Young Enthusiast - Please Help!!!

[jackso11]

RHD N/A Aero in manual!! Well you learn something new everyday. I would have searched harder for one if I knew they existed, Oh well, hapy with my machine for now (Until I bolt a single onto it).

 

I wouldn't lay a car up for 3 years, it will lose too much value, there are lots of low milage ones about anyway as people don't do as many miles in Japan.

 

Telling a face lift apart from a non face lift, as people have said there are lots of little things different. Easiest way to remember I find (incase you get too excited about finding the car you want and forget to look) is when you check the milage, if its a digital ODO its an old pre-facelift, non digital and its a facelift. I prefer the digital one myself but thats just me.

[Rob Davey]

I have now had the fortune of being financially able to purchase my own supra but I do not no where to start.

 

Well your a very lucky chap, my first car was an opel kadett coupe and cost a full £200! the cheapest rear wheel drive thing I could find

 

Please can you post your insurance quote here for comedy value its gonna be huuuuge

 

This is my first car, rally bad boy, I was soooo sad to sell it but had nowhere to keep it

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/10/web/310000-310999/310831_23_full.jpg

[mathew]

i had a poster of a supra on my bedroom wall when i was 17 and like you was hell bent on getting one. instead i started off with a 1.6 escort and gradually got more powerfull cars over the years veering off to rear wheel drive cars then and waiting for the insurance to drop. this, i feel, brought me up into supra ownership 'prepared' for the power and rear wheel drive combo yet it still scares me sometimes! its been a lengthy 7 years but now ive got one it was all worthwhile. id just hate to imagine what i would have been like behind the wheel of one at 17 (no disrespect to you)

[BASHTHEBISHOP]

i had a poster of a supra on my bedroom wall when i was 17 and like you was hell bent on getting one. instead i started off with a 1.6 escort and gradually got more powerfull cars over the years veering off to rear wheel drive cars then and waiting for the insurance to drop. this, i feel, brought me up into supra ownership 'prepared' for the power and rear wheel drive combo yet it still scares me sometimes! its been a lengthy 7 years but now ive got one it was all worthwhile. id just hate to imagine what i would have been like behind the wheel of one at 17 (no disrespect to you)

 

Thats why he sensibly wants an N/A:d

 

Sorry for yet another N/A dig:innocent:

[mathew]

:blahblah:

[silvershark44]

The is absolutely no way in the world you will be driving a supra in your first year of driving, maybe at 18 but prepare for megga bucks

 

I regard myself as getting on the Supra ladder extremely quickly and im 21!

 

I have always had high insurance group cars for my age. My first car was a corsa sri, and that was a nightmare to insure at 17 and Thats insurance group 6! Then I ditched that at 18 and bought a Celica GT, striaght to insurance group 15 but i was raped by the insurance company for that. Then at 19 I got a heavily modified CRX DEL SOL SIR, insurance group 16 which i modified to show standard. I WAS ABSOLUTELY RAPED BY INSURANCE COMPANIES ON THAT. Im still sore from that now:D

 

I then bought my supra twin turbo at 21.

 

One thing you really must be aware of, is that you will bomb it around in your first car like a formular one driver. Everyone has done it, and most people crash because of it. I was fortunate to never have a crash but I was the only lad that i knew in my entire year at school that didnt crash their first car. Having a supra for a first car is asking for trouble. You wont drive it sensibly because you are buying a fast car to drive fast. If speed didnt bother you, then you would buy a micra.

 

But i wish you luck, and really hope you dont bin a supra.

[Guest huwt4ng]

Some members have suggested an auto aerotop then converting it to a manual, is this a realistic possibility and does anyone know an average cost bracket for this transplant? Thanks for your help.

[dangerous brain]

I would personally say perhaps it may be an idea to have a looksee for a mark 3 aerotop manual TT. These do exist and some are so old now insurance will be a doddle in comparison to a mark 4. These aren't shy on power either if you can find a 2.5 1jz-gte engined model. Now I know what you are gonna say a mark 3 isn't a mark 4 but with the roof off the mark 3 especially in black can look very similar and the family resemblance is remarkable. Its an aerotop still and significantly more available in manual than 4's. Around a couple of grand will get you a decent one.

At this point you could start looking around for an N/A aerotop at a cheap price and start pulling out the engine and box (sell these on) Then source a crashed TT manual (they can be found for a couple of grand or less) Pull out the box/engine/wiring harness/clutch gubbins/ECU/LSD/driveshaft and order the bits and bobs you need (its just as "easy" a job swapping both engine and box as just the box) Then any salvageable parts will be vultured sorry sold on to other members.

By the time you get it finished you'll be able to afford to insure it.

[Pabs]

hi huwt4ng! I feel better finding someone else on the fourms in a similar-ish situation as me.

 

I'm 24, so a fair bit older, but new to all this Supra stuff too!

Good luck with your hunt, and I'll be keeping track of your progress!

[Guest huwt4ng]

Good luck with your search, have you tried - iwantthatone.com? - some nice supras for sale on there. give it a try. and for my next tutition.....(joking) but i am seriously confused with the engine types....please may someone give me a light definition of the different engines in supras, eg. JZ, GZ etc etc. Thank you for your time.

[Robert]

have a look in the FAQ section, its gives details on all the different supra models.

[Robert]

Also there are only two different engines in a supra either the 2jz-gte (twin turbo), or the 2jz-ge(N/A)

[Pabs]

I was going to suggest the EXCELLENT pdf docs in the FAQ section - helped me immensely

[DBR]

your best bet for insurance purposes would be to get A 'UK' Twin Turbo (and there the best spec of all:d ....dont start that one again;) ), they are without doubt the cheapest supra to insure, if you cant get insurance on a UK spec you wont get touched on a import (my insurance was nearly half the price of a import!). Althoguh the Uk spec are more expensive to buy they more than make up for it on insurance savings.

 

(if this has already been pointed out dont lynch me, i just cant be arsed to read through 5 pages of posts:p )

[Guest huwt4ng]

lol. it hasnt already been pointed out, well not that i remeber anyway. So get a UK TT, u say? Why is it cheaper? do the imports cost more to fix or something? hit me back, huwt4ng

[Peter P]

Like you cars and more specifically big power jap cars were always on my wish list!! At 18 I was hell bent on getting something meaty but couldn't justify the insurance costs and the maintenance!

 

Started with a kitted up Escort 1.3L which resembled an RS turbo and poured money into the sound system so it made mine and everyone in a 5 mile radius bleed from the ears!! Stupid in retrospect because given the opportuinity again I'd have got a good reliable stock jap RWD car and save the money for when I was old enough to go for a TT Supe.

 

I'm 26 now and these are just a few of the cars i've had since I passed at 18!

 

Ford Escort, Golf MK 1, BMW 318 auto, Nissan Sunny ZX Coupe, Nissan Silvia 1.8 Turbo, Jaguar XJ6 (too many episodes of Minder!! ), Peugeot 205 1.9 GTI, Ford Escort 1.6 Ghia, Toyota MR2 G-Ltd Auto, Nissan 300zx Twin Turbo UK spec, 2 x Nissan 300zx Twin Turbo J-Spec (one manual one auto), Porsche 944 ............................................... missed some I'm sure and now the UK Spec Supra TT Auto.

 

If I had not bought the above due to boredom and money to play with and stuck it in a high interest savings account I'd be set for getting a great condition TT Supe with enough money for lots of nice mods as well!

 

UK spec is a life saver on insurance and luckily I got my UK 300ZX at 19 and stomached nearly £2,000 a year insurance because when I phoned for the Supra cover, my broker had just started a scheme for 25-30yr old performance cars which he could drop the age on to include me as I'd had high power RWD cars in the past!

 

Now insurance is £700 fully comp and that includes the soon to feature single turbo conversion Paul Whiffin is doing for me at the moment.

 

I too played on the idea of getting one and doing it up in the garage over the years but the truth is these are drivers cars made to be driven and will suffer if kept off the road for any length of time!

 

My personal advice is stick with the dream (I did and now at 26 can say if anyone ask me 'what is your dream car?' the one I own!! ) but go for something cheap enough to maintain and insure for the moment and build up your no-claims bonus (that's a MUST in my opinion!) whilst putting the money you can budget away for when your able to afford the insurance for a good TT (the n/a is a blinding car with less to go wrong most of the time but it really comes down to what your aims are for the future as there is a limited tuning potential with the n/a where as the sky is the limit on the TT!).

 

Another good idea is to decide what spec you want and power levels and keep your eyes on the parts for sale section and the traders offers and start buying the equipment you want for the car so you get all the goodies ready for the big day and save some money along the way.

 

You really need to drive both a TT and an NA in manual and auto forms with a hardtop and maybe an aerotop to see what you prefer. I was fortunate enough to borrow a few Supes from Tim at JIC back in the day and get a feel for what I wanted before checking the money situation out, finding I couldn't afford the car repayments and the insurance as well as maintaining it and had to accept I would have to wait Was a nasty pill to swallow but I remained determined that one day it would be a reality and sure enough it now is.

 

Best of luck whichever way you go but think very long and hard over whether you want to be the one sitting home every weekend while your mates are out living it up because you have no money to play with because the car swallows every penny!

 

Just my 2p on the very good subject for discussion.

 

Pete

[Guest huwt4ng]

Thanks man. The advice of an elder is always very useful, and I have toyed with the idea of waiting till then......but i must have supra tattoed on the heart or something....and ive waited like 11 years already. And being able to afford one now is like a dream come true in itself. And now that they are off the production line (yet i heard they were still on in japan, plz can someone confirm this?????) I just hate to think that someone, somewhere, everyday, is wragging the balls off my to-be supra, when i could buy it now and keep it safe and warm like sweet-child-o-mine.......

[Shaun.]

And as iv been driving for the last year almost i can tell you get a slow car because there is just soo much going on on the road that you have to get used to before you can even think of booting the car around. Things like trafic and roundabouts and general day to day driving is quite hectic and it will take most of your concentration without having to worry about a big powerful car underneat you.

 

 

Some very good advice there mate.

 

Too many inexperienced drivers (not just youngsters) think that stepping into a powerful car makes them a driving God. It doesn't. Be patient and learn some "road craft" first.

 

Shaun.

[Guest huwt4ng]

I have had alot of feedback on driving safety at this age. Im not a idiot on the roads and I am sensible driver. Admittedly when I first passed I was...but i learnt in the form of a £1000 bill for the repair of a vauxhall corsa. and (its will upset some) i wont be driving the car on a regular basis and i will be gaining more experience in a temporary car until 21, the car i have not yet decided on, definatley RWD, any suggestions??....hit me back

[DBR]

yes m8, uk spec's are ten times cheaper to insure than a import - ive got no idea why though there higher spec than the import so i cant understand it, the uk's have 326bhp - japs 280bhp, uk have galass headlights, full leather, front active spoiler etc etc (do a search on models and it will tell you all the extras that come on uk as standard!) ................ i insured my first uk spec for under a grand at the age of 21 with 1 yrs ncb - i tried to get insurance on import and the premiums were a fooking joke - wel well over 2.5 grand!

 

the only problem being is that a decent uk spec is a hard find! - and they tend to be quite a bit more expensive than a import as they are so rare. UK Auotmatics are not to hard to find but the manuals are like gold dust especially decent example with full service history, full service history is a must! i wouldnt buy one that didnt have a full serivce to be honest.

 

get some quotes youl soon see the insuance differences (little tip put your mum/girlfreind down as a named second driver, it baught my premium down by £400 ish quid!)

[lust2luv]

i will be gaining more experience in a temporary car until 21, the car i have not yet decided on, definatley RWD, any suggestions??....hit me back

 

200SX S13 or S14 if you can afford it?

 

[Conrad]

the uk's have 326bhp - japs 280bhp,

 

Sorry matey but this aint true, the 280bhp quoted for Jspec Supras is nothing more than a gentlemans agreement between the big Jap car manufacturers. They agreed not to get into some kind of BHP war and limit the cars they made to 280bhp. Toyota must have cheated a little! Stick any stock Jspec TT on a dyno and you'll see why!

 

huwt4ng, as for insurance mate look no futher than a UK Supra. At least half that of an import. And as for Jspec NA's and TT's - hardly any difference between them either .

 

Also dude, if you really do get a Supra (and I think insurance will more than likely stop you) then respect to you! My first car was a 1.1 Fiesta Popular +

[DBR]

Sorry matey but this aint true, the 280bhp quoted for Jspec Supras is nothing more than a gentlemans agreement between the big Jap car manufacturers. They agreed not to get into some kind of BHP war and limit the cars they made to 280bhp. Toyota must have cheated a little! Stick any stock Jspec TT on a dyno and you'll see why!

 

huwt4ng, as for insurance mate look no futher than a UK Supra. At least half that of an import. And as for Jspec NA's and TT's - hardly any difference between them either .

 

Also dude, if you really do get a Supra (and I think insurance will more than likely stop you) then respect to you! My first car was a 1.1 Fiesta Popular +

 

i wonder how long it was till i upset a jap owner

 

this is true it is a 'gentlemans agreement' even thoguh they dont quite seem to stick to the 'agreement' - good old mr t!, but i dont think there quite 326 thoguh more 300 give or take ...... i believe the extra bhp on uk's is to account for its fat arse weight with the extra bits 'n' bobs. glass headlight heated seats, bigger turbos etc etc

[Robert]

the turbos aren't bigger on a Uk spec, just use different material on the blades.

[Guest huwt4ng]

200SX S13 or S14 if you can afford it?

 

 

A 200SX is a good RWD but i was thinking of somethin a little less powerful a medium between ur standard hatchback and a supra - has anyone got any ideas