Jump to content
SAU Community

Recommended Posts

Hi guys,

I've been a long time reader of these forums as i've always been interested in nissan turbo cars in general... Since i have gotten off my Ps, i have sold my NA s13 and im looking to buy another imported car. I've narrowed it down to two choices and i cant decide between them:

- 180sx type-x

- r33 series 2

i've test driven both and love both...

I just have some questions about the R33, how does it compare on fuel usage ?

Which of these cars would better respond to mods ? If both cars had FMIC, pod, exhaust, boost: which one would be quicker?

Cheers

Edited by NAs13
Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/240874-need-some-opinions/
Share on other sites

yea i know you cant have both... but i think you misunderstood what i was asking.. im assuming they both drink and the 180sx uses less fuel cos its lighter - i want to know how much worse is the R33 on fuel compared to the 180?

would i be right to assume the 180sx does like 11L/100km, R33 13L/100km (with sensible driving)??

Edited by NAs13

For starters, the R33 is going to cost you more already due to its 6 cylinders as opposed to the 180SX with 4.

If money is tight for you, I go 180SX, as you still can get a bit of power out of it and may be slightly easier on fuel, depending on how heavy your right foot is.

With the mods you mentioned, I say the R33 will be quicker off the mark and wins at top end speed.

Then again it depends on how much you wanna spend on mods...

well i've got about 12-14K to spend on a car, i checked both of these cars out and i could buy either one for this price. Mods i want to do 'as it comes' basis till im happy with the power im producing but i want to know which one provides better value for money when doing mods. To be honest, i don't really care about petrol, i just want the better value for money car :P

So the RB25det responds better to mods than the SR20?

So im bored at uni, should be studying but cant stop thinking about this so:

180sx

- cheaper on fuel

- looks older / sexier / mean (cant decide)

- better turbo?:My friend tells me that the R33's cant be boosted too much as the ceramic turbo is prone to cracking, not sure if this is true

r33

- looks newer

- faster?

- better interior

Edited by NAs13

Well I would say its easier to take advantage of the power in a RB25DET.

Were talking an extra 2 cylinders and 500cc and you will get a lot more torque out of it as well.

Just by looking at the Just Jap website in NSW, the prices seem quite similar.

Your list of mods and prices range from...

FMIC - $399 - $550 (Various Brands)

Air Pod - $89 - $99 (APexi and HPI Brand) You could probley just goto Auto Barn and get a 3A Racing one for like $50 or whatever.

Exhaust - $999 - $1099 (HKS and Kakimoto Brand)

Boost Controller - $599 - $699 (HKS and APexi Brand)

You will be spending about the same amount (Brands differ in price) that do the same job, hence you can gain a higher out put with just these bolt ons on a R33 to the 180SX.

Preferbley get the mods professionaly installed. (Mechanic or import car tuning place).

R33 will cost abit more in petrol.

Insurance with Just Cars, you can get quotes on both cars and you'd figure the R33 will cost more, but not really the case, a 180SX might cost you the same.

Well I would say its easier to take advantage of the power in a RB25DET.

Were talking an extra 2 cylinders and 500cc and you will get a lot more torque out of it as well.

Just by looking at the Just Jap website in NSW, the prices seem quite similar.

Your list of mods and prices range from...

FMIC - $399 - $550 (Various Brands)

Air Pod - $89 - $99 (APexi and HPI Brand) You could probley just goto Auto Barn and get a 3A Racing one for like $50 or whatever.

Exhaust - $999 - $1099 (HKS and Kakimoto Brand)

Boost Controller - $599 - $699 (HKS and APexi Brand)

You will be spending about the same amount (Brands differ in price) that do the same job, hence you can gain a higher out put with just these bolt ons on a R33 to the 180SX.

Preferbley get the mods professionaly installed. (Mechanic or import car tuning place).

R33 will cost abit more in petrol.

Insurance with Just Cars, you can get quotes on both cars and you'd figure the R33 will cost more, but not really the case, a 180SX might cost you the same.

Even if i got higher power & torque output from the R33 to the 180sx, the R33 is about 200kg heavier than the 180sx - so in the end, they would be equal right?

I checked out insurance and both of them seem to be the same... around $600 for 3rd party with justcars.

The only thing after reading on these forums and nissansilvia.com that separates these cars is the 180sx is a TINY bit better on fuel...

What about after market support? im guessing they both have equal amount of support too? :|

Edited by NAs13
well i've got about 12-14K to spend on a car, i checked both of these cars out and i could buy either one for this price. Mods i want to do 'as it comes' basis till im happy with the power im producing but i want to know which one provides better value for money when doing mods. To be honest, i don't really care about petrol, i just want the better value for money car :D

So the RB25det responds better to mods than the SR20?

So im bored at uni, should be studying but cant stop thinking about this so:

180sx

- cheaper on fuel

- looks older / sexier / mean (cant decide)

- better turbo?:My friend tells me that the R33's cant be boosted too much as the ceramic turbo is prone to cracking, not sure if this is true

r33

- looks newer

- faster?

- better interior

I believe the S13, 14 and 15's, 180SX and Skyline R32's used Garret T28 turbo chargers. They had ceramic internals, which can take a lot of heat but are not as strong as steel internals and keep in mind these cars are over 10 - 15 years old and will need replacing / rebuilding sooner or later.

BTW I think the S15 was upgraded to steel internals (Stronger) and was a ball bearing turbo charger - quicker spooling for the turbine blades.

180SX were in production from 1989 - 1998.

R33 was from 1995 - 1998.

I think the 180SX has more of a 'Classic' look due to the hatch back styling.

Better interior, maybe cuz Skylines are seen as the type of cars above the Silvias and 180SX, so they gota better look. In my opinion I really don't car about the interior, it does nothing, performance wise, its all just for looks.

Personaly I like the look of the 180SX better, Red or White body with Black roof, Vertex bodykit and Nismo LMGT4 wheels = Looks sick!

post-46584-1224469410_thumb.jpg

post-46584-1224469423_thumb.jpg

BTW Nismo LMGT4 wheels are NOT pictured. LOL!

Even if i got higher power & torque output from the R33 to the 180sx, the R33 is about 200kg heavier than the 180sx - so in the end, they would be equal right?

I checked out insurance and both of them seem to be the same... around $600 for 3rd party with justcars.

The only thing after reading on these forums and nissansilvia.com that separates these cars is the 180sx is a TINY bit better on fuel...

What about after market support? im guessing they both have equal amount of support too? :|

You can always light weight the R33, so pull out the rear carpets, rear seats, subwoofers, install a carbon fibre boot lid. LOL! Just a suggestion.

Support..? You mean getting the car serviced? If so there are a lot. Don't worry too much, but as long as you get a trustworthy mechanic and they KNOW what they are doing.

You can always light weight the R33, so pull out the rear carpets, rear seats, subwoofers, install a carbon fibre boot lid. LOL! Just a suggestion.

Support..? You mean getting the car serviced? If so there are a lot. Don't worry too much, but as long as you get a trustworthy mechanic and they KNOW what they are doing.

lol, dont want to loose rear seats and carpets just yet :D

i ment parts available aftermarket... turbos, exhausts, ECU's that kind of thing

lol, dont want to loose rear seats and carpets just yet :D

i ment parts available aftermarket... turbos, exhausts, ECU's that kind of thing

Plenty around. If not rebuilds.

Well my mechanic has a good source of parts he can get a hold of it not rebuild them.

Any import place can order parts for you from Japan or their suppliers.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Similar Content

  • Latest Posts

    • Maybe they'll look to do a bunch of presales to help inject some cash fast for their financial issues...
    • Does it also misfire equally when revving?   Josh is very correct in what you should do. The coilpack harness wiring loom itself is a known problem due to its age and the number of heat cycles it has gone through. Throwing parts at a vehicle to diagnose the issue isn't a smart or good way to do it. Secondly, you may have a bad coil pack, you pop replacements in, they fix that issue, but messing with the harness breaks it, so the issue persists. So now you think "well it wasn't the coil packs" and have to continue chasing your tail, potentially swapping back in your shit coil packs and returning the good ones (yes, I've seen people do this because 'it wasn't the problem' and they want to save money). And suddenly, you've got two issues with the same symptoms...   Diagnose, don't use the spare parts shotgun.
    • Well the articals keep saying a Q50s (Skyline in Japan) with a new Manual gearbox. I like the talk about the new looks with the round tail lights. I hope they bring back the retro look like they did with the Z
    • Off the back of feedback we have decided to mix up this next Motorkhana at Avalon to have some targeted skills practice for beginners to advanced. Saturday 6th September 2025 8:30am Capped 26 entries Standard Entry Fee: $89 Members Entry Fee: $55 (SAU Victoria Only) Entries Close: Friday 5th February  Where: 55 beach road Avalon. https://maps.app.goo.gl/HNUE3EuNue3sJxh38 Entries: Limited to 26 entrants (Passengers allowed over the age of 14 with a signed disclaimer and same safety gear) Disclaimer: Download  Please electronically sign and email to [email protected] or print and hand in and Driver Sign In. To compete in this event you will require A valid  AASA General Speed licence or (Day license via the AASA Website for $50) MA Licenses are no longer accepted by AASA https://aasa.com.au/  A helmet, long sleeve clothing and a 1KG mounted fire extinguisher recommended (But not Mandatory). Further details within Supp Regs on the enty link. Entry Link > https://www.sauvic.com.au/entry/deca/20250906 You can bring and have a passenger in the car but they need to comply to the same safety and clothing as driver. Bring your car and get to battle others, win, lose or draw. I can guarantee you will have lots of fun. Any questions email [email protected] Entry List: 1.Anna S 2. Luke S 3. Jesse Givens-Lamb 4. Luca Stamatescu 5. Madeleine Stamatescu    
    • Wanna rewrite all of that in, say, 2 or 3 separate sentences, so that we can read it?
×
×
  • Create New...