Buying a fast jap car..

Arnold

Arnold

www.alanarnold.co.uk
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Right, basically i've got my eyes on a few nice looking and sporty cars and ideally like to get one at some point. We're talking stuff like Mitsubishi GTO's, Skyline's, Supra's etc.

I know 0 about any of these cars. I guess the first thing to do would be to go onto the owners clubs and ask or search for common faults and the like. At the moment, i've got my eyes on stuff like this:

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Secondly, i'm unsure if i should go through a dealership / finance situation or buy second hand and get a loan to cover some of the cost. I was saving up for a house, but now I need like £40000 deposit so can forget about that!

Which of the above floats your boat!? I can't decide what I like the most!
 
You would be happy with a 3000GT :D

But i love the skyline and supra :) Would be either one of them

The supra's are just amazing cars, but the best bit is the dash for me :p
 
I want to stay Jap :) I've already crossed Subaru/Evo's off my list so i'm left with the above. I quite like the look of the GTO, but they all look good. It's a tough one!
 
Skyline for me

Skyline every time, however I would say that because I have one - 1997 ECR33 2.5 Turbo - 280bhp (dyno) - jolly good fun in this weather....

Skyline owners club are very accomodating - if you want to know about mine, PM me.
 
Thanks mate, PM Sent! I'm in Bristol on Sunday so would be cool to meet up with ya and talk Skylines :D
 
Out of the above, the GTS or the FD would be my choice. FD is more costly to maintain though.

If you find anything you like the look of around this way I can go check them out with you if you want.
 
i still know of an MR2 turbo if you are interested,

but i say skyline, i love them :D
 
Ed said:
Why have you crossed of Evos?! :)
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General cost of buying one to begin with is higher than all the others. I mean i'm not looking at anything less than an Evo 5 due to what i've heard / researched, unless you can convince me otherwise. Looks wise, they're not as good as some of the other cars on my list, Skylines etc.

NeX said:
i still know of an MR2 turbo if you are interested,
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Na, going back to the JAE chat! MR2's as good as they are, are common as anything
 
Am i correct in thinking that the last pic is a RX7? if so then go for that one man!! lol i absolutly love them cars!! sex on wheels!
 
Supras are very very very tunable compared to Skylines. The parts are cheaper, the engines are bulletproof (even on standard internals) and also are designed rather well as the torque tends to rise in line with the power, so 500bhp and 500lbft is easily achieved. Might be worth doing some research :). Due to a very clever braking system it also has one of the best braking performances you can get for its time.

They are not light by any means, but are actually still lighter than the Skyline R33 and only slightly heavier than the R32.

The Supra MKIV is also lighter than the GT3000.

Parts for the Skylines are lots of dosh, if going 4WD a replacement 4WD box costs £4k from Nissan, ouch!

I was talking to Dan (Micracharge) about in last year (considering next car to go for) and even though he worked for Abbey Motorsport he'd certainly go with a Supra due to running costs, costs of parts, etc.

Turbo Supra for moi :)

Just mine (and his) 2p.
 
GTO's aren't as nice as they look. My uncle has one and it's not as fast as it looks, and understeers like a cow with rollerskates on. Loads of stuff goes wrong on them too as they had too advanced technology for its time. Definately not a decent car :laugh:
 
Thank you for the opinions guys, think it's down to Skyline Vs Supra - and i do love supra's. My favorite car at JAE 08 was a blue one, err, this one....

JAE2008_259.JPG

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Fell in love with it!

Skylines have nice rears, but it would have to be a R33 GTS-T my wallet could stretch to, even though it's the R34's i like the most!
 
To be honest, I would go for a Skyline. A) You stay with Nissan, and B) Skylines still turn my head when i see one go past - Supras I don't bat an eyelid.
But it's your personal preference- go with your heart, and not what others say ;)
 
Toyota or the Nissan and maybe the Mazda if its recently had a rebuild ha. . .GTO for me is a no no,nice looking car but Can be trouble
 
that supra looks.. well wrong. OEM looks is the way forward. supra's not a bad car if you can afford the running costs :)
 
Why isn't there an Impreza WRX Sti (GC8) on your list? - This is blasphemy! Anyways.

That's a pretty RX-7. Lines are all in the right places.
 
Arnold said:
Na, going back to the JAE chat! MR2's as good as they are, are common as anything
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thats rubbish! they arnt common we just have 3 very organised clubs and members that actually turn up to events... unlike oter car clubs ;) i see about 2 a week at the most on the roads in my local area

dont go righting off one of the best handling cars ever made because of something as silly as that. its reliable, does very good MPG, easy to service (ulikes GTO's and Supra's). you need to actually drive these cars before you make any decisions anyway. and btw you try parallel parking a supra.... the rear window visability is rubbish

Simonh said:
u looked at ftos?
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also hugley underated! handle like they are on rails!
 
I'm not saying MR2's are crap or anything, they're nice! especially targa top or aero top or whatever the MR2 equivalent ones are (frameless doors) but it's just not for me.

Although cars are getting cheaper, i've noticed people aren't letting them go unless they're losing there jobs and money is urgently needed, so there are bargains to be had. I'm now on the Supra owners club and keeping my eyes open for something. I'm not in a rush, besides i want to save up as much money as i can to buy / insure etc it without getting into debt
 
the skylines are too common and are realy realy heavy.

Supra, is a motorway cruiser and a drag slag but not alot else unless you spend loads on them.

the 3000gt or GTO are ok, but again are plaugued by unreliability and overheating. that and they weigh over 2 tones.!!!

the only option is the FD3s Mazda Rx7 Type R bathurst edition.
they are the cheapest to buy, you can tax one as a 1.3, they look like the bat mobile, they are very lightweight and handle light no other japanese car (ie very well) get one with over 60,000 miles and a recent engine rebuild and have some fun with 9000rpm limit, endless power curve and some sounds that only god himself can muster up.

that and you can get one for £4000 in near perfect condition with recent rebuild and insurance for me is the cheapest of any "jap super car"
 
Tough choice but id go 4 a Supra :grinning:

from a few mates experiences the old 1Jz/2JZ lumps take more punishment than the RB25/RB26 Skyline lumps can

I do like RX7s too but 50,00 mile engine rebuild and the cost o ceramic rotor tip replacement would scare my wallet lol
 
OK Thick head Sammo doesnt regognise any of those.... but from teh first set of pics the first and the last look great.


IMO after youve decided.....wait and wait some more (hire a car to replace the corsa in the meantime)...then if the pang stays with you for a few months..then get one...


I must admit though....I woulkd prefer a mint K10 to either of them.....save the dosh for a house...the housing market will change with the next government.....
 
SammoHung said:
save the dosh for a house...the housing market will change with the next government.....
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But will the banks! Prices have dropped, but you need so much money for a deposit now it's impossible, and the mortgages they give you still don't cover the cost of a house down here!

I'm saving up in the meantime so i'm in a position to buy one of these beauties
 
Retepetsir said:
Arnold! What about a Pulsar?

I have 4k in savings but its meant to be going on a house deposit. I seriously want another car now :(

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/871432.htm
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But you'll need a deposit of about 40 grand or so! I've already enquired and thought sod that, i want some nice wheels :D Have thought about Pulsars, but like all old Nissans, they tend to be rusty around the rears
 
Na, going back to the JAE chat! MR2's as good as they are, are common as anything[/QUOTE]

down where i am you can't get away from skylines...
 
just buy my 94 ST205 GT4 WRC. silver with 51k miles, just sailed through mot today.
have you tried insurance quotes yet? gts-t skylines and supras etc that are rwd are mega high insurance. and a GTi-R for me was £800 same as an impreza. but i've just sorted the renewal out for the GT4 - £315 fully comp with protected no claims ;). they are only group 17 insurance, but if you remove the boost limiter in 1st and 2nd (easily done, but i've not bothered), then they're as quick as an STi off the mark.

DSCF0582.jpg
 
Ok i know this opinions biased, but why don't you get a Glanza, or Starlet GT? :)
Or are you hoping to move away from FWD to 'real' supercar territory?
 
off set cars
sierra rs500 cosworth....
s14 200sx
s15 sylvia
Intagra Type R dc2



old school
AE86
Mitsubishi Starion
S12 sylvia
mk3 supra 2.5 turbo
KGC10 skyline from 1971

peugeot 309 GTI (very under-rated car mmmm)
 

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