1988 Nissan Skyline R31 3.0L from Australia and New Zealand

Summary:

A quality vehicle for a cheap price

Faults:

After a years of towing from the previous owner, the diff has starting making a clunking sound after a gear change, and sometimes when I take my foot off the accelerator.

The window seal in the back left window has broken.

The odometer has stopped working.

The dash lights are starting to die.

General Comments:

This car is perfect for a first car owner.

The steering is almost perfect.

It has incredible speed, the best I have got it up to was 170KPH and I could've got it faster, but I felt bad for giving the car a thrashing.

The car has a decent looking interior.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 12th May, 2004

31st May 2006, 00:58

I have an Aussie 89 R31 ti and it has no rust, the drivers window has been replaced twice because of failed attempts to steal it, it's starting to rattle in the lifters, but at 2550000 kilos it's in real good order. My diffs great, trans is great, rear tyres are bald from power take offs, these cars are great to drive, maybe a little prone to over steer at speed in the wet, but for the 300 bucks it cost me it's a tough car. I've driven worse.

3rd Jun 2006, 02:37

I recently bought a 1989 R31 gx-e 3.0 and I love it. I have had this car sitting on 200 clicks without red lining it out. I have added a 2.5" exhaust system all the way through with extractors, a racing chip and all pod filters and a racing airflow censer. it is pearl white and in perfect condition. I got lucky and picked it up off a mate for $600.

1988 Nissan Skyline Ti 3.0 petrol from Australia and New Zealand

Summary:

Reliable workhorse with grunt

Faults:

Dash stopped working at 120,000 klm(10 years)

Clock light stopped working at 10 years..

Actually a few of the electrics stopped working at the 10 year mark, but all were relatively inexpensive to fix, I actually repaired the dash myself..

Brake disks wore, when using a hard compound brake.

Roof paint, faded.

Engine ran perfectly with no problems.

General Comments:

This car was perfect for a cheap family car. It had all the luxuries, Power everything really, and was super reliable...

I had no major problems for the 40,000 klm I had it, if it were not for an accident I would still have the car today.

The 3.0 engine had heaps of grunt even though the 1,6 tonne body was lugging it back.

The only downside was that it was a little thirsty, would drink around 13-15l/100km.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 10th March, 2004

1988 Nissan Skyline GX R31 3L Straight 6 from Australia and New Zealand

Summary:

Good, all purpose family vehicle

Faults:

Not much, some problems with the brakes - seemed to go through them very quickly - 6 months between a full replacement of discs, rotors and pads, to having to have the pads replaced again. The Mechanic believed there to be something wrong in the master cylinder, but I sold the car before the problem was fixed.

Front seat was also a bit flimsy.

General Comments:

Ugly styling, but a nice performer. Good, smooth delivery of power throughout the range - easy to drive around town, but can put on a show on the open road. The transmission was a bit "clunky" and rough at times, but I had no real problems with it. Steering felt just about perfect (for a car of that size) - easy, but not soft. The boot was surprisingly small.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 16th May, 2003

1988 Nissan Skyline GTS1 3.0 Naturally Aspirated from Australia and New Zealand

Summary:

Great reliable and fun car to drive- STILL

Faults:

Will not start after washing under the hood.

Driver seat wears from entry and exit.

General Comments:

1988, 279000km's and just starting to get a few problems. It would be the most reliable, bullet proof, stock standard machine ever built. I don't really think they built cars like this after '89. I still have not (touchwood) replaced anything except pads, oil, 1 set of shocks, and 1 clutch and timing belt. Hmm, more than I thought. And that's with my hard driving, although never abusing it. I have never done a standing burnout in it! Little things like having the original windscreen is still in it, minor seating issues getting in and out, and a rear view mirror that appears to always break off. Little annoyance like- I am unable to get a brown tinted replacement in Australia, no more shocks around, fuel injectors rear as hens teeth and well, that's about it. Well I can if I send huge $$$ on an entire roll of film. But in a nutshell, that's 140,000Km's of hard driving with out missing a heart beat. I wonder how the other 2 previous owners treated it?

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 20th August, 2002

1988 Nissan Skyline GX 3.0 Litre straight six from Australia and New Zealand

Summary:

An amazingly torquey 3 litre engine, all wrapped up in a body that does it no justice

Faults:

Noisy differential.

General Comments:

The Skyline is an extremely powerful car that performs and runs like a dream. The engine runs so smoothly you can balance a 50 cent piece on its side on top of the head. The car is now a great value buy as most have depreciated, but the engine was originally going to be guaranteed by Nissan for 400,000 kilometres. More kilowatts than its rival, the VL Commodore.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 23rd January, 2002

25th Feb 2002, 22:11

I think you will find the RB-30 Six Cylinder in the Skyline is identical to the VL Commodore except for the rocker cover. Both made stock 115 kilowatts, with Holden turbo charging some VL's with figures for that car going up to around 150 kw.

1st Mar 2002, 18:05

Hi,

Yeah the VL is pretty much identical to the Skyline R-31. The VL has a Nissan engine in it, the same as the R-31 Skylines cos GM-Holden hadn't perfected the unleaded engine yet. I think the turbo in the VL's was supplied by Nissan as well. VL's have different wiring locations and are slightly lighter as well... but all in all I would prefer the Skyline any-day.

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