Been offered a mkiv UK 2jz manual BUT with 240k miles looking for advice

[Hemanhead]

They are not the most desirable of Supra but that won't stop a few who swear to the effect their UK spec was somehow destined for greater things.

 

At 250k miles it isnt likely to be in the greatest of shapes, it sounds like many an English winter will have taken a toll. needs a glass out respray the way you describe it, and in all honesty that will probably be the start.

 

Id be looking for a forum car personally and try to see past the 'UK spec' is best, maybe even import while its still viable.

[Frank Bullitt]

It's probably that dodgy mint Black UK spec that was advertised on eBay a few months back. The one that had sat in the overgrown garden for 10+ years.

[HarleyFDMD]

Iv never really seen the appeal of having a UK spec car tbh.. aside from the bigger brakes theres not really anything else that would interest me.

I quite like the thought of having a true JDM car.

And also that once apon a time my car was maybe delivering tofu up a Japanese mountain by a man whos name i cant pronounce.

 

 

[Scooter]

If you just want a Supra to drive/use there is no point in paying a premium for a uk car, there are pro's and con's re spec, parts etc but essentially no difference, condition is king, mileage often (not always) is linked to this. Car's getting to these sort of miles says to me a genuine unmolested 60k miler will do the same and give you years of usage and little bother with good servicing, however well (over) engineered the supra is I'm not sure I'd like to take this one to 400k miles?

[rider]

I'd recon if you can buy it for £9-10k which is a lot more than what it would have been worth 5 years ago and do nothing to it beyond keep it MOT'd and running you will probably get a better return that if you spent good amounts of money making good with new parts and paint to turn back its well used old age. Depends whether you want it as a driver that will appreciate unless something major goes bang or a money pit rejuvenated classic.

[charlton]

Cars of this age and of that mileage that have only had a water pump or little done to them would be a cause for concern for me. Sometimes having (major) things replaced and fixed isn't a bad thing. I've swapped all my weather seals as they were not doing too good after 23 years, brake lines, turbos next and they have done under 90k miles etc

 

Also, that manual gearbox will be very hard and expensive to repair!

[Scooter]

I personally think the gearbox will be fine and that most worn ones are from excess power, with semi slick tyres, grippy diffs etc and the odd mis shift thrown in. Also one of the easier things to check really.

[j_jza80]

I personally think the gearbox will be fine and that most worn ones are from excess power, with semi slick tyres, grippy diffs etc and the odd mis shift thrown in. Also one of the easier things to check really.

 

The synchros will still likely be worn.

 

Thing I'd be most worried about is the condition of the shell though, that could cost a fortune to repair if corrosion has set in.

[SPG]

Is this not the black UK TT6 that was for sale at a traders in Lancashire about a 18 months back? The mileage on that car was 240k also and was up for sale at around the £11k mark.

[Mika]

Take a good look all over the car, spend time to look and inspect it everywhere you can as good as you can. Take the car for a drive, test that everything in the driveline works, how the car feels while you are driving it. It has high miles but it does not necessary mean the car is bad. If it has spent it`s life as "easy" as you said, properly warmed up before entering to highway and has been enjoyed proper and regular services, it actually might still be a car worth investment. And post a couple pictures of it when you have inspect and tested it! Good luck!

[Dnk]

I'd want to go through what parts have been replaced as i cant see how it wont have needed quite a lot more

than just a water pump going on my UK car experience.

 

My car at or before 137,000 miles had all these parts replaced

 

Intercooler (fins crumbling to dust)

Diff cooler (rotten)

Radiator (leaking)

Brake calipers (outer seals perished and seizing pistons)

Brake lines (rotten)

Fuel lines (rotten)

Suspension arms (seized adjuster bolts in bushes)

Radiator cross member support (starting to rot)

Tailgate (rot around the window seal)

Electric aerial (mast failed)

Alarm system (stopped working)

Valve stem seals (dried up and very hard causing oil leak into cylinders)

Cam cover seals (dried up and very hard causing oil leak onto engine)

Air con condenser (leak)

Heater matrix (leaking)

Coil pack harness clips (go very brittle and fall apart)

Engine hoses (dry out and burst) most common are the heater matrix hoses to fail first

Radiator caps (fall apart)

Battery (lost a cell)

Headlights (leaking seals and or peeling chrome)

Edited January 6, 2017 by Dnk (see edit history)

[Dnk]

Low mileage can mean nothing, i was looking at what looks like on the surface a nice sub 30,000 mile LSE Range Rover yesterday, the buyer

bought it from the classic car auction at the NEC, he was a telephone bidder and paid nearly £34,000 for it

 

Sadly the car has under the surface quite a lot of rot, in fact its way worse than mine was and mine had done 119,000 miles

[Mika]

^ As Dnk says, wise words. Take a good look of the car and properly test and inspect it, then decide if it is suitable for you.

[skippyboyo1]

my personal opinion,if your looking for a project/self satisfaction then do as you wish, it makes no difference if it makes you happy.

 

however thats rocket ship miles, i would be looking carefully for R2D2 in the boot. Seriously though yes Toyota build quality is great but you wont make money,there are not many people who want a car with that many miles no matter what the brand. i may have missed it but that sounds real high, are you sure its reading in miles?

 

good luck either way

[blythmrk]

I'd want to go through what parts have been replaced as i cant see how it wont have needed quite a lot more

than just a water pump going on my UK car experience.

 

My car at or before 137,000 miles had all these parts replaced

 

Intercooler (fins crumbling to dust)

Diff cooler (rotten)

Radiator (leaking)

Brake calipers (outer seals perished and seizing pistons)

Brake lines (rotten)

Fuel lines (rotten)

Suspension arms (seized adjuster bolts in bushes)

Radiator cross member support (starting to rot)

Tailgate (rot around the window seal)

Electric aerial (mast failed)

Alarm system (stopped working)

Valve stem seals (dried up and very hard causing oil leak into cylinders)

Cam cover seals (dried up and very hard causing oil leak onto engine)

Air con condenser (leak)

Heater matrix (leaking)

 

As dnk stated as I said the list is extensive that's why I didn't want to list them and according to me that is just the start especially if going for mint.

Everyone seems to put a downer on UK cars but remember a lot of JDM cars have been here 20 years now too so I would say buyer beware. I know my red 93 UK tt6 is amazing I have owned it for around 15 years and have pampered it for all of them I know it is better condition that a lot of jdm cars now. I visited Keron a few months ago and took him a print out of engine bay he commented it looked mint too!

[Guest reese646]

Well if you dont go for it give me a shout as to where it is, Im interested.

 

Swampy442 will give people a heads up, like I said he wants good money for it but I'm sure eventually a decent deal could be made.

 

It's probably that dodgy mint Black UK spec that was advertised on eBay a few months back. The one that had sat in the overgrown garden for 10+ years.

 

Is this not the black UK TT6 that was for sale at a traders in Lancashire about a 18 months back? The mileage on that car was 240k also and was up for sale at around the £11k mark.

 

Frank Bullitt & SPG no I can categorically tell you its been with the same guy for 20 years, He's a Specialist medical proffesional and a really nice guy to talk too, been asking him about the car as long as I've known him (10 years), still doing 50 miles a day in it and has done as long as I've known him just because he loves the car and loves driving it, nothing to hide from him he could probably buy a ferrari for all I know I'd imagine his job pays well lol but loves his supra, BUT that said he's just not a wash and shine kinda guy lol I'd always wind him up about getting the paint work sorted, he'd always just say its sound underneath and leave it at that.

 

Think I really need to get it on a ramp and have a look at driving it, see whats actually the state of play as rightly so as a few have said high mileage doesn't mean bad, sometimes the fact its used regularly stops things deteriorationg from no use, but if as others have said it hasn't had alot of work done then to restore alot will have to be replaced....and the gearbox is a worry now people have mentioned it. still think he's going to want 12-13k for it at least.

[Guest reese646]

Any good reputable specialists that anyone knows company wise that they have a number for so I could chat to someone over the phone about it?

[j_jza80]

Frank Bullitt & SPG no I can categorically tell you its been with the same guy for 20 years, He's a Specialist medical proffesional and a really nice guy to talk too, been asking him about the car as long as I've known him (10 years), still doing 50 miles a day in it and has done as long as I've known him just because he loves the car and loves driving it, nothing to hide from him he could probably buy a ferrari for all I know I'd imagine his job pays well lol but loves his supra, BUT that said he's just not a wash and shine kinda guy lol I'd always wind him up about getting the paint work sorted, he'd always just say its sound underneath and leave it at that.

 

Presumably it sees the worst of our winter weather then, and the accompanying salt on our roads. I would want to inspect the underside very thoroughly.

[Pudsey]

 

"however thats rocket ship miles, i would be looking carefully for R2D2 in the boot."

 

Now that's funny

[Dnk]

Its only done 12,000 a year so its around average mileage really.

[Guest reese646]

Its only done 12,000 a year so its around average mileage really.

 

Yeah this is true, but also true is what state would most cars be in underneath after 20 years and 12k a year....imagine an escort or any other car from the mid 90's, here lies alot of the concern, I'm not too concerned about the body as I could do all that myself in time, no car is beyond body repair trust me, I've seen old mk1 escorts with hardly a panel left rebuilt, its more replacing and sourcing all the silly things like bushes, suspension, lights, wiring, switches etc as I'm sure the engine at worst would need a rebuild, nothing too nasty and the gearbox would hopefully be just an overhaul. but silly little things can cost the most as they are usually rare, don't want to have to factor in buying a donor car just to rebuild it.

[Dnk]

Yes i agree the all year round use could have taken its toll with salted grit attacking it in the winter

months.

 

Mine didn't get used over the winter and apart from the radiator support cross member starting

to rot it was very clean underneath

 

Have you done an mot check on it ? that'll give you an idea of the condition on the underside

but definitely i'd want it on a ramp and go over it thoroughly

Edited January 6, 2017 by Dnk (see edit history)

[j_jza80]

Yeah this is true, but also true is what state would most cars be in underneath after 20 years and 12k a year....imagine an escort or any other car from the mid 90's, here lies alot of the concern, I'm not too concerned about the body as I could do all that myself in time, no car is beyond body repair trust me, I've seen old mk1 escorts with hardly a panel left rebuilt, its more replacing and sourcing all the silly things like bushes, suspension, lights, wiring, switches etc as I'm sure the engine at worst would need a rebuild, nothing too nasty and the gearbox would hopefully be just an overhaul. but silly little things can cost the most as they are usually rare, don't want to have to factor in buying a donor car just to rebuild it.

 

Bushes are a bad job on the Supra. They don't drive as well on aftermarket bushes, and you can't buy OEM ones separately, they come with the arms - at over £3k IIRC. plus fitting.

[Kendo11]

The engine block will run to the moon and back, as said it's everything else that would want checking thoroughly and possibly need attention.

[Pete]

If it's been running on UK roads for that length of time through many salty winters you need to be very careful of rot. It could need an awful lot of work awaiting somebody.