R34 25Gt, Good First Car? Or Not?

[Brawwwppp]

I have been looking at multiple R34 25GT Coupe over the past few months. I love the shape of the car and the car in general. But even after looking at multiple forum posts i still cannot make a decision.

All of the posts do not create a answer to the question asked. I understand an forced inducted skyline would make the 25GT its sex slave and that they have a terrible reputation with police and people over the age of 50, but would the pros out way the cons?

The car is a Manual coupe with few mods and low Km's. Prices are looking around 14-18k which is around my max price range. This would ultimately be my first car, with dad using it time to time and mum popping to the shops on the rare occasion the puss wagon is blocked in the garage.

Insurance will be covered by Dad and car will be bought from a dealer not a private buyer.

Thanks

Ewan

[Dimi34gtt]

If you love the shape and the car in general I would go for it but personally I would be looking to get a 25GTV over the 25GT not sure if you know the difference but my understand is the the gtv has the turbo breaks suspension and limited slip diff there also better if you plan to do a forced induction or turbo engine swap down the track so you don't have to replace all of the above. If not you could look at vtec I had one as my first car and for a non turbo It's great I can tell you for a fact that 85% of the time it's quicker then a non turbo skyline hope this helps and good luck

[eightsixboy]

Pros : RWD, Manual

Cons : P plate tax, expensive for what you get, cop attention, expensive first car, slow(ish)

Seriously for a first car don't bother, buy something light like a ae86, ke70, Honda or something, no point going out and spending big on a n/a skyline for your first car, I know you really want the car but you really need to start with something cheap.

[niZmO_Man]

Non-turbo R34 has plenty of power for a P-plater. They hold their value well though. If you're really keen, buy one but don't try to modify it. Save the money then get a turbo once you're off the P's.

[Exodus01]

be prepared that you will most likely scratch/damage it at some point if its your first car.. going off statistics.. i and many friends didnt/havent had a crash during P's but you might scratch on a pole or reverse into something.... but if its the car you want get it and like Ravi said, don't spend any money modding.

[Plattsy]

Pros : RWD, Manual

Cons : P plate tax, expensive for what you get, cop attention, expensive first car, slow(ish)

Seriously for a first car don't bother, buy something light like a ae86, ke70, Honda or something, no point going out and spending big on a n/a skyline for your first car, I know you really want the car but you really need to start with something cheap.

this buy a 2 grand shit box until your off your p's. save as much as you can until your off them. once you are take cash youve saved buy gtr. profit.

until it breaks. then drive 2 grand shit box again untill youve saved enough to fix it.

rinse and repeat.

[BakemonoRicer]

When my ADM S15 was completely bog stock... I beat an R34 GT-T which had full exhaust by a good car length.

A 25GT would be painfullyyyyyy slow....and it wouldn't be very chuckable given how heavy they are. They really are a boat in NA form.

If I was you, I'd get a Honda S2000 for a P-plater car.... it is a true drivers car being a highly strung NA and is very quick.

Full exhaust and extractors, opened up air intake, ECU and you'd have a lottttttttt of fun. They handle a lot better out of the box as well.

[10 4]

GL finding a good S2k for the budget though.
I'd go something small, fwd and hatch.

[niZmO_Man]

this buy a 2 grand shit box until your off your p's. save as much as you can until your off them. once you are take cash youve saved buy gtr. profit.

until it breaks. then drive 2 grand shit box again untill youve saved enough to fix it.

rinse and repeat.

This is exactly what I am doing. Except my shitbox costed me $1,500 and I did mod it a bit. Plus parking the shitbox at a train station is less worrying than a GT-R.

[Brawwwppp]

I would buy a two grand shit box but the parents wouldn't approve because, even though it is my first car, they want to use it. A S2K would be a perfect option, but i would preferably want at least a 2+2 seat arrangement.

Getting an S14 or S15 would be great, its just the exemption form that concerns me. My parents have a 224KW turbocharged wagon car and therefor if i was to apply for a exemption that QT would just say "Use the other car". If i was to try and get an exemption for the wagon so that i can drive it when needed, QT would reply with "you already have a car".

The 25GT is an import with 90,000 km and has a exhaust and some wheels (works? i think) so really i will be buying it with mods.

In reply to #10 4 , would you think an Integra Type R would be good?

Pick is the car we test drove...

h

Edited October 24, 2013 by Brawwwppp

[10 4]

Parents won't like the seats in the DC2R or DC5R.

R34's are nice, just slow when NA... Couldn't fathom paying more than 7-8k for one..

First car though... Will def scrape or bend it somehow....

NA supra? Your budget will find a SZ-R too. (Getrag, everything bar the 2JZ-GTE)

Edited October 24, 2013 by 10 4

[Brawwwppp]

Parents won't like the seats in the DC2R or DC5R.

R34's are nice, just slow when NA... Couldn't fathom paying more than 7-8k for one..

First car though... Will def scrape or bend it somehow....

NA supra? Your budget will find a SZ-R too. (Getrag, everything bar the 2JZ-GTE)

How fast are NA supras?

Never really liked them. If i got an S15 and turned the boost up would the cops be on to me. There would be no physical evidence, in till the engine blows i guess...

[Bennis]

If you want something very fast, go kart like handling and p plate legal. Buy my Peugeot 306 Gti-6 off me in a few weeks when I get my blacks;)

123kw 2.0L , 6 speed, light little car you do the math hahah

Ive had the peugeot, an xr6, r31 skyline. Peugeots the fastest of them all and handles the best. If you dont mind a hot hatch ide recommend them anyday! Ide steer clear of N/A skylines. They really arent worth it. Slow slow slow and heavy! Not that great on fuel either and your insurance will be pretty expensive.

[Brawwwppp]

If you want something very fast, go kart like handling and p plate legal. Buy my Peugeot 306 Gti-6 off me in a few weeks when I get my blacks;)

123kw 2.0L , 6 speed, light little car you do the math hahah

Ive had the peugeot, an xr6, r31 skyline. Peugeots the fastest of them all and handles the best. If you dont mind a hot hatch ide recommend them anyday! Ide steer clear of N/A skylines. They really arent worth it. Slow slow slow and heavy! Not that great on fuel either and your insurance will be pretty expensive.

Problems with Peugeot's:

1. FWD

2. Ugly

3. French

Not really my cup of tea, jap cars are easier to find parts for, and are usually cheaper.

I do like the pikes peak peugeot 208 t16, but i will never own one. So no Peugeot

[ARTZ]

pretty sure are you allowed a v8 soarer on your p's?...cheaper than a NA skyline...no doubt faster too...

[Brawwwppp]

pretty sure are you allowed a v8 soarer on your p's?...cheaper than a NA skyline...no doubt faster too...

I belive that there are very few V8 cars not band by Queensland Transport... Unless you were talking about New South Wales P plates which i am not familial of.

[warps]

Parents won't like the seats in the DC2R or DC5R.

Speak for yourself!!

I'm in the dilemma as a parent buying my next car (trading the WRX). My son will be starting to drive next year, so I need to consider something that he can also drive. There are very few P plate legal cars out there that interest me, having owned turbo Subies for the last 10 years, and Skylines before that. Some of the rules are ridiculous - things like S2K and any of the type R Hondas are legal, as are 195kW SV6's. Yet, a 3 cyl, 998cc turbo Fiesta (with a tyre shredding 74kW) needs special exemption. How firkin stupid is that?

As to the Type R Civics and Integras, they are also FWD so by your previous post, not suitable. Pity, as there are some absolute gems in that lot. If you do consider them, try get the 2 litre (K20) engine ones (2001 onwards I think) as that engine is a ripper compared to the old B series (which in their day were fantastic as well). There are currently stacks of 8th Gen Civic type R's for sale (the last Type R 2007-2012, and Oz delivered) in your price range. These have the same driveline as the DC5 Integra (147kW) so just as quick. That would be my first pick if I was in your position, but then again I already have 2 Civics, so am a bit of a VTec tragic.

Edited October 24, 2013 by warps

[666DAN]

The 25GT was my first Skyline I owned, felt a very solid and well built car compared to most other vehicles in the same bracket, road feel shames the S15's, Integra's etc etc. It's by no means a speed machine, but that's the point. A great tourer.

[Kinkstaah]

I'm going with +1 on the "buy a shitter thats reliable and gets you around (camry time!)"

If your parents have preferences cause they want to use it, ask them to buy you aforementioned shitter, or "reliable normal car for normal driving"

You will appreciate keeping aforementioned "reliable normal car for normal driving" when you get your turbo or GTR and mod it, because you will run into many circumstances where a 2nd car is massively appreciated when the GTT/GTR IS off the road, because it WILL be off the road for longer than you expect/want/plan for

[colourclassic]

When I was on my P's I had several cheapo cars:

1. N13 Pulsar - Picked up for $200 off an old man with something like 82,000 original kms. Fantastic car for the price

2. Ford XF Falcon Ute - Got for free and fixed it up. Had the old Crossflow 250 i.e. painfully slow.

3. VL Commodore - One of my fav's - Got it for $800 with rego, quick enough and looked good. Got stolen or I would have kept it longer.

Whenever I see guys with N/A Skylines and MkIV Supra's on their red P's I just think that they either wasted their money on a slow car to look cool, or mum and dad bought it for them, so lose-lose in my eyes.

Honestly, just get something reasonably priced and boring and live with it for 3-4 years of P's, or do what I did and buy heaps of cheap shit boxes and have fun fixing them up and selling them, then get a good car when you're off restrictions.