The video of the GT-R (or GTR?) prompted me to wonder what it would be like to own one. I would mostly use it for DD duty, but would have to buy used. I've always dismissed doing so, out of a combination of ignorance and fear, afraid that I'd end up with a car that had been abused and faced with hideous repair expense as a result.
But I find them so cool that I'm curious to know more. Would buying a used one be crazy?
On a (typical 
) grassroots budget, Gary Busey crazy. Owning it would be living in sheer terror of anything ever breaking. Also the aftermarket knows that the typical GTR owner has Mad Money and prices parts accordingly.
Sorry, I haven't been keeping up with these. What's the low end of the market prices for a used but not destroyed GTR?
GameboyRMH wrote: On a (typical
QFT!!! - Scary parts prices..
Some quick Googling says $70k-$90k. Same price range as a TVR Sagaris, which aren't as quick but they're Miata-grade-simple and I'd think, more fun.
There is however a chance that the GT-R won't blow up its engine with the same depressing regularity as the TVR-designed ones blow 
.
We have someone who fairly regularly runs a GT-R in SCCA PDX and it's Fast. That said, I'm not sure I'd want to DD one on the road - my stock Evo X is nowhere near as fast as a GT-R and it still requires an awful lot of restraint to drive in a moderately legal way.
GameboyRMH wrote: On a (typical
LOL. Gary Busey crazy. That's awesome. Kinda what I was thinking, but was hoping it might be doable.
BoxheadTim wrote: That said, I'm not sure I'd want to DD one on the road - my stock Evo X is nowhere near as fast as a GT-R and it still requires an awful lot of restraint to drive in a moderately legal way.
That's a good point. I look at DDs as something fun to drive but potentially for short periods of time. There are lots of cars out there that I want to own, just to experience them. A GT-R is definitely on that list, even if I only own it for ~6 months or less.
dyintorace wrote:BoxheadTim wrote: That said, I'm not sure I'd want to DD one on the road - my stock Evo X is nowhere near as fast as a GT-R and it still requires an awful lot of restraint to drive in a moderately legal way.That's a good point. I look at DDs as something fun to drive but potentially for short periods of time. There are lots of cars out there that I want to own, just to experience them. A GT-R is definitely on that list, even if I only own it for ~6 months or less.
Oh. Well then carry on. You shouldn't have to do much in terms of repair in that timespan.
Are used R8's getting in that price range too?
http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/12_month_car_reviews/1008_2010_nissan_gt_r_wrap_up/
BoxheadTim wrote: There is however a chance that the GT-R won't blow up its engine with the same depressing regularity as the TVR-designed ones blow (:p). We have someone who fairly regularly runs a GT-R in SCCA PDX and it's Fast. That said, I'm not sure I'd want to DD one on the road - my stock Evo X is nowhere near as fast as a GT-R and it still requires an awful lot of restraint to drive in a moderately legal way.
This REALLY fast cars start to get frustrating on the road. 10 secs or less of full throttle and you're over 100+ and looking at nasty tickets and generally being an a$$hat on the road.
z31maniac wrote:BoxheadTim wrote: There is however a chance that the GT-R won't blow up its engine with the same depressing regularity as the TVR-designed ones blow (:p). We have someone who fairly regularly runs a GT-R in SCCA PDX and it's Fast. That said, I'm not sure I'd want to DD one on the road - my stock Evo X is nowhere near as fast as a GT-R and it still requires an awful lot of restraint to drive in a moderately legal way.This REALLY fast cars start to get frustrating on the road. 10 secs or less of full throttle and you're over 100+ and looking at nasty tickets and generally being an a$$hat on the road.
Yup.
My daily driver is capable of doing 30-100mph in around 6 seconds when running correctly. Gets boring driving it for weeks on end without seeing positive pressure.
yamaha wrote: Are used R8's getting in that price range too?
Yes, the V8 ones are getting down there or will be soon. From what I've heard, they are also extremely reliable (both V8 and V10).
FWIW, my friend drove one a mostly stock 2013 model to 3rd overall in the One Lap this year. He's a professional driver and deemed it the most impressive car he's ever been in, and given the cars he's driven or raced, that's a huge compliment. The car in question however also sees DD duty at times without a complaint, and in two years of the One Lap, it's never even had a hiccup.
I keep shopping these as well, but the cheapest I've seen is $60k. That's a bit steep for me, and I wonder how bad they will be when they are in my price range. I did however just pickup a 370Z, and they had a new one in the showroom. For only $114k I could have left with it!
At the track, GT-Rs are like Lancer evos and R8s - I've yet to see one driven anywhere near it's capability.
In a NASA HPDE 3 session at Summit maybe 3 or so years ago I lapped one twice in a 20 minutes session in my e36 M3 track rat.
I bet you can pick up an older one for pretty short money (comparatively). way more unique than an r35 too. I see them around kind of a surprising amount for a car that never came here officially.
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motomoron wrote: At the track, GT-Rs are like Lancer evos and R8s - I've yet to see one driven anywhere near it's capability. In a NASA HPDE 3 session at Summit maybe 3 or so years ago I lapped one twice in a 20 minutes session in my e36 M3 track rat.
I've seen it. They're pretty darn quick.
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I see an R33 thats a gtr around with some regularity too, I even saw it in a snow storm! In all reality,I know relatively little about the process of acquiring one so maybe a knowledgeable party can weigh in, but if I was shopping r35s I'at least look into an r32/33/34.
We can only register R33s and 25+ year old R32s. That leaves R34s completely off the table. Anything that doesn't fall into those two groups is probably on a list to be seized and crushed, especially if it came through Motorex.
I could build one hell of an r32 for 1/2 the $ of an r35
doc_speeder wrote: Sorry, I haven't been keeping up with these. What's the low end of the market prices for a used but not destroyed GTR?
Define that. You can grab an engine and stuff it in an S13 very cheap. Under $2G.
I don't know about the beat on part. Sure, many have been by tuners and fan bois or rich Russian heirs, but the ones that I see near me are all owned by wealthy yuppie-types. They all live in McMansions on a golf course, run IT companies, and only take the GT-R out on nice weekends. It might take longer for them to hand them over, and you'd have to wait until their portfolio crashed and they were desperate, but they would be low-mileage, pampered cars.
Derick Freese wrote: We can only register R33s and 25+ year old R32s. That leaves R34s completely off the table. Anything that doesn't fall into those two groups is probably on a list to be seized and crushed, especially if it came through Motorex.
You probably don't want to try the R33 option, if you do it isnt as easy as just bringing one over here. You have to go through a registered importer who will have to perform modifications to the car. This is gonna cost. They require custom replacement airbags amoung other things. (don't believe me, call a registered importer and ask about importing one, I don't think its even possible anymore)
Then you have to deal with EPA as well. If its after 1996, it must have OBDII and I don't think skylines had it, so a fully custom and compliant OBDII system would have to be made for the car, which costs $xxx,xxx.
There are a very limited number of them here legally and a larger number that are illegal. If you get caught with an illegal one Customs might come tow it away to be crushed (it is, in legal terms, smuggled goods) and you will not get a dime for it (outside of sueing the person you bought it from for fraud). So, tread carefully if you are buying one that is already here. You might want to call the feds and verify the VIN with them.
BTW, for the backing information, if you want to read it yourself, look here http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NHTSA-2005-22654
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