Luckily, Nissan is looking at reproducing R32 Skyline parts.

https://socom.yokohama/vehicle/car/14367/

I imagine parts will still be expensive, but the need to rebuild or remanufacture parts yourself or by combining other parts won't be necessary.

 

You can go here and find your part. Just punch in the year and model. They have some essential parts for all skylines GTR from R32- R34.

https://parts.nissanusa.com/nissanparts/?siteid=14&action=accessories&catalogid=2370

 

Mechanical parts and performance parts are easy to come by, and they are "relatively" inexpensive. Some of the more sought after parts have a 2-3 month wait. Most OEM parts are still available, but they are not necessary cheaper than performance equivalents. Majority of the difficult to get parts will be interior or exterior parts, especially cosmetic related.

I have mentioned a few times before that the ownership experience is not that different from owning a Z32. If you can't image yourself keeping up with an old Z32's repairs and maintenance, where every piece of rubber or plastic parts along with every seals or gaskets could potentially go bad, then you don't have the stomach to own an R32. Keep in mind, regardless of how hard a R32 was driven, it is OLD.

Also, Skyline Tax is not a joke, it's very real. However, if you are mentally and financially prepared and ready, you will not regret. I have not met an owner that has regretted. For reference, I took delivery in May 2015 and to date I have driven 4,677 km. I have spent about 50% of original purchase price in maintenance and minor restoration. Granted that expense includes new ceramic coating that is more of a luxury item.

Oh and if you want a complete engine rebuild, The Shop will likely have one on inventory ready for you to drop in.

 

Mechanical parts and performance parts are easy to come by, and they are "relatively" inexpensive. Some of the more sought after parts have a 2-3 month wait. Most OEM parts are still available, but they are not necessary cheaper than performance equivalents. Majority of the difficult to get parts will be interior or exterior parts, especially cosmetic related.

I have mentioned a few times before that the ownership experience is not that different from owning a Z32. If you can't image yourself keeping up with an old Z32's repairs and maintenance, where every piece of rubber or plastic parts along with every seals or gaskets could potentially go bad, then you don't have the stomach to own an R32. Keep in mind, regardless of how hard a R32 was driven, it is OLD.

Also, Skyline Tax is not a joke, it's very real. However, if you are mentally and financially prepared and ready, you will not regret. I have not met an owner that has regretted. For reference, I took delivery in May 2015 and to date I have driven 4,677 km. I have spent about 50% of original purchase price in maintenance and minor restoration. Granted that expense includes new ceramic coating that is more of a luxury item.

Oh and if you want a complete engine rebuild, The Shop will likely have one on inventory ready for you to drop in.

What does owning a Skyline do for you? I can see being excited when you first get it, showing it off to your friends and taking it to shows but after a while does it just become another car?

Part of the reason for the hype is because almost no one has them and I would think that after the 25 year limit expires it sort of takes away from the excitement. What are your thoughts?

 

What does owning a Skyline do for you? I can see being excited when you first get it, showing it off to your friends and taking it to shows but after a while does it just become another car?

Part of the reason for the hype is because almost no one has them and I would think that after the 25 year limit expires it sort of takes away from the excitement. What are your thoughts?

If your reasons for getting the car is solely because you'll get tons of JDM tyte cred, save yourself a ton of money and don't bother with a GT-R.

Edit: This came off as a little snippy but there are way too many people out there that don't really understand the reality of what they're getting into. It's not a Lexus where you can just change the oil and filters for 10 years and then do a single big timing belt + water pump + etc job and go back to minor maintenance for another 10 years. It's not the fastest, wildest thing on the road anymore. It's not like a Supra where you have a truly overbuilt engine. It's not like an STI either, the AWD is more like RWD with part time AWD engagement. It's not a modern turbo car where you floor it and a wave of boost comes on instantly. It's not going to be anything approaching luxury like the 2017 R35 is.

These cars are distinct because there's nothing really out there that is a front engine turbocharged inline 6 with a manual transmission and a motorsport-oriented all wheel drive system with four wheel steering. That combination made for something that was faster than even a 911 Turbo in its time. If the 280PS regulation did not exist the R34 GT-R would have been competitive with the 996 Turbo, it had things like a better weight distribution and electronically controlled clutchpack for the transfercase instead of a viscous system. Combined with the last gasp of Nissan's focus on racing and strong emphasis on quality (to the extent that they were not cost competitive with other OEMs until Ghosn took over) meant that the second generation GT-R is realistically something that can never be reproduced.

 

What does owning a Skyline do for you? I can see being excited when you first get it, showing it off to your friends and taking it to shows but after a while does it just become another car?

Part of the reason for the hype is because almost no one has them and I would think that after the 25 year limit expires it sort of takes away from the excitement. What are your thoughts?

I am very glad you are asking these questions because I personally think they are exactly the right questions should be asked. And actually Joshuaho96 is right, this really isn't the best choice of car for all sort of reasons. And again for reference, I live in a town where 10+ Skylines can be seen in a C&C meet, people don't even take a glance anymore when they walk pass.

So it comes down to are you buying this car for yourself, or for others? I rarely go to car meets, even if I do I rarely bring my R32, and even if I bring my R32 I always park away from the main area, even if the organizer waves at me to park closer. I drive my R32 mostly early in the morning or late at night, no traffic and no attention, just by myself shifting through the gears, which I find most enjoyable when I shift between 4000-5000 rpm. Every time I bring my car back in my garage, I can't wait for the next drive.

Also, always ask yourself, does this car really speak to you? I test drove a FRS 3 times before I could finally decide it's not for me. I really like that car and I give it lots of credit, but I felt my connection with it quickly diminishes with each test drive. I also test drove an used Cayman S, and that faded even quicker and I was done at the end of test drive. Tons of people out there will disagree with me, but hey, that's why most car makers have more than 1 car in their lineup.

Granted, test drive a R32 will be difficult. I had very much prepared for such risk when I bought and paid for my R32 based on nothing but a few pictures and emails. I was willing to take a big lost if I just couldn't like the car, but very fortunately I really like my car, and very much so to this day.

 

If y

I am very glad you are asking these questions because I personally think they are exactly the right questions should be asked. And actually Joshuaho96 is right, this really isn't the best choice of car for all sort of reasons. And again for reference, I live in a town where 10+ Skylines can be seen in a C&C meet, people don't even take a glance anymore when they walk pass.

So it comes down to are you buying this car for yourself, or for others? I rarely go to car meets, even if I do I rarely bring my R32, and even if I bring my R32 I always park away from the main area, even if the organizer waves at me to park closer. I drive my R32 mostly early in the morning or late at night, no traffic and no attention, just by myself shifting through the gears, which I find most enjoyable when I shift between 4000-5000 rpm. Every time I bring my car back in my garage, I can't wait for the next drive.

Also, always ask yourself, does this car really speak to you? I test drove a FRS 3 times before I could finally decide it's not for me. I really like that car and I give it lots of credit, but I felt my connection with it quickly diminishes with each test drive. I also test drove an used Cayman S, and that faded even quicker and I was done at the end of test drive. Tons of people out there will disagree with me, but hey, that's why most car makers have more than 1 car in their lineup.

Granted, test drive a R32 will be difficult. I had very much prepared for such risk when I bought and paid for my R32 based on nothing but a few pictures and emails. I was willing to take a big lost if I just couldn't like the car, but very fortunately I really like my car, and very much so to this day.

If you're ever in Japan you can test drive any skyline at this company https://www.omoren.com/en/products/list?Maker[]=3. It is worth it and being in Japan driving these cars makes it even cooler.

 

If your reasons for getting the car is solely because you'll get tons of JDM tyte cred, save yourself a ton of money and don't bother with a GT-R.

Edit: This came off as a little snippy but there are way too many people out there that don't really understand the reality of what they're getting into. It's not a Lexus where you can just change the oil and filters for 10 years and then do a single big timing belt + water pump + etc job and go back to minor maintenance for another 10 years. It's not the fastest, wildest thing on the road anymore. It's not like a Supra where you have a truly overbuilt engine. It's not like an STI either, the AWD is more like RWD with part time AWD engagement. It's not a modern turbo car where you floor it and a wave of boost comes on instantly. It's not going to be anything approaching luxury like the 2017 R35 is.

These cars are distinct because there's nothing really out there that is a front engine turbocharged inline 6 with a manual transmission and a motorsport-oriented all wheel drive system with four wheel steering. That combination made for something that was faster than even a 911 Turbo in its time. If the 280PS regulation did not exist the R34 GT-R would have been competitive with the 996 Turbo, it had things like a better weight distribution and electronically controlled clutchpack for the transfercase instead of a viscous system. Combined with the last gasp of Nissan's focus on racing and strong emphasis on quality (to the extent that they were not cost competitive with other OEMs until Ghosn took over) meant that the second generation GT-R is realistically something that can never be reproduced.

How would the performance of a 350z compare to a skyline? I know they are completely different mechanically but what one is a better overall sports car?

 

How would the performance of a 350z compare to a skyline? I know they are completely different mechanically but what one is a better overall sports car?

The 350Z is targeted at a completely different market. Realistically it is not far off from a G35. Driving dynamics were not particularly refined, this is something Chris Harris comments on. As you approach the limit of the car everything gets very harsh and rubbery. As far as track times go the 350/370Z is really not that great, they tuned the engine for mid-range and the chassis for light canyon carving, not so much hardcore track days at Laguna Seca. The second generation GT-Rs are roughly comparable to a modern WRX STI in performance. More power will help but it only goes so far before you don't really see performance benefits.

Keep in mind that the 993 Turbo was a slower car than the R33 GT-R and you will have some sense of the performance that these second generation GT-Rs started with.

 

How would the performance of a 350z compare to a skyline? I know they are completely different mechanically but what one is a better overall sports car?

Completely different as you stated. I dont have a 350z, but a G35, going on my 6th year with it. And its not even close to comparable. Its mainly stock, just lowering springs, exhaust, wheels, and looks pretty lol. I cannot say anything about a Turbo'd version.. as that could be a Shit ton of fun for everyday. But the Average 350/G are great cars, but like everyone else already said, you have to be buying the car for Yourself, what you think youd be Happy with and Enjoy. I contemplated for atleast a year before I bought my r32, I was looking at 370z's and audi rs4's, and realized.. I basically have a newer car thats the same in certain aspects, I wanted something with more character and something id enjoy (for the most part) working on all the time & something Different than everything on the road, like a mustang x). Plus I wanted a R33/RB26Dett since I was in HS almost 15+ years ago.. I halfway settled with the R32 & still plan on a r33 in the future.

Go with your gut, if the Skyline bug is in you, youll Know.

 

I have owned Z31 for years and Z33 for months. Drove Z32 a few brief times plus one test drive in R35. Only got to ride in a S13. I would say R32 is a hybrid of many good attributes taken from all those cars except, ironically, the R35. But that's totally understandable as R35 is modern and years in advance of all those other cars.

Mechanically speaking R32 has Z32 front and S13 rear plus hicas, uniquely topped off with attesa and RB26. Weights similarly to Z31, wheelbase is similar to Z32 2+2, less torque than VG30 but revs faster and higher, and more critically, much smoother. One aspect that stands R32 out from all those other cars is the steering, it feels sharper, tighter, and more precise, and I honestly have no idea why it's better.

I am sure many of us can go into lengthy discussion about technical or mechanical stuff that makes up R32. However, from me personally I would say nostalgia definitely plays a role, not going to lie, it's one addictive bitch.

 

What does owning a Skyline do for you? I can see being excited when you first get it, showing it off to your friends and taking it to shows but after a while does it just become another car?

Part of the reason for the hype is because almost no one has them and I would think that after the 25 year limit expires it sort of takes away from the excitement. What are your thoughts?

Every time you pull it out it's a big deal.

Sometimes I forget that and people remind me all the time. I love talking about cars, especially gtr's and there is always someone who wants to talk about it. Sometime I forget it's a skyline but it's always new to someone. I don't ever mind showing people the car it never gets old. However there are a few different key elements that make skyline ownership unique. A year later I still find myself amazed that all of the rumors about the car are true. There are few things in life that go in your head exactly what it will be like in real life and this is one of those things. The sound (strait piped 4" exh) is downright hypnotic. With full suspension the car feels nimble even at high speeds. It feels like I'm driving an exotic and some people's reactions make you feel that way as well. The first part is the mystique, while I didn't purchase my car for this reason it's something that most have never seen and are intrigued by. It's a conversational piece among any group of gearheads. The next is the RHD, this in itself can be a thrill for most people it's very fulfilling to drive a rhd car and it's exciting to see the look people give as you drive on the right side of the car. Lastly performance. This is why I got my car, a modified GTR feels nothing like any other modified car or even like a stock gtr. It constantly surprises me. The mystique and newness of the RHD may wear off but the performance never ceases to amaze me and doesn't get old. After owning a built GTR I could never own a non built skyline. Also It took me some time to get used to the attessa system. Coming from a new sti as my daily and as a 5 year wrx owner I have become very accustomed to the way a wrx awd system works. While admittedly I dont have any track day experience (hope to change that soon) I daily drove through the canyons locally for the last 4 years. I have confidence in my driving enough to say I am probably a seasoned beginner. I by no means consider myself to be a "Good" driver yet. However even with my limited experience running a car at that level, I was able to pick up on several key elements unique to gtr ownership. While people, tv & the internet explain the technology behind the gtr awd system I didnt truly understand what that meant for driving characteristics until I owned one. One of the first things I did after getting the car was toss it into a corner as if it were my wrx and I nearly lost it. The car is rwd 95% of the time and this was when I truly understood what that meant. You have to treat it like rwd on the corner entry and awd at the apex and corner exit. Not only that, but the car is far more capable of inducing understeer mid corner than rwd's typically are without losing it. It responds well to mods. Most everything you do has a significant change in the cars characteristics. All in all I would say that anything you need to know maintenance wise you will come across in sean morris "skyline basics" blog. It is 100% accurate and I found myself prepared for everything I ran into by searching here, and sau in addition to that. It's friggen EXPENSIVE but worth ever penny.

 

Plus I wanted a R33/RB26Dett since I was in HS almost 15+ years ago.. I halfway settled with the R32 & still plan on a r33 in the future.

The GTR Shop has a R33 LM listed currently. Appears to need a good amount of work, but the price looks to be well reflected.

https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/nissan/skyline-r33/stunning-r33gtr-ltd-edition-le-mans--forged-500-bhp/7287596

 

The GTR Shop has a R33 LM listed currently. Appears to need a good amount of work, but the price looks to be well reflected.
https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/nissan/skyline-r33/stunning-r33gtr-ltd-edition-le-mans--forged-500-bhp/7287596

Thats actually a fair price from what they show. Beautiful example of an R33. But would still need to jump through some hoops to make it here im guessing.. although the LM would be worth it. Anywho id rather just Wait it out for 3-5 years, after I make a few bigger life decisions, im still just getting started with my 32 as well, after a Year already lol, maintenance & bugs have slowed down the upgrade list, plus my $ is tied up in other places so it doesnt help my goals lol. But thanks for lookin out :]

 

Thats actually a fair price from what they show. Beautiful example of an R33. But would still need to jump through some hoops to make it here im guessing.. although the LM would be worth it. Anywho id rather just Wait it out for 3-5 years, after I make a few bigger life decisions, im still just getting started with my 32 as well, after a Year already lol, maintenance & bugs have slowed down the upgrade list, plus my $ is tied up in other places so it doesnt help my goals lol. But thanks for lookin out :]

Yeah life must come first for us enthusiasts...

I didn't notice until just now, go check out their facebook, appears they already begin to restore that LM. So now I'm really confused about the list price. But either way I have dealt with the owner Dave before, and he will be glad to help you or anyone interested. Perhaps lock it down with a deposit and keep up with storage fees until 2021!

https://www.facebook.com/TheGTRshopLtd/photos/pcb.1525431477499058/1525430990832440/?type=3&theater

 

Every time you pull it out it's a big deal.

Sometimes I forget that and people remind me all the time. I love talking about cars, especially gtr's and there is always someone who wants to talk about it. Sometime I forget it's a skyline but it's always new to someone. I don't ever mind showing people the car it never gets old. However there are a few different key elements that make skyline ownership unique. A year later I still find myself amazed that all of the rumors about the car are true. There are few things in life that go in your head exactly what it will be like in real life and this is one of those things. The sound (strait piped 4" exh) is downright hypnotic. With full suspension the car feels nimble even at high speeds. It feels like I'm driving an exotic and some people's reactions make you feel that way as well. The first part is the mystique, while I didn't purchase my car for this reason it's something that most have never seen and are intrigued by. It's a conversational piece among any group of gearheads. The next is the RHD, this in itself can be a thrill for most people it's very fulfilling to drive a rhd car and it's exciting to see the look people give as you drive on the right side of the car. Lastly performance. This is why I got my car, a modified GTR feels nothing like any other modified car or even like a stock gtr. It constantly surprises me. The mystique and newness of the RHD may wear off but the performance never ceases to amaze me and doesn't get old. After owning a built GTR I could never own a non built skyline. Also It took me some time to get used to the attessa system. Coming from a new sti as my daily and as a 5 year wrx owner I have become very accustomed to the way a wrx awd system works. While admittedly I dont have any track day experience (hope to change that soon) I daily drove through the canyons locally for the last 4 years. I have confidence in my driving enough to say I am probably a seasoned beginner. I by no means consider myself to be a "Good" driver yet. However even with my limited experience running a car at that level, I was able to pick up on several key elements unique to gtr ownership. While people, tv & the internet explain the technology behind the gtr awd system I didnt truly understand what that meant for driving characteristics until I owned one. One of the first things I did after getting the car was toss it into a corner as if it were my wrx and I nearly lost it. The car is rwd 95% of the time and this was when I truly understood what that meant. You have to treat it like rwd on the corner entry and awd at the apex and corner exit. Not only that, but the car is far more capable of inducing understeer mid corner than rwd's typically are without losing it. It responds well to mods. Most everything you do has a significant change in the cars characteristics. All in all I would say that anything you need to know maintenance wise you will come across in sean morris "skyline basics" blog. It is 100% accurate and I found myself prepared for everything I ran into by searching here, and sau in addition to that. It's friggen EXPENSIVE but worth ever penny.

If the AWD activates intermittingly then why do they need a 4 wheel dyno for the R34?

 

If the AWD activates intermittingly then why do they need a 4 wheel dyno for the R34?

That's what makes Nissan's ATTESA special, and also what makes critics claim it's "video game-y." And it's actually counter-intuitive of what most people think about what an AWD system does.

There is a very good explanation in this book: Nissan GT-R Supercar: Born to Race.

https://www.amazon.com/Nissan-GT-R-Supercar-Speedpro-Veloce/dp/1845842219

There is a partial version shared on Google, and fortunately the part about ATTESA is available, from page 27 to page 32.

https://books.google.com/books/about/Nissan_GT_R_Supercar.html?id=0JWlaTqB8V0C

In short, the system is deactivated the more steering input there is, i.e. during a corner, because that gives a driver better control over body rotation. As steering angle decreases, torque is then sent to the front and in R32's case, becomes 50/50 and claws the car out of corner exit with all the traction it can find. However, if a hard enough throttle is given during a corner, i.e. what experienced racing driver would do, it would induce a milder split like 30/70. And in a dyno situation where steering is straight, the ATTESA is fully engaged. Obviously there is more to it, but I will let you dive into the book!

Oh and R32 is the only model that AWD can be deactivated by pulling a fuse. R33 and R34's AWD systems are fully digital and built into the ECU, so cannot be deactivated for dyno runs.

 

That's what makes Nissan's ATTESA special, and also what makes critics claim it's "video game-y." And it's actually counter-intuitive of what most people think about what an AWD system does.

There is a very good explanation in this book: Nissan GT-R Supercar: Born to Race.

https://www.amazon.com/Nissan-GT-R-Supercar-Speedpro-Veloce/dp/1845842219

There is a partial version shared on Google, and fortunately the part about ATTESA is available, from page 27 to page 32.

https://books.google.com/books/about/Nissan_GT_R_Supercar.html?id=0JWlaTqB8V0C

In short, the system is deactivated the more steering input there is, i.e. during a corner, because that gives a driver better control over body rotation. As steering angle decreases, torque is then sent to the front and in R32's case, becomes 50/50 and claws the car out of corner exit with all the traction it can find. However, if a hard enough throttle is given during a corner, i.e. what experienced racing driver would do, it would induce a milder split like 30/70. And in a dyno situation where steering is straight, the ATTESA is fully engaged. Obviously there is more to it, but I will let you dive into the book!

Oh and R32 is the only model that AWD can be deactivated by pulling a fuse. R33 and R34's AWD systems are fully digital and built into the ECU, so cannot be deactivated for dyno runs.

The issue with the R33/R34 is that it always maintains residual pressure on the clutchpacks because otherwise you get the issue with the R32 where the AWD kicks in way too late in a lot of situations. The residual pressure dramatically reduces latency for torque split changes but this means that a little bit of torque is going to the front driveshaft at all times. Not enough to matter, but if you put it on a 2WD dyno without pulling the front driveshaft even with the ATTESA system inactive that residual pressure will still be there and the front/rear speed differential means the clutchpacks will break instead.

 

The issue with the R33/R34 is that it always maintains residual pressure on the clutchpacks because otherwise you get the issue with the R32 where the AWD kicks in way too late in a lot of situations. The residual pressure dramatically reduces latency for torque split changes but this means that a little bit of torque is going to the front driveshaft at all times. Not enough to matter, but if you put it on a 2WD dyno without pulling the front driveshaft even with the ATTESA system inactive that residual pressure will still be there and the front/rear speed differential means the clutchpacks will break instead.

I have to agree that in some situations it feels late. If it were to kick in earlier it would feel more like an awd car more often. I cant wait to drive an r33/r34 to compare them.

 

The issue with the R33/R34 is that it always maintains residual pressure on the clutchpacks because otherwise you get the issue with the R32 where the AWD kicks in way too late in a lot of situations. The residual pressure dramatically reduces latency for torque split changes but this means that a little bit of torque is going to the front driveshaft at all times. Not enough to matter, but if you put it on a 2WD dyno without pulling the front driveshaft even with the ATTESA system inactive that residual pressure will still be there and the front/rear speed differential means the clutchpacks will break instead.

Is there an aftermarket ECU that can turned it off completely? Like drop the minimum pressure allowed by factory ECU?

I have to agree that in some situations it feels late. If it were to kick in earlier it would feel more like an awd car more often. I cant wait to drive an r33/r34 to compare them.

I know Full Race has an ECU that is set to increase minimum pressure and reduce lag especially for the R32. Not cheap tho.

https://www.full-race.com/store/nissan/r14-kits/ets-pro-center-diff-torque-split-controller-for-r32-r33-r34-skyline-gt-r-1/

 

Is there an aftermarket ECU that can turned it off completely? Like drop the minimum pressure allowed by factory ECU?

I know Full Race has an ECU that is set to increase minimum pressure and reduce lag especially for the R32. Not cheap tho.

https://www.full-race.com/store/nissan/r14-kits/ets-pro-center-diff-torque-split-controller-for-r32-r33-r34-skyline-gt-r-1/

Nice! but I think for 600$ I will just learn to drive better lol

 

Is there an aftermarket ECU that can turned it off completely? Like drop the minimum pressure allowed by factory ECU?

I know Full Race has an ECU that is set to increase minimum pressure and reduce lag especially for the R32. Not cheap tho.

https://www.full-race.com/store/nissan/r14-kits/ets-pro-center-diff-torque-split-controller-for-r32-r33-r34-skyline-gt-r-1/

I'm pretty sure the issue is that if you pull the fuse the failsafe circuit runs automatically and keeps the pressure as well. General rule is just pull the front propshaft.