Peter P

£400ono Happy?!

Hi, First off welcome! (sorry for the delay in seeing/posting till now) Have you decided to go with a manual NA or TT would be the first question as they are very different as far as pricing and also NA cars are generally 5-spd gearboxes although the later/newer facelift cars have the 6-spd gearbox. NA cars seem to fall into the £2.5 - £7k bracket TT cars with manual boxes start at around £9k and go up and up and UP!!!! If you are seriously looking to buy you are best to ask one of the more experienced people on here to check any cars you find and maybe ask the owners any questions you have (your english so far is better than quite a few English people on here! ). There are some good writeups on spec variances available and any specific questions will no doubt get a good range of answers from the numerous knowledgable members on this forum. Good luck! Cheers, Pete

Just to add has the 2 wireless controllers and a DVD remote as well as the HDMI cable but that comes with the premium pack as anyone who's got one/ is looking for one will know. Cheers. Pete

Good starting bid but need a fair bit more ta! :d:d

Hey Guys, Have decided to free up some cash and given I hardly get any use out of my 360 since I moved into my own place and settled down with the girlfriend, this has been gathering dust (free with the sale! ). Will add the exact titles of the games to the thread later but from memory I have: - Gears of War - Tom Clancy Ghost Recon - Tom Clancy Rainbox Six Vegas - Import Tuner Challenge - Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2007 - Need for Speed Carbon - Need for Speed Most Wanted (with guide book) - Call of Duty 2 (got this 2nd hand and is crappy with scratches etc but does work when tested last) - Call of Duty 3 - Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII - Fear - NHL 2007 - Smackdown Vs Raw 2007 - Quake 4 - Dead Rising - Lost Planet - Test Drive Unlimited - Splinter Cell Double Agent Damn! Think that's all of them so won't need to update! The console is the premium pack edition (still got box etc) and was bought back in Feb/Mar 07 so quite new still. Isn't used as just don't have the time and with car tax and a holiday on the horizon, could do with some cash. Sensible offers please before I fleebay it and would rather sell complete than split thanks. Cheers. Pete

Find a clean 300ZX TT Manual (SWB if possible and within your budget) and don't look back to be honest. If you can't get a Supe TT (remember when I couldn't - who am I kidding haven't got one now!) then of the 2 others the Zed makes better sense IMHO. GTO was a very advanced car for the time but also has a very complex suspension setup that costs mega bucks if it goes wrong (mate had one and spent £7k odd fixing it about 2/3 years ago!) as that 4WD system has some nasty gremlins. Add in the weight of the 4WD system and you get a clear cut case for the Zed and it's more robust setup. I had 2 autos and was very please with the looks, performance, reliability and comfort levels given the considerably lower price they command and with subtle body mods they can look stunning. The other thing is they seem to have levelled out as far as values so you could sell up for minimal losses in a year or two after saving hard and get a nice Supe TT instead! PM me if you want any specific info/advice as am happy to help if I can mate. Cheers. Pete

The auto is the best in class IMHO as had the auto Zed TT and driven an Auto GTO as well and have to say the fluidness and smoothness are second to none! I'd suggest a TT whether auto or manual as you'll be suprised at how little you will save as far as fueling if you go NA. Seem to remember when a mate of mine wanted one we found the combined fuel cycles for both a TT and an NA and there wasn't a great deal in it! The auto is a tad more thirsty but if driven gently (not easy for most! ) you can do quite well with BPU mods. The maintenance isn't that different i'd say although on a different scale to the Rex. Hope this helps. Cheers. Pete

Hi Kris, First up a warm welcome as others have said, this is a great forum and very helpful (albeit biased! ). You've touched on 2 cars that have a warm place in my heart at the moment as Paul Whiffin (runs Whifbitz - see Traders section) is running 2 Rex's in the Eurpoean Drift Championship and the Time Attack Pro class, whilst Steve L (good mate of mine) is running his manual Single converted Supe in the Time Attack Club Class. What you can't help but notice is the vastness of the Supe in comparison to the Rex and the weight will be a big factor as well, when you consider the Rex has near perfect 50/50 weight distribution coupled with excellent handling and brakes that were top of the performance car scene for some time back in the nineties, it's a pretty tough package to beat! In favour of the Supe though as so many have said is the ironclad reliability and ability to handle power well in excess of the stock output with relatively little outlay of cash. BPU Supes will handle 400HP with ease every day of the week and a small single setup like mine used to be (GT35R) gave me between 550-600HP and removed a shed load of complicated hoses and vacuum lines that are prone to splitting under heat etc so served 2 purposes really. Steve L and I will be continuing to look into areas that can be improved in the quest for better track handling and weight loss so watch this space but you will be very pleased with the improved comfort of a Supe and the ability to use it a few times without needing to check all the fluids and gauges every few secs!!! Welcome and any questions fire away as there are some great and knowledgeable peeps on here. All the best, Pete

After owning 2 of the 3 and having a mate who ran a GTO, I can saafely say the 300zx and Supra are both excellent cars which are highly tuneable and present excellent value for money. You are spoilt for choice on the Zed front however and your money will buy you a very clean low mileage manual TT for less than a Supra TT Auto (the same spec i.e manual will be considerably more IMHO). There are also good tuners for both and good Owners Club Forums as well so it would be a 2 car race for me with budget, preference (get some test drives under your belt as they respond and display individual character traits only noticeable with hands on experience) and see how you get on. The final thing I'd say is how many immaculate highly tuned Zeds do you see on the road these days as opposed to Supe's? Just a point to think about although my personal preference is still and will always be for the Supe. Might be tempted by a SWB Manual TT or even a one-off SWB Manual TT Convertible would be a wicked project. The Zed is a sexy looking car for it's age and the value for money is hard to ignore unless budget is not an issue. Just my 2p worth, but the good thing is whether you choose the Zed or the Supe, you'll be guaranteed a rewarding, fun and enjoyable time getting performance you would pay a huge amount for if you were looking at similar european cars like a porker! Good luck either way and let us know which one sways you. Cheers, Pete

Let me know the size, font etc and maybe supply a plain one and he should be able to sort it our for you mate. If you PM me some contact details and this is the same for anyone who wants some artwork/etching etc done, I'll forward them on to him for you all and he'll be in touch. Cheers guys. Pete

Yes he does work in stainless steel but really depends on the specifics of what you require. Best bet is to PM me the details and i'll get back to you mate. All the best, Pete

Hi Guys, A good mate of mine has setup shop for himself and started his own business concentrating on engraving, sand blasting, etching etc into various materials and he's very good at it with great care and attention to detail. He has just started trying to sell some of the stuff via e-bay so please have a look at the following: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Toyota-Supra-Engraved-Mirror-UNIQUE-CUSTOM-MADE_W0QQitemZ120131777300QQihZ002QQcategoryZ10428QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem In addition, he can do any design in various colours etc to order but I can confirm the quality is top notch and not cheap crap like some i've seen. Thanks for looking and any questions post em up or PM me. Cheers. Pete

Drop me a PM and i'll give you my e-mail address as I may have what your mates after. Replaced the steering wheel off my R33 GTS-T which was a Series 1 on a 94 (L plate). It's somewhere in my folks garage I reckon! Let me know if still needed/suitable for what he wants. Cheers. Pete

Know someone who might be interested in this Jurgen. Can you PM a price please mate. Cheers. Pete

It's a bit of a drive but not hugely so for a guy who does the 1,000's you do! but I would recommend visiting Paul Whiffin over in Enfield. He knows the Supe inside and out, always has or can source very clean low mileage TT manuals but may be able to get an auto if you wanted one. Other options include asking if there are any club members near to one of those locations and seeing if they will pop round and take you out for a drive in their cars. Glad you are ehthused though as these really are great cars. Jurgen also offers some superb cars but not sure what he has available to try in the UK as such as most of them are from auction sites and are bought prior to import. Cheers. Pete

ooh and more valuable IMHO is the Uk spec brakes which are bigger and better than the tiny j-spec ones!!

Headlight washer dildo's (I mean washer stalks!), Bonnet scoop, normally full cream leather and shagpile carpet and the standard alloys are 17's on a Uk as opposed to 16's on a J-Spec. Then things like MPH on clocks etc but the main visual differences are as above mate. Pete

My bro has an S500 Merc and in terms of comfort for mile munching, it did have the upper hand. Similarly, the old man had a Lexus LS400 which was comfortable to ride in as a passenger but gave no real pleasure to the driver. You need a test drive to prove it for yourself but these are effortless motorway cruisers and if only looking at stock or BPU, you should find reliability and comfort without any problem. Auto is fabulous for traffic jam driving and motorway use whilst the manual with an uprated clutch can be hard work. Economy I'd say not much in it if you drive the Merc and Supe the same way as I know my bro spent as much on petrol as me when we did a long drive together once. Just my 2p worth but provided you don't need lots of storage space (don't get me wrong, for a supercar the Supe has a very respectable amount of storage). Hope this helps. Cheers. Pete

The 280HP is as mentioned on here a gentlemans agreement by the Japanese manafacturer. Most cars exceed this with relative ease and the Supe is no exception. What i've always found interesting is how to identical specs can vary as far as HP output even with the same enviromental conditions, rolling road etc. Pete

Never been a huge fan of 3 spokes but must say these look the nicest of all 3 spoke designs i've seen on Supe's. The price is good IMHO when you can use them as winter wheels or stick a set of wets on them for track use. Could even get some slicks on these for drag use as well. Free bump from me (would have had them for a spare set if I still had the car! ). Cheers. Pete

Hey Jurgen, Can you let me know on the black one for now and also the highly modded as well via PM please mate? Interested to see how they stack up pricewise as both 96 models one light mods one serious as am after something special for the next one. Cheers. Pete

I'm guessing at £160 + £10 P&P so £170 for UK delivery. Noticed your avitar says Australia so would imagine if that's where you are now it'll set you back a bit more. Looks gorgeous I must say!

First off good choice! Supra is a superb car with endless tuning potential that puts a smile on your face everytime you drive it, people on here will all have their suggestions on where to buy a good car from and I would imagine all of them are worth looking into. I would personally recommend Paul Whiffin of Whifbitz (see his section in Traders) who gets some amazing Supe's (all are manual as he only imports TT manuals) for good money. I recommend Paul as he is a great bloke to deal with and has always done everything possible to provide peace of mind with his cars when it comes to reliability. The buyers guide on here is useful and the combined knowledge of all the members means you should be able to get a pretty clear picture of what to look for and what to pay. Whoever you go with you'll be in for a treat as these are remarkable cars but make sure you budget for the considerable running costs as it's not as simple as buying one outright which lets face it, anyone who can obtain finance can do. Fuel, parts and labour all add up and if you want one of these remember it was a £40,000 super car back in 1994 and although the resale value is considerably less, the care needs to be spot on for reliable motoring so don't scrimp on cheap parts/oil/plugs etc. Any specific queries you are welcome to PM me if you like. All the best. Pete

Would say having owned a Black UK TT (albeit auto) that the advantages of a UK car over a J-Spec are pretty slim to be fair! With the competitive insurance market now in place for Jap Imports and the far greater choice out there if you do go for a J-Spec, plus the spec similarities and if you are looking to modify the car as well (uk tubbies over jap ones for example made no difference to me as I wanted to go single) loads of J-Spec come with the better and bigger UK brakes and the wear on a J-Spec is considerably less than the UK cars which sadly suffer a hard life with our crappy roads. My opinion (for what it's worth! ) look at a J-Spec with the CAT 1 Alarm and immobiliser and get a quote from Sky or I know a guy who has done some excellent deals for people I know on Imports. The mileage will be less, the condition will be better and the cost of purchase will offset the additional insurance premium. Good luck whatever you get in the end it'll be a pleasure to own and drive as it's a Supe! Pete

It's not the guy with the Union Jack on the roof from the previous Gumball. These 2 are millionaire businessman running a property company in Manchester from what i've found. The media are indeed stirring trouble as per usual by leading two totally different circumstances! 1) They were in a convoy at speed, hit the VW Golf and fearing the consequences jumped in another Gumball car and headed for the border to escape charges. 2) They were in a convoy travelling within the speed limit when they were involved in an accident with a VW Golf. The drivers called in the accident to local authorities and awaited arrival of emergency services at the scene. Once the innocent parties from the VW Golf had been attended to and taken to hospital for treatment, the drivers of the totalled Porsche took a lift to the next checkpoint to arrange for the cars recovery and start the ball rolling on insurance paperwork etc. When they approached the border they were held as the driver of the VW Golf had subsequently died from a heart attack. If it's 1 then they deserve the lot thrown at them!! If it's 2 then they did everything the right way and were unlucky as this could have happened to anyone. All i'm saying is don't start jumping on band wagons just yet and follow the crowd of jealous people who think this is just some rich public school boy event. Yes it costs £28,000 to enter a team but it has had 9 good years with excellent attendance from a vast array of celebrities from around the globe. It makes entertaining viewing and with some obvious exceptions including the idiot in the Porsche with the Union Jack on the roof is generally done in a controlled and responsible manner. Watch this space as until I hear from the 2 involved or Maximillion Cooper I'm a bit sceptical. Just my opinion. Pete