200sx - any good?

[tbourner]

Was thinking as I can't afford a Supra, maybe I'd get an old 200sx, even if it was a 1991 ish it'd be pretty cool and reasonably cheap.

Are they any good?

I'm a member of sxoc but haven't been on there for yonks. Don't know much about them though really.

 

Was it around 90-91 the engine was changed for the SR20? I'd prefer that to the 1.8 I think, I don't really like the early S14 either, and the facelift's are a bit pricey, trouble is all the S13s seem to be 'drift spec' and going for silly money as well!!!

 

Any opinions?

[hiten55]

i looked at a few before buying the sup. good cars imho. but it has to be the mauve colour

[tbourner]

Should I get a later S14 and have it as my regular car (swap the Yaris), or just get an old beaten up S13 as a second car and maybe do some track days or something?

 

What's reliability like on the SR20DET? I suppose most have been 'tuned' in some way and are past their best?

[Millsy]

Quite a few of my mates have had 200sxs, S13, S14 and S14a. The one thing that would put me off is they've all had to have engine rebuilds. Good cars, but if I were you I'd keep the Yaris and get an S13 project so if you have any problems with it at least you still have transport. Depending on how much money you have you could speak to an importer about bringing over an S13 with SR20 engine installed already. Best bet would be to speak to someone like Simon Norris at Norris Designs or Bob Parker at GBH Motorsport as they both have a lot of experience with these Nissans - they'll tell you the merits of both engines.

[Sparky]

Lol I call the s13 the chocolate block as the bottom ends seem to go for a past time. Ive watched my mate rebuild his twice in 1 year!

[tbourner]

Is that the 1.8 though or the 2.0?

[sipstrassi]

I have a 200sx 1996 S14.

 

love it to bits. My wife drives it now as i have supra.

 

not had any trouble with it.

 

Superb Car. Mine a Mauve...wife want respray...pale gold. women!!

[Suprasteve]

tbourner, what sort of money you looking at parting with ? and whats the main priorities i.e. speed, looks, reliability, cost to run ?

 

what about one of the following..

 

Celica GT4

MR2 turbo

EVO 3/4

 

dare i say it even an old scooby ?

[JamesG]

I had a 1991 S13 200sx and it was a great laugh. I stripped it out, fitted a rollcage and coilovers and went on some drift days with it.

 

Mine had the CA18DET engine which was lovely. Only problem I ever had was killing the turbo on a drift day.

[hoff]

My mate had a couple of 200sx S13's. Had them running at about 300-350 BHP and my God they were good fun. Reliability wise, not the best but when that much fun who cares. He's after another now because he misses having so much.

[tbourner]

tbourner, what sort of money you looking at parting with ? and whats the main priorities i.e. speed, looks, reliability, cost to run ?

 

what about one of the following..

 

Celica GT4

MR2 turbo

EVO 3/4

 

dare i say it even an old scooby ?

 

At the moment I'm thinking up to £5k, this will be next year though I'd think.

Was planning on learning to drift, so the 200sx came to mind first, my girlfriend wants a scooby, but she wants a newer shape one, so we can't afford it.

 

I'm going along the lines now of a second car to take to trackdays and basically muck about in, learn some racing skills and hopefully learn a bit of drift.

[Suprasteve]

At the moment I'm thinking up to £5k, this will be next year though I'd think.

Was planning on learning to drift, so the 200sx came to mind first, my girlfriend wants a scooby, but she wants a newer shape one, so we can't afford it.

 

I'm going along the lines now of a second car to take to trackdays and basically muck about in, learn some racing skills and hopefully learn a bit of drift.

 

you've got bundles of choice for £5k. You sure you can't get a s15 for that money ?

 

what about an R33 GTS, they make good drift cars and look better than a 200sx.

[hoff]

with 5k you should be able to get a good set up for drifting. Its such an easy car to drift. S15 go for a little more than 5k for a good one and they are relatively rare also. If you can get a good one for that money though, thats what id do:)

[chazuk]

I have owned an s13 very good cheap fun and reliable also easy to go sideways .Not allot of people realise the s13’s are faster than the s14 0-60 times not that this matters to drift but they are lighter, let alone stripping one out.

 

My mate has just bought and done up a s13 for drifting all I can say is most s13's are hanging mine was my mates was, I needed arch work, sills, floor, welding etc, Id go for a s14 hardly any rust ,practically get every tuning part you need for drifting for it at apex performance prices don’t seem bad either.

 

I use my skyline to use for the track and for a bit of fun pics in my garage,I have seen some nice r33gts-t on the forum go for 4-5k with loads of goddies .

[damientt]

I've got a 2.5TT Lexus Soarer for sale if you're interested. Immaculate condition and probably faster than a stock JSpec Supra TT.

[tbourner]

Been through all the plans to buy a Aristo and other similars, I want something a bit more light and nimble, not too interested in straight line motorway cruisers really.

[Mas]

I was seriousely thinking about getting a Silvia for daily use and still want to do that (maybe in the next couple of months), If you're thinking about getting one then I'd recommend you get one imported as this way you'll save a few pounds!

[hiten55]

for 5k id get a s14a, great cars.... and cheap parts too. or you could get a r32 skyline gts. or even an r34 gts type m!!

 

they were my choices before i got the sup. my made does drifting demos at whows, he loves the r32 and r34 - relatively cheap, good to drift, loads of parts available too...

[Millsy]

R32 Skyline could be a good way forward, although an S14s probably the best bet all round by the sounds of things if you definitely want to go drifting. For that sort of cash you could probably get a Supra TT needing a bit of bodywork or something, although would probably be auto so a bit of a handicap with drifting.

[hadyn]

5K could buy you a very nice S14a over on the SXOC : http://www.sxoc.com

 

I had an S14 for two years. Loved it to bits and modded it to death too Very reliable cars, the SR20DET 2.0 engine as found in the S14s is very strong. Unfortunately the CA18DET as found in the S13 seems to suffer with a lot of bottom end problems when the boost is wound up.

 

I wrote a buyers guide for the S14 200SX, which I posted up on octaneboost, you can check it out here:

 

http://z14.invisionfree.com/hadyn/index.php?showtopic=3891

[Tricky-Ricky]

Excellent cars, S14/14A will take up to 350 BHP on std internals, not a lot goes wrong if you go about tuning in the usual way, the S13 has a rather weak/temperamental bottom end, so needs addressing before increasing power.

[SMiFFAD]

Get an S14/a, they are dirt cheap now, probably the best bang for buck jap car available

 

Ive had two now, one s14a a couple of years ago and my S14 i sold for the supra. SR20DET engine is very solid, id even go as far as to say better reliability wise than the supra's engine. They dont have a reputation for stem seals going, coaking up etc etc blah blah. I did 50K in my last one without every having to do much to it apart from "external" bits, like intercoolers popping at just over a bar etc etc

 

Tuning parts are cheaper as well in comparison to most others if you feel the itch for more power.

 

Cost of running isnt far off the sup though, they are a little better on fuel, but not enough to shout about, and insurance is very similar.

[Guest jk_supra]

where can you get an s15 for £5k????

 

all the ones ive seen are £10k upwards,

 

i used to have an s14a, with a few tuning bits they are very quick, they love hanging the back end out too:cool:, lot of fun but no way near as well built or nice to drive as a supra