Bought a new GTR, bad move........ | FerrariChat

Bought a new GTR, bad move........

Discussion in 'General Automotive Discussion' started by Mike360, Jun 28, 2004.

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  1. Mike360

    Mike360 F1 Rookie

    Feb 18, 2004
    3,429
    Sydney, Australia
    Full Name:
    Mike
    #1 Mike360, Jun 28, 2004
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Hey Guys.
    Just thought i'd share this experience with you guys, or share my frustrations anyways. I recently bought a slightly used Nissan Skyline R34 GTR, off one of my clients and thought that it could move in to my collection nicely next to my STI. Not a bad but for about $42,000. Its common knowledge that the GTR is a faster car than the Subaru, but the Suby is more friendly and classy, especially in the interior department. So i thought that why not have both.....
    What a bad move.....
    Seriously, i took the car out for a test drive before i bought it, and it drove pretty good. So good in fact, i bought it. But after a week of ownership, the car runs and handles like a pig. It wouldn't even start the other morning. I took it to the local Nissan dealership, and they wouldnt work on it cause the car was a private import into Aus and they therefore couldnt work on it. I took it to my mechanic who diagnosed a stuffed ECU, needed new O2 sensors, new injectors and a new conrod and piston due to internal damage by some explosion and not to forget the new shocks due to a crack in two of them. All up cost = $8,500.
    Yep, your heard right. Or read right.....
    He reckons this is probably due to a faulty engine that has been shipped, which after a bit of research found it to be quite a common problem. There was a recall in Japan for this car. But this would have been covered under warranty normally, but it aint here.

    What do you guys think i should do? Sell it (lose HALF my money) or keep it (maybe for the odd track day)

    Help is appreciated.
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  2. PSk

    PSk F1 World Champ

    Nov 20, 2002
    17,673
    Tauranga, NZ
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    Pete
    Do exactly what the guy you bought it off did. Put it together and cross fingers during the road test. Most of the things you have mentioned will most likely not be spotted by some other sucker ;) and you will not loose so much money.

    Don't hang on to a lemon unless you really love the thing ... and for $AUS 50,000 surely you can get a better track tool than this car that could not (as far as I know) enter any race series worth talking about.

    Your call, but I'd cut my loses.
    Pete's opinion
     
  3. Mike360

    Mike360 F1 Rookie

    Feb 18, 2004
    3,429
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    Mike
    Thanks Pete for your help.
    I was thinking about getting rid of the thing.
    But i honestly would feel pretty bad for the next guy to come along. But i guess i got done over so i guess im only part of the food chain.
    The problem was more like that i wanted to get into some track racing fairly soon and this could provide a good car to do that in.
    Im torn right at the moment.
    Have you guys seen any of these at track days? Have they been a worthwhile car on the track?
     
  4. PSk

    PSk F1 World Champ

    Nov 20, 2002
    17,673
    Tauranga, NZ
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    Pete
    Yes I understand where you are but you won't probably get your money back if you fix it up and then sell it.

    Never seen one on the track, but saying that these cars do pretty good at the Targa Tasmania so must be a pretty good package.

    Good luck.
    Pete's in agreement that this model is the better looking Skyline
     
  5. Tyler

    Tyler F1 Rookie

    Dec 19, 2001
    4,274
    dusty old farm town
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    That sucks! Sorry to hear it.

    I agree with Pete that you should probably dump it, but I would either fix the problems first or disclose them to potential buyers. I wouldn't be able to look myself in the mirror if I was passing on known problems to a buyer without disclosure.
     
  6. wax

    wax Five Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa

    Jul 20, 2003
    51,458
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    Dirty Harry
    Honesty is the best policy.
     
  7. PSk

    PSk F1 World Champ

    Nov 20, 2002
    17,673
    Tauranga, NZ
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    Pete
    Yes it is, but that does not mean you have to point out every single fault in your car when selling. Gee if that was so, I'd never sell any of my cars :D

    Infact I have always had trouble selling my cars 'cause I have said too much and been too honest. Best just to let them look at the car and make up their own mind ... they will anyway ;)

    Pete's really an honest guy ;)
     
  8. nwocorp

    nwocorp Formula Junior

    Nov 1, 2003
    493
    australia
    does the $8500 include labour? you should be able to get a new engine installed by a jap specialist for around the some if not a bit less
     
  9. fivebob

    fivebob Formula Junior

    Jan 31, 2004
    254
    Tauranga,New Zealand
    Full Name:
    Callum
    Your mechanics diagnosis sounds suspect to me, the only recall I know of for R34 GTR's is to do with a fuel pump grounding problem http://www.nissan.co.jp/RECALL/DATA/report0947.html , the major engine recall did not affect the RB26 engines only the V35 powered Skylines http://www.nissan.co.jp/RECALL/DATA/report0995.html (you''l need to run these through a translator like http://babel.altavista.com unless you can read Japanese)

    I think you need to ask some questions on Skylines Downunder forum http://forums.skylinesdownunder.co.nz/ , they will be able to tell you if your faults are common and what the cheapest/best remedy is.
     
  10. Johnny Bravo

    Johnny Bravo Formula Junior

    Jul 22, 2003
    532
    DC Metro/MD
    Full Name:
    Ben
    In addition to the http://forums.skylinesdownunder.co.nz/ forum fivebob just posted ya might want to also check with some of the guys on the GTR Register out of the UK: www.gtr.co.uk I frequent that forum (although don't post there) and there are a lot of very knowledgeable people there & I believe more members than the Aussie forum. Good luck getting that R34 sorted as it's surely one of the best performance autos to come out of Japan.
     
  11. dm_n_stuff

    dm_n_stuff Four Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    I totally agree.

    I have to say, if the guy before you had been honest, you wouldn't be stuck now.

    Screwing the next guy is not the solution to your problem. We've all bought cars that had serious undisclosed problems, I would bet.

    And now that you know of the problem, and have left a paper trail of people you've talked to, it's best to either fix and sell, or disclose and sell, maybe after a second opinion on the car's problems.
     
  12. Mike360

    Mike360 F1 Rookie

    Feb 18, 2004
    3,429
    Sydney, Australia
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    Mike
    Hey Guys.
    Thanks alot for your opinions and responses. I really appreciate them.

    Well i had decided to sell the pig of a car, and not use it for track purposes. I have also thought that i will be honest about the current problems with the car as i would hate for the same thing to happen to the buyer as it happened to me. Im not the type of guy to do that anyways! (I'd like to think so!)

    Well i'm probably going to ask a fairly fair price for it. About $40,000. Hopefully by the time the deal is done i shouldnt be too much out of pocket. As the car was a purchase that was made through the business, it won't hit me too bad. I guess i'll just have to learn through my mistakes.
    There is quite a good market here in Aus for GT-R's, so finding a buyer will be no problem.
    Once again, thanks guys for your help.
    With the wife driving the suby for now, look's like im back in the M3 everyday now. Something which i didn't want to happen, it's my weekend car. Might be looking for a new ride this week. I could always just settle for a Monaro (Pontiac GTO to you U.S Guys) or something, but im after something a bit unique.

    BTW All $ amounts were in USD, not AUD
     
  13. PSk

    PSk F1 World Champ

    Nov 20, 2002
    17,673
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    Pete
    **** those Skylines are expensive ... then! How the hell do the young kids get them then??

    Pete's freaked out
     
  14. Mike360

    Mike360 F1 Rookie

    Feb 18, 2004
    3,429
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    Don't freak out Pete!
    It's simple.
    Age 15 = Concentrate at school and try to not get distracted by girls
    Age 18 = Go underground and be anti-social and study like hell
    Age 19 = Get in Accounting course at University
    Age 21 = Take more courses than required, studying like hell
    Age 22 = Graduate early in course with honours
    Age 24 = Become a Chartered Accountant

    I must admit, my youth was non-existent. But it's turned out good. I have got a nice life now and a perfect wife. So all the hard work payed off.

    And i have a passion for modern cars so im very lucky that i have the lifestyle to afford them. But i still donate thousands of dollars to charity every year as my sister is suffering from cancer.

    Hope that helps you Pete!
     
  15. Kevallino

    Kevallino Formula 3

    Feb 10, 2004
    2,257
    Mid-Ohio
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    Kevin
    Hey Mike

    I have absolutely nothing to add with regard to your GT-R situation, but I did note that your birthdate is the same as mine (less 20 years). I lived in Sydney from 1994 to 2001 - was with Andersen's in the Corporate Finance group and the at the ANZ in Investment Banking. I do know that when I ran the Grand Prix Rally in '98 and '99 that there were a couple of worked GT-Rs that ran in the top 5 or 10, and they do do well at Targa Tasmania if you were so inclined. However, a Suby STi won the GP Rally at least one year so there you go.

    The Monaro coupe didn't really translate too well to the GTO IMHO - looked better as a Holden!

    Cheers
    Kevin
     
  16. Mike360

    Mike360 F1 Rookie

    Feb 18, 2004
    3,429
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    Kev.
    Yeah i'm 23 but i said 24 cause the application was put in for me to become chartered in April. It's been approved but the ceremony is not till December, and that's when it all become official. So ill be 24 and chartered!
    Yeah the GT-R's go good in the rallies no doubt, but the porsches have it all over them every time. They are just too heavy to be any good, that's why the R32 is a much more appreciated car, less weight. The R-34 is a great car, im not saying that it isnt, just my example happened to be a pig!
    Yeah, the Suby's go great in rallies, but i think that they need more power to actually counter the dreaded understeer that is famous under the Subaru name. The way i drive my sti fast around corners is to actually flick it into a scandinavian flick and floor it. Its the only way to corner the damn thing. The M3 is so different as you would expect.

    I agree with you on the Monaro. It would be a good idea to import some GTO interiors and drivetain, smack it all into a CV8 bodyshell and export em over to the U.S again and charge a premium over the GTO. Bet you would have a few sales for that one!
     
  17. Kevallino

    Kevallino Formula 3

    Feb 10, 2004
    2,257
    Mid-Ohio
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    Kevin
    I reckon Jim Richards could drive pretty much anything and win the bloody Targa - not sure its the Porsche!!

    Cheers
    Kev
     
  18. Mike360

    Mike360 F1 Rookie

    Feb 18, 2004
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    Yeah i reckon.
    I say put Jim on a pushbike with a little flower basket on the front!
    He will probably still win it then!
     
  19. PSk

    PSk F1 World Champ

    Nov 20, 2002
    17,673
    Tauranga, NZ
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    Pete
    Mike,

    I was not talking about you, I am talking about the 'wearing cap backwards' crowd, that obviously did not study while at school and think a university is some sort of anti cool thing.

    I see lots of these cars driven by kids and I guess I have to assume that Mummy and Daddy dug deep and are now worried about the kids staying alive it such a beast.

    Also a relation of mine was looking at buying one (a little too expensive) but there is no way he would have been looking at an above $25,000 car ... so why is yours so expensive?, or are there hugh variances in value?

    Pete's impressed
     
  20. Mike360

    Mike360 F1 Rookie

    Feb 18, 2004
    3,429
    Sydney, Australia
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    Mike
    I must admit, seeing all the kids that had been given money drive around in such hot cars really bugged me a while ago. But i realised that i am proud of the work that i have done to get where i am, and that's enough for me.
    In regards to the value of them:
    I assumed you were talking about the GT-R.
    When they first started appering on the import market in 2000, the asking price was about $110,000, for a good low-km model. V-Spec was more money, due to more track friendly bits on it. (Hmmmmm Carbon Fibre Rear Difusers.....yummmmmm).
    But now you can expect to get one around for the $70-90K price. More km's on these ones now though, as you would expect. Mine had about 8k Km on the clock when i got it. I got it for about $35,000. Cheap you say. The seller owed money to my business so this was sort of a payout of that. I dont think that your relation was looking at this particular model. In the $25,000 range, you'd pick up a R32,R33 GTS-T, or a R32 GT-R. The R32 GT-R is the best of the GT-R's if you ask me, due to the lighter weight and more chuckable nature.
    Their are huge variances in value in skylines. In Japan, they can't wait to put em on the boat out here for us to lap up. Their loving it over there. Its like if they were buying all our HSV's........theres a thought!
     

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