Hi, I have been looking to buy a r34 skyline for some time. It seems like one has come up. Most of the ones I see are $5000 with rego etc. This one is $3000 but not starting. Edit: This happened after the battery was charged. It seems like everything is getting power besides the starter motor. I'm not very good with cars but know a little bit. Probably won't buy it w/o an inspection though. Still if it was just the starter then this will end up being a bargain at $3000 imo…. Any help on things to look for. i am happy to spend some money restoring the car, but not something like head gasket or tranmission etc… Updated: engine pics for diagnosis : Sau.com.au link
R34 Skyline Inspection Tips - Car Is Not Starting but Complete and Cheap
Cave Fire on 27/11/2019 - 18:39
Last edited 27/11/2019 - 21:13
Last edited 27/11/2019 - 21:13
Comments
can't drive manual atm…
Auto + Skyline also, yuk
street cred bro !!!
paint it silver + blue stripes + subwoofer
and hit play youtube BOV kapisshhhhh sound, with window down
Don't forget the RIP Paul Walker sticker on the rear window
And some head and shoulders in the glovebox as a memoriam.
Not even the auto part, the non turbo part. Why not buy a v35 instead.
My point still stands, it has much more wrong without than a starter.
Auto non turbo skyline…Corollas will be blasting past you everywhere lol
Can confirm, have 05 Sportivo, done this a few times
Tell the owner to get a $200 starter off eBay and then you'll consider.
Who knows what sorry of engine issues it's got. Assume the worst.
$3k. Starter motor borked. Poor thing's probably been thrashed like a mule for 20 years.
Those cars are like the town bicycles.
If it sounds too good to be true it probably is, like a car that normally sells for $5000 selling for $3000.
Run away while you can.
It doesn't sound good at all though. Sounds like a crap gamble on obvious junk.
oh yeah, I am happy to spend a bit restoring the car, but not $2500+ for a specific issue eg. if the head gasket was blown or transmission was munted or rings etc. There are r34 rolling shells that selling for $2500 here in qld…
Don't waste money "restoring" a non turbo R34 auto skyline. Your $2500 rolling shell will be an easy 8k on the road, then you still have an auto, non turbo RB25.
I think 8k is a bit high. I don't like forced induction as I am planning to hold this car for a long time.
Then you've never built a car.
What does forced induction have to do with keeping it for a long time?
Just get a v35 or v36 if you don't like forced induction for some reason.
I don't think i could own another car without a turbo. Current one has 193,000km on it. 163,000km of that has been with a +15% power/ +30%torque remap.
I'd offer the guy $1500 and leave him your number. A non-working car has about 80% less potential buyers.
Better yet, buy one that some other fool has done all the work on. You rarely get back what you've sunk into it unless it's very special (auto + NA is not special)
If you have to ask, and on a bargain website, then the car is not for you - unless you are willing to burn $3k.
Then again, chances are that if you buy it there’ll be another sucker out there to buy it form you when you can’t get it running.
Asking about Datsun in a Camry forum, fail.
Nah, just buy it. Sounds like a great project.
Never buy a non starting car unless you know what you're doing.
What happens when you try and start it?
I'm always massively suspicious of cars that supposedly have simple, cheap to fix issues yet haven't been fixed and instead are being sold cheap.
Dont buy it.
Not this car… But an auto R34.
Please.
Thank you.
Don’t convince yourself that this car(or any car) is the car you are meant to buy.
what about marriage ?
Don't you think you should get to know Eeples a bit first?
I must say, avoid impulse buying this just to get a bargain.
I own a Skyline Gtr, I know how expensive parts are.As others have said, if it’s the starter motor, why hasn’t the owner fixed it when it’s an easy few thousand profit?
Most that own Skylines know some mechanical knowledge so keep this in mind.
You can check basic things such as spark plugs - has it been running rich or lean? Is the oil milky? Condition of other fluids - if an owner can’t be bothered changing fluids, do you think the car has been looked after? How can you ensure power is getting to everywhere except starter?
Take a friend who’s mechanically minded. It could be a bargain, it could be a money pit. Parts for Skylines aren’t cheap despite being 25 years old
What's your budget for repairs?
A photo of the engine bay just tells you if there are any oil leaks, if it hasn't been cleaned lately. The inside of the engine could be filled with squirrels. And if it's not running, then it's hard to spot other issues with the suspension, transmission, etc.
Have it inspected if you are not confident - that way you will know how much it might cost to get it road worthy etc….
Agree, but inspecting this vehicle is a waste of time and money, there are obviously other things wrong with it. OP needs to have a trustworthy mechanic find them a car.
Yep. It's possible that it's genuine with the seller just wanting to get rid of it quickly, but personally I can hear ghostly voices howling 'beware… bewaaaareee'
Vehicle = movement… if it can't start, then it is not a vehicle.
Could be deliberate sabotage so you are unable to start "defective" engine.
Spend the extra 2k… don't be stupidbring your own jump starter and tap 12v onto the starter motor and see if it moves. simple
A non turbo Skyline is never a good buy. You’re better off buying another car for the money.
If you’re buying a skyline get a turbo!
If you need to ask what's wrong with it on ozbargain it's the wrong car for you.
I'm a hardcore Frenchie that is still learning. Got out of Jap a while ago.
R34? I've had my share of JDM. But right now they burn too much fuel, too unsafe and parts… you can get them but damn it can be hard. ALOT gets lost in translation using the catalogue's.
R34's are mostly nothing but scrap in Japan now.
Do yourself a favour and find something else. Particularly with the price of fuel the way it is. Best car I ever owned on paper was a NHW20 Prius. Smiles for miles at 4-4.5l/100!
Oops… failed to mention, as an example I just bought genuine French oil filters… for… $10.80 posted. Brake pads are $6.50-65. Tyres are $45-250. Bilstein shocks are $50-75. Even a new turbo is $300-1100.
Labour can be a pig on major components but meh…
I wouldnt.
Stay away.
Its cheap for a reason.
Dont come complaining to us if you buy it.
Its on YOUR HEAD!I think "in" my head is more appropriate… but yeah, on top is right too… :(
My plan is to still buy one lol. I don't race and have no interest in making large horsepower. I will mod for comfort and ride + efficiency. The price is now $2500 for a complete r34 + $100 to tow about 18kms. I plan to keep the car for ten years +, do a rebuild at some point and eventually store the car. It's not to make money, more that I like the design more than anything.
Just as long as you realise it's a Japanese commodore and parts are very thin on the ground now. The days of Autosalon etc are long gone.
If you don't know much about cars and don't have a deep wallet you are in for a world of pain
A $2.5k sports car, even if it's really worth $5k, is not going to last you ten years mate. You'll eventually get to the point of having to repair something every time you turn it on. Even in perfect working order, it's still a sports car under $5k - what are you expecting for that money?
I'd say get your budget up to $10k and buy something more valuable.
Early series XR6 falcon for $3k.
I'll give you a good tip, if it was just the starter, the owner would have fixed it and would be selling it for $5k instead of $3k. Also NA R34 skyline, yuk.