Buying the R35, or how I've learned to love the fat girl

After I had sold my modified 1992 NSX (see my NSX Blog here) I thought I would be happy with a 2008 Honda S2000 Club Racer (aka CR).  I owned the CR for 2 months, spent some time at the track and really appreciated its Lotus 7 like simplicity. However, in the end I craved for something greater.  I got the CR through a trade with my 1996 Skyline GT-R V-spec. I thought wanted something LHD and cheap to maintain and run on the track. I tried to like the little S2000 but the call of the GT-R was just too loud to avoid. Thus, just 8 weeks into its ownership I decided to sell it and my hunt for the R35 began.

First of all I will admit that the R35 was not high on my shopping list.  I was really looking for a newer, unmolested NSX, hopefully with the 2002+ facelift and a supercharger. I love the Honda and still think it is one of the finest automobiles ever made.  I checked NSXPrime for a few months, negotiated with a couple of prospective sellers but never found a perfect fit.  The NSX market is not like your usual used car scene.  These cars were built in small numbers and owners feel like they have a piece of history on their hands.  As well, a seller's perspective is always different when they are approached by a motivated buyer vs. them placing an ad in the media and hoping to find one.  Everyone was asking too much, even with cars I knew the history of and what they had paid previously!  Sheesh.

As well, being a Skyline guy, I had the typical RB26-powered GT-R owners' "attitude" towards the R35. It's a very capable car with assessible supercar abilities but it was not a true GT-R. It's too big, it's too heavy, it's LHD, it's not powered by a small inline 6.  It's got a face only a mother can love.  However, the more I searched for alternatives: Audi R8, Lambo Gallardo, NSX, Porsche 911 Turbos, Lotus Exige, even other R32 or R33 GT-Rs, the more sense the R35 made.  I started to appreciate its owner's community (GTRLife.com), the aftermarket support, and the fact the car takes really well to mods.  Also it would be nice to own a car built in this decade (lol) with a warranty and all the modern gadgets like GPS, voice-activated controls and that sweet mutltifunctional display.  The decision was made to go look for one.  

My only criteria was that it must be within 1 day's driving distance, low mileage, not a 2009 (with their inherent tranny issues), and hopefully either Gunmetal Gray, Titanium (very rare colour) or Silver.  Right away the obvious choice was there.  A car with 21,000 kms in gunmetal was located in Kingston, 200 kms away.  I emailed the owner, a nice mature guy who owns a bus company in town And who had originally bought it off the showroom floor in Montreal.  It's seen the track 2 times, and he's kept all receipts and work history.  Pics were offered up and we negotiated a price.  Coincidentally my cause was helped by the fact that another Ottawa doctor had wanted the same car but was BS-ing around with him over the price, which pissed him off enough to make him want to sell it to me.  Two weeks later on Oct 21, 2012 I hopped on a Viarail train to the Kingston and returned in the afternoon with my latest Godzilla.

 Pics he sent me:

  

Here she sits in my garage:

Gone but not forgotten: