Why the Nissan Z Nismo is $150,000

News

By RC Staff

20 October 2023

It’s been a rough couple of years, but it seems like the Japanese sports coupe is really, truly back. The revival of the Toyota Supra is probably the biggest sign of the times, but there are plenty of other rear-wheel-drive spitfires making their way to the market as well. One of these is the Nissan Z, which is the successor of the 370Z that can trace its lineage all the way back to the 60s. For 2024, Nissan announced the Z would be getting a Nismo treatment. While the MSRP isn’t anything crazy, the dealer’s markups certainly are.

2024 Nissan Z Nismo

Wait a second, this a reseller’s blog. Why are we talking about cars? Well, there have been several recent cars that were profitable flips for resellers. We wrote about the Hummer EV earlier this year as well as the return of the Dodge Demon, and these were both vehicles that resellers made major profits from.

So when something like the Nissan Z Nismo comes up, we’re paying attention. Also, it’s a cool-ass car. Can you blame us for wanting to talk about it?

The Nissan Z has been in production for more than a year now, and Nissan has upped the ante by announced a souped-up and factory-tuned model, the Z Nismo.

Nismo is Nissan’s performance division. They’ve produced improved models of many other Nissan vehicles including the GT-R, Sentra, and previous Z-cars.

So what’s special about the Z Nismo? Well for starters, the engine has received a little extra juice, and is now pushing 420 horsepower at 6,400 rpm. Tragically, the 6-speed manual is not available like the standard Zs, and the 9-speed automatic is the only option. Yeah, yeah, it’s faster, but it still stings.

In addition to the powertrain modifications, the Z Nismo also includes a variety of performance-minded tweaks across the platform. Improved brakes, tweaked suspension, a reinforced chassis; it’s about what you’d expect in a Nismo-branded vehicle.

And of course it’s also received some cosmetic modifications to set it aside from its factory siblings. Nismo Red flows through the car, with a distinctive line running across the skirts. The car also receives a new spoiler and front fascia to make for a more aggressive presence.

Basically, it’s a cool car. The Z was already a cool car, and the Z Nismo is the premier choice for someone who wants one.

Let’s talk money.

2024 Nissan Z Nismo Price and Availability

So, we’ve established it’s a nice car. How much is it worth? The Nissan Z Nismo has a starting MSRP of $66,085. Compare that to the $43,305 starting price for the standard 2024 Z and $53,305 for the Performance model.

That’s not… great, but it’s not anything crazy for a brand-new sports car, especially one carrying the Nismo badge.

But that’s the MSRP. You know, manufacturer suggested retail price. Of course, dealers are free to massage that price, which can rise with optional features, market demand, or just wanting more money.

So what are dealers asking for the 2024 Nissan Z Nismo? A lot.

Yes, that is a nearly $90,000 dealer markup. Supply and demand, right? If you’re just tuning in, this level of markup seems pretty ridiculous. Markups are nothing new, and we’ve increasingly seen dealers add $20,000, $30,000, even $50,000 at a time to the price tags for hyped cars.

We talked about it at length in our coverage of the 2023 Dodge Demons. Dealers started out with a $20,000 markup, but as the cars picked up steam and dealerships started getting barraged with calls, the average markup grew to $50,000, and some anecdotal reports indicated dealers were asking for an extra $100,000 in some cases.

We even heard from folks who had made verbal agreements with their dealer at a reasonable price had received callbacks to cancel the order. Lame? Scummy? Greedy? Seriously, how dare these dealers arbitrarily charge a higher price for a limited product just to make a quick buck. That’s OUR thing!

Speaking of which, if you were looking to potentially flip the 2024 Nissan Z Nismo, it’s looking like a no-go. Nissan dealers are clearly wise to the potential value of these cars and the infinitely deep pockets of enthusiasts, and are pricing accordingly.

It’s part of the wider trend of rising dealer markups we’ve already talked about. It’s not surprising, but it is a little disappointing to see what’s supposed to be an affordable sports car hit a six digit price before leaving the dealership.

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