The GT-R R34 Used To Be A Tuner Car. Now It's A Concours Headliner

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xdr01@reddit

We has these in Australia and can get them for 43k USD with under 50,000km on them in excellent condition. With GTST under 25k USD. You can get a ratty R33 GTS-T $10k USD and under.

Joke was you buy a 20k (14k usd) R32 GTR and have to sink another 20k to get running right and sell it for $20k on safe boost. Now that's cheap...

Kinda surprised these are concourse cars however. Was always a middle class hero car rather than 1%er. Guess with prices now it is a 1%er car.

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This_Elk_1460@reddit

Blame Nissan for not bringing it over here in the first place, denying us the ability to buy these cars is why they became so valuable.

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Don't blame Nissan. Real issue is the 25 year import rule. If the car isn't sold new in the US, you should be able to legally import it provided you're happy to pay the price. In Aus for example we have a small number of seconds hand imported Kei cars and trucks even though they were never sold here new.

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DarkMatterM4@reddit

Same as it ever was.

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PetrolheadPlayer@reddit

A GT-R R34 back then cost around $100,000 in today's money. It was always an expensive car. And like any other classic car, it's maintained or gained value. It's not too different from many other cars at these shows, except now it's just happening to a car we grew up with.

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vw18t@reddit

People also forget Japan had extremely low inflation for decades, so the original prices don’t translate the same way they would for American or Canadian cars. An R34 GT-R was expensive in Japan, but Japan didn’t have the kind of inflation North America did after 2000, so the gap between “then” and “now” feels smaller domestically.

And it also wasn’t really a $100k car when new. Most R34 GT-Rs were around ¥5–6 million in Japan, which was roughly USD $45k–$60k at the time depending on exchange rates and trim. Expensive? Yes But not six-figure supercar money.

It also sold fairly well in Japan partly because, while expensive, it was still realistically attainable for a successful enthusiast or upper-middle-class buyer there. If it had truly been the equivalent of a $100k+ exotic at the time, Nissan wouldn’t have sold thousands of them.

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TrainingGrape540@reddit

Good point however just a few years ago a regular R34 GTR could be found for under 60k 10 years prior it could be found for 25k… and this is a running drive car btw

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Muttonboat@reddit

This is the same with a lot of the JDM heros where people thought they were cheap cars but were anything but.

In todays money

Supra was 60k-70k

NSX was 110k

Integra type R - 50k

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MarmotFullofWoe@reddit

Mitsubishi Evolution 8 GSR in Australia was US$100k in 2026 dollars.

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Riverrattpei@reddit

In the US an Evo 8 started at $29,582USD or $53,760USD in 2026 dollars

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MarmotFullofWoe@reddit

Yes much cheaper in the US but you didn’t get AYC. And maybe didn’t get ACD?

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DarkMatterM4@reddit

The funny thing is without AYC and ACD, the Evo felt much more raw. Obviously it didn't help laptimes, but it made it so much fun to drive. I can powerslide my Evo all day long on track.

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damstr@reddit

ACD came on the 2004 models I think. The 2005’s def had it.

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Riverrattpei@reddit

I forgot they didn't get AYC, and according to wikipedia they didn't have ACD initially but did get it in 2005

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cdp1193@reddit

Exactly, the R34s were good value because they offered 911 turbo performance for the price at the time. However few people were actually crossshopping these with base 911 Carrera’s at the time.

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SKATOZZO@reddit

And tbh it’s not worth what they asking.

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0621Hertz@reddit

Personally I would never spend six figures for a right hand drive car. Probably awkward to drive with a stick and can be hazardous in some situations.

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MrBattleRabbit@reddit

Going to a RHD manual car is no big deal. I’m in a LHD country and daily a manual, and going to England and Ireland switching to shifting with the other hand was a non-issue.

There are some visibility issues though in a RHD car in a LHD country, I won’t deny that. Your blind spots are reversed from what you’re used to. You need to be much more mindful of your mirrors/aiming them correctly.

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peetak@reddit

Don't forget the most important thing, the pain of going through a drive through!

But yea, its not that bad. My biggest issue was the light stalk/wiper stalk being opposites. I was in Japan for a month and it took forever to not hit the wiper stalk when I wanted to use the indicators and vise versa. Finally got used to it a few weeks in...eventually to come back home a week later and proceed to do the same thing lol

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psyrg@reddit

Similar story for me. Grew up RHD and now I'm in a LHD country. It takes a moment ro get used to, but the pedals are the same way around, and first is still up and left. You might throw your hand at the door once or twice in the beginning, and you might thrown on the windscreen wipers instead of indicator on occasion, but otherwise it is a matter of just doing it.

Now I just seamlessly transition from one to the other when I do.

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SKATOZZO@reddit

Only gtr32 was RHD. Gtr34 is both

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WorldClassPianist@reddit

Extremely overrated

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KarateAngi@reddit

how can the star of multiple video games and movies be overrated lol

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throwawayfromfedex@reddit

Drive one and see lol. It's a Nissan from the 90s, it's not gonna be what you expect.

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KarateAngi@reddit

ive driven an R32, they are amazing vehicles. just because its a 90s nissan doesnt mean they are boring. same for evos, ive driven an Evo 3, they sre incredible.

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DarkMatterM4@reddit

No one ever said they're boring. They're overrated.

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throwawayfromfedex@reddit

If it's been properly maintained yes, but the ones normal people can afford will need professional level care and tons of money thrown at it to make it decent. At that point you're spending more than what a concours level car would cost.

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Soquintes@reddit

tons of money thrown at it to make it decent

Yeah that’s why they call it a ‘tuner car’ in automotive circles.

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throwawayfromfedex@reddit

Interesting insight, I almost forgot after 35 years of driving and modifying my cars.

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Wolf24h@reddit

By being in multiple games and movies lol Kids think GT-Rs and Supras make insane power from stock

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KarateAngi@reddit

by that logic a fiat multipla is underrated because they arent in movies and no one thinks that they make insane power?

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PastPalpitationCry@reddit

you just defined underrated

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KarateAngi@reddit

the underrated fiat multipla🥀

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Wolf24h@reddit

Yes

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KarateAngi@reddit

interesting approach

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DarkMatterM4@reddit

Agreed. Drove one hard in Japan two years ago. If you've driven any of the other 90s Japanese halo cars (Supra, 300ZX, 3000GT) you got 90% of the experience without the price tag. It was a good car, but I was unimpressed.

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damstr@reddit

I could’ve gotten an R34 but spent a little more and got a Gen 5 Viper which is so much better of a car.

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throwawayfromfedex@reddit

Can literally get the modern version of the R34 with the G80 M3. Costs less too.

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Skodakenner@reddit

I see it so much that they are on the sales sites for ages because the people that want them cant afford to spend 40k on a automatic NA Supra and those who can much rather buy a M3 or something along these lines

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Soquintes@reddit

People that complain about these being expensive (including the preceding the BNR32, BCNR33 generation) or ‘overrated’ than an ‘exotic’ are missing the point.

They’re are great tuning platform (especially if they’re expensive to modify compared to other options on the market) which is you see so many people modify them for time attack, drag racing, highway racing etc.

Add into the fact that pop-culture relevance, motorsport pedigree, and video games still makes them talked about to this day.

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peopeopeopeo10@reddit

This is a joke. Who the fuck chose JDM cars for the most posh and elegand concours. Fucking speculators

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smashingcones@reddit

A Toyota 2000GT is JDM, would that not suit the event?

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peopeopeopeo10@reddit

Different. That was the pinnacle of sportscars back in the days, very very special car

The R34 GTR is a consumer product with very high tech etc, but it's very very different

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smashingcones@reddit

You just said JDM cars 🤷

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peopeopeopeo10@reddit

JDM cars in the sense of "90s JDM bubble tuner cars" which is how JDM is used 90% of the time anyways

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smashingcones@reddit

Gotta be more specific next time you're gonna have a sook then mate

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Reterence@reddit

Potentially controversial take, but, it hasn't even aged that well compared to some of the other models in its own lineup. The Skyline GTT has rear wheel drive, available manual, and doesn't have to deal with some the aged tech present in the GTR like rear wheel steer and its complex AWD system. Its a much simpler car, and much easier to own and drice without feeling like you're going to break something espensive. Slap some aftermarket GTR body panels on it and you can have some pretty great fun for a lot less money.

It will always be a legend, but for people without over $100k to blow on a car, take a look at the lesser known skylines of the generation you want. There are also aftermarket options for the RB26 if you're looking for the legendary powerplant.

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Baby-girl-54321@reddit

Kinda crazy how the Nissan GT-R R34 went from a tuner icon to a collector’s piece. Feels like the end of an era.

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Clover-kun@reddit

Gen X and Millennials used to make fun of Boomers for treating their muscle cars like this, now we're doing the same

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rugbyfiend@reddit

“Carscoops”

Not exactly a scoop is it?

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Soquintes@reddit

People that are ‘concerned’ or ‘complain’ about these (including the preceding BNR32, BCNR33 generations) being ‘expensive’ (to modify) or ‘overrated’ than an ‘exotic’ are missing the point.

They’re a great tuner platform which is why you so many people modify them for time attack, autocross, drag racing, and highway (Wangan) racing.

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costafilh0@reddit

STOP COMPLAINING ABOUT EVERY FVCKING THING FFS

They made around 11500 units. There will be plenty for you to tune.

They just went up in price because they just became legal to import to US and Europe.

So just chill, in a few years after collectors get most of the rare and best ones, prices will fall for the rest and you will be able to tune them just fine!

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RoRoRotary@reddit

Yeah, that's not how the market for Japanese sports cars works.

More Silvias and 180s were produced than Skylines, and have been on the market for longer. Those cars are inflated in value, because as time goes on, there are less of them to exist.

There isn't enough supply to meet the demand.

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