25 Best Cars Ever: Feedback forum: Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

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Nov. 21, 2009 11:37 a.m. snowmants None

Dear Editor: I was reading through this article in the latest magazine and I thought it was absolutely fantastic, top-notch work as always. I just have one question: How is it possible that the Nissan 240sx did not make it on the list of the top 25?! I cant remember the last event I was at where there werent a handful present. Cheap, Rear-wheel drive, light weight, and a fantastic aftermarket. Granted they were underpowered from the factory, but how many do you see that still actually have the stock engine in place. LSX V8s, SR20 turbo 4s, and 1jz/2jz turbo 6s are all common. This is a grssroots car if I have ever seen one! -Thomson
Nov. 21, 2009 4:58 p.m. billy3esq Dork

I had the exact same thought as I was counting up all the cars I've owned on the list. The 240sx is the only enthusiast car I've owned that didn't make it.

I assume it must've been #26.
Nov. 21, 2009 6:42 p.m. Woody SuperDork

I think that the 240SX took a while to mature.

When the 89's came out, the import tuner scene was just beginning to take off and was still dominated by Hondas. Drifting hadn't really crossed the Pacific yet. The major car magazines at the time felt that the 240 was a bit heavy and underpowered. The internet was still in it's infancy and junkyard turbo systems were mysterious to most people.

These cars didn't hit their stride until they were about ten years old.
Nov. 22, 2009 8:05 p.m. pinchvalve UltraDork

Remember that the article was 25 cars that shaped "our" scene. I think that the 240 made it's biggest mark in drifting, which is not as popular as other sports in the GRM universe. Combine that with limited appeal in stock form (Honda had the Si, VW the GTi, Nissan the SE-R), a limited showing at national-level competition such as Solo Nats or the Runoffs and less history and I think you can make a case against the 240. Would I put it ahead of the Volvo 240? No way. But I can see how it might drop out of the top 25.
Nov. 23, 2009 3:44 p.m. David S. Wallens Editorial Director

The 240SX is a toughie. We even had one as a project car back in 1989. The response from the masses? Yaaaaaaawwwwwn. I agree, they're cool, and the 240SX came so close to making the list. My parents have owned their '91 since new, by the way. They still love it.
Nov. 23, 2009 4:16 p.m. Shaun Reader

How well does my memory work? I remember the 240 sx making it to the marked with a loud thud from enthusiasts and in reviews from enthusiast magazines. It was hoped that it was going to be what the 240 Z was before the bloat set in. Instead It was a soft car seeming aimed at young professional females and god forbid metro-sexual males. Maybe the disappointment was unfair? I remember thinking it looked cool almost. IIRC late in it's second revision it had a trim level that was more performance oriented- I remember seeing a late one with the white gauges and toned down trim and thinking "that is more like it!". And then it was gone. Platform cross engineering by enthusiasts made it happen as an enthusiasts car much much later as stated above.

I remembered: Last trip down I5 to cali I saw a primer black240sx with very controlled suspension movement and with something like 225 245 section front rear tire stagger zipping along at 100per looking relaxed and all business. Of course one of those is on my list now too.
Nov. 23, 2009 5:49 p.m. kent426

Hmm, well I realize that GRM has a bias towards Volkswagen, BMW and Honda but lets look at two cars that they should have chose.
Datsun 240z. Lets face it, this car predates the RX7 and it still as popular today as it was back then.

Mercedes 190e 16v. This is the original German DTM car. The M3 was produced to compete. The 190e set a bunch of endurance records back in the day and I think this is one car that is seriously underated and overlooked.
Nov. 23, 2009 5:56 p.m. Osterkraut Dork

Could it be because the 240SX is pretty much a Japanese copy of the 944? And not a very good one at that...
Nov. 23, 2009 6:12 p.m. Bobzilla HalfDork

I was disappointed to not see a Swift GTi.... but I'm weird that way. lol
Nov. 23, 2009 7:11 p.m. David S. Wallens Editorial Director

kent426 wrote:

Hmm, well I realize that GRM has a bias towards Volkswagen, BMW and Honda but lets look at two cars that they should have chose.
Datsun 240z. Lets face it, this car predates the RX7 and it still as popular today as it was back then.

Mercedes 190e 16v. This is the original German DTM car. The M3 was produced to compete. The 190e set a bunch of endurance records back in the day and I think this is one car that is seriously underated and overlooked.

The 240Z is in there--it's grouped in with the Z-cars.

And the 190E 16v? I admit, it's way cool, but did it really have that big of an impact on our motorsports world? Bigger than some others on the list?

List stories are tough because not everyone can win. While doing that story a few cars entered and left the list. It was tough. However, they do get people talking, and that's cool, too.
Nov. 23, 2009 7:12 p.m. zoomx2 Reader

I think that there will be a lot of cars that we all think should be on here. That being said this list is still way better and more accurate than you would find from any other source.

The 240SX is a decent platform to begin with for a sports car. I think the problem is the truck motor and down graded performance made it a chick-mobile more than a serious contender (cough, Eclipse, cough). With a SR20 based block ala the JDM market S14/S14 and it would have definitely been included.

And Kent426 the 240Z was in at no. 10. It covered all generations.

Edit: DOH! DSW was typing at the same time.....
Nov. 23, 2009 7:30 p.m. Giant Purple Snorklewacker Dork

Maybe the list should just be called "The Top 275000 Cars in no Certain Order". Print it in B&W so no one complains about the color either.
Dec. 28, 2009 7:51 p.m. Roar

It must be the East Vs west coast but the history shaping 25 car's list seems like it came from SOMEWHERE else. Not that they weren't perhaps good cars but as far as being notable, why have they disappeared and are mostly at scrap prices? The Mustang, Camaro, Corvette all can be bought for old used car prices. I have them and others in the list and admit you get a lot of performance for your money. The Viper, Lotus, boxster, and others are big bux cars that better work well but so are other much better cars overall like the 928 and any Aston Martin not to mention 100 others. Then there's the Hondas, BMW's, Volvo,etc. they're good cars but why notable? Why not a metropolitan--If you dump $30,000 in one as shown in your December issue, it too will be a winner!