Supra Or Celica Gt4?

[Bogbrush]

Hi everybody

I just signed up as I'm looking at returning to a Toyota again this summer (after a couple of years with bland company cars...)

The question is: Supra or Celica?

I'm looking at spending about £2500 for the car itself and have come up with the following alternatives:

1. Supra 2.5 twin turbo '90-93 (if I can find one)

2. Supra 3.0 turbo '89-93

3. Celica GT4 ST185 '90-93

I would like a car with manual gearbox that could do 0-60 in about 6 seconds standard or with minor mods (- air filter, exhaust, increased boost pressure, etc.) and that is still reliable for day-to-day use.

I had two 3.0 Supra 7M-GTE ('87 and '91) and while they were very nice cars otherwise, I experienced two blown head gaskets on standard engines....

Don't know what the other's are like so any suggestions or advise are most welcome.

Cheers

Bogs

[Karma Supra]

number 1 or 2 I have a full buying guide I wrote for these cars if you want to read it give mea shout. (meant to be in suprasonic.co.uk.. but the sited having a big overhaul and its not up there yet)

[suprafast21]

1 or 2, supras are made to race!

[adi]

The 2.5 is the better car of the ones you mentioned..

it has a JZ engine, virtually indestructible and good for 500-600 bhp no problem.. the downside is finding one.. it will also do 0-60 in about 6.0 sec flat and a quarter of about 13.9.

14 psi of boost will see you at about 5.2 on a 0-60... although you have to remember that the turbos are particularly weak and many fail at that point. although obviously the head gasket isnt an issue.

Unofrtunately, they are difficult to find, and you may be looking for a while.. but if you can find one go for it. If you need any info feel free to PM me, as theres not a lot i dont know about them in a smug git way.

PS pop over to the owners group at www.mkiiisupra.net/bbs

[Leeky]

I've never owned a Supra, i've had an ST205 GT4 and i have to admit out of the three cars you have mentioned i would go for the 2.5 JZ Supra MK3 if you can find one.

But out of the 3.0 single turbo mk3 and the st185 i would go st185. Cheaper to run, better handling and hasnt got the god awful head gasket issue. the 3sgte engine is also as tunable as the 2jz supra mk4 engine. Big BHP outputs are possible.

But yeah the 1jz engine supra is very sexy and i've thought many times about purchasing one.

Ever concidered the 2.0 twin turbo mk3 like Karmas?

[Bogbrush]

Thanks a lot to all of you for your input, guys - much appreciated!!!

I think the 2.5 TT would have to be the ultimate (though long-term) goal as they are so rare, especially the manual version, so if I haven't found one in the next three or four months, I'll go for a 3.0 or GT4 meanwhile.

That means I have to go through the unbearable task of test driving some of them before making up my mind ;)

What are the 2.0 twin turbos like? I've always thought they were only 210 bhp and hence slower than the 3.0 litre, but maybe it's a better engine design?

PS. Karma Supra: If you have this Supra buying guide, I'd be grateful if you could mail it to me at bogbrush88@hotmail.com. Cheers

[suprafast21]

u can get a 1jz motor for like 2 grand from japan and on some deals they throw in the tranny too, the things is u gotta pay $$ for shipping and if ur unlucky n cant find a good ol neighbor mechanic u gotta pay $$$$ to drop that motor in. check it out on eBay there jdm motors, my father bought a 7mge motor for his supra since his old egine got the BHG dillema, he only got it for 800 bucks..so check it out they allways have 1jz motors on sale.

[suprafast21]

p.s. motor only have 30-50k miles on them, and they work great my fathers supra runs way better than before no problems so far! =D