From Myvi to A31 - advices?

[orangeparadox]

Okay, I'm a newbie here, all along I was just lurking around without saying anything. So here's my story.

I had owned a myvi (standard, no modifications) since '06, and now that my bank loans are all settled (finally!), I have been thinking of buying a car I really want. Thoughts of owning a cefiro had been going on in my mind since forever, and before my car drops any more in value, I need to get rid of it.

I had never driven an RB-powered cefiro before, though I had been behind the wheel of various cars, from W123 benz to nissan terranos. The only modded cars I had driven before is a 4 throttle SEG, a b16a civic EX (i think? old car) and a GSR satria. To me the A31 is (at least it looks) like a monster compared to what I had driven before.

I have friends that are not so encouraging (even my girlfriend, sigh), telling me it's totally dumb to switch to an old junk car with high maintenance. But no, I still want a cefiro. Call me immature or anything, I don't care about the cost of maintenance, roadtax, etc., (okay, of course I care, but hey....). There's something about the A31 that catches my eye.

Been looking through everywhere, an A31's (RB20/RB25) price ranges from RM22k-30k, stock is cheaper, from RM15k onwards. Hands are so itchy.

So, that's my story. Question: is it better to get one that is already tuned and modded, or buy a standard car and look for halfcuts? I just think it's such a hassle to go through endorsing the engine and stuff, not to mention the costs of the finished product might burn a big hole in my wallet. But I'm totally ready for sacrificing my piggy bank for the cause, so... thanks in advance for any inputs and advices.

 

[hachiroku clan]

first of all, if you love a car, then buy it!
buying a car that you don't prefer will only make your face turn sour when u see a cefiro on the road.
if you love it, you'll most probably do almost anything to keep your car well-maintained, up and running..

So when it comes to modding, it feels more satisfying if you mod it on your own. trust me, the 'hassle' you think of now will really be worth every cent when you feel the improvements done to your car step by step.
And also, you get to know about the car even more in the process..
Well thats what i think, if you wanna buy and drive/drift, its totally up to you..

just one thing: how many RB-powered cefiro owners will NOT push their cars to the limits before they are selling it to you? its the risk you have to take if you plan to take this route.

 

[shawnzz]

How much u make per month? can u afford the monthly maintenance and breakdowns? since its a old car... If u can, go ahead. Like an old proverb. Don't wear a big hat if your head is not that big.

 

[orangeparadox]

@hachiroku clan - Thanks for replying. You do have a point there, modding it step by step. As you said it, the love for a car.... Not many people could understand that, lol... I am all into it, since it won't be a car that I would drive daily (I have a shit car I use for work), maintenance and fuel would not be a big issue. True, if I bought a used RB-powered one, chances are it has already been pushed all the way. At last, encouraging words... I appreciate it.

@shawnzz - Let's not discuss about that, lol (off-topic yo). All I can say is I already own the hat, but did not wear it.

 

[hachiroku clan]

@hachiroku clan - Thanks for replying. You do have a point there, modding it step by step. As you said it, the love for a car.... Not many people could understand that, lol... I am all into it, since it won't be a car that I would drive daily (I have a shit car I use for work), maintenance and fuel would not be a big issue. True, if I bought a used RB-powered one, chances are it has already been pushed all the way. At last, encouraging words... I appreciate it.

@shawnzz - Let's not discuss about that, lol (off-topic yo). All I can say is I already own the hat, but did not wear it.

no problem bro.. good luck in your purchase and/or modding!

 

[SkYwAlKeR]

good luck in your fuel consumption... it will be twice or even thrice more fuel consuming compare to your myvi...

 

[chteo]

to me main thing is the chassis, as long as the chassis has not gone through any accidents the rest are replaceable...

bought my A32 knowing the engine is leaking very badly, but heck the body and other parts are in good condition. tukar engine problem solved.
some of my friends are not so lucky with used car dealer units, one of them had problems coming one after another when he got the car...but as long as you're patient with the issues and budget for the fixes, there shall be no worry.

i'm happy driving an old junk that still gives me a comfort ride everytime i drive it, especially long distances!

do more research in terms of parts pricing and labour costs and start budgeting... go for it!

 

[Izso]

Just prepare a relatively large sum of money to refurbish your purchase cuz 9/10 Cefiros will need some fixing on the coolant lines and in some really unlucky cases, probably a drive shaft change. And that's for the stock Cefiros. Going for those RB-ed ones will need more checking since like what hachiroku said - it's probably been thrashed a lot. Oh and for stock forget the 2.0's. Drives like a tank and handles like a boat.

Oh btw, do up the interior nicely and the gf will not complain anymore seeing how comfy the car is.

 

[stormlcc]

i'm a previous owner of the A31, now upgraded to E30 coupe 1jz vvti. the first thing u need to think about is your budget. due to the demand for these kind of cars, the market price for modded ones are sky high nowadays. if u only have a limited amount of budget, i'd suggest u save more money until more than enough (RM25k cash is the minimum) to buy the car and do the transplant, or else u'll just be wasting money maintaining a stock car with insurance and road tax. if u r planning to just buy a complete car already transplanted engine, u might need a bit more for maintenance, 5k at least. that means around RM30k. if u have another daily car, doing the transplant yourself is the best choice because u'll know the ins and outs of the process, experience is vital.

if u plan to transplant engine yourself, take your time to find a good stock chassis with minimum rust. do NOTHING on the engine first, fix everything on the chassis and body shell, especially check the roof (if got bubbles then it's rusted), it's the easiest place to get rust, 8/10 ceffys got rust on the roof. if u can find a cheap good stock car, buy it first, then start searching for (at least a) RB25det halfcuts in Klang, it's the most affordable place for a halfcut. I won't advice u to get the RB20det because u'll be wasting your time and money on mods just to keep up with a stock RB25det. nowadays RB25det is selling between RM4.5k - 6k depending on version (the newer the more expensive). so the price of the transplant including everything (jpj approval also) is around RM10k. a tip to save u a lot of money, use back the stock rear brakes of the ceffy (if the car still have stock brakes), don't use the twin pots from the skyline. it won't make a big difference and it'll save u A LOT of money on brake pads because stock pads are only RM60-70 per pair whereas those skyline twin pots will cost around RM120-180 per pair.

if u have more budget (which i doubt, no offense) the RB26dett is FANTASTIC, but the halfcut alone will cost you 8k not including the FR gearbox which is a must because the standard RB26 gb is 4wd, and can't be used in the ceffy.

after the transplant, keep it stock first (exhaust system of course must do first, or else the exhaust gas can't escape quick enough and your engine will vibrate like hell until all the screws also loose). drive it for a while to make sure there are no problems and the engine is healthy enough. change all the rubber hosts (radiator etc) first, then u can start doing other mods like plugging in a standalone ECU and big front mount intercooler with higher boost (1 bar). 300whp is easy to reach with these mods

u need not worry if the engine is healthy. RB engines are very durable, almost bulletproof so it's a very good car to drive. if u want a set of good adjustable absorbers, go find GAB main dealer located at Kepong (if i remember correctly), i've been using my set for 6 years, it's one of the toughest absorbers that u can find. but before u install these absorbers, make sure the car has full set of strut bars.

 

[Wilson13B]

i'm a previous owner of the A31, now upgraded to E30 coupe 1jz vvti. the first thing u need to think about is your budget. due to the demand for these kind of cars, the market price for modded ones are sky high nowadays. if u only have a limited amount of budget, i'd suggest u save more money until more than enough (RM25k cash is the minimum) to buy the car and do the transplant, or else u'll just be wasting money maintaining a stock car with insurance and road tax. if u r planning to just buy a complete car already transplanted engine, u might need a bit more for maintenance, 5k at least. that means around RM30k. if u have another daily car, doing the transplant yourself is the best choice because u'll know the ins and outs of the process, experience is vital.

if u plan to transplant engine yourself, take your time to find a good stock chassis with minimum rust. do NOTHING on the engine first, fix everything on the chassis and body shell, especially check the roof (if got bubbles then it's rusted), it's the easiest place to get rust, 8/10 ceffys got rust on the roof. if u can find a cheap good stock car, buy it first, then start searching for (at least a) RB25det halfcuts in Klang, it's the most affordable place for a halfcut. I won't advice u to get the RB20det because u'll be wasting your time and money on mods just to keep up with a stock RB25det. nowadays RB25det is selling between RM4.5k - 6k depending on version (the newer the more expensive). so the price of the transplant including everything (jpj approval also) is around RM10k. a tip to save u a lot of money, use back the stock rear brakes of the ceffy (if the car still have stock brakes), don't use the twin pots from the skyline. it won't make a big difference and it'll save u A LOT of money on brake pads because stock pads are only RM60-70 per pair whereas those skyline twin pots will cost around RM120-180 per pair.

if u have more budget (which i doubt, no offense) the RB26dett is FANTASTIC, but the halfcut alone will cost you 8k not including the FR gearbox which is a must because the standard RB26 gb is 4wd, and can't be used in the ceffy.

after the transplant, keep it stock first (exhaust system of course must do first, or else the exhaust gas can't escape quick enough and your engine will vibrate like hell until all the screws also loose). drive it for a while to make sure there are no problems and the engine is healthy enough. change all the rubber hosts (radiator etc) first, then u can start doing other mods like plugging in a standalone ECU and big front mount intercooler with higher boost (1 bar). 300whp is easy to reach with these mods

u need not worry if the engine is healthy. RB engines are very durable, almost bulletproof so it's a very good car to drive. if u want a set of good adjustable absorbers, go find GAB main dealer located at Kepong (if i remember correctly), i've been using my set for 6 years, it's one of the toughest absorbers that u can find. but before u install these absorbers, make sure the car has full set of strut bars.

This is true =)

Just to share , a friend of mine transplant a RB25DET Neo "single turbo" into a BMW E46 body , then upgrade the turbo to a bigger unit,the Garett T88 accompany with other fueling and management .... with stock internals he get close to 500WHP "495 to be exact" .... heard from him,the halfcut is from a Skyline R34 GTT which cost 5K include 4-pot front caliper and 2-pot rear .... the mods cost another 5K which totalled up to 10K to achieve this kind of power .... been driven his E46 before and it was total mind blowing acceleration,there is wheel spin even with DSC turned on and 275 rear tyre ~

Just an advice, switching from a FWD car to a RWD car will need technique to control the car,RWD "especially those modded high powered one" are hard to control when full throttle ....

Anyway happy modding =)

 

[stormlcc]

This is true =)

Just to share , a friend of mine transplant a RB25DET Neo "single turbo" into a BMW E46 body , then upgrade the turbo to a bigger unit,the Garett T88 accompany with other fueling and management .... with stock internals he get close to 500WHP "495 to be exact" .... heard from him,the halfcut is from a Skyline R34 GTT which cost 5K include 4-pot front caliper and 2-pot rear .... the mods cost another 5K which totalled up to 10K to achieve this kind of power .... been driven his E46 before and it was total mind blowing acceleration,there is wheel spin even with DSC turned on and 275 rear tyre ~

Just an advice, switching from a FWD car to a RWD car will need technique to control the car,RWD "especially those modded high powered one" are hard to control when full throttle ....

Anyway happy modding =)

5k for an R34 gtt halfcut? thanks CHEAP man! how long ago was it? nowadays even R33 also selling 5.5k

 

[Wilson13B]

5k for an R34 gtt halfcut? thanks CHEAP man! how long ago was it? nowadays even R33 also selling 5.5k

If i was not mistaken , it was 1-2 yrs ago ~ plus the halfcut shop is own by his Cousin .... normally skyline halfcut are not include it's brakes .etc as they can sell it separately for higher price .... but he get's this halfcuts with brakes , rear LSD diff as a combo .... but the rear LSD Diff was no use as it was unsuitable for the E46 body.... his halfcut is with Autobox,maybe this is cheaper =)

Or another cheaper choice is to use Toyota 1JZ-GTE have more budget can go for VVTi if even more budget got for 2JZ .... Heard from tuner,Toyota JZ engine are more reliable then Nissan RB , it can take more punishment from unsuitable tuning "AFR too lean" .etc and are more mod friendly =)

 

[stormlcc]

If i was not mistaken , it was 1-2 yrs ago ~ plus the halfcut shop is own by his Cousin .... normally skyline halfcut are not include it's brakes .etc as they can sell it separately for higher price .... but he get's this halfcuts with brakes , rear LSD diff as a combo .... but the rear LSD Diff was no use as it was unsuitable for the E46 body.... his halfcut is with Autobox,maybe this is cheaper =)

Or another cheaper choice is to use Toyota 1JZ-GTE have more budget can go for VVTi if even more budget got for 2JZ .... Heard from tuner,Toyota JZ engine are more reliable then Nissan RB , it can take more punishment from unsuitable tuning "AFR too lean" .etc and are more mod friendly =)

this is totally untrue. some modders only specialize in toyota engines, not much in Nissan, that's why they say that. I've know both sides and both sides also say the same, LOL.