Can anyone give me some advice on my Magna TF Advance 3.0? It's done 156k now and although it has done well I have thought about getting a different car. I was thinking though if I spent say $4000 on it could I get a new engine/trans...and do some suspension work and run it to the ground. How many km's will they do? I'm having no real problems now apart from the trans slipping a bit but seems to settle when it gets serviced.

I really like the car though so would it be worth keeping (saving on a newer car) and just keeping it and spending some cash on repairs etc? Are the parts available? Anyone know some costs? Anyone know what problems I could expect? It has been serviced regularly. Can you get a 3.5 in these?

Any advice or help would be great.

I would hold on to it if I were you, I drive the exact same car, TF AUTO 3.0L, and its done 162k km. The car is stock apart from bolt on mods, I would like to work the Engine too when I have more money, but I think it'll keep driving for a long time to come.

Here is what I've done from the time I bought the car, (it was an ex-ANZ fleet car, did 150k when I bought it, came with Pedders Sport Ryder, 16" 225 with POW wheels, also EVO6 Spoiler, and a 2.25" Cannon)

The as received car was a slug! bloody Drone at 2,000rpm was killing me, So I changed the crappy 2" cat back cannon into a 2.5" RED BACK Performance cat back system (cost me $300) with RedBack muffler. The results, More torque from standstill to red line. slight increase in power also. say 4-5kW. Drone at 2000rpm improved by heaps, not as annoying now.

Then went and got myself a K&N panel filter from Bursons, bloody trade price is still so expensive ($170).

Then I got a strut brace from www.Onautos.com.au for $170, installed it myself and yes the car turned corners slightly flatter.

Then I got a set of Pacemaker extractors from Onautos for $380, installed it at MadMagna's place and this was the mod that made the most difference, Torque, responsiveness, and mid to high end power was bloody amazing, it makes the auto feel a bit like a manual. I would guess about 5-9kW.

Then I bloody bottomed the car and scratched the extractors, so I had to investigate why I bottomed the car on a City road. and found that my Stock Shocks were Way over due for change, so went to Repco and got a set (front and rear pairs) of Monroe GT gas shocks ($350), went over to a friends house and changed them over ourselves, had fun and the feel of the car afterwards was bloody amazing. I'm still wondering whether I should get rear sway bar, I probably should, but it handles pretty good right now anyway, haven't understeered ever since I changed the shocks actually. Before with the stock shocks, I actually had an accident, drop up a side of a mountain as I was coming down the mountain at 110km/h, but the enbankment was at an angle so that only my front left tyre and front left bumper took the hit, hmm all it did was pop my front left tyre and a few scratches on the front left side of the bumper, it wasn't even deep scratches, just white lines, (my car is white), considering that my car actually lifted off the road and was driving on the enbankment until I came back down to a stop. *PHEWww.. Anyway, Stock Shocks are CRAP.

Okay, about 3 weeks ago I serviced (oil and filter change) the car, the engine oil was quite dark. ($40)

and 2months ago, I got the Transmission flashed ans serviced and installed an extra Trans cooler unit, sits in front of the radiator. ($300)

last week I bought myself Iridium spark plugs x 6 ($106)

next week I'm going to change the rear bank of spark plugs and change the spark plug leads I think, probably another ($150)

so if you skim up and count the amount i've spent, I don't think it'll come to $4000 that you've quoted, and the final results of my mods, I think I've converted a car that did 0-100 in 10sec to a car that does 0-100 in 8.5sec.

Good luck TF MAN.

Then went and got myself a K&N panel filter from Bursons, bloody trade price is still so expensive ($170).
Holy crap! You paid how much for the panel? $170? I got mine for like $110, and I've heard people getting it for less than that. That sucks dude!

Thanks for he comments! Does anyone know a good place in SA to Magna work done?