Hello (and a question) from another Newbie

  • Thread starter Thread starter Paveway
  • Start date Start date
P

Paveway

Guest
Hi Folks. I joined the Forum yesterday and my application to join the club along with my PayPal payment has also just been sent off (good old e-mail).

There's something very appealing about the fact that the Almera GTi appears to be a bit of a hidden gem, overlooked by all except you lot. I've always enjoyed driving something a bit different and they seem to fit the bill very nicely to me.

Now I know this is cheeky, but can I start with a question please?

Yesterday I looked at a May 1998 car for sale by a dealer which I really want to buy, but despite appearing excellent (one owner, full service history, loads of receipts etc), it had a pronounced knocking which increased with revs from inside the cam cover towards the rear of the engine. It continued even after the engine was warm.

The dealer said he wasn't mechanically minded (to him it's only a cheap part-ex he wants to get rid of) and his mechanic reckoned it was probably a hydraulic tappet that had stuck which he would look at next week. It did sound like that, but I don't want to buy a load of expensive trouble (a worn cam lobe or something) , so I left him my number to let me know when it was fixed.

Now to confess, I only really got interested in buying one of the cars yesterday when I found a few for sale on the web. They seem stylish and a bargain for what they are. I've been aware of them for years of course (I remember the 1990s ads with the "Bulls*itters" from the Comic Strip advertising them - excellent) but I'd never considered buying one until now, so I really know nothing about the engines.

Any advice about whether to run a mile or not worry about it would be greatly appreciated, so thanks in advance.

Incidentally, I'm also a member of another car club (and do some of the work for the club magazine as well as being a moderator on their web Forum) so I appreciate that you get fed up with non-members getting all the benefits of the club via the web without paying anything towards it. That's why I've paid my membership of the AOC before posting anything on here.

Good grief, sorry, what a load of waffle to start with! Thanks again for any help.

Joe.
 
hiya mate and welcome to the AOC. yeh most people like how they are a bit rare and such good value for money.
as for the engine noise i dont know my self but surly somone must be able to tell you. i know the engines are normaly strong and rarley go wrong but they can be a bit loud.
 
The engines are also pretty popular throughout nissans car range, as they were fitted to sunnys, almeras, primeras, sentrs (american) and even the Nissan Pulsar GTiR (uses same bassic engine but with tubo conponnets. Prices for parts can also be pretty cheap if you scout around. Theres a lot for sale on ebay at the moment, thers a nice blue one which is going. If your really intrested in getting one then have a scout around on the website, there should be loads of stuff if u use the search bar at the top.


Welcome to the site mate, hope you get as much use out of it as I have.
 
Thanks folks. I posted the same question yesterday in the 'Problems...' section (added onto someone else's post entitled 'Tappets') as I'm now a member, so please ignore that one.

The dealer selling the car had it looked at today and the mechanic found one of the cam carriers had come loose (apparently - a really odd thing to happen if you ask me, but who knows). Anyhow, it's supposedly now been sorted so if it still seems okay this weekend, I may be a member AND an owner shortly.

No doubt lots more questions will follow.

Thanks again.

Joe.
 
Fellow Almera GTi owners...!

Yes, I've made a purchase. I should get the car on Thursday next week. It is this one from eBay although I didn't buy it from the auction:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4637333687&rd=1&sspagename=STRK:MEWA:IT&rd=1

It seemed to run well from my test drive (I did about five miles I think, it got nicely warm) and the engine seemed willing, quiet and revved well.

There were a few things that didn't seem quite right to me and I'd welcome any thoughts about them. The a/c was not very cold (not that I really care much about that), the brakes weren't quite as good as I expected, the clutch bites quite high up (is this normal though at 91000 miles?) and it did seem a little hesitant in the 30mph limits (a bit "juddery").

However, it's due for a service which I hope may improve the low speed running (I'll do this myself) and the dealer is putting it through the MoT before I collect it so hopefully any brake problems will be highlighted.

It's also getting a new windscreen (see the eBay advert) and comes with 3 months major parts warranty. I've just noticed it says two owners on eBay and one on the Autotrader but 1 or 2 is okay be me. I've seen all the service history and that seems fine.

Roll on next week (although I fully expect someone to tell me you all know this particular car and I shouldn't have bought it - eek!)

Cheers,

Joe.
 
FAir play my friend.

I'm a firm believer in the ALMERA GTi is just stupidly good VALUE for money. My friend got a GOLF GTI at the same kinda time as me and he's had no end of problems with it- which is weird though as his car has held more value even though my almera is a lot FASTER and a shed load more reliable! Not had any problems in all the years and 70000 miles I've shared with it!

How queer... :D
 
i saw it on ebay but thought the buy it now price was a bit high due to te crack in the window didnt read the artical though.
nice full kit phase 1 mate hope you enjoy it
 
Thanks very much folks. I'm paying him the asking price (£1895) which was how I got all the bits done and the warranty etc. It is a bit high compared to the 'What Car' guide but it still seems good value to me. Any problems with the MoT he'll have to sort out before I get it so that shouldn't be too much of a worry.

The front splitter is rather battered (speed humps?) and would probably be better off replaced rather than patched up. Are these still available and if so are they expensive?

Cheers,

Joe.
 
Congrats on the purchase. I think the Almera GTi is a great car for the money they go for now.

Hope you get as much trouble free motoring from yours as I have from mine.
 
Well I've got it home at last today. :D It certainly drove nicely and I'm looking forward to many happy years with it.

The dealer had to put on new rear brake lines (copper rather than steel), new front discs and pads for the MoT, as well as the new screen. He seemed happy enough having had to do that lot, but it must have cost him a fair bit.
He seems a decent chap. (GCS of Thrapston, Northants.)

The clutch does seem to bite right at the top which may be normal, or am I in for a new clutch shortly? There's also quite a bit of rust underneath too. Nothing that looks serious but I'd better get cracking with some treatment on that pretty sharpish before it gets any worse.

It's had a new wing on the front passenger side sometime. My eagle eyed mate Mick spotted that from the eBay pictures but only mentioned it to me tonight. The paint is just slightly mismatched and there's a slight run by the wing to door panel gap or I wouldn't have spotted it at all.

Anyhow, regardless of that lot, I'm well pleased with my purchase.

Incidentally, as club members, are we at the stage of flashing headlamps when seeing another GTi yet, or will that be a few years from now? I must be up with the correct Almera etiquette from now on! :lol:

Cheers,

Joe.
 
Welcome along Joe.

The engine will feel a bit twitchy at low speed, this is normal. They much prefer 6000rpm to 2000rpm....

Have a look on ebay for a front splitter. Dealer is a no no.

The clutch may be a tad old now, but may still have 12months + left so dont worry to much mate.

Happy motoring!
 
Thanks very much indeed. Is the splitter actually no longer available from Nissan at all, or no longer available from Nissan without a second mortgage? :)

Cheers,

Joe.
 
Paveway said:
Thanks very much indeed. Is the splitter actually no longer available from Nissan at all, or no longer available from Nissan without a second mortgage? :)

Cheers,

Joe.
Click to expand...

Sometimes your lucky and find one at a dealer.... But someone on here does good cheaper copies.

Ian.
 
i always give a flash or a thumbs up to a GTi and normaly any almera i think is being driven by somone intrested in them.
glad you like the car mate as for the clutch its only cable and can be adjusted quite easyily so you may be able to get it better than it is
 
nice looking car mate again dont worry about the clutch mine has had a stiffclutch for a year now (cable old) but its still fine to drive just made my left leg a bit bigger. haha

as rowdy said the car is far better when you get past 4500rpm then you will see why we love it.

glad to have 1 more happy member hope she serves you well
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom