Nissan Skyline R32 GTR - Buyers guide/info
Discussion
Backseat of the family Sierra, less than ten years old. I hear something coming up the side of us, something like I've never heard before.
Whining turbos, chattering wastegates and an overwhelming feeling of unnatural power was what stamped the R32 GTR into my infant mind.
Years passed, Gran Turismo and the Calsonic Skyline entered my life and sealed the deal - I have to have a Godzilla.
Which brings me to now, turn of the new year sees me finally able to Insure (reasonably at 25) what I've always dreamed of and its time to start gathering information.
I thought I'd start looking for solid info here before moving onto owners forums etc, so my plea is as follows:
Does anybody have any access/knowledge of or to the following:
Comprehensive buyers guides
First hand knowledge of living with an R32 GTR
Recommendations of top quality dealers/importers (I'd like an already imported and SVA'd car but I'd like opinions on people like Newera/DCY etc)
I know its a big ask, but if anybody has any gems of info, I'd very much like to learn whatever you know.
If not, thanks for looking at least.
Jonesey
Will edit speeeeling later, currently on the BB.
Whining turbos, chattering wastegates and an overwhelming feeling of unnatural power was what stamped the R32 GTR into my infant mind.
Years passed, Gran Turismo and the Calsonic Skyline entered my life and sealed the deal - I have to have a Godzilla.
Which brings me to now, turn of the new year sees me finally able to Insure (reasonably at 25) what I've always dreamed of and its time to start gathering information.
I thought I'd start looking for solid info here before moving onto owners forums etc, so my plea is as follows:
Does anybody have any access/knowledge of or to the following:
Comprehensive buyers guides
First hand knowledge of living with an R32 GTR
Recommendations of top quality dealers/importers (I'd like an already imported and SVA'd car but I'd like opinions on people like Newera/DCY etc)
I know its a big ask, but if anybody has any gems of info, I'd very much like to learn whatever you know.
If not, thanks for looking at least.
Jonesey
Will edit speeeeling later, currently on the BB.
Frankie, that is very very kind. Unfortunately I won't be in a place to start looking at examples untill the new year and don't want to waste your time. I'm down near Maidstone/Tunbridge wells.
What I would be very keen to hear, if you have time, is what you have learned. What is it like to live with (mine is will be a toy), do's, don'ts, common issues etc.
If you ever are in kent, I'd love a ride. We'll stop for a beer as payment!
Jonesey
What I would be very keen to hear, if you have time, is what you have learned. What is it like to live with (mine is will be a toy), do's, don'ts, common issues etc.
If you ever are in kent, I'd love a ride. We'll stop for a beer as payment!
Jonesey
Amazing cars but can be expensive if they go wrong or you get into modifying them.
The main issue ive come across is rust the rot badly if not undersealed correctly ive seen corrsion everywhere on what appeared to be a mint well looked after car it had corrosion in both sills the bulkhead chassis rails & cost an awful lot of money to put right.
I believe up to @ 500bhp they can be reliable much beyond that you are getting into mega money.
The main issue ive come across is rust the rot badly if not undersealed correctly ive seen corrsion everywhere on what appeared to be a mint well looked after car it had corrosion in both sills the bulkhead chassis rails & cost an awful lot of money to put right.
I believe up to @ 500bhp they can be reliable much beyond that you are getting into mega money.
I bought mine in 2005 and I've done a lot of work to it over the years. The problem that really annoyed me more than anything else was the that I didn't remove the rear spats that sit just behind the rear wheels when I was checking the car out. I removed them some time later and the rust was shocking. All the crap from the road gets stuck down behind there and is just left for years. So when checking out the chassis underside, ask the owner to remove those spats too so you can have a look.
Also, R32s are old cars now, and a lot of people add things to make them faster and don't worry about things like suspension bushes, track rod bushes etc so when buying have a look at the front, rear and track rod bushings. Standard coil packs are now extremely old and they can be the cause of many misfires and running problems.
If I was to buy the same car now, I would definitely buy a tuned one, with an exhaust, upgraded turbos with steel or better internals, uprated programmable ECU, boost controller, deleted HICAS, an uprated clutch - preferably double plate, replaced bushes and suspension and new(ish) coils. Many cars have these things already and it saves time once you realise a stock BNR32 is very slow!
Newera have already been mentioned as good source for Skylines and a well looked after car from the GTR OC should also be a safe bet.
Also, R32s are old cars now, and a lot of people add things to make them faster and don't worry about things like suspension bushes, track rod bushes etc so when buying have a look at the front, rear and track rod bushings. Standard coil packs are now extremely old and they can be the cause of many misfires and running problems.
If I was to buy the same car now, I would definitely buy a tuned one, with an exhaust, upgraded turbos with steel or better internals, uprated programmable ECU, boost controller, deleted HICAS, an uprated clutch - preferably double plate, replaced bushes and suspension and new(ish) coils. Many cars have these things already and it saves time once you realise a stock BNR32 is very slow!
Newera have already been mentioned as good source for Skylines and a well looked after car from the GTR OC should also be a safe bet.Jonesey - I too follow your sentiment for R32 GTRs and am considering buying one in the new year as a weekend car. Their sound is recognisable anywhere, plus their retro looks!
The one thing that concerns me is their age as they are approaching 20yrs old but I think if you buy a well looked after example and can afford to maintain it to a high standard then it should be fine. Their interior is very dated but I would try to improve that. Getting one with a recent engine rebuild/refresh is recommended by a lot of people. I would probably buy a modded <500bhp one as I think they represent better value for money but you may want to take the standard route. Newara import some beauties but at a premium, J-M Imports also seem to be quite highly rated. I am no mechanics so would get an insepction done by one of the uks top tuners, rk, abbey etc.
Also slightly concerned about their security as they seem to attract thieves so I guess you would have to consider putting an alarm and tracker on one if you were to get it imported.Not sure how much that would cost?
I'd be interested on any info you find further on them. The gtr forum takes a lot of searching!
Cheers
Oh Behave
The one thing that concerns me is their age as they are approaching 20yrs old but I think if you buy a well looked after example and can afford to maintain it to a high standard then it should be fine. Their interior is very dated but I would try to improve that. Getting one with a recent engine rebuild/refresh is recommended by a lot of people. I would probably buy a modded <500bhp one as I think they represent better value for money but you may want to take the standard route. Newara import some beauties but at a premium, J-M Imports also seem to be quite highly rated. I am no mechanics so would get an insepction done by one of the uks top tuners, rk, abbey etc.
Also slightly concerned about their security as they seem to attract thieves so I guess you would have to consider putting an alarm and tracker on one if you were to get it imported.Not sure how much that would cost?
I'd be interested on any info you find further on them. The gtr forum takes a lot of searching!
Cheers
Oh Behave
The first ones are over 20 years old! R32 was manufactured from 1989 to 1994.
I've been into Skylines for a long time now, so here's a few random things that might interest you.
The first generation R32 is 50kg lighter than the second generation that came midway through 1991. The doors were modified to provide better safety and when compared to a first generation car, they are noticeably heavier. 1430kg vs 1480kg.
N1 lights are supposed to be excellent when compared with the normal projector lights, and a little bit lighter too. Mine has the normal projectors, and they are rubbish. I believe the style of the light also changed along with the bulb in mid '91 also.
If you buy a car with stock turbos, the general consensus is that they will boost to a maximum of 1bar safely. A stock car also has a boost restrictor in the pipe going to the boost solenoid on the driver side suspension mount. Removing this increases the boost from stock 0.7 to 1bar. Adding a decat seems to increase boost pressure marginally. Stock R34 turbos, though ball bearing with ceramic wheels, are thought to be good for 1.1 bar.
I've read a lot about the HICAS system and there was an opinion that as the system was designed for 16x8 wheels, anything different would change the slip angle and would in fact confuse the HICAS computer. I gathered that this meant that even changing the tyres would also change the slip angle. I couldn't see Nissan designing a system that would not work with different tyres/wheels, but I am no expert. Oh yeah, stock wheels are 16" due to the homologation rules at the time. The V-Spec R32 from 1993 had 17" wheels and Brembo brakes to homologate the changes. I think the V-Spec II has slightly bigger tyres. Same for the earlier Nismo versions which included a lip spoiler on the boot (underneath the main spoiler), air ducts in the front bumper (sometimes called N1 Vents) and spats just before the rear wheels.
ATESSA ETS (4WD) actually removes any front wheel torque when cornering. This is totally different to what I thought it would have done. If the steering wheel is more than 10 degrees off centre, no power will be sent to the front - I'm not sure if this is only at a certain G level. never had time to look at the gauge when trying!
the V-Spec ATESSA system polls faster than the stock R32. there is a modification available that alters the 4wd system so it always add drive to the front wheel when cornering.
The seats are excellent to sit in and provide good stability, the interior is dated, but somehow suits the car just fine. The oil pressure sender is known to be problematic. You can fit a double pushchair in the boot and 2 kids seats in the back, easily. Adults can comfortably travel in the back also. There is quite a bit of reflection from the top of the dash into the windscreen. A cat1 alarm is normally required for insurance. the radio antenna is built into the front windscreen. The G Sensor is underneath the console where the handbrake is. You can check the 4wd is working from the gauge on the dash, but you can also check the sensor and apparently, if it's red, it is broken. White means all is ok. The 4wd gauge moved from the inner dash to the centre pods for the r322. The stock boost gauge is in the centre also, and you should really get e aftermarket gauge mounted in the line of sight.
Hope that wasn't too boring!
Edited: Forgot to mention that the R32 GT-R is the only one you can make permanent RWD by pulling a fuse! The 33 and 34 both have slight preload on the clutch packs.
R32 was manufactured from 1989 to 1994.I've been into Skylines for a long time now, so here's a few random things that might interest you.
The first generation R32 is 50kg lighter than the second generation that came midway through 1991. The doors were modified to provide better safety and when compared to a first generation car, they are noticeably heavier. 1430kg vs 1480kg.
N1 lights are supposed to be excellent when compared with the normal projector lights, and a little bit lighter too. Mine has the normal projectors, and they are rubbish. I believe the style of the light also changed along with the bulb in mid '91 also.
If you buy a car with stock turbos, the general consensus is that they will boost to a maximum of 1bar safely. A stock car also has a boost restrictor in the pipe going to the boost solenoid on the driver side suspension mount. Removing this increases the boost from stock 0.7 to 1bar. Adding a decat seems to increase boost pressure marginally. Stock R34 turbos, though ball bearing with ceramic wheels, are thought to be good for 1.1 bar.
I've read a lot about the HICAS system and there was an opinion that as the system was designed for 16x8 wheels, anything different would change the slip angle and would in fact confuse the HICAS computer. I gathered that this meant that even changing the tyres would also change the slip angle. I couldn't see Nissan designing a system that would not work with different tyres/wheels, but I am no expert. Oh yeah, stock wheels are 16" due to the homologation rules at the time. The V-Spec R32 from 1993 had 17" wheels and Brembo brakes to homologate the changes. I think the V-Spec II has slightly bigger tyres. Same for the earlier Nismo versions which included a lip spoiler on the boot (underneath the main spoiler), air ducts in the front bumper (sometimes called N1 Vents) and spats just before the rear wheels.
ATESSA ETS (4WD) actually removes any front wheel torque when cornering. This is totally different to what I thought it would have done. If the steering wheel is more than 10 degrees off centre, no power will be sent to the front - I'm not sure if this is only at a certain G level. never had time to look at the gauge when trying!
the V-Spec ATESSA system polls faster than the stock R32. there is a modification available that alters the 4wd system so it always add drive to the front wheel when cornering.
The seats are excellent to sit in and provide good stability, the interior is dated, but somehow suits the car just fine. The oil pressure sender is known to be problematic. You can fit a double pushchair in the boot and 2 kids seats in the back, easily. Adults can comfortably travel in the back also. There is quite a bit of reflection from the top of the dash into the windscreen. A cat1 alarm is normally required for insurance. the radio antenna is built into the front windscreen. The G Sensor is underneath the console where the handbrake is. You can check the 4wd is working from the gauge on the dash, but you can also check the sensor and apparently, if it's red, it is broken. White means all is ok. The 4wd gauge moved from the inner dash to the centre pods for the r322. The stock boost gauge is in the centre also, and you should really get e aftermarket gauge mounted in the line of sight.
Hope that wasn't too boring!
Edited: Forgot to mention that the R32 GT-R is the only one you can make permanent RWD by pulling a fuse! The 33 and 34 both have slight preload on the clutch packs.
Edited by vatanen on Thursday 28th July 15:19
vatanen said:
The first ones are over 20 years old! R32 was manufactured from 1989 to 1994.
I've been into Skylines for a long time now, so here's a few random things that might interest you.
The first generation R32 is 50kg lighter than the second generation that came midway through 1991. The doors were modified to provide better safety and when compared to a first generation car, they are noticeably heavier. 1430kg vs 1480kg.
N1 lights are supposed to be excellent when compared with the normal projector lights, and a little bit lighter too. Mine has the normal projectors, and they are rubbish. I believe the style of the light also changed along with the bulb in mid '91 also.
If you buy a car with stock turbos, the general consensus is that they will boost to a maximum of 1bar safely. A stock car also has a boost restrictor in the pipe going to the boost solenoid on the driver side suspension mount. Removing this increases the boost from stock 0.7 to 1bar. Adding a decat seems to increase boost pressure marginally. Stock R34 turbos, though ball bearing with ceramic wheels, are thought to be good for 1.1 bar.
I've read a lot about the HICAS system and there was an opinion that as the system was designed for 16x8 wheels, anything different would change the slip angle and would in fact confuse the HICAS computer. I gathered that this meant that even changing the tyres would also change the slip angle. I couldn't see Nissan designing a system that would not work with different tyres/wheels, but I am no expert. Oh yeah, stock wheels are 16" due to the homologation rules at the time. The V-Spec R32 from 1993 had 17" wheels and Brembo brakes to homologate the changes. I think the V-Spec II has slightly bigger tyres. Same for the earlier Nismo versions which included a lip spoiler on the boot (underneath the main spoiler), air ducts in the front bumper (sometimes called N1 Vents) and spats just before the rear wheels.
ATESSA ETS (4WD) actually removes any front wheel torque when cornering. This is totally different to what I thought it would have done. If the steering wheel is more than 10 degrees off centre, no power will be sent to the front - I'm not sure if this is only at a certain G level. never had time to look at the gauge when trying!
the V-Spec ATESSA system polls faster than the stock R32. there is a modification available that alters the 4wd system so it always add drive to the front wheel when cornering.
The seats are excellent to sit in and provide good stability, the interior is dated, but somehow suits the car just fine. The oil pressure sender is known to be problematic. You can fit a double pushchair in the boot and 2 kids seats in the back, easily. Adults can comfortably travel in the back also. There is quite a bit of reflection from the top of the dash into the windscreen. A cat1 alarm is normally required for insurance. the radio antenna is built into the front windscreen. The G Sensor is underneath the console where the handbrake is. You can check the 4wd is working from the gauge on the dash, but you can also check the sensor and apparently, if it's red, it is broken. White means all is ok. The 4wd gauge moved from the inner dash to the centre pods for the r322. The stock boost gauge is in the centre also, and you should really get e aftermarket gauge mounted in the line of sight.
Hope that wasn't too boring!
Edited: Forgot to mention that the R32 GT-R is the only one you can make permanent RWD by pulling a fuse! The 33 and 34 both have slight preload on the clutch packs.
R32 was manufactured from 1989 to 1994.I've been into Skylines for a long time now, so here's a few random things that might interest you.
The first generation R32 is 50kg lighter than the second generation that came midway through 1991. The doors were modified to provide better safety and when compared to a first generation car, they are noticeably heavier. 1430kg vs 1480kg.
N1 lights are supposed to be excellent when compared with the normal projector lights, and a little bit lighter too. Mine has the normal projectors, and they are rubbish. I believe the style of the light also changed along with the bulb in mid '91 also.
If you buy a car with stock turbos, the general consensus is that they will boost to a maximum of 1bar safely. A stock car also has a boost restrictor in the pipe going to the boost solenoid on the driver side suspension mount. Removing this increases the boost from stock 0.7 to 1bar. Adding a decat seems to increase boost pressure marginally. Stock R34 turbos, though ball bearing with ceramic wheels, are thought to be good for 1.1 bar.
I've read a lot about the HICAS system and there was an opinion that as the system was designed for 16x8 wheels, anything different would change the slip angle and would in fact confuse the HICAS computer. I gathered that this meant that even changing the tyres would also change the slip angle. I couldn't see Nissan designing a system that would not work with different tyres/wheels, but I am no expert. Oh yeah, stock wheels are 16" due to the homologation rules at the time. The V-Spec R32 from 1993 had 17" wheels and Brembo brakes to homologate the changes. I think the V-Spec II has slightly bigger tyres. Same for the earlier Nismo versions which included a lip spoiler on the boot (underneath the main spoiler), air ducts in the front bumper (sometimes called N1 Vents) and spats just before the rear wheels.
ATESSA ETS (4WD) actually removes any front wheel torque when cornering. This is totally different to what I thought it would have done. If the steering wheel is more than 10 degrees off centre, no power will be sent to the front - I'm not sure if this is only at a certain G level. never had time to look at the gauge when trying!
the V-Spec ATESSA system polls faster than the stock R32. there is a modification available that alters the 4wd system so it always add drive to the front wheel when cornering.
The seats are excellent to sit in and provide good stability, the interior is dated, but somehow suits the car just fine. The oil pressure sender is known to be problematic. You can fit a double pushchair in the boot and 2 kids seats in the back, easily. Adults can comfortably travel in the back also. There is quite a bit of reflection from the top of the dash into the windscreen. A cat1 alarm is normally required for insurance. the radio antenna is built into the front windscreen. The G Sensor is underneath the console where the handbrake is. You can check the 4wd is working from the gauge on the dash, but you can also check the sensor and apparently, if it's red, it is broken. White means all is ok. The 4wd gauge moved from the inner dash to the centre pods for the r322. The stock boost gauge is in the centre also, and you should really get e aftermarket gauge mounted in the line of sight.
Hope that wasn't too boring!
Edited: Forgot to mention that the R32 GT-R is the only one you can make permanent RWD by pulling a fuse! The 33 and 34 both have slight preload on the clutch packs.
Edited by vatanen on Thursday 28th July 15:19
That was a terrific read, thanks. I only wish someone could provide that sort of info on the Pulsar GTi-R, as I've saw a few threads go relatively unanswered on that topic. :|Vatanen, that is exactly the kind of info that i'm looking for. I'm planning on putting together a book of info so when it comes time i am best placed to make the right choice.
Oh Behave, i'll gladly share my info with you - when i get some. It's turning into something bordering on obsession at the moment but it sure does focus the saving section of the brain.
A couple of you mentioned the interior. I curntly have a stripped Golf GTI as a toy, i lie cars with quirks.
Does anybody have any idea whether an R32 would qualify for classic insurance?
Oh Behave, i'll gladly share my info with you - when i get some. It's turning into something bordering on obsession at the moment but it sure does focus the saving section of the brain.
A couple of you mentioned the interior. I curntly have a stripped Golf GTI as a toy, i lie cars with quirks.
Does anybody have any idea whether an R32 would qualify for classic insurance?
Thanks to you both, that makes it all worthwhile!
Er... That part about the gauge moving to the centre was meant to say R33 instead of R322! The R32s torque split gauge is in the main dashboard on the upper left.
There's a lot of information on the GTROC and skylineowners.com, but there can be a lot of uncertainty about certain things such as V-Spec 1 and 2 differences etc. I just wrote down what I understand to be true. I also forgot to mention that the cranks oil pump drive on all R32s is a little smaller than it should be. At higher revs, this can cause oil starvation issues. When I rebuilt my engine I had the JUN collar added to the crank to connect properly with the oil pump. R33s onward don't have this issue. The valve guides might also be getting on a bit, I replaced mine with JUN guides as they were cracked in the head. No idea if they were cracked before I melted all my pistons or not!
Er... That part about the gauge moving to the centre was meant to say R33 instead of R322! The R32s torque split gauge is in the main dashboard on the upper left.
There's a lot of information on the GTROC and skylineowners.com, but there can be a lot of uncertainty about certain things such as V-Spec 1 and 2 differences etc. I just wrote down what I understand to be true. I also forgot to mention that the cranks oil pump drive on all R32s is a little smaller than it should be. At higher revs, this can cause oil starvation issues. When I rebuilt my engine I had the JUN collar added to the crank to connect properly with the oil pump. R33s onward don't have this issue. The valve guides might also be getting on a bit, I replaced mine with JUN guides as they were cracked in the head. No idea if they were cracked before I melted all my pistons or not!
vatanen said:
The first ones are over 20 years old! R32 was manufactured from 1989 to 1994.
I've been into Skylines for a long time now, so here's a few random things that might interest you.
The first generation R32 is 50kg lighter than the second generation that came midway through 1991. The doors were modified to provide better safety and when compared to a first generation car, they are noticeably heavier. 1430kg vs 1480kg.
N1 lights are supposed to be excellent when compared with the normal projector lights, and a little bit lighter too. Mine has the normal projectors, and they are rubbish. I believe the style of the light also changed along with the bulb in mid '91 also.
If you buy a car with stock turbos, the general consensus is that they will boost to a maximum of 1bar safely. A stock car also has a boost restrictor in the pipe going to the boost solenoid on the driver side suspension mount. Removing this increases the boost from stock 0.7 to 1bar. Adding a decat seems to increase boost pressure marginally. Stock R34 turbos, though ball bearing with ceramic wheels, are thought to be good for 1.1 bar.
I've read a lot about the HICAS system and there was an opinion that as the system was designed for 16x8 wheels, anything different would change the slip angle and would in fact confuse the HICAS computer. I gathered that this meant that even changing the tyres would also change the slip angle. I couldn't see Nissan designing a system that would not work with different tyres/wheels, but I am no expert. Oh yeah, stock wheels are 16" due to the homologation rules at the time. The V-Spec R32 from 1993 had 17" wheels and Brembo brakes to homologate the changes. I think the V-Spec II has slightly bigger tyres. Same for the earlier Nismo versions which included a lip spoiler on the boot (underneath the main spoiler), air ducts in the front bumper (sometimes called N1 Vents) and spats just before the rear wheels.
ATESSA ETS (4WD) actually removes any front wheel torque when cornering. This is totally different to what I thought it would have done. If the steering wheel is more than 10 degrees off centre, no power will be sent to the front - I'm not sure if this is only at a certain G level. never had time to look at the gauge when trying!
the V-Spec ATESSA system polls faster than the stock R32. there is a modification available that alters the 4wd system so it always add drive to the front wheel when cornering.
The seats are excellent to sit in and provide good stability, the interior is dated, but somehow suits the car just fine. The oil pressure sender is known to be problematic. You can fit a double pushchair in the boot and 2 kids seats in the back, easily. Adults can comfortably travel in the back also. There is quite a bit of reflection from the top of the dash into the windscreen. A cat1 alarm is normally required for insurance. the radio antenna is built into the front windscreen. The G Sensor is underneath the console where the handbrake is. You can check the 4wd is working from the gauge on the dash, but you can also check the sensor and apparently, if it's red, it is broken. White means all is ok. The 4wd gauge moved from the inner dash to the centre pods for the r322. The stock boost gauge is in the centre also, and you should really get e aftermarket gauge mounted in the line of sight.
Hope that wasn't too boring!
Edited: Forgot to mention that the R32 GT-R is the only one you can make permanent RWD by pulling a fuse! The 33 and 34 both have slight preload on the clutch packs.
To add to the above the R32 came in three flavours: R32 was manufactured from 1989 to 1994.I've been into Skylines for a long time now, so here's a few random things that might interest you.
The first generation R32 is 50kg lighter than the second generation that came midway through 1991. The doors were modified to provide better safety and when compared to a first generation car, they are noticeably heavier. 1430kg vs 1480kg.
N1 lights are supposed to be excellent when compared with the normal projector lights, and a little bit lighter too. Mine has the normal projectors, and they are rubbish. I believe the style of the light also changed along with the bulb in mid '91 also.
If you buy a car with stock turbos, the general consensus is that they will boost to a maximum of 1bar safely. A stock car also has a boost restrictor in the pipe going to the boost solenoid on the driver side suspension mount. Removing this increases the boost from stock 0.7 to 1bar. Adding a decat seems to increase boost pressure marginally. Stock R34 turbos, though ball bearing with ceramic wheels, are thought to be good for 1.1 bar.
I've read a lot about the HICAS system and there was an opinion that as the system was designed for 16x8 wheels, anything different would change the slip angle and would in fact confuse the HICAS computer. I gathered that this meant that even changing the tyres would also change the slip angle. I couldn't see Nissan designing a system that would not work with different tyres/wheels, but I am no expert. Oh yeah, stock wheels are 16" due to the homologation rules at the time. The V-Spec R32 from 1993 had 17" wheels and Brembo brakes to homologate the changes. I think the V-Spec II has slightly bigger tyres. Same for the earlier Nismo versions which included a lip spoiler on the boot (underneath the main spoiler), air ducts in the front bumper (sometimes called N1 Vents) and spats just before the rear wheels.
ATESSA ETS (4WD) actually removes any front wheel torque when cornering. This is totally different to what I thought it would have done. If the steering wheel is more than 10 degrees off centre, no power will be sent to the front - I'm not sure if this is only at a certain G level. never had time to look at the gauge when trying!
the V-Spec ATESSA system polls faster than the stock R32. there is a modification available that alters the 4wd system so it always add drive to the front wheel when cornering.
The seats are excellent to sit in and provide good stability, the interior is dated, but somehow suits the car just fine. The oil pressure sender is known to be problematic. You can fit a double pushchair in the boot and 2 kids seats in the back, easily. Adults can comfortably travel in the back also. There is quite a bit of reflection from the top of the dash into the windscreen. A cat1 alarm is normally required for insurance. the radio antenna is built into the front windscreen. The G Sensor is underneath the console where the handbrake is. You can check the 4wd is working from the gauge on the dash, but you can also check the sensor and apparently, if it's red, it is broken. White means all is ok. The 4wd gauge moved from the inner dash to the centre pods for the r322. The stock boost gauge is in the centre also, and you should really get e aftermarket gauge mounted in the line of sight.
Hope that wasn't too boring!
Edited: Forgot to mention that the R32 GT-R is the only one you can make permanent RWD by pulling a fuse! The 33 and 34 both have slight preload on the clutch packs.
Edited by vatanen on Thursday 28th July 15:19
Original as described above - easy ways to spot one are the age of the car (89, 90 or early 91) or the headlights. The early cars car a silver ring moulded into the headlamp bezel. The dipped beam bulb is H3C.
Phase 2 cars had the side impact bars in the doors and used a different headlamp without the silver ring around the projector bezel. They use H7 bulbs for dipped.
Phase 3 cars had the altered oil pump drive.
Nismo parts are quite common (often referred to as N1). The Nismo bodykit items include a bonnet lip, ducts in the bumper to feed the intercooler (look like nostrils), spats in front of the rear wheels and a boot lip spoiler. The headlight were also replaced with the non-GTR reflector units (rather than projector lights) and use an H4 bulb. Proper Nismo cars are very rare and had all sort of lightening stuff done. They were followed by the N1 cars and the V-Specs (I and II) which had recalibrated ATTESA, BBS wheels and Brembo brakes. Again these command a premium.
If I was in the market for one I would be looking for a car which has had an engine refresh at the least. The car will be ~20 years old and I would be concerned about the oil pump. Even for a late model car I'd want peace of mind that something had been done. Mileage is irrelevant especially if the engine's been refreshed.
Always buy on condition and the engine should be number 1 priority. If that's shafted so are you cost wise. Bodywork is next and suspension last (components are pretty cheap to replace and new stuff is a good idea on an old car anyway).
Best place to get a car is via the owners' club. UK based cars represent the best value and buying a car modified to the level you want is the way to go. Aftermarket turbos are a good thing (the stock items will be tired and have been known to shatter with higher boost levels as noted above). I always suggest going along to some owners' club meets if you can to have a look round the cars and speak to owners. Pointers will be given and some weirdos will try and convince you that R33 GTRs are a better bet (they are, of course, wrong).
If you need to know any more just shout.
CrisW said:
To add to the above the R32 came in three flavours:
Original as described above - easy ways to spot one are the age of the car (89, 90 or early 91) or the headlights. The early cars car a silver ring moulded into the headlamp bezel. The dipped beam bulb is H3C.
Phase 2 cars had the side impact bars in the doors and used a different headlamp without the silver ring around the projector bezel. They use H7 bulbs for dipped.
Phase 3 cars had the altered oil pump drive.
I thought all 32s had the smaller oil pump drive and it was rectified for the 33. What year is Phase 3?Original as described above - easy ways to spot one are the age of the car (89, 90 or early 91) or the headlights. The early cars car a silver ring moulded into the headlamp bezel. The dipped beam bulb is H3C.
Phase 2 cars had the side impact bars in the doors and used a different headlamp without the silver ring around the projector bezel. They use H7 bulbs for dipped.
Phase 3 cars had the altered oil pump drive.
CrisW said:
Pointers will be given and some weirdos will try and convince you that R33 GTRs are a better bet (they are, of course, wrong).
Indeed they are! Only the 32 earned the name Godzilla.Gassing Station | Japanese Chat | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff