Is a used Nissan GTR Nismo a good bet? We give you all the details and pitfalls
We want to help guide you to making a decision on pulling the trigger. Is a used Nissan GTR worth the money or will it be an endless pit of repeated issues, repairs and costly out of warranty maintenance? We analyze the Nissan GTR from a savvy buyer’s perspective and detail our findings in the article below.
What defines a supercar?
Performance and price are the two main categories that will define a supercar. In days past, performance under five seconds was typically the benchmark for supercar performance. Today, this number has dropped to sub three seconds as the new standard for supercar performance. MSRP will generally add up to above $60K with costly options and maintenance packages rounding out above six figures. Another important consideration is the engine size and power rating, anything below 450 horsepower would typically be overlooked as supercar specs.
Is Nissan GTR a supercar?
Definitely, this article does not examine Skyline models which were supercar worth but instead looks specifically at the GTR, which was unveiled in 2007 and went into production shortly after. The first generation GTR was 479 horsepower and with a price tag of $78,000 for the base model with a costly maintenance package it was very near the six figure price range.
How fast is Nissan GTR Nismo?
This article will mainly focus on the 2014 GTR Nismo as this would be the model year targeted for used vehicle buyers to go after. The 2014 GTR Nismo achieved acceleration of 0-60 mph in as little as 2.5 seconds, definitely putting it in the supercar range for performance, in fact well ahead of competition in some cases. With an 11 second flat quarter mile, it was track ready. The insane top speed of 196 mph would net one hell of a ride on the autobahn.
Is the GTR Nismo street legal?
Yes, all model years of the GTR Nismo have been street legal if left unmodified. To be compliant for track use, safety upgrades like a roll cage, window netting and fuel cell would all be needed. Other track performance upgrades to emissions reduction technology (like catalytic converter deletion) would render the car outlawed for street due to failed emissions tests in some states.
How much is the Nissan GTR Nismo?
The 2014 Nissan GTR Nismo MSRP was $149,990, the outlandish specifications of this vehicle came at a higher price. It was nearly double what the cost of the early base model was and this does not include a mandatory maintenance package which can total tens of thousands to retain warranty protection. The value here was seen in the performance of a supercar with all wheel drive, often drivers would be seen rally racing through mountain passages making good use of the all wheel drive.
Is the Nissan GTR Nismo worth it?
For the 2014 model, with a surprising holding value of very close to MSRP, our vote is no. A GTR in the model year of 2009-2013 has upgrades readily available today and performance of the Nismo model can be easily achieved on a budget. We recommend going for a 2010 premium model (estimated price $45K) and upgrading the turbos, exhaust, headers, cats and air intakes. A GTR with these mentioned upgrades could generate 700+hp at the crank and all of this could be done at a fraction of the cost a 2014 Nismo ($100K+) would cost. Be fully aware of issues the GTR has like oil consumption, transmission replacement and electrical component failure that can lock steering. Request the full service history from the seller and it should be readily available from the servicing dealership as routine maintenance was part of the five year warranty.