Nissan Skyline GT-R R32 buying guide

1989 to 1994. An R32 GT-R suits a collector or keen driver who will pay for a specialist inspection of the rust and oil pump before buying.

Big jobs

Rust in arches, sills, strut tops and rear quarters. Rust is reported in the arches, sills, front strut tops, main rails, bulkhead, the rear wings behind the spats and round the rear screen. Shrinking rear glass seals let water pool at the base of the C pillar.
RB26 oil pump drive and oil pressure. Failure of the oil pump drive is a known cause of terminal engine damage, and Nissan revised it from February 1993. A leaking oil pump backing plate is also common, and the oil pressure sender is often faulty.
Ceramic turbine wheels. The standard turbos have brittle ceramic turbine wheels. Removing the boost restrictor to run about 1 bar, or lots of time on the rev limiter, can break them.
5 speed gearbox and clutch. A broken 3rd gear is commonly reported on the 5 speed, and synchros and a slipping clutch also need checking.
Swapped speedo clusters and mileage. The factory speedo reads to 180 km/h, but clusters reading 260, 300 or 320 km/h are often swapped in with their own odometers, so mileage is very hard to prove without full records.

Jacking damage to sills and rails. Cars are often jacked on the pinch welds under the sills. The bent seams then rust, and the chassis rails get damaged too.
ATTESA, ABS and HICAS warning lights. The ABS, HICAS and 4WD warning lights should come on at start up and then go out. If the front is not taking drive the rear wheels spin, and a failed 30 amp fuse near the right headlight is one known cause.
Super HICAS rear steer. Super HICAS often fails or has been locked out, and its track rods wear. An aftermarket steering wheel can stop HICAS working.

Researched 2026-11-03. General guidance from owner and specialist sources. Check the specific car with an independent inspection.