pixel8r

Sounds great. Hopefully we have similar fortune in Brissie.

about 30-40 mins south of the city initially - thats where my parents live. We'll be moving into our own place soon after we get jobs and enough money to pay for a removalist...but not sure where we'll be living...most likely south.

hmmm, i'll be in brisbane suburbs but thanks anyway. In any case I'd be looking for a junior role only as I have no formal qualification in programming but have 2+ years commercial experience in a programming role. I will be taking courses once in brisbane to fix up my lack of certification(s) - looking at doing Java as well and likely SQL to give me some good skills to start with. Kind of looking forward to it... EDIT: I just want to also add that my commercial C++ experience was quite structured and required a good understanding of professional programming guidelines. 2 years is a lot of programming, and quality of code is always essential in any business software. So yes I am self-taught but I do have very good business programming discipline, and can easily adapt to different coding styles. [/end of shameless self-promotion] and yes, QLD is a great place to live - from what i can remember - I lived there until I was 12 (family moved to adelaide then).

I'm married so its just my wife and I. We've moved house before locally which i'm sure lots of people can relate to, but this will be the first time I'll be moving interstate on our own. Its a little bit daunting but we have friends and family there so that will help us to settle in. We are fortunate to know many people in other states through our religion - particularly in brisbane as my family used to live there about 13 years ago. looking forward to meeting some fellow stagea owners in QLD. should be good fun

Good guess!! Yeah my wife and I both lost our jobs last December and haven't been able to pick up new jobs since then - which makes about 2 months of absolutely no income...has been pretty tough. We're staying with my wife's parents which is very generous of them and my parents have been supporting us financially... It sounds probably worse than what it is, we have a lot of supporting friends and family so we're quite thankful for that... but we had to make a decision and having thought of moving to brisbane before, we decided now was a good time to move. We're not even there yet and my wife has 4 interviews (reception/admin/accounts) and I've been promised work the week I arrive there. Thats telling me we've made the right choice. Will be loving the cheaper fuel for sure, and will definitely be staying with SAU. Hoping to meet some stagea owners in brisbane/gold coast on their next cruise, whenever that is... Is quite hard to leave friends and family behind however...but its for a brighter future for us - and we'll have so much more to catch up on when we're back here on holidays.

yeah that was me. I moved to Para Hills (staying with in-laws) last December...

Hi all!! Just thought I'd let ya's all know that I'm moving to Brisbane next week (currently in Adelaide). My wife and I will be staying with my parents initially (what fun) and hopefully able to rent a house and have our furniture moved up within a month or so from now...should be good. Great job opportunities in brisbane, which is the reason for moving...if anyone knows of any junior C++ computer programming jobs at their workplace please let me know!! Looking forward to the next brisbane/gold coast meet/cruise... Cheers, Steve.

Likely cheaper too (if you dont take days off work?)... When I bought mine I flew to the Gold Coast, picked it up, stayed overnight at my parent's place in Brisbane and drove back to Adelaide next morning. 2.5 days. was great fun... incidentally i'm doing the trip back to brisbane next week because i'm moving there

Hmmm would a better suspension setup help with traction?? just a random thought... Sounds like its time to buy a Stagea and transfer your mods across...now THAT would be quick!! A little extra weight, but your traction issues would disappear Nice result however...

Hi guys, for what its worth - just thought I'd say "bye" since I'm moving to brisbane in a week's time (driving up). So there'll be one less Stagea on adelaide's roads...(white series 2) Good luck with future cruises/photoshoots and the like. Had a bit of fun at least, hills cruise last august, lobethal cruise, and the west beach photoshoot... cheerio...

A lot of people mentioned the lack of power in the M35 stagea, yet it has more power (stock) than series 1 & 2 stageas. I would say that ALL stageas lack power in stock form. Obviously a lot less available go-fast bits for the VQ turbo engine however... I bet a lot of us stagea owners wouldn't have bought a stagea if it wasn't for the RB engine + turbo....true?? RB + turbo + wagon + comfort = all the best bits in one car

Looks too much like a subie for my liking... Actually the stagea boot may not appeal to everyone, with the back almost vertical etc, but its very practical and creates a lot more space in the boot. Cant have it both ways really...

The VQ25DET version is available, with 122kw/tonne (awd version). That's pretty close to what our stageas come with... The differences that I can think of is that its V6 (ie. not inline like the rb's) and has VVT on both intake and exhaust cams (pretty sure RB25 neo only has vvt on intake). The upgrade potential should be similar to what we have also, but I have no idea what tuning options are available for VQ engines, especially since this is the only factory VQ turbo engine I'm aware of (apart from the new GTR). Still, another major difference is this is built off the new nissan platform, where the engine sits behind the front wheels instead of above them like in our cars. This would improve handling and ride comfort. I'd say the new stag would give a much more refined and smooth ride. That may or may not be a good thing to some... Maybe they'd look better in real life (anyone actually seen one or been in one?) - most cars do. I like the front end but would agree the rear looks quite ugly. still, in view of the newer technology, and better fuel economy and ride comfort, i'd be tempted...hard to say really, the looks do kind of override all of its good points

for the record, all (i think) nissan turbo cars come with a bov - just the plumb back type. It'd be simple enough to fit a stock one when getting it checked and replace it afterwards. If they ask does it have a bov you can say yes but its plumb back and factory standard. Nothing illegal about the factory bov. Good luck with it all.

Not sure what stage I got but I had mine installed at MV automatics (I live in SA). $440 including a transmission service so not expensive at all. My shifts are pretty much transparent when I want them to be or a bit more clunky if I drive it hard. I normally feel the 1st to 2nd shift but after that its unnoticeable. Like everyone else, I get very solid, quick shifts and I'm very happy with that little mod. And yes it apparently improves your auto box not weakens it.

-How much, and where do you go for your regular service? So far I've only had one oil change and that was done when the turbo was replaced so hasn't needed anything else. Cant see why prices would be any different from any other car though. I'd recommend only using full synthetic oils though which will make your service cost more but that goes for any car also. -Where is the best place to test drive one, (I live in Melbourne) Maybe someone on here would be happy to let you test drive theirs? otherwise maybe try a dealer that sells them?? -Where did you buy yours from? Ive found alot on ebay, but im not too keen on buying a car over ebay. I'm in SA and bought mine from a dealer on the Gold Coast, QLD. I hadn't test driven a stagea at all and pretty much only saw photos before buying it. Pretty risky that way but I'm happy with it. It sounds like either private sale or getting one imported through jspec or prestige is the way to go though. -Are there any other p-platers that drive one, or has anyone driven one on their probationary license? If checked out the insurance threads in the FAQ, but theres no mention of p-platers being able to insure them. Not sure of exact prices but you'll probably find your best bet is through Just Car Insurance. I was under 25 when I bought mine but was rating 1 and paying $1200 a year full comprehensive. Factor it into the cost of the car - its all you can do. Insurance can be expensive for imports but for a car like the stagea its worth it. -What are thefts like? Being a rare(ish) import, im guessing they are often targeted? you kidding? its a "family wagon" - hehe. Nah seriously, maybe some car thieves know what they are but in general I'd say theft isn't a major issue with stageas (touch wood). You'll need an immobiliser fitted for insurance at the very least and an alarm wouldn't hurt. And then just be smart about where you park at night. -What are parts like? im not sure if its the R33 skyline thats similar, but what parts are transferrable between the skyline and the stag? What parts are most often to break, and do turbo's have bits and pieces that break more often? Like was mentioned before - there are no "common" problems with stageas really. Keep the boost below ~12psi and the turbo should be fine. Most things engine/gearbox related will be pretty much bullet-proof if kept within their limits - and as long as the car's had a healthy life till now. Nissan Imports are usually built very tough. They are basically over-engineered so there is no real weakness in the car. So saying, it is still a car so sometimes things do break. And if you are one of the (rare) unlucky ones then yes most mechanical parts are shared with the R33gtst/gtr in some way. The exterior is a different story and external parts would mostly need to be imported. However this isn't as expensive as you might think and your local Nissan Dealer may or may not be willing to help out here. And just to clear up the turbo thing - so many people think that turbos always break and any turbo car must be unreliable. Talk to anyone on here and they'll confirm that its all about how you treat the car. Leave it stock and you'll likely get over 300,000km's out of it (some skyline owners have done). If the turbo is not boosted too high and is a good quality one I see no reason why it would be weaker than any other part of the car. And also note that the engine is designed stronger to handle the extra airflow. Nissan turbo engines are very reliable. Hope that clears things up for you -And whats sort of year/model am i looking for with between $13k and 15k? Series 1. You'll get a fairly good series 1 for this price but expect the km's to be around the 130-150K mark. The good news is they are a performance wagon but being a wagon they "generally" are not thrashed as much as a skyline so your overall condition would (likely) be better than a skyline of the same year and km's. and the not too important question... -Fuel consumption. My commodore is on gas/dual fuel at the moment, and im getting 300-350 kms out of a 55 litre tank that costs me $30 to fill. Is the stag' better than this? Fuel consumption WILL be better but obviously not being on gas you will pay more at the pump. Also bear in mind you'll need 98octane premium fuel. Have a look on this forum and you'll find plenty of figures. On average a stock s1 would do about 10-11L/100 on the highway and ~14L/100 in the city. With an exhaust and some kind of piggyback ecu this can be improved by about 1/100km. And with a slightly bigger turbo you may push that to about 2L/100km since you're off boost more (as in my case). Its not exactly going to make a case for upgrading your turbo though just a nice side-effect if you do happen to go down that path. I have a s2 which are slightly more economical and I get under 12.5L/100km in the city and possibly under 10L/100km on the highway. Pretty good considering i have 150+ awkw. All in all they are a VERY reliable wagon that has HUGE performance potential and great handling for a wagon. You have a turbo, 4 doors, and loads of boot space - everyone's happy!! My advice, go for a stockie s1 and stick an exhaust on it, up the boost to 10-11psi and get an SAFC (or similar) piggyback ecu installed and tuned and you'll have yourself a really nice wagon. Not sure if this would all come in under your budget. Good luck with your Purchase

It probably depends how picky one is about how long it takes to change gears. I have no doubt there is no difference between r34's and s2 stageas as far as this goes. Its a matter of what you are used to and maybe how the transmission has been treated etc. In my case the trans would change gears without any trouble at all but changing from 1st to 2nd at high revs would take a bit longer. That was my reason for getting the shift kit and I'm very happy with it now. Shifts are very close to being instantaneous. However there is no "fault" with stock s2 stagea tiptronic gearboxes as such. I just prefer the quicker, sharper shift. Anyone living in SA, dont bother fitting it yourself - just take your car into MV Automatics in blackwood. I paid $440 to have it fully installed by them. I just left my car there for the day. That price also includes a transmission service (fluid replacement) so its definitely good value. On the other hand, if you're happy with the speed and quality of your shifts then there's probably no need for a shift kit.

Thanks for that - I knew there was a reason you couldn't compare torque at the wheels from dyno readouts - but never knew why... cheers.

(just realised fwkw here means 'flywheel kw') 270Nm wouldn't be right either would it - not sure how torque goes at the wheels in a manual. In an auto torque is multiplied at the wheels due to the torque converter so you get very high torque figures in autos generally. Not sure if the same is true for a manual tho - but 270Nm is definitely low... 173kw at all 4 would be about right for a stock GTR. Doesn't sound much but remember max power is only part of the equation. Its all about how quickly you get to that figure, which is where torque comes into play. Pretty sure GTR's have 400+ N-m at the engine - and every bit of extra boost will see this figure climb upwards...boost=torque.

I will be coming if I get the details on the meet location in time. Sorry I'm a bit late on this one - wasn't planning to go until a change of plans this afternoon... EDIT: got the pm now - see ya there cheers..

Yeah I realise that. My biggest gripe isn't about mods - maybe I came across wrong... Its more about where you are allowed to park on any given day/night etc. and other picky things like that. I just prefer for the insurance company to be competitive, understand that I have looked after my car in the past and will continue to look after it in the future, and just insure my car. Just Car have always been a pleasure to deal with and that is what I value most about them. Others experience with them may vary however... I have had other insurance companies ask me 20 questions about where the car will be parked during the day, at night, how often its driven, whether its driven on weekends, and all kinds of things like this. What I dont like about this is that the company is then kind of dictating when I am able to drive and where. I just want to pay my premium and expect to be fully covered - even if by chance I've happened to leave the car parked on the road out the front of a friends place. I will always make sure the immobiliser is active and the car is locked - which is a fair requirement for insurance, but after that I would hope to be covered by insurance. I hope that makes sense. I dont hate any particular insurance company. Its just one of those things that you never know how much you should be trusting your insurance. And I guess you never really find out until something goes wrong and you need to make a claim. EDIT: Please dont take my dealings with shannons as anything but one persons's experience with them. I know people who have called them and said it was just like any other insurance company. I believe I just got some guy having a bad day or something...my bad luck.

yeah i know - didn't realise you could vary the amount of letters vs numbers. I previously thought you had to have 4 letters and 2 numbers and in that order... Its interesting that STAGEA can technically be written as all numbers (574634 - using some imagination) - and a pity that STAG34 had been taken when i first registered it here. not in a hurry but thanks for clearing up the letters/numbers details there

not yet, maybe I will give them a call soon. Hadn't heard of them until recently. The only thing I'd want to change about my policy would be to get choice of repairer - but other than that I am happy with just car's policies. And being so easy to deal with when it comes to mods and where the car is parked is a huge bonus. EDIT: just had a read of their policy from their website - sounds pretty good.

I'm sure you're already aware but I'll just post this for the benefit of everyone reading... Be careful driving through the hills as they are now putting fixed speed cameras on most roads in the hills. There have been cameras set up (camouflaged as well so you may not see them) on gorge rd for a while and they are installing them on many roads in the hills... its unfortunate because these roads can be quite fun but apparently its because of the number of fatal motorbike accidents on these roads so from that perspective I guess its probably a necessary measure.

I actually am thinking that maybe we shouldn't compare the prices of r32's to r33's. The cars do look quite different and because of that I'd guess that people will prefer one or the other...and therefore for many people the r33 did not REPLACE the r32, it is actually almost competing with it...hence the now similar pricing... this is just a theory of mine but I'd be interested to know if anyone else thinks this could be a factor... in general, the buyer market will determine the prices anyway - so when selling cars this fact can be quite depressing. From my (very limited) experience, you need to price your car at a bargain price to sell it, not necessarily what you feel its really worth.