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The mkiv Supra Owners Club

Driving the Supra TT


Guest ESPzetec
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Guest ESPzetec

Ok, I'm still having trouble finding a UK Spec Auto 3.oi TT. And its therefore very very hard to get a test drive in one!

What should i expect? I knwo the car is driven through the rear wheels. Is it therefore easy to spin the car? Does it punish you if you push it?

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Its probably a good idea to do lots of research into the Supra before you decide which model you want. If you've never driven a RWD then I'd look for a completely un-modified version (if you can find one these days).

You don't really want to be stepping into a 400+bhp RWD car if you're not familiar how they handle.

 

Yes they are easy to spin.... it's not like a 4WD or FWD car where you can simply plant your foot to the floor and expect full acceleration. You have to be constantly thinking ahead and always with a view of car balance and to an extent a presumtion of oversteer at any unexpected point.

 

The car won't punish you if you push it.... but then it will come down to driver ability. It will snap your head of if you simply drive like you would on a playstation. But if you have respect for tyre grip limits then you can realy push the car and it becomes predictable and rewarding.

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Originally posted by ESPzetec

Ok, I'm still having trouble finding a UK Spec Auto 3.oi TT. And its therefore very very hard to get a test drive in one!

What should i expect? I knwo the car is driven through the rear wheels. Is it therefore easy to spin the car? Does it punish you if you push it?

 

and yr asking about fitting nitrous?

 

FuckTFATF!

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Hello esp - where are you in the midlands?

We are having a midlands meet soon the 21st nov If you fancy coming along, then you can get all your questions answered (i know we all drive jap specs but they are pretty much the same, please dont flame me :) ) and if you ask nicely you might get taken for a spin.

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Hi esp, to be honest for the average driver you would not notice the difference between a j spec and a uk spec car, if you want to test drive an auto TT then go to an import garage and blag a test drive:)

 

as long as you take it easy and learn the cars limits and abilities slowly then you will be fine (although your first drive in the rain will be an experience:p ) i went from driving a '73 1300cc beetle to a Supra and i was fecking terrified at first but if you are gentle it is an easy car to drive and i soon learned to enjoy it, it took me about a year and 3 track sessions to actually come close to finding its handling limits though:cool:

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i was crappin my pants when i bought mine, only cars id driven before were a 92 golf gl 1.8 and a 2003 golf setdi 100bhp (for sale :p)! so goin from 100 bhp to 300 and somethin RWD was a bit worryin!

BUT..... only had one moment in the supe when the back end stepped out when doin 25mph around the roundabout, wasn't even accelerating so think there was somethin on the roundabout exit. other than that, i think it's a great car to drive as long as you use a bit of commensense and plant your foot at the more appropriate places i.e. not mid-corner on a wet bend!

 

good luck with it!

 

p.s. im in birmingham in a month if you want to go for a spin :D

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Guest ESPzetec

yes mate, your right im from the midlands.

Reason i want the UK spec is basically down to insurance as im only 21. Also been told they are a better car :p

TBH I like the looks, speed and capabilities of the supra, but Ifi cant drive it hard without it coming off the road, then there may be point. i should just stick to the RS Focus :conf:

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Originally posted by kopite

p.s. im in birmingham in a month if you want to go for a spin :D

 

Choice selection of words, go for a spin ?!? :D:D:D

 

Many on here will recommend the RLTC, and I would be one of them - a well worthwhile mod.

 

All the best mate, you'll love it !

 

Cheers

 

 

 

Matt

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As much as i thought it was bull back when i was twenty one, you do mellow with age.

 

I got my first NA when i was 28 and TT at 29 and have stayed on the tarmac thus far.... being totally honest if i had got one at 21 i think i would have a few more stories (and not necessarily happy ones!) to tell.

 

If you get one, take your time and learn about it gradually don't just get in and drive it like your RS focus. Its a different beast and will respond differently. Don't drive it hard in the wet early on (ie before you know what you're up against!) and you should be ok.....

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With a RWD car you can have so much more fun. With FWD all you tend to get in understeer which is bloody boring to say the least. With RWD you can get all sorts of steer in the same corner which is where the fun comes from. If you can master a Supra then you are one your way to being a pretty damn good driver.

(Thats not to say that the Supra is a bad car to handle, just that with any high powered RWD car you need to attain a certain level of skill before you master it).

 

The RS Focus is an alright car but its FWD and although it has fancy diffs you still won't be able toget anywhere near as much fun as you can in a Supra.

 

 

I started out on FWD cars and got bored with them.... I then did a few track days in various RWD cars and found out that they are much more exciting.... so I was already familiar with RWD when I got my Supra. Just have to remember to take it very steady for the first months if/when you do get one.

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Originally posted by ESPzetec

would i be correct in thinking then that the RS will keep up with, if not beat a supra on country roads then?

 

depends what you mean by country roads, if it was really tight and twisty then the focus would probably be the faster car, but on anything slightly faster then the sup will eat a focus for breakfast:p

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Originally posted by Muffleman

Choice selection of words, go for a spin ?!? :D:D:D

Matt

 

most definately :D trac off and head for the greasy roundabout :D

 

when i had the back end step out at 25mph it weren't that big a deal, bit of opposite lock and it was straight, didnt even come out of the lane i was in or anythin. what was funny was my mate was in the car and she thought the best thing to do while in the middle of the back steppin out was to grab hold of my arm! :baa:

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I test drove an RS for a company magasine once, I would have to say in terms of handling I would much rather be pushing a supe than an RS (And that show's 'cause otherwise I would have an RS wouldn't I?)

I hated the feeling you get from the funky diff thing, and to be honest I would very much doubt if I could travel down anything other than the crapiest B-road faster in the RS than in the supe.

If you were a quality driver that was more than happy with applying opposite lock mid-corner on the road, you'd piss all over the RS.

Things I disliked about the RS:

 

1. The start button. (Looks like a very late afterthought!)

2. The fact it looks like a normal focus with a body-kit - not like a rally homologation car, which it should do. (P1 imprezza or EVO anyone?)

3. Only FWD, not 4WD. What were they thinking?

4. Is only as quick as a civic type r. (Just buy the civic, it handles better)

5. If you were sat any higher you could say hello to the button boy.

6. The interior, full stop.

7. The price.

 

Things I liked about the RS:

 

1. The brakes.

 

Right that just about covers that. :D

 

Even if you go for an NA supra, which is probably more forgiving than having 320 brake spin up the wheels at 40-50 mph, you will definitely have more fun in the supe, plus you'll get a LOT more attention.

 

Hope that helps...

 

Tony

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The best way for a newbie to learn how to cope with a TT in bad weather is to get any old rear wheel drive car and find a nice flat glassed location. Learn the characteristics of the car after traction is lost. Learn not to panic as the back over takes the front and see how the car handles. then when you purchase your nice new supra, you will feel more confident and you can progress to take her a little more to the limit at track days.

 

TTs lose traction sooner but are easier to correct than many of todays modern cars. The problem is that newer cars have a lot of electronics to solve 90% of your mistakes, then after that they hand the car back to you when it gets too much (oh cheers !). Often in a state that few drivers would be able to recover from, it all gets very itchy trousers !

 

With the Supra you get tell tale signs earlier than most cars, you can make the conscious decision to rectify it or push it. The control is yours - so you NEED control - no computer is going to save you.

 

I would take WL out in the rain to simulate this, it was easier on the tyres and the experience was invaluable. Especially if you are thinking of doing track days or events (other than point and stamp events lol !)

 

The hardest thing to learn is to let go.

Seriously, letting go of the steering wheel is a method of straightning up the car. You may have seen the perpectual rocking motion on computer games that increases over time as you over compensate in an attempt to get back on track.

 

Timing is the key, Im no expert but I have had a few narrow misses that I believe I would have suffered from had I been a little younger and less experienced. There are some handy drivers on this forum who iam sure would be willing to take you out in a Supra for a test drive to show you what can be done under control.

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