Looking For Info/advice

[Gareth B]

I have come across a F-reg Supra Mk3 3.0i being sold by a guy locally who i know has had it from new. I haven't had chance to speak to him yet or had a good look at the car but from outside it looks in very good condition with just a couple of places where the lacquer is peeling.

I have no idea as yet how it is mechanically but have been told of the price he is looking to get for it which to me seemed very low.

Basically i am looking for advice on any known issues with this model, parts availability, spec (as in bhp etc) and what sort of prices these normally fetch as i'm thinking of buying it and restoring anything which needs restoring.

Thanks in advance

Gareth

[mad welshman]

hi g, drop karma a line.........im sure he will give u some pointers.

baz

[Gareth B]

Yes cheers Baz will do. Just got an insurance quote for £426 fully comp no limit on mileage but I need to get a closer look at it because i don't no the state of it mechanically.

Charlie, not planning a trip to Caerphilly any time soon are you?

[adi]

prices are variable on these..

An F reg minter n/a will go for about £1500. A shed will go for £500.You have to beware of mk3's which are under £1000.

Just for comparison, a late model minter turbo will still fetch up to £4000 tops, or a shed can be bought for £400... its all about condition.

They're notorious for blowing head gaskets.. so make sure its a good one.

There are fewer and fewer mk3's coming on the market, so its only the decent ones that are fectching the higher prices.

Anyway, if you're interested the UK mk3 Group is at www.forum.mkiiisupra.net

[Gareth B]

Thanks for that, much appreciated. I'll let you know how i get on and i'm sure i'll have more questions.

[Gareth B]

Ok bit more info on it but i still haven't made contact with the owner. A friend of a friend knows the car and the owner and informs me that it runs well, there doesn't appear to be any issues with the oil/head gasket but there is a tapit(sp) noise from the engine.

There is 5 months m.o.t. left on it and I can have it for £250.

I would need to have a closer inspection obviously as it looks like it hasn't been used for a while and get someone who is more knowledgable to have a look.

It is being sold due to the owner splitting up with his partner and moving away. The interior is in good nick and body is generally ok with a few rust spots.

Surely for that sort of money it is worth it even for the parts, original alloys, interior etc..

Any thoughts?

[pkeey kill]

hi gareth. i picked up a f 30i non turbo for 900 and its a beauty.

just take it for a GOOD LONG DRIVE and let it worm up and

as long the gearboxs is smooth and it dose not over heat then you

R no the right track mate. it dose help if electrics work.

make shore you start it from cold and lesion for any knocking

but its down to your best judgment buddy. hope iv helped

[adi]

tappet noise is generally the exhaust gasket oddly enough.. the bolts strip in the head and the exhaust manfold leaks.. it sounds exactly like tappets and is a common problem.

as for selling it for spares, forget it.. most of the parts will be practically worthless. Personally i wouldnt touch a supra for £250 but hey its up to you. In the five months MOT you have left you'll probably find yourself chucking several hundred at it.

The owners group i mentioned is a valuable resource.. but hey i'm biased as i run it :D but we have 400 odd members so plenty of info on there..

[Gareth B]

Thanks for all your help and advice guys. I think I am going to walk away from this one as there are too many unknowns.

If it was a nice example to start with but needed a little bit of work i wouldn't have minded selling one of my other cars to fund doing it up, but I would be using it as my daily drive.

It doesn't look well looked after, there is a lot more rust than you would expect from this model and i found some evidence of overspray and accident damage.

I think I will keep my eye out for a more pristine turbo.

Cheers

Gareth

[Karma Supra]

Baahhh..

Hi Garath I have been away on business ooop north....

Funny you should ask as I am in Cearphilly tomorrow!!!

The chances are 3 of us are all traveling down in a more economicla car with more room in the back, so I'll not be there in the supra :(

If I am not comming down with the other lot and you are free and I finish early I don't mind meeting up and going over it!!

What colour is it? (peeling laquer... I'm guessing metalic grey or burgandy :P) How many miles???

I'd usually say got for a late spec, but at that money if it is any good, you can't argue!

How many miles, and how much history?

There is a buying guide here

Fairly breif and old but might be of help!!

One word of warnign though.. the N/As seem to have the same(ish) fuel economy that the turbos do.. so most go for the turbo! (grp 17 insurance)

[Gareth B]

Charlie, I have had a good look over it now and done a HPI check etc..

It is white by the way, full Toyota service history up to 118000 miles ( currently 128000), all m.o.t.'s available, 2 owners with 2 private plates.

It's in fairly good condition with a few rust spot some peeling lacquer around the passenger door handle. There is a leak in the boot but apparently common, the interior is a bit moldy as it has been sat since November and only used once but nothing a good scrub up couldn't solve.

Air con, cruise control and all electrics seem fine except drivers window comes off rail near bottom and the passenger window won't raise from drivers door but will from passenger switch.

The tapit noise i had been told about is inaudible until reved up a bit and even then i had to strain to hear it. Started first time with no problems and sounded quiet and smooth.

The current owner obtained it through a debt but has never used it and doesn't seem to know much about it but as i said i have all the history and m.o.t.'s and it has had 2 cam belt changes (60000 & 118000) so only 10000 miles ago.

He is selling it as he has split up with his girlfriend and it is outside her house with no tax and she wants it gone, hence the price.

I had decided to walk away yesterday before i spoke to the owner and got the keys but i'm not sure now as it all seems quite good. It's not what i was looking for but i think i will give it a go for the hell of it as the wife has decided to sell the mpv and she is having my Mondeo zetec. I have had someone else interested who would have it off me in a few months so as long as i have no major issues with it i can't see me losing out. Once the mpv is sold i will probably look at a later model turbo.

Thanks for the offer to take a look i will play it by ear, i finish work at 2pm but not sure what time the owner is home. My mobile number is in the for sale section. (wow didn't realise how much i typed)

[Gareth B]

Ok, for better or worse I have bought it.

Adi thanks for info I am sure I will be across to ask some questions soon.

It seems ok needs new brake pads all round and a slight leak from the rocker cover but hey £250!

I'm off work all next week so will be all over it giving it the TLC it needs and evaluate what I have let myself in for.

It seems to be holding back a bit but looking at the air filter (which appears to be a HKS) it's not suprising. Needs replacing or at least a good clean.

I know what your thinking probably the same as me. What other hidden delights am i going to find.

I have no great ambitions for it and probably will just tidy it up a bit and use it until I find something else, but I might learn a bit in the process. See how it goes.

If all goes well and I decide I like this model I will probably look at a later spec MK3 Turbo when I have sold my MPV.

[Karma Supra]

When you are sorting you rocker cover gaskets (get new) I'd have a look at retorquing the headgasket

Welcome to our world ;)

[adi]

In direct contrast to Charlie ( :D ) i'd suggest leaving the head gasket bolts.. a retorque can take it either way....

[Gareth B]

OK great guys, you have confused me already. I can understand both views though so i guess it's a 50/50.

I'm having a bit of a family crisis today, just popped in to get away from it, so the car will stay outside my friends house (off the road) until I get tax on Tuesday and will collect another millimeter or so of rain water in the boot until then

Anyway, back to the crisis, I need to get it sorted before THE match.

[Martin F]

Charlie is talking about the rocker cover bolts and gaskets, Adi is talking about the headgasket and bolts.

Two seperate items.

Good Luck