3S-GTE or 300ZX, I don't know what to do... Options

[YellowTwo]

I have been thinking about this for a while now. It's really a tough decision...

3s-gte:

-251hp
-FWD
-$4-6k
-Need an auto-manual swap (another $2k)
-Good looks
-Nice sound system that I've spent time and money on.

300zx TT:

-300hp
-RWD
-$4k after selling my car
-Already manual
-Looks are not as good
-No sound system


In conclusion, the 300zx will be faster and cheaper, but with the engine swap I will get to keep the car that I've spent much of my time on and looks better. I don't know what to do! Give me some advice...

[Defgeph]

keep it

[shid]

Keep it. Lots of people have a 300zx- and with work you COULD get the 3sgte up to 300... just need the cash- but if you stick with the celica you're making an investment, you're saying, I like this car, and I'm gonna stick with it, to make it better, and spend money on it

*sniffle*

[brianforster]

during the swap you will learn a LOT of information about your car and cars in general thaty ou might not have allready known.

A swap is a much cooler thing to have than an out of the box fast car

I mean a good example is the fast and the furious (bleh, dont flame)
the supra beats the ferrari (barely) but i would definitly rather have the supra with all the mods than the ferrari because, the supra with mods says enthusiast, ferrari says rich old guy.

[YellowTwo]

Oh, and I forgot to add about the hassle of a swap. Just buying a new car will be waaay simpler.

But then again like brianforster said, that hassle will teach me a lot of information about my car...

This post has been edited by 6gencelicasrule: May 12, 2004 - 7:55 PM

[kuya1284]

I bet if you asked this same question on a Nissan or Z msg board... you'd get the opposite response. LOL. You should try asking this question where people aren't so biased. It's like going into a Kenwood forum and asking what people would recommend: A Kenwood or Alpine deck?

[celicarocker]

300ZX!!!! all the way!!!

plus thats up there with one of my dream cars...

[macavely]

this question is like asking stay with my girl while she works out and gets her body into shape or dump her and get a chick that has a better body..


well with your girl you already know what you have and what could be.. with a new girl you can have so many problems that you wish you had your old girl back..


no just apply that to a car

[YellowTwo]

[Pali_playa]

300zx

[moltar]

show = 6gen
go = 300zx
show and go = 3S-GTE 6gen

[orvillescelica]

I really like the way the 300zx looks. I think its up there with our cars.

Both have their good points and bad points, but the 3sgte will cost more and with the engine swap and trans swap you are looking at being wihtout a car to drive for at least a month, probably longer. I think the question is, if you REALLY NEED the power, can you do without a car for that long and afford to be out an extra $2-3K? I know i couldnt.

But then again, i dont need the power...

[lagos]

the swap is a VERY hard decision to make. i know because im going through it. on one hand, i figured out that i could afford to buy an EVO. on the other i could make something very rare and special out of my car. seeing Claytons GT2 project really inspired me to swap my engine and finsh the ideas and dreams i always had for my car.

i would recomend that you ask questions here and in the 300zx forums. look at all the benefits and drawbacks of each car...(i hear the 300zx is a bitch to work on) ... and then make your decision. dont just ask what is better, because celica people will always choose the celica (and vice versa). anway...good luck, i know its a big decision to make.

[Rjb23]

Keep it, you will need a new transmission anyway and it probably won't cost 2k to do a tranny swap.

[sinner96ST]

Ask yourself how much money total you would want to spend. Swaps aren't just done in a weekend, like some people think. The people that do state that, have probably been around cars since they were 2 years old, and are currently going (or are) to be an engineer. You will have to take car of this car for the rest of its life, turbo'd cars are not to be neglected.

The 3S, however, since you are getting the front clip, you can rebuild from scratch, since the motor will be out of the car. Also, you will learn more about that car that you ever had, if you were to swap. It will be JDM, so if you have any emissions laws in your area, you might want to think of that. Don't listen to the dildo's that say 'just bribe a shop', because you can NEVER depend on anything illegal, ever.

Just prepare either way for the worst case scenario, and have a fat bank account for such things. Good luck! I find myself at a crossroads too, I paid 9 grand for my celica, now the car isn't worth how much i have left on the loan. I'm thinking of cutting my losses and picking up a MR-2 Turbo (drool) or a 7th gen.

You want not-fun factor? Try a 96 Auto ST. I'm probably the slowest person on this site, and every day I regret buying the ****ing thing after i've gotten my ass handed to me by pretty much everything. Nah, i'm not bitter. Go for the swap, and show toyota exactly what they should've done with the 6th gen.

Nobody here would blame you for ditching the 6th gen, it's a slow car, bottom line. I could probably pull like 18's at the track, on its best day. But you love it, because it's a 6th gen. It really is a double edged sword. I love everything about the car except the most important (and expensive) part of it : the engine.

This post has been edited by sinner96ST: May 12, 2004 - 9:10 PM

[Phat_Boi]

300ZX TT

NAWZ!!!!

I wanted one so bad, but down here they either are ****ed up or they aren't turboed or there automatic, and thats no fun with a Turbo. Its rear wheel drive too so thats a plus, although I think they only have 2 seats? I haven't really been inside one but they look real nice when you fix them up right.

But what do I know, I own a Honduh

[sinner96ST]

[S_C_M]

[OOBE]

[Redline_Racer]

I was faced with this exact decision not to long ago man, I bought a wrecked 300zx TT with my 3sgte fund, but I plan on fixing it and selling it at the end of the summer then I am gonna drop that cash into my celica. I want to buy the 3sgte + some add-ons all at the same time.


-Brandon

[boosted_K2]

[Redline_Racer]

www.sr20forum.com

is a good website to learn about the 300, thats where I get my info and stuff.
-Brandon

[YellowTwo]

Thank you for all the input

In a way I'm kind of scared of doing a swap... Because I really don't know too much about cars to begin with, nor do I know many people who do. Plus I have heard some horror stories about them, so it just seems sooo much easier just to buy an already-fast car.

But then I think about how I would feel during and especially after the swap. About how good it will feel driving that beauty after it's done. Then the knowledge I would have gained from doing it. And the satisfaction.

Such a hard decision...

edit: About the emissions... what do swappers do about that?

This post has been edited by 6gencelicasrule: May 13, 2004 - 12:45 AM

[97sccelica]

[ParaNoiD]

Just inport a GT4

[kuya1284]

[ParaNoiD]

everything is possible with enough cash

[uzthedentist]

well id say you first need to do some serious thought about it. If your area is mainly dry and sunny get a 300zx, the grip that thing has around corners is unbelievable, this was the car i had before the 4. I got rid of it because being in england it rains all the bloody time. A 300bhp zx is not something u wanna start driving to work in in the morning when ur tired and its wet!

if you just want straight line speed, then get the 3sgte conversion.

[YellowTwo]

[97sccelica]

[Cody]

Only buy the TT if you have money that you are willing to spend on maitenance. As said, the engine is bulletproof, but specific components WILL fail. And be sure to get a 91+, because they worked all the bugs out from the '90 model year. But if you just have to have a Z, go for a N/A...you will have less problems, but you'll probably get the hankerin' for speed.

http://www.300zxclub.com/

Easily the best resource for Z32 info on the net. There may be a lot of arseholes there, but they know their sheeyat. I used to read (not post) on a daily basis. Theres a lot of info to soak up there.

[Uppitycracker]

I think you should get an mr2t, its less for a good one, looks better then both cars and you'll just love it, mines sold but Im gonna save for another one for next spring!

[kuya1284]

[5sfeTurbo]

300z.. more "reliable" power potential on stock block, RWD, Targa top (crossing fingers). But the 6th gen is a nice looking car and with the swap you might expect to have some problems natrually, but end result will be unique and fun. Either way you go you win so have fun and make the right choice for you.

[Cody]

The 300zx has T-tops. In fact, about 90% of all 300zxes made are t-tops. The rest are hard-tops, and somewhat rare. If I remember, most people with Zs that autocross prefer a hard top because of a stiffer frame.

[neoklis]

You have to consider that this is a choice between 2 different things. Its like apples and oranges in a way. The two cars were built differently and for different uses. If you are just tired with the Celi (very foolish point but sometimes true) and you want to upgrade to a larger sports car i would recommend the Supra instead.

Also you need to consider all the factors already mentioned earlier and others as well,
Nissan vs Toyota
Use
3.0 l Vs. 2.0 l engine
fuel consumption (maybe not a factor in the US but surely a factor elsewere)
reliability and maintenance
looks
etc.

Basically i faced the same issue 6-7 years ago but i got the Curren instead because it was cheaper, low maintenance, better fuel economy, a toyota, looks(curren is a rare car). Last year i bought a 3SGTE to swap but then i found my GT4 so now i have both plus a spare 3SGTE engine.

[Magic]

Go for the 300ZX;)
It will save you time and money.
I love the 3S-GTE but its not sensible to choose the swap.

[celimanST]

I have always been a fan of the 300zx it is just a great all around car. It is also fast as hell.


William

[YellowTwo]

[YellowTwo]

Well I decided what I want to do. At first I thought a swap would be the best thing. Then what I saw today in the parking lot where I work changed my mind.....



A nice, green (somewhere around '91...) MR2 Turbo

It's everything that I was wanting in a car, and not that much, if at all, more expensive than what I would sell my Celica for. Great handling, good power, RWD, 2-seater, t-tops, good looks... Perfect.

This post has been edited by 6gencelicasrule: May 17, 2004 - 10:24 PM

[SXR]

Where did the delete function go?

This post has been edited by SXR: May 19, 2004 - 1:31 PM

[SXR]