rider

I went for the EBC redstuff and discs. Reading since, probably not the top choice but I was in a hurry.

My Supra is about to come back from the garage where it has sailed through its 15th MoT (as it has done with the previous 14) and has been given its 18th anniversary belt change as well as a new uprated SMIC. The car went in with a bit of a nasty scraping noise from one of the wheels, finger has been pointed at the brake pads that had clumps of what looks like copper wire and braiding embedded in them that had grooved the disc. So discs have been changed and new ceramic pads purchased for the front NS and OS pair. This will be the first time I've used/tested/tired ceramic brake pads so just wonder how people find them wrt braking efficiency and longevity. Seeing they are 4 times the cost of standard pads how do people rate their investment in them? If they work out well I'll probably put new discs and ceramics on the back next service time.

Its only an inflated price if it sells. Cars can hang around on Piston for months.

I just purchased a run around as an everyday car so went to my Supra insurer, Admiral for a multicar quote. As a stand alone it was £187 and a multi-car component its come in at £161 for the year.

Having originally been interested in fitting a front intercooler just because I instead decided on a Whifbitz SMIC replacement so I didn't need to bother changing the air box. The reason for the change was that I figured that after 18 years it might be time to swap it out. It definitely was due a change out, the fins although intact were all heavily corroded and disintegrated to dust when touched. The Whifbitz was reported by the garage I used to be a spot on fit as a direct replacement and it looks to be a superior build quality to the OE intercooler. Anyone running a Supra on the original SMIC should check it out.

My poor ageing car is in for its service, MOT and the 6 yearly cam belt change and the garage reported the crank pulley ceramic or nylon belt grooves have disintegrated with age related fractures. Thankfully that didn't cause the belt to loosen and slip. Looking for a replacement Toyota GB £306.68 + VAT which comes to a nasty £368.01 plus delivery. Not sure where the 68p comes in but Inchcape Toyota in Oxford did offer a 10% discount off this to club members through the Steve Manley connection. That's still a lot of money so looked at eBay and quite a few genuine Toyota 13407-46020 parts at the US$270 mark. So buying it in from the US seeing the exchange rate is nudging £1 = $1.70 at the moment looks to make sense. Didn't buy off eBay as genuine doesn't always mean genuine so tracked down a Toyota parts supplier and ordered one in for £212.36 (US$353) that includes £50 (US$88) towards express air freight (3 day delivery). Rarely been a better time to buy in expensive parts from the US. If it gets customs intercepted the saving will be £60 if it doesn't it'll be £120.

I've been mainly with Admiral over the 16 years I had my Supra with only 2 excursions with other providers for two years total. I always get cheaper quotes online from the comparison sites than the renewal price quoted by Admiral so I always get the online price when I talk to them. For those wondering how insurers determine a classic here is a definition from the AA insurance website: "If you're over 25 years old, your car is standard build over 15 years old, and you do less than 7,500 miles a year, then we can help." As a footnote there does seem to be a big downgrading of premiums happening at the moment. Just got a quote on my truck that is half what it was last year with no alterations on personal circumstance or available no claims bonus..

It seems from commentators yesterday that some are particularly fond of their Airfix Supras. Each to their own is always good and many glued on parts can be easily remedied. Having look through some of the modified Supras out there, there are some particularly creative ones. I know which plastic Supra would be my favourite. A subtle rear end http://jm-imports.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/f2.jpg The NSX look, nice http://i.wheelsage.org/pictures/t/toyota/veilside/supra_fortune_03_body_kit/veilside_toyota_supra_fortune_03_body_kit_1.jpg Lambo doors, easier to roll out of. http://www.speedhunters.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/AY0F5297.jpg When a spoiler lives up to its name http://www.andysautosport.com/images/bomex/93suprabomexrear.jpg Pass the glue someone, a nice solvent variety will do. http://www.wonderlandmodels.com/products/tamiya-124-toyota-supra/

Indeed. Another good reason why the stock or close to stock cars are likely to become the £30,000+ collectors piece in the not too distant future.

The Supra is a pretty decent looking car as it came out of the factory. Though pretty much everyone has changed the wheels. Some prefer to slap on more bits of plastic than an Airfix kit carries. Nice spec single turbo 6 speed on eBay. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TOYOTA-SUPRA-750bhp-hks-t51r-single-turbo-6-speed-1997-/171309937291?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item27e2de328b To my eye the kit on this car look hideously OTT. When will people learn stock cars attract more buyers and invariably because of that higher prices. I wouldn't give £10k for this car unless it came with a free paper bag with eye slots.

Just wanted to say on the fuel front, where you recommend higher octane fuels. I have run supermarket bog standard in my TT6 for 16 years without any problems. Everything mechanical is as it came out of the factory 18 years ago and she runs fine, dyno was 330bhp at the drive wheels when last tested, on supermarket fuel.

If you want to know the distance around pulleys then get a length of string and tie a slip knot. Run the string around the pulleys and tighten. Snip the string with scissors at the knot. Then just measure the length of string. Can't imagine why you'd want to isolate the aircon though? The compressor is on an electric clutch so runs freely anyway when the a/c isn't working.

Feeling peckish yesterday evening I decided to take the Supra out of the garage for a spin into town to a specialist kebab shop. There was a group of teenagers working on a big exhaust saxo where I parked up. Excuse me one said, that was a shock. What bhp does your car pump out? They were all very complimentary about the car and thought the 400bhp was cool even though I said it was low end by Supra standards. They couldn't believe the car was just about as old as them and that I'd owned it since pretty much they arrived on the scene. So next time you meet some saxo crowd, expect a polite excuse me. I feel sorry for these mini petrol heads as when I was their age, big motor insurance was somehow affordable - just.

I just had mine done. Replaced the seal and the body shop had a glass company come in to remove and refit the glass. At least that way its covered on insurance. Glass company two visits cost £85 but a new rear screen is £600. Seal was around £65. The Body shop was the most expensive part.

No, but I do have a set available to fit so I guess maybe try that first.

I have a strange crashing sound coming from the front offside when driving on rough, mainly ribbed surface dressed roads. Total silence on smooth road surfaces so it can't be the wheel bearing. There is no vibration or thuds through the steering so it can't be the steering components. The noise is less but still seems to be there when braking so it can't just be the brake function. I did change all 4 shocks as the sound is like a dry shock so it definitely isn't the absorber. I've had the track rod ends changed so it isn't that. There is a metallic noise from the hub on each rotation after its had a knocking session for I'd guess about a third of the rotation following when the knocking has been quite bad. Its also exacerbated on full left hand lock. Could it be the pad clunking on a sticking or partially seized calliper? Any ideas folks, I'm running out of ideas how to end the noise and my garage is only happy to look into what I suggest they look into. I am thinking just replace the front callipers as they aren't expensive, does anyone have a part number for the import jspec caliper?

I had my condenser replaced at a service time 6 years ago and the bill topped well north of £1,000. Its not a cheap fix but would you buy a car without a/c when it has a/c as standard over a car that has the a/c working? I always find the a/c is more useful in the winter to keep the internal glass clear. The chill on the occasional hot day is just a bonus.

I always get told off for undervaluing. As you do state, silver is a bit out of fashion and is a very common early supra mk4 colour. As a private seller I'd look to £5,250 and bite at any offers over £4,500 to have a reasonable chance of moving it on quickly. Lowest cost 96 plate TT6 on the PistonHeads is £6,995 trade sale No stock or BPU TT6's are presently listed on Auto Trader

It is always to tough call on pricing, it usually depends how fast you want to move it on. Lowest cost 93 TT Auto on the Auto Trader is £3,250 private sale Lowest cost 93 TT Auto on PistonHeads is £5,495 trade sale

Whatever next, Supras in the blue badge parking? At 79 he is doing well to still be able to roll out of the car.

My import came with an Scorpion alarm fitted which was a Cat 2 listed alarm/immobiliser fitment. Never had a problem with insurance. Its a good transponder immobiliser that requires the fob to be in close proximity to the ignition to work. Never had a problem with the unit in my 16 years of ownership. They do Cat 1 listed alarms also. http://www.scorpionauto.com/home/productsearch/vehicle-security?search=alarm

If it were raised then it'd be a simple case of grinding opposite flats. As it isn't raised then if it is a highly torqued bolt I'd drill a hole, reverse thread tap it and screw in a bolt. That does require a steel drill bit, a tap to thread the drill hole and a bolt to fit the new tapped thread. If it isn't highly torqued then the earlier suggestion of cut a groove and screwdriver could work.

I have a BPU running last time I checked had 330bhp at the drive wheels. I changed the clutch late last year after 105,000 miles so there is no reason why a stock clutch can't last a good mileage on a BPU Supra. It just comes down to how its used or abused.

Thanks for the replies guys. To sum up no one appears to have ever had any MOT problems even though guidelines that preclude HID conversions in existing light units would deem that conversions should lead to MOT failure. Maybe the guidelines are being ignored or maybe they are too recent to have filtered through to the guy under the ramp? My Supra is getting on for 20 years old and by todays standards the headlight beam is pretty weak, or maybe its just my eyesight that's fading? The original light fitting and harness isn't compromised with fitting a HID kit so I can't really see any downside to going ahead. If MOT stations start to apply the regulations by the book on HID lights then it is nothing more than unplugging a couple of connectors to reinstate the halogen lamps.

I've purchase a HID main beam kit for the Supra and checking videos online of fitting tips came across this video from Auto Express that says fitting HID bulbs into units designed for halogen bulbs is illegal. My exhaust isn't strictly legal so that doesn't bother me to much. The main concern is they mention there is a good chance of a MOT failure due to the light pattern. So, my question of those who have fitted HID conversions to the Supra headlight is, has it caused problems at MOT time?