1993 Nissan Sentra SE-R: The Oppositelock Review

"TheJWT" (thejwt)
08/17/2014 at 16:51 • Filed to: Reviews

Legendary motorsports heritage, a storied performance badge, revolutionary styling, and record-breaking performance. The B13 Nissan Sentra SE-R perfectly embodies none of these things, but I decided to buy a clapped-out one as my first car anyway. Does it deserve more credit than it gets though? I've conducted some very scientific research to find out...

[ Full Disclosure : Nissan wanted me to drive this car so badly that they sold it to someone in Lorain, Ohio, who blew up the motor, swapped in one from an Infiniti G20, and sold it to a very shady individual who systematically ruined it before I swooped in with $2000 and made it my own.]

The first generation (B13) Sentra SE-R was Nissan's !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! performance offering of the 1990s (Remember the 90's, when companies could make more than one cool car?). Though highly sought after by literally several people these days, it was highly regarded by Automotive Journalists of its time for its use of the then new SR20DE engine, as well as featuring a limited slip diff and upgraded suspension as standard. The rev happy twin cam engine meant it was quicker than the competition, and its sublime handling made it a go-to choice for amateur racers. This excerpt from Car and Driver's !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! list best explains the appeal of it over its contemporaries-

The entire driveline, from an engine that stands out (in a big crowd) with smooth delivery of power to a shifter that finds gears as if by divine guidance, sends the driver who truly loves the act of driving closer to affordable nirvana than he may yet have come.

Jealous yet? Don't worry, it gets much worse...

Like any obscure performance car bought for two grand off of Craigslist, it's prefect from afar, but far from perfect. The previous owner had grand notions of turning it into a street-dominating racecar, but faced the perfect storm of limited funds, little mechanical knowledge, and a general lack of fucks for build quality. But I'll get into that in due time; for now, let's get to the review-ening.

Exterior - 5/10

Given the fact that it is a 90s Japanese econobox, I like to think that the SE-R makes the best of what it's got, so to speak. It is never going to be described as a styling tour de force , but its clean lines accented by an aggressive front bumper and spoiler make for a decently handsome car. From a distance, it's not even too outlandish to say it mimics some European sports sedans of the era.

That is, it did look good when it was shiny and new. But 20 years of Ohio weather and a botched rattle can paintjob bring down the score quite significantly. The hood looks like it was made of aluminum foil, and up until a few weeks ago, the headlights were dangling by one solitary bolt and the grill was AWOL. The replacement parts I found were from a dark green car, so as long as it's not in direct sunlight, it looks fine to me. That being said, it does have some of the greatest wheels to ever come from the factory. If you disagree, I'm sorry, but you're just wrong.

Interior - 5/10

Much like the exterior, it started out as an exercise in cheapness, spruced up with some slightly nicer parts, and neglected for 20 years. I suppose if the standard Sentra's interior is equivalent in interesting-ness to Train simulator, then the SE-R interior is like Train Simulator with all of the DLC installed.

The seats, which were decent at one point, are now worn and saggy; and the center of the steering wheel is being held on by nothing more than the upwards angle of the wheel. I do find myself liking the size and shape of the shifter a lot more than I thought I would though, it's kind of a cross between a normal shift knob and a pistol grip.

Acceleration - 6/10

This particular SR20DE has less than half of the miles of the car itself, but with some questionable go-faster parts and long-term abuse, it's probably putting out a little less than the stock 140hp. That isn't a whole lot, but in a car that weighs not a whole lot over 2200lbs, it's quick enough to put a smile on my face. (The previous owner liked to brag about all of the street races he'd won...ugh...) The official specs are 0-60 in 7.6 seconds, and redline is at 7500RPM, though most of the power comes around 3000. The Gearing is also ridiculously short, so that doesn't hurt either.

Braking - 4/10

Despite having discs at all four corners as standard and red painted calipers, it's nothing to write home about. I blew a brake line while driving about a week after I bought it, so those are luckily new and in good shape. New brake pads are pretty high up on my list of things to do, though.

Ride- 3/10

It's not what you would call "good", or "tolerable"...

On a perfectly smooth road, it rides like a cheap car from the 90s. Except smooth roads don't exist in Ohio, so every bump both feels and sounds like being hit by a hammer. Oh, and it doesn't have a headliner, so it's pretty much like driving an empty can of your favorite fizzy beverage with an SR20 out in front.

Handling- 9/10

MY CAR IS GOOD AT SOMETHING!

Whenever I would take a sharpish turn going a little faster than I should, I would think to myself "This thing handles pretty well". Then I took it to an autocross, and discovered, this thing handles really fucking well. With a new set of performance tires on it, independent MacPherson struts all the way around, a limited slip diff, and no weight to ruin the fun, it can take corners way faster than it has any right to. You have to push it unbelievably hard to even get a hint of understeer or drama. By my final run of the day, even with my lack of any skill, I was keeping up with a few Speed 3s and WRXs.

Gearbox - 8/10

All SE-Rs came with 5-speed manuals, and running through the gears you can really understand why. Even though the shifter itself is about a foot long, the throw is perfectly short and precise; impressive for an older gearbox. First can be tricky to get into sometimes, and the #becauseracecar aftermarket clutch is godawful in traffic to put it bluntly.

Toys - 1/10

It's got 140hp and weighs 2200lbs; the whole thing is a toy.

That's not what that means? Okay, well It's got a radio and one speaker that works, so I guess there's that. It's also got cruise control, but I'm not sure if it works or not, because I have no idea how to use cruise control in the first place.

Did I mention it handles well, though?

Audio - 9/10

Equipped with a new Dynomax muffler, catalytic converter, air intake, and likely a few exhaust leaks thrown in for good measure, I'm proud to say that my car sounds like a 60s Touring car. It has the raspy, twin-cam roar that today's cars can only play over the speakers. It's quite a refreshing change from literally everything else with an SR20, which all seem to have the same fart can muffler.

Myself being the responsible and mature adult that I am, I always have to downshift and get on the throttle under overpasses, naturally.

Value - 7/10

Granted, it's not the final word in reliability or luxury, but for $2000, you're not going to find much that will put a bigger grin on your face than my car.

In many ways, the SE-R is exactly what you don't want as a first car. It's loud, uncomfortable, small, difficult to drive, parts are hard to find, and it's probably definitely unsafe. But like a true member of the great nation of Oppositelock, none of these things matter. It's my first car and it's absolutely perfect.

Also, it handles really well.

Total: 57/100

DISCUSSION (100)

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > TheJWT
08/17/2014 at 17:01

Bravo, amazing review! Also, I love this generation of Sentra! it's awesome looking!
Also, what kind of MPG's does it get? I'm discovering performance 4-cylinders aren't that efficient

TheJWT > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power
08/17/2014 at 17:16

I'm not sure on the MPG, but I can get about 150 miles on a tank, so I'm guessing it's not too good.

Devilishprune > TheJWT
08/17/2014 at 17:25

I came for an SR20 of an SR20 and was not disappointed. Well done.

GhostZ > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power
08/17/2014 at 17:26

I'm discovering performance 4-cylinders aren't that efficient

Balance shafts and big pistons needed at 2.0l+ usually get in the way of any reduced crank/rotating mass from being low displacement. Honda made the formula work by making the rotating assembly as light and well-balanced as possible so that minimal balancing was needed, so you could get away with using 1.6l instead of 2.0l or a turbo. You'd be surprised how much fuel a B16 will suck up at higher RPMs.

A tiny straight-6 would probably be the most efficient engine design for MPG and power, if it wasn't for the fact that it gets too long to fit in a tiny engine bay, and that parts get small enough to not be very strong. The added weight of the block and larger engine bay is usually not worth it to overcome the added weight of the balance shafts.

And even if you made a small I6, making tiny but strong parts for a motor with cylinders that small would require very good machining (like a high end sportbike, a la BMW K1600) that would just drive up costs. Not worth it for an economy car.

I4s aren't the best design, but they're definitely the most "average" without any significant drawbacks. That's the way I've always looked at things.

TheJWT > Devilishprune
08/17/2014 at 17:27

Yo dawg, I heard you like SR20s...

EL_ULY > TheJWT
08/17/2014 at 17:44

awesome review, very OPPO

Life and Times of Magoo: The People's Champ > TheJWT
08/17/2014 at 17:54

I hardly bother to read most things this long on Jalop/Oppo frankly. ....Read and enjoyed every word. Well done.

Autofixation > TheJWT
08/17/2014 at 18:11

Had an automatic, bought it for $500 with nothing wrong with it but a completely ruined head. Sold it. Shouldn't have.

Autofixation > GhostZ
08/17/2014 at 18:13

There is also the consideration that even though this car might have a performance engine, it doesn't weigh much at all.

GhostZ > Autofixation
08/17/2014 at 18:16

Right. A 2.0l 4 cylinder that revs to 8000 and has a turbo will get better fuel economy (in normal driving) in a 2000lb car than a 1.2l economy engine will get in a 3600lb car.

offroadkarter > TheJWT
08/17/2014 at 18:29

0-60 in 7.6 is not bad considering what this is

to facebook this goes!

Shifty > TheJWT
08/17/2014 at 18:35

For a cheap front brake upgrade, the Pulsar NX brakes bolt right up, though you do lose your backing plates. My little SE car (I converted the rears to SE-R discs) stopped so hard, I thought I'd have detached retinas.

thebigbossyboss > TheJWT
08/17/2014 at 18:45

SR20's of the SR20. Awesome review. I'll have to review my falling apart rice rocket too!

(2003 Cavalier with 100% enricening) at least your car handles well.

I put out about 140 hp too. We need to go to a strip and race!

TheJWT > Life and Times of Magoo: The People's Champ
08/17/2014 at 19:12

Thank you! I really appreciate it!

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > TheJWT
08/17/2014 at 19:12

Yeah, but what about the handling?

TheJWT > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
08/17/2014 at 19:18

Ah, I forgot to mention...

TheJWT > thebigbossyboss
08/17/2014 at 19:21

I remember seeing your Cav at the NY/NJ Oppo meet last year! A friend of mine just bought a 2004, I've been helping him work on it lately.

TheJWT > Shifty
08/17/2014 at 19:22

I'll have to look into that! NXs are rare as hens teeth around here though, I saw my first one in years last week.

thebigbossyboss > TheJWT
08/17/2014 at 19:26

If nothing else the 2.2L ecotec will take a licking and keep on ticking. That was a good meet, I *really* wish I had gotten there earlier. Too much time spent trying to fix my broken ass GPS. Oye. Good to meet you though!

Sn210 > TheJWT
08/17/2014 at 23:11

Oh man, this was an awesome read. Possibly my favorite Oppo review to date!

TheJWT > Sn210
08/17/2014 at 23:40

Thank you!

DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully > TheJWT
08/18/2014 at 00:02

Actually, the standard model had a nearly identical interior... I know, I owned one as my first car, with the awesome SE-R wheels, suspension and front brakes swapped over.

For headlights/grille, call Greg Vogel at G-Spec Motorsports. He can get you the Nissan OEM Tsuru (Mexican B13) Hellas with grille that are a damn sight better than what the USDM got. (The headlights, not the grille. The Mexican-spec grille sucks, but the Hellas won't fit with the USDM grille.) That'll set you back about $350 plus shipping for lights and grille. Since yours is a 93, like mine was, you only have to worry about the parking light wiring, since they came with H4s out of the box.

Also also, you want the brakes and rear anti-sway bar from the Egg. (NX2000) Bigger brakes, bigger rear bar, same exact chassis with a funny-looking body.

An Egg for reference:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/uiFhwGj-l9inRK…

I know I whore out my cars, both old and new, but... Here's a picture of my B13, from back in the day.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-abMhzcJgyOI/T…

And another: (Yes, those are the 91-92 tails on mine... I like how they look better, and my 93-spec ones were leaking like a sieve.)

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-ACnDiCQFRk8/T…

TheJWT > DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully
08/18/2014 at 00:30

I'm actually pretty happy with the headlights I got at the local pull a part. I got both headlights, turn signals, and wiring for one of the lights, as well as a grille and those tiny front trim pieces that go under the lights for a little over $100.

I do want to look into getting the NX brakes, though

DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully > TheJWT
08/18/2014 at 00:36

In any case, think about putting the Osram Rallye 65/70 H4s in them. I had those in my Tsuru headlights, and the car lit up the world.

I also ran them in both of my Volvo 740s, my '93 Volvo 240 and the Fiat, while I ran the Osram Rallye H7s in my S60. Those bulbs are worth every penny, for the light they put out. Those, and the Philips XtremeVisions are just about the only bulbs to run.

I could go full-on lighting geek with what all I did to my B13, if you want. I replaced every single exterior light on that car, and I've done the same with everything I've driven since.

TheJWT > DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully
08/18/2014 at 00:41

I'll definitely check them out, I've still got the junkyard bulbs in there now. I've also got to fix my front left turn signal and reverse lights.

On a semi-related note, do you know how to get condensation out of the inside of headlights? Mine were filled with water when I bought them...

DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully > TheJWT
08/18/2014 at 00:44

Pull them off the car and place them, bulb opening up, in the oven on about 200... Leave them in for ~10-20 minutes. Pull them out, let them cool and they'll be nice and dry inside. Make sure to get some silicone and seal around the lens, to help keep anything else from coming in.

Also, they should have rubber seals, IIRC, to go around the bulb opening. Make sure those are still there.

TheJWT > DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully
08/18/2014 at 00:49

The seals are long gone, and one of the headlights is missing one of the clips used to hold the lens onto the body. I didn't think about sealing them with silicone though; I'll have to spend some time doing that soon.

Thanks for the advice!

DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully > TheJWT
08/18/2014 at 00:51

Change the bulbs first, for the front-left indicator. I ran the Sylvania Silverstars, because the blue glass would still light up amber, and I didn't get the 'fried-egg' effect. As for the reverse lights, there's a halogen, type 796, IIRC, that doesn't draw a whole lot more than the standard bulb, yet lights up quite a bit more.

If it's a tail wiring issue (Read: New bulbs don't fix it), don't even think about messing with the existing wiring. Go to the junkyard, find another '93 and yank the taillight harness. It just plugs into the body, and it's a hell of a lot easier than sorting any issues inside the harness, itself.

The only other suggestion is to make sure the reverse light switch on the transmission is still good. The car is 23 years old; it may have worn that switch out.

TheJWT > DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully
08/18/2014 at 00:53

I've tried new bulbs on both; it's got to be a wiring issue. Guess I'll be going back to pull a part soon...

DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully > TheJWT
08/18/2014 at 00:58

Hey, not a problem. I'm just glad my six years of B13 ownership are useful to someone. To be honest, I'm wanting to get another 4-door B13 (stiffer chassis, more sleeper) and do a SR16VE or a SR20VE swap. I'm leaning toward the 16, because it's a little high-RPM screamer. (8300 redline in stock form, 8600 in N1 guise). Both of those are the SR block, although the 16 has a shorter stroke, IIRC, and the NeoVVL does wonders for the high-RPM breathing.

I need to seriously finish my 124 Spider before I get another B13, though... Otherwise, I'll go into Project Car Hell again...

DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully > TheJWT
08/18/2014 at 01:04

Yank the whole harness... It should just plug into the body, as I said, and it'll save a tone of headache. Nissan really did a good job making the electrical system modular in these cars, but end users tend to ignore the modularity because it takes too much effort to RTFM.

If you don't have one, a test light is your best friend. Take it from someone who owns an early '80s Italian car, and had one B13 with hacked-together wiring, in addition to the one that was perfect, minty and had every service record from the day it rolled off the truck... Test lights are your friend.

TheJWT > DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully
08/18/2014 at 01:05

Some food for thought, if you want a good sleeper, the B14 Sentra SE came with an SR20DE. Throw the base model bumpers and grill on it and bolt on a turbo and you've got a 300hp grandma's car.

DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully > TheJWT
08/18/2014 at 01:07

The B14 SE also didn't have an independent rear suspension, though. Plus, I just like the B13's boxiness compared to the jellybean B14.

Also also, I don't have any sentimental attachment to the B14, while my grandmother gave me my white B13, back in the day. It and my RX-7 are the two cars I regret ever selling.

TheJWT > DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully
08/18/2014 at 01:10

I can't argue with that! Now I need to make a "B13 life" GIF...

promoted by the color red > TheJWT
08/18/2014 at 02:48

I'm sold! Now who do I make the check out to?

thebigbossyboss > TheJWT
08/18/2014 at 07:50

JWT how did you find the review from Car & driver, I want to copy that idea for my car review.

TheJWT > thebigbossyboss
08/18/2014 at 11:17

I just looked it up on C&D's website, they have a lot of older articles.

TheJWT > promoted by the color red
08/18/2014 at 11:19

If you're like me, the shadiest person you can find on Craigslist.

thebigbossyboss > TheJWT
08/18/2014 at 11:45

I couldn't find one for the Cavalier on car and driver, but I did get a review from Edmunds.

"Despite the new look, there's no hiding the fact that this car was engineered more than a decade ago, leaving it hopelessly outclassed by nearly every other car on the market."

The review should be posted this week. This quote is perfect.

TheJWT > thebigbossyboss
08/18/2014 at 11:46

That should be the title!

boost_retard > TheJWT
08/18/2014 at 21:31

They're rare everywhere. I can't even remember the last time I saw even an NX1600, much less a 2000. I see B13's fairly often, although many of them are Tsuru's since I live close enough to TJ.

erikmc10 > DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully
08/18/2014 at 21:40

i believe the se was the more show than go version of the car, and we sold a lot of them. It had pretty much the same interior, but (aghast!) came in an automatic, which most people wanted.

langadamd > TheJWT
08/18/2014 at 21:43

I loved my '04 SE-R Spec V. I miss it dearly and I kind of liked the "boy-racerness" of it and absolutely everything about the driving dynamics. I always had a smile on my face when I drove it.

DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully > erikmc10
08/18/2014 at 21:44

Mine was actually a 4-door XE. I never cared much for the SE, but I always preferred the 4-door model.

axiomatik > TheJWT
08/18/2014 at 21:48

you should be getting a lot more than that. I get 250 miles a tank in my RX-8, which is famous for sucking gas. As a point of reference, my 240SX with a swapped SR20DET averages 25 mpg.

Color-Commentary > TheJWT
08/18/2014 at 21:55

My college roomate's girlfriend (now wife) had one of these and we would drive it injudiciously around Chicago at night. My memory says it deserves way more than 57 points: It handled extremely well and rode well enough to make you think it was much more expensive than it was. The door pulls were kind of a big deal in those days, aping the tactile feel of much pricier European iron. Zingy motor, great shifter, 10/10 would hoon.

She traded it for an automatic Altima with a pimped-out bodykit and chrome rims after she broke her foot playing rugby, and still talks to this day about what a bad trade that was. They ice-race an MR2 Turbo now, which just goes to show that It Gets Better eventually.

ohio991 > TheJWT
08/18/2014 at 22:08

where in ohio are you? I swear that one was on daytons craigslist awhile ago

also it is very true smooth roads don't exist in this state

WINGZERO > TheJWT
08/18/2014 at 22:09

A couple of Nissan SR20's would pull a premium one week before race wars!

TheJWT > ohio991
08/18/2014 at 22:09

Cleveland, thought I bought it in Lorain.

Owned Wolf > TheJWT
08/18/2014 at 22:18

It's kind of weird that this is almost identical to the 2001 B15 Sentra I have. Ten years and zero changes (Aside from looks).

andy > TheJWT
08/18/2014 at 22:30

This was me back when I worked at C&D during college. I still miss that car. One thing… I did actually weigh it on the magazine's scales - 2570lbs w/fluids.

http://www.caranddriver.com/features/road-…

andy > TheJWT
08/18/2014 at 22:30

This was me back when I worked at C&D as during college. I still miss that car. One thing… I did actually weigh it on the magazine's scales - 2570lbs w/fluids.

http://www.caranddriver.com/features/road-…

Flavien Vidal > TheJWT
08/18/2014 at 22:31

Kinja'd!!!

Graaaa, Grand Sport C4 :)

TheJWT > Flavien Vidal
08/18/2014 at 22:31

I love those things too! There was also a stripped and caged c4 at that autocross, it was pretty brutal.

Flavien Vidal > TheJWT
08/18/2014 at 22:32

I sold my LT1 a few hours ago... I envy people with Corvette terribly right now :(

TheJWT > andy
08/18/2014 at 22:33

Ah, Wikipedia says 2260 for the two door, though that could be for the base model

red014 > TheJWT
08/18/2014 at 22:34

Thanks for this review, it brings me back. In high school my friends father had one of these things and some of my favorite times hooning around in a car were in it with that friend behind the wheel. Handbrake turns were its specialty.

TheMightyTexMex > TheJWT
08/18/2014 at 22:38

http://killeen.craigslist.org/cto/4602565578…

OH SHIT OH SHIT I REALLY FUCKING WANT THIS OH MY GOD IT HUUUURTS

I want to bring it back to OEM glory!

(ALSO, how do I get out of the gray area? I won't post nasty shit! Pinky promise!)

Captain_Spadaro > TheJWT
08/18/2014 at 22:49

Kinja'd!!!

Ugh, the only thing worse than a CAI is a home-made one.

Jore > DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully
08/18/2014 at 22:49

You can actually get parts for the b13 for way cheaper down here in Mexico, a few days ago I bought a brand new tail light for about 12 dollars including taxes and all, you can get a grill, front bumper (the golden label japanese one) headlights and other knick knacks for less than 350 dollars easily and all new.
This is the japanese front end:
http://mlm-s2-p.mlstatic.com/fascia-golden-…

and look according to internet you can get a regular grill, bumper, side markers and trim pieces for about 50 dollars.

https://scontent-a-lax.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/t…

fivepointnine > TheJWT
08/18/2014 at 22:52

I had a 93 Sentra LE back in the day I used to street race down in San Diego. The LE is like a unicorn, you cant find any info about it lol. It had LSD, SER suspension, bumpers, spoiler and interior, but with the gutless other motor lol. Threw on a header, a ACT clutch, hot air intake (haha) and gutted the crap out of the car (back seats, trunk liners, windshield washer reservoir, you get the point lol) some Eibach sportlines, Enkei 16's and a homemade short shifter (aka hacking the lever in half with a sawzall) That car actually handles amazing and would beat most cars off the line, until the top of second where the car just ran out of power haha.

Miss that car.

farginicehole69 > TheJWT
08/18/2014 at 22:57

I congratulate you on a fine purchase. Had a 92 and loved the car. I added a huge stereo which was thing in the mid-90's and ruined it, and when I removed the 150lb subwoofer box (so I could trade it into the Acura dealer on an ITR) the SE-R drove so well that I almost pulled out of the deal. Actually if I were buying a GS-R instead of the ITR I would have pulled out. Anyway, one of my favorite attainable cars of all time.

I would bet that it rides like shit because it has been lowered. Put the stock suspension back in place and it would probably handle 90% as well and ride 100 times better. I had front caliper issues on mine, if yours are still stock and original that might be a good place to start upgrading (or do a NX2000 or Maxima 'big brake' upgrade)

Your interior issues are more to do with the condition of the car - mine held together with no rattles (even with the stereo) up to 105,000 miles. A trick on these cars, if you need to remove the stereo, on the drivers side under the dash behind the center console is a small cable for the lever (controlled by the lever between the two middle dash vents). Disconnect this first (if its not already broken) and it will make removing the dash trim a lot easier.

SR20.net used to have a ton of info on these cars. I don't think its around anymore, but http://www.sr20-forum.com is still around. Sport Compact Car did a nice build up of one http://www.modified.com/projectcars/07…

You'll have a lot of fun with that car.

Iamopenlyjudgingyou > TheJWT
08/18/2014 at 22:59

I remember when these first came out.

Before "Miata" became answer to all things, there were SE-R's.

Before "Civic yo" there were SE-R's.

I don't think driving an old one today would be all that appealing to too many folks but in 1991 this thing was awesome.

Doctor-G-and-the-wagen > TheJWT
08/18/2014 at 23:00

Kinja'd!!!

Oh hello Corvette Grand Sport (maybe?)

SirRaoulDuke > TheJWT
08/18/2014 at 23:00

Nice write-up.

I am about twice your age, and yeah when these cars were new they were a revelation for a front-driver. Somehow one never ended up in my driveway, but I would rock one still now. I think these perfectly fit the notion of a slower car with great handling is the most fun you can have without getting into trouble.

signinsrlame > DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully
08/18/2014 at 23:10

you write this really nice info, but you do it at the expense and the taking a shit on of the nx2000 which is a car that I cannot say enough nice stuff about

BASTARD

The Gutenberg Discontinuity > TheJWT
08/18/2014 at 23:22

'half of the miles then the car itself,' Edit needed.

Sinanigans > TheJWT
08/18/2014 at 23:27

God I really loved this car. I was really into the Nissan scene - I had a B14 200SX with the 1.6, and an SR20DE sitting on a stand. The B14 had TONS of suspension goodies but it met an untimely demise due to a pensioner running a stop sign with a late 80's Cougar. Though Nina was wrecked, she held her own and did major damage to the old man's car. Plus, I walked away without a scratch...

TheJWT > The Gutenberg Discontinuity
08/18/2014 at 23:37

It's not the original engine, so it has 80,000 miles on it, whereas the car has 215,000

TheJWT > SirRaoulDuke
08/18/2014 at 23:38

You can still get them pretty cheap, they've somehow escaped the mass-inflation that seems to be plaguing performance cars of the 80s and 90s

TheJWT > Captain_Spadaro
08/18/2014 at 23:40

You should've seen what it looked like when I bought it...

The Gutenberg Discontinuity > TheJWT
08/18/2014 at 23:56

than , not then!

TheJWT > The Gutenberg Discontinuity
08/18/2014 at 23:56

My bad, I read that over in my head and realized how little sense it made! Fixed it now.

david > TheJWT
08/18/2014 at 23:56

I had the b14 200sx SE-R, it was my first car. I put a B&M shifter in it and J.W.T. intake, the SE-R got me all the way through college. It had 245k on it when I sold it for the MazdaSpeed miata. I love my Mazda But I regret selling the Nissan.

david > TheJWT
08/18/2014 at 23:56

Illegal Machine > TheJWT
08/18/2014 at 23:57

i learned stick on my moms 1992 Sentra SE. Car was a basically bullet proof. Had almost 300k when we made her get rid of it (no AC in Texas).

david > farginicehole69
08/19/2014 at 00:12

I bought the car because of that article in Sport Compact Car, I Saved all my money working at McDonalds for a year and a half and bough a used one.

KAG25 > TheJWT
08/19/2014 at 00:16

Wish we had cars that light and fun still

DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully > Jore
08/19/2014 at 00:20

This is one of those cases where the non-factory parts don't perform nearly as well as the Nissan OEM ones do, though. You /can/ get the aftermarket lights cheaper, but the optics aren't nearly as good. Seriously, lighting is the one thing that is worth getting the OEM parts for, if nothing else.

Jore > DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully
08/19/2014 at 00:37

I wouldn't really know the difference, since I don't actually have one, the last nissan I had was a hikari (it was a B12 sunny coupe) like this one only yellow:
https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2507/3874315…

Anyhow cheap parts are available in most parts of Mexico for those not wanting to spend a lot of money.

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully
08/19/2014 at 00:49

Sorry to jump topics here, but you aaid you owned two 740s and a 240? Please can I have some insight on them? Which you prefer, things to watch for, anything helpful! I plan on picking some sort of used Volvo up in the next 6 months and it will most likley be a 240, 740, or 960.

squeezinse > TheJWT
08/19/2014 at 00:50

I had a B14 SE in 98 brand new. By 2005 it looked awesome and performed the same. I even managed to eek myself into a paper tuner magazine and a couple online features at the time. Still miss that car but upgraded to an 06 STI so no complaints there either.

http://s299.photobucket.com/user/squeezins…

BenLikesCars > TheJWT
08/19/2014 at 00:55

I remember test-driving one of these a touch over twenty years ago.

Fun fast snarly little beast. Your car is well-bought. Congrats!

SirRaoulDuke > TheJWT
08/19/2014 at 01:00

Yeah I have noticed that. I think FWD is what has held them back in these drifting-happy days, and the fact that no matter what praise the auto scribes heaped on it I don't think they sold all that well, at least I never encountered many. It just didn't build the cult-following.

Captain_Spadaro > TheJWT
08/19/2014 at 01:22

I don't want to know, do I?

DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
08/19/2014 at 01:23

I preferred the 740, actually. It's a bit bigger, they aren't as common with a manual, but they are considerably more refined. Plus, it's a lot easier to find them in turbo form, which adds a ton of fun.

I'd get a 940 over a 960, and the reason is, the early 960s, at least, called for 30k timing belt changes, and if one goes, that's 24 valves to bend. The old B230s, on the other hand, have longer intervals, and are non-interference, unless you snag one of the rare 16v B234-powered 740s or 940s.

As for things to watch: N/A cars need to have the flame trap cleaned regularly. The suspension bushings are a common wear item on all of the above, and the 89-92 N/A 740s came with a Bendix Regina ignition rather than the Bosch LH-Jetronic that the turbo cars/16V cars had. Avoid the Regina like the plague.

Ideally, what you want is a 93-95 940 Turbo wagon, and this is why:

1: In 93, Volvo added oil squirters to cool the bottom of the pistons, which helps longevity.

2: The round-tooth timing belt lasts about 30,000 longer according to Volvo

3: The 93+ 940s had the strongest bottom end out of all the redblocks, due to the combination of the oil squirters and the thicker rods/revised crank that went in the mid-year 90 and up cars.

4: IIRC, all the 93+ cars had a lockup torque converter, including turbos. Don't quote me for sure on that, though.

5: The tailshaft housing went from using a sleeve bushing to a roller bearing design, which drastically improved the longevity.

6: All the 91+ turbo cars got a locking rear differential, in either 3.73 or 4.10, depending on options.

7: The 92+ cars got a bigger radiator and bigger factory intercooler. However, it also means that the easiest intercooler swap for the earlier cars, which is the one from the Isuzu NPR, no longer fits.

Now, I'd do the timing belt and water pump straight away, because they're easy to get to.

The stock USDM headlights suck on all three of the above; trust me. The 90+ 740 shared its headlights with the 940. There's a guy on Turbobricks, goes by Mr. Borrie on there. Shoot him a PM over there, and he can hook you up with some E-codes. The lenses will be a bit pitted, but a bit of polishing with cerium powder will fix that. It'll probably run you around $300-350 after shipping, but the lighting improvement is like going from a dim flashlight to real, usable light.

The USDM lights on all of the above (excepting the pre-90 740s, which used sealed beam squares.. My 85 got a full set of Cibies to replace the quad squares, but that's a story for another day.) use the dreadful 9004 bulb. Combine that with the miserable optics on all the USDM headlights, and you've got a recipe for disaster. Now, my 740 ran the OEM Volvo E-codes, and it used H4s for the dipped beam, and had a pair of auxiliary H1s that would light with them, for the highs. It was like shooting daylight down the road with the main beams.

Anyway, pictures of all three of my RWD Volvos...

The 240:

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk13/da…

The 740 Sedan:

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk13/da…

740 Wagon:

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk13/da…

Hopefully some of this helped.

TheJWT > Captain_Spadaro
08/19/2014 at 01:29

The intake manifold was way too long, so the air filter was smashed into a gap half its size, between the back of the battery and the frame of the car. Also, the adapter connecting the filter to the MAF was ziptied on, and was cracked in half.

I'm on a summer-job budget, so shortening the intake and getting a new filter and adapter was much more cost effective than tracking down the factory airbox, leaving me money to fix the things that were more urgent. Eventually I'll return it to stock, but for now, my hack job works well enough!

TheJWT > BenLikesCars
08/19/2014 at 01:31

Thank you! I didn't realize how many people around had an encounter with a b13 at some point!

TheJWT > squeezinse
08/19/2014 at 01:32

Beautiful car! Very tastefully done.

sledge138 > GhostZ
08/19/2014 at 02:03

balance shafts? this is an SR20DE we're talking about, right?

Reborn Pyrrhic > TheJWT
08/19/2014 at 02:32

Kinja'd!!!

Is that a minitaure BRZ on your roof?

TheCrudMan > TheJWT
08/19/2014 at 03:06

Kinja'd!!!

Oh wow...when I was very very young my parents had a non-SE-R B13 sentra (at least one...we had some sentra and then sold it when I was like, 2 or 3, and had a B13 at some point after, which we donated when I was like, 8, when we went to Australia for a year.) Anyway, my point is it was basically the first car I ever remember playing in. I remember all these controls and what I had them do. Especially that left-side driver vent, it was always like an intercom screen or something. Anyway..sniff.

RicksterR > DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully
08/19/2014 at 03:29

Or swap in a fwd vq35 (09-up).. Emmmm

Neil Davidson > TheJWT
08/19/2014 at 04:12

Always thought this one looked like an e30 if you squinted your eyes just right.

GhostZ > sledge138
08/19/2014 at 04:32

I was meaning in a general sense. The SR20 uses a harmonic balancer pulley, not a balancer shaft, as well as a very well-balanced crankshaft. This is generally good, but doesn't do much for reliability because the rubber used in the harmonic balancers will go out eventually, but they don't affect efficiency as badly (though also don't balance as well) as balance shafts.

zyodei > TheJWT
08/19/2014 at 06:18

So it gets an F+.

Benson1990 > TheJWT
08/19/2014 at 06:26

It's cool but it's no HP11 Primera. The best SR20DE choice.

Conan > TheJWT
08/19/2014 at 06:46

Can you get a new SE-R in Mexico too?

Johnny Utah > TheJWT
08/19/2014 at 07:38

Kinja'd!!!

I agree that this thing has hints of late-80's/early-90's European styling, specifically the E30 coupes. From a distance, I bet it could be mistaken for a 323i.

Bubs > TheJWT
08/19/2014 at 07:56

Bummed I missed this article last night! I've owned a B13 SE-R for a couple years now and it has been my daily-driver as well as partner-in-crime for all sorts of weekend racing activities. Interior is stripped now and getting ready for a roll cage to become my Stage Rally / Hillclimb car!