Nissan Siliva S15--- anyone got any experiences of them?

[Jamitsi]

Hi

just wondering if anyone knew anything about or had experiences of theses?
spec R prefered.

many thanks

jamie

[Marf]

A mate of mine had one.

2000 X Reg, Spec R with the full nissan aero kit. Mods were induction, decat, full exhaust and lowered.

I drove it the day he bought it. It was V fast, certainly seemed to rev through 1-4th much faster than my MR2 Turbo.

The turbo spooled faster and harder.

It did love to go sideways, the torsen diff was much faster to react than the viscous unit in the MR2.

Driving position was broadly similar to the MR2, felt nimble to drive.

I'm tempted to have one as my next car.

[matt_mr2t]

Bry is your man to speak to on here IIRC.

[johnp]

The S15 is of course just an S14/14a with certain upgrades, not a completely new car, and so shares most of their strengths and weaknesses.
As far as I can see its main advantage is that it may come rust free being an import whereas nearly all UK 14/14a's are quite rusty now.

[irietuning]

Nice cars,

Ball bearing t28 turbos as stock
5 speed boxes
very nice handling

[rolandfantom]

The S15 is of course just an S14/14a with certain upgrades, not a completely new car, and so shares most of their strengths and weaknesses.

The S14/S15 are a proper handful in anything but billiard-smooth and bone-dry roads. I had one for 6 months, which I ran as my company car, but in the end I tired of the unpredictable handling - it may well have had the legs on the straights, compared to the Motegi 2.2 Prelude I traded in, but in the corners it wasn't a patch on the far more predictable Honda.

If you like to show your rear-end all the time, the S14/S15 is a good buy, but if you want to hustle it along at the same speed as similarly-spec'd cars, buy something else.

[Marf]

Nice cars,

Ball bearing t28 turbos as stock up to October 2000, journal bearing after that
6 speed boxes
very nice handling

Edited for accuracy

[Jamitsi]

yes , apparently the ball baring turbos (early ones) are the ones to go for. the rear steering ones are not worth the extra.
spec r has 6 speed box, and spec s has 5 speed, appart from the Autech version.

so the handling isn't much good then? compared to the MR2 handling?

[Marf]

My friend had one with the basic journal bearing and I was surprised at how fast it spooled. Certainly quicker than the MR2s CT20.

[rolandfantom]

so the handling isn't much good then? compared to the MR2 handling?

I wouldn't say it's necessarily a bad handling car, and I'm sure there's plenty you can do to improve the handling, but in my experience the point at which the rear end gave wasn't pronounced enough. On the track it's less of an issue, as your mindset would be different, but when you're driving in a spirited manner on the road, and you need total confidence, I wouldn't rate the S14/S15 that highly.

For me, and it's only my opinion, but to really feel comfortable with a car, and therefore push it hard, you have to be able to predict what it's likely to do and unfortunately the S14/S15 wasn't one of those cars.

[fizz]

and the MR2 Turbo in comparrison is predictable when it looses its rear?

[rolandfantom]

and the MR2 Turbo in comparrison is predictable when it looses its rear?

To be fair, I made no mention of the MR2 in my posts, I was talking about the S14/S15 specifically. However, the weight distribution of the mid-engined MR2 does make it more predictable, so just think what the S14/S15 must be like!!

[Marf]

and the MR2 Turbo in comparrison is predictable when it looses its rear?

To be fair, I made no mention of the MR2 in my posts, I was talking about the S14/S15 specifically. However, the weight distribution of the mid-engined MR2 does make it more predictable, so just think what the S14/S15 must be like!!

Oh come on

The S15 has a far more controllable rear end than the MR2.

[rolandfantom]

and the MR2 Turbo in comparrison is predictable when it looses its rear?

To be fair, I made no mention of the MR2 in my posts, I was talking about the S14/S15 specifically. However, the weight distribution of the mid-engined MR2 does make it more predictable, so just think what the S14/S15 must be like!!

Oh come on

The S15 has a far more controllable rear end than the MR2.

I didn't say that it didn't, I said that it was far less predictable on or near the limit. The lack of weight over the rear wheels of the Nissan makes it skitish at relatively low speeds too.

[Marf]

Have you driven one?

I'm guessing not, the S15 is far far far more predictable and controllable on the limit than an MR2, you have more time to control the rear end as you dont have the pendulum effect from having a couple of hundred KG of engine back there.

Ask yourself this, why is the S1x used in professional drifting, where the MR2 rarely(if ever) makes an appearance?

[marc GT Turbo]

my friend has an s14 a its quick , looks good ....................... but its a bone shaker of a ride , useless in the wet , tail happy and thirsty. apart from in a straight line , he cant get near me in my tubby

[rolandfantom]

Have you driven one? I'm guessing not

Yes, but why guess when I'd already said that I had. You'd also have read that I said if "rear wheel action" is what you were after, the S14/S15 is a better bet.

Ask yourself this, why is the S1x used in professional drifting, where the MR2 rarely(if ever) makes an appearance.

Ask yourself, why do F1 cars have mid/rear-engine layouts if, by your reckoning, a more predictable/controllable solution is front engined with RWD?

S14/S15's are used in drifting because the rear has a far higher propensity to lose traction, due to the lack of mechanical and chemical grip over the driving wheels, and therefore it's a greater viewing spectacle for the audience. Having more rear-end weight, and therefore more mechanical and chemical grip over the driving wheels, makes the MR2 more stable and therefore more predictable in most situations.

These aren't ideas that I've plucked from the ether, these are all basic elements and principles of chassis design.

[rolandfantom]

my friend has an s14 a its quick , looks good ....................... but its a bone shaker of a ride , useless in the wet , tail happy and thirsty. apart from in a straight line , he cant get near me in my tubby

Your explanation is more succinct than mine, and probably took less time to write too!!

[Marf]

Have you driven one? I'm guessing not

Yes, but why guess when I'd already said that I had. You'd also have read that I said if "rear wheel action" is what you were after, the S14/S15 is a better bet.

Ask yourself this, why is the S1x used in professional drifting, where the MR2 rarely(if ever) makes an appearance.

Ask yourself, why do F1 cars have mid/rear-engine layouts if, by your reckoning, a more predictable/controllable solution is front engined with RWD?

S14/S15's are used in drifting because the rear has a far higher propensity to lose traction, due to the lack of mechanical and chemical grip over the driving wheels, and therefore it's a greater viewing spectacle for the audience. Having move rear-end weight, and therefore more mechanical and chemical grip over the driving wheels, makes the MR2 more stable in most situations.

These aren't ideas that I've plucked from the ether, these are all basic elements and principles of chassis design.

I'm not trying to discuss layouts etc, just trying to challenge your supposition that the MR2 is more predictable on the limit than an S15.

Yes, an MR2 has more outright grip than an S15, however, when an S15 loses rear end traction, its a damn sight easier and less pant shittingly scary to collect it back up than in an MR2. The S15 is far more forgiving in that respect

[marc GT Turbo]

i will agree that the s15 is more forgiving than the s14 ! not much though IMO .