Sourcing & importing a TT

Hi all,

it seems to me that import TT Sups already in the UK carry a hefty premium, especially manuals like I'm after. NB: UK cars are out of my financial reach I think!

With £8~£9k to spend I'm torn between getting a ~£5.5k manual NA for the time being and upgrading to the TT ASAP, or getting an auto TT now, or sourcing a manual TT from the Jap auctions through an agent here.

Sourcing through an agent seems like a good idea on the surface, but how detailed/accurate are the auction sheets really going to be - I've seen plenty of sheets but am worried about my usual luck stirking and me getting a bad Sup. :-/

Advice/horror/good stories from people please, I'm going mental trying to decide!

Get an Auto TT, you'll love it. Nearly every auto TT owner on here started off thinking they want a manual.

Speak to Jurgen if you want a fresh import. He's very trustworthy and gets some cracking cars.

Get an Auto TT, you'll love it. Nearly every auto TT owner on here started off thinking they want a manual.

I agree with Jake, originally I wasn't going to accept anything less than a UK TT manual, rare I know but I was willing to wait. In the end an auto came along that I couldn't resist and now I wouldn't swap it for my brother-in-laws manual! Even he comments on how impressed he is with the auto box, I of course enjoy pointing out the 1/4 mile times for autos vs manuals .

Try test driving an auto if you haven't already, and don't forget there is a manual mode on the auto's if you feel the need to have extra interaction with the car.

Also I drive the car everyday so the Auto box suits my lazy arse

stever, i can source u a nice model for your budget, give me a call and also check my web page on the import process very easy and also some cars that are going through,

my guy in japan is really good.

stever, i can source u a nice model for your budget, give me a call and also check my web page on the import process very easy and also some cars that are going through,

 

my guy in japan is really good.

sweet, just looked orund the site a bit further than 'cars for sale' and found your mobile number, will give you a call tonight/tomorrow (after I finish work) if that's ok?

Will be in a very similar situation in a few months hopefully, will be looking for a TT manual for about 8-9k.

All the cars ive seen on here seem to be 10k+, is it possible to get a good condition TT manual for less than 9k?

yes it is but it will be fairly standard, but will be in good nick and thats the main thing however u may get luck and get one with an intercooler.

yes it is but it will be fairly standard, but will be in good nick and thats the main thing however u may get luck and get one with an intercooler.

TBH i will be after a fairly standard one, bodykit wise anyway (engine mods would be a bonus). My main priority is that its in good nick.

Cheers for the advise, ill definately get into contact with you when im ready to buy

Sorry for the hi-jack Steve

Jurgen, I have got to stop looking at that damn auction site of yours, I am very close to ending up with 3 Supes!!

TBH i will be after a fairly standard one, bodykit wise anyway (engine mods would be a bonus). My main priority is that its in good nick.

 

Cheers for the advise, ill definately get into contact with you when im ready to buy

 

Sorry for the hi-jack Steve

No worries mate, will let you know how it goes if I go down this route (probable)

Jurgen - I'm after a as-stock-as-possible car, not that interested in it coming with mods apart from maybe the TRD bodykit - definitely not after anything vastly different to stock - I love the standard Supra as it is!

Will call you ASAP

Jurgen, I have got to stop looking at that damn auction site of yours, I am very close to ending up with 3 Supes!!

i barr myself from going on incase i see something tasty and u just have to buy it, most of my cars were purchased this way (must have that and sort the cash afterwards)

Any more advice from people? I'm worried that I'll end up paying to import a TT and when it arrives it's a dog/needs expensive repairs soon afterwards. Am I being over-cautious?

I really can't decide - get the car I want now (TT manual) or get a NA manual/Auto TT for the time being and live with that until a good TT manual in my budget comes up for sale.

i can only thoroughly recommend Jurgen, i am going through this process at the moment, and can say it is made ten times easier to have his experience on the end of the phone as and when required.

as for purchasing a car that turns out to be a dog, im sure Jurgen would see you right in some way, but i doubt he would allow a dog into the country as he has agents in Japan checking the cars.

Any more advice from people? I'm worried that I'll end up paying to import a TT and when it arrives it's a dog/needs expensive repairs soon afterwards. Am I being over-cautious?

I really can't decide - get the car I want now (TT manual) or get a NA manual/Auto TT for the time being and live with that until a good TT manual in my budget comes up for sale.

You should hang out for the TT dude, you will regert it otherwise. Or end up with 2 cars

As previously said, Jurgen will sort you out with a good one. Unless Jurgen said otherwoise I wouldn't personally have a car with an auction grade of less than 4. Maybe 3.5 if Jurgens man thought it was okay and it only lost the mark on something minor. Hole in rear seat etc

Thanks Rob, that is a little reassuring. I spoke to Jurgen last night and will most likely use him to import a car for me if I go down that route as he sounded spot on for my needs and sounded like a decent chap

However in the back of my mind I'm worried that despite the car being checked over at the auction house - it's not test-driven or anything so how certian can anyone be that it's not hiding horrible expensive problems :-/

Tell me if I'm being paranoid, I just want a good Supra!

I've been wondering about this myself. With an import, say the gearbox dies a mile down the road or the turbos fail or something that is gonna cost a fortune to fix occurs, what happens?

I take it you are basically buying without a warranty and that could be very costly

Thanks Steve W2. I would only be looking at 4s or above, but does that mean it's mechanically good/very good as well it's physical appearance?

I'm mulling over the decision on our work newsgroups as well, here some advice a NA owner of several years has given me - any opinions on what he's saying (anyone)?...

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"I run a mkiv (import, manual, na) and would be wary of buying any Supra on a budget, especially older TT imports. Servicing is a problem if you cannot do it yourself. It's Toyota policy that Supras are serviced by Lexus dealers. Lexus however will not touch imports. Toyota dealers can provide spares but for some import models the spares are not held in Europe and can take 3 weeks to arrive from Japan (and they charge extra). Toyota will (did) confirm spares availibility if you provide them with the chassis and engine nos. They can also confirm that the car is legit. Most imports also have 16" wheels (the tyres are alot more expensive than the 17" UK spec.) and smaller brakes.

From experience the turbo's are good for 140k miles, exhaust pipes are expensive (£2400 for a complete system on mine), the brake calipers sieze regularly, cam belts every 50k miles (£300), and the auto gearbox can give problems.

The advantage with the manual na is that it is very easy to maintain. I've had mine for about 5 yrs now and it has been very reliable."

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Thanks guys!

Steve

The chap at work with the NA also emailed me the following:

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"Toyota dealers can (and are willing) to provide spares for all models of Supra but I have yet to find one that will work on them. I do all of my own work (I've got all of the receipts if you need an idea of prices). Murley Auto in Stratford (who are no longer Toyota) were extremely helpful and they checked the spares availability for the car before I bought it. Spares are available in a few days but only if held in the Toyota depot in Belgium. This is why it is worth checking spares availability for your intended model before purchase else it's a three week wait.

There is no after-market source for the front part of the exhaust system. Mine was on its way out when someone (luckily!) ran into the back of the car and wrecked the complete system. £2400 was the replacement price and the insurers were going to write the car off.

The TT cars are complex and without the Toyota diagnostic equipment any faults are almost impossible to rectify. I must admit that after owning a UK spec single turbo model I would not go for an import TT. They can, and do go wrong, especially the electronics on the older models."

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any comments? Are his concerns justified?

TIA!

Can I be blunt? He is talking bollocks!!

I have had my TT import for about 18 months and have never had a problem getting any bits i have needed - that being from Toyota or any of the traders on here. I could go into detail and dispute almost every issue he has raised but, to be honest, I cannot be asked (A UK single turbo model eh? Feck me, thats a first!!)

Suffice to say that you will have no problems getting parts nor getting it serviced

He doesn't sound like he's got a clue. I've had my Jap import TT for 18 months without a sniff of a problem, and I drove it with hardly any gearbox oil in for about 2 months.

The UK single turbo car was the MKIII and is a comnpletely different beast all together.

I have NEVER had any problems getting parts, and Toyota, although expensive (what dealer isn't) has been pretty helpful, despit not really knowing much aboput the car.

A trusted local garage does all the work to the Supra for a very good price when can't be arsed to do it myself.

You should also note that I have both a manaul NA, and an auto TT and would happily recommend either.

Don't be put off by misinformed people, have a read of stuff on here a decide for yourself.

Oh and PMSL at CJ

Can I be blunt? He is talking bollocks!!

the worst problem i have had with an import was the clutch was on way out but i knew this when i bought the car in japan.

other than that i had a bumper damaged which cost £150 to replace.

or the odd scuff very minor.

but my guy will tell me all about the car and is really good ie he told me clutch was slippy but when in uk this was only noticible at higher speeds.

it is a gamble to somebody that does not have a reliable source but if u know somebody that knows what there are doing u wont have a problem, a member on here bought a tt for 8k a year ago manual of me and still going strong changed his exhaust as it had a hole due to been so low down, but that was the only fault .

Thanks guys, I thought the chap in question was talking a little bit of nonsense, but as he's got a mkiv (I see in in one of the car parks at my work every day) and I haven't I did think it was worth your opinions.

I shall stick to my (TT manual, sourced import) guns I think, probably, I'm pretty sure, maybe.

Thanks guys, I thought the chap in question was talking a little bit of nonsense, but as he's got a mkiv (I see in in one of the car parks at my work every day) and I haven't I did think it was worth your opinions.

I shall stick to my (TT manual, sourced import) guns I think, probably, I'm pretty sure, maybe.

.......in the meantime i'd keep an eye out for local TT's, you never know what might turn up. All Jurgen's and other good importers cars end up getting sold on by the first owners, so don't rule out looking for cars already here....it might be just me but i'd prefer to try/view before commiting to a car?

it might be just me but i'd prefer to try/view before commiting to a car?

Yeah I would love for the right car to turn up, but I've been looking for a while and there's very little in my price range (and what is is usually red! )

As I want to be driving t'beast by July I need to be sourcing an import now if I'm going down that route, and it looks like (if I can afford it) I will have to. :-/

have a look at this link for an idea of prices that they go for at jap auctions:

http://english.auto.vl.ru/auctions/toyota/supra/