Well, safe and sound back in Invercargill 1300km later. As for the car, well Im very happy with it.
Pleasant surprises: ~ 3 point rear centre belt ~ Radio has tape player too so tape adapter works ~ Air conditioning is like a commercial freezer, works a charm ~ Spare wheel is a matching 15" alloy ~ Cleanest looking SR20 I've ever seen, under the oil cap looks brand new but has 208000km on it.
Other surprises: ~ Scratching on rear window from damaged wiper blade ~ Drivers door hinge has small amount of wear. ~ Diff has a faint whine, perhaps I should have anticipated this when he said he hadn't changed the gearbox oil in the time he owned it (9 years). Hopefully will quieten up with some new oil. ~ Air filter was black and dirty, so I replaced it before setting off.
Otherwise the car was exactly as advertised and the seller was great to deal with and very accommodating.
The drive back was fantastic, the west coast road has got everything going for it: Fun drive with plenty of twisty bits, roads in pretty good nick, little traffic, world class scenery and I didnt see a single cop. Only downside is it is a bit longer than the main line, and if you dont think forwards with regards to fuel then you may end up paying nearly $2.60 per litre!
As for a quick summary of the Primera, It has a fantastic factory suspension setup, totally didn't expect it to be so good. Firm but comfortable once I got the seat adjusted to suit me. Stuck well around corners and even substantial bumps mid corner didn't throw it off course. On really rough surfaces the multi-link beam rear axle felt a little jiggly. Engine torque band was pancake flat, felt like it pulled the same from 2000 right to redline. The engine doesn't feel grunty, acceleration is nothing to rave about but it holds speed very well on the hills, better than the Sentra can, but the Sentra will accelerate better. Road noise is what you would expect from a mid size Japanese car - noticeable but not annoying.
geedubu,
Apr 26, 11:54am
I have done it twice, based on info in the listing and a conversation with the owner.There are decent people in NZ and on trademe and both worked out very well (and they were bargains)I guess there is a risk in it but trust in decent fellow kiwis has worked out well for me so far.
kimini,
Apr 29, 1:18am
Morrisman1 glad to hear you got a goody, enjoy :)
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