Questions about MKIV Supra

ukno0003 · 10-27-2008, 02:52 PM

I own a 2005 scion tC right now but have always wanted a MKIV Supra. As I was looking to buy the tC, I was also looking at a 93 supra N/A. I was going to get the supra but in a long story short the seller screwed me over and I ended up getting the tC cause I needed a car pretty quick.

Ever since I bought the tC I have continued looking for a Supra (3 years). I think I finally may have found one that I might sell me tC for and buy. It is a 94 n/a.

The Supra was daily driven by an older man and was babied, it is completely stock and all the maintenance has been kept up to date on it. It has high mileage but all the timing belt, alternator, water pump. ect... has all been changed. This is what i have been looking for.

The supra is my dream car but I am wondering how reliable the supra would be for me being high mileage. Im kind of concerned because I will be going from a 2005 tC with 36k miles on it that i have had since it was new, to a 94 supra with over 150k miles on it. Im going through college so a reliable car is very important to me. If I were to get the Supra i would continue to baby it just as I have babied my tC.

The tC is an extremely reliable car but I would love to be an owner of a MKIV supra because it is my absolute dream car. I know the 2jz is an incredible motor and is extremely reliable. But how reliable would the supra be? Do I have anything to worry about?

Im going to see the car and drive it this week so Im trying to do all my research before I get there.

Thanks,
Mike

pwpanas · 10-28-2008, 12:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ukno0003

I own a 2005 scion tC right now but have always wanted a MKIV Supra. As I was looking to buy the tC, I was also looking at a 93 supra N/A. I was going to get the supra but in a long story short the seller screwed me over and I ended up getting the tC cause I needed a car pretty quick.

Ever since I bought the tC I have continued looking for a Supra (3 years). I think I finally may have found one that I might sell me tC for and buy. It is a 94 n/a.

The Supra was daily driven by an older man and was babied, it is completely stock and all the maintenance has been kept up to date on it. It has high mileage but all the timing belt, alternator, water pump. ect... has all been changed. This is what i have been looking for.

The supra is my dream car but I am wondering how reliable the supra would be for me being high mileage. Im kind of concerned because I will be going from a 2005 tC with 36k miles on it that i have had since it was new, to a 94 supra with over 150k miles on it. Im going through college so a reliable car is very important to me. If I were to get the Supra i would continue to baby it just as I have babied my tC.

The tC is an extremely reliable car but I would love to be an owner of a MKIV supra because it is my absolute dream car. I know the 2jz is an incredible motor and is extremely reliable. But how reliable would the supra be? Do I have anything to worry about?

Im going to see the car and drive it this week so Im trying to do all my research before I get there.

Thanks,
Mike

Generally, you don't have anything to worry about if the Supra actually was maintained as well as you say. However, being totally realistic, you are more likely to run into something that is worn out that needs to be replaced on a 150K mile car than a 36K mile car. There really are no inherent 'weaknesses' in the design of the Mkiv, so you shouldn't run into anything major or serious. However, after 150K miles and 14 years, plastic and rubber tends to get hard and brittle. You'll have to keep a closer eye on many of these minor parts than you would on your Scion.

If you're planning to modify the Supra, I'd strongly recommend you find a way to keep the tC as a daily driver, and get the Supra for a project & weekend car. It's either that, or save up a bit longer and get a 100K mile Supra instead of a 150K mile Supra. I know neither is an absolutely ideal option, and probably not the answer you wanted, but I'm trying to be completely realistic and honest with you. Just my opinion, for what it's worth.

ukno0003 · 10-28-2008, 01:30 AM

I appreciate the answer, your right it is not ideal but it is very realistic. I understand it and I wish I could keep both I just dont know if theres a way I could keep both being in school and everything. I have to think about it longer and weight out the options more. As for modifying the supra, I would just do basic intake and exhaust to last me a little bit.

What if when(if) I bought the supra I took it to toyota to have everything that possibly could break replaced or rebuilt? It sounds like it would help out with the reliability of the car but im not sure if it would be to practical, Im pretty sure I would have the money to do that. Do you think that that would be a possible solution?

pwpanas · 10-29-2008, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ukno0003

...What if when(if) I bought the supra I took it to toyota to have everything that possibly could break replaced or rebuilt? It sounds like it would help out with the reliability of the car but im not sure if it would be to practical, Im pretty sure I would have the money to do that. Do you think that that would be a possible solution?

I'd recommend against that plan because it'd be a waste of $. One of the 'rules of thumb' for owning and modifying a performace car is: "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". It'll save you a lot of $ over time. That said, almost every wearable part on the car can be measured for tolerances, and you can determine whether or not it needs to be replaced. All of the measurements are in the TSRM (Toyota Supra Repair Manual), which should be your first investment...along with a decent set of tools, imho.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ukno0003

...As for modifying the supra, I would just do basic intake and exhaust to last me a little bit.

If you don't mind me overreacting a bit (mainly for future readers of this thread) ...

Please don't do "intake and exhaust" first...because they're not "basic"!!! I have no idea who keeps starting these nasty rumors about the Mkiv TT needing "intake and exhaust", but if I ever find him or her I'll ... I'll ... I'll give them a keyboard warrior lashing they won't soon forget

...

Seriously, if you've ever heard of the term "BPU' for an Mkiv Supra TT, it stands for "Basic Performance Upgrade", and it does NOT include intake or exhaust. In the proper order, it is:
1) GReddy BCC
2) Boost gauge
3) Boost controller (or the $0.10 clamp mod)
4) 25%+ of the gas in your tank is 100 octane race fuel
5) Downpipe

...after those five, you can do an exhaust because the big chrome tip looks cool.

ukno0003 · 10-30-2008, 04:15 PM

the supra i am looking at is a N/a supra not the TT so the things you named below would be useless on a N/A supra . I want to boost it though and get around 320whp just as a DD but I am worried about boosting a high mileage car. Thats why I mentioned the idea of another engine, and why I was just saying I might only do intake and exhaust at first. Ill invest in the TSRM though. Ive got all the tools I need. Everything from metric to standard wrenches and sockets, a ton of screw drives, air gun, and pretty much everything I would ever need.

pwpanas · 11-06-2008, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ukno0003

the supra i am looking at is a N/a supra not the TT so the things you named below would be useless on a N/A supra . I want to boost it though and get around 320whp just as a DD but I am worried about boosting a high mileage car. Thats why I mentioned the idea of another engine, and why I was just saying I might only do intake and exhaust at first. Ill invest in the TSRM though. Ive got all the tools I need. Everything from metric to standard wrenches and sockets, a ton of screw drives, air gun, and pretty much everything I would ever need.

When you say you may get a different engine, were you thinking of using a TT engine (i.e. a 2jz-gte)?

10-27-2008, 02:52 PM	#1
ukno0003 Stock Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: charlotte Posts: 5	Questions about MKIV Supra I own a 2005 scion tC right now but have always wanted a MKIV Supra. As I was looking to buy the tC, I was also looking at a 93 supra N/A. I was going to get the supra but in a long story short the seller screwed me over and I ended up getting the tC cause I needed a car pretty quick. Ever since I bought the tC I have continued looking for a Supra (3 years). I think I finally may have found one that I might sell me tC for and buy. It is a 94 n/a. The Supra was daily driven by an older man and was babied, it is completely stock and all the maintenance has been kept up to date on it. It has high mileage but all the timing belt, alternator, water pump. ect... has all been changed. This is what i have been looking for. The supra is my dream car but I am wondering how reliable the supra would be for me being high mileage. Im kind of concerned because I will be going from a 2005 tC with 36k miles on it that i have had since it was new, to a 94 supra with over 150k miles on it. Im going through college so a reliable car is very important to me. If I were to get the Supra i would continue to baby it just as I have babied my tC. The tC is an extremely reliable car but I would love to be an owner of a MKIV supra because it is my absolute dream car. I know the 2jz is an incredible motor and is extremely reliable. But how reliable would the supra be? Do I have anything to worry about? Im going to see the car and drive it this week so Im trying to do all my research before I get there. Thanks, Mike

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10-28-2008, 01:30 AM	#3
ukno0003 Stock Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: charlotte Posts: 5	I appreciate the answer, your right it is not ideal but it is very realistic. I understand it and I wish I could keep both I just dont know if theres a way I could keep both being in school and everything. I have to think about it longer and weight out the options more. As for modifying the supra, I would just do basic intake and exhaust to last me a little bit. What if when(if) I bought the supra I took it to toyota to have everything that possibly could break replaced or rebuilt? It sounds like it would help out with the reliability of the car but im not sure if it would be to practical, Im pretty sure I would have the money to do that. Do you think that that would be a possible solution?

10-30-2008, 04:15 PM	#5
ukno0003 Stock Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: charlotte Posts: 5	the supra i am looking at is a N/a supra not the TT so the things you named below would be useless on a N/A supra . I want to boost it though and get around 320whp just as a DD but I am worried about boosting a high mileage car. Thats why I mentioned the idea of another engine, and why I was just saying I might only do intake and exhaust at first. Ill invest in the TSRM though. Ive got all the tools I need. Everything from metric to standard wrenches and sockets, a ton of screw drives, air gun, and pretty much everything I would ever need.