High Supra mileage - does it bother you?

[CarlM]

So I've been pondering lately about the mileage on my Supra, she's currently sitting at around 124k miles and I've found myself in the mindset that it's quite high. I bought the car to drive and enjoy! Not worry about the increasing age, mileage and wear and tear. She's running great and I don't want this to discourage me from enjoying the car

 

I've got soo many projects I'd like to do, like a full UK brake refurb with CW pads and SS pistons, dash respray, dash light conversion, new speakers, full sound proofing, new wheels, engine touch ups, underseal and a full detail to name a few

 

What mileage are your Supra's?

 

Have you encountered any high mileage related problems?

 

What should we be looking out for?

 

How much does it effect the value?

Edited January 20, 2017 by CarlM (see edit history)

[j_jza80]

124k is nothing enjoy it

[Burna]

I wouldn't worry about it if I was you, I don't. As long as the car has been maintained, and the mileage is genuine (I don't believe the mileage on import cars are genuine), then you have nothing to worry about

 

You are going to get certain mileage related problems, like suspension components etc... but that's all par for the course with any old car.

 

And I hope people don't start to worry about mileage effecting the value and not drive them anymore! It's just a Toyota ffs! Not a classic Aston lol Drive them and have fun

[Mike2JZ]

It shouldn't bother most people. Maybe if you are buying a 10k km from Japan mint example for stupid money.

 

These days though most Supra's have been crashed, DIY'd, rebuilt, modified etc etc so many times that mileage honestly isn't an indicator of condition. (If you can even trust that the mileage on the ODO is legit).

 

Mine has done 160k km, and the underside is quite clean. Wheras a friend of mine has a 70k km Supra that is completely rotten underneath, you can put your fist through the chassis. You wouldn't be able to guess it from just looking at them from the outside, without being on a ramp.

 

Unless you have a seriously low mileage factory original example these days, I wouldn't worry about it and just get on with enjoying doing what you want with the car.

[HarleyFDMD]

As above, it would concern me if it was a completely oem factory low mileage car but anything other than that i wouldnt care.

 

Mileage is just a number to these cars.

Its the maintenance and service history that comes with it that will hold the value.

 

Mine came with 2 odometers. One says 130,000km and the other says 110,000miles.

I have no idea which is the correct one lol.. i dont really care either

 

 

[Scooter]

It's always a nice to have, I'm not sure you can trust any mileage 100% but you can verify things to a degree even with imports, Uk's can be easily clocked too, the MOT history helps a bit but the determined could still clock each year (can't see many bother, but suspect a lot of pre first year MOT cars get a haircut?)

 

As for problems, those in the thread below are still relevant, and some parts are starting to become rare, expensive or just plain unavailable.

 

http://www.mkivsupra.net/vbb/showthread.php?72502-Most-likely-future-problems&highlight=future

 

Oil servicing is a key factor and as the post above re bodywork, an engine can be more tired on 70K miles than 110K if neglected. There are very very few real weak parts/element to the cars, 20+ years old and the few electrical threads are about dash leds going/dry solder, the odd central locking module, the odd fried ECU and Fuel pump ecu but not a lot else.

 

List from old thread plus additions

 

Turbo oil seals

Valve seals

Front Crank Pulley

Rear wheel bearings

Sticky brake calipers/pins (J-spec)

Cracked brake calipers (around bleed nipple - J-spec???)

brake hoses

Boot rubbers

PAS pump

Cracked radiator top tank is not uncommon

Heater matrix

Intercoolers

top radiator U bend pipe drooping with age and rubbing on the belt

hoses becoming brittle

Cam cover gaskets

Suspension bushes

Electric Drivers seat mech

VSV's

Engine Mounts

Coil pack / pack connectors

 

Again none of these are really a design fault/or poor item, but with age and usage these have been the more common issues cropping up.

Edited January 20, 2017 by Scooter (see edit history)

[gdog1989]

Mines currently on 212000km mileage is not an issue with the car aslong as its maintenance is kept up.

 

- - - Updated - - -

 

Mines currently on 212000km mileage is not an issue with the car aslong as its maintenance is kept up.

[ellis]

175,000 here - pulls like a train

[mellonman]

180k

Maintenence is key and the best oils to get the most out of the oil you get

[mc92]

Nah it was made to be driven and I got it for a low enough price that I don't mind putting even more miles on it. It's already at 212k kilometers so I doubt another few hundred k will hurt the resale much.

 

It's my only car at the moment so a certain degree of degredation is to be expected but I hope with good maintenance and the occasional undersealing I can keep it alive for a long while.

[mwilkinson]

I'd be very suspicious of a low mileage Supra. I recall a few years back every Supra coming in from Japan had a claimed 40k (approx) on it.

 

I read an article some time ago that talked about how rife clocking was in Japan. Therefore I wouldn't trust the mileage, instead I'd look at general condition.

 

Mine is on 113k now. I bought it with this mileage so clearly I wasn't put off by it.

 

Don't get me wrong a lower mileage car is desirable, but not massively so. Low mileage also means lack of use, which carries it's own issues.

[Swampy442]

Id never trust the mileage of any imported car, take it with a pinch of salt. 124k is nothing. Ive personally seen 2JZ GTEs over 250k still going strong.

And as for Ellis's car, that engine sounds like a swiss watch, and the compression tests results were well over 160.

Its not 1940 any more where you have to decoke your engine and rebuild it after 100k, modern engines go forever.

[Scooter]

there seems a blanket mistrust of import mileage, but people pay big money for 'genuine' low milers from Japan still so there must be confidence from somewhere in their records? What about bimta certificates with Jurgens (and other importers) cars? If a uk spec came up for sale with a genuine 60k miles why should we be any more trusting of that info?

[Ric]

mine is around 110miles i think could be lower if you're anal about import KM's then fitment of converter etc and work it all out, has all the Bitma certificates etc from import so im happy with that.

[herbiemercman]

It's a good thing for all that this engine, like the big Mercs can take high mileage, BUT, the service history, MOT info, and most of all, the condition, tells the true history, people like Chris Wilson can smell it, based on experience.

Most members probably do not really know what to look for, yes the power train is a good guide, but there is much, much more. However, when you look at the age of these exceptional beasts, then if you got what you paid for, and the car goes well, then ok, and let us face it, most will have high mileage examples, and therefore this will get the most votes on our club site.

 

At the end of the day, like most things, it's about money, if you have plenty, then you can go for the rare genuine low mileage rare examples out there, and get an expert to confirm how genuine the car is, the working parts are tight, not worn, original, and with documentation, etc.

 

BUT, most of us have a budget, BUT if you enjoy your car, then "your world is your oyster" and you can just enjoy it. Herbie.

Edited January 21, 2017 by herbiemercman
added extra text. (see edit history)

[ellis]

And as for Ellis's car, that engine sounds like a swiss watch, and the compression tests results were well over 160

 

Helps when you've got great people looking after it, that care about what they're working on and treat it like it were their own mate - in short, YOU! That car would not be as good as it is without you looking after it and for that I thank you, wholeheartedly and genuinely.

[ianhid]

Mine had the clocks from a low mileage car put in it at some point, does that count as genuine? The mileage doesn't worry me, I'd rather know the car has been well looked after and enjoyed.

[Pete]

Id never trust the mileage of any imported car,

(I don't believe the mileage on import cars are genuine)

 

Something of a sweeping statement. All of them? I'm sure there are plenty of clocked UK Supras out there or had the ODO replaced, especially those digital readouts.

[Burna]

Something of a sweeping statement. All of them? I'm sure there are plenty of clocked UK Supras out there or had the ODO replaced, especially those digital readouts.

 

Pretty much most of them yes, that's what I believe. Over the past 13 years I've seen many a 'mint' Supra with a body and chassis condition, and interior wear, that reflects a much higher mileage than the magical 40k miles. And yes any car can be clocked, but with a UK car it's easier to track the mileage back, but as with any car you have to use your head and look at the overall condition and wear when purchasing.

 

With the age of our cars now, the mileage is pretty much a moot point, as so much of the original components have been replaced now by owners of well maintained cars. A comprehensive folder of documentation of maintenance and work carried out is what carries a lot of weight for me and a lot of people.

[Scooter]

There are so many factors in this. All things being equal everyone would choose the lower mileage car every time, but things are never equal.

 

Imports can definitely suffer from the Km/miles/Km clocking cycle. Let's say Jurgen imported a 'genuine' 89K KM car, the clocks get set to the correct 55K miles and speedo is converted, after 34K miles it's back up at 89K on the clock, someone then goes oh it's reading KM's let me 'correct' the mileage again back to 55K miles. Yes it has happened but the MOT history data now can highlight this (after 2006 anyway). it still could be done annually but this takes more effort/expense.

 

I 'think' with near on certainty that I have a low mileage import, but it doesn't look mint, the engine bay (previously polished/chromed stuff) is currently tatty/tatty, the bodywork has been worked on fair bit over the years and needs a refresh but the interior is mint, the underneath very good and I'm as certain as you can be (previous owners were forum members) the components have seen the mileage stated. So I'm happy that with tidying the underpinnings and drive train will all be fine as others have genuine 150K miles examples on the same, turbos, steering rack, diff, power steering pump, aircon pump, aux belt tensioner etc etc etc. Essentially I'm happier taking a 50K mile car to 150k miles than a 150K mile car to 250K miles?

 

So I don't think mileage is a moot point, but it's certainly not the be all and end all, if my car had suffered servicing neglect then despite it's mileage I might have turned it down.

[Pete]

imported a 'genuine' 89K KM car, the clocks get set to the correct 55K miles and speedo is converted

This shouldn't happen IMHO and is the crux of the issue. It should never be tampered with and show on import the KM, then read Miles from there on leaving the owner to work out the conversion.

 

As you say, it all comes down to how well cared for, where it's been stored, the type of weather conditions (by the sea?), parts replaced etc. etc.

 

I'm confident mine has done what it says, something near 100k, but looks nothing like that. Maybe I should clock it.

Edited January 24, 2017 by Pete (see edit history)

[mplavery]

Im funny when it comes to miles, but when I was looking you could be picky at the time ... if its my toy like the Supra or bike I like to have as low miles as possible.

 

Mine has about 70k on the clock and I bought it with 50k almost 11 years ago lol

[Burna]

Maybe I should clock it.

 

Again?!?!

[CarlM]

It's always a nice to have, I'm not sure you can trust any mileage 100% but you can verify things to a degree even with imports, Uk's can be easily clocked too, the MOT history helps a bit but the determined could still clock each year (can't see many bother, but suspect a lot of pre first year MOT cars get a haircut?)

 

As for problems, those in the thread below are still relevant, and some parts are starting to become rare, expensive or just plain unavailable.

 

http://www.mkivsupra.net/vbb/showthread.php?72502-Most-likely-future-problems&highlight=future

 

Oil servicing is a key factor and as the post above re bodywork, an engine can be more tired on 70K miles than 110K if neglected. There are very very few real weak parts/element to the cars, 20+ years old and the few electrical threads are about dash leds going/dry solder, the odd central locking module, the odd fried ECU and Fuel pump ecu but not a lot else.

 

List from old thread plus additions

 

Turbo oil seals

Valve seals

Front Crank Pulley

Rear wheel bearings

Sticky brake calipers/pins (J-spec)

Cracked brake calipers (around bleed nipple - J-spec???)

brake hoses

Boot rubbers

PAS pump

Cracked radiator top tank is not uncommon

Heater matrix

Intercoolers

top radiator U bend pipe drooping with age and rubbing on the belt

hoses becoming brittle

Cam cover gaskets

Suspension bushes

Electric Drivers seat mech

VSV's

Engine Mounts

Coil pack / pack connectors

 

Again none of these are really a design fault/or poor item, but with age and usage these have been the more common issues cropping up.

 

Loads of great points here, thanks Scooter

 

I will make a check list to look over all these parts

[Swampy442]

Helps when you've got great people looking after it, that care about what they're working on and treat it like it were their own mate - in short, YOU! That car would not be as good as it is without you looking after it and for that I thank you, wholeheartedly and genuinely.

 

*Blush*