GF Bought an 02 SE-R Spec V

[DBM]

We'll be picking it up tomorrow.

Chassis has 92K miles, Engine has 25K miles. The engine was replaced due to the recall in regards to pre-cat converter fragments getting into the engine.

It is all stock, except for the winter wheels/tires (15" black steel wheels).

It obviously does not have the Brembo brake package.

I've planted a bug in her ear about getting a header for it, as well as some springs/struts to get the car just a touch lower (she doesn't like how tall the car sits or how much fender gap there is). I would kind of like to keep the car legal for stock class for autocross, but she has her miata for autocross, anyways. :P

[Def]

Cool stuff, I looked at picking one up but went with an RSX-S instead since a clean Spec V was pretty hard to find around here.

The header and loctite'ing the intake butterflies seems to be super necessary for a reliable QR.

[CodyAce]

The header and loctite'ing the intake butterflies seems to be super necessary for a reliable QR.

That's the truth! Doing that keeps a Spec V very happy I remember when they first came out a good friend of mine got one (in that loud/obnoxious yellow) and it was great fun as it could *just* edge out a RSX-S (which was also new then) in a regular 'exhibition of speed' due to gearing.

Anywho, a few months went by and then the Spec V had a misfire. Still under warranty he took it to the dealer and had a smashed sparkplug. The dealer literaally told him he was SOL because he 'overrevved the engine'. Needless to say he raised some hell with the managers (as we all know over revving didn't do that). They ended up changing almost everything (all free) and still had a misfire. They pulled the head/intake off and found one of the intake set screw thingies. Thankfully there was already other cases of this so they knew it wasnt specific to ours...they tossed a new engine in the car, and it was fine (and still is fine) to this day (his younger brother owns the car now)

[DBM]

Day two of ownership. Washed the car, changed the rotors. Interior needs a good cleaning. Paint needs a polish and wax.

I'm currently reading about installing an aftermarket header to replace the stock manifold/pre-cat. We'd like to keep the stock exhaust since this car is just a daily driver, and we'd also like to travel in it (the GF really wants to drive to Alaska). I'm having trouble finding any solid info on if the stock exhaust will bolt up to the aftermarket headers.

Loctite-ing the butterfly screws seems like an easy enough task. The bigger task is dealing with getting one of my cars out of the garage to get the Sentra into the garage. My 75 celica is in the garage on A6's, and the S13 coupe is on RS3's. Once out in the alley, they will never make it back up the driveway into the garage (the alley is like a skating rink right now).

Like as with the 240SX forums, there are also many Sentra forums, and I'm trying to find out which one is a good one to register to where I can find good reliable info from intelligent members.

[Def]

That's the truth! Doing that keeps a Spec V very happy I remember when they first came out a good friend of mine got one (in that loud/obnoxious yellow) and it was great fun as it could *just* edge out a RSX-S (which was also new then) in a regular 'exhibition of speed' due to gearing.

Anywho, a few months went by and then the Spec V had a misfire. Still under warranty he took it to the dealer and had a smashed sparkplug. The dealer literaally told him he was SOL because he 'overrevved the engine'. Needless to say he raised some hell with the managers (as we all know over revving didn't do that). They ended up changing almost everything (all free) and still had a misfire. They pulled the head/intake off and found one of the intake set screw thingies. Thankfully there was already other cases of this so they knew it wasnt specific to ours...they tossed a new engine in the car, and it was fine (and still is fine) to this day (his younger brother owns the car now)

Spec V faster than an RSX-S? Possibly the early one, but even then the K20 pulls like a mad man all the way to redline.

My car has shorter gearing than earlier cars and another 10 HP up top (K20Z1s come with ITR cams) - definitely feels faster than a Spec V if you keep it on the big cam.

[Tower240sx]

my boss bought a Spec-V a while back and I put an exhaust and some springs on it for him, it already had balance shafts removed and a JWT cam,

it was quickish but not fast compared to what I was driving at the time (stock SR swapped s13) it felt portly but sprite if that makes any sense

[McCoy]

I had an 04 Spec-V for about 2 years before the first kid came along... needed more room for rug rats. The wife still misses it to today, especially everytime she tries to pass someone with the subaru.

The car felt fast mainly due to the truck like torque down low, but agreed it wasn't fast. Coworker had on 02 and used it on track a few times, kept getting frustrated when he would hit the rev limiter all the time... that and it pushed like a pig (thanks to all the neg camber out back) when pushed hard. Though he did excellent autocrossing it though.... just pumped the rear tires up until it would start over steering everywhere!

If I could ever find one for cheap that wasn't abused, I'd probably own one again. Loved the helical diff and overall handling of the car on the road.

[CodyAce]

If I could ever find one for cheap that wasn't abused, I'd probably own one again. Loved the helical diff and overall handling of the car on the road.

That's what I've found with them too. The ones that are in the 4k/5k around here are all wooped to ****, and or in poor condition.

Spec V faster than an RSX-S? Possibly the early one, but even then the K20 pulls like a mad man all the way to redline.

My car has shorter gearing than earlier cars and another 10 HP up top (K20Z1s come with ITR cams) - definitely feels faster than a Spec V if you keep it on the big cam.

This was in 02/03 so it was the first variant ofboth cars. The Spec V's torque and gearing would win out every time to 100, even with equal mods.

Now without a doubt once the K20z's came out/bucktoothed Spec V's the RSX was by far the better car.

[Def]

Yea, they dropped down in the $5-7k range quite a while ago, so most have been snatched up by people who don't take care of them at all and think things like nasty neon underbody lights and painting the interior trim are "awesome mods." It's kind of weird, when I was looking for one I sometimes felt like I had travelled back 10-15 yrs in the mod scene.

[turtl631]

I had an 04 Spec-V for about 2 years before the first kid came along... needed more room for rug rats. The wife still misses it to today, especially everytime she tries to pass someone with the subaru.

Thats why they make turbo ones : D

I really like ours as a four season dd, but with snow tires it's pretty boring in snow. The m3 was much more entertaining.

[McCoy]

I really like ours as a four season dd, but with snow tires it's pretty boring in snow. The m3 was much more entertaining.

No temptation to mod a 2.5i . With where we live, it's been great to have in the winter months.

[turtl631]

I think ours will get some love this year. I want to make it more car-like with some swift springs and shorter tires, and maybe dp, exhaust, tune. This is why an na model would have been smarter, lol.

I do have to say that the 4eat auto is pretty bad, oh well.