R32 Skyline GTR and GTST battery 12V replacement - 2021 Edition
RB Motoring
R32 Skyline GTR GTS4 GTST battery 12V replacement - 2021 Edition
It’s time to update our recommendation list for batteries for the R32 Skyline GTR, GTST, GTS4, GXi, and all other R32 models. Luckily, there aren’t many changes.
#1 Option - Optima Yellowtop for Nissan Skyline R32
As with the year prior - the best battery to replace your dead battery with in the R32 GTR GTST and GTS4 is the Optima Yellowtop for the Prius. Click here for that link.
Optima warranties their batteries for three years, and Amazon even double-protects you if Optima declines your warranty (which has happened to us before, luckily!). The battery is a direct drop in replacement for all models of Nissan Skyline R32, and fits the stock terminals perfectly.
These batteries should be available for the next decade or longer.
#2 Option - AC Delco for Nissan Skyline GTR GTST GTS4
This is the best second option for a battery - the AC Delco battery with JIS compliant posts.
As with the Yellowtop, the AC Delco is a drop-in replacement that should fit 100% without issue. It is cheaper than the Yellowtop, but doesn’t have as strong of a warranty (two years, versus the Optima’s three).
If you don’t want to spend as much, this is a solid option, but we have seen a lot of warranty options declined on this and if you don’t drive your Skyline often, you may end up killing it enough times in two years that the battery will die prematurely.
#3 Option - Odyssey
This Odyssey battery is great for a dedicated track car. They are small, incredibly lightweight, and include terminals that are a direct fit for the R32 Skyline GTR, GTST, and GTS4.
Given the size of this battery, it is EXTREMELY prone to dying prematurely and we highly recommend keeping this on a tender at all times. More on that below:
Keeping your battery from dying
My R32 Skyline GTST is not my daily driver, and sometimes (especially now in January) it isn’t driven for a month or longer. To keep your battery from dying with STRONGLY recommend keeping your battery on a tender. They are cheap, don’t draw enough current to significantly affect your electricity bill, and will keep your battery at exactly 12 volts when you aren’t driving it.
There are a million options of cheap tenders, but we have a set of six of these NOCO Tenders around the shop and they have been great over the past five years.