Nissan GTR R35 Buyers guide (2008-2023) Avoid buying a broken GTR (3.8 V6 Twin Turbo)

Aug 3, 2023

Nissan GTR R35 Buyers guide (2008-2023) Avoid buying a broken GTR (3.8 V6 Twin Turbo)

Used Nissan GTR R35 (Skyline) 2008-2024 Buyers guide for VR38 DETT 3.8-Litre V6 Twin Turbo. Avoid buying a broken used Nissan R35 GTR by reading our maintenance and recalls guide for both owners and buyers to help understand the cost of ownership. Find the Nissan GTR at the right price that can perform on-road and on track. Looking for the best second hand Nissan GTR to buy and while in the USA and Japan the GTR can still be bought new when looking for a used GTR the price to pay can be difficult but our GTR review can help. This buyer’s guide covers the R35 Nissan GTR from 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 in all trims. We show the common faults and what you need to know before buying a Nissan GTR buying a Nissan GTR from Japan. Although the Nissan GTR is known for great reliability there can still be problems if you don’t know what to check. We also discuss MPG, BHP, and the dates engines. We also highlight the years of updates including 2011 and the wider update in 2015 along with Nismo models. Owners of Nissan GTR vehicles may also find our guide helpful for its list of things to look out for including how reliable the car is.

The issues discussed in our buyer’s guide to the Nissan GTR include gearbox updates and steering knuckles, along with overall reliability and power upgrades over the eras of the engine.

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Legal and disclaimer - Any content not originally created by The Miles Driven remains the property of the original owner and is editorialised for media reporting. All content is used within the confines of media reporting/editorial use and is transformative in nature to inform others with new information and content about cars and vehicles. We use no more of the original content than necessary in alignment with U.S copyright law for fair use and U.K fair dealing. We accept no liability for the purchase of vehicles using our guide and suggest thorough due diligence by individual professional inspections before making a buying decision.

Content

0 -> the R35 Nissan GTR has spent over a

3.36 -> decade in production and will be the

5.16 -> last purely combustion engine powered

7.08 -> GTR it will be remembered for many

9.12 -> reasons but the Nissan Skyline

11.04 -> Enthusiast Community the R35 ushered in

14.34 -> many critical firsts for many fans one

17.1 -> of the most important was that unlike

19.08 -> the R34 Skyline GTR and those before it

22.38 -> the R35 GTR was to become a world car

25.74 -> available in left-hand drive and across

28.38 -> all major markets Productions started in

30.9 -> late 2007 with the first customer

32.94 -> deliveries made in 2008 as 2009 model

36.48 -> year vehicles built in kaminakawa tojigi

39.66 -> prefecture Japan the GTR has gone

42.36 -> through several iterations and updates

44.34 -> as an interesting aside during the

46.2 -> development of the GTR the Infiniti G35

49.26 -> that was in production at the time was

51.3 -> used as a test mule in 2004 for the GTR

54.239 -> the exterior was deliberately left as

56.699 -> unaltered as possible although a quick

58.739 -> glance reveals bulkier rear quarters and

61.379 -> a squared front end underneath were the

63.84 -> early Mechanicals of what would evolve

65.519 -> into the production GTR

67.38 -> full markets with the exception of Japan

69.6 -> and North America the R35 GTR is no

72.72 -> longer offered as crash safety

74.46 -> protection in Australia and New noise

76.5 -> laws in the UK and the EU resulted in

78.96 -> Nissan no longer being able to offer the

80.7 -> vehicle for sale sales of the 2024 model

83.46 -> year will be conducted through 2023 up

86.7 -> to an unspecified limit number in the

88.86 -> remaining markets one area of note when

91.32 -> searching for a used example of a GTR is

93.9 -> the multiple revisions that Nissan has

95.88 -> made to the model since its release

97.92 -> some of these are minor upgrades others

100.259 -> are more pronounced changes if you've

102.24 -> been searching and found a notable price

103.979 -> difference between two model years then

106.079 -> you are likely looking between two

107.52 -> updates first we'll cover Nissan's

109.74 -> recalls for the GTR and common faults

112.14 -> look out for when searching where

114.42 -> possible will highlight the country or

116.22 -> region specific recalls in February 2015

119.88 -> a recall was issued for 2009 model year

122.64 -> vehicles for a steering column tube we

125.64 -> found this recall issued in North

127.2 -> America however a number of recalled

129.42 -> Vehicles by Nissan suggest it was a

131.22 -> wider recall across world markets in

134.099 -> November 2015 a recall was issued for

136.5 -> 2016 model year vehicles only a small

139.739 -> number of cars were affected this recall

142.2 -> was for a missing certification label

144.18 -> pertaining to the vehicle's loading and

146.099 -> appears to have been limited to North

147.84 -> American GTRs in 2019 a recall was

151.68 -> issued for a number of GTR Vehicles

153.3 -> fitted with reversing cameras after a

155.7 -> report of the backup display becoming

157.44 -> inoperative

158.58 -> a wide number of Nissan vehicles were

160.5 -> affected by this recall including a

162.599 -> number of GTRs sold across the world a

165.239 -> recall for steering Knuckles that can

166.92 -> deform was announced in May 2021 a

170.22 -> chassis run was not announced but these

172.14 -> appear to have been listed across World

173.7 -> Markets finally although not officially

176.04 -> a recall a service bulletin and

178.14 -> voluntary service campaign coded

180.62 -> p-3208 was conducted in March 2013 for

184.86 -> model years from 2009 to 2011 to replace

188.28 -> steering lock assembly with a new unit

190.2 -> part number

194.18 -> d-8700-jf00d the original item was not

196.62 -> found to fail or affect safety but a

198.599 -> number of owners were reporting a

199.92 -> failure to start their vehicles due to

201.84 -> steering lock not initiating in the USA

204.48 -> this service bulletin is coded

209.84 -> sb-1005-1829-6628 and in the UK it is

212.159 -> coded NCA 2013 forward slash 008 next up

217.5 -> we have the common areas to look for

218.94 -> when searching for a GTR but we'll start

221.159 -> with a housekeeping note although

223.08 -> service history is important a closer

225.299 -> inspection should be made of who would

226.92 -> service the GTR you are looking at a

229.2 -> number of specialists at Nissan GTR

231 -> dealers with performance centers are

233.099 -> capable of Thoroughly servicing and

234.9 -> inspecting a GTR Nissan wasn't messing

237.72 -> around when they launched the GTR and

239.76 -> one of the reasons for the delay of the

241.26 -> European market beginning deliveries in

243.06 -> 2009 instead of 2008 like the USA and

246.599 -> Canada was that Nissan needed to outfit

248.879 -> enough dealers with performance centers

250.739 -> to handle the GTR

252.78 -> if looking between one with Nissan or

254.939 -> well-respected GTR specialist history

256.979 -> versus unspecialized garages for

259.38 -> servicing a price premium is to be

261.54 -> expected

262.56 -> if looking for an early GTR manufactured

264.9 -> in 2008 or 2009 you might find the

267.72 -> gearbox doesn't shift as smoothly as

269.639 -> desired or a short delay might be

271.56 -> noticeable

272.52 -> ask a seller if the transmission control

274.44 -> module has ever been reprogrammed if not

276.84 -> then updating it to a 2010 model year

279.12 -> software should give a nice small

280.979 -> Improvement any GTR displaying a limp

283.919 -> home mode due to the gearbox is likely

285.9 -> suffering from a failed Transmission

287.3 -> solenoid replacing the part is one of

290.16 -> the first areas most Specialists will

291.78 -> advise to rectify the issue it is

294.06 -> strongly advised not to continue using

295.8 -> the vehicle if a solenoid has failed as

297.9 -> it could lead to Extreme Wear of other

299.58 -> gearbox Parts making it more expensive

301.979 -> and time consuming to rectify as Nissan

304.08 -> usually only provide a replacement as an

306.479 -> entire gearbox unit however many

308.28 -> specialists can replace parts or upgrade

310.259 -> Parts if you suffer a failure 2011

313.08 -> onwards cars suffer this issue much less

315.6 -> and by 2013 the gearbox issues are

318.54 -> almost unheard of for any standard or

320.82 -> lightly tuned GTR inspect the rear shock

323.4 -> absorbers as best as possible before

325.139 -> purchase older GTRs in particular are

327.96 -> suffering this failure some owners take

330.12 -> this as an opportunity to upgrade all

331.86 -> four shock absorb orbers if a GTR has

334.199 -> been stored for a long period of time or

336.18 -> is an early model then the failure of

337.919 -> the ABS pump has been known to happen a

340.08 -> replacement pump resolves the issue look

342.3 -> for any signs of watering risks into the

344.28 -> boot or as some call it trunk area a

346.979 -> design floor where the lid and bumper

348.72 -> meets can allow the build off of dirt

350.34 -> and road Grime resulting in water being

352.62 -> able to be channeled away to the ground

354.3 -> any clicking noises from the front wheel

356.52 -> hubs can be resolved by dismantling

358.44 -> cleaning and applying copper Grease the

360.72 -> hubs can accumulate dirt leading to

362.46 -> corrosion causing this issue assuming

364.62 -> the corrosion can be treated and is no

366.479 -> longer compromising a component The Hub

368.699 -> should no longer click after treatment

370.32 -> make sure to crank up the speakers and

372.6 -> listen for Distortion or rattling from

374.46 -> the Bose speakers this is becoming

376.5 -> somewhat of a common failure and

378.24 -> although fairly easy to fix it will take

379.979 -> a competent garage a few hours labor

381.9 -> plus new parts to get you enjoying your

383.88 -> favorite Tunes again if you view a

385.919 -> vehicle and find the intelligent key is

387.539 -> inoperable and likely causes water

389.639 -> Ingress causing poor contact with the

392.039 -> key as corrosion builds finally there is

394.56 -> one of the most common faults reported a

396.78 -> rattle from the bell housing between the

398.52 -> engine and gearbox the volume of the

400.56 -> noise varies on a case-by-case basis so

402.96 -> make sure to have a good listen standing

404.58 -> in different areas around the vehicle

406.139 -> and on a test drive have someone in the

408.419 -> passenger seat with you also listening

410.34 -> out on their side the noise is a faulty

412.62 -> bearing at the end of the shaft and an

414.6 -> aftermarket part can be designed to

416.52 -> better withstand temperature cycles and

418.56 -> should rectify the issue before we move

420.66 -> on to the engine we'll make two notes

422.34 -> firstly inspect all four tires across

424.62 -> the tread on any possible purchase

426.3 -> eyewear is common for owners that

428.4 -> regularly Drive their GTR

429.539 -> enthusiastically and due to the

431.46 -> all-wheel drive system it is advisable

433.38 -> to change all four tires at one time

435.419 -> secondly when looking at a possible used

437.4 -> purchase the GTR can give you more

439.199 -> information than its owner a Bluetooth

441.18 -> interface that interacts with the car

443.16 -> can with the owner's permission allow

445.62 -> you to see the saved data of the car's

447.36 -> performance this includes the number of

449.28 -> standing launches and high gearbox oil

451.68 -> temperature alert it along with if the

453.78 -> car has been tuned such connections

455.88 -> should only ever be used after the

457.38 -> consent of the owner or garage selling

459.24 -> the vehicle is obtained although it

460.979 -> cannot tell you everything it can give

462.9 -> you some insight into how hard the GTR

464.819 -> you are viewing has been driven although

466.74 -> we would stress that the GTR is a robust

468.96 -> vehicle and as long as it has been

470.58 -> maintained well it can stand up to a lot

472.74 -> of high demand driving next up is the

474.9 -> engine a reminder that if you're

476.099 -> enjoying the video to leave a like and

477.84 -> consider subscribing as you never know

479.639 -> what car you might want next although

481.319 -> the motor in the GTR remains a 3.8 liter

483.72 -> twin turbocharger V6 coated vr38 DET

487.819 -> featuring a 60 degree angle and parallel

490.86 -> turbos up to the date that we have

492.599 -> created this guide Nissan appeared to

494.699 -> never really be finished tuning the

496.259 -> engine updates are consistent however to

498.78 -> simplify things we'll highlight the

500.34 -> three areas of this motor these are the

502.74 -> engines coded

504.319 -> cba-r35 which was the first iteration

506.819 -> built into 2010 then dbar 35 that began

511.319 -> being fitted in 2000 2010 until 2016.

514.979 -> both of these share a red line of 7000

517.32 -> RPM and then there is the

520.159 -> 4ba-535 fitted in 2016 until today that

524.279 -> raised the red line to 7100 RPM

527.7 -> we noted that across World Markets

529.86 -> slight differences in power ratings were

531.66 -> given likely due to differences in

533.76 -> testing and fuel rather than the motor

535.74 -> itself Nissan also made minor power

538.08 -> upgrades during the three eras and bumps

540.42 -> in between again we'll simplify things

542.82 -> by using generally accepted power bands

545.1 -> across the three engines but note a

547.56 -> particular model year in your home

549.12 -> market May Vary slightly power in the

552.18 -> CBA engine was rated between 473 to 478

556.86 -> brake horsepower in the DBA motor it

559.38 -> rises to 523 up to 542 brake horsepower

563.94 -> and in the 4ba motor a world figure of

567.14 -> 557 brake horsepower is generally

569.7 -> accepted Nismo and track additions are

572.519 -> rated at 592 brake horsepower and the

575.58 -> GTR R50 was rated at 710 brake

579.18 -> horsepower there is also an array of

581.04 -> special edition limited production

582.48 -> vehicles with varying power outputs but

585.06 -> as these were generally produced in

586.56 -> single digits we'll leave them aside for

588.839 -> this guide if we have missed the model

590.519 -> or power output you feel is worth

592.14 -> mentioning to a used buyer please add it

594.24 -> in the comments below fuel economy

595.98 -> varies across the years for a variety of

597.959 -> reasons including Nissan's upgrades but

601.14 -> also because fuel economy figures were

602.94 -> harmonized across World Markets during

604.92 -> the GTR production making newer models

607.44 -> appear less efficient when in fact the

609.48 -> testing standards have changed due to

611.76 -> this we're going to quote an average

612.959 -> figure of UK 23 miles per gallon USA 19

617.22 -> miles per gallon and 12.28 liters per

620.399 -> 100 kilometers we found very few areas

623.22 -> of common concern with the motor in the

625.08 -> GTR

625.86 -> fueling issues and misfires came out on

628.38 -> top but they can also suffer overheating

630.6 -> due to a failed thermostat we would

633.12 -> stress though that the number of reports

634.56 -> on well maintained Vehicles was

636.36 -> incredibly low these issues appear to

638.58 -> arise on examples that had not received

640.38 -> all of their scheduled maintenance or

642.24 -> were not cared for by a recognized

644.04 -> Specialist or Nissan performance center

645.959 -> engine rebuilds have been recorded

648.06 -> however the reasons behind these vary

650.1 -> and we found more than one example of a

652.079 -> buyer getting the cheapest GTR they

653.94 -> could find and then getting the engine

655.38 -> overhauled and tuned by a specialist

657.3 -> this skews the figures on engine

658.92 -> rebuilds owners wanting to chase

660.839 -> four-figure horsepower and so buying

663.06 -> examples that may have been in great

664.56 -> condition than electing to rebuild them

666.36 -> to get all the major work done for a

668.16 -> high horsepower build in one go is not

670.38 -> uncommon once these engines exceed a

672.54 -> thousand brake horsepower it is

674.339 -> generally accepted that all bets are off

676.14 -> for engine longevity especially as heavy

678.72 -> track use and constant standing start

680.7 -> launches cause even the best engineered

683.04 -> Mechanicals to fail sooner rather than

685.32 -> later GTR engines are not perfect and

688.2 -> being hand built there will be some

689.94 -> variants between Motors but Nissan's

692.339 -> tight tolerances and dedication of the

694.32 -> Nissan staff that build these motors at

696.24 -> the factory mean that the GTR has

698.16 -> maintained a very strong record of

699.779 -> reliability from its engine and with

702.12 -> correct maintenance there really is a

704.1 -> little of concern older examples in

706.38 -> standard form are now being seen with

708.36 -> well over a hundred thousand miles

709.68 -> receiving only regular scheduled

711.779 -> maintenance for our picks there is a

714.06 -> balance to be struck a 2011 model year

717 -> seems to be the best mix of

718.38 -> affordability and updates if looking at

720.48 -> the higher end of the budget the Bayside

722.519 -> blue color that originally featured on

724.44 -> the R34 GTR was introduced in 2019 for

728.459 -> the 2020 model year along with several

730.8 -> other minor updates as ever all the best

733.26 -> with your car search

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7qtVCaqm18