1989 Nissan 240SX Reviews, Pricing & Specs

Excelent car in almost every way. I bought mine for $2100 in perfect condition quite a few years back but now if you're lucky enough to find one in perfect condition that hasn't been modified you'll be looking at spending 4-5k! It's a light car. Not a lot of horse power but still plenty for passing power and to have fun. Great gas mileage. Comfortable for long trips. I'm 6' and had plenty of room in the front seats but had zero leg room if I sat in the back, back seat is mainly for children if you have any, not really a family car. Good trunk space. Easy and cheap to maintain. Tons of aftermarket options for it if you want to modify any of it. Over all stock suspension was a little sloppy with lots of body roll and understeer. Great first car or daily driver! Ended up tearing mine completely done modifying it into RHD (right-hand drive,) doing a motor swap, upgrading the entire suspension and fuel system and engine internals. Basicly rebuilt the entire car and then ended up selling it. Wish I never sold it and would love to have another one but not to modify, just to drive....maybe modify he suspension a little but thats it!Mar 31, 2014

My Nissan 240 was a jumbled up piece of love - it was my second RWD car, the first being my '85 Porsche. The 240SX is a versitle and quite popular car, and parts are easy to come by at reasonable prices just about anywhere you go. After driving my Porsche 944, and my 240SX, I will say they are a dead match as far as speed and power. I will say that the 240 is a bit more fun to thrash about because it feels like it weighs a lot less... and your not worried about anything getting broken because parts are about 90% less than parts for the Porsche. The Porsche DOES handle better out of the box. However note that with all the mods available it would cost a lot less to get Porsche like product out of the Nissan. And if both cars where stock, and you set about on a point to point road race - the Japanese built tuner would be neck and neck with the German legend. I used mine as a daily driver, but i would recommended this not be a daily driver if you get snow in your climate. The good: Front engine with rear wheel drive. With very little mods can really improve handling. Great technology for the time. Really fun to drive Reasonable fuel mileage about 25/26MPG average (internet says 23 mpg average - I got slightly better than that). The Bad: I had lots of minor problems with mine (this could have been because I got a lemon) and I spend many a weekend fixing a $30 or less problem for the two years I owned the car. A few problems that my mechanic said where common are: Clatter sounds coming from the valve cover, usually resulting in the chain guide getting lose with age and rattling against the chain. Clutch slave cylinders giving out in old age (less than $30 at local parts shop). Rear shock tower weld break (making it look like the rear end is lopsided. Dec 30, 2010

Anything built on a Nissan S-chassis is nothing short of amazing. Handling is rigid enough for track use right out of the box, and aftermarket support is phenomenal. The stock KA24DE motor will take a beating and is very easy to work on. (We just dropped an RB20DET Skyline motor in, however...) Anyone that loves 90's Japanese tuner cars knows that there's a reason the SX has such a cult following.Sep 29, 2009

drift car.. sr20det gt2871 ball bearing front mount intercooler hks ssqv bov ss autochrome turbo manifold 3 inch downpipe 3 inch exhaust aluminum subframe bushing urethane bushing apexi n1 coilover front/rear bar 300zx brake conversion in front hawk hp+ pad brembo rotor cusco cage sparco seat bride seat rails stripped interior a lot of 15 and 16 inch and soon v.i.p wheels the car is a beast and gonna be faster next year..Sep 16, 2009

4 cylinder affordable sports car. Amazing handling and control. Easy to drift, especially the S13. Lightweight so power to weight ratio is pretty good. Easy to maintain. Easy to work on. And a Japanese engine swap is EASY. Wiring is a little dicey when you swap the motor. So troubleshooting may be an issue. But it's fun. BUILT not BOUGHT, the only way to go.Jul 05, 2009

My car was a salvage title car with frame damage. Engine is a truck engine. Only 4 cyls... accelerates okay but could use a LOT more punch. dual cam one is better. Brakes good and handles AMAZING. VERY fun to drive. turns on a dime. Make U-turn in exactly 2 lanes. It has lasted since 1989 with more than 190k miles so I am guessing the build quality is good. there are squeaks from the front and rear sway bars and also rattling coming from the timing chain which is common. Interior is lacking and exterior styling is okay. I prefer the newer model exterior a lot more. Gas mileage is good and maintenance is cheap. VERY FUN to drive. drive the hell out of it cuz the engine lasts forever and a day. IRON HARD truck engine.Dec 19, 2008

Classic utilitarian japanese car. Fun and reliable for cheap. Four cylinders power the rear wheels in a tiny, very agile car. Independent rear suspension, 50/50 weight balance, and disc brakes all around. I would ask for the added control of a LSD (later models had one as an option), but it doesn't really have enough power to need one. These cars define that classic look of early 90s japanese sportscars. Most people prefer the hatchback, but I love my no-spoiler flat trunk coupe.Dec 18, 2008

This is a drift built street car,the engine is an SR20DET with light mods to it. The car was a great start into drifting and could be upgraded to a full race car, but my second S chassis was the one I went with so this car stayed as a semi street/track car. I would reccomend it to any fan of RWD cars. pwoerful and light (fully stripped) it is a nice little street monster, and the blitz blow off valve makes it that much more impressiveJun 17, 2008

This is a fun dedicated track car built from the ground up starting in 2004. The car was manufactured in 1989 and the design of the car was used up to 1997 in Japan with minor modifications to the exterior and powertrain. Overall this is a great car that is fun to drive that was ahead of its time in terms of design and has a large aftermarket support that anyone could love.Jan 05, 2008

Well, the car currently has Nissan's 2.4 liter KA24E "truck motor", as some people would refer to it as. Stock, this motor is good for getting you around town, to school, work etc. Unfortunately, there is a lack of power to the wheels. The motor produces roughly 138bhp, and there is only enough power to chirp 1st gear. The handling of this car is excellent. With Megan Track series coilovers, the car hugs the road as well as a Datsun 510. Also having a locked rear differential, this setup makes easy for drifting. At least, in the rain it does... Dec 22, 2007