['92 Stealth N/A]

Hi guys, new to the Supra here. Wondering who daily drives their MKIII Turbo Supra. I'm considering selling my non turbo Stealth and purchasing a Supra. I can't deal with any of its problems/issues anymore.

That brings me to the Supra. Difference b/w the Supra and my Stealth is that the Supra will actually be worth the problems since they're actually fast (compared to my Stealth anyway). So far after reading many reviews, I've found that the only main problem with these cars is the infamous BHG issue which comes from the factory undertorquing. This issue, while costly to fix (which I'm used to ), is an easy fix.

I'm expecting to spend around $4-5k on this car. I will keep it stock and do only preventive maintanence for a while. Most this car will see is BPU.

I do not have a garage, nor do I have any major mechanical skills. Another biggie is that I don't have a daily driver/beater. This car will be my only means of transportation.

Would you recommend me to buy this car?

Any help is appreciated. Hope to become a future Supra owner

 

[Wolfie]

in stock form with stock boost levels i drove my supra 150 miles per day for 10 months until my modding began...now its no longer a daily due to the fuel consumption it will have. I'd recommend it, they're great!!! :naughty:

 

['92 Stealth N/A]

Awesome!!! Bump

 

[GotToyota]

Mine isn't turbo, but I enjoy driving mine. It's seen many good days, I love it.

 

[Jeeves]

I'd suggest fixing the Head Gasket, daily driver or not.

If you get it fixed, the car could be just fine for a reliable daily.
Modding is the end of that.

 

[raptorracing]

One of our local members here in toronto drove his MK3 daily for almost a decade and I believe it had over 400,000km on it when she was finally given up. The car still ran but rust just took over as it was driven in the winter and I'm not sure if he rust proofed it. It was the original block and turbo but he changed the HG at least once...good luck.

 

[xrs22]

Has anybody changed the head gasket themselv's and how difficult is it? I'm looking for some mkIII around in CA. that have a rebuilt engine, which would be nice and less work, or original motor and if they changed the head gasket or not. I'm not worried about any body damage since my ol' man is a painter and my uncle does body work. I don't want to spend a lot of time back peddaling in things i need to fix compared to things i want to add.

 

[Jeeves]

To change a headgasket:

- Replacement headgasket: $100-$150
- Head Machining: $50 - $250 (depends on options)
- Block Machining: $100 - $500*
- ARP Head Studs/Bolts: $100

If you're doing it for the first time, it's easily two weekends worth of work. You have to remove the manifolds and everything off the sides of the block, and remove the head. Then you have to clean up the block (or if you're getting a metal head gasket, Machine the block which means pulling the motor and taking it to a shop.), machine the head, slap in the new HG, then re-install.

If you're going with an MHG, the only way to make it seal is by having the block machined. A composite (factory) headgasket will hold for light mods (especially with arp bolts/studs) but for any serious power, I'd never run one.

 

[CryoSlash]

One of our local members here in toronto drove his MK3 daily for almost a decade and I believe it had over 400,000km on it when she was finally given up. The car still ran but rust just took over as it was driven in the winter and I'm not sure if he rust proofed it. It was the original block and turbo but he changed the HG at least once...good luck.

who was it? i heard that Phil had a mk2 with over 500,000 on it once.

 

[johnathan1]

xrs22, if oyu are looking for a supra, I am selling mine, here you go:http://i-supra.com/groupee/forums/a/tpc/f/561608488/m/6891002691 ... and Jeeves, would you consider a shimmed wastegate to 10-11psi to be light modding...and is there any difference bwetween the ARP studs and bolts, I would imagine bolts would be easier, and less expensive?? Thanks!!

-John

 

[Jeeves]

Bolts are like $8 cheaper, but they put the pressure on the threads in the block pulling downward, the way studs work they put pressure on the head and press it down. IMO I'd run studs if at all possible, but they also make pulling the head in the car more difficult because you have to remove them first.
10-11 is probably still in the safe-ish range, but I wouldn't personally do it again w/o at least ARP bolts. When I ran 12 on a factory head gasket with ARP Studs, I could see detonation in the head gasket when I pulled the head back off. So, even with ARP hardware the 12psi didn't like the factory HG.

 

[ahmedootie]

My personal opinion about daily driving a turbo supra..I've never driven any of my supras in tha snow...and i barely take them out in the rain...i have my sc to do that...I'm getting married so I am forced 2 sell one car and keep one, so i figured it's possible, i'll just sell tha lexus and keep tha supra...thinking, I'm a responsible adult driver, i can handle 245s and 275s in tha snow ....WRONG!! on friday it snowed about a foot...a 4 mile trip that usually takes no more than 10 minutes....took me 2 hours and 45 minutes...i know its mainly because of my tires and tha fact that the plows hadn't plowed the snow...but i know my lexus or any other car would have been able to get out of it fine... Supras are my favorite car, i've owned plenty of them and plan on purchasing one again in the summer, but i cannot keep a stock car, and it takes a lot of self control to NOT mod a supra...but once u really start, gas mileage decreases...reliability goes into the null range...and the fun begins.
ok thats my rant for this morning
later..

 

[bgrieger]

who was it? i heard that Phil had a mk2 with over 500,000 on it once.

That was Ben's old red car...became my parts car. I still have the engine on a stand in my garage awaiting it's rebuild. Not because it was a really bad motor either, it just needs overall freshening up for the additional power I'm aiming for. Ran until the day I pulled it out.