Toyota Blade Master G, your Gran's Auris on steroids

[cheddar]

blearyeyedboy said:

There's at least one in the UK... Looks like this was recently bought and imported in November.

https://youtu.be/EnPhSOYMsEI

Shame about the aftermarket additions, kind of defeats the object.

And only 40000kms?

Really?

[Konan]

cheddar said:

Shame about the aftermarket additions, kind of defeats the object.

There's always the double bluff element.

"Oh look, some yoof has kitted up the Auris he inherited from his mum... well, the most it can be is the 2.2 diesel..."

[Axeboy]

cheddar said:

And only 40000kms?

Really?

Aye, there are a few lower mile Blades coming up at auction, i bid on one last week with around 40k km's but lost it. Its not uncommon and the mileage will be checked on cars at this price.

[samoht]

cheddar said:

only 40000kms?

Really?

People just don't tend to do big mileages in Japan. Partly because of all the mountains, most people live 'squashed together' in the relatively few flatter areas, which means high population density that makes good public transport feasible. Cars are used mainly for short trips, for longer journeys people will take the (bullet) train and hire a car at their destination if needed. And there isn't really the chance to do driving holidays on the Continent like we have.

This is a generalisation and I'm not saying this particular car's mileage is true, but I think it's entirely plausible.

Similarly, the mileages our cars do look small to Americans, it doesn't mean we're all clocking them ;-)

[gareth_r]

cheddar said:

...the GBP exchange rate post Brexit vote hasn't helped.

I had a quick nosy on our local EBay and, even in this tiny country, there's 43 Blade Masters for sale. I thought they'd be easily available in the UK but seemingly not.

OzzyR1 said:

...Your comment re. the dying UK JDM import market is interesting - hadn't really noticed but you are correct. Recall there used to be quite a few Soarers and JDM Supras available a few years ago and you would have thought the Blade Master would be the same - can't see a single one advertised here though!

You can't really blame "Brexit".

10 years ago £1 bought c.210 yen, a year later it was c.120. JDM imports (almost) disappeared when the global financial crisis arrived.

[Axeboy]

Was aiming for a Blade and ended up with a Crown, the Blade can wait for another year,

[SonicShadow]

cheddar said:

Insurance has gone through the roof here since the Christchurch earthquakes, it used to be stupid cheap and it still isn't compulsory, I think I pay about £400 a year, a standard 4 pot Auris might be £100 less.

Anyone can service these, everything's generic Toyota/Lexus.

In the UK the scrappage schemes and £100 a month new car leasing seem to have killed off a lot of the JDM imports and the GBP exchange rate post Brexit vote hasn't helped.

I had a quick nosy on our local EBay and, even in this tiny country, there's 43 Blade Masters for sale.
I thought they'd be easily available in the UK but seemingly not.

Personal imports from Japan dropped off long before Brexit. ~ mid 2007, it was nearly 250JPY = 1GBP. By ~Jan 2009, it was as low as ~135JPY = 1GBP. Brexit certainly didn't help over the past year, but the GBP/JPY exchange rate never recovered to pre 2008 financial crisis levels anyway, not even close.

[gareth_r]

Axeboy said:

Was aiming for a Blade and ended up with a Crown, the Blade can wait for another year,

Athlete V? My ideal daily/Q car (with a few mods).

[cheddar]

gareth_r said:

Axeboy said:

Was aiming for a Blade and ended up with a Crown, the Blade can wait for another year,

Athlete V? My ideal daily/Q car (with a few mods).

Like to know more.

Got a readers car thread on it?

[Lollypops]

Axeboy said:

Was aiming for a Blade and ended up with a Crown, the Blade can wait for another year,

Good company to import via. JDM tree in the photo

[Axeboy]

Sorry I dont have a thread here on it, and sorry for the Blade hijack

I have a thread started at Retro Rides though: http://forum.retro-rides.org/thread/202196/2000-to...

Just going to inform others of the whole process, will take a while and be pretty boring

[Heaveho]

Dragging this back up, as, of all people, my wife, wants to know more about it with a view to a possible purchase. Possibly dangerous territory, as there are currently the sum total of 0 for sale in the UK. So, it looks like a personal import would have to be the way forward.

OP, if you read this, do you still have the car, and how is it? Are bits for it all generic parts bin Toyota / Lexus? I'm wondering about what I do when it needs pads and discs, for instance.

[cheddar]

Heaveho said:

Dragging this back up, as, of all people, my wife, wants to know more about it with a view to a possible purchase. Possibly dangerous territory, as there are currently the sum total of 0 for sale in the UK. So, it looks like a personal import would have to be the way forward.

OP, if you read this, do you still have the car, and how is it? Are bits for it all generic parts bin Toyota / Lexus? I'm wondering about what I do when it needs pads and discs, for instance.

Yes, still got it, really love it

What're your expectations? - it's no Clio Trophy - if that's your wifes desire then look elsewhere.
It's quick, really really quick in 'sport mode' and smooth rather than manic, comfortable and well measured in its ride.

Toyota invested heavily in the modifications, no 'short springs and a body kit' cheap cut, they switched to double wishbone suspension (big money) and added subtly judged aesthetic upgrades - rear wing, skirts, lights, floppy wipers, new door handles, front bumper and wheels, visually it's a 'nice Corrola' but only you (or your wife) will know what it really is.

Added equipment list consists of big brakes, chassis strengthening, xenon lights, keyless entry, push button start, electric part leather seats, alcantara dash and door cards, mutifunction sports steering wheel with recalibrated rack, radar cruise, autonomous braking, full tints, monsoon shields, auto dip mirror, auto lights, quality audio (mini disc anyone?), ion ventilation, dual climate (on G model) and more. It's a nice place to be.

You probably know all that.

With moderate driving and a little fun I've been seeing 31.5mpg on every tank except..........I discovered sport mode (gear lever pulled to the left) on the last tank, it changes the mapping and made it much faster, 30-100mph is 'Crikey' quick but only 28mpg on that tank.

Don't worry about parts, everything's generic Toyota whether Camry or Lexus, all cheap and easily available.

Reliability:
The 2GR-FE engine is well known (Lotus chose it) but check the idler pulley (squeaky belts), not expensive. I don't know of any other major issues, my oil consumption over 10k miles is zero.
My driver's side window is a little prrrrrrrrr-sht where it should be shhhhhh--sht, otherwise, at 65000 miles, it's like new.

Bad points: The seats are too high and if you're 6ft plus you'll be cramped, the gearbox 'allows' changes rather than selects them, you have to learn your way around this, do it and you'll be ok, it's no DSG though and never will be, automatic mode is just that.

The engine Is strong and pretty smooth but doesn't truly inspire, between 2 and 5k it's 'V6 lovely' but you won't want to chase the red line, conversely, the gearbox will want you to do that.

I wanted a reliable, fun, sleeper car with a bit of a giggle, paid £6k with 60k on the clock (check Japanese service stickers for authenticity), there's 47 of them advertised here (NZ) right now from £4k to £8k, not sure why none in UK, if you can buy one do your due diligence, and employ a trustworthy importer, these are overlooked and brilliant, you won't look back, good luck


Cheddar

[samj2014]

Yeah I've been seeing loads (or should I say heaps) of these in NZ (been here 6 months ish). I suspect there's a lot of them here is because most cars are japanese imports (my subaru spent the first 9 years of its life in japan), so it's a nice easy car to import and sell - as you say, it's a 'nice corolla'. But the reason you don't see many in the UK is because there are so many people there, we have enough UK models of cars to not need to import many, and those that choose to import a JDM car are usually going to choose something a little more exciting. As much as I think the Blade is cool, and I'd have one here in NZ, I can think of a ton of other cars I'd sooner have imported to the UK.

Edited by samj2014 on Wednesday 4th July 10:40

[Heaveho]

Thanks for the replies. This would replace an elderly Lexus IS300 Sportcross, and so far it's the only car my other half has liked the sound of. I used to work for Toyota/Lexus in the 90s, and have no reservations about the reliability of them, just the potential problem of sourcing parts ( pads, discs, etc, ) and not knowing, initially anyway, what they were shared with.

Doubt any of it's insurmountable, getting hold of a car may be more problematic. Also, buying a car I've never even driven isn't something I'm prone to do.

[smudgerebt]

Since this thread started have looked to see if any imported, but the cost compaired to other things of same value just stops it for me.

By that i mean you can get some proper fast cars for the same price as importing one of these.

Pitu really.

[Olivera]

cheddar said:

Toyota invested heavily in the modifications, no 'short springs and a body kit' cheap cut, they switched to double wishbone suspension (big money)

The exact same multi-link rear suspension setup was available in several other Auris models, the T180 and SR180. It didn't stop them from being reviewed as distinctly mediocre in the handling stakes.

[NickGRhodes]

Olivera said:

The exact same multi-link rear suspension setup was available in several other Auris models, the T180 and SR180. It didn't stop them from being reviewed as distinctly mediocre in the handling stakes.

I suspect Toyota raided the Lexus parts bin for the rear suspension and engine/drivetrain.

[Heaveho]

Olivera said:

The exact same multi-link rear suspension setup was available in several other Auris models, the T180 and SR180. It didn't stop them from being reviewed as distinctly mediocre in the handling stakes.

To be fair, the press didn't rave about the Corolla GTI when it was a current model, but I had four in a row and they were magic as an ownership prospect. Many cars won't shine when only given brief exposure, doesn't mean they aren't decent cars. If I'd only gone by press road tests at the time, I'd never have owned one, let alone four. The Golf GTI that was current at the time got rave reviews, but having considered one, I couldn't have contemplated owning it, it felt crap compared to the Toyota. The fact that I used to process warranty claims for Toyota and Lexus, and know how little tends to go wrong on them ( well, the petrol ones! ) makes me think the OPs car is worth consideration.

In this instance, I couldn't really care less about whether the handling is comparable to the best out there, it's not the reason we're looking at it. I just want a quick, reliable ( meaning Jap in my world ), petrol, auto, non-turbo, 5 door hatch or estate that the dog will fit into, and my wife will like. If it happens to be a factory sleeper that provides me with a modicum of entertainment on the rare occasions I'll drive it, bonus.

[Heaveho]

NickGRhodes said:

I suspect Toyota raided the Lexus parts bin for the rear suspension and engine/drivetrain.

It's the Lexus GS350 engine, almost faultless.