Nissan 200SX

Third Opinion · 30 Mar 2006 at 20:45

Any good advice about buying/owning one?

I want one around a 1998/1999. Are there any specs to avoid etc.

I am 32 with full NCB so insurance isn't an issue. It will do approx 6k a year.

Gonna sell my Alfa and this is a possible replacement.

Stonedofmoo · 30 Mar 2006 at 20:48

Good choice

James_N · 30 Mar 2006 at 21:08

Very good choice. Mate of mine has one at work modded to around 300BHP or something like that. He took me for a spin a while back and ive never been so scared

Get over to http://www.sxoc.co.uk/ and they will tell you everything you need to know

Trickle · 30 Mar 2006 at 21:22

Third Opinion said:
Are there any specs to avoid etc.

There are only 2 specs. Touring and non touring. And autos aswell I guess.

Apart from the passenger airbag, the non touring can be turned into a touring with the addtional bits from forum brakers:

Different sound system - cd changer etc.
Sideskirts and small spoiler.
Leather interior - 99 on (some 98's?) have the nicer cream interior.

I wouldnt say 'avoid' that spec if you can find one at the right price. In fact if you intended to mod it with better sound system, bucket seats, cage, harneses and a body kit you could say there is no point to the touring.

c0caine · 31 Mar 2006 at 21:42

what are the specs for a standard s14?

ZG002 · 31 Mar 2006 at 21:58

2ltr turbo.. RWD.. about 200bhp quite fast.. and sexy lol

i cant afford the s14.. so im looking at the s13.. looking at a respray in bay side blue with a cream retrim in leather

lovely cars

saitrix · 31 Mar 2006 at 21:58

http://parkers.co.uk/pricing/specs/options.aspx?model_id=594&id=9871

There is the full specs for you.

Hate · 31 Mar 2006 at 22:15

ZG002 said:
2ltr turbo.. RWD.. about 200bhp quite fast.. and sexy lol

i cant afford the s14.. so im looking at the s13.. looking at a respray in bay side blue with a cream retrim in leather

lovely cars

respray and leather will cost about 2000, surely that pushes you into S14 cash?

ZG002 · 31 Mar 2006 at 22:20

it does yes.. but its gonna be a project car.. and respray and leather wont be getting done for some time

as im getting the car for £400 off of a mate.. needs brakes doing and a tidy up some little bugger killed the locks also and tried to steal it .. engine just had rebuild and chassis is ok

but i needs me a car soon as the ibiza is on its last legs and im sick of throwing money at it

Bear · 1 Apr 2006 at 08:09

ZG002 said:
it does yes.. but its gonna be a project car.. and respray and leather wont be getting done for some time as im getting the car for £400 off of a mate.. needs brakes doing and a tidy up some little bugger killed the locks also and tried to steal it .. engine just had rebuild and chassis is ok

but i needs me a car soon as the ibiza is on its last legs and im sick of throwing money at it

You can do a lot of the work on the s13 on the cheap by getting bits off other models that have be broken for selling on the sxoc and 300Zx owners club. The s14/300Zx brakes will go on an s13, all that needs to be done is the discs need to be redrilled for a 5 stud fitment or you could do a hub swap.

andyfield · 1 Apr 2006 at 16:42

Got myself a W plate 200 S14A touring just under a year ago, not looked back since getting it. As above www.sxoc.co.uk/vbb/ for all the advice you need, theres plenty of buyers guides, do a couple of searches.

I'm considering getting rid of mine and buying a modified one or getting a second one as track car....

Liverpool-Lad · 1 Apr 2006 at 19:31

andyfield said:
Got myself a W plate 200 S14A touring just under a year ago, not looked back since getting it. As above www.sxoc.co.uk/vbb/ for all the advice you need, theres plenty of buyers guides, do a couple of searches.

I'm considering getting rid of mine and buying a modified one or getting a second one as track car....

What are the running costs like and have to had to swap any bits and how much did they cost?

Trickle · 1 Apr 2006 at 19:53

Hmm.

Owned 20 months. 12-13K miles done, 3 track days (and another next weekend). 82K ish total mileage. '96 car so now almost 10 years old.

Unmodified >25mpg. The 29mpg combined advertised is realistic imho.
260bhp ish = struggle to get 25mpg now.

I suppose I've replaced some stuff with uprated parts so could have ran it a lot cheaper but...

Stuff that had to be replaced:
Clutch, £260 + £150 fitting (standard nissan clutch <£150?)
Turbo gasgets roughly £100 including job sundries.
Oil pump (to be safe) £70 iirc
Intercooler developed a common fault = not quite reaching full power. I could have replaced it for free there are so many replaced ones on the owners club.

Consumables:
Standard front brake disks and pads would be about £200 but I went for the rotor upgrade kit at £500.
2x oil change per year at about £32 for oil and filter each time.
Tyres roughly £90-95 a corner for eagle F1's, though bigger than standard wheels.
Other servicing such as brake fluid, sparks, anti freeze = no different than other cars etc

Bear · 1 Apr 2006 at 21:00

Liverpool-Lad said:
What are the running costs like and have to had to swap any bits and how much did they cost?

The only thing that went wrong on mine in the two and a half years Ive had it was the rear wiper motor siezed up, but I got one off a car that was breaking for spares for about £10 delivered.

To be fair though, not a lot should go wrong with it as Ive spent a shed load of money modding it so most of its new

The majority of the money keeping the car running day to day is keeping it topped up with fuel.

andyfield · 2 Apr 2006 at 01:31

Liverpool-Lad said:
What are the running costs like and have to had to swap any bits and how much did they cost?

In the year I've had it I've had to replace nothing. Usual things like tyres oil and fuel. Driven slowly they're pretty economical however once you start driving on boost it soon gets through a tank!

They do seem to be very reliable cars, the main thing that seems to go is the fuel pump and thats a £60 job for an uprated one. Apart from that there aren't many failures of parts with an S14A. Good luck on your hunt

s0ck · 2 Apr 2006 at 02:36

I prefer the look of the S13's, don't think they're quite as tunable as the later model though. Was it a completely different lump in the '13 or the SR20DET with a T25?

Hesky82 · 2 Apr 2006 at 02:51

s0ck said:
I prefer the look of the S13's, don't think they're quite as tunable as the later model though. Was it a completely different lump in the '13 or the SR20DET with a T25?

CA18DET and a little Garrett T25, around 170bhp. pretty frantic engines :cool:

the SR20DET is a more refined motor with bags more torque and a tad more power. both sweet engines!

I'd go with a facelifted s14, the origanal s14's look dull as dish water!!
more cash maybe but cash better spent imo

Bear · 2 Apr 2006 at 08:25

s0ck said:
I prefer the look of the S13's, don't think they're quite as tunable as the later model though. Was it a completely different lump in the '13 or the SR20DET with a T25?

As said by Hesky82 the UK s13s came with the CA18DET and a T25. The s14/a came with SR20DET which has VVT and a T28.

Stonedofmoo · 2 Apr 2006 at 09:11

It has VVT?

Bear · 2 Apr 2006 at 09:38

Stonedofmoo said:
It has VVT?

Yep, its called NVCS (Nissan Valve-Timing Control System). Its just cam phasing unlike Hondas vtec system. Also NVCS is set to increase low and midrage torque where as Hondas are set to higher range. If you unplug the solenoid (left hand side of the head), it should feel a lot more flatter below about 5250 rpm thats if the GTiR has it.

edit: Just seen the GTiR has standard pulleys.