Good Car?

[deadman9]

I'm 17 (and NOT a member of the hat-backwards crowd, so please don't assume I'm some punk teenager looking to buy a fast car and do horribly unresponsible things with it), live in southeastern Pennsylvania, and am in need of a good first car, I like Nissan and am particularly interested in 91-94 240sx and 91-94 Sentra Se-R. Both seem like excellent cars, the main difference being RWD and weight distribution. Neither will be pushed to anywhere near their limits anytime soon (but I'm keeping my options open ) . Following is my big list of questions about what would be a good car. Thankyou all in advance for the help.

Is the 240sx any good in snow? Every few years we get a bad winter.

Which is a better first car? I have my license, but still need alot more practice before I can call myself a decent (maybe even good) driver.

How safe are these cars in an accident (god forbid)?

How bad is insurance on an Se-R or a 240sx? I'm young, work my [censored] off in a restaurant and don't have alot of money.

How about handling? Which one is better? I'll probably upgrade the suspension on whatever I get.

The 240sx seems nicer overall, it has PW, PL, smooth interior, and is available in a hatchback that provides ALOT of space. Any opinions?

They are both around the same price, the 240sx seems like more bang for the buck, but once again, which is a better car to learn to drive on?

I'll probably own the car for quite a few years, how reliable is the 240 or Se-R? Keep in mind, to be affordable it will probably have around 70-100,000 miles when I buy it.

thanks again for the advice

[Nismo_Freak]

Hard to say but honestly I would get the SE-R in your case. RWD isnt fun (unless your intentially being a demented driver like me) in the rain so imagine it in the snow. For a first car I would suggest the SE-R... they are light and handle well and also can be made to run in the 14s all motor fairly cheaply. Insurence will be alot cheaper as well ... 2-door RWD + < 25 yrs.old = ****ed in the a**.

[12second240]

really do you pay alot of money on insurance, for my 92 fastback i pay $200/month Canadian mind you. i dont consider that too bad, but it is undermy parents name, so that helps out alot..and another thing the car i dont think is good in snow, i havent had it into our arctic winters yet but i'm guessing i'll be unable to drive it in a snow drift. Deadman9 good luck finding a cheap 91-93 fastback with 70k miles, because thats not alot, these cars run along time too. Reliable cars nice looking cars, fun to drive summer time

[MasterMan]

i pay 160$ a month living in FL USA... no ticket or anything and im 16 on my parents plan..

[pancito]

Test drive both, inspect them (don't be a impulse buyer) see all the little imperfections and milk them, sure they are used, sure they don't have warranty but the cheaper you get it the more you can do with the rest :ylsuper

What year GS-R would you get?

[Zebrahead]

What year GS-R would you get?

He said Se-R, not GS-R. I don't know which I'd get because I have very little experience with Sentras. If I was judging by looks, I'd say the 240. Handling and potential custom suspension in the future, again the 240.

They are both good cars, and in the case of a horrible winter, I seriously doubt one car will be very much better than the other. The 240 doesn't handle well in the snow or ice (i hit the curb doing 20 and popped a tire), i'd know.

Snow driving comes down to one thing: speed. If you drive very slowly and carefully, you should be all right.

I'd agree w/ Pancito. Test drive them both and see which you like and prefer. It's all up to you.

Nick.

[Zebrahead]

Just seeing if the signature works . . .

Nick.

[Bubba]

Hey DM9, I live in SE PA too. Here are my answers:

1. 240's suck in the snow, but if you drive carefully and smoothly, you'll do just fine.

2. Both cars are equally easy to drive. I suggest learning to drive on your parents car as newbies tend to be harder on cars, especially standard transmissions. But be sure to test drive them both.

3. Insurance is cheap for both. neither is considered a sports car or is coveted by car thieves. Your problem is you're 17 and male, I suggest hitching onto your parents policy no matter what you buy.

4. You don't need suspension mods, despite what you might hear. Both car's stock suspensions are great. Heck, I run my stock 240sx on race tracks regularly and will pass cars far more powerful and "better handling" than my ol' beast. It's driving skills which come from practice and instruction, not fancy mods that will give you the biggest improvement.I'd take that mod money and put into a hi performance driving school first. That'll also help your bad weather driving as skid control is a major part.

5. Finally, if both cars cost about the same, go for whichever one is in better condition, they're both fine cars.

Good luck

[Bubba]

Oops left off a couple of questions. Both are reliable, but when buying a used car that old, the maintenance history on the individual car will be a better indicator on how reliable they'll be when you own it. Consumer Reports considers both cars very reliable.

The 240sx is a flashier car, but the Sentra will likely get better gas mileage. The 240sx will feel more like a sports car because of the RWD, but you gotta decide what's important to you, not us.

[boMex]

My only advice is to be patient when buying the car. Don't buy a piece just because your excited about having a car. I spent a year researching all my options before I decided on a 240 coupe. After that I spent 6 months actually searching for the right one before finding an excellent car. Of course all this patience only came after rushing out and buying my first car which turned out to be a complete bomb. :sleep

[Drift Machine]

yeah i have to agree with bomex, i went out and bought the first car my parents had me look at and well the less said about it the better. But then after realizing what i had done, i spent the next year saving up money and looking at cars that i would be interested in, test drove them. and made my decision. and i couldn't be happier

[mars240]

yea thats true it does suck in the snow u spin out all the time but i just into an accident wasnt my fault and my parents are all gay about it i pay $1400 for a year wich isnt that bad on my parents name but now they toldme i gotta get it under my own name i was pissed, but when iwent to the insurance company they made and estimate of $1227 for the year i couldnt be more happier

[MaineExport]

I would not exchange my 240 s14 for a Sentra SE-R under any circumstances!! The SE-R is an awesome car.. but the 240 is SO much more car in so many ways. Styling, handling, torque, hp etc... (BTW.. doesn't the SE-R have better 0-60 times?)

Winter driving in the 240sx is lousy! I've almost always had RWD or 4WD so I know how to handle them in the snow. My 240 has VLSD.. so start-off traction isn't an issue.. but EVERY bit of handling it in snow sucks! For a first car, the Sentra will be better for you. I'd love to see you get into a 240.. but realistically it's not the best choice in your situation....

1: RWD vs. FWD for new driver issue2: insurance issue3: gas mileage issue4: repair expenses (opinion only.. but 240 costs more to maintain)5: overall cost of ownership will be higher in a 240. (repairs, insurance, gas..... etc)

[rbboyl]

Actually, my 240 was a semi-impulsive buy, heh heh. I was researching mx-6s for the longest time and a little bit on the 240 on the side. I almost bought the first mx6 i saw but luckily I didnt. I did however, buy the first 240sx I saw, in fact, I drove it home the next day. And in my case, I was VERY lucky. It was a VERY good deal and in mint condition. Even though I did it, I would not recommend buying impulsively.

About the SE-R, yeah, it all depends on what you want. For me, I was willing to pay a little more for the insurance and drive a more flashy car. Performance wise they are almost identical except for the rwd/fwd. The gas mileage on the 240 isnt that bad at all.

I think the SE-R would be the more practical car, but the 240 is definitely more fun.

[dankar]

Your best investment would be in a high performance driving school, Look up NASA HPDE in your area, you can use you own car inexpensively, and they will teach you how to handle your car fast and safely and show you the stupid things not to do.

[SLIMMY240]

i think i would probably go for the 240, but thats just me. the do suck in snow, and probably will in rain to because your most likely gonna burn the tires up. (everyone hear knows they burned up a set of tires in about a month when they first got their 240) handling in the 240s alot better. theyre real safe. i had a 95 and went off a bridge and landed 30ft down and landed on the hood/roof of my car and rolled back over on the wheels. the engine head was sticking through the hood if it gives you an idea of the impact. and me and my friend were able to open the doors and get out with not a scratch on eather one of us. so now i got a 96 and would feel any safer driving anything else. but a 240 may not be as good to learn in. they are powerful and light as hell in the backend, so its real easy to fishtail and possibly spinout in the rain, or even just leaving the carwash with wet tires. overall id rather have the 240, but its depends on your driving styles

[Zebrahead]

4: repair expenses (opinion only.. but 240 costs more to maintain)5: overall cost of ownership will be higher in a 240. (repairs, insurance, gas..... etc)

I must be a lucky one, because my family has owned our '93 240 coupe (which has been mine for 13K miles) and it has 63K miles on it and not one thing has gone wrong with it. By saying that, it will explode tommorow, i know it.

Nick.

[platinum240sx]

im 16 and i live in toronto i bought my 240sx bout a month and a bit ago and i love it but i dont think its a good car for my first car its not insured yet im getting that done after its stored for winter , but im sure il be raped!

[Megaseth]

I've been lucky to have owned both cars, the se-r and the 240sx. the se-r is a great car. its quick and sporty cause of the SR20 in it. the suspension was tuned a little more than a regular sentra from the factory so it handles rather well. the 240sx is also a sporty car, it handles well and is quick (kinda). too bad it doesnt also have an SR in it... oh well, the whole RWD and FWD thing is up to you. RWD is more sports car feeling, but it is easy to loose traction in the rain and odds are in the snow. i got mine in the summer and i havent had the chance to drive in ice and snow. but insurance shouldnt be too much on either one. most years of 240sx's are good. i drive a 91 so i dont know about the SOHCs, but they sound good too from other peoples posts. if you want an se-r, the 1993 was the best year i think. it had the most improvements. the 1994 lost some power due to some chnage in the engine. hope this helps