Common Problems when Buying a MKIV
 

Hello everybody, I am new to thos forum and I looked through the threads and i was not able to find a forum related to my topic so here it goes. I am in the process of buying a 1995 Toyota Supra with the 2jz-ge (naturally aspirated) and i am going to go test it out but i live in Florida and the car is being sold in Texas. So i really don't want to drive there and buy it and it breaks down on the the way back..So my question is what are some common problems or things that are usually apparent that I should give a careful look at? I am hoping that the car will be able to do the ~1000 mile drive back to florida, and obviously I will do all the regular maintenance that needs to be done on the car before such a trip. I have considered getting the car transported to my home but it has turned out to be much more of a hassle than I imagine, so if I could drive it back I would really like to do so.

1) Imo, don't buy a 2jz-ge, unless you want the Supra for show only. There's literally nothing special about it except the look of the chassis.
2) If this n/a Supra was well-maintained, it will do the drive reliably - it's still a Toyota. If it wasn't well-maintained, don't buy it imo.
3) If you want to know what all the regular maintenance is, it's pretty much the same as any other car - fluids, belts, hoses, etc. The details can be found in both the TSRM and the owner's manual.

Thanks for your input, but my main question was, while test driving it, and looking at it, what are some specific things that commonly go wrong with these cars that I should pay close attention to?

Honestly nothing...if it is bone stock, was well-maintained and it hasn't had the crap driven out of it. 250,000+ miles is not uncommon for a well-maintained bone-stock Toyota.

Oh okay, thank you, this car needs some interior work but besides that appears to be very clean, and its has 140k on the clock now. Here is a picture of the engine, tell me what you think
http://i53.tinypic.com/200ed1c.jpg
http://i52.tinypic.com/kvmdh.jpg
http://i54.tinypic.com/v3h8gl.jpg
http://i54.tinypic.com/29z956x.jpg
http://i53.tinypic.com/24pjt4h.jpg
http://i54.tinypic.com/2drc30x.jpg

and here is a video:
View My Video

I agree that it looks clean and sounds fine.

The tailpipe in the aftermarket exhaust is off center.

However, the maintenance records are key. Obtain them from the past owner(s) if at all possible.


Lastly, I'll repeat my earlier warning:

• Imo, don't buy a 2jz-ge, unless you want the Supra for show only. There's literally nothing special about it except the look of the chassis.

Do you say that I should get a n/a just because it would seem to have been beaten on less? and also, if i were to get a n/a, what should i upgrade in order to prepare it for a big single turbo?

Sorry that was a typo on my part - apologies. I've edited my earlier posts. I meant don't get an n/a. The TT is the one with all the overengineered driveline, braking and suspension components.