RE: Shed of the Week | Nissan Primera GT
Discussion
Cracking cars. The minicab styling is a challenge, I will admit, but if you can get past that, and if you enjoy driving, I can't see anyone getting out of any semi-fit Primera GT and disliking it. Lovely engine and gearbox, sharp handling, and just a lovely feeling of unbreakability and mechanical integrity.
This is one that I helped look after , built by Nissan Motorsport Europe and run originally by Team Rosberge in the Spanish Super Touring series. It now runs in Historic Touring cars . I have owned 2 2ltr Primeras , both were excellent for what they were , the last one I passed on to my in-laws at the time and they loved it . The only thing that failed on either was an alternator .
The race version above was a very different beast under the skin
The engine had been turned 180 degrees the bonnet grill was the opening for the inlet tract , the engine sat much further back and much lower in the engine bay , sequential box , twin 4 pot calipers on each corner at the front , single 4 pots on the rear . On board brake bias , on board roll bar adjustment , 3 on board engine management settings etc etc . Originally cost £250k new , they were doing the rounds at one time second hand for £12-13 k with a spares package now they are part of the Historic meetings I think you can add a nought to those prices .
There is a very nice orange GT locally that I have been tracking for 5 years but the owner won't part with it .
aaron_2000 said:
Tiff Needell said at the time that it was the best drivers car in the class, better than the Mondeo and the 406. Think I'd still rather a Mondeo Si or a 406 SRi though.
Tiff did a lot of PR work for Nissan at that timeI went to a Nissan day at Donington in 97 and he was giving rides in a GT demoing the handling and ABS
I loved mine, once polished it looked great in sherwood green. The only model for me was the saloon, always felt the hatch looked even more ungainly. As has been said very good handling, relatively reliable and in my case surprisingly economical, I managed 500miles out of one tank on steady a-roads.
Mine had been a bit abused, came with four completely mismatching tyres which when sorted made a vast improvement and lots of little suspension niggles. I only got rid as I thought something big was about to go and the starter was playing up, which given it didn't make it through another year after I traded it in, probably happened.
Given how rare they are now I wish I had kept it, fast enough to entertain but slow enough that you could use all the power on the road.
Worth a go at that price for sure!
Mine had been a bit abused, came with four completely mismatching tyres which when sorted made a vast improvement and lots of little suspension niggles. I only got rid as I thought something big was about to go and the starter was playing up, which given it didn't make it through another year after I traded it in, probably happened.
Given how rare they are now I wish I had kept it, fast enough to entertain but slow enough that you could use all the power on the road.
Worth a go at that price for sure!
Top shed! My in-laws had an early Mk1 Primers and I was always impressed with it.
Is it still alive?!WTF is it? Just an R34 front clip swapped on, or has it got the R34 mechanicals too?
Christmassss said:
s m said:
Do you remember the Skymera as well?
That is the first time i have seen that!Is it still alive?!
Gareth9702 said:
A good attempt by Shed to sell a bland box. You almost had me convinced.
Have you driven one? They're a hoot. I drove my 205 1.9 Gti to Avignon back in 1996. My colleague had a new Primera GT and it was a hard thing to shake off believe you me. Even down the twisties of the Massif Central! Plain maybe but well sorted as a driver's car at the time.
I had a black eGT for years, it was a great car, just really good at everything and well put together. Took it on a few trackdays too, it was a really nicely ballanced drive you could drift it really nicely through the fast corners and kick the s
t out of that SR20DE all day long, it just loved it.
Geek fact, the P10 eGT had fancy multi link rear suspension but the P11 GT went to a cheaper setup.
t out of that SR20DE all day long, it just loved it.Geek fact, the P10 eGT had fancy multi link rear suspension but the P11 GT went to a cheaper setup.
I got offered one of these in around 2008 for £200 by the car dealer I was working for at the time. Took it out for a thrash and was quite impressed actually, everything worked and it felt well put together. While I was out the other salesman went to the cashpoint and bought it. I was close to punching him 
8IKERDAVE said:
I got offered one of these in around 2008 for £200 by the car dealer I was working for at the time. Took it out for a thrash and was quite impressed actually, everything worked and it felt well put together. While I was out the other salesman went to the cashpoint and bought it. I was close to punching him
grumpy52 said:
This is one that I helped look after , built by Nissan Motorsport Europe and run originally by Team Rosberge in the Spanish Super Touring series. It now runs in Historic Touring cars . I have owned 2 2ltr Primeras , both were excellent for what they were , the last one I passed on to my in-laws at the time and they loved it . The only thing that failed on either was an alternator .
The race version above was a very different beast under the skin
The engine had been turned 180 degrees the bonnet grill was the opening for the inlet tract , the engine sat much further back and much lower in the engine bay , sequential box , twin 4 pot calipers on each corner at the front , single 4 pots on the rear . On board brake bias , on board roll bar adjustment , 3 on board engine management settings etc etc . Originally cost £250k new , they were doing the rounds at one time second hand for £12-13 k with a spares package now they are part of the Historic meetings I think you can add a nought to those prices .
There is a very nice orange GT locally that I have been tracking for 5 years but the owner won't part with it .
I bought one in 2011 to do a European road trip in 2011. It cost £550, had 150,000 miles on the clock and in 10 days we covered 2,200 miles, including a couple of laps of the Nurburgring, averaging 38 mpg, Not only did it not miss a beat, but looking back I cannot think of a better car to do it in. Handling was excellent, very neutral and such a sharp turn in, it really defies it's FWD underpinnings. The engine is delightfully revvy and would scream to it's 7,000 rpm redline without complaint. I was meant to sell it when I got home but just couldn't so I ended up keeping it for nearly 2 years until I binned it in the snow.
Of all the cars I've owned (including BMW's, Mercs, VW's) it's the only car I truly miss and I would love another. If this is as in the photos then at £1,250 it is an absolute bargain.
Of all the cars I've owned (including BMW's, Mercs, VW's) it's the only car I truly miss and I would love another. If this is as in the photos then at £1,250 it is an absolute bargain.
s m said:
aaron_2000 said:
Tiff Needell said at the time that it was the best drivers car in the class, better than the Mondeo and the 406. Think I'd still rather a Mondeo Si or a 406 SRi though.
Tiff did a lot of PR work for Nissan at that timeI went to a Nissan day at Donington in 97 and he was giving rides in a GT demoing the handling and ABS
grumpy52 said:
This is one that I helped look after , built by Nissan Motorsport Europe and run originally by Team Rosberge in the Spanish Super Touring series. It now runs in Historic Touring cars . I have owned 2 2ltr Primeras , both were excellent for what they were , the last one I passed on to my in-laws at the time and they loved it . The only thing that failed on either was an alternator .
The race version above was a very different beast under the skin
The engine had been turned 180 degrees the bonnet grill was the opening for the inlet tract , the engine sat much further back and much lower in the engine bay , sequential box , twin 4 pot calipers on each corner at the front , single 4 pots on the rear . On board brake bias , on board roll bar adjustment , 3 on board engine management settings etc etc . Originally cost £250k new , they were doing the rounds at one time second hand for £12-13 k with a spares package now they are part of the Historic meetings I think you can add a nought to those prices .
There is a very nice orange GT locally that I have been tracking for 5 years but the owner won't part with it .
The later Super Touring cars are utterly bonkers machines. Really beautiful bits of engineering for their time.
fathomfive said:
PorkInsider said:
article said:
Remember when the Primera crushed it in the BTCC?
Crushed it?Que?
Crushed what?
It's also got 'enough bant' whatever the f
k that is.“something to tut at after they’ve seen those small brown stains on your passage”
Really?
Anyway, cracking car - I had a cooking Si around 1999. Still one of the best front wheel drive cars I’ve owned. Handling was great.
Turbobanana said:
I don't mean this in a bad way, but it almost feels as though the vendor has deliberately aimed for SOTW: a car that divides opinion, is good to drive, trackday worthy, a detailed ad with good pics and affordable.
I'd buy in a heartbeat if I had space / need for another car. Looks like a riot on track, and 90's velour seats too!
Thanks, after years of making comments on most weeks SOTW I was very surprised to hear that one of my own cars is now the SOTW - fame at last!I'd buy in a heartbeat if I had space / need for another car. Looks like a riot on track, and 90's velour seats too!
It has been a great track car for us but it can still be used as a normal road car because its pretty much standard spec apart from lowering springs.
The main thing is its always been reliable on track and its great fun to thrash round a track - due to the superb handling on these (the handling is similar to a DC2 - very well balanced neutral handling with virtually no understeer).
With good tyres in the wet the car gives you so much confidence to push (I use Michelin PS3 in the wet) it's quite often been the quickest car on track in the rain - which makes sense as this car is more about handling than speed as its only got 150 bhp.
I've used a wide range of cars on track over the years (things like EVO VI RS TME, Evo 9Gt and MR340, Porsche 944T, Spec C, Integra Tye R DC2') but this old Primera still does a very good job on track even compared to some of these, and its nice not having to worry about risk of damaging it if something went wrong because its only a cheap car.
Its great at circuits like Cadwell, Castle Combe, Brands or Lydden where it laps quicker than a lot of expensive stuff - its always fun seeing people being given the blue flag to get out of the way of an old Primera GT!
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