R32 GTR - not driving straight

[doug3rd]

I in the market for a R32 GTR, and was almost ready to buy one car until I test drove it. The ride was smooth and the engine great, but the car pulled slightly to the left.

I figured that this might just be wheel alignment, but when I braked, the car really pulled to the left.

Is this a bad car, or is it just a case of bad wheel alignment and/or bad brake pad?

As far as I can tell, the car hasn't been badly smashed. Is there anything else I can check?

[Mick Trainer]

Get it checked out properly. If you need to whack it on a jig.

[MAS2]

how much were you gonna pay for it?

have you found insurance for it yet (just wondering if it is a lot more than a normal turbo skyline)

[AtomicBomberMan]

hmmm... sounds like the bush in the contol arms are deteriorated causing excessive movement. apparently they can only bought as a whole arm and not just the bushes. they are about 250-270 each from nissan and about 200 bucks labour to do the two. found out the same thing about my car today!

[doug3rd]

The car is $26k, insurance #3k... Overall, the car is quite cheap for what I'm getting, unless this problem turns out to be serious...

AtomicBomberMan, did you car feel tight or loose in the front? Because this car feels tight, which scares me into thinking it may not be the bushes... I will get it checked out though... If it costs me only $700 to fix, then it's still a good buy..

[skyline33]

if its bushes and a wheel alignment it shouldn't be that much

[Mick Trainer]

Doug,

Where is this car? What color is it? I not long ago bought a 32 gtr and drove heaps of them. If you tell me these details I may be able to give you insight into it a bit if I know the particular car. Many of the ones I looked at are still for sale.

Mick

[AtomicBomberMan]

its really difficult to say, i really think you need to get under the car to see. i noticed that my gtr will pull quite aggressively if the road is uneven to the left or right. this might have something to do with the 17" wheels though. the cars underbody tells a lot of stories.

[doug3rd]

Mick, It is in Sydney, Burgandy colour, 1994. I went up to basically buy the car, but this scared me off a bit...

Do you still know of any orignal r32 GTRs around? I can only find one in budget, but he wants $27k, and it is a 89, so the 15 rule will probably drop its value at the end of the year. It makes it a difficult time to buy.

AtomicBomberMan, thanks for that tip, I'm going to get the car checked out by NRMA, so I'll ask to look especially at the bushes in the control arms...

One question though... have you tried rocking the front tyres? This car did not have any end-play that I could find. I'm not a mechanic, but I assume that if the front tyres feel tight then it's not the bushes... Do you have any end-play in your front tryes?

[Mick Trainer]

How much are you willing to spend Doug so I know what you are looking at. There are a few around. There was a ripper Gun Metal Grey one I looked at that I think is still for sale but I dont know about $27k but it would not be far off. There was a black one also I think is still there. It was a little untidy but mechanically very good. I think it is still around also.

Mick.

[doug3rd]

Yeah Mick, I think I know the two you mean... The black one is in Templestowe and the other in Keilor...?

I like the gun metal one, but I am worried that I will loose too much money on it because it is 89....

I haven't driven either one... The black one was quite good, but it did have a strange back-off noise when you rev the engine... I know rb26s are strong, but it sounded a little mettallic...

Have you driven either?

I am willing to spend up to about $30 (inc on-roads), but really not beyond that... and I really want original or close too... That is why I liked the grey one........ but for the same money I could get the black one, which is 4 years younger. Such difficult decisions.....

[Mick Trainer]

The grey one that I saw was a 93 by memory but it was Keilor was. Guy named Alex owned. If it is the same car is is really nice and straigt. Original except for an exhaust and air pods.

I have driven them both. Black one drove nice, had good power but had had a lot of mods on it including boost controller which is a concern. It had had a bit of body work done on it as well. But overall come up alright. All tests mechanincally came back good but it definalty needs some body work too tidy it up.

The grey was was very nice mechanically and drove really well. Very tight. I put an offer in on it that was rejected but it is more than he is asking now if this is the one.

I would say though that with a 89 I would wait and buy one from Japan once in the new year. The price will definatly drop and you should be able to get a nice one if you take your time. You have to be careful no matter what you do and it is always a risk but the price for an 89 may be so good then that it is worth taking the chance.

Mick.

[doug3rd]

Must be different keilor/grey cars, because this was advertised as 90, but was an 89... guys name was Darren, and it had a std exhaust and filter...

hmm.. interesting...The black one I saw has supposedly had a 'turbo timer' removed, but there was no mention of a boost controller... I didn't look at the black one too carefully because it had the pods and exaust, and was lowered...

Sounds like you've been doing you homework also.. Can I ask what car you eventually bought and for how much?

[Mick Trainer]

Check your PM box.

Mick.

[Cubes]

Always get a car checked over quickly by your local mechanic on a hoist before you buy it anyway.

Wouldn't want any nasty suprises. But it is most likely the radius rod bush. Mine has been modified for god knows what and used to pull to the right when braking.

[doug3rd]

Thanks Joel, I'll check that out...

I don't know a lot about the ABS/traction control on the GTR, and the light didn't come on when I braked, but I am worried if something as expensive as this was the cause...

Does anyone know what the worst case scenario would be for this problem (pulling to the left when braking)?

[predator]

well if the steering control arm snaps or something while driving.. your steering will go completely out and this may result in a bad accident. At 80km/hr.. can be pretty scary. I remember I snapped an upper control arm after a tire blew out and i went over a curb at 70km/hr - trying to steer it back was a nightmare. If that happened while driving at high speed that could be very dangerous.

Otherwise.. you just be careful when braking till you get it fixed - maybe just the brakes need adjusting/bled, pads changed. I'd imagine it would be amplified at greater speeds (e.g. greater pull to left side or whatever at braking from say 100km/hr).. so just be bit carefl.

[blind_elk]

Check the caster bushes.

[Cubes]

Yep thats what they call the radius rod bush.. a castor bush

[gtrken]

Originally posted by doug3rd

I in the market for a R32 GTR, and was almost ready to buy one car until I test drove it.  The ride was smooth and the engine great, but the car pulled slightly to the left.  

I figured that this might just be wheel alignment, but when I braked, the car really pulled to the left.

Is this a bad car, or is it just a case of bad wheel alignment and/or bad brake pad?

As far as I can tell, the car hasn't been badly smashed.  Is there anything else I can check?

Could be something as simple as a low tyre pressure which is amplified when you brake.

Or could be a chassis that is shorter on one side than the other....

Get a professional to check it. The causes are endless and without physically driving it , everyone is only guessing.

Cheers

Ken