R34 Gt-t 4-door Purchase - Thoughts?

[GoldZilla]

If you're willing to divulge where the car is located, you might get a few people willing to go and look at it for you, who knows - I'm assuming you're interstate?

I think Manwhore has a point, if you've got a gut feeling that the car isn't quite right, then don't buy it. Then again, if you can't actually see it and inspect it for yourself, then it's not going to be easy to test this. The Stagea I bought just over 15 months ago was the first I'd actually driven (even though I'd had a look at a few and had been doing my research), and it just felt "right" straight away. I haven't regretted the decision in the least! Trust your instincts - if the car looks to be well-maintained, and you like what you see, then have them make the required repairs and buy it.

And if you want a 4-door manual GT-t, then wait it out until you find the right one. You shouldn't really rush into a purchase just because your finance is sorted already (use the trip to Sydney to look around a bit first if you have doubts about the car you've got your eyes on). If you can afford to wait a bit longer, why not import one to your specs - you might not be able to see it and drive it yourself, but the Japanese auction reports are fairly informative, and almost always list the number of kms the car has done. Ring or email a few importers (J-Spec, Prestige, etc.) and get them to put you on a temporary auction email alert - for around a week, they'll send you a list of cars about to be auctioned so that if you see something you like, you can get them to make a bid for it according to your budget.

You're saying you don't know your imports well enough, but your N14 Pulsar was fully imported by Nissan anyway, so unless you've had it since new and bought it from a Nissan dealer, looking for a Skyline won't be much different to that. Use the Buyer's Guide that Sam (Sl!m) linked to, and that should help quite a bit.

Onto the issues you've listed:

- generally, tyres are a minor problem. As long as they're wearing pretty evenly, then don't worry. If the car's been complianced, it should really have new tyres on it anyway (or less worn-out ones, at the very least) as part of the compliance process.

- wheel repair is also a minor problem, and a tie-rod can be replaced fairly cheaply. Both of these might have had an impact on the tyre wear.

- power steering fluid too high, and some minor oil leaks around the top of the engine? These shouldn't really be a problem, maybe they overfilled the PS reservior, and spilled some engine oil when they replaced the fluids (which I believe is compulsory within the compliance process). If the engine is cleaned and run, you should be able to discover quickly enough if the oil leak is going to occur again.

- shock absorber fluid leakage and torn boots are easy fixes too - replacement is an easy option. (Shock absorbers are usually sold in pairs anyway.)

- odometer and speedometer not working is a bit dicey. It could be a replacement, who knows? See if the dealer has a copy of the auction report sheet, which should state the kilometres travelled when it went to auction. Maybe the kilometres ARE genuine, but what's not to say that the car hasn't spent most of its life stuck in traffic, travelling short distances most of the time, so engine wear (at the very least) is still a factor.

What works to your advantage in any situation like this is that firstly, they will be paying for the repairs before you pick the car up; and secondly, any problems (whether major or minor) are always a bargaining tool for you to get a better price on the car.

If they're not repaired, REFUSE to take delivery of the car - I've heard that some dodgy dealers can later blame the damage on you, or say that there was no problem in the first place, or "pretend" that they forgot about a problem, in the hope that you would too! If THEY refuse to compromise and fix a problem, why should YOU have to compromise and take a car which is not up to the standards that you'd agreed to. Show them that you're not going to be taken advantage of!

If the car looks like it was taken care of by its previous owner(s) and there are no other signs of abuse or wear-and-tear that go against the K's shown, then you may have a winner.

[n15m0]

Correct me if i'm wrong, but aren't new tyres part of the compliance process?? If this is a freshly complianced car it should come with brand spanking new tyres! After reading tht whole list of defects, however minor it may be tells me its done a fair bit more kms than stated. Regardless how minor or easy it is to fix, you don't want to be spending any $$ on repairs after you have just shelled out 28k for a car? As others have said, walk away and don't rush it...especially when its an interstate purchase.

Purchased mine in 2005, 99 model with 36,000ks on it...seemed genuine...and up till today, the only thing tht has failed on it was a faulty o2 sensor...*touch wood*

[benl1981]

Nothing there sounds that bad but 28k is a lot of money!!

Just be patient. I have an R33 4 door manual and at the time nobody wanted a 4 door.

28k could buy you a decent new car. I know people who got R34 coupes manual in good nick for under 25k. 4 door should be about the same.

[Abo Bob]

Sounds like a dog to me. Yes you will have trouble finding a manual 4 door but for the money you are looking at you could quite likely buy an auto and convert it.

I think it's hit a gutter and there could be other things out of alignment that you don't know of yet. The uneven tyre wear for a start is an alarm bell for me.

Also shows a lack of mechanical care.

The odo is most likely broken because they stuffed up something when winding it back. I wrecked a GTT with 170,000k's on it and when I pulled out the dash I saw that it had been tampered with so I guess it had well over 200,000k's. The good news with these cars is that when looked after they go for a long time (the engine out of that car is in a mates car now and is smoother than my fully rebuilt one) but all cars suffer when not maintained.

[Bonkers]

I have owned 5 Skyline imports since 1998 - I currently have an R34 Coupe.

From the description and faults listed I would be looking else where for sure especially for the price being asked.

Sure some of the faults are minor and what you would expect in a nine year old car, but the indicators are that the seller is dodgy as.....

$28,000 is top dollar for a 34 GT-t. But top dollar for a car with a list of faults like these...... NO WAY. Fresh import should have fresh tyres as it can't be complied on used Jap rubber. The dealer may have switched wheels for compliance and the wear on the tyres/damaged rim is from another car altogether - or not. You don't ask top dollar for a car and present it as second rate.

http://www.carsales.com.au/ show a 2000 model 4 door manual with 50000 km for $22990, even if its speedo dosent work either and it has the same faults, it is a 2000 model and 5k cheaper - thats a big difference.

It may be worth while considering a coupe, there are a lot of people wanting to offload them 'cos they have realised they cannot afford insurance etc. or do what Adam did and buy an auto and convert it - search around and compare a few cars if you are new to the import scene and for sure get the RACQ/NRMA or equivalent to check it out.

[32vspecII]

you can pick up a 34 auto sedan for about 21-22k now

6k for a manual half cut

1k for labour

but recover a bit of cost by selling the parts you dont need , ie neo engine say 3k back

and you will have your pick of cars if its an auto

[silver gts-t]

Also silver - fix it as cheaply as possible? like I said, the gasket is $60 for both sides. That's cheap, if it even needs it.

Most likely, the screws are just a bit lose and just need to be torqued back to factory spec, then it won't leak anymore. I had to do that to my engine - had 30 000 ks on it. tightened the screws when I saw a seep, and it's perfect now

why buy a car at a dealership for over 20k and walk away with having to fix lil things everywhere.

and i like how you have diagnosed all the problems with the car without even seeing anything lol.

[jrm]

http://www.carsales.com.au/ show a 2000 model 4 door manual with 50000 km for $22990, even if its speedo dosent work either and it has the same faults, it is a 2000 model and 5k cheaper - thats a big difference.

Guessing you're referring to this car. From looking at the interior though, isn't that just a non-turbo that's been converted? A factory turbo would have the gauges in the dash - no? (Like this example).

Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. You're right about the km and I'm guessing a series 2 as well, still ... A non-turbo to turbo conversion seems like something to steer-clear of.

For those suggesting the auto -> manual conversion, etc. To be honest, I'd rather pay more upfront and not have to go through all of the change-over, engineering, and other nonsense to convert an auto to manual. I don't really have the mechanical knowledge to get it done/organised or to be sure it's all done right (yeah yeah, pick on the girl ).

I've organised a test-drive of the car this Saturday, assuming the test-drive is okay and the the follow-up inspection on all of the things they've fixed (they're fitting all new tyres, checking on the cam-cover gasket, replacing/fixing as required, replacing shocks, replacing buckled rim, replacing tie-rod, etc. An odd thing they noted was that apparently the tyres that were on it aren't the ones from compliancing). At the end of the day, if it doesn't 'feel' right then I'll be walking away - there are plenty of other options in 2-door/manual in Sydney to look at at nearby caryards. I'm not going to be pressured into it by them if I'm not happy

Thanks to everyone for all of the advice/assistance you've all provided - it's been very insightful.

Overall given the otherwise pristine condition of the car, the NRMA inspector did note that it was one of the cleanest R34s he'd seen in a while. I asked him flat out, and he didn't feel that the km seemed that 'off' to his belief given the overall clean/straightness of the body, and overall wear, etc. He seemed to feel that the problems listed weren't great warning signs, it didnt look like a cut-and-shut, didn't appear to have been in any accidents, and that it drove very well and smoothly.

The yard will be providing a 3-month warranty on the car if I do purchase it; First plan would be to (and I warned the caryard of this - and they seemed happy with it) take it to a good mechanic (any suggestions?) and get everything that NRMA doesn't check checked - and demanding the yard fix those ASAP too - timing belts, compression test, plugs, leads, turbo, etc, etc (any other suggestions here?)

Second plan after getting the mechanicals checked out/fixed will be to get an alarm fitted; From what I'm reading and previous experience, Brant seems a good option and they're upgradeable; Does anyone have any other thoughts on security, installers, etc?

Jenna

[32vspecII]

its not that the cars faults are hard to reapair but that the faults indicate a car with a condition that is not was it is being sold as

i would expect a car that had minor rust and the problems you described to be closer to 150,000km than 50,000

so i would leave this one , there are better cars around than this at the price even for a manual

and the 3 month warranty means not much at all really , nor the nrma inspection for that matter

i would definetly keep looking

ive done 3 manual conversions where the workshop did everything , just drive in auto , drive out manual a couple of days later . its a bit more expensive than sourcing things yourself but its an option

are you set on the manual ? the triptronic is not bad for a mild level street car

i have personally seen this car , its in wa , but its a genuine km car . cant comment futher as it hasnt been inspected but the dealer selling only buys genuine top level high grade cars and has a excellent reputation

http://www.autoworx.com.au/er34-018889.htm

Edited January 15, 2007 by arkon

[jrm]

its not that the cars faults are hard to repair but that the faults indicate a car with a condition that is not was it is being sold as

i would expect a car that had minor rust and the problems you described to be closer to 150,000km than 50,000

so i would leave this one , there are better cars around than this at the price even for a manual

and the 3 month warranty means not much at all really , nor the nrma inspection for that matter

i would definitely keep looking

If mechanical inspections, NRMA inspections & warranties don't mean much - where does that leave a buyer?

The rust mentioned is very minor, a small spot under the rear center light - barely worth fixing (the NRMA inspector said as much) but something that he had to note down as it varied from original condition.

ive done 3 manual conversions where the workshop did everything , just drive in auto , drive out manual a couple of days later . its a bit more expensive than sourcing things yourself but its an option

are you set on the manual ? the triptronic is not bad for a mild level street car

I'm pretty set on manual; I've only really ever driven manual - every auto I've driven has just frustrated me to hell and back; you just can't seem to "balance" the car properly with the throttle as on a manual.

I've already got flights booked, so I might as well at least inspect & test-drive the thing in Sydney. I'm not going to be pressured into the sale by the caryard, but if the car - to me - drives like 48,000km and otherwise seems fine - I suspect I'd end up driving home with it. And if I do - well, whether that ends up being an expensive mistake, I guess time will tell.

To give a comparison - does anyone else have any indication of what they've had in terms of an NRMA inspection on vehicles - Body/Mechanical rating, issues listed, etc?

Jenna

[Bonkers]

A factory turbo would have the gauges in the dash - no?

Jenna

You are correct, a factory turbo would have guages in the dash. So - its either a non turbo or the dealer has been to lazy to upload photos of the actual car. I guess dealers can be misleading 5hits eh?.......

What about this.....

http://www.j-spec.com.au/list/index.php?ID=7672

I know it an auto but it is an 8 speed........

cheap on insurance.....

unique.......

sunroof.......

grade 4.5.......

aftermarket alloys......

[lanky71]

Or alternatively go for a automatic R34 GT-T 4 Door then simply get the manual conversion done later, I think people were talkin around the 5G mark you can now get a decent R34 GT-T Sedan for like $22 even less if you import thru someone like j-spec.

Depending where you are I would suggest take a look at places like:

http://www.northshoreprestige.com.au or even drive.com.au/carsales.com.au as there a usually heaps on there thru dealers.

I had my car inspected by nrma when i was buying it and all they picked up was some minor rust in the actuall boot (surface rust) and that the car had previously had some panel damage as the paint respray on the right hand back side had little tinny bubbles in it bairly noticable... apart from that they said it was in pefect mechanical order and he personally thought it was a good buy.

Edited January 15, 2007 by lanky71

[Abo Bob]

You sound like you are going to buy it.

Whatever one you end up getting, or looking seriously at, it's better to take it to an import shop. If you tell us the area we can recommend one close.

NRMA reports have shown us that while they are mechanically sound people, they don't know imports and they don't check anything that can't be seen without taking anything off. A leakdown test would be one of the most valuable tests you can do but it takes time because you have to get all the stuff off the top of the engine to get the spark plugs out.

As for manual conversions, how about you humour us. Ring Mark at Autosport Engineering 95211388 and ask him what it would cost if you had an auto r34 and manual half cut delivered to him to convert. Ring Justjap or SSS and ask for the half cut, or ask how much for one to be bought for the next shipment.

BTW you could get an r33 half cut instead which would cost less but then you would have to chase the interior parts separately.

[32vspecII]

If mechanical inspections, NRMA inspections & warranties don't mean much - where does that leave a buyer?

The rust mentioned is very minor, a small spot under the rear center light - barely worth fixing (the NRMA inspector said as much) but something that he had to note down as it varied from original condition.

I'm pretty set on manual; I've only really ever driven manual - every auto I've driven has just frustrated me to hell and back; you just can't seem to "balance" the car properly with the throttle as on a manual.

I've already got flights booked, so I might as well at least inspect & test-drive the thing in Sydney. I'm not going to be pressured into the sale by the caryard, but if the car - to me - drives like 48,000km and otherwise seems fine - I suspect I'd end up driving home with it. And if I do - well, whether that ends up being an expensive mistake, I guess time will tell.

To give a comparison - does anyone else have any indication of what they've had in terms of an NRMA inspection on vehicles - Body/Mechanical rating, issues listed, etc?

Jenna

i have seen dogs that died a week later go through nrma/rac type inspection

dealer warranties , you might get lucky or you might end up bashing you head against the wall . if your not near the dealer it makes it even harder to get warranty work done

take the car to a specialist workshop that deals with skylines and get a comprehensive report done including compression test and leakdown

i dont think this would turn out to be a bad mistake and it sounds like an ok car . I am just wary that the condition seems a bit low for the kms on it .

if you think its suss try and bargain them down if you do really want it so you know your atleast getting it at a worthy price

Edited January 15, 2007 by arkon

[jrm]

Whatever one you end up getting, or looking seriously at, it's better to take it to an import shop. If you tell us the area we can recommend one close.

NRMA reports have shown us that while they are mechanically sound people, they don't know imports and they don't check anything that can't be seen without taking anything off. A leakdown test would be one of the most valuable tests you can do but it takes time because you have to get all the stuff off the top of the engine to get the spark plugs out.

Well, I've organised to be in Sydney a week (22->26th), whether I can get mechanical work checked out & fixed in that time I can't say - I would hope so. I'll be staying around the Ashfield/Haberfield area with a friend.

Certainly it seems to me, if I was to buy the vehicle the first thing I need to do is take it to a specialist mechanic to be checked out properly and then back to the dealer to fix anything straight after. Particularly with a ~1800km drive back home, I don't need/want anything going wrong on the way back.

Jenna

[lanky71]

I am not too sure on reliability as have heard good and bad things about them but Japlink motors in along haberfield rd, might be worth a look in there.

I personally wouldn't touch the car you are looking at is just sounds like you are going to end spending huge amounts on someone else's problems.

I can tell you from my experience got the car looked over by the nrma and now well actually started like 1 month after i bought the car electrical issues have been coming and going... the car is being looked at once again today and the guy reckons its the alternator and that most likely won't be covered by warranty dealer or extended and this car was in perfect mechanical condition, so will see what the dealer says but thats just agood example of how a perfect car can have issues not picked up by the nrma or even a skyline mech. as these things just happen.

With the car having "moderate" issues already I would think they would just get worst, anyway probably not too helpfull but that is my experience.

[MANWHORE]

why buy a car at a dealership for over 20k and walk away with having to fix lil things everywhere.

and i like how you have diagnosed all the problems with the car without even seeing anything lol.

The dealer is going to be fixing the problems, so it's not like he's accepting it with all the faults walking away and having to fix them himself.

I'm not diagnosing the problems without having seen the car. I'm just suggesting POSSIBLE/LIKELY causes/solutions to demonstrate how minor all of the issues really are. e.g. worn strut boots/tyres - worn tyres are just a maintenance item - is there really any other possible way to fix it other than replace it?

[Zman]

i have a mate who mentioned he was thinking of selling his 4 door silver r34 for low 20's. manual, stock. Pm me if you're interested.

[32vspecII]

The dealer is going to be fixing the problems, so it's not like he's accepting it with all the faults walking away and having to fix them himself.

I'm not diagnosing the problems without having seen the car. I'm just suggesting POSSIBLE/LIKELY causes/solutions to demonstrate how minor all of the issues really are. e.g. worn strut boots/tyres - worn tyres are just a maintenance item - is there really any other possible way to fix it other than replace it?

yes , you replace things with clapped out old 2nd hand parts that die in a couple of months just after the warranty has run out

[Mr Jollwah]

I kno that this is an old post but I hate these backyarder dealers....

yes , you replace things with clapped out old 2nd hand parts that die in a couple of months just after the warranty has run out

Or as happened to me..

Rather that fix that heater core we'll put 3 tins of bars leaks in the radiator and pray it'll last out the warranty. It did but when it corroded out completely and started to dump coolant around my GF feet I was a much wiser man.

NEVER NEVER TRUST NON FRANCHISE DEALERS TO HONOR ANY SORT OF WARRANTY!!!!!!!!!!!

Edited May 16, 2008 by Mr Jollwah