Nissan 200SX twin turbo (S14)
Discussion
Hi all, just after a bit of advice if anyone can help.
Been after changing my car for a while now, I've had my mk2 MR2 over a year now and although I love it and it's never let me down it's time for a change. I love the idea of a 200SX and am going to look at one this week - P reg, dark green, 80k, £1500 ono. We're travelling a fair way to look at it so any advice on anything in particular to look out for, or just any general thoughts on what they are like? I commute a fair way to work and would appreciate any honest comments on mpg, handling (love the way the MR2 handles), price of parts etc.
Some people have said why don't I go for a prelude? It seems I can get a lot newer car for less money than the 200SX, but they just don't seem to be that much of a different step up from the MR2?
Cheers in advance!
Been after changing my car for a while now, I've had my mk2 MR2 over a year now and although I love it and it's never let me down it's time for a change. I love the idea of a 200SX and am going to look at one this week - P reg, dark green, 80k, £1500 ono. We're travelling a fair way to look at it so any advice on anything in particular to look out for, or just any general thoughts on what they are like? I commute a fair way to work and would appreciate any honest comments on mpg, handling (love the way the MR2 handles), price of parts etc.
Some people have said why don't I go for a prelude? It seems I can get a lot newer car for less money than the 200SX, but they just don't seem to be that much of a different step up from the MR2?
Cheers in advance!
seems a bit cheap for an S14 though. might be a bit ropey....
Also, contrary to what people say about the MR2 being a handful, imho the S14 is the tail-happy one, especially if it has been modded.
The MR2 has a load of grip from the engine weight pressing down on the drive wheels, it just gets a bit iffy if you are silly and push it really far.
While the hairy-chested drifter brigade can talk about controlled slides all they like, you dont actually want the back end stepping out on a rainy January on the way home from work.
definitely give one a go though, they can be good fun!
Also, contrary to what people say about the MR2 being a handful, imho the S14 is the tail-happy one, especially if it has been modded.
The MR2 has a load of grip from the engine weight pressing down on the drive wheels, it just gets a bit iffy if you are silly and push it really far.
While the hairy-chested drifter brigade can talk about controlled slides all they like, you dont actually want the back end stepping out on a rainy January on the way home from work.
definitely give one a go though, they can be good fun!
Horrid horrid horrid horrid horrid horrid horrid Cars to work on ! good fun to drive. £££ big insurance. big over weight car ! Compared to the MR2. MR2 i think is more fun ! and compared to a standard SX200 and standard MR2, not much in a straight line ! Corners are faster in MR2 ..
And Before you All rant on at me about the SX i have Access to a modded SX200 regular use if i wanted, and my N/A MR2 i prefer.
Not much of a step up. to a S14 or s14a standard . before long you will have and massively modded car. insurance will be a nightmare. and a very thin wallet. fuel consumption is also SH*T.
Turbo MR2 !! all day !!
But that’s my preference.
P.s they horrid to work on !
And Before you All rant on at me about the SX i have Access to a modded SX200 regular use if i wanted, and my N/A MR2 i prefer.
Not much of a step up. to a S14 or s14a standard . before long you will have and massively modded car. insurance will be a nightmare. and a very thin wallet. fuel consumption is also SH*T.
Turbo MR2 !! all day !!
But that’s my preference.
P.s they horrid to work on !
That is quite a cheap price for an S14, they usually go for around 2K, with an S14a fetching another 2k on top of that. Unless it is an automatic!!!! As has been said, you dont get a twin turbo S14 (although you can get an aftermarket kit if you feel so inclined). You may be thinking of the 300zx.
I have an S14a which I have owned for around a year now and it is great fun.
They are extremely tail happy and you need to invest in decent tyres, and be a bit sensible on roundabouts in the wet. But then, you know this having owned an MR2.
Things to look for:
Whine from passenger side dash - turbo on way out
Loss of power around the 5k rev range is also a sign of turbo failing
Laggy performance or retarding - boost leak or underperforming fuel pump
WMIC can leak so worth checking this, although it is not easy to check, can be hard to spot these leaks
Check fluid levels, always a good sign of how well car is maintained
Check oil change intervals - should ideally be changed every 3k miles, though some people leave it until 5k
Check if fuel pump has been changed as they have a tendancy to pack up
Cars do tend to suffer a bit of abuse from the drifting crowd, or just heavy right foot, so check for panel damage or evidence of respray, make sure everything lines up well, check inside boot down the inside rear wings
Check it has a main fan, and check for any signs of the fan disintegrating (new air con belt etc). The fans can disintegrate, and they cause a fair bit of damage when they go.
If it is standard, check for any signs of it being previously modded and returned back to standard i.e front bumper area being cut to accommodate front mount intercooler, and battery being relocated. If the ecu box has been opened, it may have previously been chipped etc.
Not that this is necessarily an issue, just lets you know the car hasn't had the quiet life the seller may be alluding to.
Insurance can be pricey once car is well modded, but as with all things, shop around.
There is an excellent support network in the owners club.
Fuel consumption on a stage 1 modded car is prob around 21 to 23mpg, not sure what you get off standard.
And yes, they are a biatch to work on as the engine bay is so full, not much room to get your hands around stuff.
I have an S14a which I have owned for around a year now and it is great fun.
They are extremely tail happy and you need to invest in decent tyres, and be a bit sensible on roundabouts in the wet. But then, you know this having owned an MR2.
Things to look for:
Whine from passenger side dash - turbo on way out
Loss of power around the 5k rev range is also a sign of turbo failing
Laggy performance or retarding - boost leak or underperforming fuel pump
WMIC can leak so worth checking this, although it is not easy to check, can be hard to spot these leaks
Check fluid levels, always a good sign of how well car is maintained
Check oil change intervals - should ideally be changed every 3k miles, though some people leave it until 5k
Check if fuel pump has been changed as they have a tendancy to pack up
Cars do tend to suffer a bit of abuse from the drifting crowd, or just heavy right foot, so check for panel damage or evidence of respray, make sure everything lines up well, check inside boot down the inside rear wings
Check it has a main fan, and check for any signs of the fan disintegrating (new air con belt etc). The fans can disintegrate, and they cause a fair bit of damage when they go.
If it is standard, check for any signs of it being previously modded and returned back to standard i.e front bumper area being cut to accommodate front mount intercooler, and battery being relocated. If the ecu box has been opened, it may have previously been chipped etc.
Not that this is necessarily an issue, just lets you know the car hasn't had the quiet life the seller may be alluding to.
Insurance can be pricey once car is well modded, but as with all things, shop around.
There is an excellent support network in the owners club.
Fuel consumption on a stage 1 modded car is prob around 21 to 23mpg, not sure what you get off standard.
And yes, they are a biatch to work on as the engine bay is so full, not much room to get your hands around stuff.
Edited by Firefoot on Tuesday 23 October 13:32
f1fx said:
Horrid horrid horrid horrid horrid horrid horrid Cars to work on ! good fun to drive. £££ big insurance. big over weight car ! Compared to But that’s my preference.
P.s they horrid to work on !
Have you ever worked on an MR2 T think they are considerably worse to work on engine being in the middle. I used to sit on the engine to work on it, it was the only way.P.s they horrid to work on !
p.s.
MR2 GT turbo 1330kg
200sx s14a 1267kg
which is the overweight barge?
f1fx said:
Horrid horrid horrid horrid horrid horrid horrid Cars to work on ! good fun to drive. £££ big insurance. big over weight car ! Compared to the MR2. MR2 i think is more fun ! and compared to a standard SX200 and standard MR2, not much in a straight line ! Corners are faster in MR2 ..
And Before you All rant on at me about the SX i have Access to a modded SX200 regular use if i wanted, and my N/A MR2 i prefer.
Not much of a step up. to a S14 or s14a standard . before long you will have and massively modded car. insurance will be a nightmare. and a very thin wallet. fuel consumption is also SH*T.
Turbo MR2 !! all day !!
But that’s my preference.
P.s they horrid to work on !
1) Have you actually raised a spanner to either of the cars in question? Your comments seem to suggest not. Sure there's a couple of awkward and less pleasant jobs, but considering with a bit of experience and the right know the engine can be out of the car and on the garage floor in less than 2 hours, which most would say is one of the worst jobs in any car. And Before you All rant on at me about the SX i have Access to a modded SX200 regular use if i wanted, and my N/A MR2 i prefer.
Not much of a step up. to a S14 or s14a standard . before long you will have and massively modded car. insurance will be a nightmare. and a very thin wallet. fuel consumption is also SH*T.
Turbo MR2 !! all day !!
But that’s my preference.
P.s they horrid to work on !
2) "Shit fuel consumption" ; Really? I regularly saw high 20's and low 30's in my S14 with circa 300bhp atf, I fail to see that as poor economy in a 4 cylinder turbocharged car that's been tinkered with.
3) The weight difference I see has already been covered.
4) They cost feck all to tune comparitively, the market is flooded with decent stuff for SX's which drives the prices down. In terms of bang for your buck when it comes to tuning, I've not seen many better where value for money and what you get in return is concerned.
They're by no means a perfect car, nor is the MR2 having experience of both
Herman Toothrot said:
f1fx said:
Horrid horrid horrid horrid horrid horrid horrid Cars to work on ! good fun to drive. £££ big insurance. big over weight car ! Compared to But that’s my preference.
P.s they horrid to work on !
Have you ever worked on an MR2 T think they are considerably worse to work on engine being in the middle. I used to sit on the engine to work on it, it was the only way.P.s they horrid to work on !
p.s.
MR2 GT turbo 1330kg
200sx s14a 1267kg
which is the overweight barge?
i dont touch the MR2. only for service. but im constantly doing things to the sx. too many mods that need constant adjustment. Not aware of the weight really shocked the SX is lighter ! will have to look at the vin plates later.
My MR2 is an NA BTW not a turbo ! and when the SX is on standard boost . it still does not feel fast ! i just dont like turbos ! sorry .
my point is also . take the turbo of the SX and make it a NA engine! and pit it against a MR2 NA. MR2 would be faster ! also get a STANDARD S14 and a standard Turbo MR2. be interesting to see the difference
your all welcome to come bring your Standard SX200 to the track, and have a go see if your faster around the track than our standard MR2. LLandow 17 November !
SX is Great fun to drive. love the car when its working. the only problem is, im constantly screaming COME ONNNNNNNN waiting for the turbo! in my mind Turbos need to go on a Already fast engine. not to make an engine fast! its just cheating !
just i have had to do lots of work recently. And it boils my piss! Geerrrrr..
If its Not the coil overs. it’s the Oil temp gauge .. if its not that,then it’s the oil cooler.. if its not that, it the friggin bumper coming loose.
Never giving me chance to do the things I "WANT" to do on my MR2 or my TVR.
SO NAAA
"They're by no means a perfect car, nor is the MR2 having experience of both"
Dam right.
LOL have to laugh tho. due to the mods that have been done to the mr2 its in the garage for poor fuel consuption. but im shit with ECU sensor stuff
Plus I knew You all would bite !
Edited by f1fx on Wednesday 24th October 09:00
Edited by f1fx on Wednesday 24th October 09:10
1.5k for an S14 sounds a bit too cheap imo. As one great man once said: "If you can't afford to buy a decent one, you can't afford to run a cheap one" end up forking the asking price out again to fix it.
I take it you're running an NA MR2?
Trade it in with your 1.5k cash and get a turbo MR2. Ok, so its the same car again, bit boring, but its alot faster then yours, and still faster then a 200sx. Plus you should be able to get a tubby with some extras for 3.5k. Head over to www.mr2oc.co.uk
I take it you're running an NA MR2?
Trade it in with your 1.5k cash and get a turbo MR2. Ok, so its the same car again, bit boring, but its alot faster then yours, and still faster then a 200sx. Plus you should be able to get a tubby with some extras for 3.5k. Head over to www.mr2oc.co.uk
Herman Toothrot said:
f1fx said:
Horrid horrid horrid horrid horrid horrid horrid Cars to work on ! good fun to drive. £££ big insurance. big over weight car ! Compared to But that’s my preference.
P.s they horrid to work on !
Have you ever worked on an MR2 T think they are considerably worse to work on engine being in the middle. I used to sit on the engine to work on it, it was the only way.P.s they horrid to work on !
p.s.
MR2 GT turbo 1330kg
200sx s14a 1267kg
which is the overweight barge?
Been out to the drive !! to check the weight on the Two MR2 MK2 SW20 both with the 3S-GE engine, 1990 and a 1992 model, the vin plates read 1570kg on each !
whilst I was there I found an S14 and a S14A also sat on the drive, who knew, both vin plates read 1780kg
Hummmm think the MR2 is ligher by 210kg.
But hey i might be wrong!
Edited by f1fx on Wednesday 24th October 21:15
Speaking from experience of having them cornerweighted and sticking mine on a weighbridge, rest assured you are wrong. Or you could believe what you think you saw on the VIN plate, which makes it heavier than my R33 GTR which is much larger, has a bigger engine, 4WD running gear HICAS and so on 
f1fx said:
Hi sorry to be a Pedantic T**T But
Been out to the drive !! to check the weight on the Two MR2 MK2 SW20 both with the 3S-GE engine, 1990 and a 1992 model, the vin plates read 1570kg on each !
whilst I was there I found an S14 and a S14A also sat on the drive, who knew, both vin plates read 1780kg
Hummmm think the MR2 is ligher by 210kg.
But hey i might be wrong!
That would be the maximum loaded weight allowed. No surprise the S14 is higher there as it has 2 extra seats (even if they are small). The weight figures I found for MR2 and S14 are as follows:Been out to the drive !! to check the weight on the Two MR2 MK2 SW20 both with the 3S-GE engine, 1990 and a 1992 model, the vin plates read 1570kg on each !
whilst I was there I found an S14 and a S14A also sat on the drive, who knew, both vin plates read 1780kg
Hummmm think the MR2 is ligher by 210kg.
But hey i might be wrong!
s14 NA 1160-1190 kg
s14 Turbo 1240-1270 kg
MR2 NA 1210-1240 kg (T-bar 1260)
MR2 turbo 1260-1280 kg (T-bar 1300)
GravelBen said:
f1fx said:
Hi sorry to be a Pedantic T**T But
Been out to the drive !! to check the weight on the Two MR2 MK2 SW20 both with the 3S-GE engine, 1990 and a 1992 model, the vin plates read 1570kg on each !
whilst I was there I found an S14 and a S14A also sat on the drive, who knew, both vin plates read 1780kg
Hummmm think the MR2 is ligher by 210kg.
But hey i might be wrong!
That would be the maximum loaded weight allowed. No surprise the S14 is higher there as it has 2 extra seats (even if they are small). The weight figures I found for MR2 and S14 are as follows:Been out to the drive !! to check the weight on the Two MR2 MK2 SW20 both with the 3S-GE engine, 1990 and a 1992 model, the vin plates read 1570kg on each !
whilst I was there I found an S14 and a S14A also sat on the drive, who knew, both vin plates read 1780kg
Hummmm think the MR2 is ligher by 210kg.
But hey i might be wrong!
s14 NA 1160-1190 kg
s14 Turbo 1240-1270 kg
MR2 NA 1210-1240 kg (T-bar 1260)
MR2 turbo 1260-1280 kg (T-bar 1300)
see what they are. as all the numbers i have seen online dont mach, no one can come up with the same numbers !
post it up on monday
f1fx said:
GravelBen said:
f1fx said:
Hi sorry to be a Pedantic T**T But
Been out to the drive !! to check the weight on the Two MR2 MK2 SW20 both with the 3S-GE engine, 1990 and a 1992 model, the vin plates read 1570kg on each !
whilst I was there I found an S14 and a S14A also sat on the drive, who knew, both vin plates read 1780kg
Hummmm think the MR2 is ligher by 210kg.
But hey i might be wrong!
That would be the maximum loaded weight allowed. No surprise the S14 is higher there as it has 2 extra seats (even if they are small). The weight figures I found for MR2 and S14 are as follows:Been out to the drive !! to check the weight on the Two MR2 MK2 SW20 both with the 3S-GE engine, 1990 and a 1992 model, the vin plates read 1570kg on each !
whilst I was there I found an S14 and a S14A also sat on the drive, who knew, both vin plates read 1780kg
Hummmm think the MR2 is ligher by 210kg.
But hey i might be wrong!
s14 NA 1160-1190 kg
s14 Turbo 1240-1270 kg
MR2 NA 1210-1240 kg (T-bar 1260)
MR2 turbo 1260-1280 kg (T-bar 1300)
see what they are. as all the numbers i have seen online dont mach, no one can come up with the same numbers !
post it up on monday
I cut all the junk (every un-necessary bracket, heat sheilds replaced with heat blankets, single exit exhaust, no spare wheel, not boot lining, no sound deadening out of my lighter than average (sunroof not T-Bar MR2turbo) and it weighed 1260kg, over the years on IMOC we discussed weight alot as 1260kg is still lardy for a sports car, stock GT Turbo T-bars people took to the weight bridges and found to be 1315 / 1330kg wet. The Turbo is about 40kg heavier than n/a cars as drive shafts are thicker and of course the turbo, cast manifold intercooler additional fans.
Riknos said:
I don't understand how a S14 weighs more than an MR2? I mean, the S14 is bigger, and has more seats, so should weigh more?
Unless there is inferior metals used compared to toyota
The MR2 is so heavy as theres an extra bulkhead. The T-Bars have additional stiffening to stop the car twisting all over the place. If you want the best MR2 the one to get a a JDM GT-S Tin Top. Lightest and stiffest.Unless there is inferior metals used compared to toyota
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