Owner Review: GT vs. Nissan GTR (photos)

[t32b]

+1. Many thanks as well. Objective, informative, and a great read. You have owned and driven many outstanding cars that are at the top of my personal wannabe list. It's nice living vicariously through your experiences.
Just as everyone else has their preferences, I couldn't have a DD that gets about 12 MPG like the M5. Just too painful. I know it'll cost me my forum membership, but I'm perfectly happy with my Prius as a DD (ok, splitting time with my 997). But then, I live in Silicon Valley.

Always enjoy your reviews immensely and this one in no exception. You've got a great way with words.

Rick

 

[soroush]

I agree, beat the hell out of it, new pads, rotors, suspension parts are covered. Only tires aren't covered.

I dumped my wife's BMW after a few minor things starting going bad post warranty due to my est. cost to keep it. I still am at risk with a 750 just out of warranty that has very low miles (as if EP owned it) I am taking a chance keeping it. I have read horror stories bimmerfest.com where many owners would never keep one past the warranty. A number of them have tranny problems which is a very costly repair. I am more concerned with all of the electrical gizmos that can fail. It is insane how many motors are moving each and everytime you get in or out of the car!

I will join Sam in trashing BMWs if my EP driven one fail prematurely.

They DO "balk" at springing for a new battery under warranty unless you stand firm about it though.:thumbsdow

I would bash BMW too if I have to cough up big money for repairs, but my experience to date has been, everything covered no matter what(except for tires:biggrin), but thats not to say the car is in for service all the time, sometimes I wonder how this car can take so much punishment. Lets just say everytime I get in the car which is everyday two or three times a day, it sees a "frequent redline events":biggrin honestly I dont think anyother car would stand up to this sort of treatment, I could be wrong, talk about the caddy has my attention I may lease it if I can get persuaded into test driving one first. as far as Im concerned and this may appear ignorant on my part but when it comes to american cars I would only buy ford.

all this brings us back to the topic at hand, we are worried about driving a car(bmw) out of warrany, what happens to the nissan gtr when it goes out of warranty in three years and the new potential buyer has to consider a 20K dollar transmission bill on a car that would cost maybe 50K by then?

 

[Empty Pockets]

I wonder, does this beat EPs record?

Nope. Not for the GT anyway! But then, you KNEW that already, didn't you!


Ya, Roger on the "song & dance". BMW's "official" stance on replacing batteries on cars driven only on short commuter trips daily is that the factory wouldn't COVER IT because the CUSTOMER obviously "failed to properly maintain the battery"!!! MOST people drive several times farther than wifey does daily, which therefore would supposedly give the alt "time to fully charge" the battery between trips...and wifey wasn't DRIVING that way, you see. :thumbsdow

The tune changed only AFTER I pointed out that no one in the service dept - OR my salesman in the 1st place - had bothered to mention that we'd better PUT a 'tender on it because of the aforesaid...and that it was pretty ridiculous for the factory to design a car that drains the battery that bad 24/7/365 instead of designing in SHUT OFFS for all this nanny stuff when the car wasn't running - and then blame the customer for the battery puking under the work load! :bored

 

[soroush]

Nope. Not for the GT anyway! But then, you KNEW that already, didn't you!


Ya, Roger on the "song & dance". BMW's "official" stance on replacing batteries on cars driven only on short commuter trips daily is that the factory wouldn't COVER IT because the CUSTOMER obviously "failed to properly maintain the battery"!!! MOST people drive several times farther than wifey does daily, which therefore would supposedly give the alt "time to fully charge" the battery between trips...and wifey wasn't DRIVING that way, you see. :thumbsdow

The tune changed only AFTER I pointed out that no one in the service dept - OR my salesman in the 1st place - had bothered to mention that we'd better PUT a 'tender on it because of the aforesaid...and that it was pretty ridiculous for the factory to design a car that drains the battery that bad 24/7/365 instead of designing in SHUT OFFS for all this nanny stuff when the car wasn't running - and then blame the customer for the battery puking under the work load! :bored

that reminds me of the ad bmw had running a few years ago, something to the fact that the harder you drive the car the better it started performing(brakes I think) guess its true, they are meant to be driven!

 

[w. mitty]

Whilst there will be 'better' cars powered by increasingly powerful computer technology, they'll handle better, go faster etc, they just won't posses the Mojo that the GT has.

The GT harks to an earlier more visceral motoring era - the one where the Yanks came over and whipped the Italians on their playground, the era of motoring gentlemen, the era where form and design met in an impossibly beautiful design....

Poetic response, and the usage of "Mojo" is perfect in this context. Dangit, I wish I would have thought to use it!...oh well, maybe I can find a place for it in the 458 review next year.:wink

 

[canuck]

Re the gt doors

Imagine if you had to lower your torso 43 inches and pass your body through no more that a 26 inch slot. That is what you would have to do if the roof didn't come off with the door. The roof coming off with the door was brilliant in the 60's as well as today. Now you can open the door and lower yourself in the car very nicely without looking like a fool. In addition for those of us who like to track the car putting on a helmet on once seated is very easy with the door open with the roof gone. Try putting a race helmet on with the door closed. Sure the doors roof necessitate opening the doors wider BUT you look good getting in and out. Imagine if it didn't. You would be worse off trying to get in and out of a gt.

RE GTR

I have read the GTR even on the comfort is very jarring. So although it can be used as a daily driver from all other aspects the suspension is the default on this. What is the experience of those who own or driven one?? Is the suspension to unforgiving to make it a pleasant ride on less than perfect surfaces. Would a 997 turbo be a better daily driver(cost aside)?

 

[doc4140]

I think the GTR on the comfort mode is very acceptable. On the normal mode slightly harsher, and on the Race mode very firm like you would want it to be while racing. I ususally leave it in the comfort mode most of the time and never think about it again. My son's WRX STI is very harsh amd bumpy and not acceptable for me as a daily driver because of the suspension but there are alot of people that tolerate a stiff ride.

 

[Empty Pockets]

Would a 997 turbo be a better daily driver(cost aside)?

Shoot! "Cost aside" (which includes depreciation) I'd be fine with a Bent. Cont. GT or "Speed" for a DD! Comfort for four (N/A "speed")...mucho trunk space...quick as a cat compared to many cars a third it's weight...good handling...and 200 mph capable. What more could anyone ask for/want?

 

[HHGT]

Shoot! "Cost aside" (which includes depreciation) I'd be fine with a Bent. Cont. GT or "Speed" for a DD! Comfort for four (N/A "speed")...mucho trunk space...quick as a cat compared to many cars a third it's weight...good handling...and 200 mph capable. What more could anyone ask for/want?

I recently went to the Riverside Manheim Auction and my friend picked up a Bentley GTC for somewhere near $68K. A beautiful car - horrible depreciation...

 

[Empty Pockets]

A beautiful car - horrible depreciation...

WHAT??? 'THAT bad??? How many miles/what year???

I mean, I knew their value dropped like a ROCK, but...:willy:willy:willy

 

[HHGT]

WHAT??? 'THAT bad??? How many miles/what year???

I mean, I knew their value dropped like a ROCK, but...:willy:willy:willy

2005, 30,000 miles and cleaned up real nice - Blue on Cashmere.

 

[Empty Pockets]

2005, 30,000 miles and cleaned up real nice - Blue on Cashmere.

Holy sufferin' socks. If it's not a "stories" car - that IS ridiculous.

 

[BlackICE]

2005, 30,000 miles and cleaned up real nice - Blue on Cashmere.

Which depreciates faster a Bentley, or BMW?

 

[Empty Pockets]

Which depreciates faster a Bentley, or BMW?

British cars in general seem to depreciate faster than German cars.

I would presume that would hold true for this particular pair as well.

 

[DoctorV8]

E39 M5 was such a car and I drove it hard everyday for three years until the lease was up, then got the new M5, and so far it has not let me down even once after two plus years,

Yeah, but the E39 is still better....looks better, sounds better, less thirsty, and has just as much, if not more torque below 5000 rpm.:biggrin

 

[BlackICE]

British cars in general seem to depreciate faster than German cars.

I would presume that would hold true for this particular pair as well.

In some ways Bentleys are German. Doesn't Volkswagen own them?

 

[Neilda]

Bentley are part of VW - indeed the W12 engine is straight out of the VW Phaeton, albeit heavily reworked.

Bentleys depreciate rapidly, I had a new GT convertible which cost me $232k and I sold it 3,000 miles and 12 months later for $170k. :eek Having said that, it was a beautifully made car and in many ways I wished I still had it. It represented somewhat of a bargain over the Aston Vanquish ($290k) which, whilst more beautiful, was nowhere near as well constructed.

However the 2005/6 Bentley model years are probably fully depreciated and represent somewhat of a bargain.

 

[HHGT]

Bentley are part of VW - indeed the W12 engine is straight out of the VW Phaeton, albeit heavily reworked.

Bentleys depreciate rapidly, I had a new GT convertible which cost me $232k and I sold it 3,000 miles and 12 months later for $170k. :eek Having said that, it was a beautifully made car and in many ways I wished I still had it. It represented somewhat of a bargain over the Aston Vanquish ($290k) which, whilst more beautiful, was nowhere near as well constructed.

However the 2005/6 Bentley model years are probably fully depreciated and represent somewhat of a bargain.

When I went to the auction looking for an every day luxury car I had my eyes set on a GTC. After checking out the back seat situation and the purpose of buying a luxury car, I determined it really is not for a family of four, especially with 2 rapidly growing sons. Instead I settled for a nicely optioned S550, (1) year old with 4000 miles. I think I stole it.. I paid $56K and it's a great car.

Now to answer the other other question regarding British or German car depreciation, I think they are equally ridiculous, but Bavarian cars are the worst :biggrin.

 

[Empty Pockets]

I think ... Bavarian cars are the worst :biggrin.

You WOULD! :rofl:rofl:rofl

 

[Cyclenirvana]

It's been posted on this forum before...but I thought considering what this thread is about, it would be good to visit it again.
Ford GT vs. Nissan GT-R with the creator of the computer interface in the GT-R.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYdv1G1Lfk8