Choices Choices Choices!

[MattyK]

Hey guys im a newbie to the forums.

I have just sold my S13 and im looking at importing aither a stagea or an aristo.

Obvious you guys are gonna say get the stagea

Im just wondering on a few things, Im not married and with kids etc, does this really matter, im just looking for something to cruise around in without getting attention from cops etc. What age are most of you guys? do you think its more of a family car?

Also someone told me about a 100 000km service that is meant to be done and check that it has been done before importing.

Sorry for the newbie questions, but they have to be asked

[bluesky4me]

Your not wrong about cops leaving us alone..it is a bit of a generalization, and I am, sure one could make a stagea look "bad" enough for cops to take notice....but as long as you pick your spots for right foot fun...and dont be silly then the conservative nature of the stagea will help keep the smell of pork from overwhelming your senses.

For me the Stagea is good compromise...I have had 2 r33's...the stag is heavy and its bulk means it will never handle like a smaller car. For the price...I have found nothing else that can come close to the versatile nature of the stag....to my mind you have to look at WRX hatch backs...MAZDA MPS or maybe the CX7....all of which are mega buck more than the stagea! I am a muso and need to cart gear and family....the stagea does it in style!

[Ska]

I went from an R33 to the Stagea, and the Stagea outperforms the r33 in every way.

Mine will be for sale soon for between $20,000 and $15,000, check out the pics and modlist in my signature.

It is uncategorically the best vehicle I have ever owned, selling it only to save money.

[MattyK]

so you used it for daily driving? carting a family around? or you by yourself?

[webng]

  MattyK said:

so you used it for daily driving? carting a family around? or you by yourself?

You know, it really depends on your needs. If for personal reasons you need a bit of a boot (camping, surfing whatever) then the Stag is definitely the way to go. If you're going to be driving around 99% of the time by yourself, I'd recommend something smaller.

[typevu]

2JZGTE > RB25DET

Have you looked at a Toyota Chaser? four door - alot sexier than an Aristo, 1JZ powered - looks gorgeous with a TRD or OEM kit

Edited June 16, 2007 by vietorious

[webng]

  vietorious said:

2JZGTE > RB25DET

Have you looked at a Toyota Chaser? four door - alot sexier than an Aristo, also powered by a 2JZ - looks gorgeous with a TRD or OEM kit

Another vote for the Chaser... mates got one and it looks pretty good... even if he has 20's on them.

[rb26stagea]

  vietorious said:

2JZGTE > RB25DET

Have you looked at a Toyota Chaser? four door - alot sexier than an Aristo, also powered by a 2JZ - looks gorgeous with a TRD or OEM kit

Chaser runs a 1jz - the 2.5L..... They get the single turbo vvti version, though.... Just sold my 1JZ Supra - the motor is (dare I say it here) superior to the RB25 in every way: stronger, more powerful, better head design, and they are SOOO smooth... more like driving a V8 than a turbo six cylinder. RB has a much nicer note, though.

I now drive a Stagea with RB26 and a heap of mods - cams, turbos, suspension, brakes, computer, etc, and it is the best car I have owned so far. It's also the most modified, so that may have something to do with it...

I use my Stag as a daily driver, and its usually just me in the car.... I dont lug around lots of gear, but the fact that I COULD if i needed tois reassuring, I guess.....

The guys are right - they're not the most nimble vehicle out there, but you can get them to go stop and handle pretty well.

I'm 29, by the way....

Hope that helps

[Duncan]

well if you only need a 4 door a skyline might be a better bet than a stagea they are lighter and use less fuel, and much easier to find in manual if thats what you are looking for.

But for a wagon the stagea is just untouchable, and even more so for the price. Performance is excellent, interior well thoguht out, performance mods easy to find if you want to go that way, rides nice and is quiet inside.

The only downside is the fuel consumption is pretty bad, have a look for threads around in this section.

[mike40sydney]

  Duncan said:

well if you only need a 4 door a skyline might be a better bet than a stagea they are lighter and use less fuel, and much easier to find in manual if thats what you are looking for.

But for a wagon the stagea is just untouchable, and even more so for the price. Performance is excellent, interior well thoguht out, performance mods easy to find if you want to go that way, rides nice and is quiet inside.

The only downside is the fuel consumption is pretty bad, have a look for threads around in this section.

fuel hasnt been an issue with my s2 so far its around 12 liters per hundred gave it a good fang on the sydney meet going from richmond to lithgo and got around 11 per hundred

[66yostagea]

I went from an RMR30, that I still have, to a Lexus Land Cruiser. to a Forester.

The Stagea has all the good features of these three, ride speed and space with enough length to get large art works in. I have an art gallery.

The only downside for some is fuel consumption. But then I live in a very hilly area and have a large right foot. But it is Fun.

I am THE 66yo and a friend up here is 50+ and he has a Stag too.

Incidently we have 5 Nissans ATM bought for their greatest virtue, reliability.

Edited June 16, 2007 by 66yostagea

[Tangles]

I would have bought a Stagea whether I had a family or not, whether I drove everyday or not (mild tune vr ss v8 sedan was previous car). Wanted an R33 but a coupe isnt practicle in the long run, didnt fit well either - fitted slightly better in a Stagea, Id put it down to the roof (stagea is horizontal flat, coupe slants downwards). Doesnt get any blue attention, thats with the super dark windows and a tasty fmic/dayz bodykit with shiney alloys (r34 gtt, so I can argue to the unwise they are nissan standard).

Turbo goodness beats v8 ironblock rumble everyday of the week. Highflowing the turbo, with all the needed extras, makes it such a pleasure to own. My 10yr car.. so practicle, so different, so powerful, it CAN handle (for a car, this comes from a silly-fast adelaide hills bike road 'racer') but it IS a wagon not a bike...... so within limits and within reason its a good car to own.

[MattyK]

Thanks for the replys guys!

Im sorta leaning towards the Stagea as it has power potential, but also acts as a nice daily/cruiser, and also has that extra space when you require it.

Ill keep you guys up to date with what i decide to get...

Ill be getting something through Iron Chef

Adelaideans Represent! haha

[FLYSLY]

I love my Stagea, it is an absolute TOP car, there are plenty of mods that can be done to them if thats what you like to do, they have plenty of power even stock, extremly comfortable, heaps of room for other passengers and anything you want in the boot, the back seats recline and also fold flat and also can fold 60/40. Plenty of parts readily available for mods.

The reason why i got this car was so that i didnt have to deal with cops anymore and thats exactly what it has done, i have not once since owning this been hasseled by the cops!!

Top car could not reccomend it highly enough

Oh and BTW im 21 single with no kids and dont plan on having any anytime soon.

[Ska]

  MattyK said:

so you used it for daily driving? carting a family around? or you by yourself?

Yes, daily driver for me. Yes, Carting around a family. Yes, just by myself.

I basically had to get rid of my R33 coupe when I got married as it was just not practical as a family car. When presented with the opportunity to trade my R33 + cash for the stagea, I didnt hesitate.

My stagea is so much better than my R33 in nearly every way. Better ride, more power, more room, 5 doors, 2 sunroofs, leather interior, etc etc etc.

I LOVE cruising around by myself in it, as I now attract zero attention from the police, as it is a wagon, not a sports car *cough*. Also for the fact that it is fairly quick for a street car, I wouldnt consider it fast as the tune it has atm is for economy, so it has no torque through the mid/high range rpm, so it takes off fast and then struggles to push through the 60-80kph barrier with a punch, but a retune of the pfc would fix that.

I love the fact that I can fit 2 eskies, 2 kids bikes, a bbq with gas bottle, and my whole family, comfortably, and still be able to have some get-up-and-go. Leather makes it easy to keep clean with the kids, not that I allow my kids to eat or drink in the car, but as always with kids, accidents do happen, but when they do it is really easy to clean it up.

The back seats are great for when my kids fall asleep, as I can lay them back so that they are not sleeping sitting up and have their head flop from side to side when I turn corners or get a kinked neck. They also love the fact that they have their own sunroof.

My stagea makes a great daily driver, it is relatively fuel efficient, relative to how much throttle + boost you use that is. And is easy to park, easy to access and pack groceries into, easy to manage the rear seats from the rear door, so that they fold forward allowing you to stick long things in without walking around to side doors and putting them down. I have been able to cart around huge cupboards by sticking them on the standard roof racks.

All in all, my stagea has been the most useful, fun, reliable vehicles I HAVE EVER owned, only getting rid of it because we are being given a VS wagon, and we cant really afford to run two cars, and we really could do with a healthier budget, and because the VS is cheaper to run, cheaper to insure, it means I will have to part with my beloved car, something I am not looking forward to, but it's something I must do, for the sake of my family.