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November 2012 - Friedgold (P11 144)

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    Posted: 31 Oct 2012 at 2:19am

Congratulations on winning November 2012 COTM Tim! An awesomely stealth styled, uber tidy and nicely modified Nissan Primera P11 144 2.0 SE+! How does it feel bagging this exclusive award and the awesome COTM trophy too?

It feels fantastic. It’s a bit of a cliché but there are so many great cars on the club that it really is an honour to be selected for COTM.

Another two times winner of COTM as well (RESPECT)!! Your 1st win was in January 2007 with your previous Nissan Primera P11 2.0 GX - Does it feel any different second time around?

It is a bit different this time, yes. My first COTM was also my first Primera and the first car I’d really modified in any serious way. This time I know a lot more about them and, of course, a lot fewer of the mods were actually done by me.

Before we talk cars, modifications and mechanics, we’d love to find out about you the owner. Please tell us about yourself and what you get up to, away from the NPOC. Have there been any big “life” changes since your COTM feature in January 2007?

Not really, to be honest. I am in a different job now managing the IT systems in a company in Bedford. Jane and I have also moved to a house in Cople which is a little village outside Bedford. Proper little quiet village, really nice.

How did you find the NPOC forums and are we any good? Would you happily recommend the club to other Nissan Primera owners? Are we still the number one place for Nissan Primera owners to come?

I can barely remember, it was so long ago, but I think I was looking for information about the different specs and it came up in my Ask Jeeves results.  Nah, it wasn’t THAT long ago… Yahoo.

A very worthy point to mention here… But in a few months you would have been an NPOC for 8 years WOW! What keeps you coming back for more?

It’s the community, without doubt. For a couple of years I was without a Primera but I stayed around because the forum is totally unique. No idiots or keyboard warriors just genuine people from all walks of life having a laugh and sharing information and stories.

 

Now some of our Old Skool members will already know the background behind this gorgeous P11 144 SE+ because it was owned by previous NPOC Member “NikC” and has been heavily involved with club life for many years. It’s never easy taking on another members car and making it “your own” but you’ve done just that! Nik is a good friend of yours, was this a car you always wanted to own?

I always loved it, the colour is very special, it is incredibly well looked after and many of the mods he did were exactly the things I would have done myself. The suspension set up is the same I had on my previous COTM and it’s fantastic for these cars. I had never really thought I would own it one day but when he mentioned he was selling it (and how cheaply), it was a no brainer.

You have carried over the pet name of this P11 144 from Nik.. The “JB” or Japanese Bentley (in full).. Tell us the story behind the name?

Haha, yeah bit of a random one. As some people will know, myself, Nik and Tom (Tom-P10) are massive Alan Partridge fans. In the second series of “I’m Alan Partridge” he refers to his Lexus as the Japanese Mercedes owing to its high spec and refined quality. With this car being the luxury SE+ model with cream leather etc. Nik hit upon the idea of calling it the Japanese Bentley which gradually become shortened to JB.

Here’s an interesting fact… A few members have won COTM twice now (always with 2 different cars) but you are the only member to have owned 3 COTM winning cars!! As well as your P11 from January 2007, you owned the March 2008 COTM winning P10 (after it had won with its previous owner) and now your P11 144 has won! You’ve also owned a Nordic GT too! Do you have a favourite out of that lot and why?

I’d never thought of that, cool fact! It’s hard to pick really. I think objectively the JB is the ‘best’ but the first P11 got me into Primeras, introduced me to NPOC and through it, I learned a huge amount, plus I did all mods myself. I think that probably slightly edges it in front. I always regretted selling it.

Sadly you found that parking a Nissan Primera P10 into a tree doesn’t really work but you walked away thankfully. That P10 was the only Primera that you lost “without choice”, do you miss it? How comes you never bought another P10 to replace it?

I really loved that car, Matt had done an amazing job on it and being all black with the tints made for a cool stealthy look. The incident that ended it was my own stupid fault and I still feel like a right tool when I think about it now.

When I finally had the money to get another Primera a couple of years later I decided to go for a GT for two reasons. Firstly, finding a good eGT with low miles and no tinworm is becoming impossible and, secondly, I always felt the P11 looks better in standard form while a P10 needs more mods to look the way I’d want.

So you’ve had 2 X P11’s, 1 X P10 and now this club favourite P11 144.. I guess it’s a Nissan Primera P12 up next at some stage?

Hard to answer this one without offending the P12 owners - Let’s just say a firm no. In all seriousness, I would consider one of the SR20VE powered P12 20V jobbies but it’d need a lot of work on its looks.

On to the modifications, now would be a great time to tell us all about your sweet Nissan Primera P11 144 SE+! So please list your full spec and all modifications, inside and out:

Custom A&S cold air feed with filter in the wing (amazing quality)

SS Autochrome manifold and downpipe

Remus backbox

KYB AGX shocks with Koni springs

Import three leg spoiler

Custom black, debarred and meshed front grill

De-tangoed front indicators

Clear side repeaters

P12 Primera badges

Cupra splitter

17” Dotz alloys

Chrome dial rings

Removed the nasty fake wood trim

Factory electric and heated cream leather – Not a mod I just like it.

Kenwood head unit

2 way amp powering Kenwood components

Mono amp powering 10” sub

What’s the most enjoyable change you’ve made so far?

Definitely the wheels. It looked good on the 16’s Nik had but I always felt it needed 17’s and the black and chrome looks perfect against the Tornado Grey paint.

Anything you’ve tried so far, that didn’t work and went in the bin?

Not really, I did get a sticker at Japfest that said OEM+ but after a couple of weeks I went off it and binned it. I also photoshopped a few ideas (like vinyl wrap) and let’s just say I’m glad I photoshopped them first!

If I gave £500 right now and told you it had to be spent on the car, what would you buy?

Nismo FPR and some JWT cams, in a heartbeat.

If money was no object and you could do anything you wanted, what would be the ultimate Nissan Primera P11 144?

I’d tidy everything to perfection first so full respray in the same colour, all the seats professionally re-covered, still cream leather of course but with JB embroidered in the headrests. Hydraulic suspension, VE engine conversion, supercharger and nitrous, those electric tints that you can turn on and off, big brake upgrade, Android tablet in a custom-built centre console controlling everything from OBD to climate etc. Also remote start and actuators on all the doors so I can open them remotely. It would never end quite honestly.

Any secrets or future plans I can squeeze out of you?

An FPR is definitely in the future and maybe some cosmetic changes like the grill but that’s all I have planned at the moment.

In your 2007 COTM feature with your old green P11, you were thinking of supercharging.. Has that idea faded away?

It’s a bit of a pipedream really due to the cost and risks but I would definitely love to do it, it’d be quite unusual.

Time for the quick fire question round!

How long have you been an NPOC Member? 
Nearly 8 years!

What makes you smile? 
Kinder Surprise

What makes you sad? 
Wet roads with big trees at the side

Tell us something we don't know about you..
I am treasurer of a badminton club, play every week and have for over 3 years now

Your favourite colour? 
British Racing Green

Your lucky number? 
I’m not a big believer in luck but this is my 5th Primera so let’s say 5


What will it say on your gravestone?
Please don’t pee here

Your favourite drink (any)? 
Jack Daniels or Disaronno

If you could steal the keys to someone else’s car (on NPOC) for 1 day, which car would you steal and why? 

Rich’s GTT because it is just one of my absolute favourite cars and I’ve never driven a turbo’d Primera

You are always a regular at our big Club Meets (with the lovely Jane!) – Tell everyone why they should take the time to get out to our Meets.

They are just really relaxed and friendly. All the members are ace and it’s such a mixed group so there is a lot to chat about, not just cars. New people are always made to feel welcome, as are their partners or guests, and the club owners put in a lot of effort to make it run smoothly.

What’s been your favourite club meet of all time so far?

Very tough question, I’ve enjoyed them all so much. JAE is always absolutely class but I think I’d say Ace last year. It was the first time we’d stayed for the evening meal and hotel and was just really relaxed and fun.

NPOC for life (regardless of what car you own and drive) or leg it when you change car?

I think my 18 months without a Primera show that I’m NPOC for life. As long as the forum is there, you won’t get rid of me.

Tell Carlos Ghosn (because you didn’t get the opportunity to in your 1st COTM feature) why he needs to bring back the Nissan Primera brand:

Because there isn’t a Nissan that does what the Type R Hondas, VXR Vauxhalls or the RS/ST Fords do. There is a market for it, we need a Nismo Primera.

JAE 2012 saw you winning “Best Nissan Primera P11 144” on the NPOC stand, as voted for by our members who were there.. Massive well done!! How did it feel with me calling out your name and telling you to step up and collect your trophy?

It was quite a surprise. I expected Geordie to take it, his 144 wagon is outstanding. As it is voted by fellow members it really meant a lot and made me very proud of the car.

Many thanks for telling us all about yourself and your Nissan Primera P11 144 SE+ Tim. You’re a time served NPOC member, who has helped us build this club up to the success it is today and it makes me feel equally as happy to give you this COTM award, as I did the trophy for “Best Nissan Primera P11 144” at JAE!! Congratulations once again for winning Car Of The Month for November 2012! Please end this feature, in your own words and feel free to thank anyone who’s made this one possible.

Obviously I have to thank Nik (NikC) as a lot of the work on this car was done by him and he sold it to me for a, frankly ridiculous, price. Thanks to Shaun and Ade who made the cold air intake that’s still doing its thing in the JB.

NPOC has been an important constant in my life and the community there is always fun and friendly so a big thanks to Shaun, Ade, G and the rest of the staff, mods and members for all the laughs.

Finally, and most importantly, huge thanks to Jane who is really supportive of my car habit. She helps me work on the car, comes to the meets, takes incredible photos (as you can see) and even lets me do the sex. Win.

Congratulations once again to Tim!

November 2012 COTM - FriedGold
 
Written by essNchill
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