Mkiii N/a Buying Advice Needed

[mkiii wannabe]

hello, hope someone can help me.

this has probably been covered before, but i thought i'd ask anyway!

Looking to buy a late mkiii but there seems to be a huge difference in what you can pay (400ish to a lot more!). i can go up to £1500 at a push, is that going to get me something nice??

also, what should i be looking out for? headgaskets appear to be a worry, anything else?

are the engines as bulletproof as i've heard? if they are, is high mileage a problem?

sorry for all the questions!

thanks

[MarkMcQ]

The main problem with the Mk 3's is the head gasket issues, as you mentioned. It's down to the fact that the official Toyota word is that the head should be tightened down to about 50nm of torque, where in actual fact it's known to be more in the 70-78 region. The other problem, which I've managed to come up against twice, is the blown gasket leading to a cracked block.

Also worth checking is the back lights too, and the bootwell. The foam gaskets that go between the lights and the back panel are rubbish and because there's very poor drainage at the sides of the rear hatch, any water that gets in there runs right down onto the foam gasket, causing it to perish over time, and then water gets into the light and once that fills up, it spills out into the rear well behind the moulding panels.

I recently picked up a Supra from eBay for 175 quid. Was advertised as having the BHG problem, and after stripping the engine I found it to be a cracked block. My other Mk3 is also the same story when I purchased it about 2 years ago. I ended up spending a fair bit of cash restoring them both, and if I was in the market for a new one, I'd definitely go for a more expensive one that's been looked after rather than go through that hassle again.

You might be able to pick up a good bargain for under a grand, but I'd reccomend going for a really good example that's been well maintained and in excellent condition.

[MarkMcQ]

Oh, also, Karma Supra, who posts on here, is selling a nice early-model Mk3 in white that would be well worth checking out. Here's a link to the thread.

http://toyotaownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=35405

[mkiii wannabe]

thanks for the quick responce, wasn't expecting anything ntil the evening!

plenty of info there, thanks.

karma supra's looks nice, knowing my luck, probably gone by now!

something i forgot to ask earlier, i know that spares probably won't be the cheapest in the world, but how bad are they?

[LORD_ED]

karmas still got it mate saw the car yesterday looking lovely, with spares karma is a good person to get in touch with

[Karma Supra]

Yes the car is still here... my girlfriend is currently using it for comuting and we have had no problems at all...

When I got it they guy suspected a headgasket as it was looking coolant, and people automaticly think anthing to do with coolant at all on these things is the headgasket!!! I fitted a new radiator and a new rad cap, and it has been perfect since!!!

Being fussy like I am I also compression checked the thing, to be sure to be sure, -it gave a very hight and totally identical reading in all six cylinders! result!!!

AS said in the advert the bodywork is 100% rust free, the interior is VERY tidy... 95,000 miles and a very tight car with no knocks bumps or rattles. its one of the tightest mkiiis I have driven (I have driven LOTS!) and it gets my seal of approval for sure... (was for the other half, but she wanted a red one )

I'm looking for £1000 or so.

Parts are not a big problem, Toyota will get you ANYTHING... but most bits are avaliable from scrappies, or sad individuals like myself that hoard them.... :D

[mkiii wannabe]

to be honest, i won't be in the position to buy for another two weeks or so, but yours does look nice!

[mkiii wannabe]

actually karma, forget my last post!

are you around saturday morning?

i'd like to come and have a look, my position just changed!!!

[Karma Supra]

Yes I'll be around... if you want to come any look at the car and are seriously interested, I'll have to drop herself off at work....

I just remembered that I taxed the ting, and was goign to say 1055 but you have read my other post now!!! :censor: lol..

it has 6 months tx and 12 monts MOT.

PM me and I'll get you directions!

[mkiii wannabe]

one question, is it an auto or a manual?

[Karma Supra]

Manual!

[mkiii wannabe]

nice!

i pm'd you, if you could respond to jesus i'd appreciate it.

off home now.

[Karma Supra]

Replied to both!!!

[Martin F]

The main problem with the Mk 3's is the head gasket issues, as you mentioned. It's down to the fact that the official Toyota word is that the head should be tightened down to about 50nm of torque, where in actual fact it's known to be more in the 70-78 region.

I think you mean lb/ft not Nm.

[Karma Supra]

Well spotted

[MarkMcQ]

I think you mean lb/ft not Nm.

←

Clearly an intentional error to see if anyone spotted it *cough*.....

[Karma Supra]

There is an art to installing headgaskets!!! much more then just "tigtening it up more"

The acidtest will be to see what my blueprint headgasket makes of my hybrid turbo....

my moneys on the turbo