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I opened the back sunroof the other day while driving my 2 year old son back from daycare. He hadn't seen it before, and instantly pointed up to it and said "roof gone".

He also likes when I go a bit quicker around corners, he has recently started making a 'eerrcchh' sound when I do it, like squeeling tyres.

Not that my tyres squeel, I think he picked it up from me making the same noise to him when I do it.

A word of warning to do with kids and Stageas. Don't let them into the front seat, they LOVE pushing all the buttons, knobs and switches. Then when you start the car up, it's in 4WD, snow, the wipers are on full, the stereo up loud and the indicators going!

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I am 21 and i wanted a car with a little more go than my corolla,

i wanted something different that not everybody had, and also something that i wouldnt get raped by the insurance companies over.

Driving along Parramatta Rd, i have seen many stagea's before and have always had a liking for them, when i went to Autosalon final battle last year i saw a nice yellow S2 and actually took my first good look at a stagea and all of the benefits it had to offer. what finally persuaded me to buy one was that when i do eventually start a family, i wont have do get rid of my stagea because it is so practical.

After upgrading my car to the XR6t, Cathy got my old 96 EL Fairmont. While it was a good old bus, we spent over $4k on it last year just keeping it going. Combine this with the tailey rear end in the wet, and it has to go.

I keep up to date with most things related to cars, new models, street machines, exotics etc, and I had been thinking about what sort of car we should get Cathy to replace it.

Selection criteria were..... Be a performer, Be practical, look cool and be different.

We've got 2 kids, a girl of 12 and a little bloke of 5, and so being practical is important. My next door neighbour has a 32 GTR and I was chatting to him one day. His suggestion was to check out the Stagea. I did a fair bit of research (thanks to you guys :) ) and realised that the Stagea was just perfect!!.

This is going to be mainly Cathy's car, and she absolutely loves it! The kids love the sunroofs and the reclining rear seats, and Cathy thinks the way the turbo sounds is cool. I am looking forward to getting the suspension done soon, as I love rapid driving on good roads (under the right conditions of course).

Thanks for all your advice too, its been great. :)

Edited by Silverback

i wanted a car that wasnt old and crap

I wanted some quick but without cop attention (specially P plater action here in VIC)

I wanted something practical as i am a young bloke that likes to carry stuff

I wanted something that could tow, but wasnt a diesel torque monster (slow)

I wanted something unique/rare

I wanted something that i dont have to get rid of when i get married/family etc

Now my dilemma. I think i have found the perfect car for me....I dont think ill bring myself to sell it any time soon and I do want other cars. I think ill have to buy 2nd cars if i want other cars, keep this puppy for a long time. Maybe if i upgrade to an M35 or something when the prices come down a bit. I really do want an R32 GTR, but cant afford it yet without selling.

Let hope business goes up up up :)

pretty much all the reasons same as alex, mainly the point i dont have to sell it when i get kids, etc.

i did have a g/f and a dog when i bought it but i broke up with her and she took the dog too (another reason i got it was for the dog)

glad i dont have no dogs now haha, can thrash the shit out of it and dont have things flying around in the cargo area :P

was lookin at a r32 4 door or r33 4 door as an option but they only 2wd and i had the rb26 ready to go in from my previous vl calais so i was sick of smoking tyres off lights and being beaten by slower cars cause of no traction.

and they just look soo individual and different to every other cars and people sure do stare more than i ever expected.

oh also im turning 23 this year

cheers

Brad

Hi all....i havent yet got a stagea, still in the process of finding the one im in 'love with'. it has been very interesting to read your comments as i am a mum with 2 kids under 2! Im only 21 and still very much into performance cars and not into the usual commonwhores or falcons!

Can you tell me 3intheback..do the kids have much room with those 3 seats or is it a tight fit?

Thanks guys for this post it just makes me more inclined to get one as soon as!

Wildcat :P

had enuff of the attention my other imports has got me .. but refuse to buy a standard "family" car n as ive got a 8yo n a 2yr old plus a dobermann ...

i wanted something still different ,room for the kids and dog, something nice an modern inside, comfy for long drives, safe on the roads preferbly awd, must be turbo and not cop bait ... choice was simple =)

Hi Wildy,

I'm 3intheBack (Warren's) wife, and thought I'd reply since the Stag is "my" car (he has a company car).

We have 3 children, 3 1/4, 2 yesterday and a 16 week old, and we are able to fit three large car seats side by side, a Bertini (i.e. massive) pram and a mound of shopping in the back. I love the fact that I can slide the pram out of the rear without too much lifting, and the self-closing rear door is great as you don't wake the kids with a loud thump when closing it. :)

The kids like the car: Isabella (3) and Rohan (2) like to go "weeee, wooaah" when Daddy is driving around corners. Mummy doesn't drive like that...much. :)

All in all it's a great family car, and I would recommend it any day.

post-25601-1139520006.jpg

We bought the stagea yes because it's different and plus I'd always loved em..

Plus it's a better option than a commodore or a ford.

We've got two kids Aiden (6 yrs old) and Keely(16 months)

They both love the car especially for the entertainment value of the rear sunroof.

Works a treat every time.......

Best family car we could have ever picked...

I am 21 and i wanted a car with a little more go than my corolla,

i wanted something different that not everybody had, and also something that i wouldnt get raped by the insurance companies over.

Driving along Parramatta Rd, i have seen many stagea's before and have always had a liking for them, when i went to Autosalon final battle last year i saw a nice yellow S2 and actually took my first good look at a stagea and all of the benefits it had to offer. what finally persuaded me to buy one was that when i do eventually start a family, i wont have do get rid of my stagea because it is so practical.

No too far off my own story - I had an AE92 Corolla (still in the family, now my sister's car), and having loved Skylines for god-only-knows how long, I couldn't turn away from something Skyline-based, but a whole lot more practical and unique.

I'd seen a few Stageas in magazines, saw two at the SAU Show and Shine, and then took the opportunity to go and look at one more thoroughly in a yard on Parramatta Road, and my mind was made up! Luckily one of the ones I saw at the SnS was still for sale, so I went and checked it out and it was in my hands about 3 days later.

I'm soon to turn 32, and if it weren't for the age factor (of the car, not me...), I would probably have bought myself an R32 four-door. By the same token, the money factor meant I would have had to have borrowed some more money or wait and save a bit longer to buy an R34 four-door.

I don't have kids, so I didn't need a four-door car, but I've always preferred them as a better street-sleeper prospect, and the wagon is even better in this regard.

It has come in handy though, two trips to the airport (and another couple in a few weeks), carrying a desk, carrying stackable chairs for our NYE party, etc. We have a family dog (a pure border collie), but she hasn't been in my car yet. She sheds so much damned fur, though... She's due for a trip to the vet soon, so I'll see how she goes in it.

Cheers,

Nick T.

No too far off my own story - I had an AE92 Corolla (still in the family, now my sister's car), and having loved Skylines for god-only-knows how long, I couldn't turn away from something Skyline-based, but a whole lot more practical and unique. 

I'd seen a few Stageas in magazines, saw two at the SAU Show and Shine, and then took the opportunity to go and look at one more thoroughly in a yard on Parramatta Road, and my mind was made up!  Luckily one of the ones I saw at the SnS was still for sale, so I went and checked it out and it was in my hands about 3 days later.

I'm soon to turn 32, and if it weren't for the age factor (of the car, not me...), I would probably have bought myself an R32 four-door.  By the same token, the money factor meant I would have had to have borrowed some more money or wait and save a bit longer to buy an R34 four-door.

I don't have kids, so I didn't need a four-door car, but I've always preferred them as a better street-sleeper prospect, and the wagon is even better in this regard.

It has come in handy though, two trips to the airport (and another couple in a few weeks), carrying a desk, carrying stackable chairs for our NYE party, etc.  We have a family dog (a pure border collie), but she hasn't been in my car yet.  She sheds so much damned fur, though...  She's due for a trip to the vet soon, so I'll see how she goes in it.

Cheers,

Nick T.

4 doors (or even 5) are soo much more practical for carrying passengers/things thats for sure :D my initial choose was the 32 4 door also, but interior etc too old and out dated now, plus i wanted air bag/abs/everything workin perfectly like a brand new car, and the sleeper part is most important :P all my mates absolutely love the look of the the car and plenty of em want one but cant afford it, and i dont want them copying me anyway haha :D last thing is i wanted to be able to park it at shops without people wanting to steal/scratch it, and as long as they dont think its a sports/fast car then they most likely wont bother pinching it.

Edited by CruiseLiner

QUOTE(Cruiseliner)

and as long as they dont think its a sports/fast car then they most likely wont bother pinching it.

You'd better keep that bonnet shut, or it'll be gone in a flash!! :D

Edited by 3intheBack
QUOTE(Cruiseliner)

and as long as they dont think its a sports/fast car then they most likely wont bother pinching it.

You'd better keep that bonnet shut, or it'll be gone in a flash!! :D

haha i know, showing it at car shows, etc will mean people will get to know whats done to it, which im not sure if thats what i'd like.

theft would be a killer, as i cant insure it for what i've spent, thats for sure!

ive got a daily driver as well, so any dodgy areas and the stagea stays in my garage.

if it was a 32 gtr then people automatically think its quick (which it is), and theives dont want to steal volvo wagons over gtr's thats for sure :D

Exactly - I could have stretched my budget and gone for an R32 GT-R, but I want to be able to leave my car anywhere and everywhere with the minimum of worries.

Leaving a GT-R anywhere will either get it damaged or scratched, or stolen...

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