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The mkiv Supra Owners Club

choosing a supra!


Guest farnell182

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Guest farnell182

Hi there, im new to this forum, but decided to join to get some info off people who actually own these beasts!

 

im thinking of joining the supra club! although the petrol prices are high, im no longer having to travel 50 miles to and from work, only 10 miles each way now. so Ive decided i can now have a supra!

 

im looking for a UK Spec 3.0 TT. just a few questions id like to ask from you guys.

 

OK im not expecting miracles with the mpg, but what should i be looking around? 25 mpg? mixed driving?

 

as a rough guide, 100 miles is what id be driving to and from work per week, roughly how much in fuel would this be? (i know you are probably thinking if you are asking this a tt supras not for you, but may as well ask so i know what im getting into)

 

im after a UK spec ideally, but is there really that much difference between the UK spec and the Jap spec? i know UK spec is slightly better spec slightly faster stronger turbos etc, cheaper insurance, but much difference in performance?

 

OK now for price, for a decent UK spec supra, what should i expect to pay?

 

any advice appreciated, thanks

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Hi

 

Work it out on 20 mpg and you'll be close, so 100 miles will cost you approx £30

 

There is a uk spec on here with 200,000 miles on it for £3995, ive no idea how decent it is though.

 

Just do lots of checking before buying, lots of parts on these cars are rather expensive and its the stuff you can't see you should be asking about such as the

Heater Matrix

Turbo's

Intercooler

Radiator

A/C Rad & pipework

Brake calipers

Brake pipes

Suspension parts

Diff cooler

Afraid i could go on but wont scare you too much but buy the wrong car and it'll cost you.

 

Suspension items are very costly, for example a new rear upper arm is £430, there are 8 main suspension arms of varying cost !

 

Look beyond the blingy wheels & flash paintwork or you could catch a costly cold.

 

If i can be of any help im also in the midlands so happy to guide you away from the many sheds that pretend to be well cared for mkiv's

Edited by Dnk (see edit history)
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im after a UK spec ideally, but is there really that much difference between the UK spec and the Jap spec? i know UK spec is slightly better spec slightly faster stronger turbos etc, cheaper insurance, but much difference in performance?

 

There's virtually no difference in power between the J-spec and UK Spec. The UK spec has smaller slightly laggier turbos as the turbines are steel, the J-spec turbos are slightly bigger but are lighter as they are ceramic, so spool up quicker. Both engines can be pushed to 1.2bar/400hp with minimal modificatiions - read -> BPU.

 

The UK spec comes as standard with leather seats and the larger 4pot/2pot brakes, many J-spec models also come with leather and the larger brakes as standard.

 

The main advantage of the UK spec Supra is lower insurance costs compared to the J-spec. Parts for both models are available to buy from any Toyota dealer.

 

There were only around 600 UK spec Supras sold and they were discontinued in 1996. The J-spec Supra was discontinued in 2002 so there are a lot more good and usually cheaper examples to choose from.

 

Have a read through THESE GUIDES for more information

Edited by Nic (see edit history)
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Guest farnell182

i live in wolverhampton. thanks for offering with helping to choose appreciate it! ive got alot of saving to do first so wont be for a few months yet but when the time comes would be ideal for somebody to talk me through what to look for, or even better to come with me to check it out, would pay better to be safe than sorry. plus im not the most mechanically minded person lol just try to learn as go along. any downsides to owning a supra? 99% of everything ive read on the supra has been positive, thanks

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i live in wolverhampton. thanks for offering with helping to choose appreciate it! ive got alot of saving to do first so wont be for a few months yet but when the time comes would be ideal for somebody to talk me through what to look for, or even better to come with me to check it out, would pay better to be safe than sorry. plus im not the most mechanically minded person lol just try to learn as go along. any downsides to owning a supra? 99% of everything ive read on the supra has been positive, thanks

 

Downsides? Everyone wants to race and you can watch the fuel needle drop as quickly as the speedo climbs ;)

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nothing serious though? lol will have to try to refrain from using the accelerator too much

 

Nothing serious, no. Have a good read through the buying guide and model differences chart and you won't go far wrong ;)

 

http://www.mkivsupra.net/vbb/forumdisplay.php?60-Basic-Supra-Guides

 

I'm in Halesowen so may see you at some meets when you get yours, or even before.

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nothing serious though? lol will have to try to refrain from using the accelerator too much

 

Trust me mate theres plenty of serious parts to go wrong on a mkiv hence the few items i mentioned in my first reply ;)

 

ATB

Dunk

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nothing serious though? lol will have to try to refrain from using the accelerator too much

 

There are no inherent design/reliability issues with the Supra but they are old cars now (9-18 years old) parts wear with age/mileage as with any car. If properly serviced the engines and gearboxes are strong and will last many miles, but ancillary parts wear (radiator, turbos, intercoolers, pumps, etc.)

 

One of the main areas I would inspect on any car I was interested in would be the suspension components, there are a lot of parts and if any of them are worn they are expensive to replace. I would recommend getting any car you are interested in on a ramp and thoroughly checked over underneath by a competent mechanic.

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Hi mate, take Dunk with you when you are ready to buy a Supra, he know's his shi*t! He also talk's alot of sense, it's easy to fall in love with Supra's with great paintwork and nice wheels, but if it hasn't had any suspension parts, Crank pulley, Radiator, \valve stem seals etc done then these item's will have to be budgeted for.

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Guest farnell182

cheers. to be honest, never drove a supra, never even been in one. its just one of them cars Ive always took a shine too. just how fast are they compared to other comparable cars of today?

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just how fast are they compared to other comparable cars of today?

 

BPU TT Supra 0-60mph in around 5 seconds, top speed 170+mph, they are quick, fun cars to drive, worth every penny. Being rear wheel drive and around 400hp they need a certain amount of respect and skill to drive. Not an ideal car if you have no experience of driving a RWD car.

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Guest farnell182
depends what you want to compare the supra against and what HP

 

If Im around Wolves in the near future I will take you for a spin in mine. :)

 

nice one lol

 

BPU TT Supra 0-60mph in around 5 seconds, top speed 170+mph, they are quick, fun cars to drive, worth every penny. Being rear wheel drive and around 400hp they need a certain amount of respect and skill to drive. Not an ideal car if you have no experience of driving a RWD car.

 

a few people have said being rwd can be a nightmare in the wet. never drove a rwd car, but im quite sensible and wont be trying to get the rear end out on every round about in the first week of owning one. Would you advise AGAINST buying a supra having never drove a rwd car? or maybe go for an n/a for a while before a tt?

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nice one lol

 

 

 

a few people have said being rwd can be a nightmare in the wet. never drove a rwd car, but im quite sensible and wont be trying to get the rear end out on every round about in the first week of owning one. Would you advise AGAINST buying a supra having never drove a rwd car? or maybe go for an n/a for a while before a tt?

 

I own a Golf 1.9 TDi and that's the quickest car I've driven on the road. Since I've owned the Supra TT (2 months), I've never had any trouble with it. If you drive normally, you won't have any trouble. I've had the back get a bit light whilst going round an island in the wet on an empty road 'cause I lifted the clutch too quickly in second. I just let off the throttle a little bit and it was perfectly fine.

 

If you're around one of the days I can take you out in mine :)

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Guest farnell182

sound mate cheers would be good to get a real feel for what they are like. id be having a big step up from a focus 1.8 tdci lol

 

like i said im quite sensible, although im young (22) i dont go booting cars round the streets..but im young and male and its in my genes to want a fast car at least once in my life lol

 

so its pretty much same sort of speeds as an evo? what makes the insurance so much cheaper on a supra? the fact they are older cars?

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sound mate cheers would be good to get a real feel for what they are like. id be having a big step up from a focus 1.8 tdci lol

 

like i said im quite sensible, although im young (22) i dont go booting cars round the streets..but im young and male and its in my genes to want a fast car at least once in my life lol

 

so its pretty much same sort of speeds as an evo? what makes the insurance so much cheaper on a supra? the fact they are older cars?

 

I'm only 22 too ;)

 

I bought the Supra because I wanted a nice fast car at some point in my life and at the moment I don't have any commitments and fuel's still relatively cheap :)

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