2009 Nissan GT-R: 25,000 Mile Service

A Nissan dealer told me investments around $80,000 in showroom materials, additional tools and training for mechanics, and many other specialized items must be acquired before they could sell or service GT-R's.

Since GT-R's are specialty items, not all Nissan dealers do this.

So when you drive your GT-R up to a Nissan dealer, it may be one that really doesn't know how to service GT-R's properly.

Wow, just, wow.

Never mind changing the coolant at 25k miles, but $230 labor to do so? Its almost like Nissan had to gin up all sorts of ridiculous maintenance schemes to help the dealers earn extra dollars in return for the investment in the tools to sell/fix GTRs.

But, again, $230 for a coolant flush - I mean, what ever happened to a low pressure flushing machine with distilled water followed by a final fill with the appropriate mixture? That should take all of 30 minutes max.

I hope you got a kiss along with that sexual assault. How about comparing the service costs of the Ford GT (about a zillion times better looking) and the GT-R?

I would think that servicing an $80k car in SM would be like Steven Spielberg eating at the PF Changs near 3rd Street Promenade.

The outrages continue.

If anything, this long-term blog has really opened my eyes to the potential for obscene gouging. I mean, I was used to seeing $250 oil changes at Porsche....but those were also 1/year or 15,000 mile oil changes.

Coolant is usually a minimum 60,000 mile warranty....why on earth, no matter the machine, would it be a 25,000 mile item? Lots of cars run 105k on coolant nowadays, though 60-75k is probably a bit better for long-term cooling system health.

Gahh!

Z06

$500.00 isn't honestly that bad for dealer service at that interval- that's how much the 30k maintenance on my Subaru cost (with the most disinterested, incompetent service staff I can ever remember), and at the end of the day I was still driving a POS Subaru.

Compared to the $10K a friend of my brother just paid to have the 15,000 mile service on his F430, this seems perfectly reasonable.

As an aside, it is good to know that Nissan can treat it's high end customers well. Maybe Hyundai could learn a thing or two from Nissan after all.

I can't imagine why this car would need a coolant change at 25,000 miles. That seems ridiculous this day and age. My Z06's coolant is good for 150k miles before needing to be changed, and every 50k after that. Takes regular GM Dexcool III, which runs about $9.00 a gallon.

I noticed you said $21.65 per HALF QUART?? That's absurdly expensive. That works out to $173.44 per gallon.

I was intrigued by the GT-R, but I think I'll keep my Z06.

I'll concur with the need for a coolant change at 25K being quite ridiculous.

I think there is a disconnect between what the car actually NEEDS, and what the dealerships call for. My G37 is supposed to have all kinds of ridiculous services at the dealer, but I only get oil changes.

stingray454 - The nature of my work has had me dealing a lot with GM dexcool. I strongly urge you to do a flush and refill on your coolant before 150K miles. Dexcool is touted as a lifetime fill coolant, but it is definitely not. Its a good product, but not capable of service length like that. Treat it like regular coolant and you're cooling system and engine will thank you. Flush and refill every 50K-60K. You won't regret it.

"Compared to the $10K a friend of my brother just paid to have the 15,000 mile service on his F430, this seems perfectly reasonable."

Compared to getting your head chopped off, a broken arm seems perfectly reasonable.

;)

You are being gouged by your dealer.

Materials for your oil change total ~$57.00 (6qts 0w-40 = $51.00, $5.10= filter and $1.00 for washer). So you paid $165-170 for labor.

I've never seen a more appropriate example of "cutting off your nose to spite your face" It is in Nissan's best interest to stop this from happening as the outrage w/ maintenance costs is not without good merit. So it is mind boggling that Nissan hasn't stepped-in with some type of hand slapping of the dealer. Particularly considering the high profile long term test you are doing.

I'm sick of hearing about the maintenance costs of the GTR. It is boring and repetitive. Still, it is hard to ignore such highway robbery.

You guys put some fuzzy dices in the GTR?!

I believe there was a TSB that discontinued the use of distilled water and spec'd pure water distilled from dewdrops off of rare Tibetian Mountain Lillies collected only by virgins and blessed by the Dalai Lama himself.

doubleapex:
"I believe there was a TSB that discontinued the use of distilled water and spec'd pure water distilled from dewdrops off of rare Tibetian Mountain Lillies collected only by virgins and blessed by the Dalai Lama himself."

HAHAHA! that's hilarious, just made my afternoon!

certainly explains the cost! the GT-R's engine is pretty high strung though, making well over 100hp/liter of displacement. so this kind of maintenance and the fine tolerances and such almost makes sense... at least if you want to keep it running well.

still not sure if the coolant change was necessary though, but I don't know much about that.

My S2000 was over 100hp/liter, too, and for the life of me I can't recall spending over $200 for an oil change.
As for the $10k service on the Ferrari... you don't tell someone who has the flu, "Well, at least you don't have cancer, right?" Either way, the money or the flu, doesn't make me feel better about the GT-R's 'suggested maintenance' costs.

"'Coolant? They charged $86/qt for ATF; this stuff should be at least $145/gal.' Turns out it wasn't that expensive, $21.65 per half quart for regular Nissan Long Life Antifreeze"

Please tell me this is a typo. As stingray mentioned, $21.65 per half quart is *more* than $145/gal. And your parts cost was only $64? Are you sure that wasn't $21.65 per half gallon? (Still pretty pricey, but seems more believable)

you have a car that performs right up against a Ferrari Enzo.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N%C3%BCrburgring_lap_times

enzo 7:25
zr1 7:26
gtr 7:26
z06 7:42

unless the dealer is charging higher than others for the same service, i think it is a bargain.

z06? it is not in the same league. zr1 more like it.

I own a GT-R. My dealer charges nowhere near the prices that Edmunds is being charged. Must be the sales area of where Edmunds is located. They should try another certified GT-R dealer.

example- I pay $150 for oil changes. And Ive gotten quotes of $55 a quart for tranny fluid.

The GT-R is a supercar! And relative to the supercars it bullys, maintenance is not bad at all.

Tell me how a coolant flush at 25 kmi is necessary to maintain the condition of this car. Base it upon sound engineering principles or directly connect it to a specific service concern with evidence to back up the need. I'm not buying the references to gouging from "similar" cars as justification.

rcalcaide - I hate you a little bit. Just a little.

I don't see the GT-R being bought by too many guys who can just toss $75-80K around like nothing. More likely, it will be bought by someone who had to stretch a bit, scrimp a little and save a lot to get there, and these people don't strike me as the kind of people who want to pay the kind of money you were charged for service.
High horsepower, high tolerance, whatever; Nissan is going down a perilous slope with the maintenance costs and requirements of this car. It is a Nissan; people don't expect 25K coolant changes on a Nissan -- maybe an Infiniti supercar could get away with it, but not a Nissan supercar.

Guys you have to take note. Edmund's has put 25k miles on the GT-R in one year! A car of this nature usually is driven what, 6 to 10k a year? So in one year, Edmund's has incurred maintenance expenses that the average GT-R owner would incur over the sum of 2.5 to 3 years! Seriously how is this so bad considering the supercar performance you get? Of course if you consistenly track the car than expenses would accelerate due to the wear and tear. Still the GT-R is a bargain supercar.

Ive been blessed to previously own a Porsche Turbo and now the GT-R, and the GT-R is no more expensive to own. You just have to be smart and consensus of where you spend your money to care for these cars.

My BMW dealer only charged $138 for an Oil Service and coolant change on my wife's X3 2.5. The BMW coolant is good for @4-5 years.

This is a $75k car, not a $150k car so saying the services are "affordable" compared to a Ferrari is a little silly. Regardless of performance, this car is well under $100k and its a Nissan.

Would you feel better if this was an Infiniti GT-R and was serviced at an Infiniti dealer for the same price?

The price for your service is too much for these mundane services. As an engineer I'm trying to fathom the reason for 25K coolant change, is the coolant system that much stressed that it taxes it's coolant that much?

Nissan decided to market the GT-R as a Nissan because of its over 40 years of racing heritage in Japan. To the rest of the world, the Infiniti brand has no real presence for Nissans racing culture.

Not just any Nissan dealer can service the GT-R. They first must outlay time and money for certification. Special equipment for the GT-R: lift, alignment equip, wheel equipment, etc. Also only one mechanic on staff can be certified as a GT-R master tech who goes through training.

I love how people say "Its just a Nissan". Sorry the Nissan logo has no cache like Porsche, Ferrari or other high end marques. Sorry Nissan also builds econo cars too. But what the GT-R does is stretches the skills and crafts of Nissan engineers. Nissan has much more resources available to them because of there size. The GT-R has no competitors. Not at any price!

Stop whining and pay up.

Thanks for the info rcalcaide!