Skyline GTS-T any info or reviews?
Discussion
For another thread I happened to browse into the Skyline ads. And it's amazing how cheap the R32 and R33 GTS-T's are.
Ok some have lurid paint schemes and more than a few seem to have ended up as drift machines. But with a few being advertised at around £2500 they seem like a lot of car for the money.
I know they have always been over shadowed by the GT-R and not officially imported to the UK. But are they really the RWD performance bargain they appear to be?
I've done a bit of Googling and have failed to find any reviews. So are there any current/past owners on here able to share some experiences and maybe comparisons to other performance cars? Or indeed are there any contemporary magazine reviews of them?
Mods - Not sure if this is better here in GG or in the Jap section?
Thanks
Ok some have lurid paint schemes and more than a few seem to have ended up as drift machines. But with a few being advertised at around £2500 they seem like a lot of car for the money.
I know they have always been over shadowed by the GT-R and not officially imported to the UK. But are they really the RWD performance bargain they appear to be?
I've done a bit of Googling and have failed to find any reviews. So are there any current/past owners on here able to share some experiences and maybe comparisons to other performance cars? Or indeed are there any contemporary magazine reviews of them?
Mods - Not sure if this is better here in GG or in the Jap section?
Thanks
I had an automatic R33 GTS-T as my commuting car. It seemed adequate at its job but didn't really feel fast due to the autobox. The manual apparently feels faster faster but due to the weight, if performance out of the box is important, you're better off with a 200SX S14a; everyone will think it's a Skyline, anyway. 
Plus they look more modern. The power delivery is smooth, given the inline 6, and it certainly wasn't slow. Once you start tweaking things, that's when things get interesting - I've been told (by Abbey) the engine internals and gearbox are good for up to 450bhp.
Handling-wise, it's no Elise but it seemed competent enough, and being RWD was a hoot IYSWIM.
Costs are as you would expect given it's a Skyline. You're not gonna be paying Micra-level servicing and parts. Take it to Nissan and they'll look at you with confusion. You'll be best off finding a Skyline specialist.
Plus they look more modern. The power delivery is smooth, given the inline 6, and it certainly wasn't slow. Once you start tweaking things, that's when things get interesting - I've been told (by Abbey) the engine internals and gearbox are good for up to 450bhp.Handling-wise, it's no Elise but it seemed competent enough, and being RWD was a hoot IYSWIM.
Costs are as you would expect given it's a Skyline. You're not gonna be paying Micra-level servicing and parts. Take it to Nissan and they'll look at you with confusion. You'll be best off finding a Skyline specialist.
Good solid cars, like anything turbo they can let go if badly modified or abused but pretty reliable in general. Never actually really driven them myself but a couple of mates have had R32s and really liked them.
R32s are quite a bit smaller/lighter than R33s, not that much heavier than a 200SX in 2wd form (1320kg IIRC) but I think the 4wd option carries a wee bit more weight.
Problem with them where I am is they're so popular with drifters etc (and lowlifes that follow drifters around because they think that makes them cool) that they're top of the 'most stolen' list and insurance prices are sky high.
R32s are quite a bit smaller/lighter than R33s, not that much heavier than a 200SX in 2wd form (1320kg IIRC) but I think the 4wd option carries a wee bit more weight.
Problem with them where I am is they're so popular with drifters etc (and lowlifes that follow drifters around because they think that makes them cool) that they're top of the 'most stolen' list and insurance prices are sky high.
Edited by GravelBen on Tuesday 19th July 11:54
R32 GTST is great fun, loved mine but found it desperately in need of more power with the RB20DET - or rather more torque - sounds great mind. With an RB25 they feel just about perfect - very light and nimble, and they absolutely love to get chucked around. Mine only had the basic mods done as I knew I wanted to get back into a 200sx ( induction kit, turbo back exhaust, bit more boost and wheels/coilovers), and while it wasn't that quick in a straight line, it was an absolute joy to keep it on the boil and attack a set of corners in - the coilovers made it bone jarringly stiff which kind of killed the b-road fun, but I still had a lot of fun tearing up the smoother roads.
R33 GTST is a big car, and feels it compared to the R32, but it's got the power to make up for that. I also prefer the looks of them personally but I realise that's fairly subjective. As I'm sure you know there's not a lot you can't achieve power / handling wise with either. I've never actually owned an R33 GTST, I went from 32GTST to S14 to 32 GTR to 33GTR, but I've been in plenty of them and they're a very, very appealing car. Don't think of them as inferior to a GTR, they really aren't, they just deliver the thrills in a slightly different way. The RB25DET is a peach, makes a lovely noise and is plenty capable (tunes well too). It feels a little bit more like a massive 200sx, rather than a svelte GTR. Of course if you want a lovely middle ground, there's plenty of people putting RB25s in S13 and S14s. That works insanely well.
Personally, unless you can find a 32 GTST with an RB25, I'd be more inclined to recommend the 33 GTST. The 32GTST's just look that little bit too dated which the 32GTR escapes by looking a bit more 'proper', and unless you get some more BHP through it they're pretty lukewarm. In their favour though the steering is so precise and they feel that little bit more raw, where the 33 feels slightly more disconnected.
Both great cars though, and all are capable of huge grin factor.
R33 GTST is a big car, and feels it compared to the R32, but it's got the power to make up for that. I also prefer the looks of them personally but I realise that's fairly subjective. As I'm sure you know there's not a lot you can't achieve power / handling wise with either. I've never actually owned an R33 GTST, I went from 32GTST to S14 to 32 GTR to 33GTR, but I've been in plenty of them and they're a very, very appealing car. Don't think of them as inferior to a GTR, they really aren't, they just deliver the thrills in a slightly different way. The RB25DET is a peach, makes a lovely noise and is plenty capable (tunes well too). It feels a little bit more like a massive 200sx, rather than a svelte GTR. Of course if you want a lovely middle ground, there's plenty of people putting RB25s in S13 and S14s. That works insanely well.
Personally, unless you can find a 32 GTST with an RB25, I'd be more inclined to recommend the 33 GTST. The 32GTST's just look that little bit too dated which the 32GTR escapes by looking a bit more 'proper', and unless you get some more BHP through it they're pretty lukewarm. In their favour though the steering is so precise and they feel that little bit more raw, where the 33 feels slightly more disconnected.
Both great cars though, and all are capable of huge grin factor.
300bhp/ton said:
Cheers for the info.
I'd driven 200SX's, even owned an S13. Is a Skyline GTS-T really that much bigger or heavier?
An R33 is, definitely. The R32 is smaller and lighter (and older and cheaper) and has a smaller engine - two litre instead of two point five, and about the same power as the engine in a S13. The UK Skyline market is very skewed towards R33 so spares tend to be cheaper and more available. Also, it's a buyers market: week after week the prices drop.I'd driven 200SX's, even owned an S13. Is a Skyline GTS-T really that much bigger or heavier?
The thing to look out for when you're buying one is that it has been coherently modified: just about every Skyline in Britain has aftermarket springs/coils/cooling/induction/exhaust/fibreglass and these have often been chosen without any experience whatsoever, leading to an incoherent car. It's not at all unusual to find loud, poor handling, uncomfortable Skylines which scrape every speed bump when you have a passenger. There will have been work done so find out from the owner where it was done, and if it was a specialist, call them and ask them about the car.
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