Most cars have predictable depreciation curves and will be worth 40 percent of their original purchase price five years after they’re first sold - but the Nissan GT-R isn’t most cars. It hoards value like an automotive Smaug. But the times, they are a-changin’, and prices for used examples may just become affordable for normies like you and I.
This 2009 Nissan GT-R is one of many that have succumbed to the newton’s second law of thermodynamics, meaning that when you do drag launches on a transmission that can’t handle it, entropy takes the wheel and renders your car an enormous paperweight. A little while ago, I predicted the market seeing a bunch of out-of-warranty GT-Rs with transmission issues in the coming year, and my prediction actually came early, because instead of this low-mileage, clean-title car being at the $60,000 mark, it’s at a more palatable $45,000 with a transmission rebuild being required maintenance - a service, by the way, that is getting cheaper and cheaper to replicate.
Although my focus will be on this car in particular, it isn’t the only model on the market. In fact, if you go through eBay’s current and completed listings, you can find a plethora of cars for under the $50k mark with some minor mechanical maladies.
Although the car will need a transmission repair, the rest of the car is nearly new and functionally identical to that of a brand new, $120,000+ GT-R, save for a few minor details. Here’s an excerpt from the description:
Brand new tires brakes are good. Front 3m clear bra. Never any accidents or body work. Left rear tire low pressure light on I have added air however it will need code cleared at dealer. No other engine lights on. Selling because transmission just began having an issue. I own several high performance cars and truly enjoyed this but the garage is over flowing. Car starts and runs perfect. The transmission is rattling however it will go into every gear and reverse. I have not driven it from the time it started making noise and do not recommend it. This is an excellent opportunity for someone to buy it, get it repaired and have a great gtr for 15k to 20k below book. Havent had anyone look at it I just planned on having a complete rebuild done. I’ve had quotes for around 3000 for rebuild.
This GT-R represents the mass of cars echanging hands because they’ve suddenly lost their appeal to the original owners and become more of a liability than they can handle. However, for prospective owners that want a good running car, having a transmission rebuilt for $5,000 with a warranty and stronger internals is a good option to have. Not only will you not lose money on the deal, good running examples aren’t feeling the downward pull of prices, so if the turnaround is quick enough, you could get away with making a few bucks, all the while driving an almost new Nissan GT-R for the summer. Check out how low prices are getting and then wonder why anyone would ever buy a new BMW M4.
Tavarish is the founder of APiDA Online and writes and makes videos about buying and selling cool cars on the internet. He owns the world’s cheapest Mercedes S-Class, a graffiti-bombed Lexus, and he’s the only Jalopnik author that has never driven a Miata. He also has a real name that he didn’t feel was journalist-y enough so he used a pen name and this was the best he could do.
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