New member, old 240SX owner.
02-14-2004, 09:48 AM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Redondo Beach, CA
Posts: 5
New member, old 240SX owner.
Hello, all. I discovered this forum a few weeks ago while investigating my options after a singular unfortunate event in the lifetime of my 240SX ownership.
In 1991 I was driving an '87 Toyota Tercel, turning left from 104th to Aviation Blvd at LAX, when one of the huge parking lot shuttle buses ran the light and wiped out that little car. I had just made the last payment the month before, too.
Having driven a 240SX in Dallas a few weeks before, I chose that car as my replacement and ended up buying one new here in Redondo Beach. It was a silver '91 240SX SE. I loved it and ended up putting over 126,000 miles on it in the ensuing thirteen years. At the end, it was a trifle dinged on the outside but under the covers it was in perfect condition. I intended to get the dings fixed and drive it for another few years, but fate had other ideas.
On December 27, my wife and I were driving north on the 405 freeway on our way to San Francisco for a few days. I looked forward to the trip; driving my 240 was always a lot of fun and I had just put some $400 into maintenance, not to mention new tires and whatnot a few months earlier. I filled it up, zeroed the odometer and we took off.
Almost exactly 32 miles later by that odometer we came up on a stoppage in the #1 lane of the 405, just south of the 405/5 merger. Lots of idiots were smoking their tires stopping; we were in the carpool lane (which was entirely clear) but I slowed down anyway, and so was only going maybe 30-40 mph when we reached the tail end of the stoppage. Just at the moment when a stupid woman in a white Toyota Corolla decided that she couldn't stop in time and swerved into our lane. At that particular point, there is maybe a foot between the edge of the lane and the concrete barrier. I tried to use that foot but it just wasn't enough. My poor, faithful 240 ended its life there. (And if I hadn't been a better driver than 99+% of the idiots around me, that's not all that would have ended its life, but anyway.)
After a six-week fight with Progressive, I finally gave up and let them total my car.
Fortunately, though, I happened upon another 240SX. This one is a '93, also a hatchback, second owner car with fewer than 78,000 miles on it. The woman who was selling it had taken good care of it, but just hadn't driven it much; she bought it in '95 with 36,000 miles on it and she put on fewer than 32,000 additional miles. She had also had the interior completely reupholstered a couple of years ago, which added to its attraction. Everyone with a 240 knows the problem with the seat fabric wearing out, particularly on the driver's side. She was asking $5k but we offered her $4k and she took it. Just as well, since it needed tires, alignment (badly, yow!) and a pile of other stuff done to it. About $2k in maintenance and repair, altogether, most of which, of course, was labor.
(Sorry, I don't work on cars. I did when I was a teenager but I'm older and wiser now, not to mention less tolerant of bleeding; when I do such work, I invariably end up bleeding on it, every damned time!
)
I never did any upgrades to my old 240 aside from an Alpine CD player, mostly because I enjoyed it enough without them and I was used to its little eccentricities. This one, though, will probably end up with a few. First I'm putting an Alpine 9813 in it, along with a full set of Lanzar NEO461 4x6 speakers to replace the dry-rotted stock speakers. I've also got custom mats on order and a few other minor odds and ends. Since I don't race and am not that hot for high-performance stuff (hey, I'm 44, I don't have time for that!
) the SR20DET route doesn't really appeal and I like the appearance of the car just fine so I don't need any body mods, but some of the other stuff looks interesting. First I'll likely put a short-shifter in it; my old 240 had nice tight shifting but this one is positively mushy. After that, we'll see.
Sorry, no pictures yet, but take my word for it, this car is nice-looking. It's a very deep green that looks black from farther than about two feet away and the outside has virtually no dents and dings. As unhappy as I was about my old 240, at least I have found a suitable replacement which, with care and proper maintenance, will probably last me another ten years easily.
In 1991 I was driving an '87 Toyota Tercel, turning left from 104th to Aviation Blvd at LAX, when one of the huge parking lot shuttle buses ran the light and wiped out that little car. I had just made the last payment the month before, too.
Having driven a 240SX in Dallas a few weeks before, I chose that car as my replacement and ended up buying one new here in Redondo Beach. It was a silver '91 240SX SE. I loved it and ended up putting over 126,000 miles on it in the ensuing thirteen years. At the end, it was a trifle dinged on the outside but under the covers it was in perfect condition. I intended to get the dings fixed and drive it for another few years, but fate had other ideas.On December 27, my wife and I were driving north on the 405 freeway on our way to San Francisco for a few days. I looked forward to the trip; driving my 240 was always a lot of fun and I had just put some $400 into maintenance, not to mention new tires and whatnot a few months earlier. I filled it up, zeroed the odometer and we took off.
Almost exactly 32 miles later by that odometer we came up on a stoppage in the #1 lane of the 405, just south of the 405/5 merger. Lots of idiots were smoking their tires stopping; we were in the carpool lane (which was entirely clear) but I slowed down anyway, and so was only going maybe 30-40 mph when we reached the tail end of the stoppage. Just at the moment when a stupid woman in a white Toyota Corolla decided that she couldn't stop in time and swerved into our lane. At that particular point, there is maybe a foot between the edge of the lane and the concrete barrier. I tried to use that foot but it just wasn't enough. My poor, faithful 240 ended its life there. (And if I hadn't been a better driver than 99+% of the idiots around me, that's not all that would have ended its life, but anyway.)
After a six-week fight with Progressive, I finally gave up and let them total my car.
Fortunately, though, I happened upon another 240SX. This one is a '93, also a hatchback, second owner car with fewer than 78,000 miles on it. The woman who was selling it had taken good care of it, but just hadn't driven it much; she bought it in '95 with 36,000 miles on it and she put on fewer than 32,000 additional miles. She had also had the interior completely reupholstered a couple of years ago, which added to its attraction. Everyone with a 240 knows the problem with the seat fabric wearing out, particularly on the driver's side. She was asking $5k but we offered her $4k and she took it. Just as well, since it needed tires, alignment (badly, yow!) and a pile of other stuff done to it. About $2k in maintenance and repair, altogether, most of which, of course, was labor.
(Sorry, I don't work on cars. I did when I was a teenager but I'm older and wiser now, not to mention less tolerant of bleeding; when I do such work, I invariably end up bleeding on it, every damned time!
) I never did any upgrades to my old 240 aside from an Alpine CD player, mostly because I enjoyed it enough without them and I was used to its little eccentricities. This one, though, will probably end up with a few. First I'm putting an Alpine 9813 in it, along with a full set of Lanzar NEO461 4x6 speakers to replace the dry-rotted stock speakers. I've also got custom mats on order and a few other minor odds and ends. Since I don't race and am not that hot for high-performance stuff (hey, I'm 44, I don't have time for that!
) the SR20DET route doesn't really appeal and I like the appearance of the car just fine so I don't need any body mods, but some of the other stuff looks interesting. First I'll likely put a short-shifter in it; my old 240 had nice tight shifting but this one is positively mushy. After that, we'll see.Sorry, no pictures yet, but take my word for it, this car is nice-looking. It's a very deep green that looks black from farther than about two feet away and the outside has virtually no dents and dings. As unhappy as I was about my old 240, at least I have found a suitable replacement which, with care and proper maintenance, will probably last me another ten years easily.
02-14-2004, 10:10 AM
#2
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Harrisburg, PA
Posts: 8,440
That really sucks about your old 240...It's a sad day when you have to watch a 240 leave this world. It's a good thing you and your wife were safe after that encounter. Congrats on getting another 240 with great mileage. Whenever you get a chance post up some pics in the members rides section. Welcome to the forums
02-16-2004, 11:46 AM
#5
Contributing Member
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 2,603
well, that's a pretty interesting tale of love, loss, and reconciliation. it sounds like u really enjoy the car (and all know that's what's most important). i'd love to see some pics of it when u get a chance. oh yeah, welcome.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Project Cheap13
Off-Topic
5
03-24-2008 09:08 PM
kn5h1n
S-Chassis Newbie / FAQs Forum
5
08-11-2003 09:51 AM
