I have an S14 Kouki. It’s auto, it’s a stock KA, and it’s slow as hell. On the outside, it’s clean and rust-free. Naturally, the Kouki gets many compliments. The engine is going strong - I maintain it meticulously and I suspect it should take me to well over 500,000kms. Yet, the moment that I disclose the fact that its a stock auto KA, the demeanor of people change immediately.
They go from being inquisitive and complimenting to simply know-it-all’s who insist on FI or an engine swap. People are always suggesting that “you should do this and that…”
My father has, in my opinion, a very nice car out of the box. It’s a 3.2 CL Type-S. It’s a bright red colour - he’s even gone so far as to throw a bodykit on it. Once in a while, I’ll take it out to fill up gas or to get the oil changed. Yet when I’m approached by people while driving this vehicle - the conversations I have with people are much more “fulfilling.” I mean that in the sense that I can actually ask them for their opinions and get logical answers that pertain to maintaining the car instead of modding the fuck out of it. I get more ideas about suspension and styling when talking about the 3.2. Keep in mind that I’m not a 3.2 fanboy, it’s a nice car, but not my taste really. I’m just using it as an example - it could be any car really.
Now, I’m not saying that it’s wrong to give suggestions or come up with new initiatives for the car. Instead I’d rather ask why does everyone seem to have the same opinion with regard to 240sx? Further to that - why do most 240 owners seem to have cars that are beaten down pretty badly? Instead of blowing that much change on FI, overkill suspension, and overpowered sound-systems - why not spend that money on maintenance and getting the car back to original condition first?
Does it ever occur that some people simply need to have the reliability of a daily driver? Does this mentality of “mod the fuck out of everything that is working perfectly fine on your car” plague other cars? or is it only the 240?
In conclusion, I’d like to add that I really enjoy the 240 - this is not a flame about the car; rather, if you’d like to call it a flame, it’s a flame towards the mentality of people who happen to own 240’s.
GTS, most people who owns 240s are cheap and why the fuck would they restore it back to “normal” when they can just throw a bodykit and paint the car flat black so that they can stand out?
If they were to restore it back to normal, no one would even notice their car, no one would give 2 shits or take a second look.
It’s all about modding it as soon as you can so that you can stand out from all the other cars. I.e Putting stickers on, throwing a bodykit and painting it black, putting whatever rims you can buy for a cheap price.
And there you go.
Oh yeah, and a stock auto ka does suck. But it depends what you wanna do with your car. If I were you, I’d sell it.
Your response is pretty valid. I suppose I didn’t take the fact that some people have much older cards into consideration. From the gist of it - it seems that a general goal of 240 owners is to “stand out?” Does this mean “standing out” positively or negatively is irrelevant?
I say most of us buy 240’s with the intention of making it a go fast track car. Looks don’t matter if you know you might slam it into something. Also, cheap is the way to go when your on a poor man budget. I wouldn’t restore a 240 unless I think it looks pimpin in 2007 +.
Yea, Mark and noop hit on a lot of good points. When I first got my S13, I wanted to swap it, and rice it to shit. After owning it for awhile, I decided that tracking it was more my calling, so the exterior of the car didn’t really get much love, other than the occasional wash. I’ve since bought something different, but I do see myself getting another 240, as a track car. That one will be anything but stock though. Gutted, caged, most ridiculous/aggressive looking kit I can find, flashy paint, and neon green wheels, etc…
I just don’t see it as a serious, drive to work and go out kinda car. It’ll always be a balls out, have fun and don’t care about the consequences car to me.
I see your points, quite valid. You’ve brought up points about the different goals that people have for their cars.
Now back to my original question - why do 240 owners impose that it should be the same goals for everyone? If one disagrees or has “lesser” goals, why are then treated different? It’s almost touchy and relates to an earlier discussion about “track go-er elitist” mentality (I recall reading a thread about it before, here on SON)".
240 owners don’t impose anything. If your driving an old school car in teh futere, then what comes to mind is, you can’t afford something new or you are a “tuner” (rice/no rice), or you are stuck in the 90’s, “I like 240’s man” (restorer).
Because we are a bunch of ignorant ricers that don’t respect anyone’s opinion on anything. We will tell you how, and how much to lower your car, exactly what brand, size and offset wheels to have, what type of exhaust is acceptable in our circles, and proper alignment for racing specs even if you street drive your car.
I’ve been trying to get this across to people with no success for quite some time now, SON and 240 owners in general are the new breed of rice. People that want their car to look like a race car, so that others respect them. These people either never go to the track, or will go once a year to say that they’ve been so that people don’t accuse them of being hardparkers. However, it is guaranteed that you will find the exact same people at the most popular chilling locations, commenting on other’s cars, and calling everyone else ricers.
Holy fuck. I couldn’t have said it any better. That is exactly what I was going to say. Solarian, you kinda freak me out. It’s like you took those words right out of my mouth and typed it out.
And Solarian was also dead on when he said: “or will go once a year to say that they’ve been so that people don’t accuse them of being hardparkers”
But yeah man, he’s right. The thing I still find funny is that everyone TRIES really hard to be different, but in the end, they are all the same.
GTS, the best advice I can give you is just do what you want to your car, and enjoy it. Fuck everyone else.
Perhaps most people that buy 240’s have the “drift car or street racer” mentality… i.e. they like to mod their car ridiculously. Personally i enjoy driving, and i wouldn’t like to make it a chore whenever i have to drive. A clean paintjob, some nice rims and a BAR of boost;)
u need some crazy tire size. shit can’d streched rubber… umm dents( a must)
half of your interior out. zipties if you dont have em get em. and some crazy paint job (its gotta be on the boarder of is this guy serious and fuck thats nice
I agree with noopdogg in that I think most people end up with a 240 as a “starting point”, with intention to mod right from the beginning because of the car’s characteristics (such as RWD, relatively light etc) and price range.
In this regard, logically most are going to want a 5-speed transmission and typically some extra power.
As far as how they treat you when they see it’s auto & stock…what can I tell you…it’s just people being people and some might get a little carried away without realizing how much it bothers you. Don’t let it get to you and if you want to leave it as is just do it & stand by it.
leave it stock if it makes you happier elsewhere in life…
shit, another kouki owner and I had a run in at a kitchener beer store friday night, I told him his black, bone stock, burnt syncros kouki was a nice whip…
I havent really read through all of your guys posts yet but…i dunno personally i hate hack jobs on cars and people that “trow together” shit and think it looks nice…on my car nothing hacked everythings either stock or done right the first time no hack jobs…so many people i see work on cars cut cornors becasue there lazy. then they wonder why there cars shit …i dunno just what i think…
as for having an auto stock KA…dont worry about it i know what its like …all people used to do is love my carand then look inside to see an auto stick…and then be like get a new car auto sucks ect even though every other part they were loving the car …so i did 5 speed swap now people complain abou my wing not being painted…people jsut like to pick on things…jsut do what you like and dont have ass shit builds your car for what you like and you will do fine …i dunno i guess i never worred to much about stupid things and people…
Be casue the whole car is being painted in spring so why waste money to paint the wing the current colour of the car just ot be changed again…i guess you could say why even put it on why not just wait…and that i dont know haha…guess i jsut like the look painted or not.
its one thing to have a nice kouki 240sx as a daily driver… i wuld too if i culd afford it… but there are ppl that mod their cars for self happiness, and different usages.
if its ur relax car driving through rush hour daily and over toronto roads… why wuld u get coilovers and turbo and 5spd? there is so many different categories of 240sx owners and each category ppl just want others to be like them. its human nature.