Hello, I would like to say that I love this website. It has informed me greatly about Nissans and how it helped me solve all of the problems that I have with my car due to the sincere and invaluable information from its members.
To start off my story, I previously owned a used 99 Cavalier for a couple of years before I got rear ended due to some unattentive driver (I came out okay, my car did not). The car got labeled as totaled because of its bent frame, but drivable. The insurrance company paid me $3,000 for it and so my story goes...
While looking for a car during this time I did not know what to even get. I was thinking of getting a 4 cylinder because they did not eat as much gas (I live in Hawaii so gas is expensive, $2.39 regular). I was thinking of a Civic, but thank god I did not buy one. My friend told me I should buy a 240sx, they are pretty cheap now a days (May 2004 time). I did not know what a 240sx was and its fun potential was, so I just went along with it and searched and searched.
I found one in the classifieds and it was an 89 fastback 5 speed primer for $2,500. Yes primer, aparently the owner had a molded on body kit onto it, with the side grooves filled in (so that it all looks smooth), and he did not want to paint it because he did not want to be attached to it. He is a Honda guy, so Nissans are not a love of his life.. The molded on body kit was an Erubuni Shogun #605 and it looked bad arse. The day I saw it, the front was cracked because his relative hit a dog. $500 deduction right there. Three days later I got it for $2,000 Other goodies that it came with are 2 Motegi MR7 and 2 Katana Concept 7 17" rims w/ 3 Nitto NT450's and one Kumho Ecsta 205/40/17's. Yes I know High offset and super heavy.
With it being a 15 year old car it had its problems, all in which I fixed by looking at his website and reading the FSM. Here is the list of the problems.1) Wrong Aftermarket Intake (did not fit properly) -fixed using an Injen Intake2) Car kept stalling at idle - fixed by cleaning out MAF w/ cotton swab and rubbing alcohol3) Broken EGR and AIV Hoses - quick fix w/ replacing new hoses4) Hardened valve cover gasket - got a new one and installed it (piece of cake)
I found a friend that would do the repair since the shops here charge an arm and a leg, so he did it for $1,500 and all I had to do was buy the paint. Well, since this was going to be my car and it has to get me through college (I am 20 by the way, and interested more in Handling, Performance, then cosmetics) The color that a friend told me about was the Lexus IS300 Graphite Gray Metalic. Well, 4 weeks later it was done and I love it.
Next came suspension work. The suspension was kinda screwed up because it had 2 no name coilovers in the front w/ stock struts, and stock rear suspension w/ a blown left strut which gave me uneven tire wear.
I replaced those w/ eibach pro's and Koni Yellows. Koni's were a pain to install, but worth every penny. I also installed Subframe Spacers, and they made the car talk to me more (locked up the subframe as well a little bit more able to sense the road). I then installed Pilot STB's f&r that in which the rears were more profound in handling than the front, and got rid of a lot of slack that I did not know even existed. I changed my rims and tires to stock tear drop alloys w/ Potenza RE950's (These are way lighter than those 40lb each 17's w/ tires, cheaper (got them off ebay $27), and tires are significantly cheaper as well (Everything here is expensive). I got the RE950's because after losing traction in the rain easiy w/ the Nitto show tires (that are smaller than stock size 205/40/17!), wet traction is invaluable for me.
All of this was done in a 6 month period all one right after the other so that I can feel the effects each modification. The ride is smoother now, and although I lost steering response w/ the springs and gained a little more body roll w/ the tires, it is all worth it, and I love to drive now since I can enjoy it. A super stiff jarring ride and bounciness to the max makes driving a pain. I live on a dirt road and the roads here are in horrible shape so that is why I did that.
The handling is just awesome and I just purchased Silvia S15 seats, and will purchase sway bars, TC rods, RUCA's within the next two years or so. As for the engine, when I got it the engine had only 99,980 miles on it!!! The engine is still is fairly good condition, so an engine swap is the last thing on my mind. If I was going to do it, I would either go with a CA or SR swap. Over here, a turbo'd KA will cost more than the JDM swap. I am more for the CA though, but I have to do more research.
That is my story of my car, sorry it is very long, but here it is. I will put post pictures of my car as soon as I can find a digi camera or someone w/ a scanner.
Another Story of a newly found 240sx owner (very very lengthy)
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Ninetyfive240sxSE
- Posts: 129
- Joined: Fri Jun 04, 2004 8:23 pm
- Car: learning to drive stick =p
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MAXIMUS Nismo
- Posts: 1535
- Joined: Tue Aug 20, 2002 7:23 am
- Car: 95 240sx SE
- Contact:
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getnrowdy23
- Posts: 1224
- Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2004 11:58 am
- Car: '95 sr20det 240sx se/2004 suzuki sv650s
Re: (getnrowdy23)
enjoy it man, i got an 89 too.
pignose for life!
pignose for life!
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sleepyRPS13
- Posts: 574
- Joined: Sun Feb 09, 2003 8:56 am
- Car: to sleep
- Contact:
i found this nice facts about keaau http://www.city-data.com/city/Keaau-Hawaii.html
34.9% filipino..lol also houses there is prtty cheap.
34.9% filipino..lol also houses there is prtty cheap.
"2 Coilovers in the front and stock rears? lol first I've heard of that."
Yeah, he installed the front, but realized that in order to lower it, the strut had to be modified.
"34.9% filipino..lol also houses there is prtty cheap."
Yes, I am Filipino, and although houses are cheap, taxes also kill us.
Drift roads here sparse, and I am still searching. I am still in the long process of being one with my car (No auto crossing tracks on this island so accelerated learning is non-existant) and until I know my car very well, drifting will be done at a later time. Also since my whole body kit is molded in, I can't do some chassis bracing, and drifting=crashing most if not all of the time. My money goes to college first.
Thanks for the comments.
Yeah, he installed the front, but realized that in order to lower it, the strut had to be modified.
"34.9% filipino..lol also houses there is prtty cheap."
Yes, I am Filipino, and although houses are cheap, taxes also kill us.
Drift roads here sparse, and I am still searching. I am still in the long process of being one with my car (No auto crossing tracks on this island so accelerated learning is non-existant) and until I know my car very well, drifting will be done at a later time. Also since my whole body kit is molded in, I can't do some chassis bracing, and drifting=crashing most if not all of the time. My money goes to college first.
Thanks for the comments.
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sleepyRPS13
- Posts: 574
- Joined: Sun Feb 09, 2003 8:56 am
- Car: to sleep
- Contact:
i was lol'ing the filipino percentage not the cheap housing value which the highest was around 500K in 2000, thinkin maybe is a lil bit higher now. ~like we buy new house a for 400+k now its a million, pimpin houses are the best investment
and you know what, hawaii doesnt have a bestbuy, well atleast the two island i visited kauai & maui. they should build a bestbuy dammit!
and you know what, hawaii doesnt have a bestbuy, well atleast the two island i visited kauai & maui. they should build a bestbuy dammit!
On Maui, Oprah Winfrey (I think that is how you spell her name) owns a whole bunch of houses over there.
I live on the Big Island aka Hawaii ( I know, the whole island chain is called Hawaii, but the largest one is deemed that name first)
As far as mountain roads go, I heard there is a cool pass on the other side of the island, but that is about 130 miles drive to get there where I live. I will check it out during winter break.
About my 240 story thing, it kinda sucks that there are not that many people here on this island that can help me out. 99.9% of all the information I got from the net.
It is funny when people here turbo charge their car (any car) and when I ask them who tuned it, they give me a blank stare as if I did not know what I was talking about. The sound of a lot of air rushing back into their turbine impeller's brought up that question. Kinda sounds like vrrrrrrm pff pff pff pff pff pff
I live on the Big Island aka Hawaii ( I know, the whole island chain is called Hawaii, but the largest one is deemed that name first)
As far as mountain roads go, I heard there is a cool pass on the other side of the island, but that is about 130 miles drive to get there where I live. I will check it out during winter break.
About my 240 story thing, it kinda sucks that there are not that many people here on this island that can help me out. 99.9% of all the information I got from the net.
It is funny when people here turbo charge their car (any car) and when I ask them who tuned it, they give me a blank stare as if I did not know what I was talking about. The sound of a lot of air rushing back into their turbine impeller's brought up that question. Kinda sounds like vrrrrrrm pff pff pff pff pff pff