Nissan 200sx vs Toyota Corolla ~ Battle of the Old Skoo Hatches ~

[arabdrifter]

i used to own this sweet candy orange AE..god i miss that thing. it needed to go as it was a complete rust bucket

[Dattebayo]

I've driven both as well. I find the 86 to be much more tossable in the turns and light on it's feet, whereas the S12 seems much less responsive and heavy (stock vs. stock).

You drove an IRS S12. That was the problem. Go get a drive in a SRA version.

You're not being fair in the comparison unless you do, since the 86 was also an SRA.

[captainfalco]

So if I drive the even worse version of the Nissan, only then I'm allowed to have an opinion. For some reason, I still don't think I'll like that more than the Toyota.

[Dattebayo]

So if I drive the even worse version of the Nissan, only then I'm allowed to have an opinion. For some reason, I still don't think I'll like that more than the Toyota.

IRS is NOT an upgrade. Its like comparing apples to apes with a trailing arm suspension. I think it would sway your vote a little, unless you are some kind of hard case...

Also, don't be an as$. We're talkin here.

[S14toRPS13]

That's one nice S12, but I'll still pick my 240 over both of those cars. My cousin used to rock a S12 about 13 years ago and that thing was falling apart and rattling like hell. I can't imagine what kind of condition most S12's would be in these days. We had lots of fun with it, but I only need one rattling car and that's my current fastback.

[hbpignosePA]

[QUOTE=S14toRPS13]That's one nice S12, but I'll still pick my 240 over both of those cars. My cousin used to rock a S12 about 13 years ago and that thing was falling apart and rattling like hell. I can't imagine what kind of condition most S12's would be in these days. We had lots of fun with it, but I only need one rattling car and that's my current fastback. [/QUOTE



i agreee, my s13 has enough problems, i cant imagine having an s12 most are real beat anymore.

and the lines of the s13 are waay sleeker.

[Mr1der]

eh...the bodies held up well as long as it's not in the rust belt.

the interiors however usually blow as they're more than 20 years old.

[AZ89two4Tsx]

Yeah, I don't think anyone's a fan of late 80s boxy interior. Yuck.

[ljsae86]

As an owner of an ae86 with a 20v stand a s12 with the ca18et hes my two cents

Looks ae86 wins the s12 is neat but its style is def dated you can look at it and it screams 80's

engines

Even though the s12 has more options including the vg30e Id rather have the 4age in the ae86 None of the motors in the s12 chassis are that refined and as balanced as the 16 v feels.

Aftermarket

Ae86 wins again even though there is drift tax on after market parts the ae86 at least has after market support where I can get anything I want and need thanks to the fanboys/drifters., the s12 just sucks at after market parts

chassis

S12 drives and feels heavy and the irs which mine has is primitive at best ae86 is refined and still a sought setup in its stock form

interior

tie ae86 is practical and basic-s12 is 80's sweetness just look at the interior pick mine has the epileptics upgrade the s12 has a b**** that talks to me when i leave something on or open. as the ae86 has a god awful buzz which I remove lol.

all in all the ae86 benfits outway the s12s hands down but the s12 is cool in its own sense .

I also built my ae86 up with everything I wanted brakes suspesion heim joints 20v ect and still stayed under 10k including buy the car

cost

ae86 2000 before build ups12 1200

[audtatious]

Thanks for your input, welcome to NICO

[Dattebayo]

LOL

More uninformed goodness right there.

I am going to have to disagree with most of that. The aftermarket support for the S12 is just fine. Most people don't know what to upgrade with, but I assure you it is compatible with so many parts from so many other Nissans... so you aren't off the hook saying that it sucks just because you don't know your stuff.

Once again, no one is aware that the Zenki S12 came with a single rear axle, not all came with the independent rear suspension that blows. Study your stuff! It's a much more comparable thing to the Corolla's style suspension.

About the weight: Yes, the hatch is heavy. But it's also much longer than the Corolla's chassis. The S12 hatch is NOT a small car, despite how narrow it is. The coupe is much lighter however. I do agree that the coupe is uglier tho.

LOL at you comparing driving styles with an upgraded motor compared to a stock one.

Look it is quite obvious to me that no one is ever going to give the S12 a fair shot because it is never used. That's just fine with me, but if you are gonna come comparing, come equipped and researched so you don't mix anything up.

[ljsae86]

LOL

More uninformed goodness right there.

I am going to have to disagree with most of that. The aftermarket support for the S12 is just fine. Most people don't know what to upgrade with, but I assure you it is compatible with so many parts from so many other Nissans... so you aren't off the hook saying that it sucks just because you don't know your stuff.

Once again, no one is aware that the Zenki S12 came with a single rear axle, not all came with the independent rear suspension that blows. Study your stuff! It's a much more comparable thing to the Corolla's style suspension.

About the weight: Yes, the hatch is heavy. But it's also much longer than the Corolla's chassis. The S12 hatch is NOT a small car, despite how narrow it is. The coupe is much lighter however. I do agree that the coupe is uglier tho.

LOL at you comparing driving styles with an upgraded motor compared to a stock one.

Look it is quite obvious to me that no one is ever going to give the S12 a fair shot because it is never used. That's just fine with me, but if you are gonna come comparing, come equipped and researched so you don't mix anything up.

thanks for the reply

far as aftermarket support yes there is cross overs that work like the s13 front suspension swap I have found way more straight apps for the hachi and dedicated companies that offer such support like t3 and others. Im just saying if you want to do a s12 up theres alot more research that needs to be done not that it cant be done

yes they also came with soild rear axle prior to 85 including some 85s so you cant assume all 85s and up are irs

the weights are still on the heavy side for me the s12 hatch that is I have no idea about the coupe so i wont comment.Longer is not always better it really depends what your building the car for.

I wasnt clear about the driving styles I have drove both in stock form ae86 and s12 I drove the ae86 in stock form for 4months before I decided to build it and I bought the s12 as a dd so Ive had plenty of seat time in the stock form

I like the way the ae86 handles it self better it feels light crisp and nibblethe s12 feels well balanced but you feel the weight of it and its just not as refined as the ae86

All in all I like both thats why i own both I would like to also build the s12 when ae86 is done and i have money freed up so if you could steer my to some solid aftermarket support companies let me know. Good info keep it coming

[adrianfromthecastle]

both suck! ugh.. I hate the 80's...

lol.. jk

but out off all the eras, I dislike the 80's the most, especially in car styling. I mean, c'mon, from a non automotive standpoint.. almost all rwd jdm cars look damn the same!

[fyneyoungstunna]

WOW, i found this thread while looking at s12 pics.

for all of you that say a hachi can out-handle a 12, you are fanbois, the 12 has the awards to prove it, the hachi doesnt. and yes im talking about stock form.

solid rear has MANY advantages over other platforms, its just that most people dont know how to adapt to the needs and the different style for driving an sra.

anyways srry for digging up an old thread just had to add my two sense.

[xX RB Xx]

Drive one of each, with similar mods, and you will find your answer. The Corolla is much much more fun to drive, which to me, is the only thing that matters.

[breadbox]

I never noticed how similar they are til I saw the pic with them the same color.

Also as both of them being hatches, S12 looks better.

I like Corolla coupes better looks wise than hatches.

[flohtingPoint]

since when are Corollas cheap to modify?

must've never owned one of the cars....also, the owners tend to suck dog balls.

go visit club 4age if you don't believe me.

Suck dog balls? *cries in a corner*

They're relatively cheap, not cheap. I built two in Germany and two State-side and you can do it for a reasonable price.

[HashiriyaS14]

I like both.

I hear people say that the Hachi, at least in GTS form, is more fun right out of the box, although I'll admit that I am totally clueless in regards to things like relative curb weights.

I'd take either one if I could find a super nice one. All the hachis I want are $10,000 and located in California.

[hachiroku781]

WOW, i found this thread while looking at s12 pics.

for all of you that say a hachi can out-handle a 12, you are fanbois, the 12 has the awards to prove it, the hachi doesnt. and yes im talking about stock form.

solid rear has MANY advantages over other platforms, its just that most people dont know how to adapt to the needs and the different style for driving an sra.

anyways srry for digging up an old thread just had to add my two sense.

I must be a faboi, because i would rather have IRS than a solid axle. having driven an ae86 and a stock s12(was gonna buy an s12), i would rather own the corolla. The s12, still remains to look awkward to me. I have yet to understand the "many advantages" you are talking about.

[simmode1]

There is an s12 with fading red paint two blocks away from my apartment. It sits languishing in somebody's front yard. Just driving by, it looks like the body is in great shape, but I've never stopped for a closer look.

Everytime I drive by in my s13 or s14, I tell my car... "Look! There's your grandpa!"

Ok... I don't really say that, but I do get all nostalgic.

[Kalypso]

I s12 hatch

this thread wins

[JHof]

I have a 200SX/ s12 hatchback, an '87 V6, five speed, all black. When I bought it, I was looking for a rear-drive sporty car with some guts and was I magnetically lured to the SX.That was 1990, and since then I've put about 225,000 miles on it. It's the longest I have ever owned a car, but the thing never breaks and can still do all of it's tricks, it still looks good and has cold A/C, so I've kept it around for about twenty years.

Along the way I discovered what a great drifter it is by circling around a half@ss track out in the dusty fields; you can really toss the tail around, but I learned that it does tend to tuck the inside rear wheel underneath the chassis while spinning around ( like early Porsches or Triumph Spitfies), potentially destroying the rear suspension, so I didn't go there very often with the car.

I wrote about living with the SX at the "Skidmarks" column on the homepage--"18 Years With a Z's Cousin".

It's a diamond in the rough, almost an anonymous and invisible sportscar...

[91RMKS13]

^werd

I let a super clean S12 slip through my hands when I was 18... (its been less than 4 since then)

Honestly I think there are a lot of great cars from that era. Yes some may be better than others, but really it's not by much. I would lean towards the S12 on this one. I don't care if it is the better car of the two.

[91RMKS13]

For what it worth I would rather have something like this than either one of those

[breadbox]

Yeah but that thing was designed to be a fast roadcar. Didn't alot come supercharged in the first gen MR2?

[91RMKS13]

Yeah, a few came supercharged. It's pretty much the same 4AGE as the AE86. I have seen a lot of them being sold for a lot less than an 86. They also weigh close to the same.

[Kalypso]

for the win... s12

[S13RainSpecialist]

Well i think that the enigne in the gts, 4age is better however the s12 looks better imo. I dont like the rear of the s12 too much tho. the ae86 looks too high im my opinion and the s12 coupe is just garbage. Id take the mr2 anyday over both of those, first gen of course. In fact im still searching for a clean aw11

[SEV6]

VG pwns/ Thread

[Arro]

Well at least the discussion here is far more civil than the S12-hatefest that was going on at zilvia.net.

Look, I can see where the 8-6 gets compared to the S12 and vice versa... the hatch S12 is very similar in overall shape to the Corolla hatch.

Who copied who? Why the AE86 came first if I remember right, starting in '83. The S12 started in '84.

A more appropriate comparison would be between the RA65 chassis ('83-87 Celica and Celica Supra) and the S12. Both came in 4 and 6 cylinder options, and both are closer in size and weight.

I like the Corolla. I like the S12. Which do I like better? I like the early Mark I S12 hatchback best. Whereas if you put an AE86 hatch up against a Mark II S12 notchback, I'd prefer the 8-6. I'm a hatchback guy, and I like the Mark I styling best. So it really depends. I've seen superclean examples of all forms.

I own two S12's. I'd own an AE86 hatch. I'd prefer the S12, mostly because I know I can share the engine choices that the S13 and S14 cars get to play with. One of my S12's has a KA24DE from an S14. It hauls azz.