Have a few questions..

[uaelite]

Let me start out by saying hello to the SupraMania community! I just recently joined the site and I have a few questions for you guys. I should also admit fully that I can not even change the oil in my own car. That said, I am looking for an automobile to drive around post with, nothing too expensive but something reliable enough to get around. I thumbed through craigslist (located at Fort Riley, KS), and found a 1986.5 Supra for sale. I have not personally seen the car, and the owner is currently out of the state and won't be back for a week and a half. It is a 1986.5, 7MGE w/ a 5-Speed Trans. The owner states that the body is in decent shape and has aftermarket exhaust and wheels. The going price is $800.00 for the car. The owner has all of the paperwork related to the car. He tells me that the car starts, and could possibly be driven, however, he believes it has "spun a rod". Naturally, I have no clue what he is talking about. He says he just doesn't have the time to work with the car anymore.

Given my mechanically challenged brain, I am a bit cautious as to dumping money into this car. I have many friends that are mechanics in the army, and some even hold certifications from careers before they joined. For some reason unbeknownst to me, I have a huge interest all of a sudden in restoring an older automobile. Now, I can invest money in this car over a period of time, and I understand without even looking at the car or having pictures at this point it is almost impossible to determine if the car is worth it. I would be able to afford an engine swap (1,500-2,000 7MGTE maybe) over time. There are many resources on post including an Auto-Shop that has every tool imaginable or needed to work on a car. I talked to the guy today and he told me the car has minimal rust and only a few minor dents. Given that, the help of my buddies and many, many beers.. I think this would be worth the investment. But the real reason I post all of this is because I am genuinely interested in if you guys think it would be worth it to buy the car.

Thanks a lot guys.

 

[mirage83]

Personal opinion? A Supra is not a car for the mechanically dis-inclined (or income challenged). I'd say that most of them (but not all, there are exceptions) tend to be somewhere between somewhat and very high maintenance, due to a number of factors such as being (in your case) 25 years old, seriously beat on, and being neglected by way too many owners. When some other owners chime in here, you'll probably hear that most of them put money into their Supra's on a regular basis. They can be expensive. For examples of this, check out the thread on here about how much time and/or money people on this board have put into them.

A spun rod bearing refers to the bearing which the connecting rod rides on. The connecting rod connects the pistons to the crankshaft, and when that bearing goes it can do a lot of damage very quickly to the crank and connecting rod both. This is basically the lower-half of the engine, and when it goes it can be a very big deal if in fact it does have a spun bearing.

I wouldn't go for it myself, but only you know how much time, energy, and money you have to put into it. A Supra can be a lot of fun if you're able to keep it running right.

 

[hvyman]

If you know some people with supras or a shop and are willing to help i say buy one. But Id pass on that car. 86.5 na with blown motor is worth like 3-400 which is what the junkyard will give you.

 

[Grandavi]

I recommend walking away.. simply because if your doing it on a "whim".. your going to hate yourself later.
Sure.. the car is great to own and drive.. and unique now (thanks to the fact that they dont age well without a lot of maintenance), but you will find (especially if you read the forums here) that even if you were to get the car free.. in the end, it takes money to be useful. (unless you have mad skills.. lol) Also... this isnt a car I would EVER consider an "investment"... you can dump 100,000 into it.. and if you get 20,000 out of it.. you will probably be the only one I have heard of in the past 20 years.. lol.

 

[tfhorst]

Just offer him scrap price plus 50, I get a lot of cars like that. Drop in a crate motor and go. Cost you about 4 grand all told but might be worth it if you like the car.

 

[uaelite]

I really appreciate the posts guys. It's just a bit disappointing. I think I will take the advice and walk away from this car. Instead of buying it, I will just save that money (300.00 a month incl. bills and groceries) and put it towards a newer Supra some day. Basically what it boils down to is I want an older, classic car, but it has to be reliable at the same time. I have always liked the Supra, and will continue to be on the lookout for deals. Maybe I can even find one to buy on this site?

Thanks again guys!

Think my internet may have lagged, hope this doesn't double post!

 

[Another MkIII]

I wouldn't recommend a Mk III if it needs to be reliable. I can speak from many experiences, that these cars will let you down any time you need them. Also, they tend to be hih maintenance. My initial purchas plus cost of finding a replacement block and engine was about $4000. I have also dumped about $700/year into mine since I have owned it.
-AM3

 

[tfhorst]

If it helps there are better ones round. I just picked up a pretty clean 87n/a for 500. Estate sales are good places to find old sports cars esp because they were owned by older people and not beat as often

 

[suprarx7nut]

Good call. Mk3 supras are amazing cars, and in many ways more modern than most cars even today.

But if you have to pay anyone to work on it for you, you will end up with a very, very expensive investment and likely a poorly running car.

These things require a very attentive and capable owner who has the insane passion or stupidity to learn all the ins and outs of this car specifically.

I'd say take that cash and put it into another hobby which will leave you more satisfied, less angry and will probably get you laid more than a mk3 ever would.

Oh, and thanks for your service. Hope you had a good day and tell the rest of your post you've got a ton of people on here who are extremely grateful for what you guys and gals all do for the rest of us.


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[kneedragger85]

These things require a very attentive and capable owner who has the insane passion or stupidity to learn all the ins and outs of this car specifically.

+1, these cars force you into learning/tearing everything apart. If you cut corners or cheap out on parts, the car will show you no mercy.

 

[Backlash2032]

Am I the only guy with a Supra with over 220k miles and I haven't had to repair anything yet? Well, except valve cover gaskets.



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[Grandavi]

Am I the only guy with a Supra with over 220k miles and I haven't had to repair anything yet? Well, except valve cover gaskets.

how many miles did it have before you bought it?

A properly built Supra can last you a looooong time if you do two things.. 1. maintain it religiously and 2. dont beat it up.

 

[Backlash2032]

how many miles did it have before you bought it?

A properly built Supra can last you a looooong time if you do two things.. 1. maintain it religiously and 2. dont beat it up.

Lol 214k. I know, a whole 6k miles. But still, my car runs a lot better than many cars with fewer miles.

 

[CajunKenny]

I never gave a Supra a second look until I rode in one that was around ~330 whp. It's all been downhill from there.

The MK3's were certainly ahead of their time. In my opinion, you get the most bang for your buck in buying one. Depending on condition, 350 whp can be reliably had for WELL under $10k. What car off the lot today can give you that power to dollar ratio?

I wouldn't necessarily walk away from an MK3. Just find the right one!

That said, unless this one has an exceptional exterior AND interior, I'd pass it up. 86.5 N/A's aren't too hard to find. Now...if you find a decent 91 or 92...that's a different story.

Whatever your decision, good luck and choose with confidence. This is a good forum and as you can see from previous posts, we're glad to offer sound advice and help your Supra experience be a good one.

 

[Grandavi]

My best advice.. buy Rodel's...

 

[te72]

My best advice.. buy Rodel's...

Not a bad idea. No way in hell could you build one that nice for that cheap. Well, without knowing how to do EVERYTHING on your own anyway.

As for the OP, it all depends. If you're willing to put 4-5k into a car that may or *may not* turn out and walk away from it, then this might not be a bad idea. If you're looking at something fun, reliable, and reasonably priced, I'd look into a hardtop Miata. If you can get past the looks, it fits your criteria otherwise, and once you get the feel of the stock car down, Flyin Miata can make things VERY interesting in a hurry for you.

 

[Grandavi]

My ex-boss had a twin supercharged (I believe it was superchargers) Miata about 10 years back. Could never figure out what he was going to do with it.. turns out he retired and hit the race tracks.. lol.