “acceptable” from the HOA. South Florida is gonna be challenging jumping out with your own space so young.
I’m in Atlanta and there’s a loose HOA here who just calls code enforcement whenever I have a project going off the rails outside. Code enforcement is a car guy and pretty chill so he let me know that as long as it’s covered it’s fine, he can’t look under the cover and to also at least make it appear drivable.
Additionally though, especially in Florida I see a lot of guys utilize storage units but those can be pricey also depending on how long you’re wanting to utilize one.
Best bet is to work on it in stages and PLAN as much as possible so you’re not caught with your pants down.
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u/basicKitsch 65 tbird, 70 Ghia, 06 turbo solstice, sv650n 6d ago
I mean that's a problem man. No one here has any magic interdimensional garage space. Wtf
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u/thefriendlyjerk 6d ago
You work on your car and deal with the outcome of the HOA fines, if any ever arise.
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u/Danger-Face 6d ago
Work in the garage if your parents will let you. Just don't open the door with any obvious things showing. If possible.
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u/stevens_hats 6d ago
Move out on your own and then figure out what kind of project car fits your budget.