2009 Nissan GT-R: Open Thread

Like the car, but where can you (legally) drive it to even a fraction of it's potential? I wouldn't want to drive a car where I'd risk the attention of the po-po if I opened the throttle past 50% at a light.

Give me a sports car where I can take advantage of most of it's performance every day: Cooper S, Rex, Miata, etc.

I've seen two... I gave a thumbs-up.

oh yeah, and I'm pretty sure it wasn't you guys driving ... one was in Massachusetts and the other in Vermont (with CT plates).

Do you actually use any of the information available on that console screen, or is it all just gimmicky to impress your friends?

The first time I saw one, I followed it and took pictures with my camera and even talked to the driver. The car had numbers painted on the back like it had been to a drag strip.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1bHGaV-Lvw
What do you think of that explanation of launch control. I think it is a load of bs. Apparently launch control is illegal in Japan.

I have seen a couple on the road, but I didn't take any pictures. I still love the car, but I have to admit feeling just a little bit sorry for the drivers, after reading the posts here. :/ Sucks when reality shows up and ruins a good fantasy car.

I've yet to actually see one on the road, but i know there are some in my area cause the first ones at the dealer were gone a day after they arrived. Now i just head to the dealer down the road from my work when i need a break. They have 3 on the show floor, and they even listed them on Craigslist....WTF? I wanna know honestly how the car makes you guys feel? Forget the price, maintance, warrenty, ect. When you guys have the chance to drive it or check it out for the week or weekend, how do you feel? Are you excited to get behind it regardless of what your going to do? I mean its not every drive that you get to thrash the car around. I just cant imagine having a GT-R to sit behind. Call me a Fanboy or whatever but the GT-R is my Fantasy car and not just the R35, but the R34,R33,and R32 as well. I wanna know how it makes you FEEL! Is it ever not one of the first cars cheacked of the list?

Ive seen 2 here in central Ky. One is owned by a guy who has his own speed shop (Injected Performance), a 1000+ hp Lexus SC300, and a 10 second 350Z. He's certainly no stranger to fast Japanese imports as his personal vehicles and vehicles his shop tunes/builds are ridiculously quick.

The other GT-R owner was an older guy (50s?) in the middle of a convoy of C5/6 Corvettes. Interesting combination don't you think?

As far as its looks....it looks much less bulky and smaller in person and it also looks more expensive as the pictures don't give it much credit when it comes to perceived quality. The fact that it looks like nothing else on the road means it demands attention. Very interesting and awesome performing car however I just like my performance delivered in a different way.

I have actually only seen a few on the road. I did see one when I was in Australia.

Seen a bunch of them on the track. Even one going off roading. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzXX77fscXs

I've seen a couple on the road. Looks like a menacing bully that's about to steal other cars' lunch money.

I seen a few on the road, drove one around for a day. It is everything I wanted, is like Nissan read my mind. Will buy one in a few years after all the update, recall, redesign and all the upgrade is out, both from Nissan and the aftermarket.

One of my friends from way back in high-school actually owns a GT-R. We had lunch together a couple months back and he totally shocked me by showing up in a black one. I asked him if I could drive it and he was more than happy to let me. So off to CA-1 we went.

Prior to that drive I was in the camp of people who thought the GT-R was over-rated and over-hyped. Not anymore. That thing is utterly amazing with how effortlessly it builds speed and how it feels literally glued to the road. I have never been in anything that road rougher and it certainly doesn't offer much in the way of steering feel, but it puts a stupid grin on your face that just won't go away. I think if it was my money I would still go with a Porsche 911 to get a traditional manual and that real conncetion to the road, but I also wouldn't hesitate to get a GT-R either. It is really that good.

This question has been eating at me for a long time, is it YOUR GT-R that I keep seeing across the street here on North Irena Avenue in Redondo?

A buddy has one - black over black. I've driven it a handful of times - perhaps for 2 hours total. In a word, it's amazing.

The power, the directness of the steering, the brakes, the utterly-glue-to-the-road feeling, everything about the way it drives is so well-sorted that it's stunning. Whoops, that's 2 words!

I've been particularly impressed by the quality of the interior (though I had low expecations), and the ride. I know that everyone says it's stiff, and it is, but the layout seems to put the driver near the center of the wheelbase, so though the car bucks up and down some, the driver and front-seat passenger don't get banged around.

I'm not a huge fan of the styling, but it has real presence on the road, and traffic seems to part when it approaches from behind.

Compared to a 911 Turbo? It feels like a 911 Turbo with 10 more years of development and polish - more capable, if less raw.

I would really love to see one of those suspension walk arounds for this car.

zeph, Not ours but now I'll have to drive by and see it.

Sus walkaround is coming. Got to get my meathooks on the key first!

I've ridden in the Edmund's test car. Never saw one in person before that day, back in February. Funny thing, I spotted a silver one in Yorba Linda only a half mile from Dan's house. I've spotted a couple since then, but never in anything but grayscale colors.