Faults:

Prematurely worn tyres (due to bad tracking).

Warped front discs.

Misc. engine problems (too many to list and I don't have the mechanics sheet handy).

Injector failed.

Turbo may be on the way out - crack noticed by the mechanic, temporarily repaired by a turbo mechanic.

The car is running lean, fixed by changing HT lead plugs.

Group A spec fuel pump incorrectly fitted by a shoddy mechanic, causing a silicon seal to corrode into the petrol tank and almost kill the engine.

Intercooler pipe seems to have come loose - low boost power and a large amount of air blasting under the bonnet on throttle.

General Comments:

Well you've probably just read the comments regarding what's gone wrong with the car - let me briefly explain. I bought the car with 105k miles on the clock in August 2000 after not really looking around enough. It had a few bodywork defects (patches of rust here and there), a bit of a worn drivers seat, but overall was OK. Then the hidden problems emerged.

First trip to the mechanics for a major service when it started making all sorts of odd noises set me back around £800. Since then, almost all the recurring problems have been fixed, but unfortunately due to a rather laid back mechanic who seems to specialise in Citroen BX's all day misfitting my fuel pump, it's not quite back on the road.

So, how does it drive? Absolutely fantastic. I've fitted an HKS Hiper Muffler exhaust and some uprated suspension which has dropped it a tiny bit (warning: exhaust hangs down, even as standard - grounds on some bumps / lanes) and made it about 30% stiffer. Has made a nice difference. Standard wheels and tyres on the car and it handles so sweetly and has great grip.. in the dry..

Been taking it easy as it's my first rear wheel drive car but I've already had some interesting experiences in the wet. Needless to say, I'm still able to write this report as it's extremely controllable when the rear starts to let go!

I'm looking forward to getting the car back in the next couple of days from the garage, and spending large amounts of time driving the beast in the (hopefully warm) coming months.

If you are considering one of these cars, or just want to know how they stack up against the competition, allow me to help. Good condition cars can be found cheaply, and give good reliability. They are fast, comfortable and very pleasant to own. A range of people seem to suggest the car looks old, like it should be driven by retired old people (who I have nothing against provided they aren't on the same country lane as me) but it's a moot point.

Besides, I love just blipping the throttle with this exhaust on now!

Faults:

Nothing, starts without even touching the accelerator.

The tyres were pretty worn when I got the car, I haven't got round to changing them yet... to my regret. I accelerated round a roundabout and went into a powerslide which was awesome fun, but when I tried to steer into my exit I completely lost the back-end and did a 180. The ABS brakes kept me on the road, and there were no other cars about, but please, please, PLEASE do NOT mess with rear-wheel drive until you know how to handle it, it's great fun, but you could end up wrapped around a lamp-post if you don't know EXACTLY what you're doing. I learned this the easy way, I'm begging you to do so too. Get an experienced friend, get him to teach you, take a supercar course, whatever. Until then, accelerate only in a straight line.

If something does (God forbid) go wrong, don't bother with Nissan, shop around, and you will get better parts for cheaper prices (Turbo Technics, Supertune, TDI etc).

General Comments:

The pop-up headlights are very eighties/early nineties, but they have a certain old style charm to them. The front profile is beautiful, the bonnet bulges in a rather muscular way. Open the bonnet and you get an idea where the car gets its power from, every square inch is taken by up by the engine.

Side profile is very attractive, although again slightly dated looking. The car looks best when viewed from an angle, standing at one of the corners and taking three or four steps back. Then the sleek aerodynamic lines take on a menacing undertone, which is strongly enhanced if you choose a darker colour. I selected dark metallic grey (anthracite to be pedantic), which I feel suits this car the best. Red's a bit tacky, dark blue is okay, but doesn't go well with the red tail light panel, and black looks like a Knight Rider attempt (Although I was tempted by the idea of getting a black one and installing a red strobe in the bonnet).

The interior is very nice, by no means luxurious, but definitely comfortable. Superb driving position, excellent bucket seats which hug you round corners, and loads of leg space for the passenger and driver (I'm 5'11). The back is roomier than most 2+2 coupes, and I can fit two reasonably big people, but I wouldn't recommend it for long journeys. Cool dashboard display, fantastic air-con, excellent general layout, an ash-tray that just begs you to smoke etc.

Okay, on to the main part:

Driving & performance. Below 3000 rpm, the car purrs innocently, smooth drive, soft clutch, quick but gentle response to a touch of the gas. As soon as the needle hits three thousand revs.... all hell breaks loose. You hear a sound like an aircraft engine which is the turbo coming in, and the car just blitzs forward, sucking you back into those superb seats. Parkers guide wasn't kidding when it described this car as "boy racer's delight, explosive acceleration and turbo", you will SLAUGHTER everything else on the road (including the BMW Z3, MGF, Mitsubishi FTO, Integra R-Type, Prelude V-Tec... the list goes on). Only cars of the Supra/Skyline/Porsche class are beyond your reach. First gear's got the most G-force, but second and third gear is where you do most of your accelerating. By that point, all the other cars are tiny specs in your rear-view mirror, and you're going about 95. You can break the national speed limit in second gear - if you're so inclined. When you think that this engine was designed ten years ago, you appreciate what wizardry Nissan have at their disposal. Gear changes require a bit of practice, but once you gain that are incredibly smooth. The clutch is very soft, the throttle potently responsive, and the brakes superb.

One of my favourite things about this car is its understatedness. It looks mildly sporty, but very few people are aware of the monster hiding beneath the bonnet. And when you blitz off into the horizon, they're like WTF?!

There are quicker cars, yes. But there is no better mix of performance, comfort, and reliability for anything near the price. The amount of fun I'm having for a paltry £2500 - it doesn't get much better.

This is also an excellent learning car, with its turbo and rear-wheel drive providing an excellent stepping stone onto more advanced machines. After about a year, I may move onto to its bigger brother the 300ZX, or perhaps a Skyline or a Supra. But for now, the 200SX is more than adequate to terrorise the roads with.