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Nissan March Rumba – March-athon

January 14, 2024 / banpei / 0 Comments

The Nissan March Rumba was sold alongside the Bolero. So today in the March-athon series we’re covering everything about the Rumba and comparing it against the Bolero. But first something else. I was wondering if ChatGPT could outdo itself and make an even better joke about the March Rumba:
Why did the Nissan March Rumba refuse to dance?
Because it didn’t want to “auto-mambo” and preferred to keep its moves in “park-ison!”
Yes, ChatGPT definitely outdid itself!

Front view of 1998 Nissan March Rumba K11

What’s a Nissan March Rumba?

As you may have guessed from the introduction and the photos, the Nissan March Rumba is a retro-styled variant of the Nissan March. It became available from November 1998 onwards and was, alongside the Bolero, for sale until the end of the K11. Similar to the Tango and the Bolero, the Rumba is also a musical style (and dance) and this fits in within the March’s musical note lineup.

Fuel door and boot lid release plus TRD sports accessories brochure – My Carina

January 13, 2024 / banpei / 0 Comments

It has been too long since I wrote an update about my Carina. The sad truth is that it’s still in the same state with an engine that runs roughly when idling. I did find a fuel pressure regulator, but it turned out to be one for fuel injection. That means it works differently and I need to find another one suitable for carburettors.

Toyota Carina fuel door and boot lid release handles

I have a lever under my seat that releases the fuel door lock without me having to open it myself with a key. When I refuelled the car the last time, the cable broke and I couldn’t open it anymore and I had to use the key. I have been on the lookout for a replacement since.

How much different is the Accord coupé from the Prelude?

Honda Accord Coupé CA6 vs Prelude BA3 – Mashups

January 11, 2024 / banpei / 0 Comments

I have never fully understood the difference between the Prelude and the Honda Accord coupé. The first-generation Prelude was built on the first-generation Honda Accord platform, so why did the third-generation Accord re-introduce a coupé? The third-generation Accord also aligned with the design of the Prelude, CR-X and Integra, so they all featured pop-up headlights. This made it even more difficult to distinguish them from each other.

We’ll probably never know the true answer to why it was re-introduced, but let’s put the Prelude and the Accord coupé side by side and compare them.

	Prelude	Accord coupé
Length	4,460 mm (175.6 in)	4,564 mm (179.7 in)
Width	1,709 mm (67.3 in)	1,695 mm (67 in)
Height	1,295 mm (51 in)	1,336 mm (52.6 in)
Wheelbase	2,565 mm (101 in)	2,600 mm (102.4 in)

As you can see, the difference in dimensions is marginal. The Accord coupé is only 10 centimetres (4 inches) longer, 1.6 centimetres (0.3 inches) wider and 4 centimetres (1.6 inches) higher. The wheelbase is also almost equal.

The Mazda 323F that wants to be a Fujiwara Tofu-ten Eunos Astina – AE86 Wall of Shame

January 9, 2024 / banpei / 3 Comments

What? Wait! The Eunos 100, Mazda Familia Astina and Mazda 323F aren’t an AE86! So why is this entry part of the AE86 Wall of Shame? Well, hear me out! I found this 323F for sale on the German classifieds site Kleinanzeichen with the text “JDM, no AE86”. Yet if you squint your eyes, you will recognize it as the Fujiwara Tofu-ten. But does it deserve an entry in the AE86 Wall of Shame then?

This Mazda 323F really wants to be a five door Fujiwara Tofu-ten

323F or Familia Astina or Eunos 100?

The Mazda Familia Astina is a Japanese Domestic Market car that was also sold as the Eunos 100. Outside of Japan, the Mazda Familia was sold as the Mazda 323. Naturally, the Familia Astina was sold as the 323F to make it stand out and yet still hold ties to the 323 family name. Yes, that’s confusing yet clear at the same time!

How the Carina Jeune Back Sonar works – Carina Sightings

January 8, 2024 / banpei / 0 Comments

I have always been curious about how the Back Sonar of the Carina Jeune works. I mean, I know it works similarly to our modern parking sensors: ultrasonic sensors in the bumper and some processing unit calculating the distance. But how it actually operates in real life, I wouldn’t know. But lucky enough for you: I’m going to tell you exactly how in today’s post!

Toyota Carina SG Jeune brochure page September 1982

The brochure doesn’t tell us much more than that it is a back sonar parking aid. The Jeune TV ad does show us a bit more details:

Dancing Through Traffic: Nissan March Bolero – March-athon

January 7, 2024 / banpei / 2 Comments

I asked ChatGPT if it could make a joke about the Nissan March Bolero and this is what it came up with:
Q: Why did the Nissan March Bolero get invited to all the car parties?
A: Because it always knows how to “rev up” the atmosphere and drive everyone to the dance floor!
That’s just amazing! I couldn’t have made a more appropriate joke and let’s make sure this third posting in the March-athon isn’t a joke by itself!

Front view of 1997 Nissan March Bolero K11

What is the Nissan March Bolero?

As you may have guessed from the title and the first paragraph: the third posting is focussing on the Nissan March Bolero. Just like the March Tango, the March Bolero is another special car built by Nissan’s Autech division. It became available in October 1997, shortly after the facelifted March K11 was launched and it replaced the March Tango. Just like Tango, Bolero is both a musical and dance style. For Bolero the dance and music are completely unrelated, which makes it confusing what Nissan intended for the March Bolero to represent. Given the musical note system for the basic March models, I’d say it would be the musical style.

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