S15, yay or nay?

[GMichie]

I'm looking for a new car and wondering if anybody has ever driven one?

They look gorgeous, but unsure if it would be a good option.

Are they tailhappy?
What's the drive like?
How econonomical are they?
How reliable are they?
Any problems to look out for?

Thanks in advance

[Pelo]

My bro-in-law used to have a Spec S (non turbo) model, and traded up to a turbo version.

It was a great car. The handling is "tail-happy" - no traction control, plenty of grip, but it has old-school RWD handling.
They are fun to drive on road or track. The ride comfort compares well to similar cars.

If you can find one that is stock, or has been sensibly modded, reliability isn't an issue. The SR20 motor has been around for years, and the S15 got the best version.

Parts availability isn't an issue here, but that may be a different story in the UK.
Problems - check for worn drivetrain bits, diff mounts etc. These cars often get thrashed. Rust can also appear.

[FurioAPB]

New owner of a S15 Spec R here, great car and would thoroughly recommend.

They ARE tail happy, very much so, in the damp it's a bit mental and in the wet it's a tad scary. When I first pulled in away in mine I was surprised at how smooth the car is, the gearbox is brilliant, it's no S2000 but it's pretty darn good. The stock turbo has very little lag and doesn't jerk you around like a rollercoaster.

Parts are a bit insane in the price range however, so keep that in mind. And what ever you do make sure you have comprehensive insurance because if you need your windscreen replaced, it's a damn expensive job. And I mean a DAMN expensive job.

But yeah, would geniunely recommend them, they are fantastic to drive, puts a smile on my face each and every time I get in.

[Neith]

GMichie said:

I'm looking for a new car and wondering if anybody has ever driven one?

They look gorgeous, but unsure if it would be a good option.

Are they tailhappy?
What's the drive like?
How econonomical are they?
How reliable are they?
Any problems to look out for?

Thanks in advance

I drive a '99 S15 Spec-R as a daily and have owned it since June last year. My car is totally stock barring an Apex'i Panel Filter but obviously a lot of these are heavily modified.

They're tail happy if you push hard, or if the conditions are bad. In the wet the rear does get pretty twitchy at times but in the dry you have to be really giving it hell to go sideways (by which I mean that regular driving/commuting it isn't an issue but you can play with it if you want to). Whenever the rear does slide it (in my experience anyway) is pretty easy to catch. Get some decent rubber on them. Mine came from Japan on Yokohama S-Drive DNAs which have been really good in the wet for the most part.

They drive like most Japanese sports cars of the period from what I can tell. The steering has quite a lot of feel, the car is surprisingly agile and the gearbox is decent, if a little notchy at times. The ride is comfortable enough for UK roads, a little crashy occasionally but not an issue. They're fairly well equipped with electric folding mirrors and decent aircon as well. Wind noise can be noticable at higher speeds and there's a few rattles but it's to be expected of a car that at best is 12 years old.

I'm usually seeing around mid-twenties MPG but I do a lot of start-stop town driving (I use mine as a daily and that unfortunately involves traffic jams quite frequently ). I think mine runs slightly rich though so perhaps you could see a little higher.

Reliability has so far (touch wood) been flawless; the only expense since June has been tax, fuel and a new battery. Parts can be difficult to come by so I'd recommend getting onto the owners clubs (S15OC and SXOC). Mechanically they share a lot with the S14 which helps but things like windscreens, body panels etc can be a nightmare to get hold of and aren't cheap. Even some things you'll think are simple turn out to be more annoying- when I had to get a new battery I could only find one site online that sold the right size. It's the same size as a Micra battery but the terminals are inverted (and won't reach the other sides). I used a place called Tayna Batteries to get a new one.

Look for signs of resprays/crash damage as they're used a lot as drift cars. Check rear arches, rear subframe and sills for signs of rust (usually the inside of the rear arches go first- mine have started after only a few months). Don't necessarily expect too much documentation either; it depends what comes with the car from Japan. In my case, there was no Japanese service documents at all aside from the stickers in the windscreen which note when a service is due.

If you're after a Spec R, make sure it isn't a Spec S with a converted engine. Easy way to do this is either on the VIN (SR20DET instead of SR20DE) or by looking for other Spec-R only features like the chassis bracing bar in the boot (should be visible as soon as you open the boot).

Use a reputable importer or source one from an owners club. I used DCY Europe near York but I've heard good things about JM Imports and Torque GT as well. You probably know this but they were only sold in Japan (as Silvias) and Aus/NZ (as 200SX). JDM spec ones are more powerful.

I would definitely recommend a S15, really fun car to drive and it's great never seeing another! The attention they get is crazy and they look way ahead of their time.

If I have one bit of advice (in the event you get one), get it secured. JDM S15s come with no security other than the door locks, not even an immobilizer.

[GMichie]

Thanks for the in depth advice, I appreciate it.

My last car was actually an s2000 but that ended up on it's side after a short time of owning it. So not sure a rwd car would be good, but if there bad for sliding I may just stick to fwd and get a dc5.

I was looking up how twitchy they were on google but nothing seemed to give good advice about how they actually drive, so thanks!

What's your thoughts, 21 year old with an s15? Yes or no...?

[Neith]

If it helps, mine's only gone unintentionally sideways once since last June and that was when I hit some oil on a roundabout. In wet weather you can sometimes feel the back end/steering go light and you sometimes will feel the rear start to rotate but it's easily catchable.

As long as you don't drive like an idiot you should be fine honestly. I worried about RWD when I bought mine (as mine was my first RWD turbo) but it hasn't really been an issue at all. Just take it easy in the wet and it'll be fine.

I imagine insurance might be expensive at 21 but I found that S15s were a lot cheaper to insure than most other Japanese turbo cars of the era.

[Pelo]

There are a few contemporary reviews floating around, since the car was sold new as a 200SX in NZ and Aus. For example http://www.carsguide.com.au/news-and-reviews/car-r...

[sparkyhx]

GMichie said:

I'm looking for a new car and wondering if anybody has ever driven one?

They look gorgeous, but unsure if it would be a good option.

Are they tailhappy?
What's the drive like?
How econonomical are they?
How reliable are they?
Any problems to look out for?

Thanks in advance

Which version?
2 litre normally aspirated
2 litre turbo
2 litre varietta (soft top)

turbo is pretty much a slightly warm 200sx, everything is pretty interchangeable.
Spec R (turbo) has bigger injectors, bigger intercooler, 6 gear gearbox and a different turbo.

everything that can be said about the 200sx can be said about the S15

If you are used to FWD then you will find it a problem. They are only tail happy if you provoke them or if you don't treat them with respect when its damp/wet.

I've had my 200sx nearly 10 years, tracked it in the dry and the wet

Edited by sparkyhx on Monday 17th March 20:44