3000GT VR-4 review (pro pics)

[MachinesWithSouls]

Long before I could appreciate (or afford) German metal, I drove around in "classics" like the 350Z and this 3000GT.

For those that don't know me, I've made it a personal goal to memorialize as many GTs as I can find, and this week I have a rare 1999 VR-4.

https://machineswithsouls.com/2022/0...3000gt-review/

No point in arguing with me on this one: it's still one of the best-looking cars ever made.

[AR_Motorwerkz]

Originally Posted by MachinesWithSouls

Long before I could appreciate (or afford) German metal, I drove around in "classics" like the 350Z and this 3000GT.

For those that don't know me, I've made it a personal goal to memorialize as many GTs as I can find, and this week I have a rare 1999 VR-4.

https://machineswithsouls.com/2022/0...3000gt-review/

No point in arguing with me on this one: it's still one of the best-looking cars ever made.

Nice 3000GT! First time I saw it was in a Jackie Chan movie "Thunderbolt" fell inlove with it ever since.

[G MONEY]

I always liked them. Use to smoke them at the Philly races in my 300ZX turbo 🤣. Very nice looking
Cars

[Ginster6]

I dont remember that was the stock wing...

the stock wing is auto adjustable. If i recall...

[MachinesWithSouls]

Originally Posted by Ginster6

I dont remember that was the stock wing...

the stock wing is auto adjustable. If i recall...

Indeed the active aero spoiler was on the car until 97, which became a hoop-style wing, and then in 99 it became the combat wing.

I've attached 2 pics of other GTs as examples.

[MachinesWithSouls]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

Oh, I'll argue the point. The thing looks like a Ford Probe that mated with a Camaro of the same era...

Both of which were good lookin

[Red Bread]

They're just so huge. They have to be a foot wider than the Z and Supra and just look colossal next to the (wildly prettier) FD RX7.

Most of the body kit just seemed tacked on too, the overall design wasn't bad, but execution was sloppy. It reminds me of the R129 SL that was pretty on the upper half but looked heavy because of the plastic trim on the lower half.

The GSX Eclipse always seemed like the better design. My dad had an FD and I had an Eclipse, that just got vaporized by an E36 M3 and helped me see the light.

[MachinesWithSouls]

Originally Posted by Red Bread

They're just so huge. They have to be a foot wider than the Z and Supra and just look colossal next to the (wildly prettier) FD RX7. Most of the body kit just seemed tacked on too, the overall design wasn't bad, but execution was sloppy. The GSX Eclipse always seemed like the better design.

Some of it was tacked on actually. If you see a first gen (with the pop up lights) and check the hood, you'll see 2 lumps. They looked like scabs. This was to clear the shock towers. They only fixed it after the 2nd gen was released.

[Red Bread]

Originally Posted by MachinesWithSouls

Some of it was tacked on actually. If you see a first gen (with the pop up lights) and check the hood, you'll see 2 lumps. They looked like scabs. This was to clear the shock towers. They only fixed it after the 2nd gen was released.

Yeah, it seemed to get better looking the longer it was around. It would have been interesting to see a second generation, but I guess all of those Japanese cars died with that generation.

[RM7]

Wasn’t there something wacky with a belt in the transmission or transfer case on the 3000GT VR-4?

In any case, that was the golden era of Japanese sports cars. 300zx, gc8 wrx, supra, mr2, celica awd, skyline, etc…

[MachinesWithSouls]

Originally Posted by RM7

Wasn’t there something wacky with a belt in the transmission or transfer case on the 3000GT VR-4?

In any case, that was the golden era of Japanese sports cars. 300zx, gc8 wrx, supra, mr2, celica awd, skyline, etc…

A transverse mounted engine and transmission with four wheel drive (and steering) caused many issues for these cars, sadly.

The timing belt had to be changed every 60k, or it went boom. They were interference engines.

[Mavus]

they were ok but panels and interior look like a kit car to me. I'd always take 300zx tt over it.

[billnchristy]

I had a buddy with one and another with a GSX. I had a Porsche 924s at the time which wasn't comparable anywhere but the twisties. We were all in the Navy and the 3000GT dude would prowl up 564 going into Norfolk naval base to be sure there were no cops and do 150mph blasts down the interstate in the middle of the night.

I remember going to the movies with the two of them and I overtook the GSX on 64 and was doing close to 100mph and I suddenly saw headlights and a red flash go by. He said he was off throttle once he saw me and still cruised by at 130+.

It was a cool car. I do remember that every time he tried to go faster he would end up actually losing boost though. It wasn't easy to tune back then.

[heavyD^2]

My brother had one. It was a fast GT car and a head turner in its day.

[OkieSnuffBox]

Originally Posted by Red Bread

They're just so huge. They have to be a foot wider than the Z and Supra and just look colossal next to the (wildly prettier) FD RX7.

Most of the body kit just seemed tacked on too, the overall design wasn't bad, but execution was sloppy. It reminds me of the R129 SL that was pretty on the upper half but looked heavy because of the plastic trim on the lower half.

The GSX Eclipse always seemed like the better design. My dad had an FD and I had an Eclipse, that just got vaporized by an E36 M3 and helped me see the light.

And insanely heavy for the time. IIRC, the VR-4s were something like 3800-3900 lbs.

[ntg44]

Thanks for sharing. Brings back memories of staring endlessly at these when I would see them around.

By the time I could afford one of the Japanese giants, they were either collector status or already trashed by previous owners. But I will always remember them fondly. While it looks like a Japanese Renaissance of sorts has returned in the past few years, it's not even close to what the 90s generation of Japanese muscle was. Truly legends of their time.

[MachinesWithSouls]

Originally Posted by ntg44

Thanks for sharing. Brings back memories of staring endlessly at these when I would see them around.

By the time I could afford one of the Japanese giants, they were either collector status or already trashed by previous owners. But I will always remember them fondly. While it looks like a Japanese Renaissance of sorts has returned in the past few years, it's not even close to what the 90s generation of Japanese muscle was. Truly legends of their time.

While the current crop of Japanese coupes are excellent, doesn't it feel a little phoned in?

The new Z is basically the same car dating back to the 350Z. The Supra is great, but speaks with a heavy German accent. Nostalgia is big business I guess.

[ntg44]

Originally Posted by MachinesWithSouls

While the current crop of Japanese coupes are excellent, doesn't it feel a little phoned in?

The new Z is basically the same car dating back to the 350Z. The Supra is great, but speaks with a heavy German accent. Nostalgia is big business I guess.

I agree to some extent. The problem is that the R35 GT-R is the only car offered in the USA that's closest to what I'd consider a spiritual successor to the spirit of the 90s Japanese greats. And it has the same problem now as they did then - it's just too darn expensive. Although I will say I would have gladly purchased one over my R8 if it still had an inline 6 instead of the horrid sounding V6, without any hesitation.

I believe that overall, the new Z is the best car Nissan of today could realistically get approved and put out given its recent troubles, but I still think it's an honest effort if not a financially limited one. I'm glad it exists instead of ending it at the 370z. Unlike the complete cancellation of the STI which REALLY got me going as a current 2020 STI owner.

Toyota on the other hand has no excuse in my opinion. If you have an entire powertrain, chassis, and interior handed to you, the LEAST you can do is make it uncontroversially good looking. Axe the bird beak, all of the fake vents, and that horrid clamshell hood - it does not work. You had the MkIV as the perfect inspiration and still somehow managed to botch it. If it's about nostalgia, then make it nostalgic! Even the recent manual transmission news isn't enough for me to get over the design. So it's also a let down in my book, but for different reasons. I don't even care that it's a BMW underneath.

I like the 2nd gen 86 twins, but I'm personally looking for more power than they provide. The GR Corolla is the next best thing, but I'm not going to go out of my way and compete in an artificially limited production run for a damn Corolla. Honda can't seem to make a good looking Type R to save its life, and Mitsubishi and Mazda performance offerings are dead. About the only Japanese car I'm highly considering is the Lexus IS 500. But now that my STI is at 400+ whp, I'm not even sure it would be more fun than what I have now. I'm pretty content all things considered, and sometimes knowing what you have is better than regretting a mistake later on.

Maybe I'll add the IS 500 to my collection one day when I have the garage space for it. I think it would be a great long term keeper.

[MachinesWithSouls]

Originally Posted by ntg44

I agree to some extent. The problem is that the R35 GT-R is the only car offered in the USA that's closest to what I'd consider a spiritual successor to the spirit of the 90s Japanese greats. And it has the same problem now as they did then - it's just too darn expensive. Although I will say I would have gladly purchased one over my R8 if it still had an inline 6 instead of the horrid sounding V6, without any hesitation.

I believe that overall, the new Z is the best car Nissan of today could realistically get approved and put out given its recent troubles, but I still think it's an honest effort if not a financially limited one. I'm glad it exists instead of ending it at the 370z. Unlike the complete cancellation of the STI which REALLY got me going as a current 2020 STI owner.

Toyota on the other hand has no excuse in my opinion. If you have an entire powertrain, chassis, and interior handed to you, the LEAST you can do is make it uncontroversially good looking. Axe the bird beak, all of the fake vents, and that horrid clamshell hood - it does not work. You had the MkIV as the perfect inspiration and still somehow managed to botch it. If it's about nostalgia, then make it nostalgic! Even the recent manual transmission news isn't enough for me to get over the design. So it's also a let down in my book, but for different reasons. I don't even care that it's a BMW underneath.

I like the 2nd gen 86 twins, but I'm personally looking for more power than they provide. The GR Corolla is the next best thing, but I'm not going to go out of my way and compete in an artificially limited production run for a damn Corolla. Honda can't seem to make a good looking Type R to save its life, and Mitsubishi and Mazda performance offerings are dead. About the only Japanese car I'm highly considering is the Lexus IS 500. But now that my STI is at 400+ whp, I'm not even sure it would be more fun than what I have now. I'm pretty content all things considered, and sometimes knowing what you have is better than regretting a mistake later on.

Maybe I'll add the IS 500 to my collection one day when I have the garage space for it. I think it would be a great long term keeper.

I do love the IS.

Before I became BMW man, I cross shopped a GT-R with the E92 M3 I ended up with.

I loved the Skyline, but it was a bit robotic and I didn't want to take it for service and wait behind the grandma with the rusty Sentra. That car was about 75k. I know it's a long time ago, but now the car is over 100. Similar to what killed those 90s icons.

[///d]

No one knew what the 3000GT was until Gran Turismo came out and everyone discovered you could make them stupid fast in the game. Same with the 300zx. Then all of a sudden everyone wanted one.

[RM7]

Originally Posted by ///d

No one knew what the 3000GT was until Gran Turismo came out and everyone discovered you could make them stupid fast in the game. Same with the 300zx. Then all of a sudden everyone wanted one.

Maybe true for the video game generation of the 2000s. Not for the rest of us. I’d you were a car person, you knew.

[OkieSnuffBox]

Originally Posted by ///d

No one knew what the 3000GT was until Gran Turismo came out and everyone discovered you could make them stupid fast in the game. Same with the 300zx. Then all of a sudden everyone wanted one.

Meh. I was a young kid in the 80s (graduated high school 2000) and my dad had a '67 Fairlady as his race car for use at Hallett. My first car in high school was an '88 300ZX. So I was already well aware of all this stuff.

Hell at 12 years old my dream car was a '69 Yenko Camaro. But I grew up in a car family.