240SX or MK3 Supra Turbo

[skylinekin]

I have been researching and looking for a 240SX in Michigan for a year or so but I just found a 1987 Toyota Supra Turbo locally and dont know if I should hold out for a 240SX or buy the supra. Please give your opinions, pros and cons of each. Let me just say that the supra is in aseome condition and proboly the cleanest used car I have ever seen.

[sensibleS13driver]

240sx handles better, looks better IMO, readily available parts, more reliable. IM me if you want specifics. I have nothing but good things to say about a 240, and mixed reviews for the Supra.

[tyrannix]

supras are kinda like the japanese version of american muscle cars... awesome if you want to go in a straight line really fast, and theres a documented 1000hp JZ on a stock block if that means anything for you

[nismos145]

Thats a tough one, a buddy of mine has a mk3 turbo and its a great car. I think it is just what you want out of the car in the long run and what your future plans would be. I think stock on stock impression you will be really impressed with the power of the older mk3(or at least I was). Just check it out throughly and watch those rod bearings. But if alot of mods arent in your future mk3, but with money spend right 240. Just my two cents!

Mk3 have 7m-gte not JZ, the japanese version had a 1jz-gte 2.5 liter twin turbo but to swap out a 3.0 liter for a 2.5, I'm not diggin it.

[eds13]

insurance is going to be way higher on the supra. as far as looks go they are simular. power...well its turbo-charged ain't it! It pretty much comes down to personal preference, test drive it, see what you think.

[9240sx]

What year 240 you going to get?And what engine will it have KA,SR,RB?If its between a stock s13,s14 and the turbo supra,Get the Supra.If its in good shape.

[dickie]

think about this: everytime my friend has to change his tires its $900. that not even great tires. granted hes running staggered mk4 wheels, but they are still expensive. also, he has the adjustable sport suspension. his springs, shocks, etc are EXTREMELY expensive. dont buy a supra unless you have a ton of cash to throw at it. mk3s are nice cars, and it may be well-maintained, but keep in mind its almost 20 years old compared to 240 which is... well almost equally as old.

[Bosrudorfer]

think about this: everytime my friend has to change his tires its $900. that not even great tires. granted hes running staggered mk4 wheels, but they are still expensive. also, he has the adjustable sport suspension. his springs, shocks, etc are EXTREMELY expensive. dont buy a supra unless you have a ton of cash to throw at it. mk3s are nice cars, and it may be well-maintained, but keep in mind its almost 20 years old compared to 240 which is... well almost equally as old.

These cars are doing to become classic before you know it

[hannibal]

Well, not all MK3 tire setups run $900. I looked at the Supra very seriously before deciding on the 240sx. The biggest turn off was not insurance, or even age. Its was weight. S13/S14 weigh considerably less and have just as much potential. MK3's look great IMO, but I think a 250hp turbo KA S13 could run circles around a stock MK3 turbo.

Tough choice...

[skylinekin]

Yeah I am leaning towards the 240SX, I test drove the Supra and it was really smooth power, there was no lag. I just dont like the feeling of 3500lbs. If i get a 240 it would be a S13 5-speed. I would most likely be going KA-T. The Supra also needs new rings pretty soon so that means a lot of money. So I think i am going to keep looking for a 240SX and if anybody has a S13 in Michigan let me know.

[GhostDriver]

You can have a 1jz in the Klingon for less than a grand and be on your way to owning the freeways. It'll take more than that to make a 240SX fast. It's tough but the 240 will always handle better and look better, ceteris paribus.

[dickie]

^ truth. the supra is def not a car youd want to take to a technical course, but pound for pound its a better highway cruiser, it has a lot of top end a ka24 could never realize.

[eds13]

still if given the choice would'nt you trade your 240 for a mk4 TT?

[574-240sx]

To heavy of a car and to expensive. My friend has one and finding any kind of specialty parts is impossible. Also the MK3 is starting to show its age with my friend he got a decent deal on it because he thought it was in good shape, it has been broke more than it has ran. I would find a well maintained MK3 if you were to buy one.

[grimple1]

The MK3 supras also have to have a notion to blow head gaskets. Seems Toyota let them leave the factory with incorrect torque on the bolts. Typically the Mk3 supras have to have the block deck and planed + metal head gasket before any serious hp modifications can be done.

I like both but I know this about the Mk3.

[Jookmasta]

how much is the mk3 going for?

[TrueSlide]

Supra, hands down.

[HashiriyaS14]

I know this is going to sound pretty ridiculous coming from someone who's both a 240 owner and a mod on a Nissan forum, but I'd say go for the Supra.

Not because I think it's an objectively better car than the 240 (not sure I could make that call), but because it's underappreciated in the US. The 7MGTE is a very stout engine capable of enormous horsepower and there are a surprising number of JDM parts available (although many are discontinued and must be obtained used) for the car.

The car is a big battleship, although it's a fairly easy platform to take weight off from. I had the pleasure of doing fairly extensive weight reduction on a friend's Mk3 NA. For instance, the stock seats and wheels are enormously heavy, it's not a heavy car because of essential hardware (a la the 3000GT), it's a heavy car because it has heavy crap installed in it that you can remove....if that makes any sense.

And I just think they're cool. It's probably my favorite 1980's Japanese car sold in this country aside from concievably the Starion.

[StrangeLove]

Wow, so much misinformation about the supra in this thread!

The entire design base of the supra was to be a highway touring car. The comfort and speed is unbeatable. It still handles suprisingly well for being such a beefy tank car. Not as well as a 240 in stock form, but suspension upgrades make it a nice handling car for what it is.

The headgasket is not that big of an issue, the stock one tends to blow after 100k miles if its not modified. However, you do not need a metal headgasket. They are better of course, but not must have part. A new headgasket from toyota with some ARP bolts with hold plenty of horsepower.

Speaking of horsepower, I have a video of a supra with a walbro fuel pump, new turbo elbow, upgraded compressor wheel on the turbo, and a lexus AFM making 420hp/438tq at 18psi! Thats with nothing but stock parts aside from what I just mentioned.

Hard to find parts? I'd suggest you search abit before you make that claim. There is plenty of aftermarket for the mk3 supra! From my experience its no more expensive to mod than a 240.

(high res http://members.aol.com/r7mgt76/k1.jpg)h ... ide/463369

Enjoy

[skylinekin]

pills is right, i did research the supra for a week or so and there is plenty of parts for the MK3. I went to his house yesterday with $1500 in hand, he wanted $1800 and I was going to offer $1500. I got there and he told me that he changed his mind and wants $2500 for it after he researched how much they were selling for and thats the reason I was going to get it because of the low price. So it is out of the picture now because I dont have that much money. Thanks for the help though, they are sweet cars and so are 240sx's, rwd, manual transmission cars are always going to be fun cars so i will keep looking for a 240SX, if you have any other cars that fit this criteria for $1000-$1500 let me know and I will do some research on them

[dickie]

old gm g-bodies, fox body mustang lx, that sort of thing is a rwd manual transmission car in your price range. if you find a 240sx for that much, you better be weary because odds are you will be putting 2 to 3 times that much money into the car within a year.

[masticatingcow]

Keep tabs on that guy. I suspect that if you offered him $1800 after his car hasn't sold for a week, he'd take it.

[HashiriyaS14]

Fun RWD cars for $1000-$1500?

You can get Infiniti M30's for mighty cheap....

Or maybe a Cressida?

You could probably pick up an older 22RE Celica too.

I've got a line on a classic TA22 20R '77 Celica for $1500, but that one is mine

Hopefully I can score it, toss some fender mirrors and gloss black Rewinds on it, and bomb around town.

[eds13]

Keep tabs on that guy. I suspect that if you offered him $1800 after his car hasn't sold for a week, he'd take it.

[GhostDriver]

THat black Supra is sick...its highly tuned. I remember seeing it while researching when I wanted a '91 turbo.

[dickie]

bubb rubbs car looked a lot like that one.

[hannibal]

Whoop, whoop!! haha

[skylinekin]

well I dont really care for mustangs or camaros. I made a list of cars Im looking at, not all are rwd but I am looking for a sleeper, here it goes please give me some comments on the cars, they would all be 5-speeds

1989+ Nissan 240SX (KA24(D)E)1991+ Nissan Sentra SER (SR20DE)1993+ Nissan Altima (KA24DE)1991+ Infiniti G20 (SR20DE)1990+ Eagle Talon TSI AWD (4G63)1990+ Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX (4G63)1990+ Plymouth Laser RS Turbo AWD (4G63)

[skylinekin]

i found a 1990 240SX for $1000. some of the problems are it has light lifter knock, speedometer sometimes works, drivers window goes down but not up, needs new front tires, drivers side flip up light has minor damage from hitting a deer but thats all no frame damage or anything. What should I offer him or is that price good
Modified by skylinekin at 3:32 PM 10/28/2005

[masticatingcow]

Your Nissan/Infiniti choices are pretty blah. The 240sx is the least sleeper of the group, IMHO.

1990+ Eagle Talon TSI AWD (4G63)1990+ Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX (4G63)1990+ Plymouth Laser RS Turbo AWD (4G63)

Since the last three are the exact same car under different brands, I'll say this for all of them: good luck getting one at a decent price and pray for your transmission.

In ANY case... don't sell yourself short of your goals. You say you want a sleeper... why the hell are you looking at the Supra? Or nowadays, the 240sx? Come on. If what you want is a high-powered RWD highway king, just wait out the Supra. Don't waste your money anything else.