Faults:

Intake valves stick, needed replacement.

Poor design caused alternator to fail often. Water pump failed three times during my ownership. Thermostat housing overheather several times causing thermostat to stick closed causing engine overheating. A/C compressor to low to ground causing bearing failure several times. Transmission valve body failed twice. Oil pan leakage due to poor engine design. Poor wiring cause years of short searching. Poor design of sun roof caused leaks. O2S burns out often due to poor design to exhaust. Went through starters like it was in love with someone else!

Replacment parts expensive to buy through the dealership.

General Comments:

I bought this car from a guy I know who worked in a small tech shop when I was 18 for 5,000. At first this car took my breath away. It has a very nice look, inside & out. Ergonomics of drivers compartment is very well done. When I started to have to work on the car, that is when I noticed how bad of a design the engine compantment was in. The upper radiator hose is prone to leaks, and for some reason they decided to place the alternator under this hose. Which caused many alternator blow outs, corrosion of belts, ect. The thermostat housing is exposed to excessive heat which causes thermorstat problems (stock closed mainly). Replacing the thermostat becomes a knuckle bleeder. The housing is mounted to the side of the engine, instead of being on top. You only have enough room for one hand. So holding that thermostat, with the gasket, and the housing down in this little area, really makes you want to hurt some engineer! They could have at least placed a lock in surface for the thermostat, so you don't have to hold everything together.

In order to replace the transmission filter, you must remove the valve body.

Which as anyone knows about transmissions. That if just a small piece of debris gets in there, it then becomes a teardown job.

The A/C compressor is too low. Which causes just a little flood to dry out those bearings!

The starter is not held in with the normal two bolts from the front. It has one front, and one back. Which means you have to get a six foot extension and a friend to help guide that socket over the transmission bell housing and onto the bolt.

This car was so bad, that I used to leave the keys on the seat and the windows down, and still no one would touch it!

I work everyday in the field on automobiles and trust me when I say this

"When you buy a vehicle that was not made in the USA, you are going to pay more for parts, and to get it repaired. Plus, they might not last a lift time like an American vehicle will."

Faults:

Side light not working when purchased.

Blew a turbo and had engine rebuild about 4 years ago (FSH), but has been very reliable for all owners since.

Generally 200s seem very reliable if you look after them- don't touch without FSH, make sure cambelt changed at 50K, oil changed every 6,000 miles (turbo pipe is a bit narrow- avoid cars earlier than '92).

General Comments:

Straight line performance very impressive in any company, for the price (£2,500) nothing comes close.

Running costs are not too bad, and it is reasonably practical for the type of car.

Faults:

Nothing as yet as we've only covered 500 miles. Things that need sorting as we bought the car -

Air conditioning fuse.

Immobiliser.

Electric arial.

As you can see, all minor.

General Comments:

Where do I start. We have been looking for around 6 months to get the right 200SX. We have traveled all around the country viewing 200s and this one is easily the best one we have seen. Bright red with low mileage and has been cared for.

Performance is nothing short of spectacular. Everything is all normal until you reach around 3000rpm suddenly you hear a bit of a whooosh and then you're launched!! Reading reviews of other readers of this site and I can only say believe them. Notice how every review has a smiley face - you will not disappointed in buying one of these cars, they are dirt cheap to buy as well, but as other readers have pointed - get a good one. Even if it means waiting 6 months for the right one to come along. The second car in the household is a Nissan Bluebird and if this car is as reliable as that has been then it is the perfect car.

Petrol consumption ain't bad - after-all it is a 1.8. It's probably about slight worse than a 1.8 Bluebird (which can drink the stuff around town). But you don't buy a sports car like this and run it on a shoestring!

Oh, and the pop-up headlights are great! :)

Get one, now!