New Member About To Purchase R-33 Gt-r V-spec

[Shinrai]

Hello SAU members,

I am about to purchase a R33 GT-R V-Spec. I thought I knew a fair bit about these cars but as anyone should realise there is always someone out there that knows more, which is why I have joined here to ask for a little help.

First of all, (I'll start with the question that makes me look dumb first)... When replacing shocks for a V-Spec, does the choice of shocks have anything to do with the V-Spec "status"? I ask this because I know that part of the V-Spec difference is that it has firmer suspension so I was wondering if a particular brand or type is needed to retain this better performance?

Second, what do you think of vehicle colour changes? Is it bad for resale value?

I am pretty sure that I am about to snap up a good buy. It is a R33 GT-R V-Spec 1995 model, with 75,000kms. I have been offered a complete respray in black 2 pack, service, detail and 6 months rego for $22,400. It is freshly imported from Japan and is completely standard. However, it looks like it has taken a small hit on the side and has has been patched up. It is only visible when looking close from a side angle. It appears to be only cosmetic damage (hence the reason why I have included a full respray as the negotiation terms, and I figured I might as well get the colour I really want too).

I wont act on it until I arrange for an inspection from a third party professional. What do you guys think?

[Guest]

Are you by chance in SA, either way who is selling the car.

[Shinrai]

Are you by chance in SA, either way who is selling the car.

Sorry but I would rather not say.

[Shinrai]

I hope that didn't seem rude. I just don't wish to advertise where I am buying it from as I would still like to keep the upper hand when purchasing the vehicle with not too many other enquiries.

Back to topic, can anyone add to my initial questions/post?

Edited July 30, 2009 by Shinrai

[Brandon]

Looks alright to me. If you have the ability (or connections) to repair stuff yourself or maintain (if its a lemon) it I reckon cheap GTRs are the way to go but if you're like me, dont bother as it'll just end up costing you more. In any case, your doesnt sound anything close to being a lemon but hey, you can only speculate so much when you havent seen/drive/check the car. Best bet is get a third party inspection done if you're really keen. Just by reading what you've type doesnt tell much.

To answer your questions, I dont know much about suspensions but from doing some research GTRs should all come with nonadjustable "coilover" (someone mention shock absorber + spring = coilover). And like you've said, the vspec might have a different type of spring or shock. Try searching for it.

Second question is just personal opinion, respray = NO x 12903781027348901274897 for me as the first thing that comes to my mind is bad accident. Its not like you're spraying any unqiue or fancy colours so I'm sure most people will have the same impression.

[Shinrai]

Looks alright to me. If you have the ability (or connections) to repair stuff yourself or maintain (if its a lemon) it I reckon cheap GTRs are the way to go but if you're like me, dont bother as it'll just end up costing you more. In any case, your doesnt sound anything close to being a lemon but hey, you can only speculate so much when you havent seen/drive/check the car. Best bet is get a third party inspection done if you're really keen. Just by reading what you've type doesnt tell much.

To answer your questions, I dont know much about suspensions but from doing some research GTRs should all come with nonadjustable "coilover" (someone mention shock absorber + spring = coilover). And like you've said, the vspec might have a different type of spring or shock. Try searching for it.

Second question is just personal opinion, respray = NO x 12903781027348901274897 for me as the first thing that comes to my mind is bad accident. Its not like you're spraying any unqiue or fancy colours so I'm sure most people will have the same impression.

I have driven the car. It drives quite well and has just had the shocks replaced as mentioned above. I did say it is freshly imported, perhaps I should have clarified that it has already landed and is compliance stages. At 75,000kms it is far from a lemon and like I said it only looks like a superficial kind of hit but that is why I will not buy until I have had a third party inspection. The interior is a little worn but I was intending to reupholster the seats in leather anyway (so it actually works better for me as slightly worn seats = more bargaining tools).

Is there any other member here that could answer my question about the shocks? When replacing shocks for a R33 GT-R V-Spec, is there a particular brand that I should use?

respray = NO x 12903781027348901274897

What exactly did you mean by that? Is that some sort of code (as in NO is short for number) or are you saying it means no to you that many times?

[Brandon]

I have driven the car. It drives quite well and has just had the shocks replaced as mentioned above. I did say it is freshly imported, perhaps I should have clarified that it has already landed and is compliance stages. At 75,000kms it is far from a lemon and like I said it only looks like a superficial kind of hit but that is why I will not buy until I have had a third party inspection. The interior is a little worn but I was intending to reupholster the seats in leather anyway (so it actually works better for me as slightly worn seats = more bargaining tools).

Is there any other member here that could answer my question about the shocks? When replacing shocks for a R33 GT-R V-Spec, is there a particular brand that I should use?

What exactly did you mean by that? Is that some sort of code (as in NO is short for number) or are you saying it means no to you that many times?

yea... no mutiple by some random numbers

What do you mean by replacing shocks? Are you going adjustable? If thats the case, just get 1 thats suitable for 33GTRs. I'm sure Nengun or the like would provide the coilover models for the car variant. If its adjustable, I dont see why you cannot make it close to, if not the same as the stock ones.

[Shinrai]

Anyway, the inspection came back and it wasn't too favourable. I think I will start looking for something that costs a little more. I really don't want to end up with a lemon.

[mxfly]

That's ashame, what was wrong with the car if I may ask.

[eMsta]

www.j-spec.com.au

try them

[flyingfridge]

At 75,000kms it is far from a lemon

And the odds that this car has ACTUALLY done 75,000kms genuinely? Especially being a fresh import from Japan, I'd say highly unlikely. Odometer tampering with these types of cars is rife in Japan. Look for numbers in the cluster not lining up in an original cluster, if they don't the odds are it's been wound back. If the cluster has been changed to a Nismo then the kms are definitely not genuine. Be wary. Look for excessive wear in the mat and carpets under the accelerator pedal also look for paint flaking on the inlet plenum, if the car exhibits either you can guarantee it's done well more than 100,000ks.

Also, quick check for a genuine V-Spec is to look under the back of the car and make sure the diff has cooling fins on the back of it. No cooling fins, not a V-Spec. A lot of dodgy importers just put the little sticker on the back to sell the cars as V-Specs when they aren't. I saw plenty of these when I was looking for mine.

Best of luck!

[GT-R32]

And the odds that this car has ACTUALLY done 75,000kms genuinely? Especially being a fresh import from Japan, I'd say highly unlikely. Odometer tampering with these types of cars is rife in Japan. Look for numbers in the cluster not lining up in an original cluster, if they don't the odds are it's been wound back. If the cluster has been changed to a Nismo then the kms are definitely not genuine. Be wary. Look for excessive wear in the mat and carpets under the accelerator pedal also look for paint flaking on the inlet plenum, if the car exhibits either you can guarantee it's done well more than 100,000ks.

Also, quick check for a genuine V-Spec is to look under the back of the car and make sure the diff has cooling fins on the back of it. No cooling fins, not a V-Spec. A lot of dodgy importers just put the little sticker on the back to sell the cars as V-Specs when they aren't. I saw plenty of these when I was looking for mine.

Best of luck!

Good post. With a bit of searching I found the original advertisement for my car in Japan - this was after I bought it. When it arrived in Australia, prior to compliance, the owner had 44,000kms wound out of the clock. The car is so modified it matters little, but still. It now is showing 105,000kms, but in reality has close to 150,000kms. He also told me it had a R34 block but it doesn't just the covers, I really hope it's been rebuilt, given it's been running 1.45bar through HKS2530s for 5yrs. Saying that, the plenum is in good shape! The seats are in good shape (no tears etc), the body has no hits, there was basically no dints in it at all, every single thing in the interior works, so it does demonstrate that even cars which appear nice in and out can have had a wind back. Check interior as said above (pedals/seats/carpets/mats/steering wheel etc), definitely check engine compression and of course suspension bushes and the like. If all of that is decent, who cares what the clock says - it is merely a number .

[Shinrai]

And the odds that this car has ACTUALLY done 75,000kms genuinely? Especially being a fresh import from Japan, I'd say highly unlikely. Odometer tampering with these types of cars is rife in Japan. Look for numbers in the cluster not lining up in an original cluster, if they don't the odds are it's been wound back. If the cluster has been changed to a Nismo then the kms are definitely not genuine. Be wary. Look for excessive wear in the mat and carpets under the accelerator pedal also look for paint flaking on the inlet plenum, if the car exhibits either you can guarantee it's done well more than 100,000ks.

Also, quick check for a genuine V-Spec is to look under the back of the car and make sure the diff has cooling fins on the back of it. No cooling fins, not a V-Spec. A lot of dodgy importers just put the little sticker on the back to sell the cars as V-Specs when they aren't. I saw plenty of these when I was looking for mine.

Best of luck!

After closer inspection and with the help from a professional, I am also under the impression that these are not genuine kilometres. What I find strange is that this car was located at a dealership which on numerous occasions on this board it has been mentioned how trusted and good they are... I'm starting to have my doubts.

[Iron Chef]

Just to clarify a few things regarding odometer tampering again...

1) Odometers can be wound back at many points in the importing process, often even before they reach auction. Don't always assume that the current owner/importer/dealer selling the car is responsible for it, or knew it had happened when they purchased the car.

2) Odometer tampering has been reduced massively by the Japanese govt listing kms every time a car is re-registered. This appears on the export certificate that accompanies every car that legitimately leaves the country, a copy of which is kept by the compliance workshop. If in doubt with the kms, ask to see the export certificate.

3) There ARE genuinely low-km cars going through auctions, but you have to pay HUGE money for them, often more than what they fetch in Australia. I had a guy a couple of weeks ago who wanted a mint Evo 7 with under 40,000km on it, and I told him he'd need to spend $30K, even though you can get (admitted higher km) examples here in Oz. We got him a car a touch under that, but even still, you have to pay if you want top notch.

4) Many Japanese owners are now starting to provide documentation to support the kms travelled when gauges are changed, as they become more savvy about what exporters are looking for. My car, for example, had a genuine 24,000km and the owner listed exactly when and how many kms the car had done when the Nismo gauges where put in (along with a few other Nismo parts lol). I have all the receipts to verify it.

One last piece of advice - when choosing between a car with big mods/horsepower and high kms, and a near standard lower km example of a car, choose the latter. This is especially the case for GT-Rs.

[JT33GTR]

Paint peeling on the plenum doesn't always mean the car has done over 100K... My Series 3 R33 GTR had 64k when i imported it.. full service history from Nissan (interpreted by a Jap mate) and pedals, steering wheel, seats all excellent and graded "A" on the auction papers... Car is straight as an arrow graded 4.5..so genuine in my eyes..even though the paint was peeling on my plenum.

Iron Chef made a good point about the odometer tampering... The low km examples are around but you do pay a premium for them but i'd much rather spend a bit more cash upfront than spend it on fixing stuff you dont wanna fix later.

Just take your time and don't settle for anything until you are 100% sure you have found the right car. If you do that, you wont look back.