GTR one year reliability/ durability review
10-19-09, 12:16 PM
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GTR one year reliability/ durability review
I know there are a lot of car enthusiasts on this forum and a lot of knowledgeable people as well. Since GTR is the most criticized car ever built, both in terms of its reliability and its performance, I thought I'd write few words about my experience with the car.
I bought a GTR last in the summer of 08, was delivered in October of 08. I actually turned in an 08 997 Turbo for it, which I owned for a weeks before deciding to a GTR. Since I road race cars/bikes I purchased the car entirely for its performance, which to me was absolutely mind boggling for a under 100G. At that time I ordered it, this whole tranny fiasco hadn't taken place, so I was quite excited and looking forward to getting in the car. Once the complaints about the tranny started to come in, it did scare me, but I didn't cancel the order and pressd on.
I got the car in October, did a couple of track days before the winter, car felt amazing, the amount of grip it provided felt unreal. I have had the privilege to road race a C6 Z06 and a 997 GT2, though not for a long period of time, but enough times to get feel of the GT2. So I was able to compare the GTR with other cars in its category. The conclusion, there are thing you can do with the GTR on the track that you can never do in a 997 or a Z06. You can break deeper, you can a higher entry speed, you can get on the gas earlier, the GTR chassis/drivetrain seems to be so well built that it allows you to be stupid with the car.
Moving on, that winter (around Nov. 08) I visited Switzer Performance Innovation, because they are in my backyard and because good friends of mine get their Porsches Tuned and maintained from Switzer. Tym Switzer, the owner of the facility, happened to be a big GTR fan and he expressed some interest in looking at the GTR. I agreed to have Tym evaluate the car. About a week after I dropped the car off, Tym called me and said "there is a lot we can do with this car, it all depends on what you have planned for this car, but the potential is huge" and I told him that "I plan on road racing it" So that was the beginning of I working with Switzer.
About 4 months later Tym developed a package for the GTR, P800, that would suit road racing and the same time would maintain daily drive ability of the vehicle.
Car put out 707 AWHP with this package. In march of 09, we rented a track in PA, Bearver Run and tested the car. Simply put car was an animal. It achieved a 58 sec lap in snow/ wet conditions. Just to put it in perspective, Very fast sports cars with good drivers do it in 102 sec. That demonstrated the power and the control this car provides.
So through out the summer I have done track day after track day with my car. Car has total of 6700 Miles of which around 4000 are track miles. Car ran the mildly tuned P800 package. Through out the whole year, I have not had a single reliability issue with the car. Car hasn't broken down once. I have maintained it well, changed fluids according to the schedule.
Fast forward to this fall. Since Road racing season in this region is over we, Switzer and I, decided to participate in the one mile run event, to demonstrate the cars power and to gather data, because we hadn't really done any drag racing with it. We tuned P800 package for straight speed and about couple of weeks ago, we took the car down to Florida and participated in Florida Mile Marker event. It was a hot, humid, horrible day to race a car, but we managed a 195 MPH run. Car didn't show a hint of stress even with a 140 surface temperature. I believe we would have gotten ot at least would have came close to 200 MPH, but as Tym kept fine tuning it, the clutches started slipping, so we realized the full potential of the stock clutches.
Over this weekend, I decided to take the car to a drag strip to see what it would do.
in my first run, car managed a 141 MPH 10.8 run. I did another run back to back and got a 141 10.7.
It has been the first GTR to break into 140s
Car is still on stock tires, which are All Season Dunlops.
I was satisfied with the outcome and then I drove the car home and I had driven it there.
Its tranny, perhaps the most criticized part of this car, has held up just fine. No sign of any stress, no hick ups, and its completely bone stock.
So far I have been very pleased with the car. It has made 800 HP all year long and I have road raced it, dragged it, have participated in the mile long run and car keeps delivering and we keep pushing it with optimal reliability and durability.
Please feel free to shoot any questions.
/
http://jalopnik.com/5385154/switzer-...-standing-mile
I bought a GTR last in the summer of 08, was delivered in October of 08. I actually turned in an 08 997 Turbo for it, which I owned for a weeks before deciding to a GTR. Since I road race cars/bikes I purchased the car entirely for its performance, which to me was absolutely mind boggling for a under 100G. At that time I ordered it, this whole tranny fiasco hadn't taken place, so I was quite excited and looking forward to getting in the car. Once the complaints about the tranny started to come in, it did scare me, but I didn't cancel the order and pressd on.
I got the car in October, did a couple of track days before the winter, car felt amazing, the amount of grip it provided felt unreal. I have had the privilege to road race a C6 Z06 and a 997 GT2, though not for a long period of time, but enough times to get feel of the GT2. So I was able to compare the GTR with other cars in its category. The conclusion, there are thing you can do with the GTR on the track that you can never do in a 997 or a Z06. You can break deeper, you can a higher entry speed, you can get on the gas earlier, the GTR chassis/drivetrain seems to be so well built that it allows you to be stupid with the car.
Moving on, that winter (around Nov. 08) I visited Switzer Performance Innovation, because they are in my backyard and because good friends of mine get their Porsches Tuned and maintained from Switzer. Tym Switzer, the owner of the facility, happened to be a big GTR fan and he expressed some interest in looking at the GTR. I agreed to have Tym evaluate the car. About a week after I dropped the car off, Tym called me and said "there is a lot we can do with this car, it all depends on what you have planned for this car, but the potential is huge" and I told him that "I plan on road racing it" So that was the beginning of I working with Switzer.
About 4 months later Tym developed a package for the GTR, P800, that would suit road racing and the same time would maintain daily drive ability of the vehicle.
Car put out 707 AWHP with this package. In march of 09, we rented a track in PA, Bearver Run and tested the car. Simply put car was an animal. It achieved a 58 sec lap in snow/ wet conditions. Just to put it in perspective, Very fast sports cars with good drivers do it in 102 sec. That demonstrated the power and the control this car provides.
So through out the summer I have done track day after track day with my car. Car has total of 6700 Miles of which around 4000 are track miles. Car ran the mildly tuned P800 package. Through out the whole year, I have not had a single reliability issue with the car. Car hasn't broken down once. I have maintained it well, changed fluids according to the schedule.
Fast forward to this fall. Since Road racing season in this region is over we, Switzer and I, decided to participate in the one mile run event, to demonstrate the cars power and to gather data, because we hadn't really done any drag racing with it. We tuned P800 package for straight speed and about couple of weeks ago, we took the car down to Florida and participated in Florida Mile Marker event. It was a hot, humid, horrible day to race a car, but we managed a 195 MPH run. Car didn't show a hint of stress even with a 140 surface temperature. I believe we would have gotten ot at least would have came close to 200 MPH, but as Tym kept fine tuning it, the clutches started slipping, so we realized the full potential of the stock clutches.
Over this weekend, I decided to take the car to a drag strip to see what it would do.
in my first run, car managed a 141 MPH 10.8 run. I did another run back to back and got a 141 10.7.
It has been the first GTR to break into 140s
Car is still on stock tires, which are All Season Dunlops.
I was satisfied with the outcome and then I drove the car home and I had driven it there.
Its tranny, perhaps the most criticized part of this car, has held up just fine. No sign of any stress, no hick ups, and its completely bone stock.
So far I have been very pleased with the car. It has made 800 HP all year long and I have road raced it, dragged it, have participated in the mile long run and car keeps delivering and we keep pushing it with optimal reliability and durability.
Please feel free to shoot any questions.
http://jalopnik.com/5385154/switzer-...-standing-mile
Last edited by Jujharoo; 10-19-09 at 01:33 PM. Reason: added info.
10-19-09, 12:53 PM
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Nice to hear you've had a great experience so far.
Just to add to that a little bit, it's not just the drivetrain/chassis that is so well built, you can also thank all the electronic "wizardry" that allows you to be stupid with the car.
Just to add to that a little bit, it's not just the drivetrain/chassis that is so well built, you can also thank all the electronic "wizardry" that allows you to be stupid with the car.
10-19-09, 12:58 PM
#3
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Congragulations. I'm glad you enjoy the car. 
It's a real bummer to spend that kind of money and then get a car one ends up disliking.
Is it worth it to you, though, to lose the factory warranty? You may have done that by both making major mods and running it on a track. If the tranny clutches DO go soon (most of the problems, from what I have read, have been with the Launch Control), you may get none or only partial help from the factory.
It's a real bummer to spend that kind of money and then get a car one ends up disliking. Is it worth it to you, though, to lose the factory warranty? You may have done that by both making major mods and running it on a track. If the tranny clutches DO go soon (most of the problems, from what I have read, have been with the Launch Control), you may get none or only partial help from the factory.
10-19-09, 01:18 PM
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I do understand that even with traction off, electronics still play a role, but personally I have never minded that. For me that objective has been better lap times.
Congragulations. I'm glad you enjoy the car. It's a real bummer to spend that kind of money and then get a car one ends up disliking.
Is it worth it to you, though, to lose the factory warranty? You may have done that by both making major mods and running it on a track. If the tranny clutches DO go soon (most of the problems, from what I have read, have been with the Launch Control), you may get none or only partial help from the factory.
It's a real bummer to spend that kind of money and then get a car one ends up disliking. Is it worth it to you, though, to lose the factory warranty? You may have done that by both making major mods and running it on a track. If the tranny clutches DO go soon (most of the problems, from what I have read, have been with the Launch Control), you may get none or only partial help from the factory.
I understand the dealer will cover nothing on the car anymore, because even the electronics have been modified, but I will not hold dealer responsible for anything. If something does go wrong, it will probably be because of I (us) pushing it harder.
I have used the LC, its useless for me. I don't really drag race it much.
10-19-09, 01:29 PM
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Another point I want to make guys.
Sorry I completely for got this, but its critical.
This car is a very high maintenance if you road race it. In fact, its the highest maintenance car I have owned.
If you road race and you follow the factory maintenance schedule...
Tranny/ Diff every 3000 Miles or if the tranny temp reaches 279. $2000 + dending on where you go.
Brakes $4000 to $6000 all around. Depending on what you get. pads alone are a $500-600. Since its a huge car, it eats up a lot of brakes.
Tires $2000 every 4 to 5 Track days
Engine oil DIY $100. dealer $195
All the other fluids Brake/ steering (don't have an account yet)
Luckily, there is a decent aftermarket support. But you still spend quite a bit.
Maintenance is the biggest turn off about this car.
but if you just daily drive it, its not so bad.
Sorry I completely for got this, but its critical.
This car is a very high maintenance if you road race it. In fact, its the highest maintenance car I have owned.
If you road race and you follow the factory maintenance schedule...
Tranny/ Diff every 3000 Miles or if the tranny temp reaches 279. $2000 + dending on where you go.
Brakes $4000 to $6000 all around. Depending on what you get. pads alone are a $500-600. Since its a huge car, it eats up a lot of brakes.
Tires $2000 every 4 to 5 Track days
Engine oil DIY $100. dealer $195
All the other fluids Brake/ steering (don't have an account yet)
Luckily, there is a decent aftermarket support. But you still spend quite a bit.
Maintenance is the biggest turn off about this car.
but if you just daily drive it, its not so bad.
10-19-09, 01:33 PM
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10-19-09, 01:38 PM
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10-19-09, 01:39 PM
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Thank you so much for this review, wonderful!!! Your GT-R is amazing and its so good to see you drive it how it should!
I'm laughing slightly b/c I just took my GS 450h to the drag and I did a 14.0 1/4 mile at 101 mph. The GT-Rs performance is just staggering!!!
I'm laughing slightly b/c I just took my GS 450h to the drag and I did a 14.0 1/4 mile at 101 mph. The GT-Rs performance is just staggering!!!
10-19-09, 01:58 PM
#11
That is pretty bad ***.
As stated above, nice to hear from an actual owner rather than all this internet heresy and what not. Hearing from an owner of a modded GT-R all that much better!
As stated above, nice to hear from an actual owner rather than all this internet heresy and what not. Hearing from an owner of a modded GT-R all that much better!
10-19-09, 04:57 PM
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Another point I want to make guys.
Sorry I completely for got this, but its critical.
This car is a very high maintenance if you road race it. In fact, its the highest maintenance car I have owned.
If you road race and you follow the factory maintenance schedule...
Tranny/ Diff every 3000 Miles or if the tranny temp reaches 279. $2000 + dending on where you go.
Brakes $4000 to $6000 all around. Depending on what you get. pads alone are a $500-600. Since its a huge car, it eats up a lot of brakes.
Tires $2000 every 4 to 5 Track days
Engine oil DIY $100. dealer $195
All the other fluids Brake/ steering (don't have an account yet)
Luckily, there is a decent aftermarket support. But you still spend quite a bit.
Maintenance is the biggest turn off about this car.
but if you just daily drive it, its not so bad.
Sorry I completely for got this, but its critical.
This car is a very high maintenance if you road race it. In fact, its the highest maintenance car I have owned.
If you road race and you follow the factory maintenance schedule...
Tranny/ Diff every 3000 Miles or if the tranny temp reaches 279. $2000 + dending on where you go.
Brakes $4000 to $6000 all around. Depending on what you get. pads alone are a $500-600. Since its a huge car, it eats up a lot of brakes.
Tires $2000 every 4 to 5 Track days
Engine oil DIY $100. dealer $195
All the other fluids Brake/ steering (don't have an account yet)
Luckily, there is a decent aftermarket support. But you still spend quite a bit.
Maintenance is the biggest turn off about this car.
but if you just daily drive it, its not so bad.
The tranny/diff every 3000 miles is pretty crazy. A lot of sports cars can go a lot longer than that.
10-19-09, 06:48 PM
#14
Lexus Fanatic
I am happy and excited to hear the great news because I am looking into getting a GTR in the next 2 years. I have waited for a very long time, but I am looking forward to it.
