Debating on getting a R35!

[BigNateLvHc]

Ive always wanted a R34 skyline but could never get it, well at least not yet, and i have a 240 and a couple other cars, but i want more! a couple guys i work with have corvette's and some of their friends have (Ferrari, viper, lambo) and one has a GTR. Ive been looking around at getting a new vehicle in the coming months. I would love a brand new one but i cant afford it, looking at used ones are roughly $60-$70k and with 20-30k miles. My main thing is, is it worth it? or should i wait a year or so and get a brand new one??

[Rex]

Look into the "ownership costs" above and beyond the purchase price. I think the upkeep will be enough that owning a used 1 isn't a bargain.

Hopefully some guys with 1st hand experience will be able to offer you some good advice.

[edthemanjp]

Better decide quick because Nissan is discontinuing the sale of the GTR stateside.

[audtatious]

Better decide quick because Nissan is discontinuing the sale of the GTR stateside.

Not sure about stateside but there looks to be another generation in the works

confirmed-there-will-be-a-2nd-gen-gtr-t562405.html

[bigbadberry3]

Could lease one.

No one here has talked about reliability when I asked.

[300ZXttZMAN]

I don't think the R35 is able to be leased.

[RicerX]

Look into the "ownership costs" above and beyond the purchase price. I think the upkeep will be enough that owning a used 1 isn't a bargain.

Hopefully some guys with 1st hand experience will be able to offer you some good advice.

The ownership costs are the biggest piece of the "affordability" pie for an R35. This car is much more than its MSRP.

Going preowned is the way to go to avoid the steep residual value drop from buying a new one, but you have a lot of homework to do to decide which is the best value.

With the R35 GT-R, the first 24,000 miles are the most crucial with big milestone maintenance.

The first is a clutch re-learn (sometimes referred to as alignment) procedure that is done as part of break-in at 1,000 miles and inspected again at 12 months after purchase and once a year each year afterward. This also requires a fluid change to complete and must be done by a GT-R tech. When shopping for preowned, a CarFax inspection should have this on its record showing it was done. If it was not done, then write off the car in question. Proper maintenance of the transmission and differentials in the R35 is the most important thing to look for with a preowned one. As far as I understand, this is typically $1,000 to have done.

First engine oil change is at 6,000 miles. Many guys who track the GT-R go for many different types of oils, but Mobil-1 0w40 is what the oil cap on the VR38DETT calls for. You can get that at WalMart. The oil change process here is pretty straightforward and you can do it yourself with the necessary tools to lift and work on the car.

The 24,000 mile maintenance milestone includes changing of brake fluid, coolant, and filters while inspecting many engine components (throttle chambers, engine noise/knock), transmission/differential fluid, and overall vehicle performance at low speeds and under heavy acceleration. In some cases, the inspecting dealer may elect to change the diff/transmission fluids or they may deem fluid exchange unnecessary and push that off to the normally scheduled 36,000 mile maintenance milestone. Many R35 drivers elect to do other fluid flushes sooner than scheduled for the transmission and differentials depending on how they're driven These flushes can be done yourself, but you need to obtain the transmission fluid from Nissan as it is similar in nature to the CVT fluid they use in that there is no aftermarket solution that is acceptable to retain warranty. The fluids for this procedure from the dealer are around $1000 give or take for the transmission/differentials alone. Brake fluid and coolant will be extra. I have talked to a few R35 owners and the 24,000 mile maintenance is typically a hair above $2,000 from a dealer including the transmission/diff fluid exchange.

From then on, it's oil changes, tires, brakes, and other normal maintenance items. Nissan calls for spark plug replacement at 60,000 miles, and then another transmission/differential fluid exchange at 72,000 miles.

I have pulled a lot of the pricing information from guys I've talked to and the other maintenance milestone information straight from the manual for a 2012 model.

I have been doing a lot of homework on this lately for my own personal reasons

Also, for the record, an R35 is leasable, but it takes a greater amount of assets to be qualified for one, and it is more expensive than a purchase because Nissan allegedly requires you to purchase the full maintenance and service package with the lease (unless of course you purchase said package at point of sale for a cash transaction). Leased R35s have a lot of contingencies and restrictions especially concerning modification.

Anyway... I may learn more and in that event I will pass it along!

[dasoupdude]

Definitely a great car for what they go for, I suggest leaving it stock for awhile though. It's enough beast and machine just out of the box.