S14 200SX or E36 328 Coupe? £2000

[Arese]

Sigh.

I'm bored again.

I currently drive a 2003 Alfa 156 1.8TS. It does everything well, apart from make me grin. It has reasonably low miles, a very nice interior, 450 miles to a tank, and doesn't cost much to maintain. But coming from an Accord Type-R, then a 147GTA, it just doesn't feel like 'me'.

I keep reading threads on here about various fun cars around the £2k mark, and I want to try something that is more of an event on my daily commute, 20 miles each way.

I'm pretty sure I could get into an E36 32x coupe or S14 200SX for about £2k. Hopefully I could get that kind of money for the 156. I like the idea of 6-cylinders and RWD in the BMW, and I also like the look of unmolested ones. But, I'm also swayed by the turbocharged RWD Nissan and possibility of ~230bhp with a few tweeks. I'm a 'big' guy so I won't suit the MX5/MR2 size car.

I want the car to be able to be pretty docile on the motorway as I tend to just potter at around 70mph in lane one on my way to work, but then when I get off the motorway I want to be able to 'mess about' when appropriate. At the moment, 144bhp and Wang-Li ditchfinder understeer is pretty boring!

So, do you lot think I'll be able to change into one of these two cars with little or no cost? I understand fuel consumption will increase with these cars, but as long as I'm getting mid 20s I'll be happy. My long-term plans for a 'decent' car are pretty far away at the moment, so I'm happy to be riding around at this level for another year or so.

I'm pretty aware of the Nikasil issues with the E36, but I believe other than that they're pretty solid. As are the Nissan.

Any thoughts appreciated.

[Stu R]

200sx. The beemer will probably feel a bit more solid and less plasticy, but as a drivers car I much prefer the 200sx (though I prefer the S13). 280bhp is a piece of cake

Good motorway car, mid to high 20's mpg is perfectly attainable, and there's millions of things you can do on the cheap to improve them, great owners club

Edited by Stu R on Thursday 29th April 15:23

[Arese]

Stu R said:

200sx. The beemer will probably feel a bit more solid and less plasticy, but as a drivers car I much prefer the 200sx (though I prefer the S13). 280bhp is a piece of cake

Good motorway car, mid to high 20's mpg is perfectly attainable, and there's millions of things you can do on the cheap to improve them, great owners club

Edited by Stu R on Thursday 29th April 15:23

Cheers Stu. These are the kind of things I've been hearing, and they sound like a lot of fun for relatively low expenditure.

Is their an owners club forum you prefer? I'd be interested in having a look through the classifieds.

[patmahe]

Of the two, at that budget I'd have the Nissan.

[Stu R]

Arese said:

Stu R said:

200sx. The beemer will probably feel a bit more solid and less plasticy, but as a drivers car I much prefer the 200sx (though I prefer the S13). 280bhp is a piece of cake

Good motorway car, mid to high 20's mpg is perfectly attainable, and there's millions of things you can do on the cheap to improve them, great owners club

Edited by Stu R on Thursday 29th April 15:23

Cheers Stu. These are the kind of things I've been hearing, and they sound like a lot of fun for relatively low expenditure.

Is their an owners club forum you prefer? I'd be interested in having a look through the classifieds.

http://www.sxoc.com/vbb you'll not find a more helpful place than there, top crowd

Edited by Stu R on Thursday 29th April 15:33

[Arese]

doogz said:

S14's rust. Lots.

If you go to look at any, have a serious look about underneath.

Cheers doogz, I'll keep that in mind. Thanks for the forum link, Stu. I'll go have a look now after work.

[paulpsz008]

These two are pretty much the stereotypes of German Vs Jap cars.

So its simply which do you prefer?
90's Turbo Vs Lazy ish large engine torque.
Well built but a bit plasctic Vs Solid built slightly better plastics.
Expensive parts Vs slighty cheaper parts.
Chav image Vs Chav image.
(The last ones a joke by the way)

[Dr Imran T]

Stu R said:

200sx. The beemer will probably feel a bit more solid and less plasticy, but as a drivers car I much prefer the 200sx (though I prefer the S13). 280bhp is a piece of cake

Good motorway car, mid to high 20's mpg is perfectly attainable, and there's millions of things you can do on the cheap to improve them, great owners club

Edited by Stu R on Thursday 29th April 15:23

^ Agree with this chap. The 200sx S14 is a good fun rwd motor with plenty of tuning options and a superb owners club.

[Arese]

paulpsz008 said:

These two are pretty much the stereotypes of German Vs Jap cars.

So its simply which do you prefer?
90's Turbo Vs Lazy ish large engine torque.
Well built but a bit plasctic Vs Solid built slightly better plastics.
Expensive parts Vs slighty cheaper parts.
Chav image Vs Chav image.
(The last ones a joke by the way)

I've had lazy torque with the GTA, that's why I'm leaning towards the turbocharged car. Variety is the spice of life, they say.

The image is a bit of a concern, but I can live with that if I'm having fun.

[RobM77]

I've driven both back to back. They're both great cars, and you'll be pleased with either. If you fit in the 200SX and don't mind turbo engines, I'd go for one if those, but the BMW if not. From personal experience and that of friends, I'm fairly convinced the 200 will cost less to run too.

[Stu R]

RobM77 said:

I've driven both back to back. They're both great cars, and you'll be pleased with either. If you fit in the 200SX and don't mind turbo engines, I'd go for one if those, but the BMW if not. From personal experience and that of friends, I'm fairly convinced the 200 will cost less to run too.

I've not met many that don't fit in a 200sx tbh, I'm 6'3 and a bit of a bloater, and I had bags of room. Plenty of people taller and/or heftier than me in them too

[RobCrezz]

I think you will have more fun in the 200sx

[Arese]

Damn. I'm not in a position to buy probably for another month, but this looks nice.


http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1531041.htm

[300bhp/ton]

Arese said:

Sigh.

I'm bored again.

I currently drive a 2003 Alfa 156 1.8TS. It does everything well, apart from make me grin. It has reasonably low miles, a very nice interior, 450 miles to a tank, and doesn't cost much to maintain. But coming from an Accord Type-R, then a 147GTA, it just doesn't feel like 'me'.

I keep reading threads on here about various fun cars around the £2k mark, and I want to try something that is more of an event on my daily commute, 20 miles each way.

I'm pretty sure I could get into an E36 32x coupe or S14 200SX for about £2k. Hopefully I could get that kind of money for the 156. I like the idea of 6-cylinders and RWD in the BMW, and I also like the look of unmolested ones. But, I'm also swayed by the turbocharged RWD Nissan and possibility of ~230bhp with a few tweeks. I'm a 'big' guy so I won't suit the MX5/MR2 size car.

I want the car to be able to be pretty docile on the motorway as I tend to just potter at around 70mph in lane one on my way to work, but then when I get off the motorway I want to be able to 'mess about' when appropriate. At the moment, 144bhp and Wang-Li ditchfinder understeer is pretty boring!

So, do you lot think I'll be able to change into one of these two cars with little or no cost? I understand fuel consumption will increase with these cars, but as long as I'm getting mid 20s I'll be happy. My long-term plans for a 'decent' car are pretty far away at the moment, so I'm happy to be riding around at this level for another year or so.

I'm pretty aware of the Nikasil issues with the E36, but I believe other than that they're pretty solid. As are the Nissan.

Any thoughts appreciated.

I really enjoyed my S13 200SX, but out of the two I'd say go for the BMW.

But I think you'll have to look hard to find a tidy 328i for that money.

[RobM77]

Stu R said:

RobM77 said:

I've driven both back to back. They're both great cars, and you'll be pleased with either. If you fit in the 200SX and don't mind turbo engines, I'd go for one if those, but the BMW if not. From personal experience and that of friends, I'm fairly convinced the 200 will cost less to run too.

I've not met many that don't fit in a 200sx tbh, I'm 6'3 and a bit of a bloater, and I had bags of room. Plenty of people taller and/or heftier than me in them too

For me it's the relative distance between steering wheel and pedals. My legs are bent double when I'm driving one.

[Shropshiremike]

RobCrezz said:

I think you will have more fun in the 200sx

+1 - have got a 328i but an S14 is slightly quicker and very tuneable with loads of chassis parts available.
Get a LSD standard with the Nissan as well whereas a bit harder to find on a 328

[Arese]

300bhp/ton said:

I really enjoyed my S13 200SX, but out of the two I'd say go for the BMW.

But I think you'll have to look hard to find a tidy 328i for that money.

Yeah, I looked at a 1998 328i coupe before I got the 156. It was an absolute shed and he wanted £3k for it. I got this 2003 156, which is mint in comparison, for a lot less than that. I'm not going to say how much less because it might be going on the PH Classifieds soon

RobM77 said:

For me it's the relative distance between steering wheel and pedals. My legs are bent double when I'm driving one.

That's a bit worrying, as I'm 6'3". I guess I better drive a couple first.

[mikeyr]

doogz said:

S14's rust. Lots.

If you go to look at any, have a serious look about underneath.

Having had a E36 328 I can also confirm they rust around the arches something chronic...and the door frame...oh, and the base of the boot...etc

[Arese]

What's the deal with the Touring then? Is it just a trim spec?

[Stu R]

Arese said:

What's the deal with the Touring then? Is it just a trim spec?

Yep. They got leather and a CD changer, don't think there was much else (if there was it wasn't significant as I owned one and can't remember )