Early ninties Nissan 200SX - any good?
Discussion
Hello, a '91 200SX has appear locally for a good price. What I want to know is how will it compare to my mk1 MR2 for handling and running costs?
My MR2 is getting to the point where it'll need a lot of welding to keep it on the road and I quite fancy having a car without rust on it for a while.
My MR2 is getting to the point where it'll need a lot of welding to keep it on the road and I quite fancy having a car without rust on it for a while.
www.sxoc.com has a wealth of information, in addition to an excellent forum.
But don't be too sure an early 200sx will not have rust
Cheers, Phil
But don't be too sure an early 200sx will not have rust
Cheers, Phil
look carefully... there are a LOT of dogs out there having been thrashed by uncaring owners 
servicing varies from £100-300 depending on which service is needed. very good handling (maybe not as good as a mk1 mr2 tho), very quick (relatively, thanks to a turbo). eyebrow raising in the wet
I love it
servicing varies from £100-300 depending on which service is needed. very good handling (maybe not as good as a mk1 mr2 tho), very quick (relatively, thanks to a turbo). eyebrow raising in the wet
I love it
Cheers - I got to a buyers guide via www.sxoc.com
The mileage is a bit high on this one (102k) but it has a full main dealer history (apparently - if I had a quid for every car with a FMDH which doesn't have the reciepts to back it up...)
How often are the services? I've read of oil changes every 3k!
I'm going for a good tyre kicking session tomorrow.
The mileage is a bit high on this one (102k) but it has a full main dealer history (apparently - if I had a quid for every car with a FMDH which doesn't have the reciepts to back it up...)
How often are the services? I've read of oil changes every 3k!
I'm going for a good tyre kicking session tomorrow.
I had a j-reg s13 about 3 years ago and didn't like it much to be honest. I think it was mainly because of the suspension mods made to it before I bought it and it had been done to the 'harder is better' school of thought. It handled pretty well until the wheel went onto a manhole and then it just skipped sideways. It had been nailed to the floor and 17" 225 wheels fitted. I couldn't even get 20mpg out of mine but I'd bought it with a blown turbo and exhaust and fitted a mongoose exhaust (very very loud) and a hydrid turbo to it and then found that the insurance company wanted a ferocious amount to let me chip/filter/intercooler it properly to suit the new turbo so I didn't get it done and it was unsurpringly a bit on/off and used a lot of fuel. My fault for not doing my home work but it was very very cheap and I had to make up my mind there and then.
If I was you I'd go for an unmodified version and modify it slowly rather than just throw loads of stuff at it.
Don't count on there not being rust, many of the cars I saw were going on the sills at the back, one 'immaculate' car that had passed its mot the day before and look fantastic but was so bad when I prodded the sill with my finger it just went straight through.
In short it was good fun, reliable but very thirsty and extremely tail happy. It was also the blandest interior of any car I have ever had. The wife hated it, I couldn't justify the petrol for my 50 miles each way commute and sold it after only a few months.
Have you considered an mr2 turbo?
Mark
If I was you I'd go for an unmodified version and modify it slowly rather than just throw loads of stuff at it.
Don't count on there not being rust, many of the cars I saw were going on the sills at the back, one 'immaculate' car that had passed its mot the day before and look fantastic but was so bad when I prodded the sill with my finger it just went straight through.
In short it was good fun, reliable but very thirsty and extremely tail happy. It was also the blandest interior of any car I have ever had. The wife hated it, I couldn't justify the petrol for my 50 miles each way commute and sold it after only a few months.
Have you considered an mr2 turbo?
Mark
MR2 turbo? Yep, nice and fast but a bit out of my price band though (less than 2k). The 200SX is standard, and it'll stay that way - I've blown enough cash on tweaking cars to make them faster.
Besides, if I want to go fast I'll use my bike
By "tyre kicking" I mean "check all the bodywork with a magnet and have a go at the underbody with a screwdriver" - it took me six months to find an MR2 that had rear arches made of metal rather than filler.
I agree about the interior, but it'll make a nice change from "ugly" which is what the inside of the MR2 is.
Besides, if I want to go fast I'll use my bike
By "tyre kicking" I mean "check all the bodywork with a magnet and have a go at the underbody with a screwdriver" - it took me six months to find an MR2 that had rear arches made of metal rather than filler.
I agree about the interior, but it'll make a nice change from "ugly" which is what the inside of the MR2 is.
You know what I'm likely to say...
so I won't, other than to say the Honda was always cuter.
I've heard the 200ZX can be a good car to modify and cheap to run to boot if a bit of a boring looker.
One of the BoB-porn mag journo's has 180ZX import, can't remember which mag, and found the car to be very fast and sweet handling as satndard.
He then messed it all up with an ugly Wings-West rip off body kit, but this was joined by uprated turbo and trick suspension (there is alot of tuning stuff for the 200ZX: Nismo, HKS, Blitz... all the usual suspects) and he had the best part of 280 horses when I last looked, which was yonks ago....
...obviously.
The only reasons I can see for you justifing a 200 over another CRX are that:
a) You have your own peanut on the way.
b) You really are sick of rust (I know I am, did I tell Twink is now off the road with a nasty dose of the Italian tinworm?)...but I'd be shocked if a 200 of similar age would be any better preserved.... or
c) You want to try the last configuration out. FR as apposed to FF or MR.
*
Whatever you do have fun...
Mouse.
ps. I got an email from your HR dept. yesterday. Have you been stirring things up, or are they really that slow?
If the former, cool!
*fellow PH's watch out for a 200zx shaped hole coming to a hedge near you, soon.
so I won't
, other than to say the Honda was always cuter. I've heard the 200ZX can be a good car to modify and cheap to run to boot if a bit of a boring looker.
One of the BoB-porn mag journo's has 180ZX import, can't remember which mag, and found the car to be very fast and sweet handling as satndard.
He then messed it all up with an ugly Wings-West rip off body kit, but this was joined by uprated turbo and trick suspension (there is alot of tuning stuff for the 200ZX: Nismo, HKS, Blitz... all the usual suspects) and he had the best part of 280 horses when I last looked, which was yonks ago....
...obviously.
The only reasons I can see for you justifing a 200 over another CRX are that:
a) You have your own peanut on the way.
b) You really are sick of rust (I know I am, did I tell Twink is now off the road with a nasty dose of the Italian tinworm?
)...but I'd be shocked if a 200 of similar age would be any better preserved.... or c) You want to try the last configuration out. FR as apposed to FF or MR.
* Whatever you do have fun...
Mouse.
ps. I got an email from your HR dept. yesterday. Have you been stirring things up, or are they really that slow?
If the former, cool! *fellow PH's watch out for a 200zx shaped hole coming to a hedge near you, soon.
danger mouse said: ...The only reasons I can see for you justifing a 200 over another CRX are that:
a) You have your own peanut on the way.
b) You really are sick of rust (I know I am, did I tell Twink is now off the road with a nasty dose of the Italian tinworm?
c) You want to try the last configuration out. FR as apposed to FF or MR.
Whatever you do have fun...
Mouse.
ps. I got an email from your HR dept. yesterday. Have you been stirring things up, or are they really that slow?
*fellow PH's watch out for a 200zx shaped hole coming to a hedge near you, soon.
a) not yet :fingerscrossed:
b) Ooooooh yes.
c) well, you've got to try everything once (and we still have the moonroof as backup).
About your PS - much as I'd like to take the credit I think they really are that slow, or it could be that as we're in the new financial year they've go some budget to play with.
Good luck with Twink - how serious is it? Any idea where the engine number is on a CRX? The moonroof is so full of PAS and aircon crap I can't see it anywhere (need to fill in an insurance form
)Nice bikes. I always liked kwaks right up until my zx6r spoiled it for me and I moved to a fireblade. I loved my zxr750 and wish I'd had it when I could ride rather than when I'd just passed my test and it scared the bejesus out of me whenever we infrequently went out. Often think of picking up a zx7r even now - absolutely gorgeous bike imo.
It's only a 400 - shush, don't tell anyone. Still does 0-60 in under 4 seconds
Mark
dern said:Nice bikes. I always liked kwaks right up until my zx6r spoiled it for me and I moved to a fireblade. I loved my zxr750 and wish I'd had it when I could ride rather than when I'd just passed my test and it scared the bejesus out of me whenever we infrequently went out. Often think of picking up a zx7r even now - absolutely gorgeous bike imo.
It's only a 400 - shush, don't tell anyone. Still does 0-60 in under 4 seconds
Mark
That's why I picked the 400 - it's only fast when I'm working hard to keep it in the 12000-14500 powerband.
Give me a couple of years NCB and I'll start looking for a ZX7R - in green naturally.
Good plan, mine scared the cr*p out of me until I had some sense and went back to a thundercat for a year to get some confidense back.
That's why I picked the 400 - it's only fast when I'm working hard to keep it in the 12000-14500 powerband.
It's the only colour as far as I'm concerned. My blade is a top bike (best I've had) but it does look like a complete dog's breakfast.
Give me a couple of years NCB and I'll start looking for a ZX7R - in green naturally.
Mark
Well it looks like the 200SX is a good one: No rust (all panels checked with a magnet), no smoke in the exhaust, no knocking from from the big ends, all the toys work, all bar two stamps are present and correct in the service book and it drives well. I spent an hour and a half checking it over before I drove it!
The only stumbling block is the trade in value of my MR2
The only stumbling block is the trade in value of my MR2
1900 quid - I'm having the local Nissan dealer have a look at it for me this week. If they can't spot anything wrong then I'll snap it up.
The water collection device on the rear deck had rusted through - I found a reciept for the repair dated three years ago so I pulled the boot trim off and checked it. The repair looks fine but I'll take the spoiler off and give it a good going over with waxoil or something before I put it back together.
The previous owner had receipts for replacing light bulbs - WTF kind of numpty pays someone fifty quid an hour for that?
The water collection device on the rear deck had rusted through - I found a reciept for the repair dated three years ago so I pulled the boot trim off and checked it. The repair looks fine but I'll take the spoiler off and give it a good going over with waxoil or something before I put it back together.
The previous owner had receipts for replacing light bulbs - WTF kind of numpty pays someone fifty quid an hour for that?
er THEY PUT THE WATER COLLECTION DEVICE BACK???? most owners remove it and put something else or just leave it off, as it'll only result in the problem coming back and you having to spend another £200 on fixing it again cos it WILL happen something that'll need doing shortly I reckon... could bargain the owner down based on that info.
-Darren
something that'll need doing shortly I reckon... could bargain the owner down based on that info. -Darren
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