M35 300rx upgrade to 350rx/arx four 350?

[darksould43]

So I have a 300rx, starting to need work done to it, boot needs motor, needs window controls and bushes in front suspension to be done , not too fussed about that, it's done 224,000k's still runs fine. Also has a nice aero kit on it with fog lights 

There are 4 options currently on trademe

The first is an arx four, done 160'000 and that's 4500

An arx four also, 120,000k's, 18" wheels, overall nicer condition and 5500 

An rx350 awd around 90'000k's and its 6500 

Or lastly the axis autech, done 214000ks but still looks nice for 7700

 

Note I don't really do off roading other than on the beach and what not or taking dirt bikes to the park and the rx300 never got stuck, but have had a couple close calls and I'd probably lower the arx4, not a lot but I do like the body kit on them and that's why I'm looking at them, the axis autech I'm not too fussed but the interior looks awesome or should I go for a rwd350

And I don't. Need a new car right now, the power is enough in the 3l it is a 2001 while all the others are 2005/6 hence the nicer interior 

[Hopper]

Are you on Facebook? I haven't listed mine on tradme yet...2001, 250t, 200k, stock but heaps of receipts. Fresh WOF & rego, brand new tyres.

[KiwiRS4T]

I wouldn't be too keen to buy one with 220,000km. A lot of those seem to need new timing chains which could cost $2k...don't know why - maybe no maintenance.

[MrStabby]

4 hours ago, KiwiRS4T said:

I wouldn't be too keen to buy one with 220,000km. A lot of those seem to need new timing chains which could cost $2k...don't know why - maybe no maintenance.

Yeah probably oil changes are the difference. Timing chain motors seem to be tougher on oil than others. I've found Valvoline Synpower 5W-40 was ready for changing at 5500km, but Mobil 1 0W-40 has been ok for continued use at 8800kms.

[Hertz Donut]

We sent our 2005 350RX Four with 127K on the odo, modded suspension, brakes and trans to Turners about 6 months ago for $3,000. We could have got more for it if we'd sold privately but we didn't want the hassle of dealing with munters.

We still have an '04 350RX Four (we had two at one point) and it's done us fine going up muddy goat tracks in the hills of Hawkes Bay no trouble at all. It loves a good gravel run too.

They're awesome wagons but they can be found cheap as chips because few people know about them and can't see past Subarus for AWD wagons.  I'd say just find the best condition one with moderate kms on the odo and you'll be fine for a number of years.

[darksould43]

1 hour ago, Hertz Donut said:

We sent our 2005 350RX Four with 127K on the odo, modded suspension, brakes and trans to Turners about 6 months ago for $3,000. We could have got more for it if we'd sold privately but we didn't want the hassle of dealing with munters.

We still have an '04 350RX Four (we had two at one point) and it's done us fine going up muddy goat tracks in the hills of Hawkes Bay no trouble at all. It loves a good gravel run too.

They're awesome wagons but they can be found cheap as chips because few people know about them and can't see past Subarus for AWD wagons.  I'd say just find the best condition one with moderate kms on the odo and you'll be fine for a number of years.

Very interesting, I'm actually in hastings, probably seen you driving around, and they are cheap as anything, what was the arx like? Because I'll be looking at one then doing the suspension and putting new sway bars on it, and I do prefer the body kit over the rx350, but what is the rx350 four like? My 300rx is good but really wanting awd more

[Hertz Donut]

Both ours are/were 350RX Fours, they're great for long-distance and general load-lugging, excellent grip even on mediocre tyres. We bought the '05 because I was doing runs to and from Wellington every week and we needed a backup car as our old Commodore (RIP) wasn't reliable enough any more. It may still be around Napier/Hastings, it's black and lowered on some fake 17in Work Euroline DHs, plate is JSN***.

It handled quite differently to our 100% stock '04, much flatter cornering and the trans was more...decisive on shifts. Only reason we sold it is the '04 is in better interior condition, although the kids are doing their best to change that.

Can't speak for the ARX, sorry, but they're essentially a jacked up 350RX Four with a body kit so they'll be much the same. You'll find a whole lot more aftermarket parts for the VQ35 than you can for your current VQ30 though.

[darksould43]

58 minutes ago, Hertz Donut said:

Both ours are/were 350RX Fours, they're great for long-distance and general load-lugging, excellent grip even on mediocre tyres. We bought the '05 because I was doing runs to and from Wellington every week and we needed a backup car as our old Commodore (RIP) wasn't reliable enough any more. It may still be around Napier/Hastings, it's black and lowered on some fake 17in Work Euroline DHs, plate is JSN***.

It handled quite differently to our 100% stock '04, much flatter cornering and the trans was more...decisive on shifts. Only reason we sold it is the '04 is in better interior condition, although the kids are doing their best to change that.

Can't speak for the ARX, sorry, but they're essentially a jacked up 350RX Four with a body kit so they'll be much the same. You'll find a whole lot more aftermarket parts for the VQ35 than you can for your current VQ30 though.

Yeah I've seen that wagon a few times, and it sounds like when it comes to it I'll definitely choose between a 350rx four or the arx350, and can you remember what was done to the transmission by any chance because that is once of my problems about the stagea

[darksould43]

3 hours ago, Hertz Donut said:

Both ours are/were 350RX Fours, they're great for long-distance and general load-lugging, excellent grip even on mediocre tyres. We bought the '05 because I was doing runs to and from Wellington every week and we needed a backup car as our old Commodore (RIP) wasn't reliable enough any more. It may still be around Napier/Hastings, it's black and lowered on some fake 17in Work Euroline DHs, plate is JSN***.

It handled quite differently to our 100% stock '04, much flatter cornering and the trans was more...decisive on shifts. Only reason we sold it is the '04 is in better interior condition, although the kids are doing their best to change that.

Can't speak for the ARX, sorry, but they're essentially a jacked up 350RX Four with a body kit so they'll be much the same. You'll find a whole lot more aftermarket parts for the VQ35 than you can for your current VQ30 though.

Yeah I've seen that wagon a few times, and it sounds like when it comes to it I'll definitely choose between a 350rx four or the arx350, and can you remember what was done to the transmission I'm guessing the transgo shift kit? 

[Hertz Donut]

Not sure really, the guy who brought it into the country was a mechanic and worked on it himself but there was one other owner between us so I didn't get the chance to ask him. It may have been as simple as different trans fluid (which isn't always a good idea) but there was a definite difference between the two cars. Whatever he did to it was just enough to take the soft edges off the stock vehicle while still keeping it comfortable. A decent set of wheels and tyres and it would have been great fun

I was flat out last year so I never had the time to crawl under it and have a good look at what had been changed. All I can say is the springs were red, so probably just a set of Cobras although I'd like to pretend they were Nismo.  

Edited January 9, 2019 by Hertz Donut