I'm trying to figure this out. Should I spend everytim eI get $200 on a new pice of the exhaust(there's 3 I think to be upgraded for power, y pipe, b pipe, and catback), or should I save up, get a 92 SE(with an additional 30HP stock), and MOD that, adding all the horse power? Can't the GXE not get close to the SE with the same MODS? Are the only 3 things the GXE has over the SE, comfortable sauspension, BOSE system, and keyless entry?

 

would you prefer a 5 speed? if yes, then definitely trade up for the VE w/ the 5m, but if not, then think about mods like z31 cam. IIRC, somebody did a writeup on a cam project (i think they used the JWT cams), and they were able to hang with modded VE's. However, it's 2:30 AM and I don't feel like researching right now, and i'm not really sure that I'm being coherent. I'm going to bed.

 

SE all the way (my opinion).

Start out with a better platform.

 

yea it comes down to what you want, mod the car you haVE an be happy with it, or keep thinking what if i got the VE with the manual. Do what makes you happy....(youll be VEry happy with the VE) We cannot make that choice for you though

 

Save, sell your gxe, combine the money, buy an SE. No offense to gxe guys, but it's pretty slow, especially being that most people have neglected to maintain it as well as they should. If a GXE can't beat my Stanza (which it can't), it ain't worth it.

 

For some reason I just felt the need to go drive my VE

 

 

Go for the SE (just make sure the VTCs are in good condition) and you'll have no regrets. The SE also comes stock with the Bose system too.

 

how fast is your stanza?

i'm keeping my gxe and doing a manual swap in the future. i know an se is much faster, but i've put so much into my car.....

 

No comment as for now till a few projects are finished. If you wanna check it out:
http://members.cardomain.com/sudesh

pay no attention to the list of mods, completely outdated.

 

Doesnt that Stanza have a derivative of the 2.4L Truck engine in it?

 

I prefer to think of it as the engine shared with the 240sx, but yes, the hardbody does have the same engine. No it's not truck engine because it's used in a pickup.

 

I don't know if they all come with it, but every SE I have seen has/ or had BOSE.

The "comfortable suspension" is in the eye of the beholder. But keyless entry is only on GXE's.

SE's have a spoiler, fog lights, 4-wheel disc brakes, and usually sunroofs.

 

Actually, the Nissan truck had the 2.4L engine before the Stanza. The previous Stanza's contained a 2.0L motor. Therefore I would consider it a "truck engine."

Call it what you want.

 

If I am not mistaken its the same KA24 engine that the 1st gen Altimas had, truck engine or not I had Stanza XE a year ago for a beater car, let me tell you those cars are peppy as hell, the suspension on that thing was remarkable for stock. Best $1g I ever spent.

 

The ka24e/ka24de has a rich history, you call it a truck engine and i call it just an engine.

 

The stanza ending was the beginning of the altima. stanzas last yr was 92, altimas begun in 93. the altima came out with the dual cam version, making it a ka24de. this is what 91 and up 240sx's have also.
The stanza and maxima shares the same suspension.

 

I'm on the verge of selling my 90gxe to get a 93se. I love the damn car but I want something with more power. With the Nissan inline 4's coming with 175hp at times I feel like I have a dinosaur.

You're not alone in your decision, but speaking from experience; owning a 90 gxe and $700 worth of mods later, it's still slow.

 

How can I check the VTC's? This is one of the big things that scare me about it, after reading some stuff before. Like something happens, and people have to ground the VTC's, which keep it drivable, but loose almost all of the power? How can I be absolutely certain that the car hasn't allready been grounded, or will need to be? What if it has bad VTC's(which I have no idea what they are)? Can you "buy" different ones, or is it really not even close to that simple?

 

First of all VTC's isnt a HUGE deal like people act like. Pretty much the only thing you risk with bad VTC's is embarrassment.

Trust me you'll know whether or not the VTC's are bad. It'll knock/tick/clatter like an old diesal (sp?).

People ground em, but you can spot that. Go to Craig's site or something and see the pics of it grounded. It'll be a little wire coming off one of the solenoids.

However, unless the seller actually knows in depth alot about the VE, I highly doubt they'd be grounded as the person wouldnt even know about VTC's or grounding anything for that matter.

But yeah, do some research, you can easily spot if it's grounded or not.

As far as the VE vs. VG, the VG in actually has more potential than the VE if you wanna get technical. Cams, turbo, etc etc, but most people surely wont go through that trouble.

 

Good points. I have a 92 SE with 159K miles. The VTC's make noise, but they still work. Dont worry too much. Be selective when choosing a motor. Miles dont mean everything.

 

Yeah, but the thing with the 89-91 SE's tey have the GXE engine in them already 160hp (VG30E) and the 92-94SE's have the VE30E (190horse) so, either way when you save up for an SE, you'd want to go with the 92-94.

 

yeh, since the beginning I've wanted to get a 92' SE, only from the specs that everything prior, and all the gxe's only had 160hp.
But as with getting the car(I've only bought one so far, trans went in a week), what should I look for when looking at the car? Like to check most of it over to be sure if it's a good buy or a lemon?
It's hard enough trying to find the one I want(92+ SE - not WHITE), then they're usually already sold, and the 1 or so that make it through, usually have some sort of terribly obvouis problem(pedal to the metal doesn't do anything! Won't go above 2mph)
Is there any secret, or is it just wait and trial and error, start looking for a car, find it a year later?