Hello from america.. a little about me and my cars
Discussion
I stumbled in from www.fark.com - someone put a link up and I was very intrigued by the subject matter on here.
We americans (specifically of the sport compact segment) often spend alot of time drooling over the cars that foreign nations are offered while we always seem to end up with the overpriced pieces of scrap.
So I thought I'd put up info on my primary car, which is only sold in America. That way the tables can be turned for once.
I am the proud owner of a 2003 Nissan SE-R Spec V (that's correct, it's not v-spec like the R34)
This car is a very interesting and superb piece of machinery. Costing 17,000 dollars brand new (I have no idea what that equates to in pounds), it is by far the cheapest car available in the sport compact market while still retaining a vast host of features.
Nissan was able to reach this price point by combining a Maxima Transmission, Altima Engine, and Sentra (aka the sunny) chassis. It's got it's ups and downs.
I love the look of the car. You can examine for yourself at www.cardomain.com. I don't have enough pictures of my se-r spec v that really do any justice.
http://images.cardomain.com/member_img_a/193000-193999/193073_56_full.jpg
The car is replete with a 175 hp motor producing 185 lb/ft of torque. The spec v model includes 17inch x 7 inch wide tires (continental contisports), sport tuned suspension, helical limited slip, skyline seats, and a 6 speed close-ratio transmission.
This car is very much unlike any other car I've ever driven. There is interior refinement for the driver, but the car's handling and performance characteristics are downright brutal. I myself have had two wrecks. I treat it with care.
This is one of those cars that literally out-drives the driver. I can take corners harder than my courage allows, all the while stomping on the gas to create blindingly fast exit speeds.
The car performs beyond reason while understeering. Oversteer it a little bit and you will find yourself in a battle against the differential, which seems to not like oversteer even in the slightest.
The clutch is a strange combination of a long pedal throw coupled with an unsprung hub utilizing an organic clutch disk.
Lateral grip is rated at .88g but the car is quirky in it's handling. The rear end is very stiff and the car definately seems to prefer stability over the ability to take a corner hard. Nonetheless it's a total blast to drive and you can really get moving. The low 6200 rpm redline is almost disappointing if it weren't for the fact that the massive torque the car generates can literally break the tires loose in 4th gear.
Well thanks for taking the time to read. Feel free to respond
We americans (specifically of the sport compact segment) often spend alot of time drooling over the cars that foreign nations are offered while we always seem to end up with the overpriced pieces of scrap.
So I thought I'd put up info on my primary car, which is only sold in America. That way the tables can be turned for once.
I am the proud owner of a 2003 Nissan SE-R Spec V (that's correct, it's not v-spec like the R34)
This car is a very interesting and superb piece of machinery. Costing 17,000 dollars brand new (I have no idea what that equates to in pounds), it is by far the cheapest car available in the sport compact market while still retaining a vast host of features.
Nissan was able to reach this price point by combining a Maxima Transmission, Altima Engine, and Sentra (aka the sunny) chassis. It's got it's ups and downs.
I love the look of the car. You can examine for yourself at www.cardomain.com. I don't have enough pictures of my se-r spec v that really do any justice.
http://images.cardomain.com/member_img_a/193000-193999/193073_56_full.jpg
The car is replete with a 175 hp motor producing 185 lb/ft of torque. The spec v model includes 17inch x 7 inch wide tires (continental contisports), sport tuned suspension, helical limited slip, skyline seats, and a 6 speed close-ratio transmission.
This car is very much unlike any other car I've ever driven. There is interior refinement for the driver, but the car's handling and performance characteristics are downright brutal. I myself have had two wrecks. I treat it with care.
This is one of those cars that literally out-drives the driver. I can take corners harder than my courage allows, all the while stomping on the gas to create blindingly fast exit speeds.
The car performs beyond reason while understeering. Oversteer it a little bit and you will find yourself in a battle against the differential, which seems to not like oversteer even in the slightest.
The clutch is a strange combination of a long pedal throw coupled with an unsprung hub utilizing an organic clutch disk.
Lateral grip is rated at .88g but the car is quirky in it's handling. The rear end is very stiff and the car definately seems to prefer stability over the ability to take a corner hard. Nonetheless it's a total blast to drive and you can really get moving. The low 6200 rpm redline is almost disappointing if it weren't for the fact that the massive torque the car generates can literally break the tires loose in 4th gear.
Well thanks for taking the time to read. Feel free to respond
USDM cars are usually based on lots of torque. While we occasionally get the high revving scraps from Honda's table it's nice to see a refreshing approach from nissan in way of the QR25DE engine. This is a very cheap to produce car for them. In our market, you simply cannot get any other car that even remotely rivals it's level of performance *edit - at this price point* .
Aside from the Neon SRT-4 - talk about a monster.
I'm a big fan of my SE-R Spec V though. Great seats, lots of options, cheap and loads of power throughout the powerband.
www.specplace.com/
.88g of cornering force. Magazines have run it at about 15.4 but alot of us on the boards are running anywhere from 14.8-15.3 on the 1/4 mile (1320 ft)
Plus, given it's rather large displacement for a four-cylinder engine it takes EXTREMELY well to modifications. I'm very pleased with the vehicle.
>> Edited by mpm on Tuesday 24th June 18:58
Aside from the Neon SRT-4 - talk about a monster.
I'm a big fan of my SE-R Spec V though. Great seats, lots of options, cheap and loads of power throughout the powerband.
www.specplace.com/
.88g of cornering force. Magazines have run it at about 15.4 but alot of us on the boards are running anywhere from 14.8-15.3 on the 1/4 mile (1320 ft)
Plus, given it's rather large displacement for a four-cylinder engine it takes EXTREMELY well to modifications. I'm very pleased with the vehicle.
>> Edited by mpm on Tuesday 24th June 18:58
agent006 said:
Yes, there are loads of cars in america that i'd like to see over here.
The Infiniti (posh Nissans) range in its entireity.
Most of the Chrysler range (Concorde, Intrepid, Pacifica)
And loads mer that i've forgotten.
I had 2 Intrepids, which I drove into the ground. Underpowered, generally speaking, but the interior is cavernous...you feel like you can run laps inside it. And the styling has always been very cool.
An incredibly comfortable sedan.
Piss poor tranny though...had to be replaced in each of them.
I guess that depends on your sense of scope.
Small for a four cylinder - 1.6l
Small for a six cylinder (I or V) - 2.3l
Small for an 8 cylinder (I or V) - 3.8l
Of course that's all my personal opinion, so I can't say I speak for all 250 million 'murricans
I'm not a "bigger is better" kind of guy. I do feel the 2.5 liter four cylinder in this car though is just right. It fits the bill. My saturn drag car has a 1.9 liter four cylinder that's more than ample for very lightweight chassis.
I think the great thing is the 2.5 liter engine is such a departure from the norm of Japanese imports. The vast majority of their cars are sub 2 liter engines that make mediocre torque. I like how nissan could identify with the USDM crowd and beat them at their own game.
examples:
2002 Neon RT - 150 hp, 2.0l engine .. previous years were 2.4 but this year they've got the "magnum" 4.
2002 Chevy Cavalier z24 - 150 hp 2.5l
2002+ Nissan SE-R V Spec - 175 hp 2.5l
They all run in the same price range, but it's EASILY got the competition beat.
>> Edited by mpm on Tuesday 24th June 23:47
Small for a four cylinder - 1.6l
Small for a six cylinder (I or V) - 2.3l
Small for an 8 cylinder (I or V) - 3.8l
Of course that's all my personal opinion, so I can't say I speak for all 250 million 'murricans
I'm not a "bigger is better" kind of guy. I do feel the 2.5 liter four cylinder in this car though is just right. It fits the bill. My saturn drag car has a 1.9 liter four cylinder that's more than ample for very lightweight chassis.
I think the great thing is the 2.5 liter engine is such a departure from the norm of Japanese imports. The vast majority of their cars are sub 2 liter engines that make mediocre torque. I like how nissan could identify with the USDM crowd and beat them at their own game.
examples:
2002 Neon RT - 150 hp, 2.0l engine .. previous years were 2.4 but this year they've got the "magnum" 4.
2002 Chevy Cavalier z24 - 150 hp 2.5l
2002+ Nissan SE-R V Spec - 175 hp 2.5l
They all run in the same price range, but it's EASILY got the competition beat.
>> Edited by mpm on Tuesday 24th June 23:47
Most people here have no idea what a litre is (no metric system) so the numbers are basically just that...numbers.
I'd say in most Americans view, small or large is a facet of # of cylendars.
Anything with 4 is small, 6 is average, 8 is big.
Most folks who do know what they're talking about with respect to litre size are also aware that bigger is not neccesarily better, as they understand engines more.
Having said that, I know what a 2 litre of cola looks like, and that's my extent of metric familiarity.
But I'm strangely aware that my Esprit's 4 banger is a little bit beefier than my Hyundai's 4 banger.
Mike
I'd say in most Americans view, small or large is a facet of # of cylendars.
Anything with 4 is small, 6 is average, 8 is big.
Most folks who do know what they're talking about with respect to litre size are also aware that bigger is not neccesarily better, as they understand engines more.
Having said that, I know what a 2 litre of cola looks like, and that's my extent of metric familiarity.
But I'm strangely aware that my Esprit's 4 banger is a little bit beefier than my Hyundai's 4 banger.
Mike
I suppose. The average joe does tend to see it in cylinders. I still think nothing really tops the downright dinky 1.3 liter geo metro in all of it's 3 cylinder glory.
Ah well. I wonder what a gas hybrid version would make in terms of MPG? Heh.
I enjoy the slightly larger than norm engines in terms of four cylinders. I'm not a fan of uber-high revving cars, though they do have their place. I like to know I've got just a little more engine under the hood. Plus I think longer stroke engines make a wicked howl when you stomp on it.
Ah well. I wonder what a gas hybrid version would make in terms of MPG? Heh.
I enjoy the slightly larger than norm engines in terms of four cylinders. I'm not a fan of uber-high revving cars, though they do have their place. I like to know I've got just a little more engine under the hood. Plus I think longer stroke engines make a wicked howl when you stomp on it.
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