Nissan 200 SX

Price Paid:  $0.00 from Orlando

Year / Model Reviewed:
2002 Camaro

Summary:
test drove this car with my mother as she was looking at the Nissan 200 sx. We both found it to be weak and tight. Has no torque and and no passing power on the highway. Engine strains to pass the rigs doing 80mph+. Poor handling at high speeds. My camaro just sails by this car with my pedal half way down. 230 ft-lbs of torque on my the high revving v-6 made her buy a v-6 pontiac grand prix. No more 4 cylinders again!

Strengths:
none

Weaknesses:
everything

Similar Products Used:
all imports with 4 cylinders stink. V-6 and up is the way to go. V-6 30 mpg and my sis's ol cavalier 4 cylider got 28 mpg. go figure!

Year / Model Reviewed:
1998 SE-R

Summary:
I bought this car because I needed to replace my 79 RX-7 (absolutely great car) and it was the best in the under $20K crowd. The Civic was nice, but not sporty enough. Other choices are dodge avenger, chevy cavalier, or base mustang -- no thanks. The car has great power for a 4 and I still average 26-27 mpg with very hard driving. The suspension and steering are excellent, although the car has too much body roll (the RX-7 had NONE). A few squeaks and rattles have developed on my 22k mileage car. If you're a budge enthusiast, pick up a 98, get some stiffer springs (the stock shocks are fine), and have a great time.

Strengths:
personality in the under 20k class, great mileage, great fit and finish, strong engine

Weaknesses:
way too much body roll, some squeaks and rattles, noisy

Price Paid:  $10998.00

Year / Model Reviewed:
1998 200SX SE-R

Summary:
Let's see--since getting this car, I have put myself against a new Mustang GT, a Honda Civic EX 2-door coupe, BMWs, Infinitis, Chrysler convertibles, and others at stoplights. Among all of them, the only one that beat me was a new Nissan Maxima SE. The Mustang was the biggest surprise--with a V8 engine, I fully expected it to soar past me. In the hands of a 45-means-65 driver such as myself, it probably would have. But the SE-R just kind of crept past it. And pretty fast, too. The pioneering moment was between the SE-R and the convertible--two in the morning on the Howard Franklin Bridge in Tampa. Five miles, racing at around 95-100 mph. Neither of the cars had any customization. The only times I slowed down were to let the convertible catch up briefly before accelerating again.

But anyway, enough about illegal late-night street racing. The only analogy I can make is that the SE-R is the heaven to Saturn of America's hell. If you're a speed freak, this is the kind of car where you don't realize you're driving sixty miles an hour until you look at the speedometer. The thing is fast. And simultaneously the best and worst part about them is that they're discontinued--1998 was the last model year. Luckily, they're coming out with a new Sentra SE-R in 2002 that they'll hopefully stick with for a bit.

Strengths:
Engine, acceleration, braking, looks, comfortable--hell, I even like the much-reviled sound system. The sunroof works. The fastest car with an automatic transmission I have driven.

Weaknesses:
People are pretty right about the stereo--it's not the stuff for heavy bass. There's some squeaks and rattles on the interior dash, which I'm getting taken care of. The biggest problem is that when first starting the car, if it is in reverse it sometimes gives up all power and just barely does anything beyond drifting backwards. It's an uneasy feeling. I punched the accelerator once to get it up to speed in a short amount of time and the tach dropped to zero very briefly before revving.

Similar Products Used:
200SX SE - If you have the opportunity to choose between the two, get the SE-R. Ford Mustang LX - Again, the SE-R. Never buy American.

Price Paid:  $12000.00

Year / Model Reviewed:
1998 200 sx se

Summary:
my rating would be 4 stars and i buy it again

Strengths:
fast off the start, great on gas, good handling, and can take turns
real sporty

Weaknesses:
the sound system was really crappy

Similar Products Used:
my car beated a integra off the start

Year / Model Reviewed:
1998 200SX SE-R

Summary:
This is one sweet package of an automobile. There were very few things I wish I could change: short turning radius is one. Another thing I did change: the dreadful joke of a premium sound system which came as part of the SE-R option package. Good tires, good wheels, good 4-wheel disc brakes, good handling, very good engine, good interior with room for real people in the back seat, nice fit and finish out of Smyrna, good gas economy. Hard to equal for the purchase money and long-term satisfaction. The 1998 model was lauded particularly by a famous consumer reporting publication.

Strengths:
A sturdy, reliable, good handling around town vehicle for errands and the short haul. Economical to own and operate. The SE-R has a very good 140hp engine, same as the one in the Infiniti I20 and with all the amenities, the car is still a bargain package.

Weaknesses:
This model has been discontinued and .therefore, is hard to find. 1998 was the last year it was sold as a new car. Too bad, it was an unrecognized winner, although CAR & DRIVER was very high on the car, naming it one of the ten best for several years. Perhaps the answer would be to find a good used version.

Similar Products Used:
Honda Civic and the Acura Integra. YThe Integra was especially good competion for the SE-R.