Thread: Storing the GTP for a 4-5 year tour to Japan

Hello everyone. I just rebuilt a 2000 GTP with a new motor, new trans and many many other new items including headers and a cone K&N along with new tires and new paint. I have over 6k in it 5k something if you dont count the snow board gear I traded for it. At the end of this year I will go to Japan for 2-4 years and they will not let me take it with me. It will have to get sold or stored. The storage facility is free for me and indoor. My question is should I try to sell it and break even or store it and risk having problems with it when I get it out of storage sometime late in the decade? If I store It I will have a car when I get back but if I sell it I dont have to fix the cancer rust spots, there are two bigs spots and a few others, before I leave in the next few short months and maybe get a GXP and turbo it when I get back. BTW I put a lot of hours into this car and at one point I felt like I knew it better than my newlywed wife. lol I still probably do!!! Thanks for your comments

Originally Posted by stealthee

I agree, being gone for 4 to 5 years, you are better off selling it. The car won't be in any better shape when you get back.

Even taking a 2k dollar loss and having to deal with being vehicle less when I come back to america will be better than trying to keep it? I love the car but am not in love with it. I just set it up to drive for the next 5 to 10 years but only got half a year out of it because of my work.

If it has significant rust, I would sell it.

Used cars are fairly cheap and usually in great shape over there. Modded R32/33 Skylines for 5-7k, Clean 2JZ Aristos for 2k.. Guys get deployed and want to unload fast. I've seen all kinds of US spec cars over there too... Caddys, Mustangs, trucks, suvs, etc.

If you've allowed to bring whatever you want back (except a non-NHTSA approved car). I would pick up something over there that you can strip and take parts back with you. Aristo, Soarer, President, Cima, S15, etc. Maybe even find a spot that will half-cut it and ship it back for you.

Originally Posted by 97gtpjoe

You are better off selling it and save some money in order to buy a much better car once you come back .

I have lots of money for good cars. I just want this one to work out for me. After my wife and I get back we could afford a classic car the truck and a suv no problem. I just dont like the idea of taking a few thousand dollar loss... I could only be gone 2 years but I would rather be gone 4 so it burns up time till retirement.

^^ It's pretty common to get 1-5 year jobs teaching English in Japan, Korea, and other Asian countries.

Originally Posted by stealthee

My personal opinion is yes. When you get back you can buy something to keep you going until you get another project.

Yea that is what I already had planned. Its hard to know whats best when its so far down the road from now. I want to hang on to it because I put a lot of hours into that car to just sell it 7 months after I got it running...

Originally Posted by Elite6

Sell - you'll want a Nissan anyhow after you get back

Yea I know it. I always was impressed with Nissans in auto school however, I gravitate towards domestics and there are no good Skylineforums.com...lol

Originally Posted by 95naSTA

^^ It's pretty common to get 1-5 year jobs teaching English in Japan, Korea, and other Asian countries.

True but I'm in the A.F.

Originally Posted by Neil98gt

This. Lol the military is not the only reason people would need to move for 2-4 years.

But, I agree with the majority here. It probably won't be worth it to store it for that long. Chances are it'll be a lot worse off than when you left it.

Yea I think the new motor and trans would hold out. I just helped a guy in the parking lot with his jeep suv and the hood kept falling on me while I was shooting from the hip on his overheating problem. I guess that he had no or little coolant in his car. As the hood fell down again he told me that the gas spring struts for the hood were not working because the car had been stored the past 5 years...dang he probably lost all his coolant two. Well now he will pry need a new motor sooner than expected... That makes me def wanna take the loss and sell her for sure.