Car with modified parts

Soldato
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I'm going to look at a Primera GT tomorrow with some modifications. Normal stuff like exhaust/filter etc but it's also had suspension/brakes done and was looking for some opinions on the parts that have been used.

KYB AGX Adjustable shocks + Apex springs (Stiffer but not lowered), Black Diamond drilled/groved disks all round, Mintex pads all round.

Mainly it's the suspension and brakes that i'm interested in, just looking for opinions really.
 
Associate
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Have you got a link to the advert, if there is one? Whats the base asking price?

As always with modded cars, try not to pay much more if any above the standard price for the car. Remember, by not returning it to standard hes limited his audience. Some people dont have patience to let a modified car sit being advertised for a longer length of time, so dont feel you cant walk away with a lower offer still sat on his table.

Assess the suspension and brakes as you would any other car. Are there any problems with them on the test drive. Be prepared for worse performance with the brakes than a standard car. Can you live with the supension harshness on a low power car? Whilst the brake disks are probably still fairly new, watch out for potential off tyre ware deep inside the wheel arches where you are going to struggle to see cased by lowering without alignment.

Can you live with the level of the exhaust volume on an average car? Dont think that you will get used to it - the opposite will occur. You can make exhausts quieter, but prepare to budget for it.

This is all why you dont pay for mods on cheap cars.

Edit: just noticed you said not lowered - this is good imho on such a car.
 
Soldato
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It's a 2000 W (Though built in 1999 but not registered till 2000) Primera GT, being sold on Primera Owners Club site. Parkers say £1,900 based on mileage and condition, guy is asking £2k for it.

From the photos, it looks like the work has been carrier out very well, and it appears he's used good quality parts.

Apart from the filter, all the parts have been professionally installed by a local (to him) Nissan specialist (which he's given me contact details for to vouch forthe car) plus he's got all the receipts for the modified parts.
 
Caporegime
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sounds pretty good. those are the standard mods for Primera GT's that ive seen on the NPOC owners club anyway.

give the car a good drive and see how it feels?

im pretty happy with my primera GT, not perfect but its good for the cash


edit: ask of they have had the header swapped out for an SS Autochrome/HotShot, as they can add 10+ bhp :)
 
Soldato
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Bear in mind, that grooved/drilled brake discs chew through brake pads like there's no tomorrow. Having uprated brake discs put me off buying a car that I might otherwise have bought not so long ago.

Also, they take a fair few stops to warm up upon first driving - which is fine for track driving, but if you need to make an emergency stop down the end of your road when nextdoor's dog runs out, and the brakes are still cold...
 
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Just realise I posted that the brakes would be worse. Forgot I ment when cold!

They should be much better when warm... but mine really do suck round town and motorway. Never really do warm up under normal driving.
 
Soldato
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Header and exhaust are both Jasma products, which are branded as HKS I beleive in the UK. Cams have been replaced by Piper Hi Lift cams, filter is by K&N and all the other parts have been mentioned above.

Just gotta see if I can live with the noise as the manifold, exhaust and filter will probably be very loud.
 
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Trickle said:
Just realise I posted that the brakes would be worse. Forgot I ment when cold!

They should be much better when warm... but mine really do suck round town and motorway. Never really do warm up under normal driving.

That's the reason I don't like performance brakes on a car, and wouldn't use them (except for track driving). Normal brakes are bad enough when coming off a dual carriageway or a motorway after as little as 5 minutes. Non warmed up performance brakes are noticeably worse, and one day, that (ironic) extra instant stopping power afforded by normal brakes could save you an accident!
 
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Few decent corners. And after a few more to start stopping the train. Thats when you cant afford not to be running uprated pads as standard might cost a 1/3rd but ware out 6 times as fast under duress. Difficult to give up that performance stopping power once you've tasted it even at risk of the dog at the bottom of the road.
 
Soldato
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gobbo said:
Header and exhaust are both Jasma products, which are branded as HKS I beleive in the UK. Cams have been replaced by Piper Hi Lift cams, filter is by K&N and all the other parts have been mentioned above.

Just gotta see if I can live with the noise as the manifold, exhaust and filter will probably be very loud.

As far as I am aware, (don't kill me if i'm wrong) Jasma is merely a standard to show a manifold meets noise regulations in Japan. However, it is on my HKS manifold too.
 
Soldato
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Oh, never knew that. It might just be that Jasma has been stamped on exhaust/manifold (as both are HKS), I looked up JASMA and assumed (I know assumption are the brother of all *******).

Thanks for the info! :)

Whats the HKS manfiold like? Loud?
 
Soldato
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Couple of pics of my hopeful next car, if it drives like it should and isn't massively loud.

prim.jpg

primrear.jpg
 
Soldato
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ive got x drilled on mine... doesnt seem to kill pads much faster than usual, i cannot actually get them to fade tho. im impressed
 
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