New owner introduction (I call her "The Beast)
New owner introduction (I call her "The Beast)
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Sohlman

Original Poster:

590 posts

285 months

Saturday 13th December 2014
quotequote all
Hi all,

I recently bought a 5.7 vxr from James at Elite. Had the car for a month and then the dash said check engine. James has been excellent and took the car back until it was fixed picked up today for the second time. It was an oil pressure sensor short. Made the dash chime every 5-10 seconds but was a bit tricky to diagnose.

In my 6-7 weeks of ownership I have done 1200 miles averaged 18mpg and love the noise.

After a lot of watching and contemplating I decided to go for a Monaro. I nearly bought one 9 years ago at an auction after much goading from my mates however I put my sensible head on that day and bought a petrol BMW. Not now however. The car I ended up buying was on eBay but was the other end of the planet but looked a really nice example. Two weeks later it's at Elite for £1000 more (fare enough we all have mouths to feed) I had decided I wanted the 5.7vxr so I could have the low tax band and big boot, but with the power and looks of the 6.0 and a close ratio diff. Only thing missing is the bonnet bulge. At the time they had 6 monaro's in stock but I still kept coming back to the 5.7vxr.

So as for spec it's got 70,000 on the clock. And previous owners have driven into Monkfish countless times and emptied their wallets. 6 owners on log book, but on studying the history it's had 4 private plates, and reality is it's had 3 owners before me. It's in quicksilver silver and has the shadow chrome 5 spoke 19" vxr wheels.

Options added include

Road response pack
Ls7 clutch
Quick shifter
Performance pack
Wortec exhaust with noisey and naughty pipes (not tried the latter yet but it's loud already)
AP 6 pistons at front and 4 pistons at back
Air filter modification and chip tuning whatever that means.
It's claimed to be delivering 40bhp more than standard so 389+40 = 429bhp. No way of knowing but it certainly feels lively on these winter roads

Since I have bought it I have changed the head unit which was so bad sonically I thought the speakers must of been mounted outside of the car. So out went the Blaupunkt and in went a Pioneer sat Nav car play unit with the speakers changed to JL units. Not a lot of choice on these without cutting, and the doors have been dyno matted. 6.5" speakers don't fit without fiddling but JL to a range of 6" speakers. I plan to change the rear deck subs for the 6" JL subs and a small amplifier. Nothing like what was in the old car, but it needs enough grunt to get past the exhaust on a run.

I have also bought a set of 19" identical wheels and have a set of Vredstein winter tyres to go on to keep the car on the black stuff during the winter. this has not been fitted yet and I plan on getting the tracking done when I change things over (see other post)

Highlights so far for me include :-

Pops and crackles from exhaust
Noise
When showing my best mate who goaded me 9 years earlier
Being stuck in a traffic jam for 2 hours (a3 m25 closed) and genuinely getting 1mpg. Never thought I'd say that
Still getting used to the relentless shove. It makes you feel like you are on a runway in a jet whenever you put your foot down.
The expletives that have come out of very normal people when you take them out.

I think that's enough from me. My name is James and I am based on Woking. Next big achievement is to get spotted.

J


ARAF

20,759 posts

254 months

Saturday 13th December 2014
quotequote all
Shame you've already bought 19s for your winter tyres. You can fit 18s over your brakes, which would have been a cheaper option for the wheels and tyres.

Welcome to our corner of the Ph empire. smile

preciousmetal

3,373 posts

207 months

Saturday 13th December 2014
quotequote all
Nice write up and intro James. Good to see you again today and glad we got car sorted asap. Sorry it took a few days longer than expected

Now Enjoy

James @ Elite

Sohlman

Original Poster:

590 posts

285 months

Saturday 13th December 2014
quotequote all
Was warned off 18's if you have a gravel drive as a stone and calliper and wheel scratching incident would have been likely.

J

anonymous-user

85 months

Saturday 13th December 2014
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Sohlman said:
Being stuck in a traffic jam for 2 hours (a3 m25 closed) and genuinely getting 1mpg.
Welcome. Although when you are stationary the trip computer measures Gallons/hour!

S800VXR

5,877 posts

231 months

Saturday 13th December 2014
quotequote all
Very nice and welcome. Braver man than me as mines tucked up in the garage and using the diesel insignia for the PH service tomorrow and our club lunch.

anonymous-user

85 months

Saturday 13th December 2014
quotequote all
S800VXR said:
Very nice and welcome. Braver man than me as mines tucked up in the garage
...probably in bits so you can polish all of them ? wink

S800VXR

5,877 posts

231 months

Saturday 13th December 2014
quotequote all
No more polishing till I get the arse end tubbed. Still like the old Monaros and the non nostril bonnets suit the cars more I think.
OP all you need now is a SC! wink

ARAF

20,759 posts

254 months

Saturday 13th December 2014
quotequote all
Sohlman said:
Was warned off 18's if you have a gravel drive as a stone and calliper and wheel scratching incident would have been likely.

J
Quite true, and fair enough - though you'd have trouble getting anything bigger than sand between an 18" rim and the calipers. wink

wozzza

404 posts

162 months

Saturday 13th December 2014
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You could get a set of 8" speakers on the back with some fettling, others have.

Tried turning the amplifier in the rear up? Generally the speakers in the rear only tend to sound half decent if you stick some stuffing around them. So when I go away for the weekend sleeping bags etc get tucked under the speakers. Definitely gives them a nicer sound.

I was considering putting my pair of JL ZR800's in the rear deck, however the 12w7 is going in the back. ZR00's while a mid bass get pretty low though. They are also infinite baffle so would work well on the rear. Custom door cards are getting done up front housing the 8" mid bass as well as a set of 6.5" Jl ZR components.

Set of the ZR's going in the back as well, while the old sub mounts are being left open. So I can get more bass from the boot into the cabin.

Should have the front end and sub in by next weekend.

Edited by wozzza on Saturday 13th December 18:44

Janosh

1,783 posts

198 months

Saturday 13th December 2014
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Welcome James.

Nice car and good write up thumbup

I'm in Farnham and have a similar spec'd 5.7 so It would be good to have a poke around yours and see how they compare... I guess a quick blast through the Hindhead tunnel wouldn't hurt either smile

granjuiceymoose

309 posts

191 months

Saturday 13th December 2014
quotequote all
Sohlman said:
Next big achievement is to get spotted.

I'm on my second Monaro as a daily driver an never been spotted yet frown

Awesome car by the way biggrin

VinceM

1,906 posts

169 months

Sunday 14th December 2014
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Welcome and enjoy the car. A very nice spec on that one by the looks of things.

IXLR8

2,025 posts

180 months

Sunday 14th December 2014
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wavey

Yes welcome mate yes

Nice list of mods on the beast cool

stigmundfreud

22,454 posts

241 months

Sunday 14th December 2014
quotequote all
So James you punted on it in the end?!biggrin

stigmundfreud

22,454 posts

241 months

Sunday 14th December 2014
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Also welcome with the best vxr due to the boot!

preciousmetal

3,373 posts

207 months

Sunday 14th December 2014
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stigmundfreud said:
So James you punted on it in the end?!biggrin
no its not the same one from scotland with high miles that was on here. James's one is low miles with good mods

Sohlman

Original Poster:

590 posts

285 months

Sunday 14th December 2014
quotequote all
Thanks for all the positive comments. Apologies for lack of replies as currently have proper flu. Went down yesterday day afternoon ouch.

Once I feel human it would be good to meet some of you and hunting down tunnels in the Surrey area has got to become a new hobby.

My classic car sounds pretty good in the hind head tunnel. It's a 635csi which was featured on wheeler dealers. The blue one.

Re stereo upgrades having spent far to much on the last car I plan to be sensible in this department.

J

granjuiceymoose

309 posts

191 months

Sunday 14th December 2014
quotequote all
Sohlman said:
Re stereo upgrades having spent far to much on the last car I plan to be sensible in this department.

J
Just put the windows down an press the loud pedal harder, who needs a stereo biggrin

V8BHA

70 posts

151 months

Sunday 14th December 2014
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I agree with that as never had the stereo on since having mine. You cant beat the notes coming out of the exhaust biggrinbiggrin