A project car...

[DarkKnight69]

I am thinking about buying a JDM for a project car and something to enjoy over summer. I am down to 2 choices.

Toyota MR-2 GT (Will have a Turbo 3S-GTE, RWD)

http://www.terra2imports.ca/import-japan115248804096584.htm

or

Nissan Pulsar GTiR (SR20DET, AWD) - Cant buy these in the USA.

http://www.terra2imports.ca/import-japan115152784886420.htm

Both are running in the 220-240 range for hp and have very reliable engines in them. Will cost me less then 8k for either registered to my front door, but i cant decide...

 

[aleckz]

MR-2 just because the other one looks ridiculous.

Edit: That and you should get this :

Hotness.

Edit: 500th post!

 

[DainBramaged]

I'm normally a Nissan fanboi, but that car is uglier than my Great Aunt Hilda. Go for the Toyota.

 

[Journer]

the pulsar is an awesome car...but there is no way in hell you will never be able to register it legally...it has the same problem as the skyline and unless motorex or someone similar has invest the $$ in crash tests, emissions, etc. there is no way...

silvia is a great car...cheap...and it is easier to import...or just buy an american version (240sx) and swap the motor

if you go with the pulsar...the best way to get it registered is to claim it is a kit car...or buy a wrecked sentra for next to nothing...and swap the VIN plates ...highly illegal...but it will prolly work if you're in a state that cares nothing about car registration laws (such as mine, AL ) if your state tests for emissions...it is pretty hard to get the SR to pass...so good luck...but it has been done before...

 

[DarkKnight69]

Originally posted by: Journer
the pulsar is an awesome car...but there is no way in hell you will never be able to register it legally...it has the same problem as the skyline and unless motorex or someone similar has invest the $$ in crash tests, emissions, etc. there is no way...

silvia is a great car...cheap...and it is easier to import...or just buy an american version (240sx) and swap the motor

if you go with the pulsar...the best way to get it registered is to claim it is a kit car...or buy a wrecked sentra for next to nothing...and swap the VIN plates ...highly illegal...but it will prolly work if you're in a state that cares nothing about car registration laws (such as mine, AL ) if your state tests for emissions...it is pretty hard to get the SR to pass...so good luck...but it has been done before...

I am in Alberta, Canada.

I have no emmisions laws and I can have the car registered and legal at my door in 8 weeks. We have VERY lax laws for importing cars over 15 years old.

The company guarantees all cars to be legal and ready to drive off the boat.

I like the Pulsar, but I dont know where to get parts for it...

 

[Journer]

Originally posted by: DarkKnight69

Originally posted by: Journer
the pulsar is an awesome car...but there is no way in hell you will never be able to register it legally...it has the same problem as the skyline and unless motorex or someone similar has invest the $$ in crash tests, emissions, etc. there is no way...

silvia is a great car...cheap...and it is easier to import...or just buy an american version (240sx) and swap the motor

if you go with the pulsar...the best way to get it registered is to claim it is a kit car...or buy a wrecked sentra for next to nothing...and swap the VIN plates ...highly illegal...but it will prolly work if you're in a state that cares nothing about car registration laws (such as mine, AL ) if your state tests for emissions...it is pretty hard to get the SR to pass...so good luck...but it has been done before...

I am in Alberta, Canada.

I have no emmisions laws and I can have the car registered and legal at my door in 8 weeks. We have VERY lax laws for importing cars over 15 years old.

The company guarantees all cars to be legal and ready to drive off the boat.

I like the Pulsar, but I dont know where to get parts for it...

lucky bastard..lol..my appologies for assuming you were in the staes...

as far as motor parts...it is just a modified SR20DET...most of the parts for SR20det can be found at your local auto parts store...just look on www.zilvia.net or other sr20 forums and you will find that the sr20de (sentra motor, as well as other cars) uses similar parts...

some however can only be purchase from japan...but you can get them from online retailers such as phase2motortrend and others...

 

[Apex]

Both are great choices, and both have loads of mods available at reasonable cost.

I think it really comes down to two things:

1. Form factor: Are you ok with 2 seater with little trunk, or do you need more?
2. Drive: Mid-engined RWD vs front engine AWD. Which do you prefer?

 

[DarkKnight69]

Originally posted by: Apex
Both are great choices, and both have loads of mods available at reasonable cost.

I think it really comes down to two things:

1. Form factor: Are you ok with 2 seater with little trunk, or do you need more?
2. Drive: Mid-engined RWD vs front engine AWD. Which do you prefer?

Make some good points that def lean me towards the Pulsar. The added storage would be nice. I have never driven a rear wheel drive car, all FWD and AWD. I enjoyed the WRX alot, I assume it would be similar to that.

 

[DarkKnight69]

bump for more opinions?

 

[XZeroII]

What is the cost of each?

Edit: nm. I missed that part.

I'd go with the Nissan. It looks soooooooooooo small.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

I actually like the Nissan. It's like a teenier Renault Clio V6.

 

[AdamK47]

Is this a Pepboys project car?

 

[RichUK]

Originally posted by: DonVito
I actually like the Nissan. It's like a teenier Renault Clio V6.

That is a sweet car. Totally impractical but hey the engine sits directly behind you. I saw 3 in a car park on the weekend, obviously some sort of meet or something, because I had never even seen one on the road before that.

 

[Colt45]

buy a german car.

anyways, the pulsar looks like something from a nightmare. a cute nightmare at that.

If you want AWD, buy a quattro.


edit: between the two, MR2.

 

[DarkKnight69]

Originally posted by: RichUK

Originally posted by: DonVito
I actually like the Nissan. It's like a teenier Renault Clio V6.

That is a sweet car. Totally impractical but hey the engine sits directly behind you. I saw 3 in a car park on the weekend, obviously some sort of meet or something, because I had never even seen one on the road before that.

The nissan is front engine.

I dont know what pepboys is. As for what will be done to them, the lists are as follows.

MR2 (3S-GTE)

Aftermarket boost guage
Fuel cut off mod - http://toymr2.tripod.com/fcd.html
Ball and spring Manual boost controller
NGK 6097 Coppers
Cold or Short ram intake
2.5inch downpipe and 2.5 inch exhaust with high flow cat
aftermarket side mounted intercooler
MSD 8950 with appropriate RPM module
Fuel Pressure regulator
Fuel pressure guage
S-AFC
AFR turing on Dyno
Modified CT-26

No body work to it.

Nissan (SR20DET)

boost controller
boost guage
fuel pressure guage
300zx maf
550cc injectors
s15 turbo
front mount intercooler
3" downpipe and exhaust
top mounted air intake
AFR turing on Dyno

No body work done to it.

Both would be about 275 WHP reliably and I would be leave the body stock. (Sleeper?)

 

[sniperruff]

the pulsar. it's the ultimate sleeper car. laugh as you speed off from a 350z or something.

IIRC 5th gear featured a tuned pulsar GTiR... it beats a dodge viper in a drag race.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: DainBramaged
I'm normally a Nissan fanboi, but that car is uglier than my Great Aunt Hilda. Go for the Toyota.

Yeah, those red mudflaps aren't doing anything to help the look of it either. :thumbsdown:

I'd go with the MR2 if I were looking for a thrashed Japanese car to import that is.

 

[Tab]

I'd get the pulsar, we need more hatchbacks.

 

[RichUK]

Originally posted by: sniperruff
the pulsar. it's the ultimate sleeper car. laugh as you speed off from a 350z or something.

IIRC 5th gear featured a tuned pulsar GTiR... it beats a dodge viper in a drag race.

:shocked:

 

[Suture]

I used to own a turbo MR-2. You will not be disappointed. It's so easy to make absurd amounts of power in that car. It's a poor man's Ferrari.

 

[DivideBYZero]

The GTiR's are mental. Get it.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: DarkKnight69
bump for more opinions?

I've struggled with the same kind of decision - still haven't done anything about it.

My two choises:
MR2, simply because they are a blast to drive and handle beautifully.

BMW Z3-M, simply because they are a blast to drive and handle beautifully. The motor that you get trumps the one in the MR2.

 

[RichUK]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: DarkKnight69
bump for more opinions?

I've struggled with the same kind of decision - still haven't done anything about it.

My two choises:
MR2, simply because they are a blast to drive and handle beautifully.

BMW Z3-M, simply because they are a blast to drive and handle beautifully. The motor that you get trumps the one in the MR2.

Absolutely F?ing mental cars. I was taken out in one many years back. I love how low you sit in these cars. Ohh and they?re quick.

It?s basically the M3 engine in a Z3. I would rather the ZM coupe though (Z3 hard topped coupe). I saw a salesmen from BMW I recognised the other day, driving the new Z4 coupe (I think it was the M-Tech version), anyway, it was in white with what looked like 20 inch schnitzer wheels on, dark chrome dish with black multi spokes (DROOL). That was sex on wheels. Ohh and yes that salesman was an arrogant pr!ck too, probably because his family owned the dealership.

The Z4 coupe (hard roofed) looks absolutely amazing. Get one of those instead

 

[spidey07]

RichUK,

To this day the Z3-M was one of the best/most fun cars I've ever driven. It's a go-cart.

Can you imagine one with about 6-8K worth of work?

mmmmmm.

 

[RichUK]

Originally posted by: spidey07
RichUK,

To this day the Z3-M was one of the best/most fun cars I've ever driven. It's a go-cart.

Can you imagine one with about 6-8K worth of work?

mmmmmm.

Thats exactly what it is, and thats what makes it so fun to drive, or in my case was to be a passenger in.

6-8k worth of work, i guess you mean mileage? That would be quite sweet. Something i did pick up along the way from my BMW days (back then), is the M-tech engines, well the S54, IIRC costs around £11,000, so you can imagine any work that needs to be done on the engine can get quite expensive.

I remember an S54 engine that lost one of its tappets/shims within the engine somewhere, and the engine ended up being replaced (block etc), as it couldn't be found, although somehow it did make a mess of one of the pistons and scratched one of the cylinder liners, luckily that was under warrenty.