Im Back, And Im Going Stagea!

[bbenny]

Well its been a while since I have posted on the SAU forums after selling my R32 GTS-T over a year ago to fund my business. Since then I have always dreamt of having a Stagea as my business vehicle. Something practical, fun and good looking.

Well it looks like I can now finally reward myself with a Stagea!

I think I have read every thread on here regarding Stageas, buyers guides etc. But I have now come to the point where I have to make a decision... series I or II.

Having built a friendship with an importer through my R32 he says he can get me a series I for around $14-16k complied and a series II for around $18-19k complied... Does this sound realistic or do you think at these prices they will be rubbish? I have noticed a drop in series I prices over the past couple of months but it seems just too cheap for a series II.

Unfortunately I havent yet driven a series II - Is it really worth the extra bucks to go NEO6 or should i spend the difference on tricking out the series I?

Thanks for any input!

Ben.

Edited June 17, 2006 by bbenny

[qikstagea]

meh just buy r33stagea's S1. What more could you want? lol.

If you were to buy just a stock standard vehicle though, definitely S2. More refined, tiptronic auto. I drive an S1 and if i get another, which i no doubt will, itll be an S2, if not a 260.

I use mine as a business vehicle too - saikoogarage.com, guys, check it out PLUG

Plus S1 were only available as an auto, S2 you can go manual.

Pretty sure S2s have better brakes, and an LSD?

[3intheBack]

I'v never owned or driven an S1, but it seems to me from these forums that all the S1 guys are making small modifications to their cars to bring them up to a standard that the S2 already has.

Not that there is anything wrong with the S1, it's just the normal evolution of things. Manufacturers have made little improvements here and there, which you will probably spend the next couple of years trying to copy, so you either spend the money now on the newer version or later on improving the older.

Either way - it's buyer beware.

[Tangles]

There's nothig wrong with the Series1.

Alllll comes down to your budget - are you going to spend 15k, 20k or 25k (etc) tops?

If say if 15k find a nice S1 and you'll be happy with it. Might score a manual for a cpl$ more.

Say 20, again find a nice S1 and modify it a bit, to suit you. Or buy a nice Series2 and you'll be happy with it.

Say 25k, well you can go ballistic with modifying a nice Series1 and get a very nice 200awkw awd wagon, or slightly modify a nice Series2, to suit you.

Thems the options Id think. Throw in the option of manual to the above, or whatever your budget is (Rs260 )

I took option 3, budget of 30k over 2yrs including car (18k neat S1 a year ago), so it'll have been improved in every aspect of 'refinement' by the time the budgets exhausted. Got 5k to go and am very happy with it as is atm. When I bought it tho I didnt have the extra cpl$ to get a S2 at the time (they were over 26k), although I would have preferred the tiptronic auto, the larger neo turbo and the better front brakes.

Work within your budget and you'll score a sweet Stagea either way.

[toxic]

i think a few people will agree with this...

series 2 may have a few things better than the series 1...

BUT..

the series 2 fog lights look silly

so get a series 1

(mine is for sale :lol:)

[bbenny]

haha I dont mind the series two fog lights actually

In regards to modifications, I dont really want to take the path I did with my R32 and burn heaps of money on making it quicker... I only plan on making my stagea breathe a little better and fit some nice rims and suspension down the line... and try and stop myself taking it any further

My question was more along the lines of - is the series two really worth the extra $$?

[qikstagea]

go the S2, dude. all the way. love s2 fronts - i went looking for the "aftermarket" grille with the foglights til i realised its just a later model and the bastard wasnt gonna fit.

yep.

[66yostagea]

I got a S1 because there were no GREEN S2 available.

lol. who cares.

Being new to all this, I started out buying what i thought was good value for money, and would provide an interest that would keep me in front of my S13 son and his 180sx drifting mate.

We, the family, are now looking at tow barring the Stag and use it to take the 13 to the drifts. We are also lookink at uprating the Stag.

Currently we have fitted A/T cooler, getting R34 smic, Bass Air deflector,

DFA. We are not looking for performance, but cool, clean and abit leaner.

[darrinspencer]

Series 1 or 2

I bought 2 Stagea's in one week from Japan

First was a 98 series 1 Dayz model 109k with 17's was approx $13K landed and complied and tyres

The second was a series 2 98 105k, full body kit, suspension, xenons for $14K landed and complied and tyres

The differences the series 2 had that to justify the extra $1000

full bodykit

series 2 tail lights

Tipronic

Better seat trim

White dials

KYB suspension

Bigger SMIC

R34 NEO motor

colour coded side body moulds

Update in build quality

Remote central locking

I would have done most of these mods to the series 1 and it would have cost alot more than $1000 to do

[Ska]

I didnt have to mod my S1 at all......... But I guess for $25k you wouldnt want to do anything

I thought the only difference between the S1 and S2 was lights, front bar, and motor...........?

But I guess it all comes down to personal preference, I swore NEVER to buy an auto again, so was really lucky to pickup a manual S1 with a crapload of mods to it.

Also I think S2's are ugly, and I just cant bring myself to owning an ugly car.

So really it's all up to everything else everyone here has already stated:

1. What do you like?

2. What is your Budget?

3. What is your target power range?

4. How much mod's do you want to make?