Hi guys,

I'm new to this forum and had a search to see if I can find any info on this so please bare with me if it's been covered.

I'm looking at buying a '92-'94 (from the research I've done it seems as though these years are the choice to buy ? comfort wise as well as engine wise ..) and am trying to decide whether to buy a TT or a NA.

Insurance aside, and keeping in mind that my girl is going to be driving it as well (not a rev head. but will drive it if its not 'hard to drive').. Which would you guys suggest ? They both seem to be going for about the same price around here (Syd, Australia) - The main things I am concerned about are :

i) Maintenance - Is the TT much more of a pain to keep running ? eg. do the turbos and added bits often cause much trouble ? (I won't really be giving it much of a hard time.. although that said I am partial to a bit of acceleration, and i do like having a powerful car.)

ii) Cost - Does the TT use much more in fuel when driven as a daily driver ?

iii) Power - Do the turbos really make heaps of a difference as a daily driver, I understand they kick in at about 3k RPM ? .. I have a holden Commodore now and I know this sounds soft, but driving around the city i rarely get much past 3k RPM.. although it is an auto. The 300 would 90% chance be a manual.

Any feedback on this would be greatly appreciated guys, Thanks for reading my painfully long post ;)

O we've seen longer bud :D (God that sounded... Gross)

Anyways, Twin Turbo Zeds can be a bitch to maintain... They are FUN cars, but pray every night that nothing goes wrong with them, as they can be expensive to fix.

If I were in your situation... I would get an R32 GTR and drive that. The RB series engines are much easier to get work done to. As Apposed to the VG30DETT (Z32 Twin Turbo).

Zed's must run on 93 Octane, no less. The only case you would put in anything less, would be to make it to a station... With 93 Octane.

Granted, most performance cars require 93.

But either way, Zed's have the attention needs of a small child. (Change my oil! Clean my EGR! Change my water pump! WIPE MY ASS!)

But any sports car is going to be like that... All im saying is the Skyline GTR is much easier to work on, and generally a better car.

Hope you make a choice you can live with.

-Wes

what he said... but i've got a few things to add... if you're buying a TT ZX you're not supposed to be worried about gas, it's going to cost you, but if you have the money to maintain it and pay for insurance, lets hope you're not worried about paying for petrol.

secondly... how experienced is this woman driver? what sort of driving record does she have? if it's nothing less than perfect i wouldn't let her anywhere near this 300 hp rocket.. then again, i suppose i'm stereotyping most women as bad drivers, but hey, a lot of them are pretty bad.. anyway, IMO go stick or go home... the amount of control with a manual is something i would never want to give up... plus it's just so much more fun to drive... double clutching, heel-toe.. you get my drift.. something to do when you take her out for a night of hard driving.

thirdly... how mechanicall inclined are you? are you up to the task of regular maintinence eg, oil changes, cleaning the EGR like Wes said.. doing regular changes and cleaning? if that sounds like too much for you, my suggestion is to go for the skyline or another car, because chances are something is going to break when you're out driving, and if you have no idea how to fix it or what went wrong, you could be digging yourself a grave..
anyway.. just my :2cents:

Precisely... Once again.

Just ONE correction... JDM Zeds are 276bhp due to smaller turbos. Granted, this gives a higher horse power feeling due to a MUCH quicker spool-up time. But in the long-run, USDM Zed's are much faster.

But still... I wouldnt let the girl near it.

"... Which ones the clutch?"

Just messing.

-Wes

Thanks so much for your input guys, I'm starting to lean more towards the NA side now. Although I guess the best way is to go out and see if I can test drive a few :)
The girl is a pretty good driver, she's a good 10yrs older than me. Although, that said, she still freaks out a bit in traffic etc.. I think the reality of it is I'll probably get her another car pretty soon down the track anyways ..

I guess I don't really 'need' all that power, I mean like I stated above, it will be a daily driver. But it would be nice to be able give it to some of the millions of commodores around here :)

I'm not bad with cars, I can do the mundane things myself, short of digginig deep in the engine bay. And have a pretty good mechanical sense.

Do the extra things on the TT, Like the HICAS cause probs ? I've heard ppl say that the HICAS is more of a nusiance than a help. More things to break ?

I guess the main question for me is whether the TT's are going to be too much of a hassle to maintain. :/

Some ppl have told me that if you treat it right, the Z will go forever with minor maintenence, and others have told me that it's a bitch .. I love my cars and so it would get regular servicing etc etc..

Non-Turbo and Turbo Zed's are tough to work on either way.

HICAS (HIgh Capcity Active Steer) does cause problems, and there are HICAS Immobilizer kits made. But typically its just for people who Auto-X their Zed's.

Anyways, I still think you should go with GTR... Personally.

-Wes

As a side note: what the difference between GTSTs and GTRs enginewise (for R32, 33 & 34)?

-Mike

www.UniqueAutoSports.com -> "Vehicles For Sale" -> "GTR's" -> Very bottom... Nice GTR's

-Wes

GTR's were powered by the RB26DETT Engines

RB - Factory Code "Racing Breed/Built"
26 - 2598cc
D - DOHC (Dual Over Head Cam)
E - ECCS (Electronic Concentrate Control System)
TT - Twin Turbo Chargers

276bhp factory rated. AWD (ATTESSA) AWS (HICAS) absolute BEAST.

The GTS-T and GTS-25T Skylines were powered by the RB20DET engine. And the RB25DET (GTS-25T R33)

RB20DET - 220bhp
RB25DET - 250bhp

Love me some RB's man... Cast Iron Bullet Proof Block. :D

-Wes

dude what the other guys have said is all very good advice but u gotta remember bro that they are in the States where skylines r fucken un common, so they all want one!

in Aus u see heeps of them ALL the time so much so that they are too common, i sure ul agree.

With the petrol situation, drive like a granny and ull get quite good milage.
the TT are more expensive to maintian due to the turbos and all the problems they can cause, but ask any TT owner and they say its all worth it.

deffinatly get a manual car, i have no fucken clue why the fuck ppl make sports cars with antomatic transmissions its just stupid!

the above advice is all really good

(exept samhain, Rb does not stand for Race bred, lots and lots of confusion about it, masssive debates on skyline forums and such. it is just an engine code, like VG, that ppl applied the 'race bred' connotation to)

My advice dude get the NA, and if u wanna drop in the TT motor then do so later on, it only costs about $2500 for a good motor, the money u will save buying a NA to start off with u can spend later on on the VG30DETT

just me thow, ur call dude

I'm always pushing the TT.

Your call.

Or you could just get a spare JATO solid stage booster rocket (capable of 10,000+ lbs of thrust in about 3 seconds from ignition) and strap a saddle to it.

good advice from everyone, however, i must suggest not to take it as gospel... in the end it's your decision, which may or may not be based on the advice you have received. it's good that everyone here is not pushing something that is the absolute bottom line thing you Must do... even if you go a different route.. stick around with these guys.. they're a good group

PistolPete I said RB was Factory Code. RB is just rumored to stand for "Racing Built/Breed"

You obviously didnt read what I said about Skylines. Im not one of these kids going "OOOOOOOO GET A SKYLINE!!!!"... Im saying get a Skyline because they are much easier to work on, and dont have the needs of a VG (By the way, the V in VG signifies engine alignment... VH45DE, VK56DE, VQ33E... All V6 Engines)

Skylines are simply built better. Nothing against Zed's, I love them.

But really dude... You like cussing quite a bit. I see why you annoy MikeMan now... Because your annoying me with this.

And ChaosAngel... Do whatever you please... Either way you win. :D

-Wes

O and PistolPete...

Keep in mind to do a Twin Turbo swap it takes a LOT more than just the engine.

Yes the Twin Turbo engine may only be $2,500 (In the states) But then you have the ECU that must be changed, the EFI Wiring, Transmission, Rear End. More work than you make it sound.

-Wes

word, yo~!

First off...get a TT if you want a TT or get an N/A if you want an N/A. With few exceptions, swaps, in my oppinion, are for the indecisive.

As for maintaining them and fuel costs, what everyone said it right. Powerwise, the diff between a TT and an N/A is HUGE. I've driven 2 N/As and didn't think they were all that fast...but the TTs are. Yet to drive one, though. :rolleyes:

The chick issue...I would NOT let 99% of girls I've met get anywhere NEAR the driver's seat of my Z31T...and it's not even that fast yet. The vast majority of girls I've known/do know are the worst drivers ever. Guys get reemed on insurance cuz we're worse drivers? Bull...girls are just lucky. One girl I know managed to roll her SATURN!!!

Im not one of these kids going "OOOOOOOO GET A SKYLINE!!!!"

I am...kinda. I'd give my right nut for the R33 on top (http://www.uniqueautosports.com/forsale_gtr.htm) in a heart beat, and I'm not kidding...I have 2...no biggie. That car would go for a boat load 'o money over here...and you guys get them so cheap...I'm moving to aus...:p I would get a GT-R if I could, but you're just going to use it as a daily driver. For that, I'd get a 300 N/A. Nice, comfortable cars that aren't too expensive and are pretty reliable...good for dd's.

so much more fun to drive... double clutching

You watch the Fast and the Furious one too many times? Double clutching used to be used to get older cars into gear before syncro-mesh transmissions were made...

Or you could just get a spare JATO solid stage booster rocket (capable of 10,000+ lbs of thrust in about 3 seconds from ignition) and strap a saddle to it.

Chaos, meet Broke...Broke...Chaos...he's a tad out there at times. :p j/k

Chaos, meet Broke...Broke...Chaos...he's a tad out there at times. :p j/k

Haha... Thats the best pychological break-down of Broke that I've ever heard... Yet its so simple.

-Wes

You watch the Fast and the Furious one too many times? Double clutching used to be used to get older cars into gear before syncro-mesh transmissions were made...
uh huh, and it also is quite a bit easier on the synco's, giving them a longer life.. i dunno about you, but i don't like putting my car through unnecesary wear and tear.. and yes i've watched F&F too many times... it's always nice to laugh once in a while:rolleyes:

i would say go with the TT! I test drove an n/a and it was alright but i'm glad a got the TT. as for mechanical problems, any car will give you problems if not taken care of. dont be scare to get a TT! nissan didn't designed the car for it to break down that easy but eventually the car will give in to tare n ware. i don't know whats the best year model were u are but here in the USA i believe 91-95 are the best year models. i have a 96 not knowing the power loss do to emissions law but its not so bad cause it still pulls hard.

Haha... Thats the best pychological break-down of Broke that I've ever heard... Yet its so simple.

Glad you like that, Sam.

uh huh, and it also is quite a bit easier on the synco's, giving them a longer life.. i dunno about you, but i don't like putting my car through unnecesary wear and tear.. and yes i've watched F&F too many times... it's always nice to laugh once in a while.

It makes no difference at all...that's like saying you pump your brakes in your new cuz it's easier on them, even though you have power brakes...it's not really true and it makes NO difference at all when it comes to reliability. The point I was trying to make was that if you did that shit in a race, you'd be slower than if you didn't, yet it's still the trendy little phrase to use around "racing" circles. All in all...quit saying that...say "half clutching" if you must say something...at least it makes a little more sense.

i would say go with the TT! I test drove an n/a and it was alright but i'm glad a got the TT.

I drove a couple N/As as well and I wasn't horribly impressed with the 'go' aspect of them. However, it takes a bit of driving to get the full potential out of any car...so I know they could have been better. Also, I don't think they were running at 100%, either. They would be fine for a daily driver, but not so hot for all out racing purposes.

as for mechanical problems, any car will give you problems if not taken care of. dont be scare to get a TT! nissan didn't designed the car for it to break down that easy but eventually the car will give in to tare n ware.

Any car will give you problems if not taken care of? Sure...I guess...but what you have to think about is how long can it take before dying. I did damn near NO maintanence on my first Z31 for YEARS and it ran great...try doing that to a mustang....focus....malibu....neon....etc....no thanks...THAT'S why I say Zs are very reliable. Tare 'n ware....LOL.....that sounds like a new trend in clothes buying or something...

samhain
dude i didnt mean to sound like i was telling u off or something, with the RB series there has been SO much debate about it, didnt meen it to bother u hey, just a comment.

and yeh the engine swap is far more work than i made it sound like but it is still always an option, being as he says mechanically minded, with some help it wouldnt be impossible.

peace man

P

well I know how expensive maintaining Z32 can be. but honestly speaking, still I say my Z has been very nice so far, considering it's a 14 year old sports car. So all of your saying maintain turbos are handful, but anyone mind elaborating this process? And what makes them so tiring to work on? Having TT, does it mean it will necessarily put stress on the engine from the get to go? I was thinking of switching to TT, so... thanks.

It being a turbo doesn't make THAT much of a difference except for the fact that the added power will probably evoke different driving habits than the meager 222hp N/A would...this in turn could end up stressing the car more.

There are also more parts involved in a turbo car than an N/A car, so it is a bit more complicated to work on.

i don't think the turbos put any stress to the engine since the engine was ment to handle 2 turbos. the engine was designed to handle stress or else nissan wouldn't have added turbos

I know...that's not what I meant. I mean that it might be stressed more than an N/A engine because of the driving habits that the TT driver is likely to use as opposed to the N/A driver. Most people will drive a TT a lot harder because it's faster than the N/A, therefore, this COULD put more stress on the engine of the TT.

Hey guys, I just want to express how awesome you all have been with this and how much of a help it is to have such experienced advice. Apologies for not getting back on here (been extremely busy) but this has helped me so much.

I am now leaning more towards a '92 NA (or '94 model if I can find one for a good price) I spoke to a mechanic friend of mine over the weekend (he does all the mainenance on my cars that I cannot do myself) and he advised that not many ppl like working on them, but that he would for me. I have come to the conclusion that i PROBABLY won't really need the TT seeing as it sounds as tho the turbos take a little time to spool, and being that I live in the city, and don't get on the highway much anymore. Besides, the girl is a good driver, but I can just see her giving it a little to overtake someone, and then the turbos kicking and ..BAM. I don't have the money to pay off that Beamer she just ran up the back of.

:)

Still have yet to test drive any, and as soon as I do I guess I may change my mind .. I'll let you all know how it goes.

Oh I just found out about the 15 year rule the other day, and have been looking at some CHEAP AS '89 model 300's on import sites .. maybe it's worth saving 5-7grand to get the earlier model... HMMM