I know many won't see this as particularly retro, and I suppose it isn't, but it is 16 years old this year so it deserves to be entering retro status at some point.
I do a long commute every day to and from work (130 miles each day), and I bought my diesel 2005 Jaguar X-Type in the summer to help with the cost of the drive. It's a great car, doing everything well. It's perfect for the job it does, and I love it. I also have a 1997 Porsche Boxster for some weekend smiles. Fantastic car. But when the right Primera, at the right price, in the right location became available, I just had to go and have a look.
There's something about the Primeras for me. I spent 8 years working next door to the main factory at Sunderland, making Primera (and some Almera/Micra) front seats. I've loved the touring cars since the days when the Primeras were winning it, so subconsciously I guess, I've always been open to the possibility of buying a good GTSE or GTLE saloon. The rare 100 saloons of each, made to celebrate those BTCC wins.
This particular car has a personal link to me too. I posted in the 'Spotted section' on the NPOC a couple of times when I saw it a few years back in South Shields. In early October last year, the lady I have bought it from, the lovely Jen, got in touch with me via pm on NPOC when she decided to sell, as she had seen my old posts in the spotted section. My advice to her was to pay the small fee for membership, and advertise it on there, which she did. A few weeks passed, it hadn't sold, she let me know that she needed it moved on and it was in danger of being scrapped. My interest increased, especially when my Audi Coupe sold, and I went to look at it. Well, when I saw it on her drive, I'd just about made up my mind. The test drive showed up no obvious major issues, and we shook on it.
So, the car. It's a 1999 (24/09/99) GT LE saloon in Nordic Blue. Only 2 owners from new, with the first being a doctor in Bradford who had it for four years, and then Jen who had it for 11 years from 2003. It's low mileage (only 73K), and has a good documented history to back up the low miles. Starts healthily, ticks over very smoothly, and pulls well. It does have some things I need to sort (well, it is a 15 year old Primera!). The front wings are shot and need replacing. The only advisory on the September MOT was inner and outer sills, so there may be some welding to be done. That doesn't worry me, as I'll just get done what needs doing. The original Enkei wheels need a major refurb too, but it'll be done. After all, this is one of only 100 GTLE saloons, and it's rare.
There's another little personal link with this car to me. I worked for eight years making Primera front seats, and I will have had my hands on these front cushions when they were being made, as it was only me and three other guys who stopped back on overtime and made these limited edition full leathers.
Get a cuppa - there's lots of pics!!!
On the day I collected it from Jen. Hmmmm, I wonder why that Mini parked close? Liked the colour maybe?..
Not so good stuff. Front wings...
Scuffed wing mirror
To be fair, it's pretty scuff free. The wheels are in a shocking state though...
the tyres are budgets, but quite new. I'll probably replace them when they get refurbed.
Original head unit has the usual invisible display..
Split stitching on drivers seat....
SR20 in need of a clean...
Missing winder cap....
rusty scab on the roof...
Added shrubbery in the door rubbers...
Tatty door pillar vinyls
Gungy boot shut
and gungy filler flap
So, onwards with the initial improvements. The car was covered in some sort of tar or tree sap...
felt like sandpaper...
it was all over the skyward facing panels, and the car felt like sandpaper the first time I washed it. Jen said the tree sap in her street made her partner park his Porsche away from home, so I'm wondering if it was that sort of stuff. So out came the clay bar, and after only ONE panel, this is how it looked....
So wash, clay, dry off and polish...
out for a couple of initial clean pics...
Engine bay cleaned down a bit...
these rusty grille meshes...
now painted black and looking much better..
B pillars de-vinylled, and looking less tatty...
This was the very same car parked next to my old red wagon about three and a half years ago (it was on a private plate then)....
Previosu owners old plates...
replaced with smarter new ones...
the pic below isn't the best, but it gives an idea what a lovely colour this is in certain lights, like late afternoon sun. There's a greenish tinge that comes out sometimes....
Fuel filler flap now cleaned..
Gungy boot shuts now de-gunged...
Missing winder cap sourced and replaced...
So, here are the things to do list/plans:
Initial clean, clay bar and polish - done
Grille mesh painted - done
B Pillars de-vinyled - done
Engine bay cleaned - done
Strut brace painted - done
New number plates - fitted
Head unit to change - got new one, needs fitting
Wiper blades to be replaced with aeros - done
Seat winder cap replaced - done
Boot shuts to be cleaned - done 26/12
Fuel Filler flap to be cleaned - done 26/12
Wheels to be refurbed
Possible respray/blow over
Check rad support and sills for rot
Front wings to be replaced and painted
Headlight bulbs to be replaced with Nightbreaker Unlimiteds
Front fog lights to look at as not working
Front repeater bulbs to be swapped out for chromed
Rubber mat to be found for cubby hole
Wind deflectors to be fitted
Drivers seat to be repaired/re-trimmed
Ebay manifold to be fitted
Full stainless exhaust system to be fitted
As you can see, no major modifying on the list. My plan is to keep it looking as factory GTLE as I can, even keeping the tango rear and side repeaters, whilst doing little cosmetic improvements and helping the engine breath better with the exhaust.
I don't expect too many comments, but that's fine. Thanks for looking.
I do a long commute every day to and from work (130 miles each day), and I bought my diesel 2005 Jaguar X-Type in the summer to help with the cost of the drive. It's a great car, doing everything well. It's perfect for the job it does, and I love it. I also have a 1997 Porsche Boxster for some weekend smiles. Fantastic car. But when the right Primera, at the right price, in the right location became available, I just had to go and have a look.
There's something about the Primeras for me. I spent 8 years working next door to the main factory at Sunderland, making Primera (and some Almera/Micra) front seats. I've loved the touring cars since the days when the Primeras were winning it, so subconsciously I guess, I've always been open to the possibility of buying a good GTSE or GTLE saloon. The rare 100 saloons of each, made to celebrate those BTCC wins.
This particular car has a personal link to me too. I posted in the 'Spotted section' on the NPOC a couple of times when I saw it a few years back in South Shields. In early October last year, the lady I have bought it from, the lovely Jen, got in touch with me via pm on NPOC when she decided to sell, as she had seen my old posts in the spotted section. My advice to her was to pay the small fee for membership, and advertise it on there, which she did. A few weeks passed, it hadn't sold, she let me know that she needed it moved on and it was in danger of being scrapped. My interest increased, especially when my Audi Coupe sold, and I went to look at it. Well, when I saw it on her drive, I'd just about made up my mind. The test drive showed up no obvious major issues, and we shook on it.
So, the car. It's a 1999 (24/09/99) GT LE saloon in Nordic Blue. Only 2 owners from new, with the first being a doctor in Bradford who had it for four years, and then Jen who had it for 11 years from 2003. It's low mileage (only 73K), and has a good documented history to back up the low miles. Starts healthily, ticks over very smoothly, and pulls well. It does have some things I need to sort (well, it is a 15 year old Primera!). The front wings are shot and need replacing. The only advisory on the September MOT was inner and outer sills, so there may be some welding to be done. That doesn't worry me, as I'll just get done what needs doing. The original Enkei wheels need a major refurb too, but it'll be done. After all, this is one of only 100 GTLE saloons, and it's rare.
There's another little personal link with this car to me. I worked for eight years making Primera front seats, and I will have had my hands on these front cushions when they were being made, as it was only me and three other guys who stopped back on overtime and made these limited edition full leathers.
Get a cuppa - there's lots of pics!!!
On the day I collected it from Jen. Hmmmm, I wonder why that Mini parked close? Liked the colour maybe?..
Not so good stuff. Front wings...
Scuffed wing mirror
To be fair, it's pretty scuff free. The wheels are in a shocking state though...
the tyres are budgets, but quite new. I'll probably replace them when they get refurbed.
Original head unit has the usual invisible display..
Split stitching on drivers seat....
SR20 in need of a clean...
Missing winder cap....
rusty scab on the roof...
Added shrubbery in the door rubbers...
Tatty door pillar vinyls
Gungy boot shut
and gungy filler flap
So, onwards with the initial improvements. The car was covered in some sort of tar or tree sap...
felt like sandpaper...
it was all over the skyward facing panels, and the car felt like sandpaper the first time I washed it. Jen said the tree sap in her street made her partner park his Porsche away from home, so I'm wondering if it was that sort of stuff. So out came the clay bar, and after only ONE panel, this is how it looked....
So wash, clay, dry off and polish...
out for a couple of initial clean pics...
Engine bay cleaned down a bit...
these rusty grille meshes...
now painted black and looking much better..
B pillars de-vinylled, and looking less tatty...
This was the very same car parked next to my old red wagon about three and a half years ago (it was on a private plate then)....
Previosu owners old plates...
replaced with smarter new ones...
the pic below isn't the best, but it gives an idea what a lovely colour this is in certain lights, like late afternoon sun. There's a greenish tinge that comes out sometimes....
Fuel filler flap now cleaned..
Gungy boot shuts now de-gunged...
Missing winder cap sourced and replaced...
So, here are the things to do list/plans:
Initial clean, clay bar and polish - done
Grille mesh painted - done
B Pillars de-vinyled - done
Engine bay cleaned - done
Strut brace painted - done
New number plates - fitted
Head unit to change - got new one, needs fitting
Wiper blades to be replaced with aeros - done
Seat winder cap replaced - done
Boot shuts to be cleaned - done 26/12
Fuel Filler flap to be cleaned - done 26/12
Wheels to be refurbed
Possible respray/blow over
Check rad support and sills for rot
Front wings to be replaced and painted
Headlight bulbs to be replaced with Nightbreaker Unlimiteds
Front fog lights to look at as not working
Front repeater bulbs to be swapped out for chromed
Rubber mat to be found for cubby hole
Wind deflectors to be fitted
Drivers seat to be repaired/re-trimmed
Ebay manifold to be fitted
Full stainless exhaust system to be fitted
As you can see, no major modifying on the list. My plan is to keep it looking as factory GTLE as I can, even keeping the tango rear and side repeaters, whilst doing little cosmetic improvements and helping the engine breath better with the exhaust.
I don't expect too many comments, but that's fine. Thanks for looking.