Went to view a Supra at the weekend

Well after about 7 months of searching for the particular model I wanted SZ-R 6spd I found ONE and it was in the colour I always wanted RSP, excellent or so I thought......

I performed the usual HPI checks and everything came back clear and not wanting to waste any time as I know how rare these are I decided to book a viewing for Sunday.

I arrived and at first glance the car looked clean as per the pictures, I then started speaking with the guy and along with my friend we started to really look at the car and well this is what we found :

The Good :

- Engine pulled well, free of smoke/started first time

- Gearbox was solid and all gears flowed smoothly

- All electrics worked fine

The Bad :

- bodywork in terrible condition (heavily scratched and dented)

- car has had a front end collision which was apparent from the following

- n/s front wing didn't line up with headlight

- n/s headlight was old and peeling, o/s had recently been replaced

- there was overspray on the horns again clarifying the front end shunt and also indicating a shoddy prep work as the bumper was sprayed on the car

- o/s rear quarter had been poorly blown in (paint was hazy and significant orange peel going on)

- rear bumper was not original

- fog light had been poorly fitted (a section the size of a import number plate had been cut out to fit the fog light and then bodywork and number plate were one piece that I could pull off and get my hand in behind)

- engine bay rails were not lining up

- radiator had been recently replaced

- car had been jacked up on the sill bending it and nowhere near the jacking point

- sills had become extremely rusty and was flaking at the touch

- rear chassis rail was rotting through and you could push your finger through it on the o/s

- very little paperwork and next to no documents on the import or mileage when it was imported + converted into miles (so true mileage isn't known)

- severe wheel wobble above 40mph (this could just be wheel balancing however with the other signs of a accident I'm not taking that risk)

- engine wiring loom had been completely butchered

- both recaro seat bolsters had dropped

All this started to add up and I roughly calculated you would need to spend around £2k to get everything sorted (this presuming the wheel wobble is nothing more serious).

As much as I really want a Supra the last thing I wanted to do was get a bad one and be put off them for life, so I declined giving back the keys and then proceeded to drown my sorrows in KFC at the first service station on the M1 lol.

So i'm back to searching again and looking at the possibility of importing one from Japan with help from Jurgen which may cost a little more but will be a genuinely mint one, so all in all a 7 hour round trip wasted and a lot of fuel

Thus concludes my little weekend tale.....the search continues

/rant over

Sorry to hear that.

If the car's so rare then maybe a call to Jurgen would be best to ensure you get the best you can.

Good luck with the continuing search.

prob worth posting the link to it so anyone else does not waste their time...i think i know the one though...it sold cheap last year about 2-3k then changed hands once or twice since then...last time i seen it on the net it was about 5ish?

It is good to properly look round a car like you have done. Good that you walked away without buying a bad one.

The owner really should disclose all the negatives along with the positives of a car when selling. Otherwise both seller and buyer end up wasting time in these situations.

i think it was more a case of the seller really didn't know as he didn't seem to clued up on cars let alone supra's, here is the supra in question CLICK ME it's a shame as it had everything going for it and if it were just exterior bits that needed doing I probably would have still got it and just knocked the guy down on the price but after everything I found it all starts to add up and smack of a bad one.

I'm hoping Jurgen comes up trumps but i'm also keeping my eye out everywhere for either a SZ-R or possibly a TT6 if the right one came along

that seems rather expensive for an NA???

You made the right move to walk away, be patient the right car will come along when you least expect it

that seems rather expensive for an NA???

 

You made the right move to walk away, be patient the right car will come along when you least expect it

it may be top end but it will have the 6 speed box that alone will be worth 2.5k.

exactly seems my luck has changed somewhat too as I may have found one but not letting out too much just yet just incase I go away to Le Mans tonight so won't be back till next Tuesday which is going to kill me lol.

prob worth posting the link to it so anyone else does not waste their time...i think i know the one though...it sold cheap last year about 2-3k then changed hands once or twice since then...last time i seen it on the net it was about 5ish?

your right mate its the same car, has been around this one

it may be top end but it will have the 6 speed box that alone will be worth 2.5k.

Fair point

i think it was more a case of the seller really didn't know as he didn't seem to clued up on cars let alone supra's, here is the supra in question CLICK ME it's a shame as it had everything going for it and if it were just exterior bits that needed doing I probably would have still got it and just knocked the guy down on the price but after everything I found it all starts to add up and smack of a bad one.

 

I'm hoping Jurgen comes up trumps but i'm also keeping my eye out everywhere for either a SZ-R or possibly a TT6 if the right one came along

with a car so rare i reckon Jurgen is your best bet, at least you know the car will be top drawer stuff.

if ur still on the hunt it looks like this little jem could be coming up again! http://www.mkivsupra.net/vbb/showthread.php?248181-18-quot-BBS-LMs-gunmetal-polished-lips-gauging-interest&p=3136269#post3136269

sometimes its best to wait until you find the one you want

if ur still on the hunt it looks like this little jem could be coming up again! http://www.mkivsupra.net/vbb/showthread.php?248181-18-quot-BBS-LMs-gunmetal-polished-lips-gauging-interest&p=3136269#post3136269

currently talking to Jason about the car

currently talking to Jason about the car

it looks like a great car, go for it that way i wont buy it and drop a TT lump into it