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I have an r32 with front mount i/c, turbo back 3" exhaust, and full pump upgrade.

My issue is, should I continue and put on an HKS GT-RS, injectors and tune, or sell it and buy an r32 gtr?

I know a few other have been in this situation - which way did you go and do you regret it?

The car is just for street driving. Any thoughts on the real world difference btw an r32 gts-t with a GT-RS and an r32 gtr would be appreciated

Cheers

I haven't done this myself, but I would say that it's not worth it if you're only street driving. Unless you mean street driving in another way :) then you'll need the 4wd. But if you've got money you wanna waste why not :mellow:

Be interesting to hear the responses as its something i often think about. Two friends changed from GTSts to R32 GTRs. One had an R32 GTSt with RB26 and the other a neat R33 GTS25t and they both have a soft spot for their olf GTSts. The R32 GTSt owner who was running the RB26s isnt a massive convert to his GTR, even though in my eyes he has about the coolest GTR on the road.

If you do prepared to pay triple for everything both maintence and performance parts

thats what GTR stands for

x3

Or ive got an idea, turbo, computer and inject your gtst then chop gtrs in it :cheers:

Or ive got an idea, turbo, computer and inject your gtst then chop gtrs in it

Exactly.. just assuming you would have to lose minimum $10k between GTS-T & a GTR. Never mind parts etc etc. Sure, if money was endless you would do it. But just think of $10k being spent of the GTS-T :P

Every time I read R32 GTR, I predict heartache and sale at a massive financial loss.

There is no such thing as a cheap GTR.

cheap purchase maybe.. but during your ownership, if you use the GTR like it shoul dbe used, it will cost you..

especially the R32's..

at least 13 years old (probably more like 17 years old)

KNOWN common problems resulting in engine failure.. and just to prevent these common engine failures will cost you a shit load..

turbo's

oil pump and crank collar

oil restrictors.

fuel pump

might aswell stretch a little more for PFC, tune and boost controller.

Include a full service of all fluids and oils and filters. and probably belts..

it seriously does not end.

When you did the "must do" oil restrictors, you would have probably decided on forged pistons while it's open.

If you can afford all of the above.

or you can afford to buy an already built car (make sure it has receipts for all work and done by a known company), I just would not touch a GTR with a 10' clown pole.

turbo, injectors and tune on the old RB20 will all be done under $5K.

it will be in a car which is about 200kg lighter.

and on an engine which you already know the condition of.

and a replacement engine is like $500

Short answer: yes.

Long answer: The GT-R will provide you will a different level of performance. Upgrading an RB26 is not necessarilly massively more expensive than an RB20. It is relatively cheap & easy to get 400rwhp from a stock internal 26 which cannot be said for a 20.

If it is a street car you won't be using alot of boost for a long time which causes failures in the stock turbos.

If it is street car you will not be doing the sort of launches that cause damage to the oil pump drive on early model 32's.

If it is a street car you don't need to do the restrictor. It is only lengthy periods at high rpm that cause problems.

Fuel pumps can die on any car at any time. There is no point keeping a GTS-T just because someone reckon the fuel pumps may last longer.

I have had my GT-R for four years. The most amount of maintenance it needed was replacing some worn brake rotors & some suspension bushes. Which is to say no different from what you will experience on a GTS-T.

The problem with GT-R's is that too many people have bought them & not properly looked after them. Combine this with some wantonly stupid behaviour and in some circles the cars have garnered a reputation they simply do not deserve. They are a very good car. I would recommend you drive one & find out for yourself.

If you are in the market buy a good one that has been looked after. The same as any car, really.

I've had a r32gtst for like 4years now, couple of years ago also bought a r32 gtr and the gtst doesn't compare, when i first pulled away in the gtr it's like nothing i've ever felt, i still remember the feeling. So the short answer is yes, do yourself a favour and get a gtr. I still have both cars, the gtst is my daily cruise car and my gtr is my project car where i pump my money into. they're both silver too. :)

oh just a quick edit to agree to the above reply, maintanance is a key issue as like that which has been stated work will need to be done in most cases. So be prepared to shell out extra cash after the initial purchase.

Edited by vanix
Short answer: yes.

Long answer: The GT-R will provide you will a different level of performance. Upgrading an RB26 is not necessarilly massively more expensive than an RB20. It is relatively cheap & easy to get 400rwhp from a stock internal 26 which cannot be said for a 20.

lol...yeh less :)

I have always found this interesting, the concept that GTRs are far superior to an GTSt?!?!?! Its easy and more reliable to get 400hp out of an RB20 then it is an RB26, a 400hp GTSt will be quicker then an 400hp GTR, it will stop better and turn better. Sure it wont have the absolute power down and low end grunt from the RB26. But i refuse to believe there is a world of difference between the two.

Difference is i suppose an RB26 can get 240rwkws out of std turbos where the little 20 needs a bigger turbo. But you can get 260rwkws out of an RB20 which is living life on the edge on your RB26 with std turbos. its all dollars and case by case. Then with an R32 odds are the ATTESSA has arthritis and is a little slow on the uptake. Diffs are worn. Suspension and brakes need to be that little bit better to cope with the weight of the car.

I think the biggest surprise is jump in a GTR they feel supreme. Grunty on boost, balanced, all round they feel so much better. But the thing is, put them against the watch and its a completely different story. Either the gap is much closer, or often the GTSt is quicker. Its been my observation that the GTR will need a 50-60kw advantage over the GTSt to make up for the weight. And even the lack of torque of the RB20o is no bad thing comign out of corners as its not pulling 1550kgs around. Whereas the GTR, which is no great thing at 3,000rpm either has to pull the extra weight, so even with the displacement advantage they arent in reality that much quicker out of the slow stuff. To add the gearing helps the GTSt more then it does the GTR as well.

Not many ppl bother with tweaking a GTSt, but those that have seem more then happy with the end result, even the lowly RB20. Trick is, NO car is cheap to modify :)

So, like i said i always read these threads with interest. I for one dont think one is generically superior, but very much a case by case basis. I have to say the feel and look of the GTR is enough...only if you at purely performance then perhaps its not so clear cut ??

The funny thing about these threads it always the same The gts ppl going on about the cost of the gtr and that it 18 years old , the gtr ppl always saying to drive a gtr and feel the different

WHO CARES think for yourself people

i had a 32 gts-t went to a 32 gtr.. the gtr is alot tighter (its a 93 so thats probably why) and looks ALOT better than the gts-t.. It is pretty quick too, maybe a lil faster than the gts-t (which had bigger turbo etc) but the main pull for me was the AWD.. especially since u can disconnect it and go rwd if you like..

AWD means being able to actually put the power down to the ground and thats what i needed, 180kw in my gts-t sent me all over the road (new owner has 210 with standard actuator running a bigger turbo and it gets shiet all traction) so i guess that + looks is why i wanted to upgrade especially considering i am aiming for about 320awkw and the rb20 couldnt do that neither could a rb25 without a fair bit of work.. i don't like 33's or 34 gtt's so i stuck with 32 and went the model up

Edited by r32 gts-turbo

If i roll off the lights and grab 2nd gear at 2,000rpm and floor it, as my car rolls onto boost it doesnt wheelspin. Just hooks up and goes. The launch is a different story all together rwd sux and i cant get it off the line either :) But traction doesnt need to be a problem at 250rwkws. I would say that lateral grip in corners wouldnt be overly different between the two cars, espeically if your GTR is a little lazy in the transfer case.

If i had a neat 330awkw GTR with nice suspension and brakes and tweaked trasnfer case, and perhaps the R33 V-Spec ATTESSA computer retrofitted, or the R32 V-Spec II computer then i would be happy as a pig in sh1t :) Its all about dollars and how much you have to spend. The R32 GTR is still one of the toughest looking cars to come out of Japan :)

LOL...dont mind me. Im forever tryign to justify the choice of a GTSt to myself :)

yeh with 150rwkw your probably alright, the GTR is a better base (for me) to build on in the long run and that + sexiiiiiness is why i chose it :) go for a drive in one, it's amazing how well they hold on and how much torque the 26 has.. only problem is they sorta feel slow :S i think it might be something to do with the way the boost comes on or something but my GTS-T felt faster stock than this does.. Speedo indicates otherwise :)

Edited by r32 gts-turbo

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