Just bought '99 3.5 TH Magna Altera, 186000, $3100, White... and it goes like a rocket. The engine sounds awesome, drove from Sydney to the Southern Highlands after buying her and averaged 8.9 Litres/100km, am totally amazed how well she runs. Couple of minor things to fix, has lowered springs (too low for me as I want to be able to drive on country roads etc), smaller than 5 cent ding in the rear boot from something bashing in the boot, needs new tyres but I wouldve done that anyways.... anyhow, I reckon she is the best thing to come from good old parramatta road in a long time!

Congrats, welcome......

now....

Parramatta road?

Which dealership?

Mick at Granville Auto's... have been watching him for months, and seems to sell 99 models for 96-98 prices... jumped on one finally last weekend after missing out on 3 (One a verada!) since jan... I have even flown to queensland in early feb to look at a good deal on a Verada.

Anyhows, ended up settling on the Magna Altera, cause of being a 99 model (and an auto so the missus can learn to drive), the only thing I am going to miss is the LCD electronic AC temp contol, guess my question is, can I add it into an Altera??? Pretty good with car electronics, so no fear... just is it plug compatible... or will I have to make major mods apart from the centre console?

Wanted to say thanks to all of you out there, was able to get so much info from this forum! Aussiemagna rocks!

Climate conversion (from manual air-con to climate control) is possible, but lots of hassle and expense.

If you PM MadMagna (he's in melb) or search old threads, I'm pretty sure he's done it.... but its probably a different dashboard loom req'd, and definate that different air-con/heater box is req'd - needs all the servo's etc to alter settings, rather than the manual cables. Then there is a temp sensor at top of dash near windscreen as well.

Big job, probably not worth it.

Have not dealt with them before.

Word of warning about Parramatta road/Granville, be careful, very, very careful.

I would be inspecting the car with a fine tooth comb. Goodluck though :woot:

Climate Control is easy on the interior, painful on the exterior...but very possible if you have time an know what your doing...

Mick at Granville Auto's

hmm, i purchased a 2nd gen from him, and it died very quickly indeed. Would never buy from Parramatta road again thats for sure

I myself got stung, bought from Bill Adams Motors on para road, timing belt needed doing ($600) plus there were 3 major oil leaks! Gearbox and engine had to come out, the week I bought my car I was up for $1600 in maint/repairs. Make sure to check it over with a fine tooth comb.

Reality is there is around $1000 work to do to the altera to bring her up to scratch...

Had 2 mechanic mates go over her and give her a large thumbs up.. Little bit of work to do, but I like to get my hands dirty and learn my new car....

- Oil Sump Gasket needs replacement, other gaskets arent leaking at all.. good.
- Front spoiler could use some work, cracked slightly and paint cracking in 1 area...(new spoiler from wreckers but not urgent at all).
- Cabin light not working... Ha! Fix it this morning.
- AC needs a re-gas... cheap, and later when summer is approaching.
- New springs, (too low for me) but shocky's seem fine. Guess this is preferential thing, I like being able to go over speed humps or on dirt roads at more than 50km/h.. My mechanic mate thinks I am nuts, should enjoy it being lowered...
- New tyres, as I mentioned earlier, wouldve done this anyway... have a bubba on board..
- Power antenna seems like it has stripped the plastic inner insert, motor in it runs for like 1 min when you turn the car on... Going to chuck my old stereo in (with USB Hard Drive in the glove box), so will either disconnect the signal or replace from the wreckers also..

And thats it...

Bit of work to accomplish in the next few months, but cheapish repairs, and a bit of fun to boot! And for the price I paid for the beast, very happy man here!

i bought a magna altera 96 164,000km from one of the dealer in paramatta road, it was doing perfect until i crash it, got it for almost a year