1989 Nissan Skyline Ti 3.0 NA from Australia and New Zealand

Summary:

Totally bulletproof if maintained well! ;)

Faults:

Air conditioning recently died after 22 years of minimal use; "found a leaky o-ring seal". Well and truly expected with age.

Fuel pump has died 3 years back. Still, not bad considering its long run.

Suspension is well and truly due for replacement, and drives a fair bit floaty "also due to age, and driving conditions - rural and dirt roads with some pot holes/animals on the road!".

Most annoying: Illumination switches, rear demist switch and hazard light switch don't hold on their own, so have to hold them in place manually to activate! ;( "Another age thing".

Rust under the rear boot lid where the decals are extruding through the metal! ;( - A bit of a downer, but also age related.

Also rust around the windshield areas!

Throttle position sensor recently started to play up and slip, then slam into gear from 1st to second. Replaced the sensor, and had nice firm quick shifts yet again! ;)

General Comments:

Have had the Ti since new! Was more expensive than the VL Commodore of its time, and also the EA Falcon, but much much better value for money.

I've cleared over 770,000KM's on this one engine, and have given it the engine/trans services that it's required almost like clockwork.

I have generally replaced brakes every 60,000KM's or so.

Done engine oil change every 15,000Km's religiously.

Auto trans and diff every 60,000Km's to 80,000Km's, and generally replaced tyres, timing set, coolant and water pump every 100,000Km's.

My engine smokes a little now from dead cold if left for a few days, but still runs fine considering its mass of mileage and the life that it's led.

The suspension is soft and floaty, but the steering is still quite firm, albeit not as responsive as a VL Commodore steering rack.

The engine is old, but still goes strong!

Body isn't too bad, as well as the interior for its age!

I have started to overhaul a spare RB30 that I have, and will be boring it out, along with doing a few extra mods like doing a surface plane on the cylinder head, and running a GTS1 camshaft. This should give the old girl a real nice lease of life, and should be good for another 20 years "that's if fuel is still cheap and readily available by then".

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 9th February, 2012

1989 Nissan Skyline GX RB30 3.0L from Australia and New Zealand

Summary:

Great first car to have fun in

Faults:

The exhaust had a leak which was to cost $400.

Drive belts were really old so I had all of them replaced for around $100.

Naturally, the odometer didn't work, but I picked one up from the wreckers and now that one has also stopped.

Car feels like a boat - new shocks are to cost $600-700.

Clutch was on its way out when I bought it and is now pretty gone.

General Comments:

I have put this car through hell and it still starts perfectly each time.

I bought it from a dealer for $1700. It was great mechanically, although the paint is faded and has suffered light hail damage. I wasn't fussed because it drives very well regardless of its physical condition.

I can't complain about the fuel economy. I generally get around 500 kilometres off 55 litres in the city, and I drive the car very hard most of the time.

I killed the brand new tyres within a few weeks and finished the clutch off. It was certainly fun, but now registration is due and I must repair all of this to make it roadworthy.

It has really nice pulling power for an old car and its quite light so it runs well against newer small cars. I left a "supercharged" twin cam Corolla for dead.

I've had my fun with this one and once I destroy it I'll move onto something smaller, newer and cheaper to run.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 23rd February, 2006