mackie
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| posted on 11/2/04 at 02:24 PM |
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Running a Jap import?
I may be getting a new job soon and i'm considering possibly getting an R33 Skyline GTS-T.
Has anyone on here ever run a Jap import and how was it?
I'm quite young so the insurance is high, but then it's cheap to buy so works out about the same cost as a nearly new modern hot hatch.
Things I'm worried about mostly are parts availability and cost (although there is a huuge amount of aftermarket stuff available and plenty of
jap specialists). I just need reassuring that it's not a huge money pit. I know they are reliable cars if they aren't shagged.
-M
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200mph
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| posted on 11/2/04 at 02:44 PM |
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not quite skyline, but my mate has a sunny GT-iR, which melted a piston.
How does £20k grab you?
He replaced more than the piston tho!
I have heard that if you own a skyline, you gotta have deep pockets, as if (when) something goes, its gonna cost you.
However, it is all relative! and they are loverly
Mark
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timf
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| posted on 11/2/04 at 03:02 PM |
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make sure you can either get a re-progged eco or shares in an octane booster company ans jap fuel is 100 ron and you will melt pistions etc if you
run our stuff
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mackie
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| posted on 11/2/04 at 03:37 PM |
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£20k?!! That's insane.
My friend is rebuilding a GTi-R with a blown engine and it's going to cost him more like £3k.
Very good point about the fuel. I'm not sure if that's a standard part of the UKification process (they have to pass SVA ) but
it's definately worth checking. It may just require an ECU reset and a diet of super, I shall investigate.
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200mph
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| posted on 11/2/04 at 04:14 PM |
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well the garage have had it 3 years, but if/when he gets it back, should be 500-550bhp, depending on mapping. One of the fuels on offer by 76 fuels
claims to release another 10%, so should be interesting if he decides to map it on that.
however, he could have picked a better car than a sunny to start with!
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mackie
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| posted on 11/2/04 at 04:29 PM |
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Ah so it is quite highly modified then! A straight engine rebuild would no way cost that much!
They are good little cars but ugly as sin, I much prefer the Skyline, even if it's not as nimble.
It's got a proper man's 6 cylinder engine too
If only i was 35 with full NCB... 
(mind you i'll be saying "sod the NCB I wanna be 25 again" when I'm 35).
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PioneerX
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| posted on 11/2/04 at 04:41 PM |
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Skyline, nice car!!!
You have to disagree with the statement though
quote:
It's got a proper man's 6 cylinder engine too
A true engine need to a V8, no other engine can match that sound
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mackie
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| posted on 11/2/04 at 05:21 PM |
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I don't disagree mate but there's nothing girly about a straight six. Just look at TVR
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timf
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| posted on 11/2/04 at 05:24 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by mackie
Just look at TVR
can't most of them fall apart around the engines
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mackie
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| posted on 11/2/04 at 05:31 PM |
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Carl.H
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| posted on 11/2/04 at 05:35 PM |
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How about a Lambo strait six then 
I drink to make other people interesting.
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timf
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| posted on 11/2/04 at 05:35 PM |
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at least tvr arn`t as bad as lotus esprit
with them you needed a chase car to follow you to pick up the bits that fell off.
a good six was the toyota as fitted to the supra
[Edited on 11/2/04 by timf]
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Carl.H
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| posted on 11/2/04 at 05:49 PM |
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Can you fit the Supra engine in a Luego Verlocity 
Later upgrade for me maybe
I drink to make other people interesting.
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andyps
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| posted on 11/2/04 at 06:49 PM |
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I have heard about skylines doing well over 100k miles with no problems. I guess a lot of it will depend on the power outputs - a well maintained,
relatively unmolested car should be ultra reliable, but probably burn a big hole in your fuel account!
Andy
An expert is someone who knows more and more about less and less
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200mph
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| posted on 11/2/04 at 06:57 PM |
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agreed, the way you drive them dictates how long they last..
my problem with that is, who buys a car like a skyline to worry about reliability/economy etc??
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mackie
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| posted on 11/2/04 at 07:07 PM |
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Just because it's a performance car doesn't mean I have infinite funds or not have a need for something useable. I think it's
perfectly acceptable to expect a Skyline to be reliable, Nissans generally are.
If I can find an untuned one with low miles (less than 40k ideally) then it should last a good long while.
Economy is obviously a problem and anything fast is going to cost a lot in fuel but since my mileage will be quite low it shouldn't be a
problem.
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JoelP
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| posted on 11/2/04 at 11:35 PM |
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my only comment would relate to fuel consumption. some cars, like 300zx's, are very cheap so that anyone can own one, but the fuel bills i found
crippling. I owned two, and the only example i remember about fuel was £40 doing 90 miles. needless to say, thats abismal. 8mpg? WTF! A skyline cant
be much better really, although being newer and smaller it might be a little.
i prefer to buy cars after a service and sell them before the next one, that often avoids some expense...
i think a standard impreza, and definately an evo, is probably faster than a standard skyline, due to the vast weight of the skyline. OK, maybe not
the scooby, but definately the evo...
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GTAddict
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 posted on 12/2/04 at 12:13 PM |
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I've run a 94 Mitsi FTO GPX MIVEC manual for over three years now, and it's hardly skipped a beat. An engine that revs to 8k, over
100kmiles on the clock, only a clutch, new brakes and susp bushes have gone in. Watch out for de-catted cars post 94 - they won't pass
emissions at an MOT.
Crap fuel economy is usually poisoned oxygen sensors. Check your cat is okay first, then shell out the cash - could be as much as £100 each, but
worth it.
Skylines are pretty much bulletproof as standard - any self-respecting R33 fan should have read the EVO back-issues with David Yu's car
"Godzilla". Everything that could be uprated (or broken) on that car got done. I think it was up to 600hp when he chopped it in for a
ragtop F355. (?)
Good luck!
M.
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Simon
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| posted on 12/2/04 at 12:34 PM |
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Mackie,
"Economy is obviously a problem and anything fast is going to cost a lot in fuel but since my mileage will be quite low it shouldn't be a
problem".
Again, that depends on how it's driven. My bike ('busa) has been clocked at 200mph, but on Sat in the 40mph road works on the M25, I was
getting 72.6mpg (fuel computer told me!!). Conversely, at 80 I'll get just over 40, and at 180, I should get about 15
As for reliability (and I've mentioned this on here before), a friend had a GSXR1100H, that he bought new, and sold three years later with
147,000 miles on the clock. It looked a bit tatty, but you would never have guessed the mileage if you rode it.
ATB
Simon
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mackie
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| posted on 12/2/04 at 01:12 PM |
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I'd probably drive it hard fairly rarely, although there are plenty of twist b-roads round here to be discovered
It'd probably be cool at track days too but I imagine it would murder tyres quite effectively.
Want:
Not a GT-R but still fast, rwd and practical enough. It looks new! £7,500 get's you that.
Road angel, hks exhaust, blitz induction, nice wheels and a good stereo all included.
Sooo tempting. I guess I'd better get this job first, wish me luck!
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ned
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| posted on 12/2/04 at 01:20 PM |
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make sure it's standard, i did hear somewhere that on a gt-r they need a new turbo at 70-80,000 miles which isn't cheap.
I'd steer well clear of any messed around with skylines as you just don't know what its had done to it or by who, and what they actually
knew about the mod they were doing.
Ned.
beware, I've got yellow skin
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mackie
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| posted on 12/2/04 at 03:13 PM |
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The plan is to get one as unmodified as possible. Most seem to have an aftermarket SS exhaust (good thing although i'll make sure it has a cat)
and some sort of fancy air filter but I will avoid anything heavily tuned.
It'll be summer before I get it anyway..
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andyps
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| posted on 13/2/04 at 11:22 AM |
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quote:
any self-respecting R33 fan should have read the EVO back-issues with David Yu's car "Godzilla". Everything that could be
uprated (or broken) on that car got done. I think it was up to 600hp when he chopped it in for a ragtop F355. (?)
Good luck!
M.
David Yu said that he swapped the Nissan for the Ferrari because he wanted something more reliable. That was when he was considering swapping back for
something faster than the Ferrari! Not quite the usual take on the two makes.
[Edited on 13/2/04 by andyps]
[Edited on 13/2/04 by andyps]
Andy
An expert is someone who knows more and more about less and less
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Gazza
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| posted on 13/2/04 at 02:29 PM |
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Scooby-dooby-dooo!
High recommend an RB5!!!!
I've got an STiv3 import, 50K miles and well looked after with loads of history. I don't think I'd go back to a normal UK car!
Where else can you pay £15k (plus a bit more for the odd bit of tuning) and get a family sized saloon with £350bhp?
Makes me smile every time I drive it!
If you have to worry about tyres, insurance, running costs (mostly fuel) - don't even think of buying one!
Just a bag o' rusty spanners
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