Nissan GT-R R35
is a 3,799cc V6 engine with 24 valves and variable valve timing. It originally produced 480hp, but by the time the car arrived as an official UK car this figure had gone up to 485hp at 6,400rpm. Later increases saw maximum power lifted to 530hp and then 550hp.
Possibly the only standard GT-R in the UK
The engine is highly regarded for its reliability, even in more heavily tuned states. Just about the only complaint on this front from most owners is the exhaust is too quiet, so you cannot hear the full bark of the engine. To solve this, many opt for a Y-pipe to free up the aural excitement, and this often comes as part of a more comprehensive tuning package such as the ones on offer from Litchfield.
A Milltek exhaust is used by Litchfield in its popular Stage 1 tune, which takes power of early GT-Rs to 570hp. This pack also includes improved boost control and adjustable boost, a custom Ecutek code, revised maps for the ignition, valve timing and fuel maps, economy and race modes, and Litchfield's own launch control settings when used in conjunction with a gearbox software upgrade. All this costs £1,095 fully fitted.
While the engine is rock solid, the same can not be said for the GR6 gearbox. Early cars suffered from a snatchy change action that Nissan sorted with a software upgrade. However, Nissan refused to honour warranty claims on cars where the launch control had been accessed as early R35s came to the UK with this function disabled.
A car that has been subjected to a lot of standing start launches can come with gearbox issues if the transmission has not been allowed to fully warm up. You can check how many launches the car has made by asking a specialist to download data from the ECU.
Litchfield are well established as GT-R tuners
A rattle from the bell housing between the engine and gearbox is another common transmission fault. It's caused by the bearing on the end of the flywheel shaft moving in its case. All GT-Rs suffer from this to some extent, but it can be heard in some cars much more clearly than others when the car is idling in neutral. Nissan will replace the bearing under warranty, but this is with the same part so a longer term solution is Litchfield's replacement that costs around £750. This uses roller bearings in place of a ball race bearing to allow for the flywheel shaft to expand as it heats up.
The gearbox solenoid can fail and cause the engine to go into a limp mode. A simple fix is to remove the solenoid, clean it and replace it. For cars being used on track, a transmission oil cooler is a wise idea to keep gearbox temperatures below 120-degrees Centigrade. If the oil goes above that temperature, Nissan recommends a fluid change.
Nissan GT-Rs built up to the end of 2010 have six-month or 6,000-mile service intervals, while 2011 model year and onwards cars have 12-month, 12,000-miles service intervals. Be sure any car you look at has a fully stamped history, though don't be put off if the car has never seen a Nissan dealer. Many owners point out that Nissan's High Performance Centres appointed to look after the GT-R deliver poor standards of service so they prefer to use a specialist.
PHer's view:
"Servicing is in line with what I expected and isn't any more expensive than my previous Volvo S60R (which was a money pit!)."
Brian Hunter