Talk me out of a Supra..
Discussion
thetapeworm said:
And while it's up...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmNy-ajRV0U
Damn, I remembered what I miss now
There are lots of other equally good (and better) cars to sample but I'd generally have a MKIV Supra on my list of cars I'm glad I've experienced.
I love watching that video. Whenever someone asks me for awesome youtube vids, that's always included.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmNy-ajRV0U
Damn, I remembered what I miss now
There are lots of other equally good (and better) cars to sample but I'd generally have a MKIV Supra on my list of cars I'm glad I've experienced.
Bloody hell! Wasn't expecting so many replies to be honest, some sound advice here, cheers guys.
Haven't exactly talked me out of it but to be honest, i'd be lying if i thought you guys would have!
Would have to be a TT, a non-turbo Supra to me just seems like the car you'd buy if you hadn't done quite as well in life as you'd hoped..
Haven't exactly talked me out of it but to be honest, i'd be lying if i thought you guys would have!
Would have to be a TT, a non-turbo Supra to me just seems like the car you'd buy if you hadn't done quite as well in life as you'd hoped..
Gaz. said:
I had one for 4 lovely, trouble free years. Insurance is sod all, servicing is sod all, fuel is acceptable, it never broke, it never rattled it was just a no nonsense car that did exactly what it said it could. It had immense brakes, it had grip and grunt in spades, the 6 speeds are apprecieting and the UK cars are skyrocketing as they are exported over seas.
To the OP, tyres apart it'll have similar running costs to your CTR (using my S2k as reference).
The hard part is actually finding a good one for sale, if I were to buy again I would put up a wanted advert on mkivsupra.net and hope you prompt someone with a nice one into selling.
Thanks for this advice, it's nice to get feedback from someone that's had the experience - having done the sums it's only the fuel and tyres really that'll increase running costs. I've set 20mpg as a rough average as I currently get 28-30 out of the CTR. Might save a bit of money over the xmas period and then start looking after new year - would be nice to have some funds to fall back on should something go wrong with the Supra. Thanks again for the replies!To the OP, tyres apart it'll have similar running costs to your CTR (using my S2k as reference).
The hard part is actually finding a good one for sale, if I were to buy again I would put up a wanted advert on mkivsupra.net and hope you prompt someone with a nice one into selling.
Gaz. said:
thetapeworm said:
Tonberry said:
You've all lost me now.
What are these extreme running costs you speak of?
It's not so much running costs, it's "old car and things need replacing but the person who owned it last was a pauper and neglected things or did them on the cheap" type costs.What are these extreme running costs you speak of?
Do it! I had a BPU UK 6 speed about 6 years ago and I loved it, joint best car that I've owned. I loved the looks, the power, the way it drove, everything about it really. Sold it because of crippling insurance 
Don't know if I'd have another one, but I do still miss it This was my one:
Don't know if I'd have another one, but I do still miss it This was my one:Gaz. said:
This car sold a couple of days ago. I looked at the For Sale thread longingly at least once a day 
Hi!
Some thoughts from a former owner (I'll try to be gentle):
Supras are designed for high speed driving. They excel at this and on the right roads at speed they are planted, responsive and rapid as hell. I certainly wouldn't describe the Supe as a sports car: more of a GT with rough edges
If that's your bag then go for it but do watch your licence; as previous posters said, you have to be doing more than a fair rate to really explore the car's capabilities.
They look brilliant in a restrained colour with (if you must) tasteful exterior mods - more than one older person said my Supra was 'beautiful' and without the Fast and Furious connotations I think most people would agree.
Get a UKDM TT. It's well worth the premium. It has some nice luxuries as standard and quality metal turbos rather than the lightweight JDM ceramic units which can smash pretty easily (and expensively). Don't bother with the N/A - all of the drawbacks with none of the benefits. Check with your insurance co. re modifying your car before you buy one, as the BPU is pretty much essential. I personally wouldn't want a Supra which didn't have an LSD. Steer clear of ones with HKS-style mushroom filters and Veilside body kits.
Supras are expensive to run and fix (although arguably not much more so than your current car). However they are all considerably older and some are a viper's nest of problems. Bring someone who knows the car with you when you're looking to buy; most Supes have been thrashed, some terminally. Use a reputable mechanic for repairs and servicing, again mkivsupra has a list of engineers used by forum members. Budget for good tyres. Oh yes, the rear seats are a joke, and so is the 'boot'. Don't expect to get 4 people or a monthly shop in there: one more adult and a weekly shop is about your limit. Showing my age there…
In all the Supra is a solid car aimed at a specific market. It's very good at what it does. My main gripes with it centre on the handling and feedback. In my experience pushed hard the Supra understeers terminally, before flicking into ferocious oversteer with little warning - surprising for a car with such a long wheelbase. In a BPU TT putting power down on a corner exit can be an exercise in restraint; in the wet any flamboyance will likely reward you with a snap oversteer trip to somewhere you really don't want to be. This is compounded by the numb steering: it's difficult to feel what's going on beneath you. If the car is on anything bigger than 18's you can add in tramlining and bump steering to your list of handling woes. I'm sure the folks on mkivsupra.net will have some fixes - 17" wheels, ARBs and bushings are probably order of the day, along with learning a different driving style to that required for the Civic... Even so with the extra weight and wider track of the Supra you will find all but the widest b-roads very restrictive. All else being equal I'd say the Type R is a quicker car on a typical British country road and it's arguably much more at home there than the Supra. Depends what you want, really!
Anyway, good luck with your search and if you happen to see one near the Midlands you'd like to check out feel free to drop me a PM!
Regards
Luke
Some thoughts from a former owner (I'll try to be gentle):
Supras are designed for high speed driving. They excel at this and on the right roads at speed they are planted, responsive and rapid as hell. I certainly wouldn't describe the Supe as a sports car: more of a GT with rough edges
If that's your bag then go for it but do watch your licence; as previous posters said, you have to be doing more than a fair rate to really explore the car's capabilities. They look brilliant in a restrained colour with (if you must) tasteful exterior mods - more than one older person said my Supra was 'beautiful' and without the Fast and Furious connotations I think most people would agree.
Get a UKDM TT. It's well worth the premium. It has some nice luxuries as standard and quality metal turbos rather than the lightweight JDM ceramic units which can smash pretty easily (and expensively). Don't bother with the N/A - all of the drawbacks with none of the benefits. Check with your insurance co. re modifying your car before you buy one, as the BPU is pretty much essential. I personally wouldn't want a Supra which didn't have an LSD. Steer clear of ones with HKS-style mushroom filters and Veilside body kits.
Supras are expensive to run and fix (although arguably not much more so than your current car). However they are all considerably older and some are a viper's nest of problems. Bring someone who knows the car with you when you're looking to buy; most Supes have been thrashed, some terminally. Use a reputable mechanic for repairs and servicing, again mkivsupra has a list of engineers used by forum members. Budget for good tyres. Oh yes, the rear seats are a joke, and so is the 'boot'. Don't expect to get 4 people or a monthly shop in there: one more adult and a weekly shop is about your limit. Showing my age there…
In all the Supra is a solid car aimed at a specific market. It's very good at what it does. My main gripes with it centre on the handling and feedback. In my experience pushed hard the Supra understeers terminally, before flicking into ferocious oversteer with little warning - surprising for a car with such a long wheelbase. In a BPU TT putting power down on a corner exit can be an exercise in restraint; in the wet any flamboyance will likely reward you with a snap oversteer trip to somewhere you really don't want to be. This is compounded by the numb steering: it's difficult to feel what's going on beneath you. If the car is on anything bigger than 18's you can add in tramlining and bump steering to your list of handling woes. I'm sure the folks on mkivsupra.net will have some fixes - 17" wheels, ARBs and bushings are probably order of the day, along with learning a different driving style to that required for the Civic... Even so with the extra weight and wider track of the Supra you will find all but the widest b-roads very restrictive. All else being equal I'd say the Type R is a quicker car on a typical British country road and it's arguably much more at home there than the Supra. Depends what you want, really!
Anyway, good luck with your search and if you happen to see one near the Midlands you'd like to check out feel free to drop me a PM!
Regards
Luke
- For disclosure purposes: I now own a CTR
I'd put a facelift car well above a minging UK one any day, and I'd put a VVTi facelift car up higher still.
Advice to buy a UK car is pretty bad advice IMO. The only benefit of a UK car would be lower insurance and larger injectors and fuel pump. The downsides are that they're generally a lot more tired (bodywork, intercooler, radiator, etc.), have the horrid older dashboard and grim steering wheel, weigh more, and, erm, are generally heading on to 200,000 miles, oh and they look s
t with the dildo headlamp washers.
The facelift interior is much nicer, facelift traction control is better, LSD is improved, lots of other little changes (e.g. aluminium rad), the turbos spool more quickly (this is a grey-import vs UK thing, not facelift as such, but facelift is a grey-import only thing), and then when you get into the VVTi facelift cars there's increased torque as well. The facelift cars also come in massively more desirable colours like royal sapphire pearl, gunmetal and quicksilver, and have improved graphite-y rear lights and headlamps, and clear front running lights and nice side repeaters on front and rear bumpers.
Just have a look at that gunmetal one posted above (the classified that's sold), although that one has a pretty badly fitted rear bumper.
I had a UK car for about 3 years and a facelift (non-VVTi) gunmetal car for about 3 years too. Both TT autos.
Advice to buy a UK car is pretty bad advice IMO. The only benefit of a UK car would be lower insurance and larger injectors and fuel pump. The downsides are that they're generally a lot more tired (bodywork, intercooler, radiator, etc.), have the horrid older dashboard and grim steering wheel, weigh more, and, erm, are generally heading on to 200,000 miles, oh and they look s
t with the dildo headlamp washers.The facelift interior is much nicer, facelift traction control is better, LSD is improved, lots of other little changes (e.g. aluminium rad), the turbos spool more quickly (this is a grey-import vs UK thing, not facelift as such, but facelift is a grey-import only thing), and then when you get into the VVTi facelift cars there's increased torque as well. The facelift cars also come in massively more desirable colours like royal sapphire pearl, gunmetal and quicksilver, and have improved graphite-y rear lights and headlamps, and clear front running lights and nice side repeaters on front and rear bumpers.
Just have a look at that gunmetal one posted above (the classified that's sold), although that one has a pretty badly fitted rear bumper.
I had a UK car for about 3 years and a facelift (non-VVTi) gunmetal car for about 3 years too. Both TT autos.
Edited by carl0s on Wednesday 26th October 22:31
Luke,
Thank you so much for such an excellent, in-depth reply, it's definitely given me a lot to think about.
I quite like the idea of the supra as a GT car as I never really push the CTR through the twisties on a public road (that's what a track is for!)
Would have to get the BPU I completely agree, just from personal experience how much does it affect fuel usage? I'm budgeting for around 20mpg but obviously that may have to change with an increase in bhp (..or so I'd imagine..?)
Thanks for the offer to come and look with me, I live in Cannock myself so a midlands car is more than likely on the cards - not til after new year though!
Thanks again
Thank you so much for such an excellent, in-depth reply, it's definitely given me a lot to think about.
I quite like the idea of the supra as a GT car as I never really push the CTR through the twisties on a public road (that's what a track is for!
) Would have to get the BPU I completely agree, just from personal experience how much does it affect fuel usage? I'm budgeting for around 20mpg but obviously that may have to change with an increase in bhp (..or so I'd imagine..?)
Thanks for the offer to come and look with me, I live in Cannock myself so a midlands car is more than likely on the cards - not til after new year though!
Thanks again
Daggers89 said:
Luke,
Thank you so much for such an excellent, in-depth reply, it's definitely given me a lot to think about.
I quite like the idea of the supra as a GT car as I never really push the CTR through the twisties on a public road (that's what a track is for!)
Would have to get the BPU I completely agree, just from personal experience how much does it affect fuel usage? I'm budgeting for around 20mpg but obviously that may have to change with an increase in bhp (..or so I'd imagine..?)
Thanks for the offer to come and look with me, I live in Cannock myself so a midlands car is more than likely on the cards - not til after new year though!
Thanks again
Going BPU does not affect fuel economy. All you are doing is increasing the maximum boost pressure. WOT always = 0.00001 mpg anyway!Thank you so much for such an excellent, in-depth reply, it's definitely given me a lot to think about.
I quite like the idea of the supra as a GT car as I never really push the CTR through the twisties on a public road (that's what a track is for!
) Would have to get the BPU I completely agree, just from personal experience how much does it affect fuel usage? I'm budgeting for around 20mpg but obviously that may have to change with an increase in bhp (..or so I'd imagine..?)
Thanks for the offer to come and look with me, I live in Cannock myself so a midlands car is more than likely on the cards - not til after new year though!
Thanks again
I think in stock form they are pussy cats handling wise considering the power they have. 18" and upwards wheels/wide low profile tyres, stiffer and lower suspension and upping the boost/power makes the sequential turbo transition a more violent one and all these can lead to a more twitchy/snatchy experience.
The understeer is there for sure especially in the wet and this is one area the Non turbo's benefit (slightly lighter and with better weight distribution).
The stock 16 or 17 inch wheels are so 90's and a current fashion faux pas but they do in my experience allow you to feel/react to the cars movement on/near the limit......everything is very 'catchable'/progressive.......it's no early 911
In standard trim and with quality tyres (a massive proviso) the supra really does grip well and it would take a seriously hamfisted idiot to bin one in the dry. Steering feel and lack of nimbleness you cannot argue with, but it's torque and impressive acceleration are nice payoffs.
It's certainly one of those cars that shock friends, family and anyone else up for a passenger ride, we all had fits of giggles the first time i had one.
Very difficult to own one and stay anywhere near the legal limit on the motorway, it will tempt you to speed excessively, one of the big things with this type of car over a Type R is it's capacity to accelerate noticeably from already high speeds.
The understeer is there for sure especially in the wet and this is one area the Non turbo's benefit (slightly lighter and with better weight distribution).
The stock 16 or 17 inch wheels are so 90's and a current fashion faux pas but they do in my experience allow you to feel/react to the cars movement on/near the limit......everything is very 'catchable'/progressive.......it's no early 911
In standard trim and with quality tyres (a massive proviso) the supra really does grip well and it would take a seriously hamfisted idiot to bin one in the dry. Steering feel and lack of nimbleness you cannot argue with, but it's torque and impressive acceleration are nice payoffs.
It's certainly one of those cars that shock friends, family and anyone else up for a passenger ride, we all had fits of giggles the first time i had one.
Very difficult to own one and stay anywhere near the legal limit on the motorway, it will tempt you to speed excessively, one of the big things with this type of car over a Type R is it's capacity to accelerate noticeably from already high speeds.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff