Find a NISMO Mechanic to Change the Clutch in my 240SX

[lmcinca]

Hi,

I am a new Nico member, and so I hope I am posting this to the correct forum. I own a Nissan 240SX, and a local mechanic says I need a new clutch. They also encouraged me to purchase a new car. My Nissan has 356,000 miles, and they said I have gotten my money's worth out of the car, and I should get a new one. They said that if I replace the clutch, it's likely that it won't operate like a factory-installed clutch. They said I will be replacing things like crazy, there will continue to be problems. They said that, if I continue to replace worn-out items with new, then the new items will overpower the existing components, and cause them to need replacement. A neverending cycle of replace, replace, replace! They said that I should put the $600 or so that I will spend on clutch replacement into a new car. They said my car isn't worth the kind of money I am spending on it. (I recently had a brake job, a clutch fan replacement, and a master/slave transmission cylinder replacement.)

And so I am wondering where to go from here. Should I go ahead and get the new clutch? Should I give up, and get a new car? (I despise the idea of car payments....)

I was hoping to get 500,000 miles out of this car. And so the news about the clutch hit me a little bit hard. Do you know how I can find a local mechanic who has Nissan training, and will be able to replace the clutch in my car? Do you guys have some kind of list of names and locations, or something?

Thank you for any help you can provide.

lmcinca

[1991S13]

If all you are doing is changing the clutch I wouldn't worry with trying to find a "Nissan trained" mechanic. Pretty much any shop will be able to do it, Im 17 and just did an auto-manual swap basically on my own.

A new clutch isn't going to overpower anything and cause it to wear out. Maybe if you added performance parts this could lead to the self destruction of your engine, but stock parts shouldn't.

If 500,000 miles is your goal, go for it as long as the car isn't nickle and diming you to death. Half a million is a lot, but remember you are driving a Nissan

If you want semi-new car reliability, instead of spending the money on a whole new car just swap the engine out for a fresher one.

[Zyphar]

...My Nissan has 356,000 miles,...

wow ! 356k! i think you have the most mileage out of anyone in this forum!i though i had alot with my soon to be 200k ( i currently have 199130).

but ya as 1991S13 says, u could always just replace the KA. usually a KA engine will go for $300 at most with transmission. I heard some will even give them away to make room in their garage.

[race420]

hmmm, at that many miles I would definitly consider a lower mile car. Think about how many brake jobs that car has had. Its proboly on its 3rd alternator, starter, clutch. you name it. Most mechanics arnt going to tell you to buy a new car. They like your car, there is always something broken to upsell. But most important in my opionion, the unibody. That paper thin metal is only going to take so many bumps, and so many years of corrosion. Ive seen other nissans at lower miles incapable of holding an alignment because the unibody was too tired. Do as you please though. I just saw the chance to share my philosophy on high mileage vehicles.

[amolao]

Is all on what type of driving you do...maybe you are the car to work only, maybe all those miles were there from the prior owner...Bull*&*^!! dont listen to those mechanics, get a clutch and put another 100,000 miles on that baby....and no you dont need a NISMO mechanic to replace a clutch, but then if you are not doing some of the mechanical work on the car , then maybe you need a newer more friendly maintenance user car...

[benemorius]

Don't you dare get a new car. You drive a Nissan, damnit. Well I guess if the chassis is beat to hell you can get another 240 thats in better condition.

If the chassis is ok, rebuild that engine and you're in good shape.

EDIT: What kind of 240 is this?

[D Money]

356 is an outrageous amount of miles! i would keep it. change the clutch yourself, if not anyone can do it, its easy.

[Chingon]

Me and my brother did a clutch change by ourselves. Turned out right, with lack of tools. That mechanic is a dumb ***. BTW, I'm thinking of getting an MKI mr2 w/ 635 000 miles for 700 bux, that still runs. I'll see what happens.

[matt4pl]

i had an SW11 for sale for $600 with 120k on it... why werent u around then? lol, 356 is crazyiness, gotta love nissan tough... i wanna see any americna car pull that stunt

[sanioll]

depending on your budget, youre the one who has to make a decision.

i say, grab a stage 0 clutch, or regular clutch close to stock one. change it yourself. So if you screw it up, you can buy a new car. translation, you wont pay for labor.

or simply grab a new car if this one's body is corroded. I say grab a new car. Probably current ones suspension, all the rubber parts are dead.

Yeah, you definitely need to grab a new vehicle. spend at least 2000 on a new 240sx.

then as you learn later on, you may grab a reliable SR20DET for about 3-4 K and do a swap yourself. that'll make a fast trasporter.

[Red coupe]

The whole new parts will over power old is true and not true, I think he just mean that a new clutch will probably grab harder so it will put more of a load on drive train components, so if one was about to break it probably will go. The car will most likely continue to have things go out untill you have replaced eerything, as thats is alot of miles and anything that has lasted this long is on its last legs.If you want it as a preformance car remember also that a stiff frame is a good thing, so many miles have a way of lossening things up a bit