Under the hood, Nissan installed a version of their multi-purpose 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine. Depending on the application, it created either 140 or 155 horsepower, the higher output engine coming into play in 1991 with dual cams and a revised intake. It's not an overly powerful engine, and it is fairly noisy. Although it lacks the peaky horsepower and high-revving excitement found in competing Hondas, its low-end torque exceeded that of any comparable naturally-aspirated mill.
Mileage is reasonable for a sports car, in the vicinity of 8 or 9 litres per 100 kms. A four-speed automatic is available, though the five-speed stick is one of the slickest and smoothest you'll find in a used car. It stands up well even by today's standards.
A wonderful personality is afforded by the combination of the 240's overachieving suspension and chassis and its modest engine: the car never feels overpowered or overwhelmed. The resulting experience is one confident corner carving and driving excitement in the hands of even the most discerning enthusiast.
It's not all grippy fun and timeless lines for the 240SX though, as several problem areas often show themselves in used models. One concern is the engine's timing chain. Though tough and basically maintenance-free, it can be expensive to replace and even more expensive if it should ever fail. Additionally, plastic guides installed from the factory wear down to a metal-on-metal situation, leading to a nasty sounding idle. They can be removed with no problem by a mechanic or technically adept owner, possibly preventing future damage and reducing idle noise.
Another problem common to the 240SX is rust. Like any vehicle, the way it has been taken care of will ultimately show itself in the long run. Rust is common underneath the rear spoiler, around the door handles and around the sunroof. Try to find a model that's been oil-sprayed.
Two problem areas for rust which aren't as obvious should be inspected before purchase. The first is in the front-facing lower portion of the rear wheel wells. Eventually, sand and rock abrasion from the tires can wear through the metal separating the rocker panel from the wheel well, allowing moisture inside and eventually rendering the lower bits of the car a corroded, flaky mess. The second and most common rust area is on the front frame-rail segment just behind the wheel. This area is very likely to be badly rusted on older models, especially if winter driven.
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Mileage is reasonable for a sports car, in the vicinity of 8 or 9 litres per 100 kms. A four-speed automatic is available, though the five-speed stick is one of the slickest and smoothest you'll find in a used car. It stands up well even by today's standards.
A wonderful personality is afforded by the combination of the 240's overachieving suspension and chassis and its modest engine: the car never feels overpowered or overwhelmed. The resulting experience is one confident corner carving and driving excitement in the hands of even the most discerning enthusiast.
It's not all grippy fun and timeless lines for the 240SX though, as several problem areas often show themselves in used models. One concern is the engine's timing chain. Though tough and basically maintenance-free, it can be expensive to replace and even more expensive if it should ever fail. Additionally, plastic guides installed from the factory wear down to a metal-on-metal situation, leading to a nasty sounding idle. They can be removed with no problem by a mechanic or technically adept owner, possibly preventing future damage and reducing idle noise.
Another problem common to the 240SX is rust. Like any vehicle, the way it has been taken care of will ultimately show itself in the long run. Rust is common underneath the rear spoiler, around the door handles and around the sunroof. Try to find a model that's been oil-sprayed.
Two problem areas for rust which aren't as obvious should be inspected before purchase. The first is in the front-facing lower portion of the rear wheel wells. Eventually, sand and rock abrasion from the tires can wear through the metal separating the rocker panel from the wheel well, allowing moisture inside and eventually rendering the lower bits of the car a corroded, flaky mess. The second and most common rust area is on the front frame-rail segment just behind the wheel. This area is very likely to be badly rusted on older models, especially if winter driven.
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