R35 Service Costs

[Sammy-qld]

i was talking to a nissan dealer yesterday and i was told that if items are not done when required then the warranty will be void, we were particularly talking about brakes as he saw the brakes on mine,

the standard r35 brakes apparently cost around 10k for front and rear pad and rotor change, i just did my fronts for the second time for about 1700 dollars.

transmission service is 1800 dollars and must be done after every track day to keep warranty or if the transmission temps get above a certain temp which of course they will be checking when the download you hard drive.

great car , i absolutely love it, ( besides the paint being abit ordinary till i had an expert clean it up) but i cannot get over what some of the charges will be. i am glad i dont have to worry about warranty. would have already saved me around 20 k in brakes alone if going through the dealer.

Hey Giant

I purchased a R35 GTR JDM a couple of weeks ago and drove it up to QLD. Can't get servicing at Nissan Australia & not really that interested if they are profiting that hugely from brakes and servicing. Do you know of any good R33-34 QLD specialist garges? that might be good at maintaining the car.

Also where did you get your brakes from i'd love to know as i'm sure i'll burn through mine in a year or so. Thats a sweet price $1700.

Thanks man

Sammy

[Snowman]

Interesting thing to have found is a copy of the European Manual for the GT-R which appears to have the same warranty and service data I read in the new 11 page document if anyone is insterested.

Can be found here: http://www.mookistar.com/r35/DRAFT%20EU%20...s%20Manual2.pdf

The important parts are really covered from pages 5-17.

The main thing I have picked up from this second reading is that whilst warranty isn't covered from failures resulting from using aftermarket parts they will still do the "free" services - even including if you mod the ECU. And also seems to say that there will be warranty if the faults are un-related to mods - although it does mention there will be no warranty at all if you mod the ecu.

The funny one is that it lists down the bottom that warranty will be returned if the car is returned to its original specification.

[Sammy-qld]

Interesting thing to have found is a copy of the European Manual for the GT-R which appears to have the same warranty and service data I read in the new 11 page document if anyone is insterested.

Can be found here: http://www.mookistar.com/r35/DRAFT%20EU%20...s%20Manual2.pdf

The important parts are really covered from pages 5-17.

The main thing I have picked up from this second reading is that whilst warranty isn't covered from failures resulting from using aftermarket parts they will still do the "free" services - even including if you mod the ECU. And also seems to say that there will be warranty if the faults are un-related to mods - although it does mention there will be no warranty at all if you mod the ecu.

The funny one is that it lists down the bottom that warranty will be returned if the car is returned to its original specification.

Nice one, thanks for the manula link. Saved that for a rainy day, hopefully won't need it but you know never know eh.

[handbrake]

Hey Giant

I purchased a R35 GTR JDM a couple of weeks ago and drove it up to QLD. Can't get servicing at Nissan Australia & not really that interested if they are profiting that hugely from brakes and servicing. Do you know of any good R33-34 QLD specialist garges? that might be good at maintaining the car.

Also where did you get your brakes from i'd love to know as i'm sure i'll burn through mine in a year or so. Thats a sweet price $1700.

Thanks man

Sammy

+1, live in wilston brisbane.

[Parag0n]

Gavin Woods Auto Tech on the Gold Coast, I believe he has serviced a few R35 GTR's and has been around for years working on the 32's - 34's, 350Z's etc...

[SS8_Gohan]

yeah, that's my point which i didn't make clearly. Just take your R's to places you trust or places other people trust, ie our family BMW's go to Southern BM.

If i had a 35, i'd most likely take it to Race Pace.

I'm sure there are a few workshops in every major city that can more than handle most the R35 stuff, and then maybe just have a specialist Suspension place to take the car as well.

But re: grey imports... you can ONLY get pre-Series II cars? oh wait... you can't actually get them anymore can you? not even the '07 or '08's?

[phunky_monkey]

Mercedes Dealerships do the same thing. Took my dad for a ride...for 95 dollars...."We change the whole windscreen wiper assembly, plus the blades as part of our Minor B service. Its a promotion we're doing at the moment" My dad refused to pay for it because there was absolutely nothing wrong with the ones he had on the car prior to servicing.

It's not limited to prestige makes. One of our reps took a Barina to Holden and they stung her more than that for the same service... if you look gullible, or they think they can egt away with it, they'll all take you for a ride.

[giant]

Can i ask where you get your rotors and pads?

cheers

both AP and Project MU sell rotors and pads for the r35

[giant]

Hey Giant

I purchased a R35 GTR JDM a couple of weeks ago and drove it up to QLD. Can't get servicing at Nissan Australia & not really that interested if they are profiting that hugely from brakes and servicing. Do you know of any good R33-34 QLD specialist garges? that might be good at maintaining the car.

Also where did you get your brakes from i'd love to know as i'm sure i'll burn through mine in a year or so. Thats a sweet price $1700.

Thanks man

Sammy

hey sammy CNJ can service your car.

you can pm me for more info too

cheers russell

[limitless]

Ok so let me get this straight.

If you don't service the car yourself and then pay for the dealer to do it, you are an idiot?

Reality check here boys.

Next time you feel a heart attack coming on, try going into your bathroom cabinet and solving the problem yourself with a band aid and some Detol. Oh wait, you would go to hospital and get it sorted out wouldn't you?

Try to realise that we are not all budding mechanics. Personally I would love the time to play with the car in my garage more but other things in life get in the way. Doesn't mean I can't get as much enjoyment form the car as anyone else.

Being positive about this then, anyone able to suggest a sensible place in Brisbane to service the vehicle reliably to avoid the seemingly inevitable rip off?

Take the drive down the coast and talk to Gavin Woods at Auto Tech in Labrabour.. He's been looking after my Aus Complied R32 for years now.. Knows his sh!t and isn't a rip off.. Most of the highly modded GTRs in SEQ go to him..

[Modena]

Funny seeing uni students speak out loud about the service costs of a new GTR

[Sammy-qld]

Hey guys thanks for the replys to where to service. I'll check out Gaven woods in Lab when it needs its next service.

Cheers

Sammy

[GTR R35]

I found out today the costs of being a Nissan GTR approved dealer.

Not only is there a heap of training for the mechanics and sales persons, but they need a heap of tools, diagnostic gear and a $45,000 hoist.

We are quick to blame the dealers about the cost of servicing these cars (without actually knowing) yet they have to recoup a huge outlay just to be able to qualify.

I also was told that the brake costs are true as is the servicing after a track day being correct.

[Gibbo_R35]

I found out today the costs of being a Nissan GTR approved dealer.

Not only is there a heap of training for the mechanics and sales persons, but they need a heap of tools, diagnostic gear and a $45,000 hoist.

We are quick to blame the dealers about the cost of servicing these cars (without actually knowing) yet they have to recoup a huge outlay just to be able to qualify.

I also was told that the brake costs are true as is the servicing after a track day being correct.

Look we certainly understand that there are costs of setting up the dealership for service....however these costs are being more than subsidised by the dealer and delivery fees of over $10,000. Compare that to a comparitive car and you get the picture.

It does not take many sales to cover their outlay.

Cheers.

[God_speed]

Surely there is an onus on the Dealers to make apparent to any prospective customers the full schedule and cost of servicing the R35 GT-R. There will be a number of people who are not so loaded to the hilt with cash who will still enter a Nissan dealership and whilst expecting the maintenance cost of an R35 to be substantially higher than an ordinary Nissan, still find it hard to put out of mind that same association - that it is a Nissan. This is despite the fact that these extraordinarily high maintenance costs may be justified to an point by the degree of engineering that has gone into the car.

Even though I won't be in the market for a $170,000 car (once on roads are factored in), doesn't it seem that the more shrewd business move would be to absorb more of the dealership setup cost internally, lowering the cost to the consumer, thus making the car less of a turn-off to potential customers and hence increasing sales, thus increasing economies of scale and therefore covering the cost of their dealership setup outlay, etc etc?

I've had to approve a front brake pad replacement for my boss's Aston Martin DB7 Vantage which, while it was only pads and the car would not have brakes the size or with the technology of the R35, at almost $2,500 seemed expensive; $10K for the R35 (with rotors) is galactic. The car is cheap to begin with, relative to its competition, but the servicing costs are scarcely believable when you factor in that very same initial purchase price. Every time you service the car you are forking out 6% of the car's original purchase price. With depreciation of the value of the car, but presumably brake servicing (for the sake of this example) costs staying relatively the same (perhaps decreasing slightly as the R35 becomes more popular), main-dealer servicing for a second-hand R35 is going to be a huge turn off for the used market. What about residuals?

Is there also then the matter of the plasma-sprayed bores that needs an engine-tear down at 100,000km? I absolutely love the R35 as a car and a technical achievement, but Ghosn's "anyone, anytime, anywhere" car is seeming more like a white elephant.

Having said that, anyone who owns an R35 is still a lucky bugger, the servicing costs don't change that

[pepe lopez]

Price of R34's may just go up when these superbly built and fast money pits hit the road.

As much as I want one, I just dont think I could ever justify the price of maintaining one over my 34, but things change.

[LSX-438]

My $0.02: anyone who is going to regularly track this car will not be able to service it through Nissan. Warranty? what warranty. To be frank i don't think many cars which are routinely flogged around a race track are serviced by a new car dealership/service depts either.. I could be wrong, maybe it's different in the supercar world, i dunno. They either do the work themselves or take it to a trusted shop, or a bit of both. Maybe if you do one or two track days a year, then maybe you can deal with the dealership workshop, maybe.. The ambiguous thing with this car is the fact that Nissan recognise this as a part-time track car, so they have attempted to cater for it in the warranty/agreements/servicing etc., spooking people no end. With many other cars it's just not a question that is asserted. Sometimes that is better, don't ask / don't tell. Most people signed up without knowing any of this. I am over it, i dont see any way for me to legitimately retain warranty. I don't care anyway, why would i pay $10k for inappropriate rotors/pads if i am serious about track fun? You just wouldnt. Just pray the box or motor doesnt blow up..

Edited March 24, 2009 by LSX-438

[N1GTR]

Price of R34's may just go up

No chance. Thats a pipe dream of current r34gtr owners

[God_speed]

Seems as though the gearbox should be fine if you don't use the "Snow / loose surface function" or whatever, AKA launch control (not officially called that by Nissan) all the time? From what I've read the car is only a couple of tenths slower to 100km/h by just nailing the throttle from idle anyway.

I suppose a good comparison might be with people who own a 911 Turbo; I'd say few would put them on a track. I am aware though that GTR drivers are more likely to be enthusiasts than Porsche drivers since such a huge contingent of Porsche drivers are just posers and wealthy executives (the remainder are true Porsche enthusiasts).

I know this is slightly OT, but has anyone who has an ADM R35 on order got a quote on comprehensive insurance? Is Shannons keen? Would they cover you on a race track?

[LSX-438]

I know this is slightly OT, but has anyone who has an ADM R35 on order got a quote on comprehensive insurance? Is Shannons keen? Would they cover you on a race track?

Shannons have given me a quote for an ADM R35. It's a good price too, considering the value covered. They know about the car and seem set up to quote for it now. If you have a CAMS license, it's even cheaper.