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The mkiv Supra Owners Club

UK-spec Auto vs J-spec Tiptronic


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Guest CarLover

As I posted before I'm currently after UK-spec Auto.

 

But just seen this on ebay http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320015099726&fromMakeTrack=true

 

So need your advice as I have never dealt with tiptronics before but was very keen to get one.

 

If there are 2 more less equally priced cars, around 10K+, both of them are standard with no mods (well, I’m not counting alloys and some really minor things, etc):

 

93 or 94 UK-spec with 60-70K mileage, good condition, history etc

or

98 vvt-i tiptronic 100K mileage, few owners, imported new to the UK

 

Apart from personal taste and the insurance price difference (98 j-spec is really expensive to insure)

 

what would you think is better? Which car would hold its value better? 93/94 against 98….

But 100K mileage for tiptronic box seems a bit high…

How to compare

 

Is there passenger’s airbag in 98 vvt-i? I know that there is one in Uk-spec

 

And also, is it possible to do BPU to vvt-i? Any major difference?

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I'd personally go for the VVTi, it looks in very good condition and looks well looked after, despite the mileage. It looks completely stock too, so if it has been well maintained then the mileage should not be a problem from an engine/gearbox POV.

 

Personally though I would never buy a car sight unseen off the internet, i'd want to give it a thorough going over and have a test drive before parting with any money on any car.

 

Yes it has driver and passenger airbags fitted

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I'd go for the UKSpec.

It's easier to tune for 450-500bhp and in this case the mileage is relatively low (usually it is the other way round).

Obviously you need to check docs and all MOTs.

 

98VVTi with 100K? No thanks.

The only point would be to get a late VVTi with LOW mileage

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ive got a tiptronic and i think its great. Works just like a normal auto in D, flick it to the side and you can still keep both hands on the wheel and change up and down the gears, which is good when say you are giving it some and you want to hold a gear, in the middle of a corner for example

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UK the history is alot easier to track, its on 100k the vvti but how do you know it wasnt clocked it could be reaching 200k for all you know......

 

25000miles a year fookin' 'ell!

 

The car has been spotted in Norfolk a few times...but it's not attended a meet. I'd investigate it...I personally would if I could afford it.

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25000miles a year fookin' 'ell!

 

The car has been spotted in Norfolk a few times...but it's not attended a meet. I'd investigate it...I personally would if I could afford it.

 

 

just a figure of speech m8, you know what i was trying to get at :p (you cant know to much about the car)

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My tiptronic's done almost 100k genuine miles (imported from new) and is still running as sweet as a nut (touch wood ;) ).

 

I love the tip action - none of this kicking down to 2nd on exiting roundabouts for me, I'm already there. :D

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On a stock car of that mileage, if it has been properly maintained with regular servicing etc. then the engine gearbox *should* be okay. At that mileage it would be the suspension components that I would be more concerned about. All relatively easy to replace, but replacement parts are not cheap.

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Yep, bushes and rubber parts of all sorts tend to dry up and degrade.

If oil changes have been frequent then the engine itself is not an issue - apart from stem seals and the like...

 

If I were to buy a supra in the future I'd probably only consider a late, low-mileage, stock VVTi - purely for ageing reasons...

 

Out of interest how is it easier to tune a UK over a VVTI?

Much easier, if you know what you're doing.

The whole fuelling system is designed for more flow capacity (around 20%) and the ECU is geared around that (so any signal-fudgers will have to stretch only a tiny bit, and you probably wouldn't need to change injectors, pump or anything)

The big brakes are a big bonus (although you might also get them with some VVTis) and the lack of VVTi complexities make it easier to set up the car. Although the concept and implementation of VVTi are very sound, you'll find yourself restricted in finding replacement cams and ways of re-adjusting the VVTi. If you go the route of standalone ECU this restriction may be relieved, but then you are probably talking big turbos etc, so we are probably beyond the UK/JSpec gap anyway...

 

And of course JSpec turbos cannot be pushed hard without risking spitting the ceramic turbines through the exhaust. You get higher-tech turbo technology but you pay for it if you want 'more'

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