Are N/a's Really That Slow? Or Are People Talking Out Their Ass.

[timmyrgm]

a lot of forum posts i have read have just said that N/A liners are a boat and dont go anywhere. Is this the case? can i still take an r34 4 door N/A down to the track for a drift day? what options do i have for mods etc, i am told by a lot of people you need to work around the turbo and that modding n/a's is a waste of time. I am asking this because i am 3 months off getting my p's and i was looking at a 32 gts't 4 door but vicroads shut me down with a phone call thismorning. Even though it falls below the p/w ratio but whatever. Any input would be appreicated.

thanks.

[S3RK]

It's the sad truth. You don't tend to accept it at the start, but yes, N/A's are slow and a waste of time/money if you want to work on it.

I own a N/A 33, one of my friend let me drive his 32 GTR the other day, so first hand I now know why everyone says bad things

Get a catback and do some cosmetic work, then wait a few years until you get your turbo license.

[timmyrgm]

It's the sad truth. You don't tend to accept it at the start, but yes, N/A's are slow and a waste of time/money if you want to work on it.

I own a N/A 33, one of my friend let me drive his 32 GTR the other day, so first hand I now know why everyone says bad things

Get a catback and do some cosmetic work, then wait a few years until you get your turbo license.

yeah thats what i was thinking, i cant stand to look at another commodoore or xr6. The turbo laws really need to be re-done. I can drive a (not that i can afford it) Caterham Seven Roadsport SV 175. Which does 0-100 in 4.9 secs. But i cant drive a r32 gts-t, Vicroads know that us p platers cant afford $100,000 cars and they take advantage of that to con everyone into think they are being fair. I can kill myself in a daewoo lanos just the same as i can in a lambo. But thats just my undeveloped 17 year old mind set i guess.

[darksky34]

Tim, not an attack on you in any way, but consider this:

If a person has a pistol, they can only shoot 5,7,9 rounds at a rate of say 1 shot per second.

If that same person has an assault rifle, they can shoot 30,40,50 rounds at a rate of >1 shots per second.

Now replace pistol with lanos, and rifle with lambo. Well obviously if you're in a crash you can't continue on killing people....but the point is the ABILITY/likelihood.

[dori34]

Yes, very slow.

too heavy and no power to move it.

just mod the suspension and brakes and make it look good, that's the best you can do to it until you get off your P's

[timmyrgm]

Tim, not an attack on you in any way, but consider this:

If a person has a pistol, they can only shoot 5,7,9 rounds at a rate of say 1 shot per second.

If that same person has an assault rifle, they can shoot 30,40,50 rounds at a rate of >1 shots per second.

Now replace pistol with lanos, and rifle with lambo. Well obviously if you're in a crash you can't continue on killing people....but the point is the ABILITY/likelihood.

yeah i know. Unfortunately all the dick heads have rewined it for people like me who love cars and dont want to thrash them on public roads. Well i still have a couple of months to fight vic roads and hopefully get an exemption as i have seen it done.

[Captain Natro]

Well... My N/A isn't slow

But i see what your getting at, NA skylines are not rocket ships but performance itself is subjective (for example an NA skyline feels quick compared to a charade).

Strickly going off my own experience and drag and drift events I've attended you can assume the following:

0-100 ~8 seconds

1/4 mile 15.8 manual 16.3 auto (assuming you can drive, and as such you can expect to get your doors blown off by a lot of things, this includes Any falcon or commodore after about 1995)

Modification wise as stated MANY times on these forums extractors 2.5 inch exhaust rear muffler and centre resonator leave the stock air box, coil overs, a nice set of rims, also due to there age even LSD equipped models (type s) will peg leg so if u can deal with that good if not well its not worth the fuss on a Natro (don't weld it as its more hassle then it's worth, and keep it clean for god sake!)

For drift days I wouldn't attempt this unless you have stiff as hell coilovers bald skinny tires and preferably a bit of liquid horsepower (rain).

TLDR

You'll lose to falcodores

Don't waste to much money

Yes they are relatively slow

Edit: info and experience based on Natro rb25s

Edited January 4, 2013 by Captain Natro

[timmyrgm]

Well... My N/A isn't slow

But i see what your getting at, NA skylines are not rocket ships but performance itself is subjective (for example an NA skyline feels quick compared to a charade).

Strickly going off my own experience and drag and drift events I've attended you can assume the following:

0-100 ~8 seconds

1/4 mile 15.8 manual 16.3 auto (assuming you can drive, and as such you can expect to get your doors blown off by a lot of things, this includes Any falcon or commodore after about 1995)

Modification wise as stated MANY times on these forums extractors 2.5 inch exhaust rear muffler and centre resonator leave the stock air box, coil overs, a nice set of rims and keep it clean.

For drift days I wouldn't attempt this unless you have stiff as hell coilovers bald skinny tires and preferably a bit of liquid horsepower (rain).

TLDR

You'll lose to falcodores

Don't waste to much money

Yes they are relatively slow

Edit: info and experience based on Natro rb25s

i really appreciate all the info mate thankyou:)

I am currently in the middle of fighting vicroads for an exemption for the 32 gts-t. I will be the happiest boy on this side of aus if i can get it.

[Captain Natro]

i really appreciate all the info mate thankyou:)

I am currently in the middle of fighting vicroads for an exemption for the 32 gts-t. I will be the happiest boy on this side of aus if i can get it.

No worries mate, just a heads up try using the search button as pretty much most things have been covered already somewhere

[timmyrgm]

No worries mate, just a heads up try using the search button as pretty much most things have been covered already somewhere

haha yeah will do

[Cadmoon]

I'm not positive on the laws in Vic but in Qld even if you get the exemption you can't do any mods that increase power or need a mod plate. I'll say this to you as I said to my cousin who just bought an N/A 34, buy a cheap 4 pot and get some real world experience driving while on your P's. It is cheaper to buy, cheaper to run, cheaper to insure and cheaper to service. You may not want to hear it but sometimes decisions have to be made with your head not heart. I wanted a Skyline so bad on my P's and even though there where no laws at that time prohibiting me from getting one I waited until I was on my opens and had more experience.

[timmyrgm]

I'm not positive on the laws in Vic but in Qld even if you get the exemption you can't do any mods that increase power or need a mod plate. I'll say this to you as I said to my cousin who just bought an N/A 34, buy a cheap 4 pot and get some real world experience driving while on your P's. It is cheaper to buy, cheaper to run, cheaper to insure and cheaper to service. You may not want to hear it but sometimes decisions have to be made with your head not heart. I wanted a Skyline so bad on my P's and even though there where no laws at that time prohibiting me from getting one I waited until I was on my opens and had more experience.

yeah thats good advise mate. I may just have do exectly what you have said.

[Cadmoon]

Also much much less hasel with the cops, my cousin was pulled over 4 times in his first week with the car for 'rbt's' and gets pulled over almost every week. Think of it like this, save all the money you would have spent on extra fuel/insurance etc. and use it to buy a nice GTST/GTT with some good mods when you come off your P's.

[timmyrgm]

ive got 10 grand saved up. Could buy an N/A liner or xr6 and just wait i gues.

[iseekool]

Performance of a modern 4cyl Toyota Camry.

So it is comparable to majority of "mainstream" cars out there.

My pick would be the R34 because the NEO VVT actually helps with the lowdown torque.

Advantage is that a Skyline has many tasteful aftermarket mods, such as suspension, brakes, styling mods etc.

An n/a skyline can perform great in the twisties, aslong as you have the right mods and the right driving experience (actually know how to drive it fast around corners).

- Buy the lightest rims and the stickiest tires you can afford. Go the R34 GTR rims with some nice rubber.

- Upgrade brakes to GTt or GTR items, or other aftermarket items.

- Upgrade the suspension

- LSD

- Trans cooler, if you have an auto

- High flow panel filter

- High flow cat

- Don't put in a massive stereo system. A nice double DIN headunit and quality speakers, is all you will need.

[eightsixboy]

Dont bother with a n/a skyline, they are slow and a waste of money. If your just getting your p's buy a cheap car and learn in that, even if it is a commodore or falcoon atleast when you crash it its not something thats worth alot.

Have you thought about buying a tow car and having a tarck/drift car? You can then do whatever you want power/turbo wise.

[timmyrgm]

Dont bother with a n/a skyline, they are slow and a waste of money. If your just getting your p's buy a cheap car and learn in that, even if it is a commodore or falcoon atleast when you crash it its not something thats worth alot.

Have you thought about buying a tow car and having a tarck/drift car? You can then do whatever you want power/turbo wise.

well i can get a track exemption i believe, so i wouldnt need a tow car. You can only drive it for 40 hours on public roads though. I have no idea how the monitor it but.

ive got 1 person telling me they are a reasonably fast car and others saying they are a slug. Which one is it haha

[Captain Natro]

Also much much less hasel with the cops, my cousin was pulled over 4 times in his first week with the car for 'rbt's' and gets pulled over almost every week. Think of it like this, save all the money you would have spent on extra fuel/insurance etc. and use it to buy a nice GTST/GTT with some good mods when you come off your P's.

This, when I had my rb in the car and p plates up it was literally once a week at least... Get really tired of being pulled over

[Captain Natro]

well i can get a track exemption i believe, so i wouldnt need a tow car. You can only drive it for 40 hours on public roads though. I have no idea how the monitor it but.

ive got 1 person telling me they are a reasonably fast car and others saying they are a slug. Which one is it haha

I owned an r33 non turbo, I love Natro motors and I love skylines.... In the p plate world there average.

In the performance car world there slugs, sorry but its true

[Super Drager]

Went down the whole NA performance route myself, got the car going decently quick. Then got to drive many variants of jap turbo cars and can see how stupid i was.