Currently running a 997 and considering a GTR. My Porsche is a DD but I do 10-12 track events per year.

Anybody here have roughly the same profile? I have found the porsche to be bullet proof. Would a GTR be the same?

Any best practices around rotors/pads/tires?

Are there any warranty concerns tracking a GTR?

Thanks in advance.

 

GTR has good reliability if you keep up on maintenance. Watch temps on the track and keep fresh fluids in the trans and differentials.

10-12 track events a year would almost warrant going to CCM brakes, which will pay for themselves after you go through 4 sets of J hook rotors and pads.

Feel free to email me to discuss further.

 

Nissan is watching!!!!

 

Well, the GT-R is pretty 'bullet-proof' as long as you spend the money to keep it running at 8/10ths for a 25 minute HPDE session in high ambient temps without 'cooking' the fluids. If you do so, you'll have one of the fastest and best handling street cars at an HPDE.

For a minimum you'll need to install a high quality transmission cooler like the HKS or GReddy unit. You can go a step further and install the SSP transmission cooler along with the Cobb secondary engine oil cooler; this will help if you live in an area with really high summer temps. Unfortunately the Cobb secondary engine oil cooler will not work with the HKS or GReddy unit which is a real shame as imho they are the best quality units available. You should also replace the OEM transmission oil with a high quality fluid like the Willall fluid; this will last well and provide additional protection for the transmission for a whole year of your usage without oxidation; unlike the OEM fluid. Like any other street vehicle driven on track it is a very good idea to change the engine oil after every track weekend, especially if you use the OEM Mobil 1 0W-40. I ran Castrol TWS 10W-60 and reports from Blackstone show that this oil, or a 50%/50% mix using it and the OEM Mobil 1 'may' provide better protection to the engine re: metallic wear.

As for consumables: the GT-R is an incredibly fast 4,000 lb car on the track; as such it will devour brakes; rotors and tyres at a greater rate than your 997. What many do is remove the OEM rotors immediately and replace them with AP Racing 'J-Hook' rotors or the PFC product. These are much better wearing than the OEM rotor which will start to crack around the drilled holes quickly. You should be able to use the AP Racing 'J-Hooks' for a whole year and maybe two depending on the tracks you frequent and your driving style. Regardless of rotor wear you will go thru' pads quickly regardless of the brand of pad you use although of course dedicated track pads will last longer than an OEM or other street pad. My person favourite being the CL RC8 pads which are a great pad regardless of the vehicle they're used on it seems. The main issue with brake wear; (beside speed and weight), is the fact that there so far is no way to get adequate air cooling to the front rotors. To this day it is an achilles heel for the car. One option which seems to work is a Willall water cooling system that activates when the brake pedal is pressed above a certain speed threshold. I would have installed it if I had kept the car.

Handling: you can help the inherent understeer by installing adjustable anti-roll bars like the Stillen product. (The new 2012 btw is supposed to be better handling than previous year cars which certainly weren't bad on track at all). To totally transform the handling and make the car extremely fast(er) you would want to look at a set of coil-overs like those from Penske or JRZ. You can't however use the adjustable shocks with these installed. Throw on a set of 18" dedicated track wheels with Hoosier R6s on them and you will only be passed by true 'race' cars or individuals in very fast cars driven in a highly commited fashion.

Bottom line: a GT-R is a fantastic car that is extremly fast in its OEM configuration. To go faster or to drive longer in high ambient temps you'll need to invest in products to keep the car cool(er), as well as some other higher quality longer wearing items. It is not a cheap car to run especially when used on track, but you can save thousands of dollars per year by using independent garages or doing a lot of the work yourself; the car is generally easy to work on for routine maintenance items. Warranty coverage will be maintained when you keep the car relatively OEM, especially the drivetrain although whether you'll be covered is dependent many times on the relationship you have with your local dealer; (just as it is with most brands).

Hope this has helped a little.

Bish

 

Bish,
Excellent. Thanks.

 

I don't understand this...

Excellent information Bish!

Orrrrr... You could just do what I do - run the factory rotors and pads until they wear down, replace with AP Racing rotors (mentioned above), and slightly better pads (be sure to either get track specific pads, quiet pads, or disregard the noise altogether).

I'm actually contemplating getting all-season tires (which will take a sec or two off my laps - but add thousands of miles to my tire life).

When tracking in the summer (to keep temps low), for my midday sessions, I'll take a lap or two at moderate speed to bring temps down a bit, just enough to finish off the session. I keep an eye on trans temps, engine oil temps, and coolant temps (set up on the MFD).

I've also been looking into a trans cooler, and I recommend the HKS unit.

 

I would go for a trans cooler that does not use the main oil pump for the trans to pump the fluid to the front of the car, through the core, and back to the trans. JMHO....

 

There has never been any appreciable pressure drop or any other issue in the transmission with either the HKS or GReddy units. They are of the absolute highest quality and do the job; something that hasn't always been the case with other units.

Bish

 

Much agreed Bish.

 

Great post Bish and a good insight into the car. Btw how old is your car, how many miles etc. Am interested to hear how well the interior trim is aging.Im assuming your car is a DD? Any info here is appreciated .

 

I sold the car last October after owning it for almost two years. Car had 9800 miles on it when I sold it. The interior, which I liked very much btw, held up well and looked as new when I traded the car for my MB CLK BS. The GT-R is a fine DD although somewhat 'stiff' riding on broken/poorly maintained roads; (the 2012 may be slightly more 'comfortable' in this regard). If you do major miles I would install the all season Dunlops as they last three times longer than the OEM summer tyres, and are almost as fast on the road course. Plus they are far better in inclement weather.
If you want to keep the car OEM and are concerned about warranty, I'd suggest the 2012 as it is like having an earlier version with a Cobb Stage 2. If you want to crank up the boost to have a DD with well over 600whp; get an excellent used GT-R for about $60K and go mod crazy! lol
Any other questions, fire away.
Bish

 

9800 isnt huge mileage so may not give away too much on how well the car will present at say 30,000 and 4 years. But good to get your impressions anyway. Thanks . So your not lining up for a 2012 then?

 

I am impressed with the overall quality of materials used in the interior of the GT-R. They are much better than the bashing the GT-R took by the tabloid reviews. I know the interior will hold up well for the life of the car. If it looks new at 10,000 miles, it will look good at 50,000 miles if it is cared for properly. I also know that there are GT-Rs for sale with over 30,000 miles on them, and I would advise you to check them out for those of you who are really seriously looking at the GT-R to own if you still have doubts.

I also have never tracked my car since it only has 600 miles on it. I may track it at the Nissan gathering at Branson, MO in early June.

 

Which one does that Neil?

 

I've been getting some amazing feedback about this very subject.

The GReddy closes off other parts of the car, and handles cooling locally, which could automatically reduce the temps (by keeping the fluid away from the engine)...

(there is a lot more to it than this, I just wanted to offer the example)