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Buying a Supra that's been stood since mid-201 - Advice?


cered
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I've found a very smart 1993 Twin Turbo Auto for just under £8k. Everything looked mint, completely standard. However it seems to have been dry-stored in a warehouse/workshop since mid-2011.

 

The dealer has assured me that before a key turns the fuel, oil, brake fluid etc will be changed. But my concern is the hoses, fuel tank, driveshaft boots etc.

 

Is this a risky purchase or would 3-4 years of being stored not have much affect on the rubber's condition?

 

Thanks in advance for your help

Edited by cered
Typo in title. 2011* (see edit history)
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£7,800 for a 93 Twin turbo auto (SZ, heated and lecky leather seats, aero-spoiler, cruise control etc) in great condition is still pretty pricey then? It si from a dealer so should have 3 months warranty which is a little confidence booster. But I'd rather have an idea of what I'm getting myself into.

 

Best bet is to just prod and proke every rubber bit to see if it's serviceable?

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Apologies, it's an RZ. one owner since being imported in 1997.

 

Would it also be advisable to get it compression tested to make sure the engine's ok and change the oil, oil filter and fuel filter when I receive it to minimise things like bad fuel or old oil? (The dealer's workshop would replace them, but I'd want to replace it again anyway just in-case - I know that the parts used are good then too)

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It's ludicrously expensive, but that aside it should just start up, run and drive, with a fresh battery, maybe even with a charge. God it's only a few years, I have bought cars that have stood fifteen years and driven them home. One even fired up on fifteen year old petrol.

 

Difference is Chris you can take cars apart in your sleep, us mere mortals get scared by things like that

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I fixed my car once... It was cold and my knuckles bled.

 

Message sent to owner and it appears to be available, Whifbitz got back to me first so will call the owner out of office hours.

 

Also, how o I pay the £10 membership fee? I've had a look around but can't see a shiny button that says "join us"

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If its the car i'm thinking of then I think it's owned by Paul's brother??

 

It's pretty well looked after anyway!

 

That's the one! I was hoping to get one with cruise control, active spoiler and leather seats etc but it looks like a decent price for a well specced car. Hopefully the undersides are the right colour and no smoke from the turbos! More comfort in buying privately as the owners tend to know the history of the car, which is more valuable to me than a warranty

 

 

Nice one, thanks!

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That's the one! I was hoping to get one with cruise control, active spoiler and leather seats etc but it looks like a decent price for a well specced car. Hopefully the undersides are the right colour and no smoke from the turbos! More comfort in buying privately as the owners tend to know the history of the car, which is more valuable to me than a warranty

 

Yes mate, I agree. I bought mine privately and took it down to Whifbitz to have a major service and going over which gave me more peace of mind than a warranty would.

 

Only problem I've had with mine since August 2014 is the negative battery terminal clamp popped off, put it back on and re-tightened and its been fine since, been using mine as a daily!

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Why I'm going down the Supra route, fun car without fuss! I'm weird with cars though... My Mazda Mx5 broke down three times, needed constant attention. My current Alfa Romeo GT (keeping as a daily driver) has been an absolute joy, only needed wishbones, ARB and droplinks in three-four years (common failure point). So hopefully this Supra will change my experience of jap cars...

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Why I'm going down the Supra route, fun car without fuss! I'm weird with cars though... My Mazda Mx5 broke down three times, needed constant attention. My current Alfa Romeo GT (keeping as a daily driver) has been an absolute joy, only needed wishbones, ARB and droplinks in three-four years (common failure point). So hopefully this Supra will change my experience of jap cars...

 

They are very well built, just be mindful that they're still 20ish years old now but mine still runs brilliantly.

 

I had a comment from a chap in work the other day because I pulled into a parking space and got out and left the engine running and he was amazed at how quiet it was, he thought I'd turned the engine off until I came back a few seconds later, jumped straight in and drove off!

 

I'd always fancied a supra or a skyline but the rusting issues kinda put me off the skyline, a mate has an r32 gtr and its pretty much a rust bucket, perfect from the outside but if you look underneath the chassis is pretty much rotten :(

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They are very well built, just be mindful that they're still 20ish years old now but mine still runs brilliantly.

 

I had a comment from a chap in work the other day because I pulled into a parking space and got out and left the engine running and he was amazed at how quiet it was, he thought I'd turned the engine off until I came back a few seconds later, jumped straight in and drove off!

 

I'd always fancied a supra or a skyline but the rusting issues kinda put me off the skyline, a mate has an r32 gtr and its pretty much a rust bucket, perfect from the outside but if you look underneath the chassis is pretty much rotten :(

 

Aye I get you, luckily any part that gets replaced should last another good 10-20 years knowing Toyota. Skylines are fantastic, but I can't see myself owning them, too technical, too high maintenance. An R33 would be brilliant but expensive and as you said, anything below £10k is probably held together by hopes and dreams.

 

I was surprised too, watching youtube videos I was expecting them to be loud and lairy all the time, drove my first one last week (Needed a fair bit of work to get 'right' at a fairly optimistic price. One for the maybe pile) it had a Nur Spec exhaust and you could only really hear it under acceleration or at high revs. quiet and smooth at town speeds and mute at idle. Perfect car?

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I've found a very smart 1993 Twin Turbo Auto for just under £8k. Everything looked mint, completely standard. However it seems to have been dry-stored in a warehouse/workshop since mid-2011.

 

The dealer has assured me that before a key turns the fuel, oil, brake fluid etc will be changed. But my concern is the hoses, fuel tank, driveshaft boots etc.

 

Is this a risky purchase or would 3-4 years of being stored not have much affect on the rubber's condition?

 

Thanks in advance for your help

 

It's probably worth £4k-£5k.

 

It won't be an SZ, as the SZ is non turbo (NA). To have cruise, heated seats, leather etc, it will be a GZ, wich is only available as a pre facelift.

 

The one that Whifbitz is selling is a facelift TT VVTi Tiptronic. These were never available with cruise control or heated seats, and leather is very rare in them. You can of course retrofit parts from other cars, but cruise will be difficult. I'm currently looking into cruise for my VVTi tiptronic, but I suspect it will necessitate an ECU change, which will be expensive.

Edited by j_jza80 (see edit history)
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It's probably worth £4k-£5k.

 

It won't be an SZ, as the SZ is non turbo (NA). To have cruise, heated seats, leather etc, it will be a GZ, wich is only available as a pre facelift.

 

The one that Whifbitz is selling is a facelift TT VVTi Tiptronic. These were never available with cruise control or heated seats, and leather is very rare in them. You can of course retrofit parts from other cars, but cruise will be difficult. I'm currently looking into cruise for my VVTi tiptronic, but I suspect it will necessitate an ECU change, which will be expensive.

 

Ah I see, strange though original one I posted about didn't have the wood trim, or was that an extra on the GZ?

 

Not to worry, just small bonuses that I looked for, active spoiler just looks pretty cool with the OEM skirts so that'll be one of the first mods I think

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