Is the supra really the ultimate tuning car?

We all love the supra, thats why we own one and live on this site for a lot of our spare time.

But...

I've read a lot of polls on other sites eg supra vs skyline, supra vs this and that etc

The supra always gets comments about its lines and beauty but always loses in the power and performance stakes in non supra owners opinions.

My question is this, are we blinded by our love for the supra? is it really all its cracked up to be?

what is the best jap car?

should I be getting into something else in my thirst for something faster and more fun than anything I've driven before?

I got the supra because nothing else I've driven (and I've owned a lot of mainstream sports cars) could keep my blood pumping.

Should I be driving something else for my ultimate buzz? I hope not, just wondered what you all think if you could choose another car in the same realms of possibility.

Thanks

Well JP listed it top of most bhp for buck in tuning terms....

It all depends on your aim for the car and what aspects of tuning you're refering too. As a GT car it's one of the best available for the money and it's age. It won't compete with modern GT cars but then they're not exactly in the same price range.

The stock engine has fantastic tuning potential, but as with all there are limits to which you can take the stock internals. The 2JZ limit is just very high compared to most.

The shell itself is heavy, the engine heavy and doesn't have the best weight distribution so its not going to compete with most cars designed with track use in mind.

To me there is no 'best' choice and it's not possible to tick every box. Choose what you want to use the car for, define your budget then choose your car. If you want a comfortable cruiser with the potential for very high power output and very little (relative) investment then the Supra is a good choice

Thats just it,I dont really know what I want.

I've owned so many standard run of the mill cars, like Audi TT's, Z3 3.0 Sport, Porsche boxster (still got it) but none of them come close to putting the smile on my face like the supra does.

But now i'm full BPU and starting to get bored, I read so many articles, and look at so many options but not being a mechanic I get lost. Take my recent thread about going single and your answers, I just couldnt follow it, so it got closed and i'll think again in a week or so.

I dont track my car, or anything, but I want more and more power to keep me entertained. i'm a good driver, dont take silly risks, but I love the feeling when I plant that peddle in a safe environment, there is nothing else to give me that buzz.

So shall I single it, or sell the porker and astra and get a skyline aswell? or just go for something else that will feed my thrills. There seems to be no end to it.

Think I need to join the space programme and get into a rocket or something lol

So shall I single it?

Definitely.

See if you can blag a ride in a well set up single, that'll make your mind up.

Who's going to offer to take me out then and FINALLY make me make up my mind lol

If you wanna meet half way between Liverpool and Nottingham the week after next, I will

The shell itself is heavy, the engine heavy and doesn't have the best weight distribution so its not going to compete with most cars designed with track use in mind.

..and yet you managed to convince me that a Supra would show up a Porsche GT3 RS, a car designed for the track.

Me = confused!

Go single and all will be forgotten.

I love the supra, huge fun to drive being RWD but as a fast street car 4wd wins easy imo, every time i raced stuart in his 500bhp skyline i never stood a chance unless on a big dual or motorway.

The way my evo brakes handles and goes id be confident of beating any supra on any b road but as im a big sideways fan the 4wd does take some of the fun away, depends what you want from a car:)

Thats just it,I dont really know what I want.

 

I've owned so many standard run of the mill cars, like Audi TT's, Z3 3.0 Sport, Porsche boxster (still got it) but none of them come close to putting the smile on my face like the supra does.

 

But now i'm full BPU and starting to get bored, I read so many articles, and look at so many options but not being a mechanic I get lost. Take my recent thread about going single and your answers, I just couldnt follow it, so it got closed and i'll think again in a week or so.

 

I dont track my car, or anything, but I want more and more power to keep me entertained. i'm a good driver, dont take silly risks, but I love the feeling when I plant that peddle in a safe environment, there is nothing else to give me that buzz.

 

So shall I single it, or sell the porker and astra and get a skyline aswell? or just go for something else that will feed my thrills. There seems to be no end to it.

 

Think I need to join the space programme and get into a rocket or something lol

the thing to remember is the other cars you have listed are normally parked by the hairdressers.

the supra is a proper drivers car you have to have a lot of respect for it especialy this time of the year,so to me its a lot more involving

It all depends on what you want. If it's top end thrills then the supe is the car, there aint much that will touch it from 100+. However if its acceleration or short squirts then maybe something like a TVR, Evo, Atom would be more fun. For me the supe still looks fresh theres loads of different ones about displaying peoples personal tasts and they have a shed load of power. The downside is they are a little heavy and dont really like to be chucked about and I dont go above 75.

Get a ride in a single and then see what you think

..and yet you managed to convince me that a Supra would show up a Porsche GT3 RS, a car designed for the track.

 

Me = confused!

A GT3 RS weighs more than a 996 C2 3.4 Carrera and has an awful weight distribution. The Gt3 could be a lot lighter but is compromised by the marketting team- the 911 Cup cars are 200-250kg lighter than a GT3.

Compare a Supra to other cars made in 1993 for a similar price and you'll see the Supra blows the competition into the weeds.

I'll dig out my spirited driving chronicals thread about a trackday I went on in March for you to read....

If your looking at tuning a car to more than 500bhp then I think 4wd is a must if you want to put the power down and be able to put the power down earlier out of a bend, it's so dependent on what roads you drive each day too, if we were in the USA, 4wd really isn't something you need so I wouldnt consider any other car out there, this country though a well tuned 4wd car has the best potential imo.

At the end of the day it's just money money money, you could take the evo engine and build it up to a much stronger and reliable platform than a stock 2jz.

Get a ride in a single and then see what you think

very true however she will still weigh around 1500kg and not have full touque and hp straight from from the loud pedel

http://mkivsupra.net/vbb/showthread.php?t=104150

Not that I'm saying a Gt3 is shit, far from it, but a Supra can make a good trackday car, even a full weight auto GZ.

http://mkivsupra.net/vbb/showthread.php?t=104150

 

Not that I'm saying a Gt3 is shit, far from it, but a Supra can make a good trackday car, even a full weight auto GZ.

Yeah it can but a GT3 + good driver vs Supra vs Good driver = GT3 win, people always seem to think it comes down to the car and not the most important part, the person driving it! lol

Yeah it can but a GT3 + good driver vs Supra vs Good driver = GT3 win, people always seem to think it comes down to the car and not the most important part, the person driving it! lol

Yep I bet Hamilton could beat 99% of us in a Larda

As i haven't driven the Supra on a track so i can't comment, but i would be surprised if it could hold its own against a GT3 as its just not agile enough, its a handful to get through tight twisties very quickly, and a friends 500BHP R32 puts it to shame on similar roads, but as a comfortable confidence inspiring quick cruiser its great, but then it was never built for anything else.

Yeah it can but a GT3 + good driver vs Supra vs Good driver = GT3 win, people always seem to think it comes down to the car and not the most important part, the person driving it! lol

i am a crap driver, but when i met one of these he must have been a crappier driver then:D

Its an interesting question, and I believe a lot comes down to what you want from the car. It is the question I asked myself not so long ago... For me, the deciding factors for me were, cost, amount I would drive the car and where/how when driving it.

In this country, wet, cold and icy, I want AWD for my daily car, but I would never use something like an R34 as daily driver. So after a bit of searching and a chat with the missus, the car that was on top of our list was the RS4, ticks all the boxes.

Then the supra becomes a weekend car only... Just could not jutify (to myself) spending £25K on a car I would only drive 1 - 2 times a week, maybe...

I've got a sneaking suspicion that as much as I love the Supra, it's not the best car in the world

However, for me it does what I want, looks good IMO, goes extremely well for not a lot of money, I love the sound of the 6cyl when on full chat, goes sideways nicely and still turns heads. It's the only car I have had more than one of in all my car owning years !

You can buy a straight 6spd manual and have it PROPERLY singled and setup for £20k including the car, compare that to the competition. You certainly could drive it everyday too if setup properly.

Unfortunately the Supra is ageing. It's ageing well but it is getting on a bit. Problem is I still can't see what will replace it within the tuning scene inside the next few years. 350z I suppose.

I've got a sneaking suspicion that as much as I love the Supra, it's not the best car in the world