OK, since I'm on my 2nd '95 240SX, I thought I'd share some interesting discoveries that i found out between the 2 models. The first one I purchased was a FULLY, FULLY loaded '95 LE model (SE in the states). The car was beautiful, had ALL the options including the upgraded stereo and everything. Both cars were 5 speed, and the KM difference was about 8000 km, so I think this is a pretty fair comparison. Since this is the one I lost, and the one I am working on is the base model, SE in Canada, there are some things I found funny.
First off, the base model 240 is MUCH faster than my first one. I'm thinking because the LE has a more sporty look, it was probably driven very hard from the beggining. A younger person who would push their car hard (even on occasion) would be the type of person to purchase this car, IMO. That is my reasoning at least, because the car was VERY clean when I bought it, and obviously well taken care of.
My second 240 is the base model, no leather, no fogs, 4 lug hubs w/these nasty rims (only offered in Canada) and the car was really, REALLY dirty and not maintained well at all. But man, this car is WAY faster than my first. The only options on it were power locks and windows, nothing else. I took into consideration the weight difference between the 2 vehicles, but I really don't think it would make that much of a difference. It WAS champagne, so I'm thinking either a mommy drove it or a grannie, so it wasn't pushed nearly as hard as it is now!
I even raced my buddies modified NA KA powered 240, and beat him in a drag! He had port and polish, cams, underdrive pulleys, intake and exhaust, ECU and a bunch of other stuff, not to mention his is a '97. His car is messed, and he blew his engine a couple months back, but a kill all the same!The fully load LE didn't have any of the common problems found in a 240sx, probably because it was maintained so well. My current 240 has quite a few of the common problems, although minor and easy to live with.
Common problems, things to look for -
1. Every 240 I checked out while shopping around had a minor oil leak, usually around the front of the oil pan. I believe its a gasket, and when purchasing my 1st 240, I made the dealer repair it before I picked it up, and I would suggest anyone who is going to purchase a car to get it on a hoist and look under it. The one I have now also has a minor oil leak, and i didn't repair it (got it at wholesale from my work, so i didn't want to start anything). So far so good, and there are no oil puddles on my driveway. If you are purchasing from a private seller, you can use this to haggle the price down.
2. Sticky EGR valve - causes a HUGE loss of power, and makes the car feel like it is bogging down. Solution - a can of Ronsons lubricant. Just grease that bad boy up, and a regain of power!!!
3. Sticky clutch pedal - The bearing and spring on BOTH my 240's were worn out, and have to be replaced. I'm still driving on a bummed out bearing now, and again, I grease it up with Ronsons for the time being. The replacement parts were $25.00 from Nissan, just haven't had the time to do the repair and I heard it is tricky, so I might ask a buddy to help. Worn out bearing cause the pedal to stick, burning the clutch.
4. check the air filter - Pop up the 4 clips and look at the bottom of it (take it out and turn it upside down) If its dirty, then you have a pretty good idea of how the car was maintained, a real easy maintenance item for anyone to do.
5. check plugs for the same reasons above, mine were filthy!
6. Look for rust or holes in the floor panel - Believe it or not, I missed a pretty big hole in my floor panel, right behind the drivers seat. Not sure how the heck it got there on a 7 year old car, but carefully inspect the car while underneath it. I also had a bit of rust above the rear brake light (the one on the trunk, not the spoiler or 2 corners). This was on my 2nd 240, the first was spotless!
7. Heat Shields - check them for rust and wear. One of mine was hanging by a thread, which caused it to make a real Nasty POS sound at 3500rpm's. Sounded like my car was going to blow up, but I cut it off and all is well. Another easy fix, but have the dealer replace them if there is any rust.
So, hopefully, my input may help a potential buyer in the future. The top of the line model is sweet, and I still miss some of my options that are kinda tricky to swap over (intermitted wipers for example) but I am very happy with the power of this car, and I've cleaned her over a million times with a toothbrush and diaper, as well as catching up on maintenance items and replacing wear and tear items (gotta do my wires next week). I've also swapped over alot of the luxury items from my first ride to the second, so if you can get a good deal on the base model, but want luxury, don't let the lack of options discourage you, they are all a pretty easy swap. All I have left to swap is the sunroof, just got to locate a good shop, but its not on my priority list at the moment. Seats, hubs, rims, spoiler (I like the look without personally), gauges, stereo, OE sway bar (rear), panels and carpets are all relatively easy to do, and most shops will do it for you if you are reluctant to do it yourself. If anyone has question, feel free to ask. Sorry about the length and run on sentences. Feel free to elaborate on anything I have mentioned, anyone.
PauL