How many people bought a 89 GTR, is their that many coming and what has broken.

[gtrken]

I just picked my 89 GTR up 2 months ago also. I think i've the distinction of being the only person in oz needing a replacement ABS unit. It leaked like a seive, every time I used it there was a huge pool of brake fluid under the car. The 2nd hand unit set me back $550 !!!!!. Apart from that & fairly ordinary door seals, the vehicle is in excellent condition with 106K on the speedo.

Rickhead, why didn't you ask on the forum for one?

Every GTR front cut has one and as you said, haven't seen one fail yet. I have one in the back shed that $100 would have bought it( just to make you feel worse:) )

Cheers

Ken

[Parag0n]

Replaced my clutch, thats it.

[doridori32]

It might not be a GT-R but i have a 89 GTS-t and it is in good condition. I cant pick one fault, slides easy , redlines fine, still does 3rd gear standstill's.

It came with log books and all the reciepts he had from modifieng the car.

129,000klms genuine KLMS on a 1989 R32 is expected very rare.

Whoever has 100,000klms without log books.. .pffft dream on.

I noticed the car travelled 20,000klms within the first 3 years.

The rest was slowing down graudally.

Petar.

[cowie165]

Whilst some people may poo-poo an '89 car because you have to replace a few bits and pieces, I know (and I'm sure most others in SAU-land also know) someone with a Gen3 V8 that leaks oil, or an SV8 which has stuffed suspension, or an SS ute which has a clunky gearbox and pops out of gear.

I have a fair idea of what I'm getting myself in for, I understand bits need to be repaired/replaced but I'll happily do so because it's the car I want and a price I can afford. High-performance cars need more love than a Camry as everyone knows. The kms on a car are only one indicator of wear, just like gtrken and RB30-POWER have already said. Look at the pics you get, work out a worse case scenario for repairs, and if you are reasonably happy you'll come out ahead, then what's the problemo?

I hope this doesn't come out as a rant - it isn't meant to be. I just don't understand why people get hung up over the odometre reading on a car as if a lower reading is necessarily better, or assuming that if the clock has been wound back the car is destined to be a permanent resident in your local workshop.

Remember the old story about how your first car was owned by an old lady who only ever drove it to Church on Sunday? I'd rather buy from the revhead cause the old lady doesn't change the oil, inflate the tyres or find out what that grinding noise is... Compare apples and apples is all I'm saying.

I've just had enough of ppl who feel that 15yo car = dunger.

Mark

[doridori32]

Whilst some people may poo-poo an '89 car because you have to replace a few bits and pieces, I know (and I'm sure most others in SAU-land also know) someone with a Gen3 V8 that leaks oil, or an SV8 which has stuffed suspension, or an SS ute which has a clunky gearbox and pops out of gear.

I have a fair idea of what I'm getting myself in for, I understand bits need to be repaired/replaced but I'll happily do so because it's the car I want and a price I can afford. High-performance cars need more love than a Camry as everyone knows. The kms on a car are only one indicator of wear, just like gtrken and RB30-POWER have already said. Look at the pics you get, work out a worse case scenario for repairs, and if you are reasonably happy you'll come out ahead, then what's the problemo?

I hope this doesn't come out as a rant - it isn't meant to be. I just don't understand why people get hung up over the odometre reading on a car as if a lower reading is necessarily better, or assuming that if the clock has been wound back the car is destined to be a permanent resident in your local workshop.  

Remember the old story about how your first car was owned by an old lady who only ever drove it to Church on Sunday? I'd rather buy from the revhead cause the old lady doesn't change the oil, inflate the tyres or find out what that grinding noise is... Compare apples and apples is all I'm saying.

I've just had enough of ppl who feel that 15yo car = dunger.

Mark

Spot on , there is nothing wrong with 15 year old cars, its just people look at them like there trash, every car has problems.

Petar.

[Bazelinez]

Again, mines a GTS-t not a GTR. Mine had 114K on it. Probably genuine, all the belts are fresh from the timing belt change and the oxygen sensor is new. Mine has the usual dodgy rear window seals like most R32s and some of the other seals are a little faded, fixed them with kitten.

Things I had to fix:

New front disks and pads

New front castor bushings

New turbo to cat pipe

Bonnet had rust due to GTR garnish (second hand bonnet $50)

Had to re grease the bearings behind the steering wheel to fix a return to centre steering issue. hard one to diagnose!!

that's it, not a lot although I suspect the fuel pump is next.

I specifically chose a GTS over a GTR cause I couldn't afford to fix a bung GTR. car has been great so far, feels very tight, well happy.

cheers

[Nutsack]

My 1989 GTR was missing the gearknob, Navigational screen, Ashtray and Speaker covers in the front doors. Wasnt impressed.

But was cheaper than buying it here so not so bad

[cowie165]

So it seems there isn't much truth to the maxim of buying a stock car and modifying it yourself? From what everyone has posted, stock cars have just as much busted as one with new 2530's and twin-plate clutch etc.?

To the guys who bought cars with mods already done, have you still come out ahead? All the '89 cars seem to cost around the same.

[Nutsack]

Yeah way ahead..... Theres a small fortune worth of extra stuff with mine.... So Happy

[Bazelinez]

well mine was near stock, 17x8 Speed star rims, 3 inch exhaust HKS filter, blitz BOV, front and rear strut braces, Tokiko shocks and springs, GTR front bar. Add all that up and it comes to heaps more then some disks and pads

good value!

[lwells]

So it seems there isn't much truth to the maxim of buying a stock car and modifying it yourself? From what everyone has posted, stock cars have just as much busted as one with new 2530's and twin-plate clutch etc.?

To the guys who bought cars with mods already done, have you still come out ahead? All the '89 cars seem to cost around the same.

You'll notice that on the most part only people with positive experiences have posted thus far......

LW.

[Guest Mashrock]

i have a 89-90 (i.e. very late 89 i think) gtr (also have not got it yet as for waiting import approval) (but inspected it a few days ago in sydney)

it came piled with goodies.

now looking at it from the outside apart from all the brown dirt on it it seemed in great condition. one of the best i've seen for a while, dents nil, all window and door seals great paint great and then the rest.

i cant wait to pay for the rest of him and bring him home, wash him take some photos

then thrash the guts out of him on the track.

[lwells]

Mashrock: its the stuff you can't see that tends to go bang...

LW.

[SteveL]

You'll notice that on the most part only people with positive experiences have posted thus far......

Yes, interesting isn't it.....

I'll add to that by saying that I'm more than happy with my 89 GTR bought through Prestige Motorsport. It was pretty much exactly as described and anything that was missed turned out to be a bonus (eg Bilstein suspension, near brand new tyres, etc). For the price it was a bargain...as to km, it has a 320km/hr Nismo speedo fitted , so don't know, but don't care either....

[Aya]

U should understand that is a 15 years old car and its a high performance car such as u buy a R34 GTR, even if u are woman driver, u will sometime do some crazy things on it or not, I believe what my friend told me the other day in Japan. A Japanese car can be perfect when its under 50000 km. If it will die, it can be die complete. It could be a joke. But I started to understand why would he saying that. So the main point is u get what u pay and that's it.

I had my 89 GTR 6 month ago, firstly I give it a big hit on the track. After that the clutch finished. I replace it to be a single plate one. The air con gas have to change a brand new. I did it. But now something realli happen to my GTR these days. The coolant are leaking. Could be cost more than 500 to fix it or may be not. Its not bad luck, its just something u have to do with an old car. Because I like my R32 GTR, so I have to make it perfect. Simple as that. If u got money, go to buy a R33 or R34 or whatever brand new car u can get.

[kermit]

[yep , i had been worried when i first saw this but inspections so far indicate that any frontal damage was minor and nothing major was damaged.

As with the rear as well at the moment. it all looks straight inside the boot and behind the bumper so i am hopeful. it appears that any damage was cosmetic and minor and where the " SKYLINE" indentation was removed looks to a case of minor repair or simply trying to enhance the rear end. i am not sure if the car has been repainted but it looks factory to me and a panel beater who checked the car over agree's that its all straight and the same colour so if its a respray they did one hell of a good job.

Obviously the front and rear have been repainted but the entire car is perfect other than a small chip on the rear spoiler.

so either it has had a fair amount of money spent on it or was simply well cared for and although i could be wrong i wouldnt expect a patch up job to include a full high quality respray with upgraded parts when it would be easier to strip and sell the car.

so far extras include adjustable coilovers, Battle club exhaust ( anyone heard of it?) , nismo strut braces, after market italian sounding alloys( 17's) and an M Sports drift wheel and a chip ( thought to be a Blitz chip) and a nismo front spoiler thingy in the big hole in the spoiler.( cant remember what its called).

So , fingers crossed that all appears to be as it should and i should be one happy bunny.

kermit

Have you had the car looked at for chassis damage?

You say you are sure the front was involved in a prang as it has a new bar, cooler and radiator.

You then say the rear has custom body work. Have you ever thought the custom body work was performed as the rear has been in a bingle as well? If not at the same time as the front in a major accident?

I sincerely hope it hasnt and hope you did get a great deal but it would be wise to get it checked out nonetheless.

[MARRIOTT]

I've had my 89 Gtr for about 2 months now with the following issues:

All 4 discs had to be replaced - very rusty & couldn't be machined.

Bad rust in panels in front and behind both back wheels

Crushed rails behind front wheels

Rust in undertray around rear suspension mounts.

Worn suspension bushes.

Other than the rust problems (it looked like the car was stored close to the ocean) the car is in great condition and now that I have fixed the above it drives like new- very tight and no rattles.

To anyone who has lost an accessory gauge - have a look under the steering column - mine was unbolted and cable tied under the dash by the Jap supplier to stop sc_mbags stealing it in transit. It took a few weeks to realise this - I thought mine had been knocked off too!

Cheers

[predator]

i mean, brakes and things like that - you have to expect those sort of maintenance issues on a fresh import as its been outside and things, and no doubt siting there, with the jap owner knowing they are going to sell it soon.. Therefore all those maintenance things tend to get left.

I am more for the "if its modified its cared for" argument, and anything stress tested will likely have gone bang a long time ago. Unless of course the owner has more money than sense (common I guess as well). Its the person that really doesn't give a shit about the car, and/or has no respect for it that you have to look out for. Sure, my cars get a good workout, but they also get washed, checked out, serviced, etc more regularly than any of my mate's cars.

[Sarumatix]

I hope you're right predator . I've got a 4 door GTS-t with an RB26dett in it (along with a long list of other mods). Reading all this has more even more paranoid, you bastards! On the topic, is it worth sending imported cars straight to a workshop to get a thorough looking over?

[Guest Mashrock]

Mashrock: its the stuff you can't see that tends to go bang...

LW.

haha well this is rather true. but a good clean kept body is a great bonus. even more so when the car is 15 years old!

the engine in the car is rather new, along with the gearbox and diffs.

so fingers crossed there be no problem there.