20 Years

Wed Mar 30 12:45:26 CDT 2011

I know how you feel.... when I got my job out here in the Republic of
Kalifornia, I had to leave the SE-R at home.  I racked up 160k miles over 10
years driving that thing everywhere in the eastern half of the US including
up to Canada a couple times.  Spent many many many hours going from the
basic bolt-ons to turbo and suspension and brakes and stereo....

I still remember a group of my friends and I were doing a road trip to
Toronto from Detroit and I had to drive the rental car, so I lent my car to
my buddies.  We all got separated on the way back to Detroit but in the
middle of Canada somewhere I see this green car hauling ass coming up behind
me.  Sure enough, it was my friends in my car doing, uh, illegal speeds.
Good times :)

Anyways, I did sell my car to someone who loved it maybe even more than I
did.  So it went to a good home.  Though he did end up totalling it :(  I
try not to think about it.

-Khiem

On Wed, Mar 30, 2011 at 9:34 AM, Erik Halvorson <hammer_down at hotmail.com>wrote:

> Eric,
> If you have the space and the money to have a third car, speaking from
> experience and hind sight, I say keep it.  Tinker with it when you have time
> and then have a great weekend play toy when you get it running.  I sold my
> 93 Classic (DET equipped) in 2003, for many of the reason you state, mainly
> the 3 kids in car seats and one of those a new born.  I had bought it new.
> I regret selling it.  Loved that car.   Even with it's faults, it was a hoot
> to drive.   Though since then, I have been able to acquire the following: a
> GTS-t version of Nissan's R-thirty-two.  I rescued an NX2k and sold it to an
> enthusiast.  Used my B13 knowledge to find one for my Step-Dad (and keep it
> in top running order).  I rescued a 510 2dr, a 510 wagon and a 240Z all from
> the crusher.  The later three are all projects.  I miss the worry free
> toss-a-bility of the SE-R, the 28+ MPG, all with fairly modern comfort
> amenities and the stealth factor.  I don't have the room for a B13 at this
> time so will probably not get another one any time soon BUT I do have an
> SR20DE RWD drive train explicitly for the 510 2dr, so to some extent, I am
> keeping the SE-R faith.   :-D
>
> BTW, I remember you picking me up in you SE-R when I was on business down
> in Nashville, visiting your friends shop and then going to lunch with your
> gal and friends.  Good time!
>
> Erik Halvorson
>
> ------------------------------
> Date: Wed, 30 Mar 2011 10:12:18 -0500
> Subject: Re: 20 Years
> From: eric.waterman at gmail.com
>
> To: se-r at se-r-list.org
>
> You guys are not making the decision to sell my B14 any easier.  I bought
> it brand new in March of '97 and over the years it has changed from a daily
> driver to a car that never leaves the garage.  Every bit of work done to it,
> was by my own hands.  This was my first new car, and I've become very
> attached to it.  Most of my friends don't understand why I've kept it around
> this long since it's just a car.  These are even car guys saying this.
>
> I've put so much time and energy into the car, that I can't stand the
> thought of someone else owning it and tearing it up.  I have a sort of OCD
> issue when it comes to it.  Even though it's modified, it has to look
> stockish.  All the hose clamps and harness clips have to be in the same
> spot, and I use only Nissan parts when I can.  I stopped driving the car 3
> years ago and have only had it on the street a hand full of times since the
> tags expired in '08 and the OBD2 systems are not ready due to the battery
> dying.  I have the garage space, so it's not sitting outside, but I'm afraid
> the magic is gone.  I've thought about selling it for a few weeks, and
> actually contact someone about buying it.  I'm afraid that I will regret it
> if i do, and I'll never be able to find one in the condition mine is.
>
> I've driven it all over the place and to most of the conventions except the
> one in Vegas.  I've slept in it at a rest stop on the way to a convention
> and had many good times with it.  Now that I have a son, I don't have the
> time to deal with it anymore.  The car is loud, rides rough, and putting a
> rear facing car seat in it is tough.  I have a feeling that selling the car
> is something that I will regret big time.  I sold my first car many years
> ago because I got something better and newer, and now I wish I would have
> kept it.
>
> Eric Waterman
>
> On Wed, Mar 30, 2011 at 9:32 AM, Robert Legere <rlegere at snet.net> wrote:
>
>   Very nice....
>
> --- On *Tue, 3/29/11, Darren Calbero <DarrenC at AMPartners.com>* wrote:
>
>
> From: Darren Calbero <DarrenC at AMPartners.com>
> Subject: 20 Years
> To: se-r at se-r-list.org
> Date: Tuesday, March 29, 2011, 10:03 PM
>
>
>  20 years ago I drove off the lot of a Nissan dealer with my brand new
> Aztec Red SE-R.  So it didn't have the leather steering wheel or shifter
> boot, floor mats, a radio, or even a/c . . . hey I had a sun roof and
> I drive in Hawaii so no problem.  I was happy as can be in my new little
> rocket that could perform better than just about any car out there under
> $20k, and I got it at a reasonable $12.5k.  "Enjoy the ride" I did with my
> new girlfriend, a nice college life, and a decent job at a proffesional
> office.
>
>  Fast forward to today.  I'm married to that same girl from 20 years ago,
> we have a 4 and 6 year-old riding in Recaro car seats and boosters, and I'm
> still content with my little Red SE-R.  Granted a lot of bolt-ons helps to
> keep the car up to speed with some of the newer vehicles on the road, but it
> sure still feels like this 238,000 mile car can take on most
> challengers down the 1320.
>
>  I do all my maintenance on the car with parts sent from Greg Vogel over
> an G-Spec.  It's run 99% of it's life either with AMSOil or Mobil1 fully
> synthetic.  And one of the most important things, I always put good
> sticky and hydroplane resistant tires on, not primarily for spirited
> driving, but rather safety.  I currently have Bridgestone Potenza RE-11s and
> it's all good.
>
> Don't get me wrong, the car has a lot of signs of old age:  hidden rust in
> the trunk water channel and front fenders; sunroof that currently can't
> slide back; squeaking driver door hinge; cheap but still shiny coat of red
> paint; trunk spoiler that is only fully secured at 1 of 3 spots; and a leak
> presumably at the gas tank vent hose.  The engine still feels as perky as
> ever though the suspension needs some work.  I can't complain.  It's
> reliable as can be and has decent gas milage, and in Hawai where fuel has
> been more the $4/gallon for a few weeks, that's important.
>
> It's funny looking back at when my car was new and I would look at those
> older guys in their 70s 510s, and Corollas, and wonder what they saw in that
> old car?  Why do they still own something so old with old tech?  Yeah they
> were modded and fast, but really?  A 20-year-old import?  I guess it took me
> 20 years to figure it out.  I may be one of the few original owners
> left compared to the grand ol days of SERCA, but I do know that those that
> still own their B13s today are just as die-hard as myself.  I know if I sell
> the car, I would miss it dearly.  I've seen it happen to too many people.
> So I'll keep driving my Sentra until I'm old and grey . . . oh hell, grey
> already kicked in and old is a relative term for me now, and sure I could
> stretch the limits of my finances, lose my wife in the process, and get me a
> GT-R that has brake changes that cost more than my car is worth a few times
> over, but in the end, my SE-R that my son and I enjoy daily is all I need in
> my "Dream Garage."
>
> DC
> 1991 Red SE-R
>
>
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