Jump to content
SAU Community

Recommended Posts

Hey everyone,

Well ITs been a LONG time since I decided I was serious about wanting an import. I couldn't do anything until I sold my first car (Subaru Liberty) so I sold that, which was about 3 months ago. I was looking at mainly R32's, R33's, S13's (although not preferable) and 180SX's, with the odd glance at Stagea's or a Toyota of some description. After MANY arguements with Dad about Turbo's he finally agreed to letting me own a 4cyl Turbo, and I found one.

Its a 1998 (according to ID Plate, 1995 according to rego???) 180SX. Its done 111,xxx km's and the only mods are the clear tail lights, 3inch cat back exhaust and coilovers. The guy gave me the stock tail lights incase I wanted to change them, but might leave it for now.

Overall its in good condition, there is a few chips that have been covered on the roof and a few small scratches, but only noticable if you're really looking. The drivers seat is slightly pushed in/squashed from getting in and out but the inteerior is in great condition also. It runs well and the gears are nice, but I wouldn't know much as it is my first.

I picked it up saturday morning and not driven manual for a good couple of weeks (been driving my sisters car around the block every now and then) I managed to stall it leaving the guys house :ermm:

But now I'm doing a lot better and a lot smoother.

Anyway I didn't tell ANY of my mates and since my two best mates were coming back from QLD that night, I ddecided to go pick them up in it, what a surprise haha!

So I've been driving it around all weekend, stupid idea was a bay run today. Insane traffic banked up. Getting used to it slowly.

Now with the year mix ups, I just got a mate to Nissan FAST it using the VIN, and it said it was made in 95/07. Why would the ID plate say 98 but the VIN from the same plate say its a 95

(which is what it is rego'd as). Very confusing, is there anything I can check to determine the year? Did they even make non type X models in 98? My original theory was they sold all the Type X bits and replaced them with standard parts, but thats obviously not right. Anyone know why it'd have 98 stamped in?

But anyway, it drives, so here's a few quick snaps from my phone over the weekend:

l_0dab85e0fd7b444a98a1c119569e29ed.jpg

l_86a19205e8744c439250ee4273f640a7.jpg

l_1d8c10e90be34222aab037f70236141f.jpg

l_c566aebe703749ae831f37b9bfef688e.jpg

l_7128cdd560194793b69e014cf28e6548.jpg

l_a5b5e0039d9d4b3ba3969e7ac8c39e95.jpg

l_83df839d324f406d95c9ff862f5d53af.jpg

I will post better pics when I take them (probably next weekend).

Thanks for looking! Tom.

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/239905-my-new-car/
Share on other sites

  • Replies 51
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Nice buy. I would personally be looking to replace them tail lights with a set of Type X rear tail lights :) what engine is it - CA or SR?

+1

get black drifteks on that and it will look king ,

let me know if you want to see what im talkin about ;)

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/239905-my-new-car/#findComment-4190377
Share on other sites

Wow quick replys.

Its a Blacktop SR20DET, Manual.

Pete, taken straight from the ad on carpoint: 'SR20 Black Top Motor, 3 Inch Exhaust System from the CAT Back, Coil Over Suspension, LED Tail Lights (Have original Tail Lights), Car Alarm / Immobiliser, Keyless Entry, CD / Mini Disk Player, Serviced & in good condition, RAA Checked & able to view report,

Complied December 2007'

So 98 can't be compliance date.

I won't be doing any mods for a while, or atleast until I build my bank account back up! I'll probably get a new head unit and the side window visors forst, then think about a Type X wing and tail lights and maybe a rear window spoiler. Rims, well I was thinking bronze/gold XD9's? But thats a long way off yet.

Interior pics will come later. Here's the one from carpoint:

4308188.jpg

Engine:

4209066.jpg

And Mitch care to share your pics?

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/239905-my-new-car/#findComment-4190405
Share on other sites

Yeah, XD9's aren't that expensive though mate. Just abit over $3,000 with tires. 18x8.5 and 18x9.5 with 35 offset would sit nice on that. Bit of dish etc. You wouldn't really need a kit on it, would look tough (and different) with the stock one on. That's all you would really need to do exterior wise. Keep it clean and keep it simple.

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/239905-my-new-car/#findComment-4190420
Share on other sites

yeah i like white 180's pretty much all 180's cept for champagne gold :)

if you want tinted windows and a better alarm ring Ric from Auto Perfection let him know Steve from Skylines Australia told you to go there

Don't get drift-teks, everyone has them. Wait for the AUS$ to strengthen and get some good Jap rims under yourself.

+1

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/239905-my-new-car/#findComment-4190421
Share on other sites

Thanks Steve, its actually got a Cyclops alarm, so its alright, will keep the tint in mind.

Unfortunately I gotta wait a while before I can spend any on it, as I did have to pay cash so my bank account is very low. Unlike most people my age, I have to pay for it myself.

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/239905-my-new-car/#findComment-4190431
Share on other sites

Thanks Steve, its actually got a Cyclops alarm, so its alright, will keep the tint in mind.

Unfortunately I gotta wait a while before I can spend any on it, as I did have to pay cash so my bank account is very low. Unlike most people my age, I have to pay for it myself.

Paid cash for mine when I imported it, was my first car and import, pay for all my mods cash too. You learn something new everyday about them. You've been on here long enough to know anyone here will help you when and if you need it. Just don't get yourself a girlfriend, work more, spendless and you'll have all the mods done before you know it.

How much you paying for insurance?

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/239905-my-new-car/#findComment-4190437
Share on other sites

Well since I'm a 17 year old male driving a turbo, comprehensive was something insane like $3k a year and I don't wanna know the excess.

So third party property, fire and theft is about $530 or something with an excess of about $1700 for an accident, and $1150 for fire and theft.

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/239905-my-new-car/#findComment-4190442
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now



  • Similar Content

  • Latest Posts

    • For DBA, check out their guide table here. https://dba.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Direct_Replacement-Guide-2021.2.pdf   Additionally they have some other guides and info on how to make sure you choose the right pad.
    • Sorry, just assumed that talk of coloured pads meant EBC red/green/yellow/shit stuff. I don't know the DBA pads, but it's a reasonable bet that they will be OK. DBA make good stuff generally. Those 4000 series rotors I linked to are very good. I may well replace the RDA rotors I have with those when required.
    • The average previous owner for these cars were basically S-chassis owners in the US. Teenagers or teenager-adjacent. I often tell people that neglect is easier to fix than something that was actively "repaired" by previous owners.
    • Update 3: Hi all It's been a while. Quite a lot of things happened in the meantime, among other things the car is (almost) back together and ready to be started again. Things that I fixed or changed: Full turbo removal, fitting back the OEM turbo oil hardlines. Had to do quite a bit of research and parts shopping to get every last piece that I need and make it work with the GT2860 turbos, but it does work and is not hard to do. Proves that the previous owner(s) just did not want to. While I was there I set the preload for the wastegates to 0,9bar to hopefully make it easier for the tuner to hit the 370hp I need for the legal inspections that will follow later on. Boost can always go up if necessary. Fitted a AN10 line from the catch can to the intake hose to make the catchcan and hopefully the cam covers a slight vacuum to have less restrictive oil returns from the head and not have mud build up as harshly in the lines and catch can. Removed the entire front interior just shy of the dashboard itself to clean up some of the absolutely horrendous wiring, (hopefully) fix the bumpy tacho and put in LED bulbs while I was there. Also put in bulbs where there was none before, like the airbag one. I also used that chance to remove the LED rpm gauge on the steering column, which was also wired in absolute horror show fashion. Moved the 4in1 Prosport gauge from sitting in front of the OEM oil pressure gauge to the center console vents, I used a 3D printed vent piece to hold that gauge there. The HKB steering wheel boss was likely on incorrectly as I sometimes noticed the indicator reset being uneven for left vs. right. In the meantime also installed an airbag delete resistor, as one should. Installed Cube Speed premium short shifter. Feels pretty nice, hope it'll work great too when I actually get to drive. Also put on a fancy Dragon Ball shift knob, cause why not. My buddy was kind enough to weld the rust hole in the back, it was basically rusted through in the lowermost corner of the passenger side trunk area where the wheel arch, trunk panel and rear quarter all meet. Obviously there is still a lot of crustiness in various areas but as long as it's not rusted out I'll just treat and isolate the corrosion and pretend it's not there. Also had to put down a new ground wire for the rear subframe as the original one was BARELY there. Probably a bit controversial depending on who you ask about this... but I ended up just covering the crack in the side of the engine block, the one above the oil feed, with JB Weld. I used a generous amount and roughed up the whole area with a Dremel before, so I hope this will hold the coolant where it should be for the foreseeable future. Did a cam cover gasket job as the half moons were a bit leaky, and there too one could see the people who worked on this car before me were absolute tools. The same half moons were probably used like 3 times without even cleaning the old RTV off. Dremeled out the inside of the flange where the turbine housing mates onto the exhaust manifolds so the diameter matches, as the OEM exhaust manifolds are even narrower than the turbine housings as we all know. Even if this doesn't do much, I had them out anyways, so can't harm. Ideally one would port-match both the turbo and the manifold to the gasket size but I really didn't feel up to disassembling the turbine housings. Wrapped turbo outlet dumps in heat wrap band. Will do the frontpipe again as well as now the oil leak which promted me to tear apart half the engine in the first place is hopefully fixed. Fitted an ATI super damper to get rid of the worn old harmonic balancer. Surely one of the easiest and most worth to do mods. But torquing that ARP bolt to spec was a bitch without being able to lock the flywheel. Did some minor adjustments in the ECU tables to change some things I didn't like, like the launch control that was ALWAYS active. Treated rusty spots and surface corrosion on places I could get to and on many spots under the car, not pretty or ideal but good enough for now. Removed the N1 rear spats and the carbon surrounding for the tailpipe to put them back on with new adhesive as the old one was lifting in many spots, not pretty. Took out the passenger rear lamp housing... what do you know. Amateur work screwed me again here as they were glued in hard and removing it took a lot of force, so I broke one of the housing bolts off. And when removing the adhesive from the chassis the paint came right off too. Thankfully all the damaged area won't be visible later, but whoever did the very limited bodywork on this car needs to have their limbs chopped off piece by piece.   Quite a list if I do say so myself, but a lot of time was spent just discovering new shit that is wrong with the car and finding a solution or parts to fix it. My last problem that I now have the headache of dealing with is that the exhaust studs on the turbo outlets are M10x1.25 threaded, but the previous owner already put on regular M10 nuts so the threads are... weird. I only found this out the hard way. So now I will just try if I can in any way fit the front pipe regardless, if not I'll have to redo the studs with the turbos installed. Lesson learned for the future: Redo ALL studs you put your hands on, especially if they are old and the previous owners were inept maniacs. Thanks for reading if you did, will update when the engine runs again. Hope nothing breaks or leaks and I can do a test drive.
×
×
  • Create New...