ras1983

have a look at http://www.fordxr5turbo.com/forum/. Lots of knowledgeable guys and girls over on that forum. XR5s and RSs are very reliable. Owners have not experienced any major fault except for one thing: the locking mechanism of the bonnet break every few years due to poort parts and design. Otherwise the cars (in stock form at least) are as reliable as cars get.

If you're after a daily, maybe consider an Aristo: http://www.carsales.com.au/private/details/toyota-aristo-1995-14126206?base=1216&vertical=Car&cr=5&eapi=2&__N=1246%201252%201247%201282%204294962861%204294954592%201216&num=15&silo=Stock&sort=%7ePrice Being a 2JZ, you'd be able to make it go very fast with few dollars. And it won't blow up in the process. EDIT: the above link is just meant to be an example of the car. I have no idea if that particular car is worth buying or not.

Tonks' suggestion is the probably the best and easiest so far.

I don't know how you got that from my post. Bnr32, bnr33, bnr34. And the gtst versions. It's not that hard.

It indeed would be better if it was bnr34, bnr32, ecr33, etc. Series (r32, r33, etc) is still too generic for people looking for a GTR as opposed to a GTS-t or vice versa, for example.

Have a look at this site: http://prices.maa.nsw.gov.au/ It shows you the CTPs from the six or so authorised insurers. I pay around $700ish p.a. for CTP from memory. With reg it's close to $1k all up. Bloody ridiculous.

Train horns are for chumps. Real mean use ship fog horns: On a more serious note, NSW isn't anywhere near as bad as Vic. Just stick to the speed limits and we won't have to pay voluntary taxes. Cruise control comes in very handy for this purpose.

And ask the members of SAU about any potential purchases. There are some very knowledgeable people on here, as evidenced by this thread.

Thanks for the clarification gents.

Yes I noticed that, and the fact it is a non v spec. But how many "low" km midnight purple r34s are there in the country?

Just saw this listing on carsales: http://www.carsales.com.au/dealer/details/nissan-skyline-1999-14206247?base=1216&vertical=Car&cr=0&eapi=2&__N=1216%204294680593%201246%201247%201252%201282%204294766190%204294963846%204294963593&num=15&silo=Stock&sort=Year Is it the same car as the one at the start of this thread? This car has 25,000kms.

Other than knowing how to change a tyre, knowing when steering balance/alignment needs to be redone, and checking the oil, I've got the mechanical knowledge of a chimp. So I've got no more valuable advice

At the risk of coming across like a grammar nazi, the correct word is "shuddering". If it is wheel alignment/balance-related then the shuddering will occur over a certain speed all the time. It won't be intermittent. So my money is on a part breaking/coming loose.

The side profile looks nice, but I'm not a fan of the front. I'd like to know whether the power of the electric motor and petrol motor can actually be added like that. It seems a lot of the websites are doing that with these new hybrid hypercars, but is that actually how it works? i.e. will the electric motor and petrol motor be providing power simultaneously or will it be a mutually exclusive setup?

He probably spends more time idling the engine while waiting for his mate than I do

How the heck did he get such good economy???

I'd recommend going with a manual car (mine was manual and it was definitely the right choice). The auto trannys are not the most reliable thing in stock form. A tranny cooling system does appear to help, but I don't know to what extent. Have a look at ozvr4.com and read through all the auto cars that have experienced problems for an idea on how many problems owners may face. Be aware though that the ratios on the manual cars are VERY short, which can make it annoying to drive because you'll be shifting gears very often e.g. you'll need to change to third before hitting 100kmh (that's right, second gear tops out somewhere around 90-95 kph). From memory, 5th gears sits around 3000rpm at 100kph, so the freeway fuel use isn't much better than what you'll get around town. And yes, they do drink (and it has to be 98 RON or they'll detonate I believe). You won't be getting better than 12L/100km around town. TT V6 + heavy wagon is never going to be a fuel efficient combination. If you can get a clean manual version then you'll be on a winner. They are a good car despite my comments above. They're quick, comfortable, handle well, are lots of fun and are a realy good compromise between practicality and performance.

I had a Legnum for a year. Nice car, but when it comes time to find even basic parts, it's very tough going. I came to the conclusion they're too unique a car and decided to sell it.

The driver should be made to drive around in a 300ZX as punishment.

And that's what I get for not using the search function.

Awesome

What about an MX5 or a hot hatch like a Renault Clio Sport?

Sounds good.

I've created a Google spreadsheet to record the restaurants mentioned. The spreadsheet can be found here: https://docs.google....QTNDMXFuRVhLZmc Login details are: Email: [email protected] Password: abirdinthehand Please make sure when you enter details to do so in a way that lets people filter and/or sort the details in the spreadsheet. Remember to log out when you're finished so others can edit the spreadsheet. I'm looking forward to trying out some of the recommendations from this thread Ray

I went to Hot Rocks in West Ryde with the GF but we found the place was shut and had its windows boarded up. A quick Google search revealed the place was heavily fire damaged in October 2012. Looks like it will be closed for some to come. I guess we'll have to head to the one in Bankstown to see what all the fuss is about - I don't see how it could be better than El Jannah (as good as, maybe; better? we'll see) but I'm looking forward to being proven wrong.