Supra MKIV Owners

[Liquid]

Any Supra MKIV owners here? Im looking to buy one for my first car, need some suggestions. Im aiming at a 98 TT but I know thats gonna be costly. Eventually (a year down the road) I have plans on putting a Stage 3 kit in it to boost it to around 550HP.

What should I look out for?

[yanman]

I'm not a Supra MKIV owner... yet... LOL I'm saving up to getting one atm, I wanna get rid of my temporary car asap. I've done a lot of research into Supras, so I might be able to help out a bit.

1998 Supra RZ are actually quite rare (well here in Australia anyway). After the mid-late 1997 models the engine isn't a standard 2JZ-GTE, it's still called a 2JZ-GTE but it's got VVTi which means this engine has more power over the previous 2JZ-GTE. Since I'm a Supra lover I'm going to be a lil bias and say that there isn't much to look out for but just try and look for one that is clean and don't buy the first RZ you see, that's a big no no, unless you consider yourself a lucky person.

As for the modifications, you can get a lot out of a 2JZ-GTE with a stock bottom end. One of the most famous Supras in America is owned by a guy called Peter Blach. His Supra pulls 1132hp at the rear wheels with a stock bottom end which is about 1331hp at the flywheel. Suprisingly that isn't the most powerful Supra in the US. He is running a Garrett GT42 dual bearing turbo with a GReddy 4row intercooler. But a turbo and cooler isn't everything when it comes to performance, you also have to remember to maintain your engine.

BoostLogic is very famous for their turbo kits for Supras. It is a good start to give them a call and ask what is best for your power requirement. SP Performance or something is also very famous for Supra tuning, give them a call too. It's better to seek the professionals and Supra specialists for help rather than a forum.

Hope that helped :D

[MR_Candyman]

I'd like to warn you first that having too much power (requiring a VERY tight on/off style clutch) is a real bear to drive. It really starts to suck after about 600hp. Also keep in mind that with a stage 3 turbo, you will have extreme turbo lag and have pretty crummy acceleration. A stage 2 is a better compromise

the stock 320 hp 315 ft/lb isn't anythign to laugh at either. I've driven one of these puppies (my old boss owned one) and it was pretty intense (and I've driven porsche's and lamborghinis before). He actually sold it because it was too much for him.

[Rockwell]

I just got my 1988 Toyota Supra(7M-GE I believe), although I wanted an MKIV. 1JZ-GTE conversion coming soon.

[Liquid]

I'd like to warn you first that having too much power (requiring a VERY tight on/off style clutch) is a real bear to drive. It really starts to suck after about 600hp. Also keep in mind that with a stage 3 turbo, you will have extreme turbo lag and have pretty crummy acceleration. A stage 2 is a better compromise

the stock 320 hp 315 ft/lb isn't anythign to laugh at either. I've driven one of these puppies (my old boss owned one) and it was pretty intense (and I've driven porsche's and lamborghinis before). He actually sold it because it was too much for him.

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I was thinking about going with stage 2 instead of 3. Or even a BPU kit, considering its my first car and all :p

Thanks for the help so far.

[MR_Candyman]

ya, the bpu kit itself should make you more than happy, and it's a good starting point for other mods

[giantsnyy]

i plan on getting one after i get out of college. keep the focus as a daily driver (original plan was to boost this to at least 250whp, but then i saw this 800HP supra)

gonna up the turbo and build the engine to 800+hp and use it as a track car.

i love supras, their engines can handle so much and have so much potential

[threetonesun]

IMO, a Mark IV isn't worth what people are asking for them. The fact you can get insane HP out of them is cool, but I can think of a lot of other $35-40k used cars I'd rather have that would be a better track car than a Supra (if not as insane).

Or you could save the money and wait for the new V10 project Toyota has ... I have high hopes for that, and you wouldn't be paying a collector's premium.

[punker429]

I?ve seen so many people buy cars like that for their first car and just end up crashing them within a month or 2. It?s probably not the best car to buy for your first car especially if you?re just starting out. Just because you have a supra doesn?t mean you?re invincible?

[MR_Candyman]

I'd take any supra personally, I like all of them. Wouldn't mind getting a mk2, or an 85/86 (think they were mk3, but could be mk2)

[yanman]

IMO, a Mark IV isn't worth what people are asking for them. The fact you can get insane HP out of them is cool, but I can think of a lot of other $35-40k used cars I'd rather have that would be a better track car than a Supra (if not as insane).

Or you could save the money and wait for the new V10 project Toyota has ... I have high hopes for that, and you wouldn't be paying a collector's premium.

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Each to their own opinion. Why do rich and famous people like Hulk Hogan drive a modded Supra when he has the money to do up a Ferrari? It's just a matter of what people like and they're willing to spend the money to get what they want out of life. You've got the Supra lovers, the GT-R lovers and even the Civic lovers. I don't say to someone with the riced up Civic "Hey man, you wasted your money on that piece of shizzle, you could've got a better car with all the money you spent" because I can understand that the car to them is a part of them.

[threetonesun]

Each to their own opinion. Why do rich and famous people like Hulk Hogan drive a modded Supra when he has the money to do up a Ferrari? It's just a matter of what people like and they're willing to spend the money to get what they want out of life. You've got the Supra lovers, the GT-R lovers and even the Civic lovers. I don't say to someone with the riced up Civic "Hey man, you wasted your money on that piece of shizzle, you could've got a better car with all the money you spent" because I can understand that the car to them is a part of them.

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I agree, I'm just saying last generation Supras have gone up way too much in price lately. Same with last gen RX-7s. You'd be better off buying an older generation and spending more money on modifying it, IMO. Or, getting somethign that's actually a rare car, like a Skyline ;)

[Liquid]

I?ve seen so many people buy cars like that for their first car and just end up crashing them within a month or 2. It?s probably not the best car to buy for your first car especially if you?re just starting out. Just because you have a supra doesn?t mean you?re invincible?

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Theres difference though. I'm probably not crazy like them. I don't speed, even when theres no one around.

Also, the latest gen Skylines are illegal here.

[yanman]

I agree, I'm just saying last generation Supras have gone up way too much in price lately. Same with last gen RX-7s. You'd be better off buying an older generation and spending more money on modifying it, IMO. Or, getting somethign that's actually a rare car, like a Skyline  ;)

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Oh ok, well over here in Australia, it's like Skyline central, everwhere you go there are Skylines. I suppose you can make your MKIV look different from the others too if you really cared about looks. I personally don't like a car that attracts too much attention.

[Ryan15]

danny my car is still gonna own ur supra any day :)

[oldmate15]

^^ And what do you drive?

With the MKIV, try and find a 6 speed aerotop. Most aerotops came in auto so it will be pretty hard to find.

[Thingfish]

550 hp , first car.

I will watch this thread for an obituary. A stock N/A supra is too much for a first car.

[Liquid]

550 hp , first car.

I will watch this thread for an obituary. A stock N/A supra is too much for a  first car.

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Boost kit comes after a year or so. So its not 550HP for first car.

[Thingfish]

lol,..

Go to a pet store. Get a brass air valve. Connect inline with the wastegate refrence line, bleed refrence boost to the atmosphere. Fools the turbo into thinking its not making what it really is, and makes more boost.

The USA spent millions to develop a pen that could write in outer space.

The russians did it for free, they used a pencil.

keep it simple

[yanman]

^^ And what do you drive?

With the MKIV, try and find a 6 speed aerotop. Most aerotops came in auto so it will be pretty hard to find.

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Apparently aerotops only come in the SZ models which are non turbo and 5 speed. If there were any 6 speed aerotops then that means it's not a factory aerotop. Eitherway you don't get much wind into the car with the aerotop unless you open up the windows too... but I guess it looks good.

[oldmate15]

No actually, there are RZ and GZ (luxury model) that are aerotops. Also they tend to have a lot of body flex and the frame kinda bends.

[Thingfish]

Thats what happens on a unibody car. Find a set of square tube subframe connectors.

They WILL make all the diff in the world, and prevent your car from tweatking.

[Liquid]

By aerotops do you mean targa tops? Because targa tops come in the 6spd turbo models.

[yanman]

No actually, there are RZ and GZ (luxury model) that are aerotops. Also they tend to have a lot of body flex and the frame kinda bends.

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You could be right, that's why I said "apparently". I've been hearing a lot of different things, but if I look for a Supra I wouldn't care if it had an aerotop or not, I take the aerotop as a bonus to the looks that's it.