Stagea - Performance And Fuel Economy

[Kiwi25X]

I have been running a series 1 ’96 Stagea the 2.5L NA version for 4 years now. It’s the entry level auto with no mods and a full service record. When I first bought it I was pretty stoked with the performance. It had big mid-range power and could haul a huge amount of gear. I still remember overtaking a line of 4 trucks on a short uphill lane with 4 people on-board and a boot full of skis, boots and packs. Compared with previous cars, including 2500 Legacy and a 2.0T Caldina it returned good fuel economy. I could travel Wellington to Auckland on a 60L tank and still have some spare. Having read the fuel economy stats on this forum I was beginning to wonder whether I was just lucky to have a well-tuned vehicle or whether something else was going on.

However over the past 2 years the car, which now has around 212,000kms has been disappointing. It doesn’t have the same power going up hills and can’t pull off the same epic overtaking manoeuvres. The same Wellington-Auckland trip recently took 1.5 tanks. More recently I’ve felt the transmission getting jerky and shaking a bit as it changes gears.

I’ve done regular oil changes, and 6 monthly trips to the mechanic with few problems. I haven’t thrashed it too much, apart from the odd sprint across the Manuwatu flats. The diagnostic mode for the transmission and the engine come through all clear.

The drop in performance has been pretty dramatic. Is it worth taking her to the engine tuner, or is she just getting a bit too old?

[Cowboy1600]

Try a new O2 sensors. They get worn and affect part throttle performance and fuel consumption. About $90 for an aftermarket one from one of the forum traders (forgotten which one - search the Classifieds) and a quick and easy job to do assuming your current one isn't caked in rust.

Have you had your tranny serviced? Now might be a good time to put a shift kit in it. Will tighten up the shifts which will in turn improve consumption and power through fewer drivetrain losses.

Also, you've done oil changes but have you been doing filters (namely air) and plugs?