Is Your Stag Everything You Thought It Would Be?

[MattD]

So, I have just purchased a lovely Stag.

I brought it because I love Jap cars, I have had a cadet 180sx and two sr20 180sx, u13 bluebird atessa and an r34 GTT for about a month before I sold it.

The Stag seemed like a perfect choice as I was in the market for a 4wd, something along the lines of a hilux surf so I wouldn't have to borrow my uncles forby everytime I went to the snow or down coast.

My question to you established owners ;

Do you still get the feeling of driving a sports car?

Still a rush?

Do you still find Police target your vehicle?

Do your peers or even random wankers on the street still consider it a sports car?

I get the feeling im going to really miss the chuckability of the rwds but at the same time really needed a bigger car and the practicality that follows.

Yours thoughts and experiences would be most welcome.

Cheers.

[munchstagea]

hehe, everyone on here likes them, otherwise we wouldn't be talking about them...

They are a big car, but great within their class, much better to drive than any other 4 door wagon I have driven (read: Australian cars)! They are not a rocket ship but this can be improved without too much trouble and the supporting systems are all in place to handle a few increases in performance. Fantastic in the wet!

I feel like I am driving something different.

It can be fun to drive but is also very easy to live with.

Police don't really know what they are yet in most cases and the buyer that is attracted to the Stagea is less likely to generate that bad public image than other well know imports have. There can be exceptions though...

Random wankers have no idea, peers see it as 4WD, turbo, yep that's a sports car you can fit the kids in!

Enjoy

Cheers

Luke

[MattD]

Thanks munch.

Pretty much the reply I was looking for.

One question, you say "They are not a rocket ship but this can be improved without too much trouble and the supporting systems are all in place to handle a few increases in performance"

I assumed it'd respond to mods just like any other neo6 weather is be skyline or stag, or is there something im missing?

[Sydneykid]

So, I have just purchased a lovely Stag.

I brought it because I love Jap cars, I have had a cadet 180sx and two sr20 180sx, u13 bluebird atessa and an r34 GTT for about a month before I sold it.

The Stag seemed like a perfect choice as I was in the market for a 4wd, something along the lines of a hilux surf so I wouldn't have to borrow my uncles forby everytime I went to the snow or down coast.

My question to you established owners ;

1. Do you still get the feeling of driving a sports car?

2. Still a rush?

3. Do you still find Police target your vehicle?

4. Do your peers or even random wankers on the street still consider it a sports car?

5. I get the feeling im going to really miss the chuckability of the rwds but at the same time really needed a bigger car and the practicality that follows.

Yours thoughts and experiences would be most welcome.

Cheers.

My 20 cents follows;

1. Nope, at 1658 kgs it's not sport car, it goes good with 170 or so 4wkw, leaps of the line stalled up against the torque converter, virtually unbeatable in the rain, hangs on around corners (has the Group Buy suspension kit). I don’t consider an R32GTR a sports car, so the Stagea has no chance of reaching that description.

2. It's fast enough to feel fast, surprises almost everything, you can beat almost anything to the speed limit, no wheelspin or noise, true stealth speed.

3. Nope, they don't even look at it, probably don't know what it is, most likely think it's a Volvo

4. I don't get the stupid "whart booost does it run maate" questions or the "throw us a wheelie", such a relief. The smarter guys ask about it, the usual stuff about how it goes, how it handles etc. You get the odd neck twister look from Skylines owners.

5. You will like the extra traction, but you will feel the weight.

As I have said to a couple of other potential Stagea owners, if you want the best value for money performance waggon by far, then the Stagea is the one for you.

cheers

[munchstagea]

One question, you say "They are not a rocket ship but this can be improved without too much trouble and the supporting systems are all in place to handle a few increases in performance"

I assumed it'd respond to mods just like any other neo6 weather is be skyline or stag, or is there something im missing?

See above!

[MattD]

Thanks for that SydKid and Munch.

I'm just hoping it's a rewarding drive. Don't want the car to do all the work and have a gearbox lined up for full man conversion.

Is all this extra weight? where is it? I mean, hows the split?

[Ska]

My question to you established owners ;

Do you still get the feeling of driving a sports car?

Still a rush?

Do you still find Police target your vehicle?

Do your peers or even random wankers on the street still consider it a sports car?

I get the feeling im going to really miss the chuckability of the rwds but at the same time really needed a bigger car and the practicality that follows.

Yours thoughts and experiences would be most welcome.

Cheers.

Yes.

Yes.

No, it's a volvo not a sports car well at least that is what the local police think, and who am I to stop them

My mates laughed at me until they went for a ride in it. BUT I bought mine heavily modded.

I definatly dont miss the "chuckability" and LOVE the ability to bounce it off the rpm limiter, drop the clutch and grab second as fast as I can. No wheelspin, just squats a bit and GOES!

It is the perfect family car for me, heaps of room for my family of 4 and heaps of power, when I want it.

[AlexCim]

its blows my load

[66yostagea]

Alex, you are about as oversexed as a pair of Stags.

Yep. It gives me goose bumps, especially when I was running that AMG.

[AMS]

I want another one

[Silverback]

I got on to the notion of buying a Stagea through my next door neighbour, who has an R32 GTR. I then chanced apon Marc's schmick looking Stagea when I was dropping my XR6t in. Anyway, I ended up buying one sight unseen whilst it was on the ship. I drove the car from Gold Coast to Canberra, so was able to get a good feel for its abilities.

I was initially a little disappointed in my first drive. The ride was harsh, the power wasnt what I expected, and the handling took some getting used too. I am quite tall, and having the twin sunroofs meant that my drivers position took a little bit of finding.

But you know, I am an optimist by nature. I realised that I had just jumped out of a late model, turbo beast with all the fruit, into something a little different.

I am also a realist, and I knew that it would be much better after a long drive home. I did have fun flying through the Gold Coast hinterland, and started to appreciate how the Attessa system operates, and adjusted my driving accordingly. On the long run home, I appreciated how comfortable it was, with the climate control working perfectly, and the seats nice and supportive. After the second tank of optimax, I got some clear runs through some of my favourite roads in the early hours of Sunday morning, when no one else was around. I was starting to really enjoy the surefootedness of the all paw drive, and the power available from around 115 up was great (of course, only on brief overtaking forays ;-> ) After stopping overnight, I set off again in the morning, the sun was shining through the sunroofs, the RB 25DET was thanking me for a good run and I was getting some looks through town. It was then that I realised that I was driving something pretty special.

I can feel the engine wants to breathe a bit better, so that is being organised through some exhaust and intake mods. I will eventually get the bilstein suspension, and I am sure the swaybars will help some of the roll. Of course, the most important thing is that the Missus loves it!! Its her daily driver, and I have to prise her out of it for a drive! I am excited about the fact that it will just keep getting better, and increase our enjoyment of its capabilities!

P.s. I agree totally with SK too!!! In fact, great people like him, and many others on this forum, only add to the enjoyment of owning a Stag.

Enjoy!

[MattD]

I got on to the notion of buying a Stagea through my next door neighbour, who has an R32 GTR. I then chanced apon Marc's schmick looking Stagea when I was dropping my XR6t in. Anyway, I ended up buying one sight unseen whilst it was on the ship. I drove the car from Gold Coast to Canberra, so was able to get a good feel for its abilities.

I was initially a little disappointed in my first drive. The ride was harsh, the power wasnt what I expected, and the handling took some getting used too. I am quite tall, and having the twin sunroofs meant that my drivers position took a little bit of finding.

But you know, I am an optimist by nature. I realised that I had just jumped out of a late model, turbo beast with all the fruit, into something a little different.

I am also a realist, and I knew that it would be much better after a long drive home. I did have fun flying through the Gold Coast hinterland, and started to appreciate how the Attessa system operates, and adjusted my driving accordingly. On the long run home, I appreciated how comfortable it was, with the climate control working perfectly, and the seats nice and supportive. After the second tank of optimax, I got some clear runs through some of my favourite roads in the early hours of Sunday morning, when no one else was around. I was starting to really enjoy the surefootedness of the all paw drive, and the power available from around 115 up was great (of course, only on brief overtaking forays ;-> ) After stopping overnight, I set off again in the morning, the sun was shining through the sunroofs, the RB 25DET was thanking me for a good run and I was getting some looks through town. It was then that I realised that I was driving something pretty special.

I can feel the engine wants to breathe a bit better, so that is being organised through some exhaust and intake mods. I will eventually get the bilstein suspension, and I am sure the swaybars will help some of the roll. Of course, the most important thing is that the Missus loves it!! Its her daily driver, and I have to prise her out of it for a drive! I am excited about the fact that it will just keep getting better, and increase our enjoyment of its capabilities!

P.s. I agree totally with SK too!!! In fact, great people like him, and many others on this forum, only add to the enjoyment of owning a Stag.

Enjoy!

Nicely put Silverback

Thanks for your input also Ska.

Quite reassuring comments, it's very much appreciated.

Edit: Also, for those concerned, my puppy has stopped drinking my kitties water.

Edited July 5, 2006 by MattD

[66yostagea]

On a serious note I find the Stagea to be more informative to the driver than probably any of the cars I have driven,of its type . ie wagon,FWD, turbo.

I've had a 911, a735 even a couple of dorfs. I think the RMR30 was a faster vehicle, not quicker, but the C34 handles the smoothest, even as a stocker.

With the low cost (?) upgrades available it must surely be the best value for money of all the SEVS vehicles, when you consider its versatility

[EGA41T]

its blows my load

whatever floats your boat alex

[3intheBack]

It boils my potatoes !!

[CruiseLiner]

love the comment on necksnapping looks from skyline owners too, haha its true but i find most people have a second look and when they hear it running its very amusing like the other day in the maccas drive through and the girl serving the car infront of me looks down the drivethrough line and was lookin past my stagea for a skyline or some sort of worked v8 or somethign and i just sit there and then when i pull upto the window they realise the rumble is coming from my car hahaha its awesome to see regular peoples jaws drop when they see and hear it

nuthin like the sound of 272 cams at idle

cops dont look twice which is an added bonus.

mine handles soo well for the weight with the sk susp package.

mines a manual which is wayyy better than auto imho (and a rb26 makes it that much nicer)

i love stageas

oh and compared to my mates r32 gtr my stagea gets 1000 times more people having a look people are sick of skylines and they are like commodores these days on the roads. if i see one more r33 gts-t with nismo stickers and some young hoon in it, ill be damned haha.

Edited July 5, 2006 by CruiseLiner

[GoldZilla]

I don't think I've regretted a single day of owning my Stagea - the only niggles I have with it is that I can't relax with the clutch (it's a button clutch and is heavy and is either in or out, but at least there is NO slip), and the extra fuel use over my old AE94 Corolla. Oh, and I still haven't set up a decent stereo in the Stagea yet, which really sucks.

But when I drive the Corolla now (it's still in the family), it feels sloppy and VERY unresponsive to your inputs, the clutch is too soft, it's way too slow, and the gearbox crunches even when you think you've got the shift right (a typical Corolla trait, unfortunately).

So, having had the Stagea for 9 months now, I've noticed that it's NOT really a sports car, but it craps all over the Corolla in every way even with an added 800kg's weight; cops barely give you a second glance; you don't get too many random wankers because they have no idea, and I rarely bother with them anyway unless they REALLY REALLY REALLY act like King Sh!t when they're driving something pretty ordinary as if their car is the be-all-and-end-all of motoring; and even though some of my friends have put shit on me for owning a wagon, they all love it that I chose something different (I'd wanted a Skyline since before they were common as air), and are all impressed with the way it moves.

So, no regrets from me - it's just a matter of doing lots of research and then saving some extra money to get the mods done right first time...

[sy300]

The only 2 things that 'dissapointed' me about the Stagea was how it handles corners (especially down hill). The ride is good, I just have to get used to a bit of understeer in corners. My previous car was a '92 300ZX, so I was used to being able to just throw it into a corner with no worries. As mentioned before, a good suspension upgrade will improve that. The other thing is the brakes, a bit feeble for such a heavy car. They don't take a lot to notce them fade.

The stealth and surprise factor make up for that though. I love the looks you get from people in their 'sports' cars when the family wagon gets up and leaves them standing.

In my opinion, the Stagea is the best compromise of size, price, power, reliability and comfort if you need a wagon. I'm glad I got one.

[CruiseLiner]

yes i agree the brakes are pathetic for the size and weight of the car, what on earth were nissan smoking when they choose them???

but on the other hand all other skyline brakes bolt str8 on such as the gtr brembos, etc which makes it very easy to upgrade

Edited July 7, 2006 by CruiseLiner