David Ramsay
Test Drive
- Location
- NC
The gist of this thread is “start small.” I got this as a daily driver, so I’m starting off with a few ease of use mods, changing and flushing every fluid, and figuring out a steering problem. Any advice or additions to the list are welcome!
I bought this for $3500 (with 138k), to allow me to sell a ‘12 Passat TDI SEL that I can no longer afford payments on. I showed up to check it out, test drove it, negotiated down to $3500, and bought it on the spot. I drove it home, and learned manual on the way (in a car at least, historically was a dirtbike guy)
It’s been 3 weeks, and I’m loving it. Its surprisingly good on gas (around 20 combined) and the seats and cab are very comfortable for a tall, beefy athletic build. I
Here’s the list at the moment (updated 3/16/21, 1 month after original post)
Done:
-50 mile oil change w/ Rotella 5w-30 (138230)
-Double Din BT Headunit w/wireless charging phone mount
-Universal fit weathertech mats
-rear seat cover for doggo
-Supply of aspirin, excedrin, bandaids, trauma kit, survival kit, 1 MRE, sleeping bag, pillow
-dog poop bags in map pocket
-Cooler
-Ice scraper, even though I'm in southern NC, you never know.
-“True North” little trees under drivers seat
-Flush and replace diff fluid (~138500)
-Flush and replace coolant
-500 mi oil change w/ Rotella 5w-30 (138680)
-exterior Plastic refresh
-Flush and replace brake fluid
-figure out service engine soon light (it was trans fluid. prev. owner put dexron in her.)
-added plastidip racing stripe to disguise paint peeling spot on front fender
-Remove nerf bars
Doing:
-Nilight Fog lights (switch in OEM fog light switch panel)
-Grill lights (switch next to fog lights, both on a 6-slot fuse panel being set up especially for lighting w/ additions in mind)
-Flush and replace tranny fluid, add Lucas Oil TRANSFIX just in case
-Flush and replace clutch fluid
To-do:
-DETAIL THE ENGINE BAY
-
-reverse lights / lasers
-steering squeals when fully cranked right
-Figure out steering issue (pulls right, “straight” is wheel turned ~1 inch left of dead center)
-1500 mi oil change w/ Rotella 5w-30(139680)
-4000 mi first Synthetic oil change (142180)
-fix paint peeling spots
-Undercoat frame
-put a 2nd gen xterra emblem on the rear hatch, old one is peeling and falling apart
-Cold air intake from 240SX?
I bought this for $3500 (with 138k), to allow me to sell a ‘12 Passat TDI SEL that I can no longer afford payments on. I showed up to check it out, test drove it, negotiated down to $3500, and bought it on the spot. I drove it home, and learned manual on the way (in a car at least, historically was a dirtbike guy)
It’s been 3 weeks, and I’m loving it. Its surprisingly good on gas (around 20 combined) and the seats and cab are very comfortable for a tall, beefy athletic build. I
Here’s the list at the moment (updated 3/16/21, 1 month after original post)
Done:
-50 mile oil change w/ Rotella 5w-30 (138230)
-Double Din BT Headunit w/wireless charging phone mount
-Universal fit weathertech mats
-rear seat cover for doggo
-Supply of aspirin, excedrin, bandaids, trauma kit, survival kit, 1 MRE, sleeping bag, pillow
-dog poop bags in map pocket
-Cooler
-Ice scraper, even though I'm in southern NC, you never know.
-“True North” little trees under drivers seat
-Flush and replace diff fluid (~138500)
-Flush and replace coolant
-500 mi oil change w/ Rotella 5w-30 (138680)
-exterior Plastic refresh
-Flush and replace brake fluid
-figure out service engine soon light (it was trans fluid. prev. owner put dexron in her.)
-added plastidip racing stripe to disguise paint peeling spot on front fender
-Remove nerf bars
Doing:
-Nilight Fog lights (switch in OEM fog light switch panel)
-Grill lights (switch next to fog lights, both on a 6-slot fuse panel being set up especially for lighting w/ additions in mind)
-Flush and replace tranny fluid, add Lucas Oil TRANSFIX just in case
-Flush and replace clutch fluid
To-do:
-DETAIL THE ENGINE BAY
-
-reverse lights / lasers
-steering squeals when fully cranked right
-Figure out steering issue (pulls right, “straight” is wheel turned ~1 inch left of dead center)
-1500 mi oil change w/ Rotella 5w-30(139680)
-4000 mi first Synthetic oil change (142180)
-fix paint peeling spots
-Undercoat frame
-put a 2nd gen xterra emblem on the rear hatch, old one is peeling and falling apart
-Cold air intake from 240SX?
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