College Student Part Time Getting a 240sx

[Kingtal0n]

Sometimes you have to first gear, clutch, neutral, release, clutch, rev match, 2nd gear, release because shes so old! You've got to develop a feel for these ancient transmissions and other old parts to keep them happy. I can't imagine anyone but myself driving my car, first time out the coolant would boil out, the exhaust would fall off, the fuel would start leaking from several places, the brakes would catch fire, the turbo would spit it's wheel, it would just be a huge mess to watch.
you gota keep sniffing for smells that do not belong. "Hmm... smells like oil, ATF, and coolant today. thats ok. at least it isn't fuel this time."
currently leaking 1 drip of every single fluid per day (is there anything in the differential anymore? who knows!)

[Sp00fy]

Originally Posted by S14DB

If you have to ask this question. Get a 4 Cyl Camry.

Trust me I've thought about it haha, I've thought about many cars but I want to learn to manage my own car and learn to, and I just wanted to see how everyone else was doing and so far it's seems like a 70/20 percent, 70 being the worst lol


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[simmode1]

Originally Posted by Kingtal0n

you gota keep sniffing for smells that do not belong. "Hmm... smells like oil, ATF, and coolant today. thats ok. at least it isn't fuel this time."
currently leaking 1 drip of every single fluid per day (is there anything in the differential anymore? who knows!)

Ahhhh dude. Glad to know I'm not the only one who acquired a much more finely attuned nose because of the 240... lol

[Kis4Kouki]

Yeah just bought a 98 kouki se. I'm also a college student in automotive and have worked on numerous 240s owned by friends. Got 100,000 miles on it though it was the cleanest well maintained 240 ive seen and it was a one owner. Well 500 miles discovered leaking sunroof, semi clogged heater core, the fun rev match neutral then 1st gear trick and a whole other slew of thing that need attention. Nothing major just kind of ocd nick picking. But definitly have a spare car because nothing is easy on this cars. Still got it easy since the car has never seen any hard driving.

[tac 1]

Dont do it! Save a lil more money, put your money down on used corolla then do uber/lyft! More income, more reliable less head ache.

[Kingtal0n]

My favorite thing about stock 240sx cars is,

If you can get your hands on a clean one, yeah if, then you can drive it as loooong as you want, wear the tires out, and then sell it for what you paid.

Because a clean zenki with 127,000 miles is worth what a clean zenki with 175,000 miles is worth, if both are clean we are talking $3700~ range or less in Florida.

[blueshark123]

Why are people saying 240sx are unreliable. Must be all the fucking idiots that think zip ties and and duct tape can fix anything. Parts are cheap easy to come by for the most part, and the cost of changing a water pump on a new audi u can buy a complete parts car. So whats with the bitching.

[LockOn!]

Originally Posted by Sp00fy

the "240sx game"

Yeah, no. You're not ready.

[blueshark123]

Originally Posted by simmode1

Great point. I went looking for IS300's a moment ago & they're very cheap now. Like sub-$6k for a 5spd cheap. But 240's have plummeted in value so much that selling my S14 for such a loss just makes me sad. It's like our diminishing numbers from all the stupid drift kids have had the exact opposite effect that we thought. Instead of value increasing, it's dropping through the damn floor. Guess I'll just keep it.

Stock 240sx have increased a lot from what i see.

[PPman]

I daily a 97 se 5speed and besides having to repair the MAF it has been a very reliable car. No big issues but I do all the maintenance, and small repairs so far has more than 220k miles and I have put over 100k of those.

1- this cars are easy as hell to work on.
2- parts are relatively cheap compared to other newer cars.
3- there are write ups for pretty much any repair you might need to do.
4- as long as you don't think your last name is toretto it will be a reliable car once you fix the small issues any 16+ year old car will have and keep up with the maintenance.
5- plenty of aftermarket support.
6- as long as you don't beat the crap out of it and keep it in good shape chances are the resale value will keep going up.

[Kingtal0n]

Originally Posted by blueshark123

Why are people saying 240sx are unreliable. Must be all the fucking idiots that think zip ties and and duct tape can fix anything. Parts are cheap easy to come by for the most part, and the cost of changing a water pump on a new audi u can buy a complete parts car. So whats with the bitching.

So, this is an interesting concept right? Because I completely agree that on one hand, 240sx are incredibly reliable if maintained. I've never been 24 hours without a ride.

On the other hand, mileage claims the lives of wear parts: clutch, pumps, bearings, friction materials (piston rings, brake pads, ... clutch again) and un-awareness claims the other half (You have learned not to overtighten hose clamps and spark plugs right?) So work must be done, somebody gotta do it. Who's it going to be? You cannot say a 240sx is unreliable because it needs a clutch every 64,000 miles, but somebody still has to pay for the car to be "reliable" maintained.


So on one hand you have the stock automatic 240sx crowd that will go 220,000 miles with just oil changes, and sometimes less than that.


And on the other hand you have the swapped cars, bright red bloated question marks gleaming in the moonlight. You save money buying one of these but will you get a good set of piston rings and engine bearings? And clean oil? And...

One way I can see to have a swapped car AND a reliable car from day one, is to do everything yourself and also have good luck finding a used low mileage engine to start with.

[bmaddock]

Bought my first 240 around your age as well and have learned a lot in the process. If you're not a mechanic now, you will be by the time you're done with the car. They really aren't unreliable from my experience, just keep it stock and it will last through college no issue. Keep saving your money for beer and traveling.


I picked up an S13 vert, beat the snot out of it through school, everyone loves the drop top, and enjoyed the experience. Only major issue I had was an injector died on me, the rest of the issues were self-induced (5-speed swap hiccups with a bad trans mount). I also did a good bit of basic maintenance right as I bought the car (water pump, few gaskets, radiator upgrade). The last year at school I had saved up and went KA-T. Really wish I didn't and just saved up to do it completely right one time. Good times but cut a few corners that really kicked me later on. Now I'm in the process of 1JZ swap and spending money on parts I want, not ones that are the cheapest.

[PPman]

Originally Posted by Kingtal0n

So, this is an interesting concept right? Because I completely agree that on one hand, 240sx are incredibly reliable if maintained. I've never been 24 hours without a ride.

On the other hand, mileage claims the lives of wear parts: clutch, pumps, bearings, friction materials (piston rings, brake pads, ... clutch again) and un-awareness claims the other half (You have learned not to overtighten hose clamps and spark plugs right?) So work must be done, somebody gotta do it. Who's it going to be? You cannot say a 240sx is unreliable because it needs a clutch every 64,000 miles, but somebody still has to pay for the car to be "reliable" maintained.


So on one hand you have the stock automatic 240sx crowd that will go 220,000 miles with just oil changes, and sometimes less than that.


And on the other hand you have the swapped cars, bright red bloated question marks gleaming in the moonlight. You save money buying one of these but will you get a good set of piston rings and engine bearings? And clean oil? And...

One way I can see to have a swapped car AND a reliable car from day one, is to do everything yourself and also have good luck finding a used low mileage engine to start with.

I have yet to burn my clutch in the time I have owned the car, still good as a matter of fact (knock on wood). I just daily my car no racing or drifting though, spirited driving sometimes, I just dont dump the clutch and try to do burn outs.

No water pump yet either, just flush the coolant every year.

The one thing it has now and will tackle this summer is replacing the heater core sob.

[Corbic]

Originally Posted by hellaslows13

Must be the area.

Here in Cali I have seen 5speed IS300s in decent condition go for $6-10K. 240sx's are INCREASING in value. You can no longer find a decent condition 240sx for less than $3500.. Stock unmolested 240s are dime a dozen and start at AT LEAST $4k..

This. I almost think people who are saying "240s are losing value" have no idea what the market looked like 10 years ago.


I paid $2,600 for this car. No rust, less than 100,000k. It had custom long tube headers, Spec clutch and lightweight flywheel with B&M shifter.



That's a Unicorn today.


For the OP.

A 240sx is going to be as reliable as any other $2-5k car. The problem is you have reached the maximum service life on these cars. This is true of any car that is +150k miles and +15 years old. Had you bought one new you could have easily driven it for 10 years and 200k miles with just oil changes.

I worked full time, went to college full time and owned a GTI, DSM, FC and ^ this S13 in college. (Not at the same time)

It was rough in many ways. I spent my entire 21st birthday changing the PS pump so I could work the next day. Ran around all day looking for one at a pick-n-pull then all night installing it.

I got stranded one time because the water pump went out and I had to use the phone at a Walmart to call my ex girlfriend for a ride. (People have cell phones today)

I missed class one time because the cat exploded and clogged the exhaust. Ironically the night before I read online about S4s having that problem and dropped the cat... Punched it all out, installed it and vroom, away I went. Catch us, if I didn't know about about exploding cats, it would have had to go to a shop and cost me $$$ I didn't have.


I often think "man, I could have just bought a 350Z new... Had ZERO problems and it would have been paid off for 5 years now...."

Instead I have a finicky modified 240 that still needs work....



^ same car, 10 years later

[Rich260z]

Meh it was a good tinkering car. I bought an auto one for $1900 in FL with 103k. Had it stock for about 2 years and literally spent jack shit on it because I was sharing with my GF at the time. brakes pads and rotors and struts were the extent of what I spent on it.

I put 30k miles on it, then swapped it to manual and then I started dumping more money than was intended into it. That was my mistake. So if you only use it as a car, then it works great. Cheap to fix, easy to service, and fairly reliable depending on wear and tear.

[sidewayzzenki]

I was like you once. Full time student but I was working full time and I COULD NOT ask my mommy or daddy to help me with a car. I saved up and studied hard. I now graduated and have a good job. I was able to buy my dream car (97 Kouki) and work on it the times its gone down and do some spicy upgrades.

Just stay in college and focus. In the end it will be worth it at the end waiting to find your dream car. If you get a s-chassis you will encounters issues every now and then. You may have to sit without a car sometimes, and it will interfere with your studies and financial state.

Go to college, finish up, make good money, build your dream car

[spooled240]

Originally Posted by hellaslows13

Must be the area.

Here in Cali I have seen 5speed IS300s in decent condition go for $6-10K. 240sx's are INCREASING in value. You can no longer find a decent condition 240sx for less than $3500.. Stock unmolested 240s are dime a dozen and start at AT LEAST $4k..

..and it seems a good half of said is300's are salvaged. Is300's are cool, but they feel a lot heavier and sluggish than the 240's. The mileage kinda sucks too. The 4 doors, the standard options and the quieter ride are all nice though.


I've never had a problem with my 240, but I was always working on it to make sure it was maintained. I'd say go for it.

[CrimsonRockett]

I've been happy ever since I stopped daily driving my 240's.

They're fun cars to work on, but there's a million cars that are better to daily.

Unmodified/stock S13/S14's can be reliable cars, but as Cordic mentioned, you have to take the age of the car into consideration. You will definitely need to replace suspension components, engine seals, etc.

For the cost of a 20+ year old S-chassis, you can easily buy a 2000-2005 car that has plenty more life left in it, isn't a target for theft, and will require less work over time.

[TheNigguh_Danny]

I got a clean 95 240 for $2700 back in september & I've probably driven it only 30 times since then, it came with jic coilovers & greddy catback exhaust its a fun car when I do drive it but sucks when you cant & all your friends are driving regular cars while you have to keep asking for rides all because you wanted a 240 lol but i have also learned a lot of things with this car it's a great learning experience

[sil80takashi]

buy a good daily before you get into "the 240sx game" lol

I've gotten so many tickets with the 240 it's not even funny,
and I also have a daily GS400 and I have never gotten a ticket in that car

240s are over rated now, and have appreciated so much in price,
I'd buy a Lexus SC, IS GS even a LS, way more value for lot cheaper pricing with Lexus depandability

trust me, your girl will be more happy, 240s only attract dicks

then save up for a 240 when you're ready

[simmode1]

Originally Posted by Corbic

This. I almost think people who are saying "240s are losing value" have no idea what the market looked like 10 years ago.

</p>
Been driving 240's for 11 years now. Bought my '93 s13 hatch in 2004 for $2500. Had mismatched wheels, but was otherwise pretty clean. Bought my S14 Zenki in 2009 for $3300, also pretty clean. I can now locally find decent running chuki S13's for $1300 and S14 Zenkis for $2000. I will admit that maybe it is just an area/location thing, because it defies logic that value is decreasing. However, right now is a fantastic time to buy one in Texas. Selling one though? Might wanna wait for the upswing.

[Moonride]

Originally Posted by Juantwo3

maybe its just you.

my s13 has 300xxx miles on it and runs like a fucken champ.

Wow same here, mine's at 312k miles and it's still alive lol.

[jlopez7354]

Don't break the bank for an unreliable car bro I love my 240 mine has been really reliable most of my friends haven't been as lucky. Buy it only if you know that if it ever breaks down you won't be losing your job or missing school. Don't over pay neither

[bataangpinoy]

Originally Posted by Sp00fy

Hey Guys, I'm joined this forum to get into the 240sx game and I wanted to know your opinions about me getting a car. I want a 97-98 240sx , really love the Koukis [emoji173]️, and I work part time at a pizzeria and I'm a full time student, I have around 3k saved up and I can borrow some money from my parents to put in the rest but I just wanted to know if it would be a good financial decision. I know if I get the car I'm going to keep it for life and treasure here haha but I just wanted to know your options. Thanks for reading [emoji106]


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1) There is no game.

2) Keep saving your money.

To have a budget build, you need to have some kind of mechanical inclination and know how to allocate your resources properly. Don't spend money on cheap, needless bullshit like tow hooks, eBay coil overs, etc. Do it once, do it right. Built a pro-am car, sold it my sophomore year. put together an s13 street car shortly after. I didn't go out and party all the time, didn't spend money on booze, worked my ass off in school and in the garage.

My current coupe has been a solid car. I've driven in through this whole winter, hasn't skipped a beat. Admittedly though, I did a bunch of stuff to it before I put it on the road. Probably my favorite car so far. I will be putting my E30 back on the road come the start of this race season, won't take the s13 to the track if its my only car. Thats just irresponsible.

[Corbic]

Originally Posted by simmode1

</p>
Been driving 240's for 11 years now. Bought my '93 s13 hatch in 2004 for $2500. Had mismatched wheels, but was otherwise pretty clean. Bought my S14 Zenki in 2009 for $3300, also pretty clean. I can now locally find decent running chuki S13's for $1300 and S14 Zenkis for $2000. I will admit that maybe it is just an area/location thing, because it defies logic that value is decreasing. However, right now is a fantastic time to buy one in Texas. Selling one though? Might wanna wait for the upswing.

Had to be. Most the cars here are rusted shut boxes. Search Craig's List Chicago.

I would not call ANY car (not just 240s) under $3k "good daily material". I browse CL all the time and most in that price range are ticking time bombs that really do need $1,500 in parts to keep you from missing work.

Tires, ball joints, struts, water pumps, batteries etc.

[xilovelsdx]

If you call anything to do with cars a "game" or a "scene" just lay down and go to sleep.

[DanielS14]

Originally Posted by S14DB

If you have to ask this question. Get a 4 Cyl Camry.

nailed it!!!

[supradeluxe]

I dont know why everyone doesnt want you to get a 240sx but from my personal experience owning my first 97 Kouki, I can say its been as reliable as I need it to be my daily. SO I say go for it but like any car you want reliability it must be stock, auto preferably, around 100k under, clean body/taken care of and clean title. GO with you instincts. Good luck!

[Ramonesfreak2010]

I used to daily my coupe. Had no issues except burning oil. I now daily a GS300. It feels good when all you have to do is maintenance. Just turn the key and go!

[The High & Mighty]

Originally Posted by coupesallday!

These cars suck, they're old, and they'll always need something to be fixed. It's never ending

Try owning a BMW, those are always a never ending repair project. Everything from electrical issues to replacing bushings.

But runs like a champ when its not breaking down. As far as my Nissan goes, runs great and its reliable.