Conference terri::cars_uk

    I got 4 people in the car at the weekend!  They had trouble getting
    out though...
    
    Pete

Does anybody out there have any information about the prices of the various
models available?


Regards

Steven

    In the UK, the price has gone up to �17,500 I believe.  I think
    that there is only basic model available that has most things as
    standard on it. e.g. sunroof, ABS
    
    Pete

>    I got 4 people in the car at the weekend!  They had trouble getting
>    out though...
  
	Funny you should mention that. My girlfriends parents insisted they
	wanted a "sit in" the car for a quick ten minute drive, even after
	I pointed out it wasn't exactly over-endowned with space in back.
	
	Lo and behold on returning after about 10 minutes it takes one person
	pushing from the inside and one pulling from the outside to de-install
	the mother from the rear of the car.

	Gordon

	Oh yes, the mother insisted on 'feeling' what the turbo was like when it
	cut in , it knocked her hat off :-)

    Maybe they should supply a winch for rear seat passengers.  Or free
    osteopathy sessions afterwards!
    
    Anyway, Gordon, at least you won't have your "mother-in-law" coming
    along with you on too many occasions.  Actually, it's a great excuse
    - "Oh, I'd love to have you come in my car, but it's just not big
    enough.  So we'll see you there."
    
    Pete
    
    

    
    
    	Gordon,
    
    	I have been meaning to enter this for sometime but keep fogetting.
    
    	A friend of mine bought one ( 200 sx turbo ) in Sweden about 3 or
    	4 months back, he paid 18k pounds, which in Sweden is VERY cheap
    	considering the taxes and import duties etc for foreign cars.
        Anyway the 18k includes 3 years fully comp insurance AND full 
    	warrenty and FREE serviceing for the 3 years, thats all costs, parts
    	and labour. They service his every 15000 km which is a lot less
    	then Nissan have told you to get yours serviced. Wonder why ?
    	Perhaps Nissan in Sweden is taking a loss on sales etc for market
    	share. but why the difference in service intervals ? surely they
    	wont risk damageing the engine/turbo just to save on service costs??
    
    	Interesting !!!
    
    	Garry
    	

I had a quick window shop the other day and the salesman said that they have
discontinued the sunroof option it has bee found to defective at high speed!!

Ho Hum

Steven

	Yes Garry,

	very interesting !!!


	Gordon

	Well, one year on with the 200SX and how are we doing ? Up until
	last week quite well. 

	Complaints and niggles to date are :-

	1. Drivers seat appalling for me, replaced with Recaro. Much improved
           seating position but very little headroom now !

	2. Drivers window emits small 'clunk' near the top when closing.

	3. Can't seem to get warm feet and cool breeze over face, otherwise
	   ventilation and heating adequate.

	
	   Up until last week, did not have to return car to garage for any
	   reason other than normal servicing ( o.k. at 5000 km's service 
           interval this isn't likely !). Oil and other fluids have never needed
	   topping up, aside from window washers, before somebody mentions it !

	   The car has always started first time, when hot, or after standing
	   for three days covered in snow last Christmas in Austria. So apart
	   from the seat which I found to be the most uncomfortable I have
	   ever had, no real problems. The car has been 100% reliable and has
	   been very enjoyable to drive.

	   Now last week is a tale of woe. Just after setting off to drive home
	   from work, changing from 1st to 2nd... judder, judder and nothing. 
           Feels like the clutch has gone. Not to impressive at 12 months old
	   and 38,000 Km's .

	   Walk back to office, contact my local dealer and get them to organise
	   the nearest Nissan dealer to come and pick up the car, which they 
           duly do the same evening. The dealer confirms that the clutch has
	   'gone'. This all happens on the Tuesday evening. New clutch arrives
	   on the Friday. Mechanic starts to strip down all the relevant bits
	   and notices that the gearbox oil looks a bit thin. Takes a sample
	   of gearbox oil and, by some test or other, gosh ! the oil in my
	   5 speed manual gearbox is AUOTOMATIC transmission oil, which just
	   happens to be far too thin. Entire gearbox is now removed and 
	   stripped down. Gearbox looks like it has covered about 200,000 K.m's
	   none stop for a bench test. One new gearbox on order, Nissan dealers
	   and importer frantically blamimg each other for cock-up, while garage
           trying to trace exactly who did the dirty deed and when.

	   I am now driving around in a 5 year old Cherry, with black rubber
	   bits stuck on the hatch and bonnet and speed stripes down each door,
	   courtesy of the garage.
           
	   Gordon, who, whatever car he buys next year will get it serviced in
                   England.

    Bad luck Gordon.
    
    I've had mine 17 months now and no problems.  I prefer Recaro seats,
    but have got to used to the Nissan's now and never think about them.
    
    Pete

    Hi!
    
      I'm just curios, is this 200sx you guys are talking about is 
    the same as the 240sx? The reason I ask is because Nissan has replaced
    the old 200sx over here in the states with the new 240sx. Could it
    be the same car, but different name? The other reason why I'm writing
    is because I really think that the car looks very nice, but when
    I test drove it last year, I got dissapointed. There isn't much quick
    power on it. But this year Nissan has added a sixteen valve on its
    engine and made me want to go out to the dealership to see what's the 
    difference. I assume that the car you guys are talking about is equipt
    with a sixteen valve motor? 
    
                                                             Bongie*

    
    Is the 240SX a turbo car? On the old Silvia there was a 1.8 turbo
    and a 2.4 twin cam model. Maybe the 240SX is a twin cam non-turbo
    200SX?
    
    Mark

    Nope, the 240sx is the same car as the 200sx but with a 2.4 litre
    engine. I think I've seen a 2 door coupe version in the States (not
    unlike the Mazda 626 Coupe) as well. The US always had more options
    available than Europe.
    
    Billy

    
    Re .58
    
    Of course the old Twin Cam Nissan was a 2 litre not a 2.4.
    
    Mark

    There will be a 'new' version of the 200SX later this year. Restyled
    front end, new seats and some engine modifications.
    
    Rich
    

    
    Instant model obsolesence!
    
    Mark

    WHat's Nissan Silvia over here (UK) is called Nissan 200SX in USA. The
    new 200SX over here is 240SX over there.
    
    Karel.

    I notice that the price on the lease scheme for one of these beasties
    is quite reasonable these days. 
    
    Previously they were over 3 grand. Currently there is a surfeit of
    quotes under �2k.
    
    What is the current list price ? Is it under the �19,250 all in
    important tax bracket ?
    
    - Roy

    
    It was originally about 18K, but you can now find new examples for 15K
    if not under, judging by some of the adverts i've seen.  
    
    The best one though had to be about 6K off the price of a 300ZX,
    offered by the garage just down the old kent road.  If i remember they
    had 4 of those and about 8 200's, + 10 Primera's etc etc.  They claimed
    a fleet order had fallen through :-)
    
    I would guess that they are not shifting to well.
    
    
    Nigel

	I've found out a bit more info. There is a new model called the
	"executive" with a few more goodies (air con and cd player).

	The list price for the base SX is around �16k and the executive
	is a couple of grand more.

	I also understand that the base model has less equipment as standard
	to reduce the price. 

	The Nissan dealer in B'stoke (Herdshire) will be getting an "exec"
	registered as a demo next week. Both models have the same
	engine/performance (170bhp 0-60 <7secs).

        Not that i'm currently in the market but this is serious competition
        for calibra and celica. I'm surprised there are not more of them around.

	- Roy

    
    I see quite a lot of these around, but from the comments in here, maybe
    people are put off by the service regularity. I know I would be!
    
    Still, it seems pretty good value and it is fast. It was also the
    winner in all the group tests which were around when the Calibra was
    released (basically on performance/handling).
    
    Of course, like the Celica it is nowhere near as roomy as the Calibra,
    but at least it looks good (UNLIKE the Celica).
    
    Mark

    Well I had a sit in one. I go about 6' 2" and sometimes need to have
    use of four seats.
    
    In all honesty I couldn't get the drivers seat back far enough to make
    it comfortable. In fact the back of the dirvers seat was hitting the
    seat cushion of the rear seat. For all intents and purposes it's a two
    seater.
    
    R

    Help !!
    
    Im in the process of buying one of the last MK1 Nissan 200SX's on an
    (the more rounded one) 'M' plate. Has anybody had one, or knows anything
    about them in terms of what the performance is like, how reliable etc. 
    I will be buying it over the weekend so any input before then would be 
    most welcome.
    
    Cheers in advance
    
    Richard Barrett
    
                 

    Oh sorry - additional to 610.69 - anything to look for when buying one
    would also be helpful !!
    
    Cheers
    
    Richard Barrett
    

Richard,

One of our specialists had one as a lease car a few years ago.
(pre Vauxhall days, remember them?)

Twin turbo 1.8 wasn't it?

It was fast and responsive, but very thirsty on Petrol. I think 
he only got in the mid 20's MPG. I had a go in it once and the 
handling was good if you've got the right tyres. can't remember 
if it was rear wheel drive or not.

Loads of room up front, but only room for a barbie doll 
and a teddy bear at the back.

I don't recall him having problems with it. He did loads of miles 
so it went back quite soon. I guess replacement parts, exhausts etc.
will be expensive.

Huw.  

    I had one for  a year. It was a J-plate , take-over lease. The fourth
    fastest car Ive ever driven , after a Porsche 928 GT4 Sport , Ferrari
    348 GTS and a Caterham 1700 Super Sprint.
    
    The surge of power when the turbo boost comes in becomes addictive.The
    general handling of the car was good as well. It is rear wheel drive,
    with just the one turbo , for the16valve 4-cylinder engine.
    
    Things to look out for are for around the exhaust manifold and turbo.
    Mine had the gasket blow there.
    
    The steering was also tended to " tramline " on rough surfaces .
    
    Buying second hand  , I suggest you check the usual things thoroughly,
    ie  service history , evidence of body repairs , smoke from exhaust
    oil condition etc.
    
    I believe that the final editions to be sold in UK had full leather
    interior and special alloys . Reminds me of my old 280!