Wassup.
To begin... Those of you who know, know that I have a P11, for those that don't... here's a snap.
I bought it in December 2012 after getting rid of my K11 1.0L. At the time I felt I was spending too much on the K11 and that I needed a car that had already been built... and was a Primera. This was a long term dream of mine to own this car, and the chance arose...
By the way, this is quite a read considering it's supposed to be just a ton of pics. If you just wanna see them, scroll to the bottom... if you don't mind a bit of a read, carry on
However, that bit where I said "ready built" ... yeah this didn't end up been a no spends car. It had an engine that burnt oil, the most rotten road going P11 shell, 188k worth of worn suspension and components. Not a good remedy... But I stuck through.
At the beginning of this year, the car was at the garage for 5 months getting welded. I totaled everything I had spent on the car to just over £5,100... (incl act. purchase of £600)
But a week ago, the engine started to give up, the stem seals have gone, and the cam shafts had been removed out of my old engine which had seized. there was no cosmetic damage, however it was a risk I was willing to take (lopey idle... say no more)... sadly it didn't work out in my favour. And to top all this off, on a spirited drive as I changed from 4th to 3rd the outer drivers CV joint collapsed. Meaning a 20mph drive home with it feeling it was shaking itself to bits.
After all I had spent, all my efforts to get it all right, my blood sweat and tears for it to still go wrong I felt there was no hope for the car. But as I will never, ever get close to that back, and also due to how much the car means to me I decided to not sell, but to store... and to look for a new car.
I didn't want an old car again, I did not want a modified one. I wanted a car that did roughly what the Primera did, factory. I wanted a guarantee, I wanted a rust free shell, I wanted a ridiculous spec list meaning I didn't "need" to get anything for it. I feel I need a break from the tuning and modifying scene for a while, as the only car I wanted, and wanted to modify, failed me.
The only car that I felt (after test driving a lot of cars) was a worthy replacement was a Renault Sport Clio.
Now yes, yes indeed sirs, maddams. I have betrayed Jap for something in the car scene of today is un-welcome, a "joke", a bucketful of problems. But I enjoyed every second of the test drives, I feel they look incredible for a hatchback, they sound incredible. They scream young mans car, which is something the Primera does NOT.
However the one I test drove didn't quite tick all the boxes, it was the colour... I felt if I was going to spend this much money, I had to by the "perfect" example.
After much uhms, many hmmms and a lot of sums. I have this one to my name, and I am picking it up on Wednesday.
There we go. The only thing I am looking to change is the front seats. I was quite surprised to see the xenon headlights, the spoiler, the ROOF!!!! etc ticked, but not the seats. You are able to get Recaro front seats for these, I think after a few months when I have saved enough I will get them, just to finish it all off.
But look at it, look at the colour. Liquid yellow has become my new favourite colour.
I will miss the Primera after a while for sure, but I am in the peace of mind where I can go to see it whenever I want to as I have kept it, just it is going to be off the road for a very, very long time.
What do you think? that is if you're still awake ... hello? hello?
Thanks
John.
To begin... Those of you who know, know that I have a P11, for those that don't... here's a snap.
I bought it in December 2012 after getting rid of my K11 1.0L. At the time I felt I was spending too much on the K11 and that I needed a car that had already been built... and was a Primera. This was a long term dream of mine to own this car, and the chance arose...
By the way, this is quite a read considering it's supposed to be just a ton of pics. If you just wanna see them, scroll to the bottom... if you don't mind a bit of a read, carry on
However, that bit where I said "ready built" ... yeah this didn't end up been a no spends car. It had an engine that burnt oil, the most rotten road going P11 shell, 188k worth of worn suspension and components. Not a good remedy... But I stuck through.
At the beginning of this year, the car was at the garage for 5 months getting welded. I totaled everything I had spent on the car to just over £5,100... (incl act. purchase of £600)
But a week ago, the engine started to give up, the stem seals have gone, and the cam shafts had been removed out of my old engine which had seized. there was no cosmetic damage, however it was a risk I was willing to take (lopey idle... say no more)... sadly it didn't work out in my favour. And to top all this off, on a spirited drive as I changed from 4th to 3rd the outer drivers CV joint collapsed. Meaning a 20mph drive home with it feeling it was shaking itself to bits.
After all I had spent, all my efforts to get it all right, my blood sweat and tears for it to still go wrong I felt there was no hope for the car. But as I will never, ever get close to that back, and also due to how much the car means to me I decided to not sell, but to store... and to look for a new car.
I didn't want an old car again, I did not want a modified one. I wanted a car that did roughly what the Primera did, factory. I wanted a guarantee, I wanted a rust free shell, I wanted a ridiculous spec list meaning I didn't "need" to get anything for it. I feel I need a break from the tuning and modifying scene for a while, as the only car I wanted, and wanted to modify, failed me.
The only car that I felt (after test driving a lot of cars) was a worthy replacement was a Renault Sport Clio.
Now yes, yes indeed sirs, maddams. I have betrayed Jap for something in the car scene of today is un-welcome, a "joke", a bucketful of problems. But I enjoyed every second of the test drives, I feel they look incredible for a hatchback, they sound incredible. They scream young mans car, which is something the Primera does NOT.
However the one I test drove didn't quite tick all the boxes, it was the colour... I felt if I was going to spend this much money, I had to by the "perfect" example.
After much uhms, many hmmms and a lot of sums. I have this one to my name, and I am picking it up on Wednesday.
There we go. The only thing I am looking to change is the front seats. I was quite surprised to see the xenon headlights, the spoiler, the ROOF!!!! etc ticked, but not the seats. You are able to get Recaro front seats for these, I think after a few months when I have saved enough I will get them, just to finish it all off.
But look at it, look at the colour. Liquid yellow has become my new favourite colour.
I will miss the Primera after a while for sure, but I am in the peace of mind where I can go to see it whenever I want to as I have kept it, just it is going to be off the road for a very, very long time.
What do you think? that is if you're still awake ... hello? hello?
Thanks
John.
