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 January 2011 Newsletter ~ Issue No 23
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The Figaro Owners Club is a Not for Profit Organisation. Unlike other car clubs we don't have a fixed annual membership fee. We think it's fairer for our members to make an Annual Donation towards the running of the club. If you've not yet donated then please do so today and help us.
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 Membership Benefits
SAVE 15%
ON YOUR CAR INSURANCE

We've joined forces with Classic Line Insurance to offer you 15% Discount on your car insurance. Although we have heard some members save up to 50% as they deal exclusively with classic cars such as the Nissan Figaro. Learn more

SAVE 30%
ON AA BREAKDOWN COVER

The club is delighted to offer 30% Discount off at enrollment plus an ongoing 10% discount at renewal (please note that these discounts are based on the AA standard prices and are better in the long run compared to any tactical offers that you might see on our web site). Learn more

SAVE 10%
ON YOUR FIGARO COVER

You've invested in your dream Figaro and now it's outside in all that rain! You need a cover to keep it dry and snug and we have a fantastic range available. Car Covers the UK's largest range of fully tailored, waterproof and breathable indoor and outdoor car covers provide a 10% discount on their superb quality covers.Learn more

SAVE �100
ON RUST PROTECTION

If you drive your car in the rain we recommend this protection. Waxoyl will provide valuable protection to the underside of the car. You can receive a �100 Discount off Waxoyl under car treatment. Learn more
 

The above benefits + 

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 Club Statistics
The Latest Numbers from our Database 

Current Members: 3,127
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Forum Unique Posts: 7,362
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Coverage: 46 Countries
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Merchandise Best Sellers
Welcome to THE FIGARO STORE

Packed to the roof with over 400 Figaro branded designs from funky T-shirt to stylish clocks and more we hope we have the ideal gift for you.

Below is just a taster of some of the products on sale. All in stock and available for delivery within around 7 days.

Click here to visit shop now



Mug Topaz Mist


Beach Tote with Figaro Montage

Hi , Happy New Year and welcome to the January 2011 edition of our Newsletter. We hope you had a great Christmas and unlike me didn't over indulge in the Ferrero Rocher Chocolates!

Important Changes to your Membership Fee!
After much deliberating from 1st January 2011 we have decided to make the Membership Fee a Compulsory Donation rather than a Voluntary One. The main reason for this change is that is seemed unfair that members made a donation and others didn't but continued to enjoy membership benefits! During the next month we will be contact existing members who have not donated if they wish to remain members of the club? If they choose not to donate they will automatically be removed from our membership database list.


KEEP YOUR MEMBERSHIP STATUS AND MAKE A DONATION NOW - CLICK HERE

Free Newsletter to Non Members

We have also decided (all these decisions!) to make this Newsletter FREE to anyone who wishes to subscribe via our website and facebook page. The thinking behind this is that we are always encouraging new people to buy into both the Figaro and the Club and this is a great mechanism to achieve this.   

 
Figaro Owners Club Leaflet
This time of year is always quiet for the club so we decided to use the time to create and design a much needed Figaro Owners Club Leaflet. The publication will be supplied to all our supporting dealers and it is hoped that when they sell a Figaro they also promote the club! Prospective members can also download it at our website. View PDF
FOC Brochure
It is hoped that our new Brochure will help us promote
the clubs activities through dealers and at events
200 Figaro Wall Calendars Sold
Thanks to everyone who brought the Calendar and the members who took those fantasist pictures! Without doubt it was great success and we cannot wait for the 2012 Calendar so get cracking and send in those pictures for inclusion. Click here

Welcome to our New Members

The normal 'big hug' and welcome from us all! We really are a friendly bunch so please don't be shy and join in the chat on our forum or contribute to this Newsletter with your stories Click here

Next Month
Get your diaries out as we look in depth at the three Figaro Events of 2011!

London Meeting - April 16th - Ace Cafe

ScotFest - May (Date TBA) - Dumfries

FigFest 2011 - July 8/9/10 - Great Yarmouth  

Hope you enjoy the Newsletter, have a cracking New Year, don't drink to much and I'll catch you next Month :)


Kevin

Kevin Fagan
Figaro Owners Club Founder
Email: [email protected]
Web Site: www.figaroownersclub.co.uk


 Picture of the Month
This picture was submitted by an anonymous member who snapped it on December 24th. Apparently the driver loaded up the Figaro and drove off at speed. Witnesses said they saw the car enter a field and after hitting a ton, climbed to 500ft then disappeared into a cloud? 
picofthemonthjan2011
Have you seen this man?


















Many thanks to Paul Ayers for submitting the pictures

Send in your Picture for our next Newsletter - Click here

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Advertisement Feature

TheFigaroShop Advert

Ownership Issues - Under The Bonnet

This series is written by Gjnorthall Factors - Nissan Figaro Specialists. The company is well respected and has been involved in maintenance, servicing and new parts supply since 1999. The documents are all copyright protected and cannot be reproduced or passed off by any 3rd party. They can be printed and used for personal use.

 

This is document is available on PDF via our website Click here

 

TIP

This is such a useful document we strongly recommend that you print off the PDF and keep it your Figaro. The Blue areas are for routine checks and top ups.


underbonnet 

 

Huge thanks to Simon for the information - The series continues next month (ed)  www.jgnorthhall.com


Dealers Under The Spotlight - Special Feature

Ever wondered what our dealers really feel about the Figaro they sell? We thought it would be a bit of fun to investigate and ask them some questions? 


garagecars2Jap Cars and Parts - Newcastle Upon Tyne

http://www.japcarsandparts.co.uk


Q1 - What's the most expensive Figaro you've ever sold?

�8750. Cheapest was �5500, of course it's virtually impossible to sell them freshly imported for this price now unless they have high mileage or have been damaged in the past.  Low priced Figaro's which have been freshly imported will more than likely have had a problem in the past......and remember you get what you pay for in most cases.

 

Q2 - Have you every sold a Figaro to anyone famous? 

We have sold to a TV presenter up in the North East and it appeared in one of her TV presentations in one of the back drops.

 

Q3 - Why do you think the Figaro is still so popular?

It's different and makes you stand out.  Who hasn't been stared at at the traffic lights!!!

 

Q4 - Do you have a favorite colour?  

Topaz probably the best original colour.

 

Q5 - What's your best feature? (Roof/Aircon/Leather Int etc) 

Would probably have to be the roof.  For a manual roof that can be folded away in under thirty seconds is good bearing in mind the age of the car.

 

Q6 - What makes your dealership so good? 

We carry our every single job that could be done on a Figaro. We also do MOT's while the customer waits or we drop them into the town center to do their shopping.  We can supply virtually any part for a Figaro and even some parts that even Nissan no longer do. We have manufactured replacement front exhaust pipe with a heat shield, there are some equally priced but they don't come with the heat shield which is vital bearing in mind how close to the turbo oil return pipe the front pipe is. 

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 Wimbledon Cars - London

http://www.wimbledonfigaro.com 


Q1 - What's the most expensive Figaro you've ever sold?

�12000 topaz with 19000 miles.

 

Q2 - Have you every sold a Figaro to anyone famous?

No, just a couple of WAGS.

 

Q3 - Why do you think the Figaro is still so popular?

Its unique, TICKS ALL THE BOXES.

 

Q4 - Do you have a favourite colour?  

Beige/Topaz.

 

Q5 - What's your best feature? (Roof/Aircon/Leather Int etc)

Leather is very important.

 

Q6 - What makes your dealership so good?

We always have a selection of over 20 Figaro's in stock in all price ranges from �3500-�10000.

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Nissan Figaro UK (Figaro Bob) - Essex

http://www.nissanfigarouk.com 

 

Q1 - What's the most expensive Figaro you've ever sold?

�14999 green had 14,000 miles show room condition

 

Q2 - Have you every sold a Figaro to anyone famous?

Sarah Pennock, sky news, weather girl, Fergal Lawyer drummer for the cranberries (see below)

 

Q3 - Why do you think the Figaro is still so popular?

It has its own charisma, style and retro looks with 20th century mod cons.

                                             

Q4 - Do you have a favourite colour?  

Black (my wife's car).

 

Q5 - What's your best feature? (Roof/Aircon/Leather Int etc)

The retro CD player.

 

Q6 - What makes your dealership so good?

Our customer service and attention to detail is un-challengeable!! Our customer feedback speaks for it self! We take great pride in our cars and have a complete set up under one roof, renting, parts, service, cars and mot we have had our cars featured in Cosmopolitan magazine, blackberry phone add (coming soon!)

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Hallen Imports (Figaro Respray) - Bristol

http://www.figarorestore.co.uk

 

Q1 - What's the most expensive Figaro you've ever sold
I sold my daughters Topaz Figaro for �15,800 with a genuine 7,800 on the clock and all the history from Japan


Q2 - Have you every sold a Figaro to anyone famous? 
Mark Bentons wife (the funny guy who was doing the nationwide Building society  adverts) also we have supplied a figaro as a prize for a competition that Boden clothes design was running.


Q3 - Why do you think the Figaro is still so popular?

It's unique, The Figaro is a unique and classless car


Q4 - Do you have a favourite colour?  
All the colours good and represent 100% Retro


Q5 - What's your best feature? (Roof/Aircon/Leather Int etc)
The design and overall package.We are "everything Figaro" we do everything in our own workshop and we do not contract anything out.


Q6 - What makes your dealership so good?
The three things that separate us from the others is personal service, personal service and personal service.

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 Figaro Car Imports - Manchester

http://www.figaro-car-imports.co.uk


Q1 - What's the most expensive Figaro you've ever sold?

The good news about Figaro Car Imports is that we've sold 5 Figs in December, in the frozen North! It's not so unusual as the Fig customer knows no seasons, last December was the same. They become aware of them & have to have one no matter what time of the year! We're lucky in that apart from private sales which seem to be mostly high miles & neglected, there are no credible Fig dealers between us & the Midlands. We've sold two Figaro's, under 12k miles for �12k.

 

Q2 - Have you every sold a Figaro to anyone famous? 

None to anyone famous, the WAGS here all seem to prefer Bentleys! We have however sold two Figaro's to German customers, & one to a lady in Lerwick, Shetland Isles.

 

Q3 - Why do you think the Figaro is still so popular?

The Fig is so popular simply because people who appreciate class love them. About 70% of my sales have been to designers from advertising media, fashion & interior.

 

Q4 - Do you have a favourite colour?  

As a dealer I can't show a bias to colour but there seems to quarterly trends in demand for certain colours. In the summer months Grey was the biggest sale here, but since then the demand has been for Green. Blue was popular in 2009 but the rarest colour, Topaz, has never been in great demand for 2/3 years, despite being freely available from Japan.

 

Q6 - What makes your dealership so good

Our success is based on stocking a small number of outstanding quality Figaro's, for customers who look for the best, & which have proved almost totally reliable since our inauguration in 2002. The first two Figaro's we imported are still owned locally by the original customers & we still meet as friends. Despite our Northerly location, most of our Figs have gone to customers from Scotland, to the South, including three to Devon!  We're still on first name terms with most customers who know they're welcome to contact us for advice at any time.

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The Figaro Shop - Didcot

http://www.thefigaroshop.co.uk 


Q1 - What's the most expensive Figaro you've ever sold?

14,000, a bespoke fully restored pale aqua car, it went to France.

 

Q2 - Have you every sold a Figaro to anyone famous?

Yes, but probably shouldn't mention there names without checking.

 

Q3 - Why do you think the Figaro is still so popular?

Retro is now more in fashion than ever before, owners want to be unique.

 

Q4 - Do you have a favourite colour?

It changes from week to week, but we have come to think that any colour looks good with the right finish. The designs of the Figaro with its white top half and polo wheel trims can compliment any colour

 

Q5 - What's your best feature?

We love preparing all parts of the car and get as much satisfaction from beautiful brand new leather interior as we do from a gleaming freshly painted car with sparkling chrome.

 

Q6 - What makes your dealership so good?

We pride ourselves on striving to sell the very finest most lovingly restored Figaro's and are constantly improving and developing our work. No expense or time is spared on our refurbishments. We do absolutely everything 'in house' from trimming to paintwork and parts, we have built up a team to be proud of, this is very important to us. All of our work is be spoke, our cars sell to order, we are not a production line. Customers receive exactly the Figaro to suit them in every way and not just what we like which makes our custom Figaro's as stunning as our original style ones.

celebs
Sarah Pennock, Sky News, Weather Girl, Fergul Lawyer Drummer for the Cranberries both
brought their Figaro's from Nissan Figaro UK

Help! I need answers! (The following are extracts from our forum)
Digger Noise when starting?
Battery Terminals? 
Putting my Fig in reverse?
Daft thread title I know but I don't think this is a repeat thread. Okay so its cold and its been damp as well so there is plenty of ice. 'Debbie' (after Debbie Reynolds because of the song Good Morning, it just seemed to suit the car in the morning) started as normal over the weekend but this evening didn't. On turning over all we heard was this digger digger digger noise. I suspect the starter is jammed in or out. The battery is now on charge although it seemed fine to begin with. I'll retry around lunch time tomorrow when it should be a little warmer but any advice or similar experiences welcome. I'll add progress notes as and when. Megan

A stuttering sort of noise is the starter trying to engage - it's not that it's stuck. Either your battery is low on charge or theres a loose connection. Recharge the battery after checking that the battery terminal connectors are clean and tight. It's possible that the battery won't hold it's charge - nothing better than cold weather to kill off a battery. If the problem occurs again after recharging the battery - get it tested by a car shop - it may need replacing.
Gareth Figaro Owners Club Technical Specialist


Need Help? You can post questions on our forum
Click here

Does anyone know where I can buy a positive battery terminal? I guess it is smaller than the ones usually sold in Halfords and similar shops.jrdcamerman

You won't easily find the smaller Jap +ve terminal in the UK! You can order the positive lead from Nissan at an unbelievable cost. However the easiest solution is just to fit a standard size screwed post terminal connector and use a terminal adapter. This is a conical shaped adapter made of lead or brass which is simply pushed over the battery terminal- the connector then fits over the adapter. You'll get one from an auto electrical dealer. Remember that the adapters for the +ve and -ve terminals are different sizes. If you're stuck - just email us at [email protected]. We do the terminal connector with the adaptor for �5.20 delivered. Gareth Figaro Owners Club Technical Specialist 
I'm a proud new owner of a Figaro, which I purchased about a month ago. It's been running fine, but last night started to have a problem going in reverse. Basically, I'd put it in reverse and nothing would happen, until I eventually had to put my foot on the accelerator slightly, and then the car would jerk in to reverse.
So, today I tried to put the Fig in reverse a few times to check it, first thing in them morning when it was cold, and again at the end of a 40 minute drive. Each time the car moved into reverse by itself, but it takes a few seconds i.e., I'll put it in reverse, take my foot of the brake, and nothing will happen for at about 2 seconds. Not a long amount of time I know, but it wasn't like that before and isn't the case when I move in to a different gear. Has anyone come across this before or heard about it? Would appreciate any info/advice! Thanks! Rachel Kay


In the vast majority of cases the problem of delayed engagement is due to low fluid level in the gearbox and, if this is the issue, the problem will get worse if the level isn't corrected. The level must be checked with the engine running and you'll find the method detailed on our website www.gjnorthall.com If you do find that the level needs topping up then there's likely to be a leak so it's important to get this investigated. If the level is OK or the problem is still there after topping up - then it's a more serious issue I'm afraid. If the car was bought from a garage - then take the car back to them to rectify. Otherwise get a local transmission specialist to take a look.
Gareth - Figaro Owners Club Technical Specialist

About the people behind the Figaro Owners Club

My son Daniel had always wanted a Figaro and after saving for years (plus a small contribution from his mum and dad!) he brought an Emerald Green one in May 2008. That was it - I was hooked too! Even now we spend many a happy weekend polishing her in the garage. We just love all that chrome... After buying the car we started searching the internet for ownership help and advice and although a forum existed there was no real club so in December 2008 we started designing and building the web site which took around 4 Months. The club was formed in February 2009 and launched on 1st March 2009. 

Kevin Fagan (Figaro Owners Club Founder)
2011 The Figaro Owners Club
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Figaro Owners Club, 58 Earl Howe Road, Holmer Green, High Wycombe, Bucks, HP15 6QT.
Web Site: www.figaroownersclub.co.uk  Email: [email protected]