We haven't driven our new Soarer yet (it won't go and is in the workshop, direct from the wharf) but already I've noticed some differences compared to our '95 model. We got an owner's manual with this one which I've looked through (can't read it, it's in Japanese ) and noticed that the recommended oil is 5W-20. Not that I've ever seen 5W-20, bought some 5W-30 full synth when over on the mainland recently (when charged excess baggage, that's expensive oil!) and that was hard enough to find.
Also noticed that we didn't get the rear sub-woofer with the '97 and presumably the amplifier that goes with it. Can these be swapped from the '95 model?
We have power seat/tilt steering option (awkward when I first got in the car after it landed with a flat battery!) which was a surprise. Combined with the cruise control (unusual on a base 3.0GT) it must be approaching "G-Pack" standard? Does anyone know what's actually in a G-Pack? It also has factory woodgrain.
We also didn't get the slimline weathershields the '95 has and may swap them over.
The car was incredibly filthy, and it will remain so until we can get it home. The '95 had a lot of pollution and algae, this one has that and a load of crap from another of the ship's cargoes. The weekend had been put aside for detailing but obviously that has been rescheduled.
Monday, July 25, 2005 - 07:27 pm, by: Mark Paddick
Be very careful with thw weathershields; they are stuck on to stay. Jeff can get new ones ($225 from memory). I don't yet know what the differences in the late model stereos are. The amps changed in '94 when the sub amp was integrated into the main 4-chan amp so maybe the '95 one can be swapped but you would need to swap radio tuners too....if that is possible. The wiring from the '94 on radio to the amp is different too but would not take too much to modify (a copy of Jeffs' wiring diagrams would definately help there...but they are a bit vague about the '96 onwards changes)
Thanks for the links and good wishes, guys. I knew of the Russian one a while ago, it's very useful.
I don't know about the G-Pack thing, but I'm glad we don't have a sun-roof (for me to drive I need all the headroom I can get!)and in fact I dislike the fat sun-visors and hope we haven't gained any seat height. I couldn't tell in my brief powerless drive!
The stereo is marked "Soarer" and looks like a normal 2-DIN. There are 5-6 types in the manual all having AM/FM cassette and CD but I have to sit down to figure out what we have (although they all look much the same in the book).
I'll be interested in the cruise fix later (if it's possible on a post '96 like ours). The rear speaker swap would be great if I can pull it off too.
Our car has all the features listed for a G-pack car (thanks for the links, I've had the Russian one for a long time in my favourites) but I'm sure it's not. I don't know about the diff, but it has the spoiler and rear wiper (incidentally it's different to the '95, in fact the whole car looks kinda like it has a body kit fitted). The sun-roof might be standard on the G-pack but I didn't want one anyway (my scalp has enough skin cancer already!) and I'm already worried about losing height with the power seats (I'm tall and find the thick sunvisors annoying in the '95).
Thanks for the tip on the 'shields, Mark. The stereo is quite different to the '95, it is marked "Soarer" and looks like a true 2-DIN job. The manual has half a dozen different types, I haven't had a chance to sit down and decipher which one we have (not that it seems to matter, they all have AM/FM, cassette and CD, they're just in different places!) since the car hasn't made it home yet.
We're certainly looking forward to driving it, and later getting it onto some decent roads (2 years time).
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) and noticed that the recommended oil is 5W-20. Not that I've ever seen 5W-20, bought some 5W-30 full synth when over on the mainland recently (when charged excess baggage, that's expensive oil!) and that was hard enough to find. 
