R32 GTR impression

[djr81]

Here's the typical ad I'm talking about (although not a GTR):

Just landed - this r32 GTST skyline has seeminly high klms ( 210K klms showing) but was converted from non turbo to turbo so it is likely that the engine and gearbox have not travelled this distance. car has minor dents and scratches but this is a bargain opportunity to get into such a car for such a cheap price. also has 2 deck CD system and sports exhaust. compliance and RWC not included. no offers.

Fair enough, but there is not necessarily anything wrong with this. Someone has spent time/money importing it & is offering it for sale. If it isn't much of a car then the price should reflect this.

Like all imports there is a risk involved. By buying a car already imported you are obviating that risk. It is only reasonable that there be a (small) cost associated with this.

As someone famous once said:It aint what it cost, it's what it's worth.

Anyway, maybe we should let the bloke who started this thread have it back...

[predator]

[Why did you buy it?

How long have you had it?

Why are you selling it?

any good salesperson will make up the questions to those stories quite easily to sell it to you! And how can you tell really?? At most they're going to have owned it for 12 months if its a recently landed 1989 model - in reality probably much less (even if they did just import it for themselves, then decide to sell).

[deadushki]

Guys, thanks heaps for all your replies!

I was thinking about importing a 92-93 GTR under SEVS. i figured a little bit fresher car, with less k's hopefully, plus there is more choice over there. i am after a black one in particular, but for some reason there seems to be very few of them in Oz. But as you've all said, i'll keep my eyes open both on Oz papers and websites, and an auction in Japan or something.

[Silver-Arrowz]

If your on a tight budget, don't even think about getting a GTR. They demand money as they're not cheap to buy/own/fix.

[Duncan]

Personally if I had $30k and wanted a reliable skyline I would buy a very late model r33 97 or 98, for about 22k, send about 7k on mods (zorst, pod, boost, whiteline suspension kit)

You will save a fortune over a 32GTR and end up with a very tidy performer

And yes I would know, I owned a 97 GTST for 3 years, and blew up my GTR in the first 3 months I had it....

[deadushki]

Duncan, but you do have a GTR now! And i really do not like whales!

I would rather get a GTR, look after it, drive it like it is, save up and mod it later. But it is just the fact of driving a GTR! :drooling: I've been dreaming about it for last couple of years!)

And if the worst comes to worst, i will find money to fix it. hopefully it will not happen!

[Morgs]

If you can't confront something happening prior to buying it, it only gets harder if you do buy one and something does happen... don't ignore the words of the experienced

[Duncan]

Yep...its a race car only, never street driven...and it blew up first real drive....

I totally understand your enthusiasm they are great cars....but you asked if they were cheap/could be driven daily for $30k and I think you would be in for real disappointment....

There's no way anyone buys a car like this and goes easy on it We boost em, thrash em, and expect them to last fine even tho they are very complex and have 15 years of not being maintained properly in Japan.

Re finding the money to fix it....really there are only 2 problems....1 every thing needs heaps of labour to fix (eg blown turbo means taking everything off the exhaust side of the engine and its like a fcuking jigsaw puzzle in there) and 2 an engine rebuild is damn expensive (I did all mine myself and have paid over $3k on parsts and machining rebuilding it to standard).

If you are going to do it, definately buy one already here, and get it inspected and compression tested by a good mechanic. You can't import cheap any more, you will pay at least $5k on top of the FOB price for SEVS compliance.

[deadushki]

Yeah, Duncan, that's what i will probably do! I really, really want a GTR, so will do all my best to get one, but will be cautios about it.

THanks guys, appreciated. Love forums!)

[deadushki]

BTW, where do you guys go for general mechanical maintenance in VIC? any good shops?

[psybic]

http://www.prestigemotorsport.com.au/au/st...sp?StockID=3113

Thats what you are after. You'd have that on road for around $23-$24k, leaves enough for new turbos, maybe clutch, take out radiator and flush it make sure the cooling is working properly (not blocked like mine) or other little issues. I think it can be done for under $30,000. Besides that car looks HOT HOT and I wish I had it instead of my gun metal one! DO IT!!!!!

[djr81]

http://www.prestigemotorsport.com.au/au/st...sp?StockID=3113

Thats what you are after. You'd have that on road for around $23-$24k, leaves enough for new turbos, maybe clutch, take out radiator and flush it make sure the cooling is working properly (not blocked like mine) or other little issues. I think it can be done for under $30,000. Besides that car looks HOT HOT and I wish I had it instead of my gun metal one! DO IT!!!!!

$30k is more than enough to get a good GT-R. But be aware that the on road costs of an import may need bolstering with things like (on the first of my R32 GT-Rs):

New brake rotors.

New pads (all round)

New clutch (Mostly because I hated the button clutch in the car)

Lots of minor things that Iwas fussy enough to fix because it was a new car to me.

You don't need new turbos really. Not yet anyway. The stockers are good for over 300kW at the flywheel. Which is enough to get anyone into real trouble.

[djr81]

any good salesperson will make up the questions to those stories quite easily to sell it to you! And how can you tell really?? At most they're going to have owned it for 12 months if its a recently landed 1989 model - in reality probably much less (even if they did just import it for themselves, then decide to sell).

How you tell how long the car is in the country is by looking at the shipping documents/import approval/auction sheet...

My first 89 GT-R has been on the road in Oz since the beginning of last year. I bought it late in 2003.

[[WLDCRD]]

Ice Performance is located in Cheltenham. They deal with a lot of nissans. A bit of a GTR graveyard atm tho haha

Race Pace is another one. They are out somewhere east.

There are a whole string of reputable places but these are the two that are well known in Vic.

[psybic]

You don't need new turbos really.  Not yet anyway.  The stockers are good for over 300kW at the flywheel.  Which is enough to get anyone into real trouble.

No I mean if they are screwed, like one of mine was... and the other one soon followed, but yeah, I reckon 30K is plenty to have a daily driver R32GTR.

I have only spent about $22K total on mine so far, thats fixed exhaust, suspension and turbos + lots of labour. I expect a few more thousand, but hope to have a reasonable looking and pretty reliable example for under or around $25K once all said and done.

[predator]

How you tell how long the car is in the country is by looking at the shipping documents/import approval/auction sheet...

I was more getting how do you know their genuine reason for sale? It could have come off the boat 1 month ago and their perfectly good reason could be "my wife has just found she is pregnant"... "I am going on an overseas trip".. There could be a perfectly legit reason it is being sold a few weeks of arriving..

I am just saying its a difficult one to prove given any sale when it comes to a vehicle that is 1989 (especially GTR's) as to the reasons why the buyer is selling. Nobody is going to out and out tell you "I bought it to sell to *you* (to make a profit off)"

I was thinking about importing a 92-93 GTR under SEVS. i figured a little bit fresher car, with less k's hopefully, plus there is more choice over there

Good stuff No guarantee.. but if the cost isn't going to work out too much differently. The only winners are those that bought an earlier heavily modified GTR that *is* reliable over time...

Anyhow, depends what you want the car for.. If you are going to thrash the pants off it, like Duncan is saying, maybe a GTR is not for you as they are not the most reliable of things. Whereas you could pickup a non-GTR for around $14k, have $10k in the bank to spec it up to quite fast.. not GTR spec sure, but fun enough to not be so worried about anything happening.

I made the later decision, as I just don't like having to worry too much about just a car.

[marchGTR]

maybe a GTR is not for you as they are not the most reliable of things.

obviously you have never owned a gtr??

I thrashed the living bejesus out of my 33 gtr for over a year and a half and never had a problem with it.....previously I owned several gtst's 32 and 33 and they didnt even get close to the gtr for thrill factor...

ide say go the gtr, just be careful if you buy one here that you get it checked out properly.

[PSI_GTSII]

Anyhow, depends what you want the car for.. If you are going to thrash the pants off it, like Duncan is saying, maybe a GTR is not for you as they are not the most reliable of things. Whereas you could pickup a non-GTR for around $14k, have $10k in the bank to spec it up to quite fast.. not GTR spec sure, but fun enough to not be so worried about anything happening.

If you boost up any car so its producing 50 - 100% more HP than it had when it came from the factory and use that power you are still going to break and have to fix things no matter what the car trust me

I tried explaining that to the dood that bought my old 'Immaculate' 340rwHP 31, he said he was sick of spending money on cars...I said maybe this is not the vehicle for you then...sure enough 3 days after purchase 1 x Blown gearbox (I never had a problem with the box in 3 years!)

If your in the car modifaction game (as most of us here are) you boost your cars up drive them fairly hard things will break simple.

The thing with the GTR is they cost a little more when they do go bang.

[MidnightGTR]

I think gtr's can be the luck of the draw. Depends how long you look for one and how well you treat it / spend money on maintaining it first.

Ive had my 33gtr prob over 18months now and never had a problem, but ive always tried to keep it serviced and running well before spending anything on it, its taken a long time and alot of money, but now I have a fairly quick and reliable gtr.

Dont buy one that looks dodge and think "ohhh maybe it will be ok"

[djr81]

maybe a GTR is not for you as they are not the most reliable of things.  

obviously you have never owned a gtr??

ide say go the gtr, just be careful if you buy one here that you get it checked out properly.

GT-R's are an extremely well engineered car - they were homologated for group A racing after all. They are reliable if looked after, bit like most things in that respect. If you are doing track days and the like you need to accept that the maintenance requirements will greatly increase.

People will by their nature want to push the componentry to its outer limits - the number of cars that can acccept 50-100% higher power outputs is not much more than a handfull.

For example try doubling the output of a WRX & watch the gearbox explode into a thousand pieces. Or in a rotary & lunch housings every 10,000kms.

The reason the GT-R has the status that it does is because it is so well engineered. There are very few weak links in the whole set up.

My R32 has been more reliable than my AU Foulcan. Although that isn't saying much...