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Top issues
14 known problems · 9 high
high
Grey-import history and compliance risk
All engines
high
Modified, tuned or tracked abuse
All engines
high
RB timing belt (interference engine)
All engines
At this odometer
See which of this car's known problems are due at that mileage, which should already have been dealt with, and what's coming up.
Generations
Best and worst years for the Nissan Skyline →
Before: Skyline R31 (1985-1989)
After: Skyline R33 (1993-1998) →
Price (AUD)
$15k-$250k+
Body styles
2-door coupe, 4-door sedan
Drivetrain
RWD, ATTESA E-TS AWD
Origin
Japan
Built in
Japan
Overview
Only the BNR32 GT-R was ever officially delivered new to Australia - Nissan Australia brought in exactly 100 cars in 1991 to homologate it for Group A touring car racing, where it earned the 'Godzilla' nickname after demolishing the field at Bathurst. Every other R32 on the Australian market - GTS-T (HCR32), GTS-25, GTS-4 and the naturally-aspirated GTS - is a used grey-import brought in privately under the 15-year/SEVS rules from the late 2000s onward, so build quality, history and hidden rust vary enormously car to car. All variants share the legendary RB straight-six family, but condition and modification history matter more than almost any other car in this guide: most have been tuned, tracked or both, and the famous RB26 oil-pump and ceramic-turbine weaknesses turn a bargain into a grenade fast. Buy the very best example you can, with documented history and a compression/leak-down test, not the cheapest. Values for genuine GT-Rs have exploded into modern-classic territory; the turbo GTS-T remains the affordable RWD entry point.
Engines & variants
2.6L RB26DETT GT-R (BNR32)
Engine
2.6L DOHC twin-turbo I6 (twin Garrett T28 ceramic turbos, air-to-air intercooler)
Engine code
Config
I6 twin-turbo
Displacement
2568cc
Power
206kW @ 6800rpm (gentleman's-agreement '280PS' underrated)
Torque
353Nm @ 4400rpm
Drivetrain
ATTESA E-TS AWD
Economy
11-14 L/100km real world
Transmission
5MT
Timing chain / belt / gear
Belt-driven (cam timing belt - replace ~100,000km)
Pros
- Iconic Group A homologation legend - the original 'Godzilla'
- ATTESA E-TS AWD with Super-HICAS gives huge real-world grip
- RB26 is enormously strong in the bottom end and tunable to 400kW+
- Genuine AU-delivered cars (100 built) are blue-chip modern classics
- Five-speed manual, mechanical and rewarding to drive
Cons
- Early oil-pump drive collar is a known engine-killer if revved hard
- Factory ceramic turbine wheels shatter under detonation/over-boost
- Almost every survivor is modified - find one and verify the work
- Expensive parts, specialist labour and sky-high values/insurance
- Timing belt is an interference design - skipped service is catastrophic
Known problems
high
Oil pump drive collar failure (pre-May 1993)
Early RB26 (and RB25/RB20) use a narrow oil-pump drive that only minimally engages the crank-snout flats. With the 8000rpm redline and a mis-shift over-rev, the drive can crack the pump gears, oil pressure collapses and the engine spins a bearing. Nissan didn't widen the crank snout until May 1993, so the AU-delivered 1991 cars are the vulnerable design.
Fix: Fit a billet crank collar and an upgraded (N1 or aftermarket) oil pump, and monitor oil pressure. Treat this as mandatory before any spirited driving.
high
Ceramic turbine wheel failure
The factory T28 turbos use ceramic exhaust wheels for fast spool, but they shatter under detonation or boost much above ~1.0 bar, sending debris and leaving a turbo (or two) dead. Many tuned cars have already grenaded the originals.
Fix: Replace with steel-wheel hi-flow or aftermarket turbos; never run boost on ceramics, and ensure tuning/fuel quality prevents knock.
medium
Gearbox synchro and clutch wear
The 5-speed manual wears 2nd/3rd synchros and the clutch hard, especially on launched/tracked cars. Crunchy downshifts are common on tired examples.
Fix: Synchro/gearbox rebuild and a quality clutch; inspect for AWD driveline play during the test drive.
2.0L RB20DET GTS-T Type-M (HCR32) - import
Engine
2.0L DOHC single-turbo I6 (Nissan ECCS EGI)
Engine code
RB20DET
Config
I6 turbo
Displacement
1998cc
Power
158kW @ 6400rpm
Torque
263Nm @ 3200rpm
Drivetrain
RWD
Economy
9-12 L/100km real world
Transmission
5MT, 4AT
Timing chain / belt / gear
Belt-driven (cam timing belt - replace ~100,000km)
Pros
- Affordable RWD entry into the RB-six Skyline world
- Light, balanced and great fun - a popular drift/grip base
- Strong tuning aftermarket; responds well to a turbo upgrade
- Far cheaper to buy and run than a GT-R
Cons
- Never officially sold here - every car is a grey import of varying quality
- RB20 is small-capacity and feels gutless below boost when stock
- Same early oil-pump weakness as the rest of the RB family
- Most have been modified, drifted or thrashed - history is everything
Known problems
high
Oil pump drive / oil pressure failure
Shares the narrow early oil-pump drive design of the RB family; over-revs and high-rpm tuning can crack the pump and starve the bottom end of oil.
Fix: Fit a crank collar and upgraded oil pump; watch oil pressure, especially on a built/high-boost engine.
high
Hidden rust (import body)
R32 bodies rust from the inside out - behind the front wheels in the floor, around the rear quarters, screen surrounds and under factory underseal. Japanese-market cars driven in salt/wet hide it between panel layers.
Fix: Thorough underbody and panel-edge inspection (paint-depth gauge); favour dry-history cars and budget for cut-and-weld repairs.
medium
Super-HICAS rear steering wear
Worn HICAS rack, tie arms and bushes give vague or twitchy rear-end behaviour and uneven tyre wear.
Fix: Rebuild the HICAS components or fit a HICAS lock/eliminator kit (common modification); realign.
2.5L RB25DE GTS-25 (HR32) - import
Engine
2.5L DOHC naturally-aspirated I6 (later cars with NVCS variable cam)
Engine code
Config
I6 NA
Displacement
2498cc
Power
132kW @ 6400rpm
Torque
231Nm @ 4800rpm
Drivetrain
RWD
Economy
9-11 L/100km real world
Transmission
5MT, 4AT
Timing chain / belt / gear
Belt-driven (cam timing belt - replace ~100,000km)
Pros
- Smooth, torquey naturally-aspirated RB-six - relaxed cruiser
- No turbo to nurse; simplest and most reliable R32 to live with
- RWD coupe/sedan feel of the Skyline without GT-R running costs
- RB25 head/bottom-end is a popular base for turbo conversions
Cons
- Grey import only - was never an Australian-delivered model
- Modest performance compared with the turbo cars
- Same RB oil-pump caveat if later revved hard or turbo-converted
- Parts and history can be patchy on a 30-year-old import
Known problems
high
Timing belt neglect
Belt-driven interference engine; a snapped or skipped belt (common on imports with unknown service history) bends valves and wrecks the head.
Fix: Replace belt, tensioner and water pump on purchase if there is no proof of recent change.
medium
Hidden rust (import body)
Same R32 rust traps as the rest of the range - floors behind the front wheels, rear arches and screen surrounds.
Fix: Inspect underbody and panel edges; prefer dry-climate cars.
2.0L RB20DET GTS-4 (HNR32) - import AWD
Engine
2.0L DOHC single-turbo I6 with ATTESA E-TS AWD
Engine code
RB20DET
Config
I6 turbo
Displacement
1998cc
Power
158kW @ 6400rpm
Torque
263Nm @ 3200rpm
Drivetrain
ATTESA E-TS AWD
Economy
10-13 L/100km real world
Transmission
5MT, 4AT
Timing chain / belt / gear
Belt-driven (cam timing belt - replace ~100,000km)
Pros
- GT-R-style ATTESA E-TS all-wheel-drive grip without GT-R prices
- Excellent wet-weather and all-season traction
- RB20DET turbo six with a tuning-friendly aftermarket
- Rarer and quirky - a left-field RB enthusiast pick
Cons
- Import only - never delivered new in Australia
- RB20 capacity is small for the heavier AWD body
- AWD driveline (transfer, couplings) adds cost and failure points
- ATTESA pump/accumulator and ECU faults are expensive to chase
Known problems
medium
ATTESA E-TS AWD system faults
The electronically-controlled AWD relies on a hydraulic pump, accumulator, G-sensor and solenoids; ageing seals and electronics throw the system into fault (often FWD-light flashing) and the car drives as RWD.
Fix: Diagnose pump/accumulator and G-sensor, refresh seals and fluid; specialist knowledge needed.
high
Oil pump drive failure (RB family)
Narrow early oil-pump drive can crack under over-rev or high-boost tuning, starving the bottom end.
Fix: Crank collar and upgraded oil pump; monitor oil pressure.
medium
Hidden rust (import body)
Same R32 rust traps - floors behind front wheels, rear quarters, screen surrounds.
Fix: Underbody and panel-edge inspection; favour dry-history cars.