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buying a GTR... problems

danh
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danh Community Regular

danh

Posted
Posted

hey all,

im looking for a R32 GTR to buy, ive been test driving quite a few, but i have some issues and questions that maybe someone knows something about??

- should i steer clear of a rusty underbody?

- is slightly bent weld seam undercar a problem?

- is slightly dented/bumped chassis rails a problem?

- one car crunched slightly going into 5th after pushing it a bit in 4th what does that mean?

- one has had factory ecu tuned in japan and is running a catless O2 sensorless exhaust...?

- one has aftermarket clutch and makes a strange noise from front/transmission when taking off under 2500rpm?

- are things like the door and window seals, easy/expensive to replace?

- is the shrunken inside window seal(along bottom of window) easy/expensive to replace?

- is that damn bubble they all get in the dash infront of the passenger easy/expensive to fix?

thanks for any info

Dan

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Tommyk Veteran

Tommyk

Posted
Posted

rusty underbody -> yes

bent/dented/bumped chassis rails -> yes

crunching into 5th -> worn synchros on 4th and 5th gears are common on the gtr box. it could be as simple as doing an oil change on the gearbox, or it may be fully stuffed

catless exhaust, no o2 sensor? wtf ? that cant even be registered

strange noise could be just the noise a multi plate clutch makes, or it could be a problem with the front diff/transfer case ?

door/window seals are easier to replace than most other thinsg :D

bubble ?

Beer Baron Grand Master

Beer Baron

Posted
Posted
hey all,

im looking for a R32 GTR to buy, ive been test driving quite a few, but i have some issues and questions that maybe someone knows something about??

- should i steer clear of a rusty underbody?

- is slightly bent weld seam undercar a problem?

- is slightly dented/bumped chassis rails a problem?

- one car crunched slightly going into 5th after pushing it a bit in 4th what does that mean?

- one has had factory ecu tuned in japan and is running a catless O2 sensorless exhaust...?

- one has aftermarket clutch and makes a strange noise from front/transmission when taking off under 2500rpm?

- are things like the door and window seals, easy/expensive to replace?

- is the shrunken inside window seal(along bottom of window) easy/expensive to replace?

- is that damn bubble they all get in the dash infront of the passenger easy/expensive to fix?

thanks for any info

Dan

Ok I will answer you questions as you typed them:

- should i steer clear of a rusty underbody?

rust is not good. if there are a few little bits that' not uncommon and if treated wont pose a problem. if there is lots, or it is more than just surface rust, then probably best to keep looking, or really consider all the aspects of the car

- is slightly bent weld seam undercar a problem?

I assume you mean the seam that is just inside the side skirts. this is not a problem. they mostly get flattend from being put on hoists, jacked up etc. no big deal.

- is slightly dented/bumped chassis rails a problem?

again, providing the car is still straight this is no big deal. can be caused by improperly placed/sized jack stands, being lifted with a forklift or a jack. or can be caused by hitting something (ie big rock or gutter). slight dents and bumps appart from looking unsightly are not a problem. just make sure it doesn't start to rust there.

- one car crunched slightly going into 5th after pushing it a bit in 4th what does that mean?

could be a couple of things, could be worn synchros, could be some debris in the box (which would indicated something else may be broken), could just be you shifted too quickly, could be that the clutch wasn't full dissengaged (which could be you or could be a clutch problem) it's hard to say

- one has had factory ecu tuned in japan and is running a catless O2 sensorless exhaust...?

ok, I would say it does have the 02 sensors. they are in the dump pipes just after the turbo. the sensor you are most likely thinking off is the cat temp sensor which does nothing other than trigger a warning light to warn you not to park in long grass! it's the one that is located in the cat. having no cat means you will have to buy and fit one. have a jap tuned ecu could be good or bad. most of them seem to like to run very rich mixtures and high levels of ignition advance which could be bad. they tend to give a very responsive feeling car on stock boost, but can cause detonation once you wind the boost up.

- one has aftermarket clutch and makes a strange noise from front/transmission when taking off under 2500rpm?

I have no idea mate. is it just squel? some brass clutches do squel on take off.

- are things like the door and window seals, easy/expensive to replace?

- is the shrunken inside window seal(along bottom of window) easy/expensive to replace?

not really. I think the seals will be a few hunderd dollars all up. but this is pretty common to most R32GTRs. even the newest 32GTR is now more than 10 years old.

- is that damn bubble they all get in the dash infront of the passenger easy/expensive to fix?

apparently you can inject glue into it to glue it down. if that works then it would be a cheap fix. if not it will need to be re-skinned. not so cheap.

danh Community Regular

danh

Posted
  • Author
Posted

thanks for the quick replies guys!

the 5th gear shift is definately not me, i did it several times, but appeared only when making a higher rev change. when just cruising it was fine.

-strange noise from front/transmission...

this was kinda like a rattle, but a solid rattle that shuddered the car a little, (as opposed to a tinny exhaust problem type rattle), it sounded like something was loose or broken, almost as if the clutch wasn't lining up properly or something like that.

it also seemed to make the chassis twist a little? or at least made the floor under my feet move a bit?? if that makes any sense?!

cheers

Tommyk Veteran

Tommyk

Posted
Posted

The problem with buying any cars that have any sort of chassis damage is that the chassis can creak, or bend because it is slightly warped or damaged.

I had one with some 'slight' damage to one of the rails, and let me tell you, it made a helluva creaking noise whenever i went over a speed hump :D

danh Community Regular

danh

Posted
  • Author
Posted

hmmm thats an interesting point, i didnt think to attribute the noises to accident damage, only mistreatment. if only i could foot the bill for a r34 i wouldnt have these silly issues!

well they're 2nd hand too so i suppose i would....

also...

ive noticed a lot of r32's have this gap at the back on the parcel shelf behind the top of the back seat, and the seat is generally a bit loose... is this just because they havent been fitted back on properly? i dont know why they would be taken off in the first place!?

and the wind noise at 80kms+ is this common in all R32's? i noticed the little window shield visor thingy around the door frame seems to stop it from happening, but if its removed, or isn't there at all, can the wind noise be stopped??

dan

Bazelinez Proficient

Bazelinez

Posted
Posted
also...

ive noticed a lot of r32's have this gap at the back on the parcel shelf behind the top of the back seat, and the seat is generally a bit loose... is this just because they havent been fitted back on properly? i dont know why they would be taken off in the first place!?

and the wind noise at 80kms+ is this common in all R32's? i noticed the little window shield visor thingy around the door frame seems to stop it from happening, but if its removed, or isn't there at all, can the wind noise be stopped??

yeah mine has the gap between the shelf and the back seat. As they are not a split fold design the backrest hangs on these little metal hooks. These are so pathetically weak its not funny, they fold up if you look at them wrong.

If you mess around with them enough times trying to get it right like me, theyr'e never the same hence the gap....

Mine was removed to run stereo cable etc so its probably the same. Get dark window tint and you can't see it. Its not a problem from the inside....

AS for the wind noise, yes mine is very noisy, I have messed around with the window alignment trying to get it right and that's what's caused the wind noise. Maybe they need to be re done? nothing major though. You'll find most pillarless cars have a fair degree of wind noise.

As for the dents and such underneath. You have to remember these are not new cars anymore so some accidents (little ones like clipping curbs) of bottoming out will more then likely have happened. My R32 has a few little dings and stuff underneath, its pretty common. I wouldn't worry unless the damage is severe. The car is old so it may or may not creak regardless. Mine does not. These cars are not cheap for no reason! they're oldies but goodies.

Mine also has a litttle bit of rust i'll be fixing. Again, an age thing, if its small and fixable its still worth it, mine has no other rust other then a 50 cent sized piece right behind the drivers front wheel about a foot back on the underside.. Several I've seen also have it....

danh Community Regular

danh

Posted
  • Author
Posted

thanks bazelinerz!

the gtr i had a look at had a fair amount of rust,

the fuel tank was bubbley all over under the paint with rust, the whole exhaust was rusty, the whole underbody was rusty, the chassis rails and weld seams everything... and had a spot peeping through the top of the side skirt in the door jamb...

i think i'll give that particular GTR a miss....

sammus Grand Master

sammus

Posted
Posted

re bubble:

that's a neat idea with the injection of glue, but how do you know that behind it is something appropriate to be glued? ie. how do you know that behind there is a piece of plastic, and the material hasn't split in half? the bubble on my passenger side is pretty hard to push down so i'm not sure anything like glue would hold for long. i try to ignore it.

slow13dude Rising Star

slow13dude

Posted
Posted
re bubble:

that's a neat idea with the injection of glue, but how do you know that behind it is something appropriate to be glued? ie. how do you know that behind there is a piece of plastic, and the material hasn't split in half? the bubble on my passenger side is pretty hard to push down so i'm not sure anything like glue would hold for long. i try to ignore it.

I have the bubble too! Are you saying it's not supposed to be there? Nah it's just one of those things like the broken air con vents...

:confused:

RBN1 Mentor

RBN1

Posted
Posted

spot on about the gap for the back seat. Remember it needs to be taken out if anyone is putting a stereo/wiring etc in.

As far as the wind noise - thats caues of the stock mirrors. My last car (32 GTS-T) had this however my GTR doesn't because it has Ganador mirrors.

also...

ive noticed a lot of r32's have this gap at the back on the parcel shelf behind the top of the back seat, and the seat is generally a bit loose... is this just because they havent been fitted back on properly? i dont know why they would be taken off in the first place!?

and the wind noise at 80kms+ is this common in all R32's? i noticed the little window shield visor thingy around the door frame seems to stop it from happening, but if its removed, or isn't there at all, can the wind noise be stopped??

dan

Bazelinez Proficient

Bazelinez

Posted
Posted
Its called the "whether strip".  Try Nissan to confirm prices

Lucien.

Cheers dude,

I rang Nissan and they said there are 5 versions? WTF? they can't get prices they need to ring Japan. Pathetic.

I'm guessing I'm gonna need a part number for them to have half a clue what I want.....

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