Only front engine Rear drive compact car available?

[Pete]

I've seen this on more than a few 240SX sites, and I'm confused.

"It is the only front engine Rear drive compact car available"

How did someone come to this determination? I mean, I can think of more than a few front engine, rear drive imports, like the 280Z or 300ZX.

Not trying to split hairs, just want to know how the 240SX is so different.

Thanks again

[RMiller]

Using common sense, obviously that's not the case. There are other cars, but what makes the 240sx attractive is its cost and the many options available for upgrades. I sometimes say that it's the only front engine, rear drive compact car in its price range and year.

[Ninetyfive240sxSE]

300zx is a lil bigger and heavier than the 240sx, i think 3000+ lbs gets you to another category

some others that i know of i think lolrx-7, miata, lexus is, s2000

[hannibal]

All of the cars the 240 competed with (in price, performance, etc) were front wheel drive. It was the only FR.

[SeVa-S13]

Not true, the FC is right there with S13's. Although a bit less reliable and worse on gas, but atleast some of them came Turbo.

[D1SR240]

miata also, FR layout

[KDashy]

Like the IS300 the 240 is in the subcompact class (at least the S14 is)

The 240 is just one of the few affordable rear wheel drive sports coupes, Sure there's the FC and Miata, but neither of them have backseats (albiet theyre semi-useless). I was considering an FC myself but I couldnt find a decent turbo model and the reliability of rotary engines come into question.

But I don't want to start a debate about the rotary engines, I know a lot of them run great, but I'd just rather not risk the downtime.

[rico05]

Early MX-5 (BP6) and FC3S are both in the price range of the S13. The FC is a nicer car IMHO (this comming from someone who has actually OWNED one) but yeah, is hell on gas and the TII is not very reliable. N/A FCs can last longer than KAs though (no timing chain to worry about screwing up) I blew my FC by being stupid. The FC is a little more expensive though. A good one is at least $4k (this is a car you don't wanna cheap out on). I think that a swapped S13 is a better platform than a FC anyway. But the S13 is the best value for money you can get. And if anyone says AE86, I'm gonna slap you. Those things are cool because of their historical signifigance but thier solid rear axle and under powered motors make them project cars at best.

[nlzmo400r]

i know its not front engined, and is a lil more expensive, but an MR2 is rear drive and very well balanced (MR), and the ones with the 3sgte are quite powerful as well. The older (88ish) model was very underpowered and ugly, but was still RWD

[KDashy]

I agree, even the NA 2nd gen MR2's were pretty nimble.

[Pete]

Using common sense, obviously that's not the case. There are other cars, but what makes the 240sx attractive is its cost and the many options available for upgrades. I sometimes say that it's the only front engine, rear drive compact car in its price range and year.

And that was the point of the question. I was reading through the FAQ at 240SX.org and saw that, and have seen it other places, and was wondering where they came up with "It is the only front engine Rear drive compact car available," which is a pretty blunt statement. Thanks for the answers though, because I thought I was missing something.

[rico05]

I agree, even the NA 2nd gen MR2's were pretty nimble.

Nimble as in "O crap I just lifted off while turning now my car is spinning out of control." MR2s are cool, but snap oversteer from imporperly tuned (read OEM pre 92) suspensions is bad.

[elbles]

The MR2 is one nimble car, with the snap-oversteer fairly common in a mid-engine car, even after the 93 suspension change (it actually happened in 1993, FWIW). Some drivers actually prefer the earlier suspensions (or so I've read, haven't actually driven a pre-93 MR2 . . . or any MR2 for that matter, just a few short drives in a few). And yeah, almost any mid-engine car is going to be tricky once you exceed the limits . . . the 360 Modena, Boxster, etc . . . you have the vast majority of the momentum (mass & velocity) behind you, so when it slides out, you'll be working against that in trying to correct the slide. Just a bit of info, on a boring Sunday night, heh . . .

[elbles]

Oh, and as far as front-engine, rear wheel drive cars go, in the early 90's, the 240SX had no real competition that was RWD. The RX7 of the time was priced quite a bit higher than the 240, and the Miata was in a different class by itself . . . the 240 would have been competiting against the likes of the Integra coupe, VW Corrado/Scirocco (or whatever those cars were called, heh), things along those lines . . . then again, the 240SX put up skidpad and slalom numbers almost identical to that of a NA Porsche 944, so who knows what it was really competiting against. ;-)

[SeVa-S13]

i The older (88ish) model was very underpowered and ugly

Supercharged MKI's are awesome, and can look awesome as well--not to mention lightweight.

[Scorch]

corrola gt-s?had a stint in a friend's today, while pretty slow (going uphill was a drag)(4agze would change that) theyre nimble and a blast to whip around, better than 1st gen mr2's IMO. but they are so overpriced now, finding a clean ae86 for under 3grand is next to impossible.mazda 323 gtx's are the **** as well, and are overlooked by most people as most people dont know they are turbo and awd.

[KDashy]

One of the few competitors for the 240SX since its conception was the Honda Prelude. Back in the late 80's the 240 was better than the Prelude that still had a carbed engne for the base model. But eventually the Prelude kept changing and subsequently gained more and more horsepower as time went along where the 240 for the most part stayed the same mechanically. So it outsold the 240 in later model years.

But thats what makes our cars all the more special. I'm sure I get more "hey, nice car." from random people with my 97 240 than I ever would with a 97 lude.

[goomba240]

corrola gt-s?had a stint in a friend's today, while pretty slow (going uphill was a drag)(4agze would change that) theyre nimble and a blast to whip around, better than 1st gen mr2's IMO. but they are so overpriced now, finding a clean ae86 for under 3grand is next to impossible.mazda 323 gtx's are the **** as well, and are overlooked by most people as most people dont know they are turbo and awd.

Ah snap!!! Rico lay the beat down!! hahahahaha:ylsuper