Prelude or Nissan 240sx/300zx
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Prelude or Nissan 240sx/300zx
Hey - I'm in the used car market now (was going to get another Vic but I already owned 2) and looking at the ludes. I'm pretty much set on prelude but I was wondering what people thought about the Nissan 240sx and 300zx. I don't know anyone that owns them so I have no clue how they ride and their reliability and such. They're both basically in the same $$ range as the lude so I wanted to keep my options open. The closest I can come to these cars is my father's 350z but that doesn't give me much to work with. If anyone knows anything more that they could tell me about these cars please post. Thanks!
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From: Langley AFB, VA
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240's all the way. I want to buy one but dont have the funds. If you dropped the SR in there and you spent a couple thou more, it would be reaaaalllll mean
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Rep Power: 0 Every time someone puts up a comparison between some car and a 240SX everyone jumps in and says to throw in an SR or RB block, its great. You know, the original KA24 wasn't a bad block and there is a nice Greddy turbo kit out for it that can put out some mean numbers.
Just thought I'd let you know, JDM swap isn't the only way to get good numbers out of a 240.
Just thought I'd let you know, JDM swap isn't the only way to get good numbers out of a 240.
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Rep Power: 0 Wow! I'm surprised by the overwhelming support for the 240 - I think I'll have to agree with dre on the maintenance issue though. I don't know about the 240 and 300zx particularly but I've owned some nissans in the family and we've had to bring them in more often for service even though they were newer than our Accord 86'. I guess I just have to find one close to me and drive it. The closest I found was around 50 miles away and it was a 1990' - I'm looking for a 95'-98' so maintenance won't be a nightmare. The 300zx is nowhere to be found near me - the Prelude on the other hand has some promising offerings that I've found. It's kind of a toss up now.
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Rep Power: 339 Actually, maintaining a 240 isnt too expensive. That car shares parts with the Altima, Maxima, and I think J30 as well. Now, slapping a RB26 is entirely nuts! It's not a bolt on! You wil probably end up cutting up the chassis and stuff... RB25 is a different story.... but both engines and trans are so damn heavy that it will throw off the balance of the car entirely.
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Rep Power: 0 Yeah - despite all the rants and raves to get the 240, thought still an option, I'm leaning more towards the newer lude. If I make a swap at all it won't be for a while. I just need a stock car that will give me decent performance without modification. I also know the lude will serve me years without problems. I think they way everyone talks about the 240 it seems like a decent project car since you can buy a 240 cheap now and get some great parts for it. If I had the time and money to invest into a 240 it would be one powerful machine, but the truth is I don't have that kind of time or money - no one has really commented on how the 240 runs with a stock set-up without a swap ao that type of opinion is the one to sway my judgment. I have to compare stock vs. stock b/c both cars will remain stock for a looong time lol!
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From: SOUTHMPTON,NJ
Rep Power: 288 Id def go with the 300 TT. my friend has a 91 hasnt had mutch maintenance to do. he just did a clutch and water pump. it has 110,000 miles and now runs 13.0. for your choices its a no brainer in my book
300 mad potential even for cheap
240 potential but expensive (swap/turbo)
lude a def fav of mine but its still a 4 cly n/a
If you wanna do some real research on the 300 zx TT check out
www.twinturbo.net
300 mad potential even for cheap
240 potential but expensive (swap/turbo)
lude a def fav of mine but its still a 4 cly n/a
If you wanna do some real research on the 300 zx TT check out
www.twinturbo.net
300zx = land yacht, through the roof maintenence, lots of money to make fast
240sx = handles like crap (without massive suspension upgrades), SR20 swap doesnt pass emmision laws, so you wont be able to drive it after your next inspection (and yes ALL authorities know about people swapping engines into them, so dont even get started on the topic), stock engine BLOWS for power, and without just tons of money has no real power potential.
Prelude = indefinate aftermarket support, cheap upgrades for decent all motor power, its a Honda (in every since of the word)
I have a friend with a 98 240sx, and another with a 300zx, both of those cars are PITA to find affordable parts that do anything for them, and they both have some serious mechanical & build quality issues... Get the prelude
240sx = handles like crap (without massive suspension upgrades), SR20 swap doesnt pass emmision laws, so you wont be able to drive it after your next inspection (and yes ALL authorities know about people swapping engines into them, so dont even get started on the topic), stock engine BLOWS for power, and without just tons of money has no real power potential.
Prelude = indefinate aftermarket support, cheap upgrades for decent all motor power, its a Honda (in every since of the word)
I have a friend with a 98 240sx, and another with a 300zx, both of those cars are PITA to find affordable parts that do anything for them, and they both have some serious mechanical & build quality issues... Get the prelude
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Rep Power: 0 Um...phatcyclist, the 240SX stock handles pretty well, at least the ones I've driven in and yes, those do still have the stock KA24 powerplant. They don't have shitty engines either, they're nice and torquey, sure they're slightly mismatched to the car, but I wouldn't go so far as to call them bad.
Also, build quality on the 240 isn't that bad. The 300 is a different story as turbo cars tend to be more maintenance. But you shouldn't hate on the 240 so much, even stock its a good car.
The Lude is decent, but you'll get raped on insurance, and its not exactly the lightest car out there. Not to mention, functionally, theres no back seat, and its still FWD.
Also, build quality on the 240 isn't that bad. The 300 is a different story as turbo cars tend to be more maintenance. But you shouldn't hate on the 240 so much, even stock its a good car.
The Lude is decent, but you'll get raped on insurance, and its not exactly the lightest car out there. Not to mention, functionally, theres no back seat, and its still FWD.
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From: San Jose, CA
Rep Power: 0 actually, i now officially own a lude myself after my civic was totalled. since i'm not really too into things of modification (just a tad little but nothing major) i thought lude was the better choice based on my preference.
what color are ya getting if u getting the lude?
what color are ya getting if u getting the lude?
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From: Fresno, CA
Rep Power: 0 screw the prelude the 240 and the 300. get a 91 mr2 and just upgrade the turbo. we have two in our household, and so far no one has been able to smoke them. they are the best bang for your bucks.
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Rep Power: 339 Hmm... should have mentioned running stock or bolt on haha... if thats the case and youre not planning to race often, get the Lude. Dont need much modifications to go fast. A 240, I have driven 1 with an intake exhaust and the usual strut tower bars. In terms of power, well, it's a Pathfinder engine, power falls off pretty fast after about 5500 RPM. But for a daily driver with not much time at the high ends, this car is fine b/c of that truck engine providing all that low end power. Now... someone mentioned the H22 being bulletproof... it is, but it isnt. The KA24 was an iron block if i'm not mistaken... with lower compression pistons which is way more boost friendly. But in your case, Prelude is good, and it's more refined in and out. But either motor is good. Mmm... and someone metioned back seat... any type of coupe coming out from Japan is going to have no backseat space. The only ones I can think of are touring type cars, Solara, SC400/300, M30.... those types of cars.
Last edited by CuRiOuSfIsH; Apr 22, 2004 at 08:25 AM.
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Rep Power: 308 anything thats rear drive!!!!
j/k, just get whatever you like more. The prelude might be hefty but as long as you are 21 or older you should be straight.
j/k, just get whatever you like more. The prelude might be hefty but as long as you are 21 or older you should be straight.
