2009 Nissan GT-R: Should We Reprogram?

I vote no.

Use the car the way you bought it.

but they are so much more mellow and well behaved once you have them 'fixed'.

Should do the reprogram. A factory gtr has already ran 11.3@120 with the new program.

http://www.nagtroc.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=28329

Do the reprogam. Nissan claims it is faster. Fer realz.

Please do. I'm curious how much of a time difference the reprogramming will make to the track numbers. Come on, for the sake of investigative journalism?

It is a tough call, but apparently one owner is already posting some pretty decent times with the reflash. http://www.dragtimes.com/blog/nissan-gt-r-still-quick-after-neutered-launch-control-update . According to this writeup, the reduced launch rpm (or increased if you compare it to the previous launch RPM with VDC on) drastically reduces wheel spin and hop thereby reducing drivetrain shock. In nearly perfect conditions, it ran 11.34s quarter mile at 120.85 mph with a 1.69 60 ft time. I would argue to do it as I would definitely not want to be the one stuck with a $20k repair bill and it doesn't seem to affect the rest of the GTR in any way. Afterall, this is not a drag car, it just happens to be really, really quick off the line.

I always thought that it was stupid that Nissan would void your warrantee if you used a system that THEY installed in the car.

I say go for the reprogram. That way you can use the launch control, and have keep your warrantee.

You should sell it now while you can still get $42,000 for it.

"Should we do it? We like our car just the way it is. "

those who have done the update have said that the software modifications improve drivability. by drivability, they mean shift smoothness, gearchange logic in A mode, hill hold assist, etc. I can't see any benefit to not wanting to benefit from that.

"Should we voluntarily have our long-term GT-R altered to better protect its pricey transaxle and ourselves from the possible repair costs?"

The only way it protects the transaxle is if you're doing a lot of vdc/off launches. If you're going to do a lot of vdc/on launches, the transaxle will get more abuse than before because the new VDC/on launch is more aggressive.

So, the only reason you would not update it would be to prove the transmission is strong from the factory. If that's the case, there is an easy way to prove that, which both edmunds and the gt-r community could benefit from.

After that data were collected and published, your new transmission could run on the new software.

BTW - Although nissan says the software will make the car slower (as one would think it would), we have seen the fastest stock GT-R time to date. (link above) is that because of lower temperatures and better conditions? or is that due to the new launch control or other transmission updates? it looks like we will have to wait and see....

Even I vote yes won't make any difference to you anyway. I don't think anyone will dare to buy this vehicle a year later.

It's going to be hard to sell these on the used market, especially a few years from now. How do I, potential buyer X, know that the first-year GT-R you are selling me doesn't have a bunch of hard-launch data lurking in its computer, just waiting to void my power-train warranty to the tune of $22k?

Umm, this is a no brainer. Get the car reprogrammed- Nissan is trying to protect you and the car from sustaining serious damage. I guess since IL can afford to write-off serious expenses, this issues will have to be debated.

izumi- I'm with you. I feel sorry for the poor chap who buys this car after its year is up.

Do it, just in case one of your idiot friends who didn't get the memo on not using launch control decides to get medieval with it.

Forgot to preface my comment with: "If it were my car, I would do it, just in case one of my idiot friends..."

I think you should do it to best represent the real ownership experience.

This is a long-term test car...you should get it reprogrammed. An owner might do that and that's how all the new ones will be sold.

I'd just go ahead and do it.

Even though its "voluntary" it'll probably get reprogrammed anyways during one of the regular service intervals.

It's just software. Couldn't you do a rollback if you didn't like?

Do it. But make sure that you do a before and after test to see how much of a difference it will make.

Don't do it. You all are responsible enough not to ruin this car. Leave it for the next person to decide who will own the car personally.

If you don't....you need to take it to a track and do some timed drag racing and laps against some GT-Rs that have the reprogramming done.

"I feel sorry for the poor chap who buys this car after its year is up."

I sure don't. That poor chap will still be driving a GT-R, while the rest of us are constrained to simply drooling over it. That, and I would imagine that Edmund's takes pretty good care of their cars. Sure, they do get driven and used a bit harder than most cars, but they also get more care, attention and maintenance than many other cars on the road.

If I had the money and was in the market for a used GT-R, I certainly wouldn't rule out the Edmund's GT-R. That is, as long as it's had it's transmission reprogrammed. =)

Yes reprogram it. It's part of the ownership experience to keep up with the software updates.

If you must replace the 135i's tires with the same, then you must get the reflash.

Although, that tire thing made no sense as most owners would likely dump the RFT's, if not due to the ride quality, then due to cost... but from the explanation that was given, you are all mindless drones following orders.

Well, Nissan says reprogram ECU... OBEY OBEY OBEY!

I would do it primarily if you want to get top dollar for trade if you plan on selling it.....

I would think that a non-reprogrammed GT-R (read: not neutered) would get more on the open market. You can always have it done, who knows if you can have it undone.

If it were my car I'd keep it original and just be careful with LC.

And to whoever brought it up, I would certainly buy the Edmunds GT-R if ye old back account could handle it when the year is up.
-mike

Live dangerously. Don't put new tires on it!! Those cords are a lot stronger than they look :)

Do it....

I think the boys somewhere..might have figured out..how to alter that launch rpm thing by now. Changing it makes that piece of code a little easier to find.... right ?

Do a funeral article for the Launch Control. Launch Control it about 10 more times, then 5 more with new tires, then get the new program.

Mike, neutered was the exact word that came to mind. Maybe we can put our "back accounts" back-to-back and share the former IL LT GT-R. I'm down for that!

Seems dumb to try and out think Nissan's engineers on this one. It appears Nissan's goal was to deliver the best trade-off between max performance and max durability and that's a compromise anyone with common sense should accept.

sealclubb3r- you'll never catch me drooling over the GT-R so don't worry.

I'd wait for at least a while, until more is known about how the new programming affects the car.

If you do get the upgrade, find a way to save the original program onto a disk, chip, or something, so you can go back to it if desired later. I suspect some GT-R owners are already looking into something like that...

I say get it done. we all want some hard numbers with a GTR thats been updated. We all know what it can do without it and that most of the GTR's that broke we're more than likely because of their dumb owners. Lets get the new numbers!

In the interest of science, do it.

I say you guys should do because I have read on other forums that the reprogramming still let's you launch with VDC on so there's less stress on the transaxle.

Many claim that Nissan didn't take the "easy way out". They made it so that GODZILLA remains GODZILLA, with a different strut in his step, that's all...

Do it then launch away!!!! Without paying the hefty $20,000 premium to do so.

Good Luck...

I think that you should do it, with before and after testing, because you are in a unique situation to document the changes in programming and their real-world effects.

Do it! ^_^

If it were my money I would do it. Save my warranty and in IL case gives a better picture of the ownership experience.

On the other hand, there is a great opportunity for experimentation here. If it is true the tranny breakage only occurred in 1% of GT-Rs sold it could be worth it to have empirical evidence showing that Nissan's transmission is actually fairly robust. You guys haven't babied the car and you haven't been running it into the ground either. If it survives, it will prove that if you treat this sort of car like a normal person would it would be fine.

Besides, since you guys got another Fit because there were substantial changes I think you would be justified in getting another GT-R down the road with these programming changes to compare the difference.

I say not yet. see if you can get someone who has reprogrammed theirs and test it back to back. See how the two perform, since it'll be in the same environment, and then make your decision from there.

" In nearly perfect conditions, it ran 11.34s quarter mile at 120.85 mph "

Isn't that faster than what the car ran before the ECU update? From what I recall, the fastest magazine times for a stock GT-R with the old launch control was 11.4 @ 118 mph.

Why would the trap speeds increase so much? They must have bumped up the HP too. Something is fishy here.

I vote for getting the update.

If it was my car I wouldn't, but I bet their normal customers are pretty much forced into it. Face it they gave you guys special treatment because you are media. So I say go with the update since that is what we would have to do if we bought one and really would have no choice since all the unsold ones are getting the update anyways.

How do you know the dealer won't do it anyway when you take it in for an inevitable service?

Question: Is IL portraying the ownership experience, or the ultimate performance experience, of the GT-R?

If former, then why not go with the flow, get reprogrammed, and report the results?
The dealer may decide to reprogram it anyway.

If latter, forget the warranty, go to Cobb or nearest competent tuner, crank up GT-R HP and other race-worthy characteristics, and let us know what works and what doesn't (assuming IL has the budget :-) ).

Or, perhaps IL can convince Nissan to offer a tryout of the "new" GT-R on a local racetrack? That way IL can measure how upgraded GT-R compares it to the "original".

If Nisson will pay for it when it breaks (which they will) and you are going to dump the thing after a year (which you will) then I see no reason to neuter the car. If I owned the car, I would.

Reprogram it for the next owner's sake.