Some Advise On Stageas

[poita]

Hi all!

Been a long time since I posted here! Cant find any of my old threads though?

Anyway, me and my parents are both looking at getting a Stagea (one for me and one for them!).

A couple questions though:

1. Dad wants to tow a meduim caravan and a small ski boat. Is it possible to get a tow bar to handle this?

2. Spare parts. Being a pretty unique import, whats your experiences with finding spare parts i.e. general parts like brakes etc and things like interior trims, panels or other not so common stuff like that?

Reason is we're both a bit worried that we're going to get em and then find it heaps hard to fix/service them.

Hopefully we will be able to get em direct through one of Dads work associates for cost price with him doing all the importing and organising compliancing etc!

Cheers

Pete

[Sydneykid]

Hi all!

Been a long time since I posted here! Cant find any of my old threads though?

Anyway, me and my parents are both looking at getting a Stagea (one for me and one for them!).

A couple questions though:

1. Dad wants to tow a meduim caravan and a small ski boat. Is it possible to get a tow bar to handle this?

2. Spare parts. Being a pretty unique import, whats your experiences with finding spare parts i.e. general parts like brakes etc and things like interior trims, panels or other not so common stuff like that?

Reason is we're both a bit worried that we're going to get em and then find it heaps hard to fix/service them.

Hopefully we will be able to get em direct through one of Dads work associates for cost price with him doing all the importing and organising compliancing etc! 

Cheers

Pete

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi Pete, let's see if I can answer your questions based on my experience of 12 months of ownership (yep it's due for rego);

1. I have a tow bar that was rated at 1 tonne, I have upgraded the bolts and the goose neck and have been towing 1700 kgs (that's an R32GTST plus trailer). I have always used load stabilising bars. In addition we usually carry around 200 kgs of spares and tools to a race meeting. I check the tow bar regularly, generally within a few days of a race meeting. I have seen no signs of fatigue in the bar itself or the chassis.

2. Mechanically the Stagea is the same as an R33GTST (the most popular import by far) with a bit of GTR style 4wd stuff. The auto is the same as heaps of Nissans, Skylines, Patrols etc. I have not found a part that I can't buy so far. My local Nissan dealer carries a large range, I bought a timing belt from them. Repco had the brake pads in stock. My local AutoOne had all of the light bulbs. SupaCheap had all of the belts (alternator, power steer, air con). Castol lists all of the lubricants necessary to do a service. My local Nissan dealer has a Consult which he can plug into the diagnostics port, same as any other Nissan. I bought Bilsteins shocks (front = R33GTR, rear = R33GTST) with a phone call, Whiteline stabiliser bars, R33 GTR all round etc etc

The Stagea is like most Nissans. grotesquely over engineered, so they don't break things like diffs, or gearboxes that Commondoors do. Think late model Japanese reliability, the reality is I have needed very very few maintenance parts. Most of what I have bought are upgraded parts. And even they were easy to get.

The best thing about Stageas is this forum, there are guys on here doing stuff all the time. Chances are if you want to do or buy anything, someone on here has already done it. Benefit from their experience.

cheers

[poita]

Hi Pete, let's see if I can answer your questions based on my experience of 12 months of ownership (yep it's due for rego);

1. I have a tow bar that was rated at 1 tonne, I have upgraded the bolts and the goose neck and have been towing 1700 kgs (that's an R32GTST plus trailer).  I have always used load stabilising bars.  In addition we usually carry around 200 kgs of spares and tools to a race meeting.  I check the tow bar regularly, generally within a few days of a race meeting.  I have seen no signs of fatigue in the bar itself or the chassis.

2. Mechanically the Stagea is the same as an R33GTST (the most popular import by far) with a bit of GTR style 4wd stuff.  The auto is the same as heaps of Nissans, Skylines, Patrols etc.  I have not found a part that I can't buy so far.  My local Nissan dealer carries a large range, I bought a timing belt from them.  Repco had the brake pads in stock.  My local AutoOne had all of the light bulbs.  SupaCheap had all of the belts (alternator, power steer, air con).  Castol lists all of the lubricants necessary to do a service. My local Nissan dealer has a Consult which he can plug into the diagnostics port, same as any other Nissan.  I bought Bilsteins shocks (front = R33GTR, rear = R33GTST) with a phone call,  Whiteline stabiliser bars, R33 GTR all round etc etc

The Stagea is like most Nissans. grotesquely over engineered, so they don't break things like diffs, or gearboxes that Commondoors do.  Think late model Japanese reliability, the reality is I have needed very very few maintenance parts.  Most of what I have bought are upgraded parts.  And even they were easy to get.

The best thing about Stageas is this forum, there are guys on here doing stuff all the time.  Chances are if you want to do or buy anything, someone on here has already done it.  Benefit from their experience.

cheers

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Wow thanks heaps for that! Did you get the bar custom made or adapted from another car? I found out tonight that the caravan is bout 1 tonne and has brakes so all is good there.

I just showed Dad and the only thing he is really worried now is the resale... i.e. would it be hard to sell later. I wouldn't have thought so, but he's a bit nervous about the whole turbo import market.

Also cause we can get them cheaper Dad is wondering if he should go manual... if we can find one. Which would be better for towing? Has the auto still got plenty of get up and go? Would be nice if we could find a car yard with one to test drive, but there virtually impossible to find in Adelaide. Ive only ever seen 2

Thanks for all the help!

Pete

[GoldZilla]

Hey Pete,

as far as getting a manual Stagea, they were only released in the Series II version (from late 1998), and are pretty rare. They're known to carry a premium because of this, and I'm about to start doing some research into this myself to see exactly how much extra it's going to hit me if I decide to take that route. If you want a manual Series I, then you'll have to either find one that's been converted, or stump up for a 260RS

One benefit of getting a Series II is that it comes with the Neo6 engines from the R-34 Skylines, meaning ~206kW (and more torque - good for towing!) as opposed to ~185kW in the Series I/R-33 version.

Cheers,

Nick T

[Sydneykid]

Hey Pete,

as far as getting a manual Stagea, they were only released in the Series II version (from late 1998), and are pretty rare.  They're known to carry a premium because of this, and I'm about to start doing some research into this myself to see exactly how much extra it's going to hit me if I decide to take that route.  If you want a manual Series I, then you'll have to either find one that's been converted, or stump up for a 260RS

One benefit of getting a Series II is that it comes with the Neo6 engines from the R-34 Skylines, meaning ~206kW (and more torque - good for towing!) as opposed to ~185kW in the Series I/R-33 version.

Cheers,

Nick T

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Our Series 1 Auto was 170 kw. That ended up at 105 4wkw on our race team dyno. Turned the boost up to 10 psi and leaned it out a bit (still too rich at 11 to 1), no mechanical mods (standard exhaust still with compliance cat) and it went up to 135 4wkw. Which is around the same as the Series 2. So I wouldn't be worried about power, there is plenty to be had.

It has been my experience that auto's are always better for towing than manuals, the clutches on manuals cop heaps when towing heavy loads or pulling boats out of water. The Stagea auto is a big sucker and quite durable.

cheers