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Nissan

Skyline

R34 (BNR34/ER34/HR34)· 1998-2002 coupe Value
Body styles
2-door Coupe, 4-door Sedan
Drivetrain
RWD, AWD (ATTESA E-TS) - GT-R/GT-Four only
Origin
Japan
Built in
Japan

Overview

Never sold new in Australia - all examples are private imports under the 15+ year SEVS rule or the new RAW scheme. The R34 GT-R BNR34 is the icon - peak Japanese performance engineering. ER34 GT-T (single-turbo RB25DET) is the practical bargain. Be very cautious of grey market imports without proper compliance and full service history. Modified examples are the norm rather than the exception.

Engines & variants

2.0L RB20DE (R34 25GT base)

Engine
DOHC inline-6 NA
Config
I6 NA
Displacement
1998cc
Power
114kW @ 6400rpm
Torque
186Nm @ 4800rpm
Drivetrain
RWD
0–100
~10s
Economy
10.5 L/100km combined
Tow (braked)
Not rated
Tow (unbraked)
Not rated
Transmission
5MT, 4AT
Timing chain / belt / gear
Belt-driven, 100,000km / 5-year

Pros

  • Cheapest entry to R34 ownership
  • Smooth inline-6 character
  • Naturally aspirated - simpler maintenance
  • Strong chassis underneath same as GT-R
  • Cheap insurance compared to turbo variants

Cons

  • Underpowered for the chassis weight
  • Many examples modified or thrashed
  • Imported only - parts via JDM specialists
  • Belt-driven - missed service = bent valves
  • Lower resale than turbo variants

Known problems

high
Timing belt failure
RB20 has a timing belt that must be replaced every 100k. Failure = bent valves.
Fix: Belt + tensioner + water pump kit. Diesel/JDM specialist or competent DIY.
From 100k km interval · ~$1500-2500
medium
Oil pump drive gear
RB family oil pump drive collar is known to fail on high-km units.
Fix: Upgraded billet oil pump drive (Tomei, GReddy).
From 150k+ km · ~$500-1000
medium
Crank angle sensor (CAS) failure
CAS develops faults causing intermittent misfires, rough running, stalling.
Fix: Replacement CAS unit. Common JDM part.
From Any · ~$300-600

2.5L RB25DET 'Neo' single turbo (R34 GT-T)

Engine
DOHC turbo I6 (NEO head)
Config
I6 turbo
Displacement
2498cc
Power
206kW @ 6400rpm (factory)
Torque
343Nm @ 3200rpm (factory)
Drivetrain
RWD
0–100
~6.0s (factory)
Economy
11.5 L/100km combined
Tow (braked)
Not rated
Tow (unbraked)
Not rated
Transmission
5MT, 4AT
Timing chain / belt / gear
Belt-driven, 100,000km / 5-year

Pros

  • Genuine 280hp factory rating (gentlemen's agreement)
  • Strong RB25DET platform - 300+ kW achievable on stock internals
  • Single turbo simpler than GT-R twin
  • Best value modified-friendly R34
  • GT-R chassis without GT-R price
  • NEO head is the strongest factory RB25 head

Cons

  • Most examples heavily modified - hard to find stock
  • Belt-driven engine
  • OEM turbo (T28) is small - sizes up to push more power
  • Imported parts can be slow/expensive
  • Many were tracked or drifted - condition matters massively

Known problems

high
Timing belt failure
Same RB family belt service interval. Failure = bent valves.
Fix: Belt + tensioner + water pump kit. Replace every 100k without fail.
From 100k km interval · ~$1500-2500
medium
Stock turbo cracking (ceramic wheel)
OEM ceramic turbine wheel can shatter under boost increase from chips/tunes. Sends shrapnel into the engine.
Fix: Most owners upgrade to a billet wheel turbo (Garrett, Borg, etc) at first opportunity.
From Any · ~$1500-3000
medium
Plenum cracking (modified examples)
Stock plenum can crack under sustained boost beyond ~16psi.
Fix: Aftermarket plenum (Plazmaman, GReddy) - common upgrade.
From Modified · ~$800-1500
high
Oil pump drive collar
Same RB family oil pump issue - drive collar fails causing oil starvation.
Fix: Upgraded billet oil pump drive is near-mandatory on any tuned RB.
From 150k+ km · ~$500-1000
medium
Cooling system inadequacy (modified)
OEM cooling barely adequate for stock power - inadequate above ~250kW.
Fix: Aftermarket radiator (Koyo, Mishimoto), oil cooler, larger intercooler.
From Modified · ~$500-1500

2.6L RB26DETT (R34 GT-R BNR34)

Engine
DOHC twin-turbo I6 (legendary)
Config
I6 twin-turbo
Displacement
2568cc
Power
206kW @ 6800rpm (factory - actually closer to 240kW)
Torque
392Nm @ 4400rpm (factory)
Drivetrain
ATTESA E-TS Pro AWD
0–100
~4.9s (factory)
Economy
14-18 L/100km
Tow (braked)
Not rated
Tow (unbraked)
Not rated
Transmission
6MT (Getrag)
Timing chain / belt / gear
Belt-driven, 100,000km / 5-year

Pros

  • The legendary 'Godzilla' engine
  • Tough internals - 600+ kW achievable
  • ATTESA E-TS Pro AWD with active LSD
  • Getrag 6-speed is bulletproof when serviced
  • Skyrocketing values - investment grade
  • Genuine motorsport pedigree

Cons

  • Outrageous purchase prices ($150-500k+)
  • Same belt service interval as cheaper RBs
  • Many have been modified, tracked, or thrashed
  • Parts now extremely expensive (NISMO premium)
  • Theft target
  • Insurance prohibitive

Known problems

high
Timing belt failure
Same belt service - failure = bent valves on legendary motor.
Fix: Belt + tensioner + water pump every 100k. Use OEM or Tomei parts only.
From 100k km interval · ~$2000-3500
high
Oil pump drive failure (catastrophic)
OEM oil pump drive collar known weak point - shears under hard use. Engine destruction follows.
Fix: MANDATORY billet oil pump drive on any modified RB26 (Tomei, Nitto). Many owners do this preventively.
From Modified/high RPM · ~$800-2000
medium
Stock ceramic turbines (similar to RB25)
OEM twin ceramic turbines shatter under increased boost.
Fix: Aftermarket twin steel/billet turbos or single-turbo conversion. Mandatory if power is increased.
From Any · ~$3000-6000
medium
ATTESA AWD pump failure
Hydraulic AWD coupling pump can fail - vehicle defaults to RWD-only.
Fix: ATTESA pump rebuild by Skyline specialist.
From 150k+ km · ~$1500-3000
low
HICAS rear steering fault
Hydraulic rear-wheel steering develops faults over time. Many owners eliminate the system entirely.
Fix: HICAS lockout kit (~$200) removes the system. Or full rebuild.
From Any · ~$500-1500 / $200 lockout kit

Common problems (all variants)

high
Import compliance certificate
Vehicle must have valid Australian import compliance (SEVS plate from RAW). Examples without proper compliance can be unregisterable.
Fix: Verify compliance plate physically present in engine bay. Get a workshop manual VIN check before purchase. Avoid 'grey' imports without documentation.
~$3000-8000 if missing
high
Rust on rear quarters, sills, boot floor
JDM vehicles often spent decades in Japan's humid climate. Rust hides under sound deadening, in sills, on boot floor, and around sunroof drains.
Fix: Pre-purchase inspection by Skyline specialist essential. Lift the boot carpet, check sills with a magnet. Walk away from rusty examples.
From Any · ~$2000-10000+
medium
Modified state - tune quality varies wildly
Most R34s have been modified. Tune quality varies from professional dyno work to dodgy back-yard chip changes. Bad tune kills RB engines fast.
Fix: Get a fresh dyno report from a known Nissan tuner before purchase. Factor in a fresh tune in your purchase budget.
From Any · ~$1500-5000 to verify/redo
low
Speedometer in km/h (some examples)
JDM speedo originally reads to 180km/h with 180km/h limiter (Japanese gentlemen's agreement). Some imports keep the limiter or have JDM-only speedo gear.
Fix: Limiter delete via ECU tune. Speedo conversion or aftermarket gauge for higher range.
~$100-300
high
Theft risk (high)
R34s, especially GT-Rs, are major theft targets with values spiralling. Original immobilisers are easily defeated.
Fix: Modern immobiliser, tracker (e.g. Tag), secure garage. Don't park where it's visible to the street.
~Total loss
medium
Insurance availability
Many mainstream insurers won't cover imported sports cars, or charge severe premiums. GT-R values mean agreed-value policies essential.
Fix: Use specialist enthusiast insurers (Shannons, Just Cars, Lumley). Get agreed value, not market value.
~Variable