Nissan Silvia: Modified, drifted or repaired — check the car is the car it says it is
Modified, drifted or repaired — check the car is the car it says it is is a very common body & rust fault on the Nissan Silvia on the 1988–2002 cars, and we rate it critical. Putting it right costs $0 to $8,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 10 documented faults on the Nissan Silvia.
- Vehicle
- Nissan Silvia
- Years
- 1988–2002
- System
- Body & Rust
What you are looking at
No photograph available
What goes wrong
More Silvias have been modified, drifted or crashed than not, and that history decides value more than kilometres do. The things worth finding are an engine that does not match the chassis papers (SR20DET swaps into CA18DET cars are extremely common and are not always documented), welded or seam-repaired chassis rails from a previous accident, a roll cage or strut brace hiding a repair, and cheap boost or fuel modifications done without supporting work. None of these is automatically a reason to walk away — a well-documented swap can be a good car — but an undocumented one is a compliance and insurance problem in New Zealand as well as a mechanical unknown.
What you would notice
- Engine number that does not match the papers
- Fresh underseal, seam sealer or paint on the chassis rails and floor
- Aftermarket boost controller, gauges or a piggyback ECU under the dash
- Uneven panel gaps, or doors that need a shove to shut
- Mismatched tyre wear suggesting the geometry has never been right since a repair
How to check it
Where to look. Chassis rails and floorpan, engine number on the block, wiring under the dash and in the boot
Start with the paperwork: read the engine number off the block and check it against the registration papers, because an undocumented swap is the single most common surprise on these.
Look down both chassis rails with a torch for weld seams, fresh sealer or ripples that do not match the other side.
Open and shut both doors and the boot, and sight along each flank at a low angle for panel ripple.
Look under the dash and in the boot for added electronics, gauges or a fuel pump wired in.
Ask, plainly, whether the car has ever been drifted or raced, and watch how the answer is given.
If a workshop inspection is possible: ask for a chassis alignment check and for the engine and chassis numbers to be verified against the papers before money changes hands.
What it costs to put right
$0 to $8,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.
Ask the seller
- “Is the engine the one the papers say, and do you have documentation for any swap?”
- “Has the car ever been drifted, raced or crashed?”
- “What modifications are fitted, and who did the work?”
Now check the Nissan Silvia you are actually looking at
Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.
Where this comes from
- Stance Auto — 'Silvia S13/S14 common problems: complete buyer guide'
- TSUISO Japan — Nissan Silvia S13 buyer's guide from Japan
Nissan Silvia buyer questions
Is modified, drifted or repaired — check the car is the car it says it is serious on a Nissan Silvia?
We rate it critical and very common on the Nissan Silvia. More Silvias have been modified, drifted or crashed than not, and that history decides value more than kilometres do. The things worth finding are an engine that does not match the chassis papers (SR20DET swaps into CA18DET cars are extremely common and are not always documented), welded or seam-repaired chassis rails from a previous accident, a roll cage or strut brace hiding a repair, and cheap boost or fuel modifications done without supporting work. None of these is automatically a reason to walk away — a well-documented swap can be a good car — but an undocumented one is a compliance and insurance problem in New Zealand as well as a mechanical unknown.
How much does it cost to fix on a Nissan Silvia?
$0 to $8,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.
Which Nissan Silvia years are affected?
Our research records this fault on the 1988–2002 Nissan Silvia. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.
How do I check for it before I buy?
Start with the paperwork: read the engine number off the block and check it against the registration papers, because an undocumented swap is the single most common surprise on these. Look down both chassis rails with a torch for weld seams, fresh sealer or ripples that do not match the other side. Open and shut both doors and the boot, and sight along each flank at a low angle for panel ripple. Look under the dash and in the boot for added electronics, gauges or a fuel pump wired in. Ask, plainly, whether the car has ever been drifted or raced, and watch how the answer is given. If a workshop inspection is possible: ask for a chassis alignment check and for the engine and chassis numbers to be verified against the papers before money changes hands. Look here: Chassis rails and floorpan, engine number on the block, wiring under the dash and in the boot