2009 Nissan GT-R: Final Trip to the Service Bay

Given that Nissan requires all the pads to be changed simultaneously and the cost for this seems to be around $5000-8000 (more likely towards the lower end of this spectrum), hopefully the purchaser is aware of such costs going in, good deal or not...otherwise they are going to have a rude awakening very quickly.

$283 for a service sounds perfectly reasonable...my VW dealer has charged me more than that for routine service on my $18,000 GTI more than once! But then again that IS why I've chosen to do my own maintenance for the last couple years...

It made me chuckle to read still under 3 yr/36,000 warranty. Well, for 5,000 more miles anyway. It did sell for $10k less than the next lowest 2009 on eBay (reserve met), and just got new tires. Even on a GT-R, as long as you don't need another transmission $10 grand should buy a fair amount of repairs should they be necessary.

Good riddance to this overpriced pile of crap.......this is by far the stupidest LT car ever.

Bodyblue: It might make a stupid longterm test car, but it's hardly a pile of crap. Have you ever driven one? The performance is insane...and at half the price of the competition.

You likely can't afford this car...guess what, neither can I. It's easy to call if overpriced, but if you had the money to play, you'd sing a different tune.

:)

"$283 for a service sounds perfectly reasonable..."

For an oil change?

"my VW dealer has charged me more than that for routine service on my $18,000 GTI more than once!"

Thanks. I'm making notes on why not to buy a car and if VW charges more than that for what's effectively an oil change, VW makes the list.

OK, I'm poking fun. I find it interesting how 'routine service' gets lumped together, without the need to mention what's actually being done.

if you paid $283 for a routine maintenance oil change/inspection for your GTI, I'm sorry to tell you that you got ripped off royally. I've never paid over $100. Your dealer is stealing from you.

Unless you're referring to the 40k DSG service, in which case that was a very fair price.

Back to the GT-R: I wonder how many owners of these cars have any clue the kind of maintenance costs they're getting themselves into. I have a feeling that many people are stretching their budgets to afford monthly payments and some pretty rude awakenings when they see the service bills.

$283 for a routine service seems reasonable. When I asked for an annual oil change that was not covered by the BMW free maintenance plan (BMW will only do it for free at every 15000 miles, anything in-between would be out-of-pocket), they charged me about $250.
That was for a lowly E90 325i. For a GT-R it does not seem out of line.
PS: For the M Series cars the free maintenance plan also covers annual oil change, under the "Low Mileage Service" specification.
You gotta pay to play.

"The performance is insane...and at half the price of the competition."

SOME of the competition. It's about 40% cheaper than a 911 turbo. But it also competes with the Z06, which is less expensive than the GT-R, and performs VERY closely (the Z06 is faster in some areas, slower in others, but net-net, VERY close).

I'm not arguing that it's not a good deal for a performance car, I'm just saying it's not the only good deal in town. The Z06 also has vastly less expensive maintenance and repair costs than the GT-R.

I have not driven one...I have had a short ride in one and yes it is very fast...so what? It has been unreliable and stupid expensive to maintain. How do you know I dont have the money? Some people do not use all of their disposable income on cars....especially expensive vanity mirrors like the GT R

e90_m3 says, I don't understand how anyone can think $250 is a reasonable price to pay for an oil change, especially for a 325i. The rest of us pay $20-$40.

^ $20-40? Maybe at Jiffy Lube, with coupons.
As you say such routine maintenance service usually includes replacing this air filter and checking that setting.
The dealership charges $130/hour, so $250 is just over an hour of work, plus parts and supplies--this is New York City, after all. Sure it's cheaper at Chevy or Toyota dealers but you gotta pay to play. Their hourly rate is the same for 325i or Alpina B7. Someone gotta pay for all the free coffee and cookies, you know.
As long as they are being upfront, I have no problem with it.

"$20-40? Maybe at Jiffy Lube, with coupons."

The GM dealer down the street charges $20. The Ford dealer charges $35. No coupon necessary. This includes stuff like you describe (checking air filters, battery, recalls, etc).

There are reasons I don't bother to change my own oil. :)

"The dealership charges $130/hour"

$130/hr is likely what they charge for medium/heavy duty technicians. Oil changes are light duty. No dealership, not even BMW, should charge $130/hr for light duty work. No dealership should charge more than four tenths (24 minutes) for an oil change.

$130 is actually pretty pricey for medium/heavy duty, but you are in NYC. It might be reasonable there.

@Bodyblue,
I do not believe that this is the stupidest LT vehicle. On the contrary, I think it was good to see how this sportscar handled itself day to day. It have proved itself to be an atrocity (in my opinion), and it was entertaining to see a car that needed a whole new transmission within 20,000 miles of purchase. Stupid Car? yes. Stupid Choice? No, definitely eye opening to what this high performance monster really costs. Gimme a Z06 please

First, I won't vigorously defend the maintenance costs on the GT-R. It's pricey and there isn't really a way to talk your around that. But (here is comes), it isn't that far out of line for a performance car of its caliber. Really guy/gals it is true!

Mobile One 0W-40 is approx $8.50 a quart, the filters around $6.00-7.00. So materials alone cost $50 to service a GTR....if you buy them yourself. Likely higher if you walk into your local neighborhood parts store and buy it retail. A reasonable dealer shouldn't charge $130/hour for light duty work, but they are going to charge SOMETHING. Yes, $283 is a big gouge but no one should expect a $40 oil change either.

On the topic of how this car sold on EBAY. I've said it before, I do own own a GTR, and it is mostly for track usage. I'm also 42 years old and not your typical GTR owner. That is, I'm much older. Nissan's problem is that they have created a car for a demographic that really can't afford to own it. My sense is that a lot of 20 and 30 somethings bought the first batch of 2009 GTRs and have recently discover they paid too much and can't stomach the maintenance. Many of these are being sold now. So along with the weak economy and shortage of credit, it has created a very weak market for these cars.

My subjective judgement is that someone got a very, very nice deal at $52,600 price.

bodyblue why do you have to be so foul? Seriously, why?

@brn:
Yep the going rate is $110-140/hr for most dealerships around here. If the car is out of warranty I'd have taken it to indie shops in a heartbeat--some BMW indie shops have very good reputations and I'd trust them more so than the dealership mechanics. Not that the indie shops are much cheaper though.
Since the car was still in warranty I have no choice but to pay the dealership rate.
That being said, $250 for regular service, every TWO years, really isn't half bad (the other one is paid for by their maintenance plan). A few months ago I even got some $99 oil change coupons from them--not that I needed an oil change at that time.

"bodyblue why do you have to be so foul? Seriously, why?"

"foul" is quite a stretch I think. I call things like they are. You must be sensitive about your choice if you care what somebody else thinks about your purchase. Why would you care what I think as long as you like your car? Many of these cars are being sold like you said and for the reason you said, but also I think for the reason that they are unreliable and yes (cover your ears) stupid. The "budget" supercar for the IL fleet has proven to be neither. Not cheap and not "super" in the ownership experience.

Why do you have to be so sensitive? seriously, why?

Konocar:

Very good points and I agree with your post 100%

bodyblue. I hate what I'm about to do because it detracts from the intended purpose of these forums...that is to discuss autos. I've done it before and regretted it but...

Can't you do your "truth telling" without being so completely foul mouthed and rude? You say you call things as you see them. Yet at the same time, you can't recognize yourself for what you truly are...a foul mouth trash talker.

I've been around the block a few times, and there is one thing I know for certain is that your type of conduct has consequences. TAs the saying goes "hubris gets punished" and often in the most brutal ways.

I've got a chip on my shoulder for guys like you. And you're right, I'm sensitive. Big deal...somehow you think that's a negative trait?

http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/2006/12/14/14pogue-email-2/

Good bye.

@e90_m3,

"PS: For the M Series cars the free maintenance plan also covers annual oil change, under the
"Low Mileage Service" specification."

Annual low-mileage oil changes are covered on all BMW's, not just ///M's.

A BMW oil change should cost about $100-120 - not too bad actually when you consider that's with BMW's full-synthetic and the intervals are 12-15,000 miles.

"You gotta pay to play."

Ain't that the truth.

MN_Car_Enthus, I don't necessarily consider $283 for routine maintenance for a car like this to be outrageous. I don't think it's perfectly reasonable, but not completely absurd. I consider the GTR to be a specialty car and far from a daily driver. As such, oddities like this aren't unexpected.

$250 for an oil change for a daily driver like the 325i is outrageous.

bimmerjay: "A BMW oil change should cost about $100-120"

That's much better than $250. It's still high, but at this price it falls within the "pay to play" mantra.

At the same time, it needs to be well understood that these cars are very expensive to keep (and purchase). These high reoccurring costs need to be considered when comparing them to other vehicles. If you rolled into a Ford dealer and it cost you $100-$120 for an oil change on a Taurus SHO, people would scream bloody murder.

Bimmerjay...is there a miles limit on free service on BMWs?

MN I did not mean to bring tears to your eyes by saying bad things about your GT R. I never use foul language or threaten others as you just did above....maybe this is not place for you. Many of us on here say what we mean very plainly.....remember what I said..I did not attack you personally, I just think the GT R is a silly machine......why would you care?

@brn,

"If you rolled into a Ford dealer and it cost you $100-$120 for an oil change on a Taurus SHO, people would scream bloody murder."

True, but a SHO needs about twice the number of oil changes and uses dino oil.

@bodyblue,

"Bimmerjay...is there a miles limit on free service on BMWs?"

The free maintenance program lasts for the warranty period, 4 yrs/50k miles. It also covers wear items during this period (brakes, wiper blades). The wiper blades are $50 so it's nice to get them replaced gratis every year.

"A BMW oil change should cost about $100-120 - not too bad actually when you consider that's with BMW's full-synthetic and the intervals are 12-15,000 miles.

"You gotta pay to play."

Ain't that the truth." -- bimmerjay.

The most I've paid for an oil change for my 325i is $108 at a great indie shop in northern Va. Usually, I was able to get the service done for half that by taking advantage of their service coupons, but the last time wasn't able to match my needs with the coupon period. I saw NoVa dealership service coupons for "half" off oil changes that came out to $88.
My Bimmer still gave me a lesson in paying to play -- $870 for a driveshaft.

I've enjoyed seeing the GT-R and how much it costs to keep that beast. If I was in that market, it would be Z06 for me (with some aftermarket Recaros...)

$50 for wiper blades???!!!! EEEEEK I know you love your Bimmers but look me in the eye (:) and tell me how a wiper can be worth 50 bones? LOL If I was in the market for a high performance German car it sure would be a BMW just because of the free service.