Hello From The Uk - Any Advice Welcome!

[Hum@nzee]

Hi from Birmingham England - I've been reading the forum for a week or so with great interest as I've just picked up my 1996 Stagea RS Four V (got the electric boot lid lock and the pillar speakers - blown! - used the info on the forum to identify it). It sounds like the car is rare in Australia - definitely rare over here - so any advice to a newbie Stagea owner would be welcome. I've got a few questions already if anyone could help me out:

1 what happens if you take the plastic wind deflector things off because mine are cracked and coming adrift - wind noise? Leaky windows? (It rains a lot here!)

2 can I get new ones if I need to replace them - I'll never find them over here.

3 thinking about getting bigger rims - 17s or 18s if poss. - I'm no mechanic and just want an easy fit so perhaps 17s would be better?

4 is my RB25DET motor the same as those in the Skyline GTS - because I'd like to upgrade the induction and exhaust sometime soon (I guess the exhaust will be a different shape but there are loads of places here that will make exhausts to fit) - but at leased some mechanics will be able to help me out if I tell them its basically a long, heavy GTS.

5 is there any benefit to fitting a dump valve on an automatic - I'm not after neck braking performance gains but I understand that a good valve will prolong the life of the turbo.

6 don't laugh but where exactly is the turbo? I know it’s between the air box and the intake but I can't see it!

Finally - sorry for asking dumb questions - go easy on me and thanks in advance from the other side!

Edited April 2, 2006 by Hum@nzee

[mike40sydney]

Hi from Birmingham England - I've been reading the forum for a week or so with great interest as I've just picked up my 1996 Stagea RS Four V (got the electric boot lid lock and the pillar speakers - blown! - used the info on the forum to identify it). It sounds like the car is rare in Australia - definitely rare over here - so any advice to a newbie Stagea owner would be welcome. I've got a few questions already if anyone could help me out:

1 what happens if you take the plastic wind deflector things off because mine are cracked and coming adrift - wind noise? Leaky windows? (It rains a lot here!)

2 can I get new ones if I need to replace them - I'll never find them over here.

3 thinking about getting bigger rims - 17s or 18s if poss. - I'm no mechanic and just want an easy fit so perhaps 17s would be better?

4 is my RB25DET motor the same as those in the Skyline GTS - because I'd like to upgrade the induction and exhaust sometime soon (I guess the exhaust will be a different shape but there are loads of places here that will make exhausts to fit) - but at leased some mechanics will be able to help me out if I tell them its basically a long, heavy GTS.

5 is there any benefit to fitting a dump valve on an automatic - I'm not after neck braking performance gains but I understand that a good valve will prolong the life of the turbo.

6 don't laugh but where exactly is the turbo? I know it’s between the air box and the intake but I can't see it!

Finally - sorry for asking dumb questions - go easy on me and thanks in advance from the other side!

firstly welcome to the forum im sure the guys here will be pleased to help you out i havent purchaced one yet but people have been more than helpfull on most of my enquiries.the rs4 v is fairly common import here . regards mike ......

[AlexCim]

Its not a fairly common import here, it just happens that everyone on this Stagea forum is a Stagea owner...

1. Not sure, but ive seen ones with them of an they were fine

2. Nissans your best bet, but get ready for a heart attack. We havnt worked out what we are going to do about it here either.

3. Either are fine, one guy here has 19's and they sit fine. Id get 17's just for the ride, but 18's are a definatly better fit

4. The exhaust from the cat (including) forward is the same as an R33 GTST. Catback will need custom/from japan

5. There is no real benefit of an aftermarket BOV until you are running mega boost and it leaks. Nothing is proven yet about prolonging turbo life, but why would nissan put one there stock if it didnt do anything?

6. The turbo is down the passenger side of the engine. It is under an L shaped heat sheild. To see the turbo you need to remove that sheild.

[sy300]

Wow, Stageas are slowly taking over the world.

They are a little bit more common over here in NZ than Oz or the UK by the sounds of things.

the previous thread pretty much answers all your questions, as for the wheels, I recently replaced my factory 16's with a set of 18's.

I didn't notice any change in ride quality, but the better tyres definately improved the cornering response.

Happy motoring.

[EGA41T]

i have 18" x 9" wheels on my stagea...fits without any worries

[66yostagea]

Hi from Birmingham England - I've been reading the forum for a week or so with great interest as I've just picked up my 1996 Stagea RS Four V (got the electric boot lid lock and the pillar speakers - blown! - used the info on the forum to identify it). It sounds like the car is rare in Australia - definitely rare over here - so any advice to a newbie Stagea owner would be welcome. I've got a few questions already if anyone could help me out:

1 what happens if you take the plastic wind deflector things off because mine are cracked and coming adrift - wind noise? Leaky windows? (It rains a lot here!)

2 can I get new ones if I need to replace them - I'll never find them over here.

3 thinking about getting bigger rims - 17s or 18s if poss. - I'm no mechanic and just want an easy fit so perhaps 17s would be better?

4 is my RB25DET motor the same as those in the Skyline GTS - because I'd like to upgrade the induction and exhaust sometime soon (I guess the exhaust will be a different shape but there are loads of places here that will make exhausts to fit) - but at leased some mechanics will be able to help me out if I tell them its basically a long, heavy GTS.

5 is there any benefit to fitting a dump valve on an automatic - I'm not after neck braking performance gains but I understand that a good valve will prolong the life of the turbo.

6 don't laugh but where exactly is the turbo? I know it’s between the air box and the intake but I can't see it!

Finally - sorry for asking dumb questions - go easy on me and thanks in advance from the other side!

im from woolverhampton, been here since 1947. questions arenot dumb. everyone needs to seek some help because there are no english manuals.(books that is) ive had my 96 rs4 for nearly a month and it is only thru the forum that i have found answers tomy queeries. ENJOY..

[66yostagea]

i have 18" x 9" wheels on my stagea...fits without any worries

that is seriously nice. is it registered yet?

[-FUZZY-]

3. Either are fine, one guy here has 19's and they sit fine. Id get 17's just for the ride, but 18's are a definatly better fit

That they do ... and l was surprised at how comfortable the ride actually was with them. In retrospect l'd prolly go 20's now ... hell enough interest on my 19's and l'd sell them for 20's tomorrow!!

[Tangles]

Im using, like Alex, the standard Nissan R34 GTT 17inch 6-spoke wheels.

They fit without a problem, and provide a suitable look and a nice ride.

Well done on your UK purchase - enjoy the salt winter roads!!

[EGA41T]

that is seriously nice. is it registered yet?

yep sure is...much to my enjoyment

[Hum@nzee]

Thanks to all of you for the responses - I love those big rims - definitely added 18 or 19 inchers to my list. I've only been driving it for 4 days but the steering and throttle response puts a huge grin on my face every time! The engine seems as sweet as a nut and apart from the wish list already mentioned my to do list is purely cosmetic. I mentioned the wind deflectors and I'm considering taking them off as they are cracked and coming away from the body - if anyone knows if there will be problems with keeping them off then that would be good to know. Also the place I got it from converted the speedo by adding a gizmo on the back of the dial that slows the needle down. They then added an 'MPH' label over the KPH, and splodged glue around the face too. Legal but crap looking! I was wondering if the instrument pod was also the same as that in the saloon GTS or GTR - or if you knew of any replacement parts or dial faces available. The other thing is the tint film on the back window is scratched like its been cleaned with an abrasive cloth - so I was thinking of getting someone out to re-tint the tail gate - again if anyone else has had this done or thinks its a bad idea for some reason then let me know. Thanks again and please keep the advice coming!

Edited April 4, 2006 by Hum@nzee

[Ska]

Welcome to your new AdDiCtIoN!