Jump to content
SAU Community

Recommended Posts

Hi everyone, Been a while since looking at getting a stag but a baby came along and well finally back around to having a nice car haha.

Anyways i'm looking at buying a stag and am having trouble picking a model, i have a budget of around $23,000 and am trying to figure out what is best for the buck, I am looking mainly at getting an m35 but not sure which one, i Like the looks of the axis and that they are the "performance" of the 35's but for the price i am wondering would it be better to get a arx or 250trs and spend some money doing one up? The car is going to be used as a daily for a little while but will probably turn into a weekend/trips away car.

So yeah basically after what you would do with a $23000 budget to get a stag :)

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/340780-buying-a-stag/
Share on other sites

  • Replies 69
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

If youre spending 23 grand then the M35 would be the way to go for a daily practical car.

My money would be on the 3.5 litre N/A versions just to simplify maintenance. AWD if you can get it, naturally.....

Needs to be an auto for the misses, 3.5's are hard to find for that cash and well just hard to find lol, wanting to go through a dealer so get a warranty

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/340780-buying-a-stag/#findComment-5501184
Share on other sites

Even though the 3.5 N/A's aren't as fast as the 2.5 turbos (correct me if i'm wrong guys), but a 3.5 would be much easier on maintenance.

If you hate loud spooling, go the 3.5. But if you want power, 2.5 Turbo :)

I originally would have suggested the C34 260RS, but they are starting to look their age now.

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/340780-buying-a-stag/#findComment-5501189
Share on other sites

Even though the 3.5 N/A's aren't as fast as the 2.5 turbos (correct me if i'm wrong guys), but a 3.5 would be much easier on maintenance.

If you hate loud spooling, go the 3.5. But if you want power, 2.5 Turbo :D

I originally would have suggested the C34 260RS, but they are starting to look their age now.

+ 1 on all of that.

and if you want more power later just whack a turbo on it :banana:

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/340780-buying-a-stag/#findComment-5502019
Share on other sites

+ 1 on all of that.

and if you want more power later just whack a turbo OR 2 on it :P

Fixed :O

The 2.5 turbo is quicker from a rolling start due to having much more torque and is cheaper to get more greater power out of.

The 3.5 is quicker from a standing start and has much, much more in the way of off-the-shelf mods available for it.

You can only get the 3.5 from Northshore Prestige. Not that is should be a problem as they are a fantastic dealership.

Edited by iamhe77
Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/340780-buying-a-stag/#findComment-5502153
Share on other sites

All M35s are AWD even the late model ones.

If you can stretch the budget a few more thousand, that will get you into a late model M35 3.5L AWD auto. Give Northshore a call. No I dont work for them, they are the only sellers of the late model M35. Plus they sell immaculate cars.

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/340780-buying-a-stag/#findComment-5502157
Share on other sites

All M35s are AWD even the late model ones.
no i mean AWD Cam. i mean only M35s that can be complianced for australia are auto and AWD :O

:P Have you not checked out the PM35's that Northshore have in stock? All of the Axis models are RWD, the 350RX is AWD and obviously the ARX is AWD.

The 3.5L that was used for passing emissions was a RWD.

...or have I missed something in my semi-conscious state this morning?

Edited by iamhe77
Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/340780-buying-a-stag/#findComment-5502222
Share on other sites

SO much to reply to.... :whistling:

OK, as far as I know, I'm the only 3.5 on SAU atm. I have a PNM35, which means VQ35 AND AWD. A PM35 is the RWD version.

Yes, I did get my car from Northshore, and like many people, I would buy again from them. (like Ian I don't work for them, just a satisfied customer)

The 3.5 is much more city friendly- instant torque gets it off the line better, but the turbo is (ultimately) faster once it manages to spool up....

Although I haven't tried it out, my thoughts is that the performance gap (stock/stock) is not that much. Plus you get that awesome 3.5 warble sound! One of my friends said he thought it was a V8!!! :(

The 3.5 has a (much nicer :P ) interior, really just my opinion ( it is upgraded form the 1st series)

You can only get an auto, which isn't a problem, cause of the Mrs i guess.

As said previously, only the 350RX models meet SEVS.

The AXIS models are a mixed bag- they have a variety of gear on them, some with more options, some with less, they seem like a far more personalised car.

If your in Syd, or close by, get down to Northshore and check some out. My money would be on a PNM35. My Mrs is happy driving ours... :blush:

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/340780-buying-a-stag/#findComment-5502987
Share on other sites

wow i stand corrected! cool, RWD 3.5L stagea :whistling:

I took a PM35 RWD (Axis S) for a grive the other week. Goes nicely BUT, I love my turbo. No substitute for the torque it makes when on boost around the 3000-4000 RPM.

Cheers

Andy

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/340780-buying-a-stag/#findComment-5503000
Share on other sites

All of the Axis models are RWD, the 350RX is AWD and obviously the ARX is AWD

...or have I missed something in my semi-conscious state this morning?

+1 for semi conscious :whistling:

AXIS come in both AWD and RWD (RWD has been imported in far more numbers so far)

350RX come in both AWD and RWD

ARX are AWD.

The AWD system changed series one to series two, from a hydraulic system to an electromagnetic clutch system. I'm finding other differences as we go!!!

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/340780-buying-a-stag/#findComment-5503011
Share on other sites

Context?

I was referring to the stock that Northshore have currently.

Sorry, I see it now :P

They do have a white AWD AXIS there at the moment on the website.

Anyway, back to the point, with a budget of 23k, I guess it depends on the type of person you are. If you can leave it stock and not want to do things to it, a PM35/PNM35 would be great.

If you want to tinker,not afraid to be different and know that you'll want to change things/modify etc, a 250RX/RS would be the go. If you want one with everything that opens and shuts - burger with the lot- its an AR-X.

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/340780-buying-a-stag/#findComment-5503123
Share on other sites

+1 for semi conscious :P

The AWD system changed series one to series two, from a hydraulic system to an electromagnetic clutch system. I'm finding other differences as we go!!!

That may explain why my 2006 S2 M35 250RX FOUR doesn't have a fluid reservoir behind the storage locker in the boot of the drivers side. I wondered where it might be now. With an electromagnetic clutch, I guess that makes it redundant?

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/340780-buying-a-stag/#findComment-5503225
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

    • As discussed in the previous post, the bushes in the 110 needed replacing. I took this opportunity to replace the castor bushes, the front lower control arm, lower the car and get the alignment dialled in with new tyres. I took it down to Alignment Motorsports on the GC to get this work done and also get more out of the Shockworks as I felt like I wasn't getting the full use out of them.  To cut a very long story short, it ended up being the case the passenger side castor arm wouldn't accept the brand new bush as the sleeve had worn badly enough to the point you could push the new bush in by hand and completely through. Trying a pair of TRD bushes didn't fix the issue either (I had originally gone with Hardrace bushes). We needed to urgently source another castor arm, and thankfully this was sourced and the guys at the shop worked on my car until 7pm on a Saturday to get everything done. The car rides a lot nicer now with the suspension dialled in properly. Lowered the car a little as well to suit the lower profile front tyres, and just bring the car down generally. Eternally thankful for the guys down at the shop to get the car sorted, we both pulled big favours from our contacts to get it done on the Saturday.  Also plugged in the new Stedi foglights into the S15, and even from a quick test in the garage I'm keen to see how they look out on the road. I had some concerns about the length of the LED body and whether it'd fit in the foglight housing but it's fine.  I've got a small window coming up next month where I'll likely get a little paint work done on the 110 to remove the rear wing, add a boot wing and roof wing, get the side skirt fixed up and colour match the little panel on the tail lights so that I can install some badges that I've kept in storage. I'm also tempted to put in a new pair of headlights on the 110.  Until then, here's some more pictures from Easter this year. 
    • I would put a fuel pressure gauge between the filter and the fuel rail, see if it's maintaining good fuel pressure at idle going up to the point when it stalls. Do you see any strange behavior in commanded fuel leading up to the point when it stalls? You might have to start going through the service manual and doing a long list of sensor tests if it's not the fuel system for whatever reason.
    • Hi,  Just joined the forum so I could share my "fix" of this problem. Might be of use to someone. Had the same hunting at idle issue on my V36 with VQ35HR engine after swapping the engine because the original one got overheated.  While changing the engine I made the mistake of cleaning the throttle bodies and tried all the tricks i could find to do a throttle relearn with no luck. Gave in and took it to a shop and they couldn't sort it. Then took it to my local Nissan dealership and they couldn't get it to idle properly. They said I'd need to replace the throttle bodies and the ecu probably costing more than the car is worth. So I had the idea of replacing the carbon I cleaned out with a thin layer of super glue and it's back to normal idle now. Bit rough but saved the car from the wreckers 🤣
    • After my last update, I went ahead with cleaning and restoring the entire fuel system. This included removing the tank and cleaning it with the Beyond Balistics solution, power washing it multiple times, drying it thoroughly, rinsing with IPA, drying again with heat gun and compressed air. Also, cleaning out the lines, fuel rail, and replacing the fuel pump with an OEM-style one. During the cleaning process, I replaced several hoses - including the breather hose on the fuel tank, which turned out to be the cause of the earlier fuel leak. This is what the old fuel filter looked like: Fuel tank before cleaning: Dirty Fuel Tank.mp4   Fuel tank after cleaning (some staining remains): Clean Fuel Tank.mp4 Both the OEM 270cc and new DeatschWerks 550cc injectors were cleaned professionally by a shop. Before reassembling everything, I tested the fuel flow by running the pump output into a container at the fuel filter location - flow looked good. I then fitted the new fuel filter and reassembled the rest of the system. Fuel Flow Test.mp4 Test 1 - 550cc injectors Ran the new fuel pump with its supplied diagonal strainer (different from OEM’s flat strainer) and my 550cc injectors using the same resized-injector map I had successfully used before. At first, it idled roughly and stalled when I applied throttle. Checked the spark plugs and found that they were fouled with carbon (likely from the earlier overly rich running when the injectors were clogged). After cleaning the plugs, the car started fine. However, it would only idle for 30–60 seconds before stalling, and while driving it would feel like a “fuel cut” after a few seconds - though it wouldn’t fully stall. Test 2 – Strainer swap Suspecting the diagonal strainer might not be reaching the tank bottom, I swapped it for the original flat strainer and filled the tank with ~45L of fuel. The issue persisted exactly the same. Test 3 – OEM injectors To eliminate tuning variables, I reinstalled the OEM 270cc injectors and reverted to the original map. Cleaned the spark plugs again just in-case. The stalling and “fuel cut” still remained.   At this stage, I suspect an intermittent power or connection fault at the fuel pump hanger, caused during the cleaning process. This has led me to look into getting Frenchy’s fuel hanger and replacing the unit entirely. TL;DR: Cleaned and restored the fuel system (tank, lines, rail, pump). Tested 550cc injectors with the same resized-injector map as before, but the car stalls at idle and experiences what feels like “fuel cut” after a few seconds of driving. Swapped back to OEM injectors with original map to rule out tuning, but the issue persists. Now suspecting an intermittent power or connection fault at the fuel pump hanger, possibly cause by the cleaning process.  
×
×
  • Create New...