I have a NA SR20DE so in that aspect the stock ignition is no limitation at all. I have no experience with spark blow out or even running a car with a bad spark, since it should be blue and audible.
However, I noticed the SR20DE coil is used in a 1.2 engined car, and about this car people say all the time, it is fuel efficient, it drives great and compared to other road users, it's fairly ok and in city just great.
such things make me wonder.
Then, I always had crap ignition on my moped, tested a lot of spark brands and it is true what they say about them. I didn't know about coil yet but cabling and that cap that connects the spark in bad shape became noticeble.
I replaced my coil for another second hand coil, it didn't look like it was newer then the car, and that made quite a difference. On the other hand the old coil worked fine on that car. Just lack of power, especially in low.
Other people tell me, a coil? pahh, doesn't wear, if it works it works. I've seen with my own eyes on a Datsun, that is not the case. Little white spark or even no visible spark in dark environment but car starts and plugging and unplugging that connector of the spark told me it was running on 4 or 3 cylinders. Yet no spark at the new cable and the cap.
All in all i believe I really want a affordable billion Volts spark on my NGK plug with original Nissan rotor. Since I can't really test the coil I have now that is noticably better, I start wondering what a better coil would do.
That wil cost between $60 and $160, so I believe there is some room to play with.
The connector not the same is really a no go for me, I'm not gonna cut in the engine loom. However I just replaced my fuel gauge sensor and just hoping that female connector can be used to connect with the engine loom.
Also, I don't really know how to get the proper connector but I'm willing to take the risk with a chosen coil, if I in some way, can spare the loom.
I just believe all ignitions are limited in some way, I mean, if the spark doesn't blow out, the ignition system is good, I agree. But sidegapping and indexing seems to work. There is noticable difference in cabling, and even more in a Nissan rotor or a cheap one.
Also, NGK plugs are great compared to Champion's for example.
All in all, people telling me a coil doesn't wear, only can fail, I know that is not the case, on the other hand to not come with a fuel economy conspiracy idea, I would accept the idea that a coil won't last 15 years or so if it would be producing huge spark, the windings are thin and a coil does produce heat, especially when the rest of the igntion is in bad shape.
That Datsun was driven till it died on corrosion and other ignition issues. Trying over and over with a weak but running engine, made the coil heat up.
The little white spark which was orange before with some blue in it just of new plugs, became (almost) invisible, after the owner demanded maximum speed of the car. It died at 160kmh (100mph) and that was it.
He didn;t know about spark colour and fat spark or not. He kept telling me he didn't understand the car died on him.
I believe that a huge spark is worthwhile to go after. Maybe that $100 or so is spent better somewhere else. But I would pay such amount for the best single coil for the SR20DE, home improved and ehmm. how u say. Fixed.