Well, I wasnt sure if anyone made a thread like this, but I was looking for a car to buy as sort of a project car and I was thinking of buying an MK3 supra. I wanted to buy a car that I can have fun with and tinker with and of course have fun with, but it's still a good daily driver car and won't guzzle gas. I was looking at getting the MK3 cause I can't afford the MK4 and I was wondering what were sort of the pros and cons of the MK3. This'll be my 2nd car, but first car where i'll be sort of experimenting with and stuff. So if this isn't that kind of car any ideas for what would be? Thanks.
you want it to be something it's not, and that's an MKIV..
if you want an MKIV get one, dont make an excuse and end up hacking up an MK3 to be something it isnt..
the MK3 is a great car, no doubt, but it's totally different from an MKIV...
but if you must, realize these cars can be anywhere from 14-20 years old, and you'll spend a LOT more time and money on repairs than modifications...
but if your sole reason for getting an MK3 is you cant afford an MKIV, then pass...
i had always loved the MK3 over the MKIV, and when i 1st sat in my baby i started her up...
and stalled..
i didnt know how to drive stick back then. but i actually learned in it; car's very forgiving..
and to be honest, im 100% happy with my decision, even if it did take me several hundred in repairs to get it to where it is now...
__________________ 1986.5 5-speed '91 7MGE 1989 5-speed TURBO Targa (NA->7MGTE) BPU and lots of rare/JDM/Euro stuff 1992 5-speed hardtop - 2JZ-GE 2005 Scion xB - no longer stock
of course i would like an MK4, but I do like the MK3. I like how it looks and it seems like a fun car to drive. I was just wondering what your opinions were on it about it being a first sorta project car and your own experiences driving them and working on them. Wondering if it'd be good to get that, or try to get a different used car. Thanks.
It can be made into a great car, but you should set your priorities on what you want it to do at the end of the day. If you are looking for a powerful, big GT cruiser that can do most things fairly well, you've come to a great choice. If you have track aspirations, either road course or drag, there are much better choices. As an all around car, they are great IMO. I take mine to the strip from time to time, and have every intention of some lapping and performance driving events when it gets back on the road. I also know it will not be the most competitive car in these events, but it's all about having fun for me (too damn old to start a racing career now...), and I get to cruise, or have a spirited drive home in comfort.
That said, they are not a cheap choice. Reliability is great, but only if you can keep up with the maintenance. They are all 15-20 years old now, and with that, there is a lot of work to be done, and many of the original reliable parts that made it this far can be counted on to go at any time. Toyota is far from a cheap source for parts for them as well, though sometimes they surprise me. Upside is that the vast majority of parts are still available, but they are starting to phase some of them out. When they finally do start to discontinue them, don't count on any or many more being made, and then you get into custom rebuilding. It could be a quite a few years yet before this starts to become a real problem, but for example, you cannot get an engine wiring harness for 87-88 automatic turbos anymore...
I personally find them fairly easy to work on once you get in there. They look a little daunting, and even simple things require a fair bit of removal of stuff to get to, but it's all fairly straight forward.
Keep your foot off the gas, and they can be reasonable on fuel. They are far from economical to run however. High teens on the MPG, with some cases into the 20's.
The supra was my introduction to sports cars, and my first performance car of any kind. Would I recommend it? Not entirely. I've thrown myself at the forums, the books, and just in general the knowledge. They have their specific issues and quirks. I had to learn a lot of things, very fast.
They can be just fine, but don't expect them to just be downright reliable, fast, and cheap.
Fast,
Cheap,
Reliable.
You can only pick two.
__________________
1988 Mk3 Turbo Targa - 17.5psi, 486hp, 494tq.
[img]http://www.**********s.com/supra/rsw_sig_stupidTN.jpg[/img]
Who came up with this 500px wide BS?
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but i actually learned in it; car's very forgiving..
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