I CAN HAZ STAG EAR! (also, i r a twat)

[wuvvum]

I picked this up today from sunny Berkshire.

 

 

It's a non-turbo Stagea, which is quite an unusual thing to see over here. It's got loads of MoT (February next year), tax till the end of August and shedloads of service history, including a full cambelt service at the end of 2008. It drives fine (I find the handling a little odd, but that could just be me), it's comfortable, and the aircon blows nice and cold. It's got a full cat-back stainless exhaust, which I found a little boomy on the motorway, but sounds nice when you give it the beans. It's not stupidly fast but it certainly keeps up with traffic OK.

 

Unfortunately, being the muppet that I am, I only did a very cursory check over the car before setting off (it had obviously had shedloads of money spent on it so I was assuming everything would be fine), and when it came to checking the oil I just whipped the dipstick out and glanced at it. Had I taken the trouble to wipe it, I would have seen that was I thought was oil on there was actually staining on the dipstick and a very thin film of oil residue from the tube. The actual oil level was almost a litre down on what it should have been. This didn't seem to have any effect until I got to Bury St Edmunds, where I noticed some tappet noise pulling away from a roundabout. I stopped at the next services about ten miles up the road and bought a litre of oil, but I think I've done something to the engine as it now sounds like a 120,000-mile Vauxhall Nova at low speed. Whether it's a stuck tappet or a worn camshaft lobe I don't know, but I fear it may be the latter - at some point I'll whip the rocker cover off and have a look. I would imagine the cams would be the same as on a Skyline so should be obtainable, but it's still going to be a pain in the arse if one of them needs replacing. Still, it was a relatively cheap car so I'm not going to lose too much even if I have buggered it.

[Polystratus]

The door mirror looks like its been replaced at some time, it's a lighter shade or is that just the lighting??

[The Moog]

You could try sticking some of that magic quiet tappety oil that Halfrauds sell. Got to be worth a try?

 

Looks lovely otherwise

[Cavcraft]

Oil and filter change, some of that gloopy oil addative as Moog suggested and fingers crossed.

[wuvvum]

The door mirror looks like its been replaced at some time, it's a lighter shade or is that just the lighting??

I think it's just the lighting - the sun was setting when I took the picture and it was shining directly on the mirror. Some of the car's paintwork does have a hint of Pogweasel Pink to it, but it isn't too bad.

[wuvvum]

You could try sticking some of that magic quiet tappety oil that Halfrauds sell. Got to be worth a try?

True - a lot cheaper than open engine surgery. Not sure if it'll quieten a worn cam lobe though?

[RoadworkUK]

If I had one of those I'd put lots of stickers for "Chomondley Car Boot Sale" and "Battlesbridge Antiques Centre" on it. You know, the polar opposite of I AR AN DRIFT GOD, M8.

 

Very nice car. I guess stuck tappet. My KV6 had one. I like them 'cos they go away.

[r.welfare]

Wynn's Hydraulic Tappet treatment is a good call - I'd also spring for some Forte oil flush. Not cheap, but works wonders. Oil and filter change then see what happens.

[ashmicro]

If the cam is worn, Slick 50.

[Tonka]

Guess that makes me a twat too.....................

 

 

For all things Stagea.............. http://stageaownersclub.s4.bizhat.com/

[wuvvum]

Guess that makes me a twat too.....................

Why, did you drive yours 150 miles with no oil in it too?

 

Cheers for the link, will register in the morning.

[Tonka]

Thought you meant for buying a Stagea............ I just do 450 mile trips at 21 to the gallon.......

[wuvvum]

Mine seems to have done about 27mpg on the run back from Ascot. Maybe non-turbo cars are more economical?

[barrett]

With all respect to Tonka, i reckon your one looks much nicer without any of the stick-on stuff. I do like a large anonymous Japanese car though.

 

Has almost a hint of Peugeot 405 estate to it, or is that just me?

[Tonka]

No offence taken, the first Stagea I looked at was a red, non sunroof, bog standard turbo'd one, I looked at half a dozen before making my decision, this is what mine looked like the day I collected it, I know it's not everybody's cup of tea now but it's how I want it to look, my late Father never understood my fascination with big, loud show-off cars and would politely smile as I pulled up outside the house in my latest purchase, my Mother was the exact opposite, always wanting a ride, even at 2am when I got back in a Camaro I'd just bought, she had spent her late teenage years on the back of my uncle's motorbike going to Brands Hatch to watch the likes of Mike Hailwood and co. doing their stuff and loved anything different/exciting on 2 of 4 wheels so years later when I found myself selling the family home I promised myself something daft, it was going to be a Skyline but they do tend to be a bit common these days so this was the way to satisfy my "need for speed" without it looking the same.

 

[garethj]

Stageas R ORSUM

[wuvvum]

Update on this - drove it to work yesterday and then down to the Angel for the RR meet last night, and the valve gear has quietened right down - I didn't even need to add the bottle of Wynn's that I'd bought, just topped it up with Halford's finest 10W40 that the previous owner of my van had kindly left in the back for me, and that was enough. It's also quite quick - it left a V6 Vectra B for accelerating onto the A11.

 

Another problem has come to light, however - it appears to be stuck in RWD. This is not an issue at the moment as it has plenty of traction but still goes sideways quite well on wet grass, but could need looking at if I still have the car come the winter - probably just a solenoid or something.

[Spottedlaurel]

I hadn't caught up with this thread, so it was a pleasant surprise to see it at The Angel last night. Looks a good buy. I'd got the Camry estate, interesting to compare the practical bits. Both were being put to good use, Wuv's with a keyboard and mine with a stack of building materials.

 

RRer Bstardchild should get credit for fixing the non-functioning headlamp, which would probably have been easier with the battery removed but at least it didn't need the bumper taking off, engine removing etc like a modern.

 

I'd happily have one some day, but I fear it'd be too thirsty as a daily for me.

[trigger]

This "famaily man's" Skyline often turns up at local shows, It goes like shit of a shovel as well.

 

1998 Nissan Stagea Estate Turbo by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

[Tonka]

That's Eddie's Autech Stagea which is up for sale, this is a rare twin turbo'd 2.6 RS260 Stagea basically a proper GTR estate which due to Japanese regulations were all retro-built from "new"standard cars but have the full works ie: manual box, HICAS rear wheel steering etc etc, usual 280bhp "gentleman's agreement" but most at least 300bhp, the guy I bought mine off has a Replica Autech which is a genuine 600bhp with front discs the size of most people's wheels!