Glad you liked the post.

Try the suspension in Race mode. Oddly enough, on that setting the dampers seem better suited to the springs. However, I found it was indeed a very stiff ride. For any of the naysayers, you'll note that EVERY new model year GTR has brought a more compliant suspension.

I found EXACTLY the same thing with the GTR rear seats! Indeed, the GTR SEEMS to have more space in the rear, but it really has much less leg room.

 

For others that might consider a GTR, please explain how this is possible, when a transmission oil change is $1000 in oil alone? And RECOMMENDED service intervals are much more often than 18k and 36k.

 

Actually, my trans fluid changes only cost $700, and in newer model GT-R's (I think 2011 and later), the interval increased to 20,000 miles and later yet, it increased again.

My oil changes run about $75 every 7,000 miles or so. The MINIMUM trans fluid interval for the earliest year is 18k, only difference is when used on track. But at that level, the fluids are not the major expense - the tires and brakes are.

I'm not sure what is implied by "RECOMMENDED service intervals are much more often than 18k". Of course, for oil changes, but this is no different than for any other car, therefore becomes insignificant when comparing other cars of similar caliber.

 

Jasper, oh please. Show me an oil service receipt that cost $75. On a 911 Turbo, it takes like 10 qts of oil at $10/qt. Gtr is about the same. The 911 oil service is $350 at the dealer and the service interval is 15k miles. What is the recommended oil service interval on a gtr?

I can understand that your trans oil change might be $700. How much is it at a dealer? I wanted this thread to be a guide to future buyers. I'll be happy to call a dealer and get an estimate. Maintenence on a GTR is very expensive.

 

GT-R is just under 6 qts.

Actually the service was $30. And my wife just took mine in. I'll show you the receipt (remind me to scan it in when I return home tomorrow). We buy the 5qt jug of Mobil 1 0w-40 at Walmart for $22 + 1qt at ~$6. Pickup the filter for about $9 at the dealership, drop off at the local shop for an oil change. Done.

$28 (+tax) oil
$9 filter
$30 for service

I estimated higher, just in case we couldn't find the 5qt jug, and had to pay $6 per qt times 6.

The Nissan dealer charges $180 (so it is about half as much as the Porsche number quote - which is a little higher than what my Porsche dealer charges me - $320). The recommended interval is about 7,500 miles or 6 months. I use the 6 month number, because my daily driving doesn't put me over 8,000 miles per year.

Either way - less (about half as much as its competitors), does not mean "EXPENSIVE" in the manner in which I perceived it.

Regarding the trans fluid. I buy 10 qts from a nissan dealership ($55 each), and pay about $120 for the flush (it only requires 8, but the additional is used to flush out old stuff). So it is actually less than $700. If you went to the dealer, it is around $1100-1200 for everything (transmission only). In the past, I've always added on the front and rear diffs while doing so, because there is a small discount when doing the rear diff at the same time as the trans, because the panels are already off. It comes to about $1600 every 3 years (unless I track it). And my MY GT-R has the smallest intervals, so the newer ones will be less expensive.

 

Wait just a minute! I'm not talking about a CRAZY mechanic who would let you bring the oil and filter and change the oil for only $30. How is that guy going to stay in business? I'm not saying that I went to the dealer! Sure, I get my oil changed at a high end indi shop for only $200.

I had a 2012, and I recall that the service intervals were 7500 miles. Twice as often as recommended on a 911 turbo for example. So maybe that comes out in the wash, but you are servicing the car basically twice as often.

I was just calling out the claim that the 18k service is $1000. You are saying that the tranny flush alone is $1100 to 1200. (i read a few times the oil is $100 a quart, so I dont know if it is that expensive or less) I don't know what else is involved, but you are already at an expensive service. People that look at GTR's should just be aware that maintenance is expensive and do some research in their own area in advance.

 

What is your opinion of your Nissan dealer?


Are there actual physical changes to the newer cars that allow a longer service interval or is it actual testing/experience or fluid updates that allow it?

 

Ok, let me do some long hand...

Dealer oil change for GT-R is $180 at a certified GT-R dealership (all fluids, parts, and labor).

Dealer trans fluid flush is about $1200 (approximately - as this varies by $100 up or down between dealers).

Trans fluid is about $80qt MSRP from most dealers.

I buy my GT-R trans fluid (OE for the GR6 transmission) at a Nissan dealership that charges $55qt.

Every 7,500 mile service includes an oil change - that's about it. I pay less than $40 for all OE oil (6qts 0w-40) + OE filter (for the VR38 - similar to other filters).

18,000 mile service includes trans fluid flush, front diff, rear diff, and brake fluid. This interval increased in later models.

The trans fluid flush takes about 9-10 qts, because the trans only holds 8, but the additional is to remove most of the old fluid (and remnants). Sometimes a drain plug is needed ($5??? - don't remember - maybe $10). Remove rear under tray, open drain plug, drain fluid, pour fluid, pour excess fluid, catch excess, put plug back on.

So if we look at my example - $55qt - even using all 10 (nobody has actually used all 10 yet) = $550 for trans fluid, plus 1 hour labor (fluid from 10 jugs can take a few minutes). Done.

The front diff is about 1/2 qt (I forget exactly but it is SMALL), or some fluid that is not expensive (forgot, need to do this again, soon). This may cost around $125 for all fluids and labor - at the dealership.

The rear diff is about 1 qt (maybe additional - I know I buy about 2 containers for each flush for both front and rear), and runs me around $180 at the dealer, but is discounted $50 when coupled with the trans fluid flush - at the dealer.

Brake fluid - I forgot - this is insignificant when compared to the others, usually an afterthought for me.

Let's go back to the multiple shops that have charged me $27 per change (we just pay $30 and call it even). On the early GT-R's, some of the techs modified the front under tray to allow quicker oil changes, without requiring a removal for the oil change. This allows the oil change to happen in about 20 minutes. On later GT-R's, there was a different under tray (or the mod was already there - I forget), which, again, allowed for quick oil changes. Should I pay more for an oil change simply because of my car? This CRAZY mechanic has helped maintain my car (coupled with my dealership visits) for the past 6 years. I think he knows how to change oil.

But there are two other shops that have changed my oil - always less than $30. I usually just pay the $30. I'm not sure how they stay in business. One even tuned my car several times (that wasn't as cheap - a bit more than $30). But - that's why I don't run those places. I specialize in my own field(s).

I agree that people should be aware - that is on the paper that some complained about signing - this MAKES them aware. Oil interval is 7,500 and costs roughly $200. I'm not sure why this seems EXPENSIVE. Perhaps I'm missing something.

I'll add that there are better and cheaper trans fluids out there specifically made for the GR6 - some make smoother and softer shifts...

 

I love my dealer (and the same tech that has worked on my car since I bought it). I've had wonderful experiences there.

I have started taking my car to other shops (in accordance to my stories here, and the post previous to this). Whenever there was other than factory work, I had a primary shop that I visited, and stuck with the dealership for routine recommended maintenance. As I started learning more about the car, I started using my other local shops more and more.

My tech has always treated my car with exactly the items I wanted to have covered, in the manner in which I intended. I did not enjoy the GT-R 'tax' at the dealership, though - everybody pays around $15-20 per tire mounting and balancing, I pay $50 per tire. I do get free nitrogen for life there (as it's stated in the manual that it is required to be provided free for all GT-Rs).

One day, my normal service rep was absent (death in the family). I brought my car in for rear tires (which I bought at tirerack.com before my appt)... Another svc rep took care of me (which was unusual, but I opted to continue with my appt, I was on 0psi on a runflat that afternoon from work). When I went to pay for both tires to be mounted - I was charged 370Z prices... Which was about $40 for both tires (+/-), instead of the $100 I expected. I'm sure that the dude who helped me got 'talked' to, but I made out. And I became a little jaded about how much more I get charged for that dedicated tech.

But I still experience no wait - front of the line for everything, loaners for any service (except nitrogen fills).

Dunno... I like them. I just don't like overpaying for basic crap. If my transmission or engine needs work, and I can't make it to a reputable aftermarket tuner, I'm bringing it there. I did this when I had my clutch slipping last year (I forgot that I went 2 years without a clutch adjustment). Took it in to the Nissan dealership, they did POS, and everything was right again, for the last 8months or so...

Regarding the interval - I believe it was a combination of both - the visual inspections done on cars after years of use/thousands of miles, combined with improved TCM programming. There is still no gold flake in the fluid (that I can see) that warrants the $80 tag....

 

maintenance costs on the GTR are a lot cheaper than in the old days. I've got a 2012 and transmission fluid changes are every 36k miles. Although the fluid isn't cheap, ACG will do it for about 850 which isn't bad. Just had service on my car (15k) and brakes were fine. Oil change at ACG is only 165 with Mobil 1 so that's not bad either.

I really think that maintenance costs are way overblown. IMO, really not that expensive, and certainly not any more than my prior C4S.

 

A year later and I still enjoy reading this thread. It helped me when I was making my decision between a 2015 GTR and a 997.2 TT.

Ultimately, I chose the Porsche, but I was super impressed with the GTR I drove.

You have to weigh what attributes matter the most and make your decision. Unless you are planning to use either as a daily driver, I don't think the maintenance costs weigh that heavy in the decision. It's not like the yearly costs of $7-15k and weeks of downtime you hear from owners of true exotics.

In the end, I believe I would have been happy with either, and will likely have 1 of each at some point.

 

Exactly.

 

I have followed this thread for 1 year and read lots of opinions. My yearly costs are as follows;
Oil change 100.00 from dealer changed every 2,500 miles . Trans and diff service every 15,000 miles cost 900.00 from dealer.
I only drive 5,000 miles per year so annual cost is less than 500.00 .
It is too bad other regions of the country don't enjoy these prices . I just went to 3 local dealers and negotiated with them. Fairly simple.
As for the joy of owning this SUPER CAR............. It is off the charts..........
I paid $ 62,000 2 years ago for an 09 with 8,000 miles and can sell today for what I paid.
For $ 1,500 dollars , I now have 540 Hp at the wheels on a mustang dyno so ........ making more HP is oh so easy with a GTR.
Smart shoppers can always get great deals in life......
Just added a 2004 GT-2 to the family , it is not as fast as the GTR but a fabulous monster that will provide years of joy...........
I will post costs on this car here , the Porsche lovers site ..............
It still amazes me how the GTR is hated by Porsche and Ferrari owners.
If either of these wonderful cars could come close to the 7:08 time at the ring the Nismo ran ????????????
Well the 918 did run sub 7 minute but for $1,000,000 maybe is should.
I am sure if I lived anywhere in the country , I can get service for far less than stated here and I have lived all over............
I do equally love and respect other supercars for what they are and don't spend time bashing them so ................ That does not seem to be the case on this site....

 

Same goes for the other way around, though. Some people are passionate about certain things. We are here because are passionate about our ownership of/experiences in Porsches and other sports cars.

The 'Ring time was with N-Attack NISMO (few pennies more on top of the already inflated NISMO price). But I agree with your premise (that it shouldn't be considered in the same category of the 918), as the price tags aren't in the same league.

But I also think that nobody here has ever doubted the performance level of the GT-R. That is the one area that we can all agree on.

 

Curious, ever have an oil analysis done after 6 months and 2500 miles?

I'll be curious to see what a Nismo runs around the 'Ring vs. the extra parts Nissan equipped it with. It sure sounded different at Goodwood....