Which would you buy? (or should I buy?)

[srt4evah]

Hey guys, I'm new to the 240 scene and I am looking to pick up a car ASAP. I'm located in Austin and I've found a couple of cars, but I'd like to seek the sagely advice and opinions of you guys here.

What I'm really looking to build for now is just a grip car, stock KA24DE is enough for the time being. I want to tighten up the handling and responsiveness as much as possible, more power is something that I'm not in a hurry to get.

One important factor here: I do not have a garage or a place to work on the car, so I'll have to pay a shop to do everything for me.

The first one I'm looking at is a '93 SE coupe that has a blown motor, but comes with a KA24DE w/93k miles to swap in. It comes with the following parts either installed or sitting ready to install:

Buddy Club coilovers (pillowballs, camber plates) with racing dampers
(5K miles)
Nismo steering bushings, motor mounts, shift knob (all new)
Tein tie rods and ends, tension rods (all new)
Kazama rear upper control arms, w/ camber correction (new)
Cusco front strut tower bar, e brake knob
Tomei steering wheel/Momo hub
Brembo front cross drilled rotors
NGK plugs/wires (new)
K&N air filter (new)
Exedy clutch (new)
Fidanza flywheel (new)
JDM 180SX front bumper lights (new)
JDM SR20DET VLSD with Nismo gears (4.1:1) and 5 bolt axles
new shift boot and interior carpet (both new/black)

The body is in fair shape, and it definitely needs a paint job. A couple dents are in it and the rear passenger quarter panel could probably be replaced.

The asking price on the car is $3000 firm, and I haven't got a really good idea what the labor would be going into it.

The second car is basically a stock '95 with 117k miles that needs a lot of things installed which are mostly included. It needs the dash installed, core support welded on, rear brake lines installed (not included), front bumper, bumper support, condenser, headlights, sidemarkers, grille and dash installed. Asking price is $2000. I'd need to source a battery and rear brake lines, which is easy enough.

So both cars need a good bit of labor, but all things being even once they're back on the road, the '93 has a lot more going for it, with all the suspension bits that come with it.

So which would you guys choose, given that you would have to get the work done by a shop and not do it yourself?

[s13rookie]

i wish we had choices like that around here. Our choices are: rusted out beat to shit overpriced s13 OR a beat to shit over priced s14

Id say go with the s14. Its 1g less so you can buy the exact items that you want. Most (not all) of cars that have been modded have been abused or at least driven hard, Are both cars 5sp?

What are your goals with the car? youll be the one to drive the car so its up to you.

[srt4evah]

Thanks for the advice. My goals for now are just to make it as responsive and tight as possible, while not having a suspension that pulverizes my kidneys. KA-T or SR20 are possibilities, but not for a year or more. For now I just want a reliable car that will carve.

Both cars are 5-speeds.

I wish I had the time and facilities to do some of the work myself, but I don't.

[s13rookie]

If youre going to be paying to have the work done, the s14 will be much cheaper. It will cost a lot less to have a dash and bumper lights installed compared to a motor.

as for being responsive. the s13 and s14 have a different feel to them, much more than just the style. Have you driven an s13 or 14 before? If not, that may be a good idea

edit: also, is the s14 a base or an SE?

[srt4evah]

If youre going to be paying to have the work done, the s14 will be much cheaper. It will cost a lot less to have a dash and bumper lights installed compared to a motor.

as for being responsive. the s13 and s14 have a different feel to them, much more than just the style. Have you driven an s13 or 14 before? If not, that may be a good idea

Thanks, I do figure the S14 would be cheaper to get on the road. It does need the core support welded on and the whole rest of the front end installed, not just bumper lights, but that's a lot less work than a motor swap.

I haven't driven any 240SX before, and I don't know that I'll have a chance to before I buy one really. I don't know anyone here in Austin, I just moved here like 2 weeks ago. Can you give me some idea what how the differ?

*edit* Not sure about the 95, but I think it's a base because he didn't mention it being an SE. I'll be seeing it tomorrow so I can find out. SE's come with the 5-lug setup, correct?

[Koopa Troopa]

That 14 sounds like it's worth $400 at most... WTF kinda car needs the core support welded back on? Sounds like he was trying to swap engines and got way over his head.

[s13rookie]

yeah, i missed that about the core support. Do you know why all those things have been removed? swap? accident?

[srt4evah]

Here are CL links for both ads.

'95
http://austin.craigslist.org/car/371459651.html

'93
http://austin.craigslist.org/car/373081252.html

The 95 doesn't look bad at all, not sure why it needs the core support though. I assume it was probably in an accident and he bought it to repair it? I'll want to know more about it for sure, title status and why the core support is off, and I'm sure I will find out tomorrow. It's basically a young guy that did get in a bit over his head, he doesn't have the time or money to finish the project.

[srt4evah]

yeah, i missed that about the core support. Do you know why all those things have been removed? swap? accident?

Core support and rear brake lines actually, those are the only major bits that need to be done, the rest should all bolt on fairly easily (dash, front end bits).

How hard is it to do the rear brake lines? I know it's a ton of work to replace the hard lines for the ABS on an SRT-4's rear, is it a big job for the S14's too?

[Koopa Troopa]

Here are CL links for both ads.

'95
http://austin.craigslist.org/car/371459651.html

'93
http://austin.craigslist.org/car/373081252.html

The 95 doesn't look bad at all, not sure why it needs the core support though. I assume it was probably in an accident and he bought it to repair it? I'll want to know more about it for sure, title status and why the core support is off, and I'm sure I will find out tomorrow. It's basically a young guy that did get in a bit over his head, he doesn't have the time or money to finish the project.

Is it just me or is that bitch tweaked?

http://images.craigslist.org/01010301021101040420070711c75f3929b15e1ad3f100e76b .jpg

I guarantee you there's more to that S14 then the guy has written down.

That S13 don't look bad and doesn't have a possibility of a bent frame. I say get the S13 then trade me steering wheels.

[s13rookie]

Is it just me or is that bitch tweaked?



I guarantee you there's more to that S14 then the guy has written down.



i agree. Something is fishy with the s14. It does looked tweaked, maybe its just the camera angle but it doesnt look right


Both those cars look like they would be nice projects for someone looking to do the work themselves. How much would a garage charge to do a motor swap? 500-1000? You may just want to keep your eyes out for something ready to drive

[srt4evah]

i agree. Something is fishy with the s14. It does looked tweaked, maybe its just the camera angle but it doesnt look right


Both those cars look like they would be nice projects for someone looking to do the work themselves. How much would a garage charge to do a motor swap? 500-1000? You may just want to keep your eyes out for something ready to drive

Hmm, you guys have sufficiently scared me off of the S14 for now =]. I'll take a look at it and get my own pics tomorrow, maybe it is just a bad pic of it, but it is a bit odd that the core support and brake lines need to be replaced.

I don't mind paying $3500 to get that '93 on the road, if that's all it takes, but I have a feeling it's going to run a bit more than that. It needs the interior carpeting installed, new radio, new sway bars (not needs, but I want), along with the motor swap and it comes with a new Exedy clutch and Fidenza flywheel (both new in box).

I could wait and look for a ready to drive car too, but out here in Austin it doesn't seem like there are a ton. A few, but not a ton like in Dallas or Houston. Since I don't know anyone I don't have a ride to pick up a car in another city.

[Unholy S14]

the good one.

[CleanS14]

Mike is that you? Just buy my car... I'll give you the NVIDIA employee discount LOL

[srt4evah]

Mike is that you? Just buy my car... I'll give you the NVIDIA employee discount LOL

Yeah it's me man, just looking for something to play with until the warranty on the SRT-8 wears out =].

I'll trade you a GeForce 8800 GTS 640MB and a Core 2 Duo 4200, hehe. I think your car is awesome, but I'm only looking to get something on the road for $4-5k for now, and slowly build it up into what I want.

What's your take on this one: http://www.houston240sx.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23295

Seems like a great buy, although the position of the right headlamp worries me a bit, like maybe there's frame damage underneath. Clean title and all, but i'd need a hood and a replacement headlamp... no big deal if it will still sit where it belongs...

[Farzam]

Buy a stock car.
Don't buy someone's headache especially as a n00b.
Good luck.

[Eyemfaster]

http://houston.craigslist.org/car/373639955.html

http://houston.craigslist.org/car/369627701.html

http://houston.craigslist.org/car/362256469.html

[srt4evah]

http://houston.craigslist.org/car/373639955.html

http://houston.craigslist.org/car/369627701.html

http://houston.craigslist.org/car/362256469.html

Thanks Eyem, I'd be happy with any of those cars, but I have no ride to Houston and/or nobody to drive one back here for me. I guess I should have picked up a girl on 6th street last night... :w00t: .

[avs0730]

the first thing that you need to know is s14 are rare and so are the parts. so if you find the parts you need like a dash you are willing to spend 200 for a uncrack dash. a s13 are common then s14 so parts are easier to find instead of a s14. hope that helps.

[240sx_sr20det]

IMO, the s14 looks like its more work than you want to deal with. The S13 doesn't look have bad though. I'd check them both out, but I think I would end up going with the S13, it already has the suspension mods. And you have the chance to work with the motor outside of the car seeing as how it needs to be put in..but thats just my opinion

[aznpoopy]

s13

all you need is some rear toe arms, an alignment and some wheel/tires. maybe a LSD down the road. otherwise you're done.

if its absolutely impossible for you to get your hands dirty, i suggest skipping the 240sx and getting something newer.