Congratulations
on winning September 2013 COTM Glen! Both yourself and your Nissan Primera P11
GA16DE SRi saloon, are a very worthy entry in the NPOC Hall Of Fame!! How does
it feel bagging this exclusive award and the awesome COTM trophy as well?
Over
the moon Shaun. I couldn’t believe it when I got the PM off you still in shock LOL.
There are so many beautiful Primeras in the club and winning COTM, it’s just
such an honour getting to be part of NPOC's Hall of Fame. Also being the first
Irish Member to Win COTM! It just means the world to me and the car, thank you.
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.
Well
I’m 21, my full name is Glen Gallagher and I am currently living in Dublin at
the moment. I left school to work in construction for a few years with my Dad.
I have also done a few months as an apprentice mechanic but at the moment I am
working as a security guard for a company called Securitas. When I’m not
working or on NPOC, I’m in the gym pumping my guns, haha!! And if I’m not doing
any of that, then I’m out cleaning the Nissan Primera, keeping her nice and
clean.
How
did you find the NPOC forums and are we any good? Would you happily recommend
the club to other Nissan Primera owners?
If
I remember I was on Google looking for parts for the P11 and that’s when I
found the Nissan Primera Owners Club! I didn't even know there was an owners
club and as soon as I clicked onto the page I was hooked!! Such a great club
with friendly people always willing to help and of course, I am proud to
recommend this club to any Nissan Primera Owner.
What
keeps you coming back to the forums every day?
The
people I have come to know, so kind and helpful and if you have a problem they
will do everything to try and help you, also because it’s such a great club! I
don’t think there is a forum or club out there like NPOC! It’s more than just a
club, it’s like a family and I like to think I have become part of that family.
What
got you into a Nissan Primera to start with, was it on the list of cars to own,
or a chance encounter?
Well
My dad bought the car brand new in 1999 and it’s been in the family ever since,
being garaged and cared for. When I turned 17, I wanted my driving licence, so
I was taught to drive in the Primera and after a few runs in the P11, I was
hooked on her. When I passed my test first time, my Dad handed me the keys and
said “it’s yours”! I was over the moon! I couldn't have been happier to own her.
Do
you have a history with the Nissan Primera brand, or is this your first time?
First
time Shaun and I am so happy with the Primera, such a great well built car and
for a 1.6 engine, it has some get up and go! You see a lot of young guys
driving Civics and Starlets etc.. But it’s the Primera any day for me, over any
of them.
Would
you say you are a car modifier, or just passionate about keeping the Primera on
the road and using the opportunity to replace failed factory parts with
upgrades?
I’d
say I am 50/50 on that one. I am very passionate about my car keeping it
running well and looking well but if I see something that’s up for grabs, that
is a little bit special (let it be OEM or JDM) and I know it will look right
for the car, I just gotta have it!
Any
previous cars, you have thrown a lot of love and money at, in making it “your
own”?
Nope
the Primera is my first love. I do like to think I have “made it my own” and put
a wee bit of my personality into the SRi
It’s
great to see another GA16DE getting written into the NPOC history books! Have
you ever regretted not starting out with the SR20DE, or was the 1.6 engine the
one you were after?
Well
I wouldn't mind an SR20DE LOL, but when I was handed the car it was a 1.6 and
being only 21 years old, I don’t think an SR20 would be a good idea for me, you
know with the insurance, tax etc. I love the GA16, it’s cheap on petrol, low
enough on insurance and has good low down power.
What’s
the most enjoyable change you’ve made so far?
It’s
got to be the JDM lights all round (front and rear) - Makes such a difference
to how the car looks.
On
to the modifications, now would be a great time to tell us all about your
gorgeous green Nissan Primera P11 SRi! So please list your full spec and all
modifications, inside and out.
Engine
GA16DE
Fuse
Box Covers
ABS
Cover
K&N
Air Filter
E-tech
Front Strut Brace
Radiator
Cap BL1TS (Blue)
Chassis
Nissan
Almera 16" Twist Alloys with 205/50/R16 Kumho Ecsta KU31 Tyres
Exterior
Full
GT Body Kit with Side Skirts
OEM
GT Mud flaps (Front & Rear)
OEM
Wind Deflectors
OEM
Replacement Aerial
R34
clear side repeaters
Removed
Plastic Door Vinyl
Chrome
Door Handles
BOSCH
Aero Wiper Blades
LED
Number Plate Bulbs (White)
JDM
Headlights
JDM
Taillights
JDM
Fog Lights
Nissan
Primera P11 144 Door Strips
Interior
OEM
Nissan Primera Mats
OEM
GT Silver surround / Ashtray
LED
Interior Bulbs / Dash / Heater
Sony
Xplod Stereo
Dash
Dial Rings + Brushed Alloy Bezels
Any
horror stories of something you thought was going to be an awesome idea but
just didn’t work when it went onto the car and can now be found in a bin
somewhere LOL??
The
Team Heko wind deflectors! No offence to the guys that have got them but I had
a bad experience with them. I paid a good £50 for them and all they kept doing
was falling out, so after a week I got a bit mad, pulled them off and fired
them into the bin LOL!
If
I gave £500 right now and told you it had to be spent on the car, what would
you buy?
£500?
Really?? OK, just send it in the post mate LOL! Seriously, it would either be a
set of coilovers or a good exhaust system.
If
money was no object and you could do anything you wanted to your Nissan Primera
P11 SRi, what would you do?
Oh
boy, I could be here for a while! It would be an SR20VE conversion, full
exhaust system, full respray in DR2, have every nut and bolt polished, handling
wise everything upgraded from coilovers to R32 brakes, black JDM Xenon
headlights, JDM spoiler and I’d have it sitting just right, with a wee bit of
camber!
Do
you carry out most of the repair work yourself and is there anything you
wouldn’t take on and out of 1 – 5, what rated spanner monkey do you consider
yourself to be?
What
ever it is, I'll always try and give it ago but If you asked me this a couple
of years ago, I’d be rated just a 1! But since being an apprentice mechanic for
a short while, my confidence has grown so, I’d say I’m now a good 3 and a bit
monkey!
Time for the quick fire
question round!
What
makes you smile? Having a good night out with my mates
What makes you sad?
Bad drivers
Tell us something we don't know about you..
I’m 6'4 LOL!
Your favourite colour?
Green
Your lucky number?
I don’t have one
What will it say on your gravestone?
Peace Out Mother Fu*keerrrrs
Your favourite drink (any)?
Tea
SR20VE
or DE? VE Your sub £10K second hand dream car would be?
Nissan Skyline R32 N1
If
you could steal the keys to someone else’s car (on NPOC) for 1 day, which car
would you steal and why? This
is a hard one! It’s either “sprint”s eGT VE, or “ragt20”s P11 GTSE (VE)
Now
living over the water in beautiful Ireland.. We’ve never got to meet you or the
car yet, any chance you’re gonna board the ferry and pop over for a club meet?
You
don’t know how long I have wanted to come over to the UK and meet up with you
guys and gals, just to park my Nissan Primera along with another one would be so
cool! I know I keep saying that I'll come over but money has been tight for the
last few months, whilst I’ve been in and out of work. Hopefully in the next
couple of weeks I will have a full time position and then the UK awaits me and
my car!!
Lovely
green DR2 paintwork on this one.. Was it intentional that you’d be Irish and
have a green car LOL, or was it just the right car for you regardless of the
colour?
LOL,
I think it was the right car regardless of the colour mate but saying that, the
DR2 paint really stands out! I always manage to turn a few heads and being the
colour that it is, just makes it even better.
Ireland
has some awesome fast cars and a lot of JDM lushness too! Can you see yourself
owning this car for a long time, or will it’s time sadly come and you’ll be
driving something completely different?
I
will be honest, the day might come when I’m looking for a few more BHP but I don’t
think I'll ever part with the P11, it will always be with me through thick or
thin!
NPOC
for life (regardless of what car you own and drive) or leg it when you change
car?
NPOC
FOR LIFE SON! Even if I was driving something completely different, NPOC would
still be my number one car forum.
Sum
up in a few words, why everyone should own a Nissan Primera??
The
Nissan Primera is just a great all round and well built car. The reliability is
outstanding. When my dad had the car from 1999 – 2010, the only thing it cost
him was some oil, a battery and a set of new tyres LOL. It just shows you the
build quality and they’re just such a good car to look at and drive.
Tell
Carlos Ghosn why he needs to bring back the Nissan Primera brand:
Nissan
need to bring back a proper four door family saloon / hatch back car and stop
with all the SUV's. They need something to match the Mondeo, Cavalier and the
Lagunas of todays world and all the other German saloons! It would be cool to see what the P13 would or
could look like. Hopefully something that’s great to drive, great to look at
and eventually have a limited edition NISMO version P13R? Nissan can do it if
they use their heads! And I really hope they do!
Many
thanks for telling us all about yourself and your Nissan Primera P11 SRi Glen,
you have a cracking car! Congratulations once again for winning Car Of The
Month for September 2013! Please end this feature, in your own words and feel
free to thank anyone who’s made this one possible.
I
want to say a big thanks to my Dad for giving me the car and helping me along
the way!
Thanks
to you also Shaun! I couldn't believe it when I got the PM from you, to say I had
won COTM.
I
just really want to say a big big thank you to everyone at NPOC, that I have
come to know for their advice, knowledge and experience. This is a truly great
club with great people!
Special
thanks to the following members: “prim-n-proper”, “Mad Ax”, “Ant-Dat”, “Grim”,
GT786”, “Garyegt”, “Primera Dave”, “Geordie”, “ragt20”, “StigP11GT” and “Mr Fluff” himself…
And to anyone else at NPOC, that’s helped me along the way, too many to list
and if I missed anyone out, I didn’t mean to!!
A final thanks to the Club Owners and
Moderators for all their hard work keeping NPOC as good as it is!
Congratulations once again to Glen! September 2013 COTM - GlenSRi
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