Faults:

After 8 days of ownership, big end bearings failed, which is very very common on the ca18det engine.

Air conditioning stopped working.

Control on the drivers electric window became sporadic.

General Comments:

This car is possible one of the most underrated sports car of the early 90's, and for those who are after a truly unique (and sometimes difficult) but rewarding driving experience, this is the car for you.

It is a group 16 to insure, which may seem high, but I'm 20 and can still afford to buy and insure this car. However if you drive everywhere hitting boost, the fuel costs soon become apparent.

Make sure you buy one that has been well serviced, and preferably one that has been looked after by an enthusiast, who has changed the oil every 3k instead of the recommended 6k.

Don't take it to a dealer, join the sxoc.com and learn how to do everything yourself (it will be a lot cheaper), and advice and parts are easy to come by. If you can find one that has had an engine recondition (with evidence) that's good, as the big ends go around the 100,000 mile mark, depending how well it's been looked after, and this can be expensive. Also, turbo life is only around 80,000, so look for one that's had a new turbo, or budget for it to go.

Don't let the stories put you off; if you want a real driver's car, then get this. It can be difficult to tame at times, specially on roundabouts in the wet, but if you learn how to handle it, you can actually make mishaps look like a bit of good driving technique, but learn, and learn quickly.

The standard engine has around 170bhp. Expect that to be a little lower with age, generally due to turbo wear. That gives you a 0-60 of just under 7 seconds, and a top speed of 145mph. If you want to tune your engine, I would suggest making sure it's in tip top nick, or you might kill it, but expect big power gains. A stage 1, which is an exhaust and an induction kit, and a stage 1 chip, (all together about £400) will see you pushing 230hp, and then an uprated t28 (off the newer 200SX) a front mounted intercooler, and a stage 2 chip, and a few other bits and bobs (uprated fuel pump, plugs etc) will see in excess of 270bhp; not many cars that can do that for under a grand.

I found the interior very comfy, but I've heard different stories. If you're over 6", don't expect people to be getting in the back; it's a 2+2 as it is, and with your seat back a bit, I found the driver's seat touches the rear seats, but I'm not sitting in the back, so I don't care.

So get one that's been looked after, and spend a bit of time learning how to drive it, and little bit of time and money spent on it, and you will have a car that is capable of embarrassing some rather exotic machinery.

Faults:

Turbo blew.

Heated rear windscreen burnt out!

ABS stopped working.

General Comments:

This is a very quick and reliable car, but it can be costly to run.

The fuel economy is good if you potter along at 60mph on the motorway, but as soon as you boot it, the turbo munches fuel. It is rear wheel drive, and in the wet the turbo can make it a little scary! Power slide Tastic!

The seat is a little uncomfortable, but I am 6ft tall.

Be very careful with this car, as it has a turbo and they need looking after. You must make sure you let the car tick over for about a minute before switching the engine off after a high speed run, as it takes time for the turbo to spin down. When the engine is off, the turbo does not get oil to cool it!

Most 200sx owners change the oil every 6000 miles or 6 months, to prolong the life of the turbo. This is a wise thing to do.

A great source of information on these cars is available for the UK 200sx owners club website. The forum is particularly good: www.sxoc.com

It is a good car; just pick a good one and look after it!

0-60mph in 6.5 seconds.

Top speed: 142 mph.