1987 Nissan 200sx, opinion?

[MameXP]

Any one has experience with this car? How is Nissan in general? I know they make strong engine, most powerful car (Skyline GT-R) but what about their other "not so powerful" cars?

Is it cheap to repairs a typical Nissan car? I asked my friends who owned Nissan Maxima and Altima, all of them are very happy in terms of performance and reliable.

Btw, this car is classic RWD. Its a beauty in my book. I want to have one for this winter lol

[sexpuppet6000]

you shouldn't buy an old car like that for the winter. its unreilable because its soo old. and ***** in the winter is hardest to repair because its soo cold..

PLUS. you don't want a rwd car in the winter.
especially if you don't know how to handle it in the snow.

skyline isnt the most powerful car. lol
nissan does make quality cars.
nissan pretty good to fix.

[hyperion]

It's a really fun car to drive, especially in winter.

[MameXP]

Oh yeah about reliability in the winter thats the problem i think

I dont mean Skyline is the MOST powerful car in general but it is most powerful car from Japan. No deny about it, the car makes its legend

Reason i want RWD in snow is to "play" around. I wont be driving much this winter but weekly 100KM highway driving.

Obviously the most concern is engine and such. If things broke but car is still fully safety and functional i will just prepare or work on it in spring.

The one i'm looking at has good body no rust. Frame is still intact. Engine is questionable cause i need a mechanic to check on that. Its drivetrain is supposed to be good as well. But cant conclude unless a fully inspection was done.

I'm concerning what are bad things about Nissan cars in general, and this car in particular. What does a repair usually go? What kind of things that may break down with a car this age?

[oldsnail]

If i remember,
they come in a few forms..
a V6(VG) out from the old school 300zx, and a 4cyl(CA) NA.

it was short lived, but it showed up again during the mid 90's with an SR engine.

[DJ_Peanuts22]

unless you're getting a killer deal on it, i would advise against getting a car almost 20 years old, even though it is RWD. at that age, anything and everything on it has the potential to rust or break... plus the fact its a rare car to come by so sourcing parts would be difficult if you needed repairds

i would suggest you take a look at something newer, possibly a 1989-1994 gen Nissan 240sx, much more commonplace, and you can still get a good deal on one

[Nismo]

it would make a good project/fun car, if you have the time and money in it. I wouldnt buy it if its use as a commuter car.

[EG8_Civic]

RWD cars are better in the winter than FWD. Obviously 4WD cars are superior. Just make sure you have winter tires with adequate treads. With FWD, if you break late, and try steering, and are understeering, you are screwed. You lose both drive and steering. Where as RWD, you still have steering and drive. Hope I don't have to teach folks how to drive RWD in the winter.

If you don't, practice in an empty parking lot. Its fun, get to know your car. If your car has ABS, do not pump it. If pwr brakes, pump it if you are skidding. Just make sure you do not put the brakes when you are cornering.

[fast_typeR]

RWD cars are better in the winter than FWD. Obviously 4WD cars are superior. Just make sure you have winter tires with adequate treads. With FWD, if you break late, and try steering, and are understeering, you are screwed. You lose both drive and steering. Where as RWD, you still have steering and drive. Hope I don't have to teach folks how to drive RWD in the winter.

If you don't, practice in an empty parking lot. Its fun, get to know your car. If your car has ABS, do not pump it. If pwr brakes, pump it if you are skidding. Just make sure you do not put the brakes when you are cornering.

that's not true, and I am not trying to start an argument with you. Understeer is much much more easier to control than oversteer. With understeer you can still manage to control where you're steering, as it is your tail that is losing traction. but with oversteer you have a hard time figuring out where the car is heading, because it is the head of your car that loses traction. In winter, you definitely want understeer. The reason why alot of MB or BMWs are stuck in winter is also due to this reason, and the fact because the rear is light the car has a hard time putting all the power to traction on the ground

[FAST_RZ]

JUNK......stay away! :razz:



Any one has experience with this car? How is Nissan in general? I know they make strong engine, most powerful car (Skyline GT-R) but what about their other "not so powerful" cars?

Is it cheap to repairs a typical Nissan car? I asked my friends who owned Nissan Maxima and Altima, all of them are very happy in terms of performance and reliable.

Btw, this car is classic RWD. Its a beauty in my book. I want to have one for this winter lol

[MameXP]

that's not true, and I am not trying to start an argument with you. Understeer is much much more easier to control than oversteer. With understeer you can still manage to control where you're steering, as it is your tail that is losing traction. but with oversteer you have a hard time figuring out where the car is heading, because it is the head of your car that loses traction. In winter, you definitely want understeer. The reason why alot of MB or BMWs are stuck in winter is also due to this reason, and the fact because the rear is light the car has a hard time putting all the power to traction on the ground


Huh? I agree with you that understeering is better/easier to control. But i believe you messed up the technical explaination:

Understeering means your front end loose traction

As opposed to,

Oversteering means your back end loose traction

Thus, when you're understeering you break to transfer weight of the car to front giving directional force on the front wheels that will let it grabs traction.

When you're oversteering, you ease up or let go of gas let the wheel to grab traction then you countersteering to correct. Lots of ppl prefer oversteering because its actaully let them know what wheel to to put directional force. You can break, gas at the same time.

[nx2k]

it's an ugly car but it'll serve well for a regular driver
there was indeed a V6 VG but they were pretty rare
i wouldn't buy it however if it was given to me, i would take it

in terms of nissans, i've owned 2 of them now and have not had any major problems

[fast_typeR]

Huh? I agree with you that understeering is better/easier to control. But i believe you messed up the technical explaination:

Understeering means your front end loose traction

As opposed to,

Oversteering means your back end loose traction

Thus, when you're understeering you break to transfer weight of the car to front giving directional force on the front wheels that will let it grabs traction.

When you're oversteering, you ease up or let go of gas let the wheel to grab traction then you countersteering to correct. Lots of ppl prefer oversteering because its actaully let them know what wheel to to put directional force. You can break, gas at the same time.

you're right,
that is my bad as i mixed up the two

[sonick]

When you're oversteering, you ease up or let go of gas let the wheel to grab traction well not really, there is such thing as lift-throttle over-steer with RWD cars.

[Anessa]

I'd pony up for something better that's RWD.

[voided]

Any one has experience with this car? How is Nissan in general? I know they make strong engine, most powerful car (Skyline GT-R) but what about their other "not so powerful" cars?

Is it cheap to repairs a typical Nissan car? I asked my friends who owned Nissan Maxima and Altima, all of them are very happy in terms of performance and reliable.

Btw, this car is classic RWD. Its a beauty in my book. I want to have one for this winter lol

I had an 89 240sx I loved it with all my heart and also put like $8000 in repairs into it in 3 years. everything from the engine out. and could never even hope to drive it in the winter. 200sx is a classic if restored and should be driven as a classic car dont expect reliability from it. You want a fun winter car that wont get you killed try a prelude or a celica.

[kingsley]

RWD cars are better in the winter than FWD. Obviously 4WD cars are superior. Just make sure you have winter tires with adequate treads. With FWD, if you break late, and try steering, and are understeering, you are screwed. You lose both drive and steering. Where as RWD, you still have steering and drive. Hope I don't have to teach folks how to drive RWD in the winter.

If you don't, practice in an empty parking lot. Its fun, get to know your car. If your car has ABS, do not pump it. If pwr brakes, pump it if you are skidding. Just make sure you do not put the brakes when you are cornering.

lol, too much initial d, man. FWD is better in the winter. Understeer is easier to manage than oversteer.

[kingsley]

Huh? I agree with you that understeering is better/easier to control. But i believe you messed up the technical explaination:

Understeering means your front end loose traction

As opposed to,

Oversteering means your back end loose traction

Thus, when you're understeering you break to transfer weight of the car to front giving directional force on the front wheels that will let it grabs traction.

When you're oversteering, you ease up or let go of gas let the wheel to grab traction then you countersteering to correct. Lots of ppl prefer oversteering because its actaully let them know what wheel to to put directional force. You can break, gas at the same time.

You didn't get it correct either.

Understeer is when you lose front end traction. To fix this, brake or lift off the gas to transfer weight to the front.

Oversteer is when you lose rear end traction. To fix this, accelerate and turn the car in the direction you want to go. (Not as easy as this sounds, if you overcorrect you will end up oversteer in the other direction)

This is why FWD is better in the winter because it has a tendency to understeer and it is easier to correct.

[Focus]

RWD cars are better in the winter than FWD. Obviously 4WD cars are superior. Just make sure you have winter tires with adequate treads. With FWD, if you break late, and try steering, and are understeering, you are screwed. You lose both drive and steering. Where as RWD, you still have steering and drive. Hope I don't have to teach folks how to drive RWD in the winter.

If you don't, practice in an empty parking lot. Its fun, get to know your car. If your car has ABS, do not pump it. If pwr brakes, pump it if you are skidding. Just make sure you do not put the brakes when you are cornering.

Just a question, for 99% of the driver out there do they perfer pushing forward in the snow or spining 360 in the snow?

[fireguy9]

I owned 2 200sx cars over the yrs,,,, a 81 which was fun but always broke down. Then I had a 86 turbo model which was damn fast for that yr. When turbo kicked it kicked!! Was fun,,,, but not cheap to fix and at that time I was still learning how to fix cars,,, so it went to the shop and parts were not cheap. But it was a much more reliable car then my first one as it never broke down. Just regular service work. (brakes, muffler, etc) If you find a good condition model it might be alright for what u want.

[Alvito]

Why not get a 240sx? 1989...

[MameXP]

You didn't get it correct either.

Understeer is when you lose front end traction. To fix this, brake or lift off the gas to transfer weight to the front.

Oversteer is when you lose rear end traction. To fix this, accelerate and turn the car in the direction you want to go. (Not as easy as this sounds, if you overcorrect you will end up oversteer in the other direction)

This is why FWD is better in the winter because it has a tendency to understeer and it is easier to correct.


You're kinda right, but i did get it correct. Only time when you correct oversteering with gas is when you're at the tracks. Its dangerous on public road like you said because you will oversteering AGAIN in opposite direction.

I have done quite a few tracks, i pick up those technique and i agree i will try to gas it and countersteering at the same time to save my time. More risk but less lap time.

Understeering DOES give you ADVANTAGE at the tracks. Thats LATE BRAKING technique if you can learn it. Its dangerous and risky. One of the driving intructors at the track let me sit in his car, the DC2R. At corners he THROWs the car to UNDERSTEER then hard brake and heel-toe it right at the point when the front wheel grabs tractions. It was scary cause the car entry the corners with understeering.

After all, FWD and RWD both has advantage and disadvantage. The real disavantage of FWD is weight distribution(traction under heavy acceleration) and TIGHT corner, you will loose too much momentum due to EARLY brake. (at tight corner you cant use late braking, you will oversteering if your front wheel grabs traction)

The reason i want to get 200sx because i want to learn drifting. I know 200sx is hard to drift but i still like the look of it.


For the last time, FWD is better than RWD in winter. So stop that crap! lol :D

[DJ_Peanuts22]

if you want an easy to drive car, get a 1985-1987 AE86 Toyota Corolla GT-S, they're great cars, my neighbour had one, it was lightweight and VERY responsive in stock condition, but finding one in good condition is quite hard these days

[MameXP]

if you want an easy to drive car, get a 1985-1987 AE86 Toyota Corolla GT-S, they're great cars, my neighbour had one, it was lightweight and VERY responsive in stock condition, but finding one in good condition is quite hard these days


LOL, the legendary AE85. How proud is the kid when he has a "Trueno" bro....:D

The rummors even said that the car will teach the driver how to drift lol :D

I like that car too, 50-50 wd, like and great handling but the InitialD crap has jack up the cars value so much. Ppl drool over it.

[15-20_God]

if you want an easy to drive car, get a 1985-1987 AE86 Toyota Corolla GT-S, they're great cars, my neighbour had one, it was lightweight and VERY responsive in stock condition, but finding one in good condition is quite hard these days

ah yes, the mythical legend of a 20 year old corolla strikes again. Say, if i buy an early 80's delorean will that allow me to travel back in time?

[MameXP]

ah yes, the mythical legend of a 20 year old corolla strikes again. Say, if i buy an early 80's delorean will that allow me to travel back in time?


:D you're quite funny.

But with AE86 you can drift sideways to WHOLE other dimension, so it let you travels thro dimensions. ;)

[Anessa]

You'll never find a true Trueno in Canada though, just fanboy attempts at replicating one.

[MameXP]

You'll never find a true Trueno in Canada though, just fanboy attempts at replicating one.


What do you mean? In Canada, there are AE86 Corolla GT-S Hatch which are called trueno in Japan. Exactly the same. However the hatch didnt sell as well as the couple thus most you see are the couples.

There is a "Trueno" in Markam. I actually met him, he put lots of money to it. The car is fully restored.

Yeah i decide not getting the 200sx btw. Most of the ones i checked are in really bad shape.

[15-20_God]

What do you mean? In Canada, there are AE86 Corolla GT-S Hatch which are called trueno in Japan. Exactly the same.


they were right hand drive too? news to me.

[MameXP]

So you can only drift in RHD? LOL give me break you know it doesnt make a difference. Ofcourse its LHD...