Max Headroom

My turn to reply now . . . . There are too many variables to determine how the wagon on TM will perform and handle, but there\'s negligible difference between the sedan and the wagon in terms of weight and handling in stock form. I have owned a facelift BF GT wagon for about five years, and it now has a rebuilt engine, manual conversion, Bilsteins, and a bunch of other stuff. I reckon it\'s the automotive equivalent of a Swiss army knife. I drive it weekends and evenings mainly, and use it to do anything from minor errands to towing a trailer, carting dogs, picking up motorcycle bits, and generally going battle with traffic. I have the factory cross-bars for the roof-racks too, and have used them on occasions for bulky stuff such as ladders etc. But apart from the practical aspects, it is HUGE fun to drive! Since finishing the engine & gearbox swap in June last year, my wagon has done 11,000km including a trip to Wanganui at Xmas. My wife was rather negative about the wagon initially, and thought I was wasting my time and our money doing the upgrade, but after the trip to Wanganui she is now quite enthusiastic. She and I both have the use of company vehicles, but prefer to use the BF. As long as the body is structurally sound, the mechanicals can be upgraded endlessly by retro-fitting bits off later models. You can dial the car in to suit your own preferences and priorities. Not everything will necessarily fit, so do some research through the forums and in the trade to find out what works best. Like any older vehicle purchase though, your biggest concerns should be condition and previous history, such as maintenance, prior accident damage, dodgy modifications, workmanship etc. From there, within reason, the main limits are your imagination and your wallet . . . .

FWIW, we had an early H6 Lancaster, and it was excellent. Bought it with 200,000km and sold it with 310,000km six months ago. No problems with the drivetrain other than a self-induced h/g leak after my wife inadvertently overheated it. The radiator had developed a sudden leak and she hadn't been watching the temp gauge . . . I pulled the heads off myself and had them hardness-tested and planed, and had the valves and valve-seats re-faced. While I was in there I replaced the camchains and tensioners, as well as the valve stem seals. The interesting thing was that there was no appreciable wear, and it appeared that with regular servicing the engine would easily crack 500,000km+ without raising a sweat. I was impressed.

I recently got 21,000km out of a pair of Proxes4 on the front of my BF GT. Very disappointed. I felt that they weren't as direct-feeling as the T1R I previously had on the car, and didn't feel as secure on wet roads either. Ironically, I now have a pair of Nankang NS2 on the front just for giggles, and strangely they seem to suit the car better IMHO. I used to be a brand snob, preferring Michelin and Pirelli but in all honesty I've been pleasantly surprised by the NS2. Having just said that, I'm aware that 90% of those reading this will no doubt roll their eyes . . . 8) Thinking out load, I wonder if the tread compound varies much according to tyre diameter. I'm running 16" rims on my car, whereas I notice that many are running 17" & 18" rims. Could be a consideration.

Reminds me of a classic interview with an aussie guy by the name of Pete Geoghegan, who had just had a DNF at Bathurst some years ago. A reporter asked him what happened and Pete replied "electrical trouble." The reporter continued to quiz him, and he said in a dry tone, "yeah, the engine threw a conrod, and it knocked the alternator off!"

Thunda (CS poster) had a genuine NZ new Gen 1 RS wagon for sale earlier this year. It was an Aussie market refugee from memory, but sold here new somehow with Legacy badging, not Liberty. IIRC, the LHD reccie wagon used by Possum Bourne was also originally an RS.

. . . and another here. My daily driver . . .

Happens with many manufacturers, particularly at the moment with sluggish sales. Slightly different issue, but Chrysler USA were heavily fined several years ago when it was revealed that their senior executives would drive a car on dealer plates for as much as 30,000km before being valeted back to new condition and supplied to a dealer with a zeroed speedo.

It might sound weird, but if the heater matrix is blocked, it can cause the thermostat to stay closed and give the symptoms of HG problems. Happened to me. Easy way to check is to place a hand on each end of the radiator next time it overheats. If the thermostat is still closed, the radiator will be cold at the thermostat end and hot at the other. Either replace the heater matrix (big job) or fit a bypass hose between the heater hoses to allow the coolant to circulate around the heater matrix. It's worth checking, could save you a lot of grief and expense . . .

One of the options I suggested was along those lines. Another was to take the Type Euro bumpers off, place them in specially constructed cases lined with velvet & silk, and store them in a bank vault . . .

And today, I was told that the spoiler on top of the tailgate has a replacement figure of $7,500. I realise that some people will like the kit and some won't. That's not really the issue. Instead, given that the Type Euro is a factory production model, I'm staggered that by comparison a Rolls Royce front bumper would probably be cheaper . . . I've been chatting to the insurance guy about a solution, and we think we may have found an option which will keep everyone happy in the event of a claim. Thanks to all for the comments & suggestions.

A family member recently bought a 2002 Impreza Type Euro. It's a 2 litre non-turbo with AWD and tiptronic. Neat little gadget. Had a chat to the insurance company when we bought it and mentioned the unique bumpers, so they asked if I could find out the replacement cost. Visited my tame local dealer this morning and after checking the VIN he promptly fell off his seat. Front bumper: $13,888 + GST Rear bumper: $7,132 + GST For that money, I'd expect a free, all expenses paid holiday in Japan to collect them as part of the deal. At least they come pre-painted, but still, the insurance guy isn't going to be happy . . . We haven't damaged the car yet, nor do we intend to. I'm looking at removing the Type Euro bumpers and fitting s/h standard bumpers just to avoid potential tears if some touch-parking is indulged in. Makes the Blitzen stuff look like a bargain by comparison . . .

Make sure you get a receipt proving that you've purchased the personalised plates, with your name and the seller's name clearly shown. Take the receipt with you when you transfer them onto your vehicle. The plates will then be logged in the LTSA system as belonging to you.

Shale, if you've got rusty crap in the cooling system, it's possible that the radiator core is partially blocked. I had that problem with my GT last year. It overheated after any distance, or while towing, or climbing big hills and would puke coolant out of the overflow. I suspected headgaskets, but we took a systematic approach and checked everything. The similar clue to your car was rusty crud. We replaced the waterpump 'cos it was an unknown quantity. The thermostat and radiator cap were also replaced for peace of mind. We also ran some cooling system cleaner through a few times to dislodge the crud. The radiator got a proper flush but the problem remained, and we realised that the radiator was still blocked with crud because it was hot at one end but cold at the other. We finally fitted another radiator which was known to be good, and the problem was solved. The car has since done 30,000km with no further temp issues or water loss, and the needle firmly remains a smidgen below mid-way on the gauge.

Agreed. Although I have a PA door, I don't have any windows in the shed at all, just ten skylight panels in the roof. Fact is, if someone is determined to get in, they will get in regardless of alarms or padlocks. Best to have both, along with an alert dog with a loud bark . . .

I had a shed built for me five years ago. It's 9m x 18m x 3m, with three roller doors and an over-width 1.2m wide pedestrian door (so i can get my bikes in and out without opening a roller door). Cost including earthworks, concrete floor and wiring (incl 3-phase) was $40k although prices have probably risen since. I used Letts Buildings in Mt Maunganui. Recommended. The fuel pump is just for effect. Got it cheap off TradeMe: The workshop end: I picked up some cheap racking from a demolition yard which transformed my storage arrangements: