Max_ST-R

I saw a black HSV W427 at Nissan headquarter carpark last month... and in black with a bit of road grime looks absolutely anonymous next to 370Z and GT-R parked a few bays down.

Im happy to watch most motorsport categories, but for most, only in small doses. If I see V8 Supercars, I'll watch it for 10 mins, but I would never call myself a fan. Like a few here I tuned in just to see the GT-R perform its safety car functions which was a of greater interest than the V8 race. The other thing is people who grew up with Group A or Group C Touring cars with multiple manufacturers (like myself) lement the passing of this where we could see Skyline GT-R or Ford Sierra or BMW M3 or Mazda RX-7.. and even a Bathurst winning Jaguar XJS!. Generation Y will only know V8 Supercars...but once upon a time it was so much better, so it's a bitter pill for us Gen Xer's and Baby Boomers. We like Tin Top Touring car racing...but don't like the current rules. Hope that makes sense to the youngsters out there..

No comparing BMW CS to Holden/HSV or even Lexus who seem to go that extra mile again, but Holden do have many cars upwards of $60K nowadays. HSV GTS now has starting price of $82,000 (for the Auto) and then there is senator and Grange which are all approaching $90K, even a Calais V V8 is $61K and the wagon up around $64K before on-roads....and lets not forget W427 which is GT-R M3 money.

Very interesting. In any case the dealer would want at least $100,000 mark up to cover themselves. so there would never be a staright swap. Would be interesting to know what changover price was suggested, let me guess $700,000? I reckon these crazy Musclecar prices are just a reflection on how good Australia's economy was during the Howard years with blue collar industries such as mining, transport and building experiencing unpreecedented boom. I doubt that any European or Japanese supercar would appear on their radar. Another example was the HRT 427 Show Car that sold to a builder in Queensland (in 2007) by the name of 'Chooka' for $950,000! $950K for a 2 door VT Commodore and a hot, off the shelf Chevy 7.0l V8! and a race style interior!

Birds, i think I have said on 2 occaisions that Nissan SHOULD definately fix GT Ricers problem leather, I didn't disagree on that...just making the point that problems occur across ALL price ranges and that if dodgy leather quality is the worst of your problems, then that's quite not such a bad thing. As for Ford and Holden, I still believe they have a looong way to go in terms of customer service and quality. Also im not saying I'd lay down and accept it, but alot worse happens out there and if you deal in quality control you'll know that. The BMW problems I have put forward are anecodtel, yes, but I have many more stories, some involving 5 series and another with a 7 series,( but where do you stop). The 7 series was replaced with a new vehicle as was a new 3 series that belonged to my dad's mate. I would regard BMW's level of customer service on faults to be on another level compare to Folden. BTW a trouble free Calibra wow!!!

hmmm, dunno there, Ford ducked and weaved with brake hose failures on Falcon/Territory and are now doing the same with front ball joint problems on Territory. Then there is the issue of radiators that leak fluid into gearboxes (requiring a re-build) on BA Falcon. Ford haven't exactly been forthcoming about that one either despite many complaints. ZC Vectra suffers the same problem (an $8,000 fix!- ouch!)..but the people I know who have had the problem had it fixed under warranty. My mate had dodgy brakes on his VZ Clubsport. No track work, just home to work and back in peak hour. One day his brake pedal went to the floor, could barely pull the car up, he had the brakes leak fluid onto his garage floor too. Holden response, just to keep machining the brakes, after several threatening letters, HSV agreed FINALLY to replace the faulty brakes. He had other quality issues too, but at the end of the day it is a $35,000 car with a $70,000 price tag. That car was only a few months old when he had the issue. Like I said, I agree that the leather on that GT-R should be replaced, but it is far from a sign of a poor quality car, when you hear of catestrophic problems of cars of all price ranges if grain separation on the leather of the side bolsters of the front seats on SOME vehicles is the worst of it..then I would consider that a good result whether it cost $7,500 or $750,000 Ask many BMW, Merc and Audi owners out there about the litany of electrical (and sometimes mechanical) problems with their vehicles (esp older ones). My mate had front window regulators crap themselves on his brand new 320 Ci coupe after a few months ($75,000 car). A friend's brother bought an E36 BMW circa 1996 model (318i) and at 10 years old with only about 110,000kms, the battery kept draining, the 'solution' a new instrument cluster for $3,000, the result?..318i keeps draining it's battery!...the list goes on. My wife's Maxima is a 2001 Ti with 85,000kms and EVERY single electrical component works, CD, heated seats, climate control, power seats , sunroof, cassette player, elec mirros, not one fault to speak of, mechanically it's perfect too, not one drop of oil (unlike my previous VS Commodore!!!) the only problem, split in the 'pleather' side bolster. I can/will fix that..and I can tell you I'm absolutely rapt that this is the only 'problem' I have with her car.

..not only was he pussyfooting the GT Ph3 he goes on to say it's "re-inforced the legend" I thought the legend was shattered. He said the car has trecherous handling on the limit and then the Stig took it around in 1.22min...that's barely quicker than the Proton Satria...and the knob who spent $750K on a souped up XY Fairmont, needs brain surgery. If i wanted to spend that kind of money on a nostalgic performance/super car that could rarely be driven and never left un-attended (unless locked in a high security fortress), I 'd be buying a Ferrari F40!

Yeah, totally bizarre all this. It's only an opinion but for me BOTH 350 and 370Z look fantastic, very similar, but still very different, I don't understand how you could love one and hate the other. The 370 has dated the 350 a little especially the interior. I saw a bunch of 370's and 350's parked side by side at Nissan HQ today they are both great, but the silver 370Z in the foyer was just magnificent... carporn indeed. It's good to be as impressed with the interior as the exterior.

Very true handbrake, even BIG dollar exotics come thru with some nasty faults and some are fairly noticeable. An alarming amount of NEW Ferrari's and Lambo's seem to spontaneously combust (much to my chagrin), i LOVE those cars, but the fact remains a Nissan GT-R is probably going to come ahead of most supercars, actually most cars full stop in overall terms of quality, reliability and longevity. If some dodgy leather quality is the WORST we see on some vehicles, than that's a good thing... ..and Birds, spend a week at a Ford or Holden dealer workshop, that will give you something to think about!!!! pheeeewwwwww! some of the things those guys see!

lots of theories here. Just a bad batch of leather. At the end of the day to retrim outer edge of the seat in leather will cost at MOST $2,000?. When I was selling cars you could retrim 4 seats in some very nice Howe leather for that kind of money. $2K in leather can save a WHOLE LOT of headache for all involved. You wonder why, on a flagship car Nissan couldn't just bite the bullet. A local motor trimmer can do a great job with great leather at what amounts to as a drop in the ocean for a big company.

3.3 secs is the 0-60 mp/h time acheived, not 0-100 km/h. 0-60 mp/h = 96.5 km/h. Nissan Aus. initially quoted 3.5 sec 0-100km/h. They don't quote an official time from what I can see now.

All very valid points, but still the R35's acheivement on the Nurburgring is backed up by numerous victories on many tracks and on many tests performed around the world against many competitors and often back to back by the same driver.

The satisfaction of owning a car that is the very best at something is strong reason, esp when it's $160K+ Much of the mystique and legend of the car is built around it's ability to be the best at something. The GT-R doesn't have 'the badge'...so it makes up for it with the GT-R racing pedigree and outstanding performance. For a car company to say we have the fastest car available is a big deal when you are up against brands like Porsche, Mercedes, Ferrari, Aston Martin and Lotus.

This will need confirmation but I thought it was Mizuno himself who said the Dunlops produced better track results than the Bridgstones when questioned about the 7.29min Nurburgring time.

Thanks Skyline Man, I thought this was the case....so this being the case why has Nissan registered a bunch of GT-R Premium press cars instead of a mix of the Standard and Premium models, or all Standard models?. Perhaps the Motor and TGA track results would have been different and tipped the result slightly in favour of the GT-R over the GT2 instead of the otherway around. There is no doubt the black wheels and seat trims of the Premium look better (and would be my choice)..but as a manufacturer pushing a performance car wouldn't you want to bring your 'A-game'??...or have I missed something here?

In all the local tests I've seen on the GT-R, they have tested the 'Premium' version. This has Bridgstone RE070R tyres. The entry level model runs Dunlop SP Sport 600 DSST. Does anyone one know which produce superior lap times? I thought I read somewhere that "the Dunlops" were quicker than the Bridgestone tires. Can anyone confirm one way or the other? Are the said Dunlops the SP Sport 600 DSST? If this was the case, this would mean that the tests done by Tog Gear Aus and Motor and Wheel have been quicker on the std spec GT-R rather than the 'Premium'. If anyone can confirm Id be most interested!

I like the Skyline GT-R as much as the next person, but there is NO WAY, that gold, pimped , riced GT-R would pull more chicks than a 997 GT3! If it was a standard R33 GT-R that test may have had SOME credibility, but I reckon most chicks will think you are a knob in that particular Skyline they had. I would love to know the demographic of the women they chose, I don't think they are representative of most.

Yep, a 0.14sec difference between GT-R and GT2 shows there is virtually nothing in it...amazing when the GT-R is 300kg heavier, with 4 seats, a decent boot, luxury mod cons and $320,000 cheaper..and is the non-'motor sport' variant of the breed. I thought TGA may have done another test on it, maybe put it up against a 911 Turbo, even a HSV W427 or similar priced competitors or Audi R8...just to make it interesting. For such an epic lap it was all rather uneventful.

I think the R35 has a truly magnificent profile, parts of it are just magnificent, some less so, take for instance, side on- from the front door to the nose, just brilliant, rear on looks great, front 3/4 can look a little awkward, but in real life its just so low, wide and mean and looks magnificent from any angle. It draws looks in real life becuase it has huge presence and it's proportions are extraordinary. Rarity plays a role too, but as I have said it has the 'X' factor.

..but they are on a rolling start! so no broken tranny's! ...but gee i LOVE all those cars, the modded R35 and 911 are OBSCENELY FAST. The Carrera GT (besides being one of my most favourite cars ever) is also obscenely quick, but to be left behind like that is just gob smacking, it's automotive art and the best sounding road car in the world IMO, but by ANY measure SUPREMELY fast. Put $$ into the equation and even with the modifications, that R35 simply defies logic.

Never said there was anything wrong with an LS1 (although those with Piston slap problems that required a rebuild may disagree) or VE, just commenting that they are not in the same footing as a bespoke Nissan R35 GT-R/Zr-1 in terms of performance or engineering. You can recall the test in 2002 Motor Magazine when a 300kW GTS HSV Coupe was put up against a new Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 N1, it got creamed, and it was a 40 degree day that disadvantaged the twin turbo Nissan.

Indeed, that car is so good in so many ways (even sitting parked at the side of the road) that the badge becomes secondary. If that car had a Tata badge on it it is still the goods. I'm trying to convice a friend to look at one..but won't entertain spending big dosh on a Nissan.

Birds, hate to break it to you but that Commodore coupe is only a concept car. The chances of it making production are fairly slim AND if it ever did I can guarantee you it would look alot more tame by the time it was production ready for the road...then after all that, it would still be a VE Commodore..which means it won't be built or engineered to anything like the standard of a GT-R or ZR-1 for that matter. Out of curiosity what attracted you to a Nissan Skyline? or a Nissan fullstop? I get the feeling you are a Chev/Holden man at heart! I'm actually suprised you don't drive a 5.7l V8 Commodore SS or VT Monaro, there are plenty out there at low prices....

..If that's the case then I find that absolutely gobsmacking! These prices are obtained directly from BOTH manufacturers (and I mean directly not from a website ) As a Porsche afficianado, these guys sound like an embarassment to me (same as the one eyed falcadore yobs) if they don't know the list price of a 911 Turbo in it's home country, it makes me wonder if they really know their shit at all!

Godcla, the 911 Turbo has a rrp in Germany of Euro $143,008 exactly. What the 'buy' price is , I can't say, but I assure 110% THAT is the rrp for a 911 Turbo in Germany. If anyone says otherwise they don't know what they are on about and are full of shit. In Germany a GT-R costs EURO $81,800 for the base model, EURO $83,500 for the Premium Edition and EURO $85,200 for the Black Edition. Which ever way you slice it there is a HUGE premium for the 911 Turbo (a car I dearly love) ..and in Germany Ze Krazy Option prices apply too!!!!