pixel8r

Yep, that is an E50. The E51 looks slightly bigger and more square at the back. They are fantastic for features but demand a higher price - out of our price range.

Most are in NSW and a few in VIC. There are a few in QLD on carsales but they are very questionable. One of them the owner was very arrogant and insisted over and over that there were "no issues, runs fine, and no scratches at all" even though his wife had previously told me about a recent scratch on the rear bumper - happened in a carpark. The other one in QLD had been bought in NSW over 6 months prior, but never changed rego over into the owners name...very dodgy. The owner was moving back to NZ and wanted to not pay stamp duty...I even suspected it may have been stolen. Makes me wonder if I should just buy from a dealer, just for peace of mind. Unfortunately though in NSW cars over 10 yrs old are not covered by 3month statutory warranty.

Re engineer cert. Yes it would cost more if I was getting it engineered. But you misread my comments. These cars are ALREADY engineered and registered as an 8 seater in NSW, so there is no extra engineering required to be done to register it here. You just need an SA certificate rather than a NSW certificate, so the engineer just needs to check it and provide a certificate, no actual work done. Seatbelts etc are all looked after during compliance and prior to first registration in NSW. As for the ZD30 issues - yeah I think they are similar to the issues with the patrols, but hard to tell which engine is which. There are many variants of the ZD30 and obviously many patrols have a much harder life than the elgrand. The issues mostly stem from too much soot fouling up different components in the engine, eventually leading to overboost and overheating on piston 3 & 4. The simple protections for this are to regularly clean the MAF sensor (this is the root cause of the problem), and fit a manual boost controller to limit boost. Some people also block off the EGR valve but I dont really want to do this. Rather, I'd just inspect it every now and then and clean it out where necessary. The ZD30 is still a pretty good motor if looked after. A couple of members on the nissanelgrand forum reported fuel economy as low as 8L/100km on the highway. From a stock engine and a 2T vehicle, this is pretty good.

Hi there, I'm looking at buying a Nissan Elgrand but there are virtually none for sale here except for 2 dealers, and all of those are petrol ones. If you have (or know someone who has) a turbo diesel Nissan Elgrand (E50 model, 1998-2001 or so), would you mind if I come and have a quick look and maybe you could drive me round the block in it? I dont need to drive it (although that would be great if I could), but just want to get a better feel for how they drive before I buy one from interstate. I've been to have a look at some at a dealer but didn't get the chance to test drive. I think they knew I wasn't interested in buying from them. Looking at buying from a recommended dealer in NSW and will need to organise price etc before I leave...so I'm pretty keen to test drive one before then. PM me if you can help Thanks, Steve.

Yeah I've been doing a lot of reading about the seating issues and it all boils down to the fact that Japan says that a person weighs X kg and Australia says a person weighs Y kg and so therefore when they come over here, the GVM only allows for 4 people (plus luggage allowance) rather than 7 or 8. Normally during compliance, the necessary modifications are done, and then they are able to be registered as an 8 seater (or 7 in SA). I'm looking to buy through a dealer in NSW and I will not be purchasing one unless it is registered in NSW as an 8 seater. Hopefully it is as simple as a plate ID check to get it registered in SA, but worst case I need an engineer certificate...which according to others who have done it, is just a matter of having an engineer inspect it, and provide the cert. About $300-400 I'm told. They wouldn't need to do any modification because the modification has already been done in order for it to be registered in NSW. The only sticky point is that Transport SA apparently wont accept an engineer cert from another state, hence the reason for needing an SA one. It does suck a bit but at least I know what I'm up for and it only needs to be done once. I dont think there are too many getting around illegally. Most dealers who bring them in will get them registered as 8 seaters...so its probably only private importers who think they can save some coin by not getting them modified to support 8 seats legally. --- As for the other points, I was pretty impressed by the interior of the elgrand - very luxurious. The rear seats reminded me of a limo. Other big plusses were: soft-closing sliding door, soft-closing rear door (like the stagea boot), dual-zone aircon (front/back), super comfy seats, seats can all slide forward/back and can all lay completely flat. Just so much car for the money. We only have 2 kids at this stage, but with 2 child seats in the back there's barely enough room for even 1 extra passenger if we ever have someone travel with us. The elgrand would give us greater flexibility and would be a big asset for long trips and weekend trips. Some have built-in DVD player that can be operated from the dash (some have replacement units, or the factory units can play NTSC format discs). I can live with the size of the car - its actually pretty similar length/width to the stagea, and as mentioned the reversing camera would help with parking. I sat in the driver seat of one, and looking around into the back I felt pretty confident with the visibility out the back windows. Definitely not as bad as I had previously imagined. They are a compact van, despite the spacious interior.

Hi there, The title probably says it all. I'm in SA and there are almost none for sale here (just a couple dealers, and they only have petrol models). I've been doing a lot of research, checked a few out etc. So I just thought I'd ask if any of you have driven one / owned one, and what you think of them as a family car. Obviously I'm aware of what they look like etc. so I'm really just wanting advice from people who have owned one or driven one In other words, can they replace a stagea as a family car (if we rule out performance & handling)? Pros: comfort, space, versatility, fuel economy (the diesel is great on fuel for a 2T car). Cons: performance, handling?, parking. I'm interested in the E50 3L turbo diesel model (ZD30DDti common rail - and yes I'm aware of the potential issues - same as nissan patrol. There are many thousands of patrols still going strong...so I'm not too concerned).

Haven't heard anything like this. Nothing about it on nissanelgrand.com.au. Older elgrands were all cable driven. I heard a rumor that even the vq35 elgrands were cable driven, but not sure on that. I had an issue with the fly-by-wire on my previous M35 stagea (VQ25 engine) - too much soot build-up just behind the throttle plate, so it got sticky and would stall occasionally. However once it was cleaned up there was no issue at all (except for the problem of fly-by-wire not being as responsive as a plain old cable). The most common problem with the turbo diesel elgrand is the same as with the nissan patrol due to build up of soot in the EGR on the ZD30 motor, and also gumming up the MAF sensor, causing overboosting. With proper maintenance and a few small mods (oil catch can, boost controller) this issue is avoided and then its a pretty reliable motor, so I'm told. Certainly the fuel economy seems pretty good in the diesel elgrands (for a 2T vehicle). I dont imagine it would be difficult to find parts for the ZD30 either. They are pretty common here. Having a read through nissanelgrand.com.au they do seem pretty reliable overall.

The VQ35DE seems to get 13.5-16L/100km on fuel, going on what people are saying on nissanelgrand.com.au. That's a lot worse than the 11-12L/100km for the diesel. The highway figures I've found are 11L/100km for the VQ35DE and 10L/100km or even less for the diesel. A month ago diesel was cheaper than petrol but these days its looking like diesel may get more expensive again wish it were an easier comparison... I'm looking at the older diesel QD32ETI mainly due to the proven reliability (less chance of issues than ZD30, easier to fix if there is any) and much lower purchase cost. The ZD30 ones seem to start at $14-15K and there's major issues if not maintained properly (and with imports you just dont know). The VQ35DE in the elgrand would be the same as the maxima (170kw), not the 350Z (206kw). probably not a great difference parts-wise though. I think it is the same engine more or less, just detuned. I've owned 2 silvias and 3 stageas, so I'm used to imports. Just trying to work out pros and cons of whether it is the right car for me or whether I'm better to stick with the stagea. Definitely the elgrand wins on space and it has some cool features, but the stagea has been a great reliable car (just a bit squashy in the back seat with 2 baby seats).

Hi there, I currently have a stagea C34 and am toying with the idea of buying an elgrand E50. The petrol models seem a bit too thirsty so I've decided that a diesel is the only option. There are 2 diesels, the older 3.2L prior to 2000 and the 3.0L direct injection from 2000 onwards. The older one is more reliable, but not as economical (12L/100km city, 10L/100km highway). The newer one is better on fuel when running well (some have reported as low as 8.3L/100km on the highway), but it has more reliability issues due to the added complexity of the common-rail setup and also the EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) which can foul up the MAF sensor, causing overboosting. There's about $4000 difference between the sale price of each of these, although the older 3.2L generally have higher kms also, which might explain the lower price. Hard to tell which kms are genuine though. Its just such a confusing choice... Can anyone help with the costs of owning a diesel? I've heard they require more maintenance, are more expensive to service and repair, and are a lot more sensitive to fuel quality than petrol cars. Any engine failure in a diesel would seem to far outweigh the benefit of fuel economy. Can anyone help me with some good info either on elgrands cost of ownership or diesels and reliability in general? All the info I'm getting suggests I'd be better to stay with the stagea due to its known reliability and low service costs.

Most of what you said was true but I gotta say you can keep your "glorious" 5 speed auto gearbox. Its like this :- the VQ25DET is fantastic, but the laggy gearbox will keep you from really enjoying it. I've owned both C34 and M35 - am back in a S2 C34 now, and my summary is as follows: The ONE thing wrong with the M35 = drive-by-wire. I'm not sure if the drive-by-wire was the cause of the problem, but the gearbox was laggy as hell, and for me it really hurt the car. Yes, the M35 is newer, and better in almost every way, except that in a stock for stock comparison, the C34 auto & throttle is WAY more responsive. When I sold my M35 I stupidly bought a 2007 Ford wagon - what a heap of junk! After learning the hard way, I sold it after 3 weeks and returned to a stagea, but went for a C34 due to the lower price and lower running costs. Both cars are great to own and drive - the C34 is more responsive and more "raw" (I think you feel more connected with the car), while the M35 is more comfortable and more luxurious (while being actually faster and handling better). While on the topic of fuel economy, the difference between the two cars isn't that great: My M35 got ~12L/100km city & 9.5L/100km highway My C34 gets ~12.5L/100km city & 10.5L/100km highway The M35 has different gear/diff ratios which helps a lot on the highway (the extra gear does make sense here).

The stock turbo will probably be more responsive since its small and very light. Whilst your new turbo may get going only 300-500rpm higher in the revs, its right in the most-used range, so you're going to notice. However, once it starts to sing, there should be no comparison with the stock turbo - it should pull pretty hard although looking at the dyno graph the boost does fade pretty rapidly. While we're on the topic of boost controllers, I'll give another vote for the turbotech one off ebay, but as noted in earlier comments, probably not a good choice for high boost applications. The turbotech works well around 10-12psi, maybe a little more, but anything over say 14psi really needs a decent controller. Hope you get it sorted.

not sure the hundreds of people whose turbo has let go at 14psi would agree with you... Its not the ceramic that is the weak link, so I'm told, its the way it is held onto the shaft. Excess heat causes it to separate from the shaft, at which point it touches the housing and shatters. You may be right in that other ceramic turbines may be able to handle more boost, but please dont put misleading stuff up on here. Its been proven many, many times that the RB25 turbo will shatter at 14psi and therefore anything over 11-12psi is not safe for the turbo. While we're on the topic, I've had a turbotech manual boost controller before and I highly recommend them. I first bought one of the cheaper knock-offs on ebay and it was terrible. So I tried the turbotech and saw a 100% improvement. Which reminds me, I need to get me another one for my new stagea.

Just to follow up - you were quite correct. I got the dealer to replace the gasket and all is well now. Thanks

Hi, Just thought I'd start a new topic on this since the title on the previous one is misleading and i've ruled out the original suspects... The original post is here: http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/forums/topic/355797-s2-noise-under-bonnet-sounds-like-metal-tapping/ The car is a 2000 Stagea s2 auto - completely stock - including stock boost solenoid and turbo etc. Ok, so I've narrowed it down to somewhere left of the motor, can only hear it while driving the car - and only above 2500rpm, sometimes above 3000rpm if only light throttle. Above 3500rpm the sound is more constant, sounds almost like a cricket or cicada if that makes sense. from 2500 to 3500rpm its more like a tap-tap sound intermittently, cant say whether its metal on metal or some kind of rattle under the bonnet...I'd need it on a dyno to say exactly where its coming from since it only happens near max boost. It kind of also sounds a bit like fingernails on a blackboard. What I've ruled out: * Doesn't seem to be engine related - since it only happens under boost (revving it in neutral sounds very healthy)...and I gave it a full tank of 98 octane so I dont think its pinging or anything...also i'm pretty sure its coming from the left of the engine... * I dont think it can be internal to the turbo because it only happens under heavier boost which means the turbo is spinning pretty fast. If it was coming into contact with anything at this point it would be more like a loud screech, not a tap-tap or chipping sound. If fins were touching the housing then I'd expect it to screech. it would touch on every revolution which at several thousand rpm would sound like a continual sound, not intermittent. My current suggestions are: * is it possible the boost control solenoid is causing this noise? it only seems to happen near max boost...although nowhere near the 4500rpm mark where the solenoid usually activates. * maybe some vibration causing something to rattle? would loose manifold nuts cause a T-T-T intermittent sound that gets more regular and faster as the revs go up? The turbo is quite loud, but the whistle/whoosh sounds perfectly fine. * I'm thinking engine and turbo are probably fine, and that something may be loose and causing a rattle...is this likely/possible? would need to be something affected by boost/airflow. * something to do with the wastegate...could the wastegate be a bit noisy? This would explain it since its near max boost when it happens - right about when I'd expect it to open. what are your thoughts?

I dont have a guage, but there is no shudder under boost and going by the whoosh of the turbo its holding boost just fine. Everything I'm reading on the forums is pointing to the turbo blades possibly scraping on the inner wall. Will get them to check the turbo on monday for shaft play...and will take it easy until then. I could check it myself but if they see I've been playing around that could easily affect my warranty claim...so I'll not be touching anything.

hmmm, sorry, looks like I headed down the wrong path. On closer inspection, and after putting 50L of 98 RON fuel in, it seems like it may well be turbo related. The sound is actually coming from the passenger side of the motor, not the centre as I first thought. There is no issue when you rev the engine in neutral (although its not under load that way either), and also the sound is more like a short sharp chisel sound...but there's a slight chirp-kind of sound to it as well - which would have to be metal on metal by my way of thinking. My initial thoughts are the turbo fins _just_ scraping the side of the turbo?? Only happens near max boost, say 2500-3500rpm, and if I lift my foot a little it disappears, even if the revs are over 3000rpm. The turbo sound is pretty noticeable, but if I remember correctly this is normal for the RB25DET (NEO). There are no squeals or unusual whistles, just this chipping/chirping sound which turns into one long sound if I push it harder (actually, it almost sounds like crickets or cicadas at this point). Sorry if the description isn't very good - its the best I can think of right now. I took it back to the dealer and took them for a drive and they heard it but they were saying its just a squeak or rattle. In any case, they are going to get a mechanic to look at it on Monday (I have the car until then) and if its mechanical they said they would definitely cover it. They also said if there was a problem with the turbo it would make the sound all the time, not just on max boost...but I wasn't so sure on this. I thought if you have some shaft play the fins will start to scrape on the edge before it eventually lets go. Excuse my lack of knowledge if I'm way off track...

hmmm dont like the sound of that last bit. we dont have roadworthy certificates here in SA...but I assumed the main car mechanicals were all covered, at least so that the car is running as promised. I wont be pushing it - it drives fine unless I put my foot down a fair bit. I'm gonna put 98RON fuel in, then take to the dealer for them to have a look. I need to go there anyway to pick something up.

max torque is 3200rpm. boost starts ramping up around 1800rpm - its all factory. Taking it back today for them to have a look.

If it was the turbo the sound would be coming from closer to the passenger footwell. Also, turbo sounds are more like either a whistle, whine or a screeching noise. This sound is neither of those. This sound is definitely central and directly in front, so I'd say its pinging. It makes sense that it would ping under heavy load and not when cruising...nothing alarming there. If its going to ping at all, that is when it will do it. If fuel doesn't fix it, I will be taking it back asap.

Hi guys, Just bought a 2000 Nissan Stagea (106000kms, has just had major service - i have the papers etc) from a dealer and its in near-perfect condition inside and out, runs really smooth etc except for one thing. When the car is under heavy boost (over 50-60% throttle, 3500+rpm) it makes a metallic kind of sound that seems to be coming from directly in front. The turbo spools up ok, and the noise only starts near or past full boost so I dont think the turbo is the culprit. My first instinct was to suspect the turbo but the noise isn't coming from where the turbo is, it seems to come from the top of the engine. Something like T-T-TTT-T-T sort of noise. It only has a 1/4 tank of fuel left, and is a fresh import...so its probably been sitting in the yard for ages with next to no fuel in the tank...maybe pulling up crap off the bottom of the tank too?? I plan to put a full tank of 98 in and see if the problem goes away. If it doesn't, my guess is coilpacks, or spark plugs. Can I rule these out, based on what I've said above? The spark plugs should be new since its just complied. I always thought pinging would sound more like a rattle (like a chain rattling on metal), but I've also heard it described as ball bearings on tin...which is closer to what I'm hearing. I do have dealer 3 month warranty to fall back on...but if its just the fuel causing it then it isn't a warranty issue. What are your thoughts?

heh, exactly the same problem I had then. Glad its all sorted.

In my case it was the throttle getting stuck closed. Because the M35 is drive-by-wire, the ecu keeps the throttle open just enough at idle to regulate the right amount of air coming in...but in my case it was a bit sticky around the inside of the throttle body and it would get stuck in the closed position just long enough for it to stall. Might be worth checking that your throttle body is clean - you need to check the engine side (ie. not the intake side) - it may look clean when you take the rubber hose off but if you wiggle it you'll see black all the way around the outside etc... After this is done, then you may need to do the idle-air-learning thingy that was posted here. you'll know if you need to do it because your car will be idling higher... It should sit dead on 650rpm at idle if its running right...that's what mine did after I fixed this. It made such a huge difference and I was glad that I found it before shelling out hundreds to a mechanic...

Hi, would you consider a swap with a 2007 Falcon BF MkII wagon (silver, 138000kms) ? good luck with the sale.

hmmm, realistically, although this sounds negative, I've yet to hear of any modification you can do that will save you more in fuel costs than the modification itself costs...at least not within 2 years. EDIT: that is, unless your car has a problem which is causing the poor fuel economy. eg. replacing a stuffed O2 sensor will easily pay for itself... Even if you dropped your consumption by 2L/100km, which is a lot, you'd only save say 4-8L/week which still works out to less than $12 a week in savings...and I doubt you'll be able to drop your consumption by anywhere near 2L/100km for less than $600 or so. Having owned a s2 stagea for 2 years and a M35 for 2.3 years, I eventually gave up trying to do anything about the fuel usage, other than just adjusting your driving style or just plain driving less. A bigger turbo and exhaust will save on fuel (the turbo - due to being off-boost more) but the cost outweighs any financial benefit and the laggier turbo has its own share of frustration to go with it. Sorry I couldn't offer you a brighter perspective...but them's the facts. Work out where your priorities lie. If you want to keep the stagea, then cut down in other areas...but if you would prefer not to cut back on other luxuries (eating out etc) then maybe that's telling you the stagea has to go. Just trying to help Been through that decision so many times until eventually I gave in and sold the stagea. The mortgage always wins.

SOLD (didn't think it would last long at that price).