jstein77 wrote:I think I just found a good one for the 5K challenge. It's an '05 Altima SE-R, 6 speed manual, 105K miles, with an asking price of $4980, for sale near Miami.
I had no idea these were getting that cheap. 
jstein77 wrote:
I had no idea these were getting that cheap.
I like those too and would definitely own one.
When i worked in a transmission shop i think i put 3 clutches in one before it got to 50k miles. Anecdotal and i dont really care, i would still own one. 
That guy also claimed his ran 14.2 bone stock on stock tires. I liked it better than his LS1 trans am.
sethmeister4 wrote:ProDarwin wrote: My Z32 was 10x easier to work on than my girlfriends B14 Sentra.Really?! You are definitely in the minority on that one.
Swank Force One wrote: Z32TTs aren't hard to work on. Just time consuming. I wouldn't call it difficult.
This. I didn't have a TT, but the NA motor is pretty packed in there. Its time consuming to remove the things in your way to work on stuff, but it isn't exactly difficult. I had half of the engine bay apart at one point to do the water pump, but it was a very logical, straightforward process. At no point was I dropping wrenches into the abyss, tending my scraped knuckles and violently cursing, etc.
The Sentra has been a berkeleying nightmare. I had to have it towed to the shop to the do the waterpump because I physically could not get my hand into the gasket area to clean it. It is pretty much between the front of the engine and the RH frame rail, with stuff that can't be removed surrounding it on all sides. Alternator was a small nightmare to replace as well. Even something as simple as tensioning the belts (WHY DO I HAVE TO TENSION THEM?? WHY IS THERE NOT A SPRING LOADED TENSIONER?!? WHAT IS THIS, 1960?!) is a pain in the butt. Although Z32 belt tensioning isn't the greatest either (you have to remove the undertray).
On (sort of) topic, does the SE-R Altima have an LSD? Or is it just a V6 Altima with different springs, wheels, and badging?
For more evidence on why not to use plebian Toyota motors as racecars due to oiling issues, see the Wreck Racing 2013 UTCC thread...
Javelin wrote: For more evidence on why not to use plebian Toyota motors as racecars due to oiling issues, see the Wreck Racing 2013 UTCC thread...
That one REALLY confuses and surprises me...
The Land Down Under uses the HELL out of these motors and beat them unmercifully making all KINDS of power.
That said... losing 3 motors is CRAZY.
In reply to Swank Force One:
4 motors, including the rebuilt one.
Javelin wrote: In reply to Swank Force One: 4 motors, including the rebuilt one.
I may have counted badly... looks like the last one was a case of chucking in new bearings, throwing a quick oil change in, and hoping they got all the crap out.
Either way... still nuts.
I think it's not the engines, but the source. JY motors often have a questionable history, and some just aren't as tolerant of low/no maintenance than others. Chances are those engines were well on their way to failure before whatever actually killed the car (if it wasn't the motor) sent it to the JY. And cash for clunkers didn't help matters either. I cried at the number of LT1 motors and Ford 302's and 351's that got destroyed for a trade-in check. Some JY's get better stuff than others, and it's always a good idea to check out what you are getting before you put it into a high-stress situation. Now if they were grenading factory-fresh or low-mile JDM take outs, then i'd be like
ProDarwin wrote: On (sort of) topic, does the SE-R Altima have an LSD? Or is it just a V6 Altima with different springs, wheels, and badging?
If I remember right it's just a V6 Altima with a body kit, nice wheels, and SE-R stickers on the brake calipers. It is very likely that it has an LSD though, I just can't remember for sure. Plain jane V6 Altimas aren't too difficult to find either.
It definitely has a 6spd where regular v6 altimas have a 5spd. Whether or not that is a good thing is up for debate, i suppose.
Also, last 3.5 Altima i drove was an automatic. I had a very giggly time putting it in manual mode in 2nd gear, slowing down to 30 mph, and then initiating small rolling burnouts from 30 mph over and over. This is highly entertaining in a stock fwd family sedan, or it is to me anyway. I really like those motors.
In reply to ProDarwin:
The Altima SE-R I test drove didn't have an LSD, it made do with only traction control.
It was a pretty rainy day when I got to drive it, in those conditions I would've loved to have an LSD.
Damn, now ideas of Altima SE-Rs and Corolla XRS's are circling 'round my mind. Good thing I'm flat broke.
I recently drove an XRS and liked it pretty well. It's not as much of a handling package as an Altima SE-R or frankly a lot of other family car sport packages, and it's sort of hobbled by its ridiculously high cam-switchover point. BUT, if you get something to move the engagement point down, it's pretty blazing fast right out of the box for a corolla. I like them a lot. Realistically, though, i dont want to pay for one! 
i recently picked up a pretty stinkin' nice Regal GS for $1800.
belteshazzar wrote: i recently picked up a pretty stinkin' nice Regal GS for $1800.
Build thread?
If Wikipedia is to be believed, the Altima SE-R has stiffer suspension than a regular Altima, as well as a "free flowing exhaust." Definitely cool cars and I never see them around here, even when I worked at the dealership there were only a handful of them that came in.
It seems like the early 2000's Nissan VQ FWD cars are at diminishing returns. All of them are pretty fat, not exactly 'sporty' as much as people say they are, and that's a lot of torque to put down through the front wheels. I worked at a dealer that sold Nissans back in 02-05 so I drove them plenty; they were straight line quick, but none were as 'sprightly' as any of the Accords/TLs I've driven, nor had 'dat feel' and build quality Hondas from the same era had(it's a shame Honda lost their way for what seems like the past 10 years). TSX is hands down one of the most fun(and nicest) 'family cars' you could buy and stay FWD. The Altima SE-R really wasn't anything special IMO, and all had the stupid traction control wanna-be LSD that didn't work. I'd much rather have the nicer '03 Maxima 6-speed/LSD-if I was forced to. I'd still take a 4-cylinder verison of the Accord over any V6/Competitor car from the same era. Just about the only car I'd gladly plunk money down for in that size is an '03 CL-S 6-speed. I'd love to have that drivetrain in a 98-02 Accord Coupe, it's a much prettier car and the interior is nice and simple.
belteshazzar wrote: i recently picked up a pretty stinkin' nice Regal GS for $1800.
I've always liked those. My parent's picked up a new for '97 GTP back in the day. It was an utter pile of crap(everything fell apart on it), but it was pretty gnarly on the loud pedal. Way too much car for my mom.
between the E85, methanol injection, and tiny supercharger pulley, the ol' G-tech meter thinks it runs a high 13 at over 100
I've often wondered if you could take a 6-speed manual out of a wrecked G6 GTP and stick in one of those Regal GS or Grand Prix GTPs, if you could find a G6 with a stick. Never seen one in the wild. A quick wiki search says it's an F40 transmission and GM still uses it in the Cruze, Regal and Verano, and was in the 9-3 and 9-5 as well. Berk me, if it could hold up to the torque of a built 3.8SC, that could be a fun ride..
In reply to 06HHR:
I think this is one of those times where a manual trans really doesn't sweeten the pot much over a competent automatic. Probably the only W-body I'd want with a manual would be an Intrigue with the 3.5 "shortstar" V6. If someone built one and offered me a ride, a blown 3.8 car with a decent manual trans might be interesting, but I'm not holding my breath.
06HHR wrote: I've often wondered if you could take a 6-speed manual out of a wrecked G6 GTP and stick in one of those Regal GS or Grand Prix GTPs, if you could find a G6 with a stick. Never seen one in the wild. A quick wiki search says it's an F40 transmission and GM still uses it in the Cruze, Regal and Verano, and was in the 9-3 and 9-5 as well. Berk me, if it could hold up to the torque of a built 3.8SC, that could be a fun ride..
It's been done. One kid did it a couple years ago. Lots of problems with snapping axles and custom built clutch and flywheel. Lots of modifications to the engine bay and cross member. Not worth it IMHO.
You're right, wouldn't make much sense if you couldn't do it GRM style with junkyard parts. With old W body prices the way they are, a custom clutch and flywheel assembly could cost more than the car it gets bolted to. I guess the old 4T60-Es weren't so bad after all
belteshazzar wrote: between the E85, methanol injection, and tiny supercharger pulley, the ol' G-tech meter thinks it runs a high 13 at over 100
We have a turbo-swapped Regal GS in our local club in the 11's. Multiple SC'd Regals and GP's in the 12's, even on stock longblocks.
i recently picked up a pretty stinkin' nice Regal GS for $1800.
My friend with the XRS also owns an SC Regal. I think it's a good pairing as it covers two totally opposite ends of the power-delivery spectrum with cars that are both sleepers. Stock for stock they run pretty close to even with the XRS pulling away slowly but steadily. However, we never ran them from high speeds where i think the XRS would blow the Regal out of the water in a BAD way.
Honestly, the Regal is a POS is comparison but there is a reason you can buy them for $1800 and the corolla still costs 7-9k. I like both cars in their own ways.
not exactly 'sporty' as much as people say they are,
People could say the same thing about the Accords you like.
TSX is hands down one of the most fun(and nicest) 'family cars' you could buy and stay FWD. The Altima SE-R really wasn't anything special IMO,
For example, i had the exact opposite feeling about those two cars. I've never liked acura's 'style' to begin with and i really think the TSX takes a euro accord that is semi-cool and makes it blah by acura-izing it, oh and it's too slow (4cyl, not the later, hideous v6).
and all had the stupid traction control wanna-be LSD that didn't work.
It didnt work because it has torque. Put the same traction control on a 4cyl honda and it would probably work great.
I like most 4cyl/5spd hondas, but i dont like TSXs, and the primary thing that makes the vq35 so appealing is the low-mid rpm torque. Dodge had a 250hp 3.5 half a decade earlier but it didnt have that low-rpm torque (my intrepid was pretty quick but it wouldnt do a 2nd gear low-rpm burnout from a roll....), and neither do the 3.0/3.2 hondas from the same time period.
I probably like the TSX so much because it's so familiar to me with my previous car background(multiple Accords, RSX, Civic, multiple Integras, with a couple Jeeps and a Dodge truck thrown in). I'm just not big on Nissan stuff, it all sounds great on paper, but the blueberry pie lets me down when I'm expecting apple pie. I'm just too used to HA products. My brother seems to like the big N stuff.
Im a big fan of 3g and 7g accords. I think if the euro accord the 1g tsx was based on made it over here, it'd be on my list. I've recommended 5g to friends a lot and a few bought them and they've been good, but they're not my style. I'd rather be in an early CR-V than a 5 or 6g accord. I did realize the other day Honda might be up to my 2nd most-owned brand. I've owned 8 that i can think of.. 2g accord, 3g accords, 1g CRXs, and my 01 Insight. I think chrysler brands are in the 20-30 owned range.
I gotta admit, I never liked the 5g Accords until I picked this one up. I like it SO much more than my 4g and 6g. I just wish I could have the 6g coupe's body with the 5g running gear/interior. I do like the 6g's rear suspension best, though. The 4g was such a dern simple car(from a good stand point), but the engine bay sucked. Hard. It's crazy how the little improvements on the 5g over the 4g made a big difference. The 6g's are kinda 'meh' from nearly all standings aside from the rear suspension and Coupe's styling. I just never really grew to like the 7g's; I feel Honda went too 'murika when they should've brought over the Euro Accord instead of just rebadging it as the TSX. Worked at a Honda dealer when those hit showrooms, the interiors are pretty impressive in them(aside from the infernal center stack). 3g's are just before my time.
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