Engine/Trans: As with any car, check for normal wear and tear an low miles to the motor. I'd say the average vert has around 115k on it. 240sx Convertibles were only made in Automatic transmission. So if you you dont like Driving stick or have no interest in learning it then this shouldnt be a problem. However, if you do like MT and you find a 240sx convertible with an MT swap for cheap then go for it. Many people do these swaps to thier verts. The majority of the owners on this site have done the swap themselves as well. If you find a factory MT 240sx convertible it could be one of two things:
1. The owner is lying
2. You're in dream land
I say this because rumor has it only 6 convertibles were made in MT for dealers and if the seller is lying then i would reconsider all toghether.
Timing chains: The timing chains on most 240sx's rattle on the chain gaurd. This sound can create a sound that sounds like un problemo grande. All you have to do is remove the chain guard and the sound is gone. Cleaning up the tensioner is also recommended while you are at this stage. A thread on this topic:
zerothread?id=104485
Body/Exterior: For the most part, you will find these cars in good body condition. It's no soccer mom car or grocery runner so they will usually be in good shape to the body. Main things to look for on the outside of a vert:
1. Back window: The back windows on these cars are usually bad. This is a good condition rear window of a 240sx convertible.
Here is a picture of a bad one. (mine)
The windows are a pain to change by yourself. Now, pricing on replacement by a shop seems to really vary by area. I've heard of people getting it done for $300, but the cheapest in my area was $600.
2. Convertible top: Look for any nicks or tears because chances are you will keep the factory top. Again, installation by a shop varies by area. A few members report paying $900, I paid $1200 (which was the cheapest in my area.) Usually the top wont have major tears, maybe some loose threads here and there. If you do want to tackle this on your own, here is a DIY thread:
convertible-top-replacement-supplement-t289735.html
Also be sure that the top is free of leaks, even if they are very small. Small leaks can accumulate into things like this:
http://www.nicoclub.com/wp-content/uplo ... .54-AM.png
3. RUST! Look for rust on the body, rust on the frame thoroughly check for rust. Most of these cars are cali and florida cruisers so if you buy one from that area, check for rust. A Texas -> arizona area vert = No rust almost garunteed lol. Here are some places to check for rust:
- Trunk lip above the brake lights
- The place where the hydraulic rams for the top are, behind the door
- Rear fenders/rockers
- Undercarriage frame rails
- The unibody part of the front wheel wells
- Inside the rear fender below the antenna.
Also, check down in the rear fenders for any corrosion, water, debris that kind of stuff.
4. Trunk struts: Although this is not a big deal and can easily be replaced, almost every vert has this problem. The gas struts that push the trunk up will usually be worn out, leaving you to akwardly balance youself on one foot while using the other foot to slowly make a gap in which you can wedge your hand through to lift up the trunk, while holding all your belongings. One "Sachs" trunk strut and one worn trunk strut will do fine. If you go to Pep-Boys or auto zone, they will tell you that you can use trunk struts from the hatchback. Dont listen to them, they're stupid. Instead, request this part number or look for the lift with this part number: SG359005, the brand being sachs.
5. Convertible boot: The convertible boot covers the top when its down so no one sees it. Here's a pic of the boot:
And here it is on cmkelly's car:
They are extremely rare and hard to find because Nissan does not produce them anymore. So you will never find a brand new one. The prices are also very steep, they range from $200 - $500. So If the vert you are trying to buy has one, then thats all the more reason to buy that specific one.
Interior:
1. The first thing I am going to touch on this subject is the door panels. Every Vert owner hates their door panels. On the 240sx convertible, the panels are poorly made and tend to break easily. The panel insert especially tends to seperate from the rest of the panel.
As you can see on my sisters car we nastily screwed them in place. There are other better looking fixes for this however. You can swap the whole door to a 240sx coupe or hatchback door, or you can remove the seatbelt pillar and swap the panel to a coupe or hatchback panel. Both modifications require seatbelt relocation.
Pillar Removal Thread: zerothread?id=90488
Door Swap Thread: zerothread?id=136978
The door swap requires alot less work then the pillar mod in my opinion.
2. Rear quarter windows: The rear quarter windows on the verts are prone to coming off the track and then not closing properly. This can be fixed buy taking the window apart and replacing a plastic peice peice. Here is a thread for that:
zerothread?id=158929
3. Seats and Carpet: The driver's seat on the 240sx convertible, as with any other 240sx I'm sure, wears out and tears in one spot.
This is caused by the drivers rear rubbing against the same spot while entering and exiting the car. You can either live with it, get a new seat, or get a seat cover.
Carpet: If the carpet on the 240sx convertible gets VERY dirty, Its going to be tough. To my knowledge it is difficult to find carpets for this car. You can either retro-fit one from a hatch/coupe, or find another vert in a juckyard and take that carpet.
As far as dash cracks and such go, the dash is actually more likely to crack than hatches or coupes, simply because of more exposure to the sun. But usually these are garage kept cars so typically the dash will be in good shape.
As of right now, thats all I can think of! Over all, it is a very good car, they just need routine maintenance as with any other car. They are VERY rare. Here are production numbers:
Year | Quantity
1992........2327
1993........4602
1994........1391
______________
Total.......8320
They are fun to mod, fun to drive, you will get alot of stares, and you'll have alot of fun. And best of all, in the summer when you're driving with some buddies that have hatches, you can pull up next to them with your top down while thier all couped up in thier boxes and let out a nice big
. Any more questions then ask here in this thread. And if I missed anything then please add! Thanks! Modified by krash14 at 1:04 PM 2/10/2008
Modified by krash14 at 12:43 PM 2/11/2008
Modified by krash14 at 12:44 PM 2/11/2008
Modified by krash14 at 7:48 AM 6/3/2008
Modified by krash at 5:42 AM 1/20/2009
Modified by krash at 5:45 AM 1/20/2009
Updated by krash 12/11/2012
