Bone Stock S13: 1989 Nissan 240SX- SOLD!

September 23, 2022, Update – An unmolested, manual-equipped 240SX in great shape for well under ten large.  We’re not surprised at all to see someone scooped up this find just days after the seller listed it.  We confirmed the seller of this “Classifind” deleted their listing, so we’re now able to call this one “SOLD!” While this one got away, please reach out either by email or call us directly if you’d like to be informed when we come across something similar.

We’re taking wagers regarding how long this super clean Nissan 240SX will remain for sale. You see, the S13 chassis, as it is otherwise known, has been pillaged by the youth of America relentlessly for the last 10 years. Hell-bent on becoming the Michael Jordan of the local drift wars scene, the 240SX sat trembling in little used car lots for years, well aware that its rear-wheel-drive configuration combined with a willing and durable four-cylinder engine ripe for boosting made it an easy target for righteous abuse. This 1989 Nissan 240SX has somehow escaped that fate, and didn’t last long when it was listed on Craigslist in September 2022 in Franklin, Massachusetts, for $7,400, which is a very good price. Even the Classic.com model guide shows us that the average sale price is around $21,200, so there’s money to be made here if you’re looking for a flip candidate.

“Cheap” and “rear-wheel-drive” have been a siren song for young drivers. Whether we’re talking about an old three-window coupe with a rumble seat or a beater BMW with an inline six that loves to be abused doesn’t matter. The simple fact is that drivers, even those who spend no time on a drift circuit, love a car that is tossable, easy to modify, and cheap to maintain – and the S13-chassis Nissans possess those qualities in spades. The vast aftermarket means there’s no shortage of enhancements you can make. Still, you can also tap into a network of owners who are increasingly keeping these cars stock or bringing them back to factory condition, and given how clean and virgin this 240SX still appears to be, we hope the next owner doesn’t change a thing about it. One thing is for sure, the price for a clean 240SX will likely never be lower than this one.

The MotorWeek RetroReview YouTube Channel features this test drive of the 1989 Nissan 240SX at launch:

Of course, the irony is that the 240SX didn’t exactly set the world on fire in its first few years. It may have been one of the purest expressions of a simple, cheap-to-own sport compact car, but it lived in the shadow of its twin-turbocharged sibling that seemingly everyone wanted to own. The S13 definitely had to wait a few years before coming into its prime, but now it has clearly arrived as an item of desire when found in unmodified condition – which is why the asking price of this car is shockingly low. The photos show beautiful unmarked bodywork with an interior that may even be in even better condition than the outside, with delightfully simple controls and bucket seats that show next to no blemishes. The same goes for the carpets and door panels; really, everything presents well on this 240SX, and when you factor in all the work the seller had done to address deferred maintenance – like a new battery, fuel pump and filter, recent oil change, coolant system flush, plugs and wires – it quickly becomes the total package.

Here’s the seller’s description:

“989 Nissan 240SX, 66,300 miles, 5-speed manual, all stock, no mods, very clean car, second owner, A/C, cruise, original alloy wheels, good matching rubber all around, pop-up headlights, and automatic seat belts in working condition. New battery, fuel pump and filter, recent oil change, coolant system flush, plugs, and wires. The engine runs strong, car shifts and handles great. Solid, peppy little car. Looks great but with some dings expected on a car of this age. The Interior is in excellent condition, the seats, and carpets very clean, as is the headliner. Dash and instruments panel excellent as well. Undercarriage overall very solid with minimal rust. Some rust below rear spoiler (common), have a solid replacement hatch (1989) that will come with this car.“

Super clean S13: when’s the last time you saw a 240SX in this kind of condition?