Skyline GTR!

[Gorvid]

Just wondering...

What do the Japanese Chat aficionados think about this little cherub?

http://www.autobmc.com./view_specs.php?car_id=766

Looks in excellent condition to me and pretty standard too, a good price or a little steep?

Also!

If you ended up with a standard one of these... what would be the first few teaks you had tweakered?

[Marf]

http://pistonheads.com/sales/1945931.htm

A grand more for a lot less miles

As for mods, as I understand it exhaust, decat, induction kit and remap+boost increase will yield 400hp for relative peanuts so that would be my first step.

Edited by Marf on Saturday 14th August 21:43

[Defcon5]

Out of interest, how much do these cost to run? Is it horrific?

[Gorvid]

Great call on the mods Marf - confirming my suspicions.

I can't do a blue one though, it would be like eating my own fingers.

[Wadeski]

AutoBMC tend to get decent cars, but they are expensive for what they are. I think the Skylines they have had in have sat for over a year unsold.

[Animal]

God that's nice!

[John D.]

Defcon5 said:

Out of interest, how much do these cost to run? Is it horrific?

I'm curious to this too. My hankering for a R32 GTR has returned recently

Can one be used daily doing 25k a year? Majority of that would be winter use on the motorway trip to work. I'd want 400bhp tune. I know they require regular oil changes. I have no problem doing that. Its the hassle/cost of regular fettling by a proper mechanic that I can't be dealing with.

How much does a good solid car cost?

[Gorvid]

So generally, the price isn't far ff for that one in the OP?

Also, where are the best places to look at for the 400BHP tune?

[Trommel]

400 bhp is just exhaust and boost - there are cheap and less cheap ways of getting there.

[Gorvid]

Trommel said:

400 bhp is just exhaust and boost - there are cheap and less cheap ways of getting there.

Tell me more...!

[_Dan_]

Price is too high for the mileage. I got a 62k miles UK spec '98 R33GTR for the same price 6 months ago.

Defcon5 said:

Out of interest, how much do these cost to run? Is it horrific?

They do cost a fair bit to run, but I've been a little unlucky, had a cracked head (due to leaking water pump and overheating, so kinda my fault), knacked gearbox (knew about this when I bought it so no surprise) and someone hit the side of it (bds!), so pushing £3.5k of repairs since Feb, but like I said, I'm just unlucky (or stupid!) with my cars.

You'll be lucky to get more than 20MPG even on a motorway run, even if you take it easy, think I worked out I averaged 17MPG on a trip to West Wales, also they need super-unleaded which makes it a tad more pricey. Mine is pushing 400-450bhp though, so a standard would be better I'd imagine.

I use mine as a daily drive and other than the problems I mentioned above, the engine seems solid and I've done around 6k miles since Feb. It's not too bad in heavy traffic either.

None of that matters though when you put your foot down, or feel the unbelievable cornering these cars can achieve!

Edited by _Dan_ on Thursday 19th August 20:54

[Gorvid]

_Dan_ said:

Price is too high for the mileage. I got a 62k miles UK spec '98 R33GTR for the same price 6 months ago

Ok... but...

_Dan_ said:

cracked head
leaking water pump
overheating
knacked gearbox

QED?

[_Dan_]

Gorvid said:

Trommel said:

400 bhp is just exhaust and boost - there are cheap and less cheap ways of getting there.

Tell me more...!

Mine has had a fair amount done by the previous owner, so he went down the 'less cheap' road, which I've ended up benefiting from , but all in the name of (supposed) longevity and potential for more power in the future. Not had it dyno'd but it should be around 400-450bhp, which as mentioned can be done with a different exhaust, induction kit and a bit of extra boost, things done on mine are...

R34 engine with N1 block
Ported/Polished head
metal head gasket
Lighted Nismo Pistons
Uprated cams (unknown make)
600cc injectors
Lightened flywheel
Coppermix clutch
HKS exhaust
ARC induction kit
Fuel presure regulator
Apexi ECU (with remap)
AVC-R boost controller
...more I can't remember!!!

But all of that is on standard R33 turbos @ 1.05bar. Couple of decent turbos (£1500) and a remap should get me up to 550-600 I reckon, but to tell the truth, it's quick enough as is for a daily driver/occasional track car.

[_Dan_]

Gorvid said:

_Dan_ said:

Price is too high for the mileage. I got a 62k miles UK spec '98 R33GTR for the same price 6 months ago

Ok... but...

_Dan_ said:

cracked head
leaking water pump
overheating
knacked gearbox

QED?

Haha, true, most of that though was as a result of a seal on the water pump, which I was warned about by the previous owner, I just didn't think it would leak out that much after a week though, although I did do 1500 miles in the first week. Leaky water seal led to overheating led to cracked head. How much I could have saved for the sake of a couple of hours labour and a new water pump seal!! Hindsight eh?

The £11500 was originally £12k but £500 came off as result of the gearbox which is costing around that for a decent 2nd hand one and labour.

I still maintain that this is a decent reliable car!! Although that's coming from me, who is the very same me who talked himself into buying an R33 cause it was a sensible compromise between the TVR and a family car (got a baba now)!! So what the hell do I know!

£10k-£11k should get a very decent import. I paid over the odds cause I wanted a UK car of which there were only 100, I figured it'd hold its value better.

[Trommel]

_Dan_ said:

Couple of decent turbos (£1500) and a remap should get me up to 550-600 I reckon, but to tell the truth, it's quick enough as is for a daily driver/occasional track car.

Don't be silly. Some -5s or 2530s will make it a properly quick car.

[_Dan_]

Trommel said:

_Dan_ said:

Couple of decent turbos (£1500) and a remap should get me up to 550-600 I reckon, but to tell the truth, it's quick enough as is for a daily driver/occasional track car.

Don't be silly. Some -5s or 2530s will make it a properly quick car.

How drivable would it be on those on a daily basis? They're rated around 630-640bhp aren't they. If the boost was wound down to 1 bar(ish) would it's characteristics be similar to now, i.e. responsiveness? It is very tempting, I'd like to sort a few bits on the rest of the car first, like brakes!

[Trommel]

_Dan_ said:

How drivable would it be on those on a daily basis? They're rated around 630-640bhp aren't they. If the boost was wound down to 1 bar(ish) would it's characteristics be similar to now, i.e. responsiveness?

There'll always be a trade-off, but if you want it pick up like stock you'd probably want to go for 2510/GT-SS/-9 (I think that's right). -7s are supposed to be similar to N1s, so not worth the extra money. Lowering the boost won't make them spool any quicker - why not just leave the boost at what it was mapped for and just don't press the accelerator down as far?

I wouldn't have one as an everyday car (so I went a bit bigger ...).

Edited by Trommel on Thursday 19th August 21:48

[Gorvid]

_Dan_ said:

How much I could have saved for the sake of a couple of hours labour and a new water pump seal!! Hindsight eh?

Hindsight is for perverts!



Your car sounds ace though, and you're probably right that the OP link is a little on the high side.

[_Dan_]

Trommel said:

_Dan_ said:

How drivable would it be on those on a daily basis? They're rated around 630-640bhp aren't they. If the boost was wound down to 1 bar(ish) would it's characteristics be similar to now, i.e. responsiveness?

There'll always be a trade-off, but if you want it pick up like stock you'd probably want to go for 2510/GT-SS/-9 (I think that's right). -7s are supposed to be similar to N1s, so not worth the extra money. Lowering the boost won't make them spool any quicker - why not just leave the boost at what it was mapped for and just don't press the accelerator down as far?

I wouldn't have one as an everyday car (so I went a bit bigger ...).

Edited by Trommel on Thursday 19th August 21:48

The plan is to get a 2nd car and keep this one for fun, but that involves moving somewhere where I can park two cars! Till then (or when the ceramic disintegrates) I'll stick with the standards, after that then yes, a pair of 2530s would be much appreciated. Do you think much else would need doing to the motor to accommodate them?

Came across this a while back listing all the GTR turbos.

[Trommel]

_Dan_ said:

Do you think much else would need doing to the motor to accommodate them?

Injectors and fuel pump, rest will be fine (do you have a Power FC or just an ECU?).