My life with the GT-R aka My expensive test drive
#137
01-05-2014 | 02:36 AM
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Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 36
From: Hayward,ca
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Drive or better buy a gtr and see for yourself what the buzz is about...that's what I did.
It is a gt......grand touring car
R version.....with twin hair dryers and some extras..
The car states clearly what it is.....it is not supposed to be a gt3 track car.
It's gt-r
It is a gt......grand touring car
R version.....with twin hair dryers and some extras..
The car states clearly what it is.....it is not supposed to be a gt3 track car.
It's gt-r
#138
01-08-2014 | 06:34 AM
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 232
From: ontario
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Gtr owner...here..after owning for past few months...for 100k..no better option. Commanding power...rockstar attention from everyone...flexibility of around town driving...and let's go to jail speed...after just a few mods to get the sound level I want...I am falling more in love.....
#139
01-08-2014 | 07:13 AM
lol.
Interesting comment about "how you would feel" driving a particular car. It could be different elsewhere, but I don't feel particularly special at all driving a 997.2 TTS. There's a lot of p-cars here in Laguna Beach/Newport Beach where I drive from home/work so I just blend in and nobody even gives my car a second look. My M3 actually gets more attention just given how deep (bassy) the exhaust is and how bad it smells with no cats lol.
When I'm driving behind a Ferrari/Lambo/Bugatti's, that's a different story! People stop and stare. I think it's nice that the GTR is understated as well as nobody here really cares about that car either from what I've seen.
I think the R8 v10 is a nice compromise. It's really a Lambo in Audi skin so not as flashy but I think it garners at least a head turn and I personally wouldn't feel douchy driving it like I would an exotic.
Cheers.
#140
01-12-2014 | 08:29 AM
Made a purchase of a perfect 2012 Super Silver Black Edition GT-R with only 5000 miles. Made a good deal on the car and it seemed to fill many of my needs: versatile 2+2, 4wd, great power that can be used around town, many of the latest tech options, and improved ride comfort so many spoke about for the 2012 model. Took it on a couple mile test drive - found it reasonably comfortable and really fast. I had done a fair amount of research, so I took the plunge.
In the end, I wanted to offer my experiences after driving the car for 1000 miles and selling it. Another GT-R was traded back to the same dealer also after about 3 months of ownership! I needed to do a lot of research on the car after I already owned it – I knew a lot going in, but many things I had to figure out. I thought the diary of my ownership might prove valuable to others considering the GT-R so they go in eyes wide open. As a weekend only 2nd or 3rd car, the GT-R could be an entertaining stable mate. As a daily, you need to accept many compromises. I traded the GT-R on an ’08 Porsche TT and couldn’t be happier. Older as it is, the Porsche is much more refined, more comfortable and nearly as fast.
- As soon as I left the dealership, I was already questioning the purchase. It seemed like a different car from the test drive. Straight away, the lower seat bolsters were way too narrow. I don’t know why I didn’t notice it on the test drive; I just couldn’t get comfortable. At 165 lbs, I was totally shocked how narrow they were. Did some research on the forum and found somebody that had pulled his seats, removed the covers and bent the lower frame. I couldn’t believe it, but knew I needed to do the same thing. Thankfully, I waited before spending more money on the car.
- Then I hit the highway. Holy cow, the car didn’t need to be that quiet, but between the transmission noise behind me, the droning runflats and the exhaust droning at 2.5k RPM, the car was annoyingly loud. If it was the noise from a loud exhaust it would be one thing, but under hard acceleration all you hear is this cacophony of mechanical noises. I think the car actually sounds cool OUTSIDE of it, but inside all you hear are the tires and tranny. My wife rode in the car on one longer ride and couldn’t stand it. I did some research. I find a thread about the guy adding Dynamat to the trunk and interior. I couldn’t believe I was reading about someone ADDING insulation to a car in a performance forum. Any other car you are taking things OUT. For all the weight the car has, why isn’t some of it for insulation? Obviously, the car is optimized for performance and insulation was not part of that requirement. I just found it odd that 20 lbs couldn’t be spared for insulation, yet the dash and doors get leather, full infotainment and navigation, etc. The Bose stereo is what it is. Weak. But I found myself using it often to drown out the other noises.
- Those 20” runflats. I used the car as a daily, so I needed snows or all season tires. Holy cow, all seasons are $2100 a set! Ok, fine, it’s only money. I call 5 tire stores before I find one that would install them. I read the threads about installation difficulties and damaged rims. The local GT-R dealer wants to charge 1 hour’s labor per tire to install them! I found someone that charged a more modest $50/tire. Another “approved GT-R dealer” didn’t even have a tire machine. Then I read all the threads about going to Michelin PSS’s because of the increased comfort and improved tire noise. I probably would have gone to those later; they are also a cheaper option.
- Maintenance. Fortunately I didn’t keep it long enough. I researched before I owned the car that it needs 6k mile oil changes and tranny fluid at 18k that costs $100/qt. Wouldn’t want to touch brakes either, even aftermarkets are pricey. Service compared to a Porsche is very expensive. Just be aware that this is not a Nissan, it’s really a Lambo with a Nissan badge.
- Mileage. Okay, I don’t care about the mileage either. But holy crap, around town the thing gets 9 mpg! I always manually shifted it, mainly because I couldn’t stand the exhaust drone of the car running at only 2k RPM. Admittedly, it did eek out 13 mpg in mixed highway and city driving. And that was running the car in “SAVE” mode on the highway. But that mode really cut the boost and made the thing downright slow for passing. At least the car had a reasonably large gas tank, it needed it.
- Ride comfort. I thought the 2012 had the IMPROVED comfort mode. That was a joke. I need to frame my reference. I’ve lowered most of the cars I’ve owned. Most recently coilovers on an E46 M3. That car seemed like a Cadillac by comparison. In Comfort mode, the GTR just seemed to bounce around more on its stiff springs. Towards the end, I actually found the ride was smoother and more refined by running it in Race mode. It does it the small bumps harder, but in the end the damping is a better match for the spring rates. That is often true that you really need damping that matches the spring rates. I could tell that the Race mode damping was a better match for the spring rates. In any setting though, the car is very stiff. Even with only 6000 miles, the car started to develop rattles. I couldn’t imagine how loose one of these will be with 20k. I traded a 2011 M3 for the GT-R. Needless to say, even with the competition package, it was also like a Cadillac by comparison, yet still managed to have excellent handling.
In the end, I wanted to offer my experiences after driving the car for 1000 miles and selling it. Another GT-R was traded back to the same dealer also after about 3 months of ownership! I needed to do a lot of research on the car after I already owned it – I knew a lot going in, but many things I had to figure out. I thought the diary of my ownership might prove valuable to others considering the GT-R so they go in eyes wide open. As a weekend only 2nd or 3rd car, the GT-R could be an entertaining stable mate. As a daily, you need to accept many compromises. I traded the GT-R on an ’08 Porsche TT and couldn’t be happier. Older as it is, the Porsche is much more refined, more comfortable and nearly as fast.
Thanks for the detailed and honest review! You opened my eyes, as I was considering a GTR to keep my 991 company. I guess I'll hold on to my Terminator for a while longer: it's also noisy and sucks gas, but it does run in the mid ten-second range.
#141
01-12-2014 | 09:35 AM
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Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 199
From: arizona
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Here is another view. Run flats are not nice, just change them. Service on my 09 has cost 1/2 of what you stated . Tires are easy as PIE, discount tire takes care of all of it.
Quit exhaust, just add a less restrictive mid pipe. Trans fluid cost is not expensive when compared to other almost equal Supercars.
So, now you drive a wonderful TT that is not in the same league as your sold GTR.
If that is pleasing to you, who am I to judge .
In conclusion, all of the issues you stated can be addressed easily and at a very low cost.
I choose to not trade off having the fastest car on the road for these little issues. If stock power is not enough, just mid pipe and tune for 540 HP at the wheels .
When I am on the hiway , Ferraris ,Lambo just wave but they don't want to run......... and we all know why..........
Quit exhaust, just add a less restrictive mid pipe. Trans fluid cost is not expensive when compared to other almost equal Supercars.
So, now you drive a wonderful TT that is not in the same league as your sold GTR.
If that is pleasing to you, who am I to judge .
In conclusion, all of the issues you stated can be addressed easily and at a very low cost.
I choose to not trade off having the fastest car on the road for these little issues. If stock power is not enough, just mid pipe and tune for 540 HP at the wheels .
When I am on the hiway , Ferraris ,Lambo just wave but they don't want to run......... and we all know why..........
#142
01-12-2014 | 09:38 AM
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From: Sumter, SC
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that one was too easy
#145
01-12-2014 | 12:55 PM
Careful...gtr guy will come back at you! Nothing on earth is faster than a gtr. period. its the bestest car evar!!! When he posts I feel like I'm back in grade school hearing some kid talk about how his dad's car is so cool, the best, so fast, nothing's better etc etc lol
#146
01-12-2014 | 01:02 PM
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From: arizona
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the numbers tell the story:
Nissan Nismo 7:08
911 turbo GT-2 7:18
Lambo Aventador 7:25
ferrari 458 7:28
MP-4 12C 7:28
911 TURBO s 7:32
There is no shame at finishing 2nd 3rd or ???
All these are great cars and slower than the latest GTR
Nissan Nismo 7:08
911 turbo GT-2 7:18
Lambo Aventador 7:25
ferrari 458 7:28
MP-4 12C 7:28
911 TURBO s 7:32
There is no shame at finishing 2nd 3rd or ???
All these are great cars and slower than the latest GTR
#147
01-12-2014 | 01:03 PM
Thread Starter
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Joined: May 2009
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From: Rye, NY
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Careful...gtr guy will come back at you! Nothing on earth is faster than a gtr. period. its the bestest car evar!!! When he posts I feel like I'm back in grade school hearing some kid talk about how his dad's car is so cool, the best, so fast, nothing's better etc etc lol
Went to 4 different tire shops before I found one that would change 20" run flats. The certified gtr Nissan dealer wouldn't even do it. Just the facts.
A transmission service costs less than $1000? How often is it required? Yes, it is a Nissan, but it is not cheap to maintain. Simply a fact.
Can it be tuned for more hp? Yes. It's tuning cheap? relatively speaking. By comparison, a Porsche is not so cheap. Does it matter?
#149
01-12-2014 | 01:38 PM
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From: Fayetteville
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NNA should have been involved if a certified GT-R dealer wouldn't perform GT-R service (it's in the manual).
#150
01-12-2014 | 01:40 PM
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 6,220
From: Fayetteville
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Please post a normal street car with faster lap times.
Better is subjective (your following statement). But this one (faster) relies on times. period.
Post 'em.
Better is subjective (your following statement). But this one (faster) relies on times. period.
Post 'em.