Need advice for getting an s14 as a daily driver

[91coupe529]

New to the forum had a couple 240s in the past as project cars but looking into get a s14 as a daily driver does anyone use these as dailys? I have been doing some research and in stock forum they seem to be getting 25-30mpg which is way better then my mustangs 19 and my trucks 16. My question is are these cars reliable cause both s13s i had were money pits. thanks for all the input in advance

[Rogue One]

Topic revised to reflect subject matter. Hopefully this get you some input.

Just a friendly tip: Use The Correct Title. That means, make sure your title has the topic at hand. Don't title something: "I have a question" or "Small concern" or "New Member". Instead title it: "Tire tpms question" or "Rear bumper paint issue". Most people will pass over threads with meaningless titles, so a brief description of the topic will attract more attention, and often get a quicker response.

[91coupe529]

New to the forum had a couple 240s in the past as project cars but looking into getting a s14 as a daily driver does anyone use these as dailys? I have been doing some research and in stock forum they seem to be getting 25-30mpg which is way better then my mustangs 19 and my trucks 16. My question is are these cars reliable cause both s13s i had were money pits. thanks for all the input in advance

[wa-chiss]

Lol, could you change the title again, I believe a small typo was made. Sounds like he's wanting money to buy an S14.

To the OP: There's no way to just outright tell you that S14's are any more or less reliable than an S13. It all boils down to how well the vehicle was maintained, built (rebuilt), treated, and essentially loved by the previous owner. If you buy a car that's been sitting in a field for 3 years and the owner "just want's it gone", you might have a hard time keeping it on the road. However, if you buy a clean car, relatively low miles, from someone who obviously cared for and about the car, you should have a better experience with it generally. In a nutshell, there's no telling. I daily drive an S13 that sat in a driveway, uncovered, for 3.5 years. I happened to build the engine before it sat after a buddy bought it from me. Which is why I was ok buying it back from him. If it had been someone I didn't know, I would have had doubts about daily driving it. It still needs work to be a good car, but it's safe. Now, if I had searched around for a while to find the perfect car, I would've been searching for a lot longer, but I would've found a solid car that needs little work to be done.

Your knowledge of cars, mechanical ability, and the depth of you pockets should be the deciding factor in how good of a car you can start off with.

[centralcoaster33]

Title re-fixed! Advance changed to Advice, you don't need a loan do ya?!

As Wa-chiss says, the S14, 1995-1998 240SX is pretty much a regular 20 year old car, nothing magical or mysterious about it. It's as reliable as any 20 year old car. Modified cars tend to loose reliability. Cars driven hard tend to wear faster. Older cars have higher mileage and aging components (materials don't last forever). Window switches stop working, control arm bushings wear out, suspension gets soft, paint peels and fades, exposed metal develops rust... all normal stuff. The 240sx is a regular car that can be taken care of by regular mechanics and has parts that can be found at regular auto parts stores. The things that make a car reliable like lower mileage, little to no modifications, regularly maintained, etc. are also the things that make a car more valuable. So, save up money, shop around, be patient and buy a reliable S14!

Your mechanical ability generally won't make the car any more or less reliable, but it can save you money. My three S14s and one S13 have all averaged about 25MPG. The S13 needed virtually no work and was super reliable. My S14s have been the same until I started modifying them, then, well, it just depends on the mods and your learning curve. There's so much experience with them nowadays that tried and true, sensible mods can still result in a reliable car.

[wa-chiss]

Title re-fixed! Advance changed to Advice, you don't need a loan do ya?!

Your mechanical ability generally won't make the car any more or less reliable, but it can save you money.

That's what I was trying to say: The more mechanical ability you have, the less reliable you're willing to buy. You have little to no mechanical ability: buy a car that has low miles, regular maintenance performed, no modifications, etc.. You have great mechanical ability, then a lesser reliable you're capable of dealing with.

[Rogue One]

[wa-chiss]

TWI "Typing while intoxicated"