Are Gtr Lemons?

[lxss]

Hey All,

First post and im currently converting so go easy on me.

First of all il start by saying great site and lots of helpful information. Im currently considering whether to buy a R32 GTR and have been searching the forums since i have joined trying to find out everything that can go wrong with them. In this process i have noticed that there are alot of members that see them as lemons and not the great car i have always thought they were. Alot of the critism seems to come from GTS members but i dont see the GTR guys jumping up to defend the GTR. I have always seen the GTR as a car i would one day like to own, however if i do purchase one, it will have to be a daily driver aswell. I have always been a holden man and hense been relying on v8s, but now my love for the r32 has been rekindled (Damn you Bathurst reruns i watched).

Anyways, bassically my question is this: Are GTRs (especially r32s) lemons or can they be used daily without headaches. Are the GTS guys jealous or do they have a point that most spend time on chassis stands then been driven?

Thanks.

Dan.

PS. How does the GTS-4 rate aswell as this might be another option. thanks again.

[jantolis]

Anyways, bassically my question is this: Are GTRs (especially r32s) lemons or can they be used daily without headaches. Are the GTS guys jealous or do they have a point that most spend time on chassis stands then been driven?

Thanks.

Dan.

PS. How does the GTS-4 rate aswell as this might be another option. thanks again.

No they aren't lemons. But when things go wrong the can go wrong big.

Gts-t guys most probably are jealous .

Mine is sorta a daily driver and the only problems i have had is the clutch going in 3 weeks of getting it(definatley my fault) and the bushes are worn out. That hapens to all of cars over time.

[Omurru]

Stock, in good condition and well maintained and you will have minimal problems, it's only generally when people start moifying cars that so many problems occur. The pervious owner of my carbuilt it to be a daily driven and reliable high powered car but it wasn't cheap...unlike with V8's there are alot more cheaper external modifications you can do to a skyline for more power, it's often these type of mods that people run into problems with. well in my experience anyway....

[[WLDCRD]]

depends on the car. any car can be a lemon if its not looked after by the previous owner. i was one of the unlucky ones who bought a lemon. quite a few dollars later and its still not at 100%. the saying you get what you pay for doesnt always apply (especially when the previous owner and workshop are lying bastards!!! haha) end of the day, dont buy one if you cant really afford one.

[Absent]

Its true gts owners are jealous but deep down we love the GTR and always will , we dream of the day we own a GTR, we try to cruise with a GTR, we pretend to be a GTR, we have GTR pictures under the bed.

...Sigh...

[Kinks]

GTRs aren't lemons they just cost a lot to fix. They're more complicated than the GTS-t. Mods cost more too.

They basically cost more in general, I have always loved the 32 GTR and it was a shame to pass up on the idea and get a 33 GTS-t. But the 33 is much more suitable as a daily driver, for me.

[r32line]

If you are considering a GTR, then i would not bother with a GTS-4, the rb20det is not really capable of using the 4wd system to its potential, and a gts-t would be better, unless you are planning on modding the gts-4 where with more power it will be a better compromise to a GTR.

But I would love a GTR and if you look around you should be able to find yourself a good one, that if you look after it should serve you well.

[MANWHOR3]

I don't think it's correct in saying that a particular type of car e.g. gtst or gtr is a lemon.

However, as r32 gtst/gtr are getting quite long in the tooth, especially the 89 models, most of them are lemons.

When buying those old ones, unless if the engine's been rebuild, it's really a lucky dip. Some people get lucky and score a bargain.

I have a friend who bought an 89 model r32 gtr for 15k. The motor is in perfect condition.

Several people on this forum have also bought r32s and have had the engines die on them.

[lxss]

Hey all,

Thanks for the quick replies. If only all service was this good.

I dont mind if some things need a freshen up as that is expected with cars once they hit a certain age. I have never owned anything new and i dont see it happening unless its drastic (that is no more petrol left).

I guess these motors might be expensive to rebuild in terms of parts but that shouldnt be too much of a problem. Are parts interchangeable between r32 - r34? As long as they are available it shouldnt matter. The difference in price between a r33 and r32 would no doubt lean you towards the r33 if you take into account a rebuild but i fell in love with the r32 so im sticking with that.

In regards to the earlier 89 cars, are these more likely to develop rust then later model 32s? I found that when dealing with holdens, anything prior to 89 came with rust from the factory, but since the vn commy rust hasnt been a problem. Are there any other problem rust areas besides the boot and under the side skirts?

WLDCRD, you mentioned that you bought an expensive lemon. First off sorry to hear as i know the feeling.. Judging by your experience, would you say in hindsight you would have been better buying a cheap gtr in good cosmetic condition and fixing the problems then? What is still giving you problems if you dont mind me asking?

Lastly the reason i was considering a gts-4 was to do an engine conversion to either rb25 or rb30. Seems there is a bit of mucking about with the sump ive read on here. I think its best i rule this out though as i will regret it later, the gtr has such nice lines and i should just get that.

Once again thanks for all your help guys. I was on the edge as to whether get one and you guys pushed me off.. Thanks!

[ish]

now i want to laugh my ass off here but cant because this is seriously a serious issue ! serious!

i come from a turbo commodore background and all i have to say is My Gtr is no f*kin lemon.. You can buy a lemon in any model...

the only thing i would comment on is that they are a Japenese car primarily suited for Japenese conditions.

throwing them down a beat up aussie country road will shake up anyones import or lemon demon's...

[eMsta]

I own a series 2 r33 gts-t (1996) - trust me, I love the car to death. I love getting mods for it. I love driving it. I love washing it. I love to just sit there and look at it all day long.

But, whenever I see a gtr - I always gawk at it like a dumbass. Saw one today on springvale road heading towards blackburn. It seriously looked like a snake, slithering inside and out - just sooooooooo hot! R32 by the way, in a brillian silver finish - deep dish rims, big exhaust - just looked hot! To me, a gtr just stands out like a mofo - the wider body, the grills, the wheels - just awesome

However, despite the fact that the outside looks nice - the inside of the R32 looks very old to me. If you can get one with an immaculate interior - then man - ur one lucky sob. Most of the r32 interiors have been very badly looked after when they come from japan (thats my opinion though - and Im one of those nut cases who vaccums the shit outta his car, armour all the interiors, polish etc etc every week)

Performance. I have never been in a gtr - and I am very happy with my gts-t - but I wouldnt compare it to the gtr.

Lemon - highly unlikely. unless you buy it form some idiot who used it to thrash every day, and didnt look after it. Besides - what lemon gets outlawed from a major racing event like bathurst? Think about it

But hey, im a fellow skyline owner - afterall i could be biased

[maccattack]

lxss, I must say that generally people buy cars for (probably not a specific purpose, but with a purpose of sorts in mind). When I bought my car it was to have a faster car I can use for track work. The GTR fit the bill in many ways, especially bang for buck. As people on this thread have already stated (and I can vouch for it 100%) is that a minimally - or not at all - modified GTR which is well maintained will give you years of trouble free pleasure. Start modifying (and more specifically increasing power) and to some extent your maintenance / repair costs will escalate accordingly. Don't get me wrong, they are still a damned solid / strong car, but the higher the horsepower, the higher the ongoing costs will become.

So ulimately it is up to you as to whether you are happy with the power of the car as is, or (like most with not only GTR's but any skyline) quest for just that bit more.

Go the GTR, but as has been said before - make sure you can afford it.

[BezerkR32]

Has been stated before but try to import one from Tokyo CBD and not from the country (snow area) where they salt the roads. My 32 has some rust, repairable but still rust, have seen some horror stories though. My apprentice bought a 4 door that was imported from Tokyo and is perfect. Good luck, just remember age, not so much mileage because they fudge the speedos. try to get a ninetys model.

Hey all,

Thanks for the quick replies. If only all service was this good.

I dont mind if some things need a freshen up as that is expected with cars once they hit a certain age. I have never owned anything new and i dont see it happening unless its drastic (that is no more petrol left).

I guess these motors might be expensive to rebuild in terms of parts but that shouldnt be too much of a problem. Are parts interchangeable between r32 - r34? As long as they are available it shouldnt matter. The difference in price between a r33 and r32 would no doubt lean you towards the r33 if you take into account a rebuild but i fell in love with the r32 so im sticking with that.

In regards to the earlier 89 cars, are these more likely to develop rust then later model 32s? I found that when dealing with holdens, anything prior to 89 came with rust from the factory, but since the vn commy rust hasnt been a problem. Are there any other problem rust areas besides the boot and under the side skirts?

WLDCRD, you mentioned that you bought an expensive lemon. First off sorry to hear as i know the feeling.. Judging by your experience, would you say in hindsight you would have been better buying a cheap gtr in good cosmetic condition and fixing the problems then? What is still giving you problems if you dont mind me asking?

Lastly the reason i was considering a gts-4 was to do an engine conversion to either rb25 or rb30. Seems there is a bit of mucking about with the sump ive read on here. I think its best i rule this out though as i will regret it later, the gtr has such nice lines and i should just get that.

Once again thanks for all your help guys. I was on the edge as to whether get one and you guys pushed me off.. Thanks!

[djr81]

The R32 is a car just like any other. Some of them have rust (allthough they are very good in that respect), some of them have old, tired engines, some of them tired drivetrains, suspension etc etc etc. The great advantage you have is that there are quite a few of them around & you can check ALL these things.

As for faults inherent to the design, the GT-R suffers from very few. It is one of the best engineered, toughest cars going around. Yes people have problems with the engines, but as often as not it is a motor with 100,000+kms on it that has been capable of producing over 300kW for most of that time.

You will find it a whole world away from a local car in terms of build quality.

You can use it as a daily driver, but be aware it will cost more (I would guess 30% more) to run than, say a local V8. Find a nice, clean one & you will have a very good car indeed. Remember get a good one, not a cheap one.

[Beer Baron]

it's not a lemon. it's a technical masterpiece. remeber that it was bult in 1989 and conceived a few years before that. it took us to a whole new level of performance throughout the 90s and wiped the floor with everything in group A. how you could think the GTR is a lemon is beyond me. yes there are some bad ones out there, but that has nothing to do with the design of the car...

[kudos.motorsports]

As most people have said these vehicles are not lemons in any respect however they are getting a little old. Any vehicle that’s been driven for 15 years has not received the required maintained will be a nightmare. Basically you get what you pay for, send a few extra dollars now and it potentially could save many more down the track.

[Wheezy]

Id suggest drive a few stockies, a mate of mine drove a few and was really dissapointed (R32 GTR) till he hopped in his 3rd or 4th one at the same dealership and was blown away by the diference. It was a cleaner car and much more healthier...He bought that verry car and its a verry healthy car. Compare apples with apples and you wont be buying a lemon.

[Remix-]

it's not a lemon. it's a technical masterpiece. remeber that it was bult in 1989 and conceived a few years before that. it took us to a whole new level of performance throughout the 90s and wiped the floor with everything in group A. how you could think the GTR is a lemon is beyond me. yes there are some bad ones out there, but that has nothing to do with the design of the car...

Exactly my thoughts.

[JVP]

if you plan to buy one, just be very patient.

good things come to those who wait...

especially looking for a 32 gtr.

it has been my dream car ever since Gran Turismo hit the shelves.

there are shiteloads advertised in the 20K barrier, but most of them would be rough around the edges.

i say just wait and find one thats mint in everyway

[eMsta]

if you plan to buy one, just be very patient.

good things come to those who wait...

especially looking for a 32 gtr.

it has been my dream car ever since Gran Turismo hit the shelves.

there are shiteloads advertised in the 20K barrier, but most of them would be rough around the edges.

i say just wait and find one thats mint in everyway

yep - sometimes its worth paying extra to get what you want...unless you are one of them people who like to buy it cheap, and build your weapon from the ground up....