| Author |
Message |
Sam Atash
Newbie
NSW/ WA
UZZ31- ACPZK
Posts: 1
Reg: 06-2008
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Hey guys, My Name is Sam, I'm 21, Just moved to Sydney NSW from Perth WA, Purchased my first Soarer, wanted a bit of a hobby car to have fun with.
My everyday car is a 99 Bmw 740i.
Ok so here it goes with the details on the car:
1992 UZZ31, 110,000km, Dark green/ nearly black, prefect condition
Picked it up for real cheap from a guy moving overseas. Get it tomorrow, so I haven't really noticed any mods on it lol. Got a few issues with it though, steering wheel is worn, Shifter is missing Over Drive button, Leather seats perfect, Carpets dirty as (anyone recommend anything for cleaning?) Getting annoyed at japanese labled buttons, EMV, navigation ect! Is there anyway to get these changed to English?
Also the driver side door, the door trim, next to the window switches, toward the window is missing, so i can see staples ect... and last question, paint for the brake calipers?
please include anything else you think i would need to do
Any help would be appreciated, Glad to have joined your forum
thanx, Sam
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Matthew Sharpe
Goo Roo
North Island
JZZ31
Posts: 3580
Reg: 10-2005
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Hi Sam,
I hope you haven't bought into trouble, cheap Soarers usually end up being the most expensive ones, if you know what I mean.
Wheel can be re-trimmed (bonus, you can get rid of that hidious Lexus badge)- check out www.planetsoarer.com for a huge list of helpful tips and fixes for the UZZ31, including stuff about sorting out the EMV.
Overdrive switch never changed, so you can probably get a brand new one from Toyota pretty easily, or just look for any Soarer with matching interior colour thats being wrecked (you have the most common interior colour scheme, so should be pretty easy) They are a pretty solid switch, so don't know how it could have been broken like that! Same with the rest of your missing trim.
For the carpet, if its really bad, hire a steam cleaner.
Other than that, just give it a thorough service - cam belt might be due for a change also. Polish up those front headlights too, though they don't look too bad you'll be amazed how much better they look if you have a go at them with some plastic polish. If it was my car I'd get rid of all the pretentious lexus badging too, but thats a personal thing. |
Mike Beck
Goo Roo
New Zealand
Soarer Limited UZZ31 & Soarer 3.0GT JZZ31
Posts: 2116
Reg: 11-2005
|
Welcome Sam, Look like a reasonable UZZ31 you have found yourself, Just brows through SC and Planet Soarer to find fixes and things you can do as Matt stated.
Matthew Sharpe wrote on Monday, June 23, 2008 - 07:55 am:If it was my car I'd get rid of all the pretentious lexus badging too, but thats a personal thing.
Yeah like wise, I've just done that on my Limited, Its probably my greatest annoyance with that those coming with the car but meh, Ive got some Toyota Soarer Badges I can pop on.....
Ahhh! One thing Sam, get rid of those Lexus badges on the Steering wheel and drink holder flap asap!!! Hahah |
Adrain Parsons
DieHard
Qld
JZZ30 tt
Posts: 805
Reg: 08-2005
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welcome to the club mate. |
Scott Gates
DieHard
SA
TT
Posts: 681
Reg: 03-2007
|
Welcome Sam. |
Dave Rose
TryHard
wa
uzz31 v8
Posts: 424
Reg: 03-2007
|
Welcome Sam ,i have replied to your e mail... plenty of E.M.V stickers in stock. ..nice car. |
Sam Atash
Newbie
NSW/ WA
UZZ31- ACPZK
Posts: 2
Reg: 06-2008
|
Hey Guys, thanx for your replies.
got stuck into the car today, cleaned the carpets with oxy action coloursafe bleach. Then steamed them. All clean, pulled the Lexus Badges off the inside. Noticed my Tv tuner and GPS modual missing =[. Other than that, have a hazy plastic thing covering the red sections of my tail lights, parts of it have come off, so need to get rest off. Also my Air suspension works, but makes a weird noise, not sure if its normal, as my LX470 is hydrolic so i don't hear anything. |
Mike Beck
Goo Roo
New Zealand
Soarer Limited UZZ31 & Soarer 3.0GT JZZ31
Posts: 2122
Reg: 11-2005
|
Sam Atash wrote on Tuesday, June 24, 2008 - 09:12 pm:Also my Air suspension works, but makes a weird noise
Do find its just an audible compressor sort of sound? Thats just normal, should do it when you turn the car on and hop in or out.  |
David Goldthorpe
Tinkerer
NSW
UZZ31 GT-L
Posts: 40
Reg: 11-2007
|
Welcome Sam. Did I read correctly? you've got a '99 740i, an LX470 and a Soarer. Not bad for a 21 year old student  . |
Sam Atash
Newbie
NSW/ WA
UZZ31- ACPZK
Posts: 4
Reg: 06-2008
|
Yes you did read correctly, My LX470 is in perth, I use it as im there for 2 weeks every 6 weeks. My 740I and soarer are here in sydney. But im Not your average student mind you
Love my cars!
now on to the noise issue, yes its just like a air compressor you use with nail guns ect...
Another question, I have a switch with normal and sports on it, its very loose, i think there isnt anything under it, or its broken =[
Also my little antenna thingy at the front doesnt work. |
Matthew Sharpe
Goo Roo
North Island
JZZ31
Posts: 3583
Reg: 10-2005
|
Sam Atash wrote on Tuesday, June 24, 2008 - 10:39 pm:Also my little antenna thingy at the front doesnt work.
Well, thats a blessing then  |
Mike Beck
Goo Roo
New Zealand
Soarer Limited UZZ31 & Soarer 3.0GT JZZ31
Posts: 2123
Reg: 11-2005
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Sam Atash wrote on Tuesday, June 24, 2008 - 10:39 pm:Another question, I have a switch with normal and sports on it, its very loose, i think there isnt anything under it, or its broken =[.
Yeah those TEMS switches always break of they are not treaded nicely.
Mines doing that but eventually Ill be removing the Air Struts for coils and putting blank spacers in the panel I have so it wont be an issue. |
Brenton Trafford
DieHard
SA
V8 Limited - UZZ31
Posts: 535
Reg: 08-2005
|
Sam there's an easy fix for the switches using some araldite and the gauze from a band-aid, do a search and I'm sure you'll find it but essentially what you do is take the switches out, glue the broken piece back in place and then reinforce with a piece of gauze covered in araldite. I'm planning on doing mine shortly and will be reinforcing all of them with the gauze, before they break. My height switch is broken already.
The TV Tuner and GPS don't work in Australia so I wouldn't bother to be replacing them. Other things I would do are cleaning the headlights with some plastic polish (as mentioned) and a BFI. There's quite a few tips etc in the section "For New Soarer Owners" that you should look at, things like resetting the ECU, cleaning the air filters etc which are all good to do.
Welcome to the club and happy Soaring. |
Sam Atash
Newbie
NSW/ WA
UZZ31- ACPZK
Posts: 5
Reg: 06-2008
|
Thanx guys for all your help, its been very useful, Love the car, I didnt think I would ever say it, but im enjoying it more than my BMW!
Anyone know of a good/ cheap, body shop in NSW, need my rear spoiler repainted, its peeled =[ |
Mike Beck
Goo Roo
New Zealand
Soarer Limited UZZ31 & Soarer 3.0GT JZZ31
Posts: 2124
Reg: 11-2005
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Sam Atash wrote on Wednesday, June 25, 2008 - 10:24 am:but im enjoying it more than my BMW!
Hehe you get the best of both worlds with a Soarer over a Euro.
I mean Ive heard many stories of people modifying BMW's specifically 540's and 740's where they end up losing power through intakes and exhausts. Obviously there are ways to get more go but you need to do it more carefully.
Where as on the soarer its fun and you can gain a lot through basic mods, many of which you can do your self if you have the skills.
Plus working on a Toyota is always going to be easier IMO, I prefer it anyway and parts/panels tend to be more available. |
Glen Muller
TryHard
Victoria
V8 Soarer UZZ31
Posts: 425
Reg: 12-2007
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Mike Beck wrote on Wednesday, June 25, 2008 - 01:39 pm:Plus working on a Toyota is always going to be easier IMO
Amen. Most stuff you can do at home with the tools and ability. My old man won't go near mum's 330i for fear he'll screw something up drastically, and he's no idiot when it comes to mechanics.
Welcome Sam! |
Mike Beck
Goo Roo
New Zealand
Soarer Limited UZZ31 & Soarer 3.0GT JZZ31
Posts: 2129
Reg: 11-2005
|
Glen Muller wrote on Wednesday, June 25, 2008 - 04:27 pm:My old man won't go near mum's 330i for fear he'll screw something up drastically, and he's no idiot when it comes to mechanics.
Yeah exactly, every time Ive looked at a BMW or similar Euro Car the first time you look at them they seem very strange and non user friendly, Its almost like they make the extra complicated so they require specialized workers to sort issues out on them.
In saying that Im sure after familiarizing your self with them they probably arent too bad but for me I dont think you could go past a Toyota, everything is always laid out nicely and its generally simple - yet you do of course find probs sorting things out, Im just sure it would be 10x more of a headache on a BMW...... especially if you break something thats vital and has to be imported from Germany that costs $XXXX + $XXX shipping and a month of waiting! |
Matthew Sharpe
Goo Roo
North Island
JZZ31
Posts: 3587
Reg: 10-2005
|
Mike Beck wrote on Wednesday, June 25, 2008 - 08:48 pm: Its almost like they make the extra complicated so they require specialized workers to sort issues out on them.
There's an Auto electrician in Mt Wellington that specialises in BMW's, Porsche's & Mercs - funny enough he said exactly the same to me, and said thats what keeps him in business, because so many other auto electricians won't go near a modern German car. |
Don Bagnall
Moderator
New Zealand
Mercedes Benz SLK230 Kompressor
Posts: 6756
Reg: 05-2005
|
I've been under my little Merc, and have to say they're pretty uncomplicated and straight forward to do stuff on.
Changed the spark plugs, oil & filter the other weekend, and found it a piece of piss to work on.
Granted, we're only talking about a 2.3L 4 banger SLK, not some V6, V8 or V12 monster Merc!.
I guess it's like anything......if you take a good relaxed look/approach to it, all will be well |
Mike Beck
Goo Roo
New Zealand
Soarer Limited UZZ31 & Soarer 3.0GT JZZ31
Posts: 2136
Reg: 11-2005
|
Don Bagnall wrote on Thursday, June 26, 2008 - 04:23 pm:Granted, we're only talking about a 2.3L 4 banger SLK, not some V6, V8 or V12 monster Merc!.
I guess it's like anything......if you take a good relaxed look/approach to it, all will be well
Yeah both good points to bring up Don,
I would Imagine they would be quite easy and fun to work on since they dont appear complicated like the Top-spec big money flagship models are with a thousand computers through out them! |
Sam Atash
Tinkerer
NSW/ WA
UZZ31- ACPZK
Posts: 6
Reg: 06-2008
|
Yea the the 740 is a nightmare to work on, When i used to have my w126 560SEL, easiest engine to work on till date, I know them inside out, hopefully i will get to know my Soarer just as well.
One more question guys, when I press the scroll button on near the odometer, it goes through a whole list of things like oil, coolent ect...
what does this mean: they are ok because they are green? or I got issues with them?
thanx |
Glen Muller
TryHard
Victoria
V8 Soarer UZZ31
Posts: 427
Reg: 12-2007
|
Mike Beck wrote on Wednesday, June 25, 2008 - 08:48 pm:Im just sure it would be 10x more of a headache on a BMW...... especially if you break something thats vital and has to be imported from Germany that costs $XXXX + $XXX shipping and a month of waiting!
The olds have already felt that burn. Dad went to their local dealer to ask if 17" rims would fit on the car so they could save a bit on tyres, and the answer was yes. Waited ages for these beautiful genuine BMW rims to arrive, bastards wouldn't fit over the giant brakes. Lucky though - sold the wheels on Ebay at cost.
My biggest heart attack was when he told me the sump fits 12 litres of oil. HOW?! |
Peter Nitschke
JunkFilterer
South Australia
UZZ30 UZZ31
Posts: 9582
Reg: 11-2004
|
Sam, your scroll results are OK. |
Sam Atash
Tinkerer
NSW/ WA
UZZ31- ACPZK
Posts: 7
Reg: 06-2008
|
Guys the car is missing its central locking/ alarm controllers, is there anyway i could get them, or a alternative, to get remote locking working? |
Peter Nitschke
JunkFilterer
South Australia
UZZ30 UZZ31
Posts: 9586
Reg: 11-2004
|
Sam, as they didn't come with an alarm, the easiest way is to get an alarm and/or immobiliser fitted and have it connected to the remote locking at the same time. |
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