weitau

Don't get me wrong, I'm a 240sx fanatic forever (I've owned 4 so far), but I needed to put things into perspective.

I've been building up my SR coupe for the last year, and it's been a love hate relationship. After the swap process crossed the 4 month mark, I had to pry the car away from the guy who was working on it. Not only were there assembly and electrical problems, but the interior got trashed. After working on it myself and paying other professionals hundreds to complete the install and tune, I am almost finished. I am finally down to just noisy FMIC pipes (poor clearance issues).

Was it all worth it? I've put more than est. $11,000 into the car (I stopped counting at $10k) and the time & aggravation, I needed to know if I should have just bought a new car.

The Scion looked really interesting. At 2900lb and 160hp/163torque, it's only 100lbs more than a S13 SE Hatch and the motor's nearly the same. Plus the list fo standard features are impressive: like a sunroof that's nearly the size of the entire roof, 215/45's tires on 17" alloy wheels, and safety features like ABS and airbags galore. And with Toyota build quality - it looks like a really good deal.

sykikchimp

fwd.


...I thought it might make a decent daily driver though...

I'd rather spend my money on a 10yr old M3 for the same amount of $.

__________________

weitau

So I dropped by the local dealer, and I got behind the wheel. The seats are comfortable, and they hold you down. The dash looks very modern and clean. Fit and finish is top rate. I was beginning to forget about my beloved 240... until I got on the road. I tried not to scare the saleslady in the passenger's seat, so I took it easy. Although the suspension is firm, the car just soaked up the bumps like butter; my 240 would've been rattling like crazy. Then I started pushing it. The rev's counted up - 4k, 5k, 6k, but I was going no faster than the Crown Victoria to my right. WHERE'S THE BEEF? or should I say TURBO?

At that moment, I felt like God came down and gave me a message - 240SX/SR = NIRVANA.
The pain and suffering since last year was all worth it! My 240 is mucho faster, has more precise handling, and doesn't cost a fortune to insure. I don't care if my car is 14 years old, or if the chicks rather drive with the short bald guy in the BMW. With the 240, it's all good!

weitau

Yeah, for a daily driver, it'll be good, although I need more room. so I was thinking Scion xB, aka box truck. having 2 sport coupes would be a waste especially if you rather drive the 14 year old one...

I agree, a M3 would be the only other competitor to the 240sx/SR.

G_Fish240

It's a good daily driver and a good price for a new car. If you want a car you don't have to work on and a new car (so you know whats been done to it) with a good price I'd get a TC. Not really sporty though. Can't you get a TRD supercharger to? Boost that doesn't void the warranty is always cool.

__________________
Sacramento touge and drift



MakotoS13: Spreading BS and being an ass on zilvia since June 2004

nightwalker

Sometimes you gotta have that other car. A daily driver. My 240 is pretty harsh to drive around now. Too many metal bushings, car too stripped, too loud, etc. When I can afford it, I'd like a different car for a daily driver.

__________________
In life, we often cast the line of hope fishing for the best possible opportunity. Sometimes with enough effort, the things we catch are nothing short of amazing.

o240isxf0304

i almost bought one last year when i was looking for my second 240. i didnt have a car to drive and the 240 market was tough with all the drifting bandwagon going on. i wanted it for the 6 disc mp3 player. i test drove one and wasnt satisfied. i thought i had a whole lot more fun driving my old sohc. but i was desperate for a car at the time so i agreed to buy it. when we got back from the test drive another salesperson sold that car to someone else. at the time there were a 30 day wait for the tc's. so i just left a deposit to reserve one. a week after i found a 96 with 89k miles with i/h/e already installed for $4800. its been 6 months and still no problems with the car.

__________________

420sx

yea..... that sounds great.... mmmkay?

__________________
hydropgrahics!
ls1......

240Stilo

I was thinking the same thing lately and started to check out the mini cooper. That should be a fun test drive.

__________________
-Juan

weitau

The Mazdaspeed Miata should be a fun test drive as well. Do tell us about your Mini!

ZK

I felt the same way about my 240 build .. it's still a work in progress and I can't wait for the day I will be able to drive it for real. Sometimes I really just want to buy a new car but when you're behind the wheel and everything is working the way it should it is nirvana because you know what it took to get there and at that moment it feels like every penny and all the headaches are worth it.

__________________
SOLD: 91 240SX Coupe SR20DET, 05 Evolution 8
NEW: 08 Evoluton 10

sw20>>s14

the mazdaspeed is sweet! hella nimble and just enough (but could use more) punch. not much of a vert person though. buy an old scooby...

__________________
s14| y34| 911 gts| exige s| 600rr| r3| 250r| 85 girlfriend

s13silady

scions are hot... but once you read about the 538hp boosted scion it'll be another 240 all over again...

__________________

OptionZero

The only new cars worth mentioning:

G35C
350Z
'06 Corvette
Mitsu EVO VIII
Subie STi (not the rex...)
SRT-4
MazdaSpeed 6
Rx-8
Acura TL-S
Lotus Elise
Honda Odyessey!

Anything else is too expensive and/or ugly and/or slow to bother with...

Used car possibilities:
One day i'd like to own an FD...and make it run. One day. Possibly an FC, but by then they'd be real old...

an SC400/300 for pimpness

and if i could ever fit in one...a first gen S20000

SimpleSexy180

im so happy you didnt buy it....go check out a mazdaspeed miata . (pssstt, RWD>FWD).

MakotoS13

if thats nirvana i don't wanna see hell. its good that your pleased with your project but maybe you should have just slapped a turbo on your existing motor and enjoyed the torque.

Macadoshus

I am with you on the xB, I think I might be getting one of those soon for the daily driver. Great gas mileage. Alot of cargo room. And cheap (as long as I can keep it pretty much stock). It will be nice to have a practical car for once.

Yoshi

the TC is just a nice daily driver, we'll see how it performs when it gets the TRD supercharger (I think it' puts it to 180-200hp?), I was thinking of getting one for my winter/commuter car. Really nice car for the price as far as new cars go... and it's a Toyota

__________________

www.360realms.com/S13-S15

justinhustle

i love my usdm winter car

4.9L v8 fwd haha

mk20116

mini cooper is only worth getting if it's the S Coop. The regular one is too slow for most young drivers (at least me)

miata for FR fun or just wait for the small form factor BMW with FR. They started selling the BMW in europe already, so most people looking for a small-form car with FR are graduallly moving away from the MINI

__________________

1....2....3....4....

EH9

citizen

I test drove a Mazda 3s the other day and i was pretty impressed with the handling on it. They arent that more expensive then the Scions, but they are well put together cars.

sykikchimp

When my roommate was looking for a car it was b/w the Scion Xa and the Mazda 3..

When when finally went and looked the two, it was hands down, no contest.. the Mazda 3 was light years better.

one thing I HATE HATE HATE about the Xa and Xb are the center mounted gauges.

__________________

Shin_Kudo

If it's not too much of a "turn-off", I'd check out something like the Mazda 3/6 Sportwagons, or even the WRX wagon. Both drive relatively well, and have the rear storage space to carry around big stuff like exhausts or lots of spare rims and tires.

__________________
'95 240SX Base Pearl White

DMC

Im in the same boat my 240/sr build has about a year left, so i had to by a daily driver and get to strip the 240 for a race car . I miss driving 240s but my jeep is the fastest car ive owned 4.7l awd 15.7 1/4

MakotoS13

i've driven the mazda 3 and mazdaspeed miata. the 3 was freaking awesome from fit and finish to road manners. if i wasn't so against fwd i'd prolly have one. i couldn't fit in the miata (but it was pretty darn quick)

thx247

The miata can be very quick, I don't know about he mazda speed, but I think the weight does not offset the extra HP. I was not impressed with how the MS pulled on the track. It didn't seem worth the extra weight.

It also has a full roof sunroof keke

__________________
Finally down to 1 car again. Thank god.

ph34r

this happens to me often. i think about how much of a pain my 240 is and then i go out and drive it. it destroys the thought of getting another car.

Ritz S14

My girlfriend just bought a silver one a couple of hours ago.

weitau

I had my first 240 for two years when I was in grad school. Base model, but 5 speed. Then I got a job and thought I needed a new car, so I got the Honda Element. Torquey motor, HUGE space, but it didn't paste a smile on my face like the 240 did. When I sold the 240 to another guy on this board, I thought I could get another in SE trim. Could not find one. It was like withdrawl. I ended up snapping up a convertible and coupe, thinking the world was going to run out of 240's. I sold the Element to pay for restoration of the 'vert and SR build up.

Makoto, I hear ya. If I were to do it again, it would be a KA-T hatch 'cause the way I drive. I'm a stoplight-seat in your pants guy. Not much into racing. The SR loves to rev, and the cops here love 'em too 'cause it helps them fill their quotas.