Thread: What to do with my 400k SE-R?

Hi guys,

I bought this car when I was 17 for $200, which was half my savings at the time. I put a new clutch and 1995 G20t transmission in it, and intended for it to get me through 4 years of school, parked in the sun, without worrying about it.

After I graduated, I decided to keep the car a while longer and save my money. It's now been 8 years since I bought it. It's got 402,000 miles and has never left me stranded or had any problems. Everything on the car is worn out, but everything still works (cruise control and A/C, too). It has no rust and has never been in an accident. It was stolen a few months ago, and while I did get it back it doesn't sound as healthy as it always had before (some lifter tick, the poor engine is very tired).

I don't know what to do with it. I'm no longer a broke teenager, but I'm still driving this trusty car around. I've considered every car on craigslist and none of them seem quite as good as this one, especially considering what I paid for it. I'm considering rebuilding the car for another 400k miles - but then I'm really committed to it. I'm in the SF bay area, and don't have a good place to work on it either.

What should I do?

I think it is safe to say that you will NEVER find a car as reliable, fun to drive, forgiving or as personable as a B13 SE-R. I know this as I've owed three B13 SE-R's (one that I owned twice) as well as three Infiniti G20's, and as an aside one 1.6 liter B13 Sentra, over the last 21 years. I moved on this past June to a 2004 Pathfinder only because I needed more room for my growing family, but there is no doubt in my mind that I will be back. As of this morning, at the tender age of 46, I was still scanning Craigslist for B13's.

What should you do? Some of us here will make an attempt to buy it from you, but the majority will tell you to keep it. The reality is that it's not worth a whole hell of a lot to those who aren't "in the know", but think about why you've kept it as long as you have and why you even posted this conundrum in the first place.

Keep it bro. I promise you that you will not ever find a car that gives such a return on your investment, and I'm not talking monetarily, I'm talking feeling. This is good stuff cheap, and you'll have support from the peeps on this forum that is par none.

Keep it, if you can. Period.

400k is some serious shit. And a hardtop. Amen.

Totally sound like me. Got my first nx as a beater and the rest is history. I will always own a B13 chasis car if I can help it.
Keep it,fix it,drive it,and enjoy it for many more years

200.00, 400,000 miles and 8 years! Even if you could put 4000.00 into restoring that car, it wouldn't still wouldn't owe you a thing.

Thats a rare color too for the SE-R

Yeah that's the truth, and you've probably have enough parts saved away to restore it.

While speaking of saving parts, I just picked up a black dash from an NX 1600. Still looks new and no matter how hard I looked I couldn't find a single flaw. I'll be hoarding that. ( With the other 2 black dashes I have.)

Lol do like i did, bought a b14 and a p11 to go along with it haha If the car means a lot to you keep it but its kind of hard to do anything major in SF if you don't have anywhere to work on it... Right now I'm kinda screwed since I have only a 1 car detached garage that makes me feel like i have nothing...

WOW!. 400K??!

Just the other day, I was thinking, "I've seen a post or two about the lowest mileage SE-R and I wonder what the highest mileage SE-R is in our community?" I'm sure 400k is a contender in my eyes and there are tons of stories with that level of use. I applaud you for bringing your "issue" forward to us, and I'm sure you'll get an overwhelming input of "keep it" from majority of the bunch.

I've owned all the B series chassis cars and P11's, yet to try P10 and I can say that thus far the B13 SE-R's have been the most fun.

I suggest your next venture to be a refresh of the current car you have, perhaps a swap to a Turbo or more HP All Motor setup will help fuel your love and grow into a passion that is supported not only by this community, but all enthusiast that start with a car, that turns into a car with a name and soul.

Carry on.