I have been pondering running a diesel for a couple of weeks but am strugling to accept i could live with that right now. So i am thinking about other options as i need to run a cheaper car than a scoob for a while but really dont want something too slow or boring.

I thought about going back to a cossie because they are good performance per £ but to be honest they are old now and its hard to find a nice one at sensible money/mileage. I only want to spend 4-5K on the car really.

One option i hadnt considered but was suggested this weekend is a Nissan 200SX. They seem very cheap performance and if you find the right car could be reliable, i would want a standard spec one as the aim is just to have some low cost enjoyable driving, i will come back to a Scoob Spec C when i have my job situation sorted etc for the more high performance driving. I love driving RWD cars so maybe the 200SX is an ideal get me through the next 6 months option?

The problem is, i know nothing about them at all. I would want the car to have an LSD so you can have a bit of fun. It has to be manual and i noticed the later cars seem to have air con and leather.

Can someone give me a brief breakdown on what models come with what in terms of engine spec, transmition etc. Also whats a touring? any things that go wrong with them? what sort of MPG can i expect if teh engine is stock spec? What fuel do they run on? I looked on the sxoc site but cant see anything giving me this info.

Thanks for the help. Let the info and slagging comence.

 

Try this page John, not sure if it will be of any use or how up to date it is but worth a look.

www.ntoc.co.uk

Tony

 

best place for SX info is www.sxoc.com, its just hidden in with a lot of other posts.

As you talk about a touring I think you are looking at the S14/S14a. The touring pack is basically a luxury pack added to the S14, from memory it gives leather interior, cd changer and a few other things.

Quick cars for what they are, a little tail happy which is why they are used for drift so much, but probably no worse than any other RWD car (I own a mkiv supra so Im one to talk).

Best bet is to head over to sxoc.com and introduce yourself on there, Im sure they can give you a great run down on the options.

JB
www.mkivsupra.net

 

Thanks Tony and Branners.

Yep, the S14 is looking like the thing for me if at all, being a 2litre with 200BHP stock and not too old. I managed to find a bit of info so far just using Yahoo search.

My email is buggered so i cant get the activation key to start posting on the 200sx forum yet.

Looks like the S14 has a VC LSD as standard, so not too violent, shame, i like plated LSD's more but i could live with that. Thanks for confirming the touring thing, the S14/S14a i havnt worked out yet, whats the diference there?

 

I think the S14a was a JDM only model.

I know a guy who has a 98 S which he got for 6.5K, very nice car, with a well respected engine(similar engine to the Pulsat GTIr i think).

 

S14 and s14 a are both UK models, used to have a S14 a.
Japan, Australia and the States have the S15 model but it was never introduced here.
S14a is a slighty updated version of the S14, slighty different headlight (give out less light !!) and a different front grill. No mechancal changes between the two models.
Very easy to tune and will take a lot of abuse

Richard

 

S14 can look a bit like a baby skyline

 

John,

They are cheap and really nice to drive, feels like a sports car. The Touring is the one to get, and aim for a facelift R plate or newer, looks much nicer. Pretty bullet proof it seems.

Only real reason I didnt go for one is that its quite a big car, and its quite npisy inside, and feels a bit cheap.

Massive tuning potential though. 300 is very easy

And Black is rare, but very tasty.

MB

 

Thanks everyone, sounds like it could be a good option then. How are they mileage wise? Can they cope with 100,000 plus OK? Most seem to be around the 80-100K range in my budget in the R reg and younger range.

 

From what I could see, they were fine as long as you got a full Nissan SH with them. Look on the SXOC www.sxoc.com/vbb/index.php users web site, very good and the people are helpful. Theres a lot for sale on there too.

A lot of people actually prefer the older shape 200SX, and they are bloody cheap!

MB

 

They are great cars and often withstand high mileages.. but be aware that in the wet my FWD Saab Turbo (185BHP) destroys them (lots of roundabouts in MK) - taking into account the Saab handles like an epileptic on a tightrope compared with my scoob

 

Yeah in the wet my mates 200sx struggles with the back end stepping out at the slightest prod of the throttle especially as his is only slightly modded to about 230 bhp.

There is a fuel feeder pipe with a restrictor that can be replaced for about a fiver, meant to give an extra 20bhp.

Great car for drifting!

 

I dont mind cars that are tail happy in the wet, speed isnt really that important as long as its fun to drive.

I think you can remove the feed pipe to the waste gate actuator and put a diferent pipe in to alter the boost a little. Picking this stuff up slowly.

 

Hi John. I've just bought an s14 200sx for pretty much the same reasons as yours. I'd agree with all the previous posts, and add that there are a few known gremlins which are worth knowing in advance. You'd be unlucky to pick up a car with more than one or two of these problems, but here goes:

1. Turbo coolant pipes fail (I've just blanked mine off)
2. Intercooler (wing mounted) and pipework can crack leading to boost loss
3. VVT units often noisy - sounds like a loose exhaust heatshield - doesn't affect performance of the unit though.
4. Calipers (front and rear) are prone to stick.
5. Turbo / Exhaust manifold gaskets go on higher mileage cars - pretty easy to pick up but time consuming to replace
6. Not so much a fault, but the LSD seems very un LSD-like to me. As you imply the viscous units are quite 'soft' and the car will spin an inside wheel quite easily.

It's worth double checking the state of the coolant, because if the car has had leaking turbo coolant pipes it may have weakend the headgasket. Mine has this problem and although it drives fine it pressurises the coolant which vents out of the expansion tank as a result. A weekend in the garage is pending.

Hope this helps

Kurt

 

Thanks Kurt, thats very helpful!

 

See John,

glad we had a little chat on sunday ???

I think the 13/13a is more nibble and 'pointable' on the power - but the s14 is a good car too just bigger. The s13s are getting a little long in the tooth now - there are still good ones out there - just harder to track down.

John, Simons mate has just got an 14a, now fitted with skyline wider alloys, TEIN suspension, Exhaust, Filter, FMIC and a boost controller - completely different animal now to a std. car.

Go take a look in the drift sections on the SXOC. This is the thread that gives all the dates for this years UKD1.

http://www.sxoc.com/vbb/showthread.p...threadid=66548

as promised some info for you

http://www.driftracing.co.uk/

Guide to the top 10 drift cars

http://velocity.isfaster.com/drift/cars/cars.htm

 

If you're tall then try the non Touring model as it doesnt have a sunroof and therefore has about 2 inches extra headroom and is much less cramped.

I couldnt fit in the Touring but was a happy owner of a non Touring model.

 

im 6ft 6 and fit in the touring fine- you must be an odd shape

mine got written off after 4 months as it is crap in the wet.

 

crap in the wet or the fact your mrs should go on a driving course?

 

www.zed-power.co.uk

We've invested in an S13 for track fun...

 

Any good to you John?

200SX for sale £4750


Never seen car, dont know owner etc etc etc

 

I had one a while back. Bought from here in fact.

It had FNSH but they had used the incorrect oil and a new turbo was needed.

It was a low mileage 96 and I sold it for 5k that was 2 years ago. A mate bought a 95 for £3500 a few months back so the one above looks expensive to me.

An R plate should be about 5k.

 

it is a bad car in the wet.

a good driver will be able to go quicker/safer than a bad driver in the wet but a good driver in a better car will go safer/quicker still.

the back end would break away from EVERY roundabout/bend......that doesnt make for a quick car or a safe car in the wet. i liked it but wouldnt have another because of the handling in wet (my TVR - loads more power- never lost the back end like the 200 did)

T

 

Jon,
I have had once since last June after selling my old 3-door Cossie.
Havent regretted it once. I got a P reg car with exact same layout as my 3-door with 42 k on the clock, HPI clear for 5k, is that a bargain or what? Plus its 2 insurance groups less than a cossie and as no-one knows what it is you can leave it in town when going out for a night. Try doing that in a Cossie.
Its not as fast asmy 3-door, but then it is not tuned and the 3-door is so draw your own conclusions.
They are fantastic for drifting.I have got into drifting in a big way since I bought this car. I am entering the D1 in my one this year. on standard suspension and tyres, it is exceptionally pedictable and enormous fun when encountering a wet roundabout.
In the wet then progress is difficult, but you dont buy these cars to go fast, you buy them to go sideways with a big grin on your face.
The only downside to owning these cars is having to buy new tyres every month. Get one, I promise you wont regret it.
astraboy.

 

Please tell me you are using Nitrous on it?

mmm, nitrous...

MB

 

dont need it! its good enough as it is!
I do have the old nitrous kit lying about though
btw, John, if I can do this:
http://www.ush.net/board/viewtopic.p...ghlight=monday
with it then imagine what you can do!!!
They really are great cars....
astraboy.

 

Dissapointed in you

MB

 

Thanks for all the info, it's apreciated.

It sounds like this car could be a right good laugh yet practical enough to live with on a sensible budget. Thanks for the sugestion Hippy!

 

what size tyres do these have and is there a speed limiter on them?

 

Np John, You'll just have to let me have a quick play if we haven't already got one for UKD1. We are still going along without a car a week on sunday as my bros mates s14 will be there....

wanna pop along ???