Is an Mkiii the right car for me?

[MendigoMkIII]

Whats up guys.
I love supras. I've always loved the Mk4 but since that's waaay out of my budget I decided earlier this year I'd buy an Mkiii and build that up. I just wanted your opinions on whether the car is right for me. First of all I'm a college student. I don't spend a lot in college fees and every semester I have about 3000 dollars to spare that I can put into the car from financial aid alone. So I have money but not a lot compared to most people on these forums. I just got a part time job so now I'm starting to make a couple hundred bucks a week. I had someone tell me that the car is too expensive to own as a college student and that I should forget about it. Is it really that expensive for a 20 year old car?

I was thinking about swapping in a 2jz since I love the mk4s so much. I have an idea of how much it costs and what's needed for the swap. But I don't know how much it will cost to keep it well maintained and reliable.
My ultimate goal was a daily driver with at least 500+ rwhp that I can take to the track on weekends. I would mostly be racing my friends though in a straight line since they don't go to the track and they own mustangs and nissans
I don't want to believe that the supra is too expensive for me to own just yet. I have nothing but love for the car and I'd be the happiest dude alive if I ever got to own one.

So now that I told you a little bit about myself here are my two questions:
1. Is the Supra too expensive to keep STOCK for a college student until I have the income to build it up to what I need?
2. Basically the first question but instead of stock.. tuned to 500 rwhp reliably

Keep in mind I don't have any bills to pay. Not ONE expense except for the occasional credit card bill but I never let that get out of hand.

If you honestly think I should forget about buying the supra can you maybe suggest a car I can afford to build to 500whp reliably with my budget?

 

[MendigoMkIII]

I forgot to add that buying a running supra can go anywhere from 3000 to around 7000 locally from the ones I've looked at.

 

[OfnaRcR4]

Depends on how well the one you get was taken care of. You can expect to drop a grand or even a couple grand in one to make it reliable. You have to put in a lot of time learning about these cars and why certain things happen and what to do about it. If you are willing to put in the time and money and pay for your mistakes along the way go for it, I did in college. I did get really lucky with mine being already really reliable when I got it in 07. Been daily'ing it ever since.

 

[BoostMonger]

If you have to ask then its not for you. And 500whp on a budget? Keep dreaming. The supra will take your budget and shit on it. You won't know where your money goes, these old cars are black holes.

Sent From My HTC One S using Tapatalk 2

 

[IJ.]

If you have to ask then its not for you. And 500whp on a budget? Keep dreaming. The supra will take your budget and shit on it. You won't know where your money goes, these old cars are black holes.

Sent From My HTC One S using Tapatalk 2

Harsh but fair....

"Budget" and "Mk3" shouldn't be together without "No" in front

 

[MkIII FTW]

To be completely honest, you need to be completely sure that you want the car to begin with. Most people that tend to look into Mk3 see it being cheap to buy/build, but really don't realize just how much red tape there is to building one. That 3k you have will dwindle to zero before you blink good if you aren't aware of it. BoostMonger and IJ are right. If you have to ask if it is right for you then maybe you aren't convinced it right for you. Don't look at the car as something to compensate for something else you want otherwise you'll never enjoy it and that will be one more Mk3 lost. Just save your money and get what you really want when you can afford it.

 

[D.J.T.]

It all comes down on how much money your willing to spend.... my supra went from this

to

As for the engine im slowly getting everything i need, i have 20K+ miles on the rebuilt engine, and im waiting for a BHG to be an excuse to build it.

 

[dmp316]

well since your a collage student i think it is not a good idea. You need a reliable DD 1st. Then you can get a supra on the side.

 

[jetjock]

Yet more proof college doesn't make people smart.

 

[RazoE]

If you want a MKIV, then a MKIII is NOT the car for you. It is a completely different beast. You'd be better off in a 300ZX or RX7.

That said, any MKIII can be a money pit, whether it's mods or repairs, but one thing is for sure. PLAN EVERYTHING first. You can't just go on and throw parts at it, as you can quickly get yourself into a lot of trouble. Draw out a list of things you want done and stick to it. RESEARCH RESEARCH.

 

[connor.stephens]

I say go for it man if its something you really want! I'm a college student as well and I DD my supra that being said its not a turbo.

I say go for an NA 5 speed and just get to know the car and drive it then down the line when you are out of college swap in some turbo goodness that's what i'm planing on doing at least

 

[radiod]

You have to realize you're going to be buying in to a sports car that has likely been used and abused more than it's fair share over the last 20+ years of its life. Beyond that there are so many cars out there that once they did run in to problems they were not fixed properly. On top of that, you do have pretty ambitious goals for being on a budget. Just doing a swap properly will easily cost you $5000 doing a lot of the work yourself. You can get lucky and do it a bit cheaper, but I wouldn't budget anything less than that. I'd work on making the 7M a reliable platform and work from there. It gives you a chance to learn a bit more about your car rather than jumping straight in to a swap.

Also, you said you have about $3000 a semester coming in from financial aid that you could put in to the car. Does this mean it's going on some sort of student loan? If so, I'd highly recommend against doing that. Even if it isn't going to a loan, but coming to you in the expectation that it's to help you get through school I'd be very hestitant to use it towards a sports car. Depending on the source there's a good chance they'd cut you off if they found out.

 

[RazoE]

I say go for it man if its something you really want! I'm a college student as well and I DD my supra that being said its not a turbo.

I say go for an NA 5 speed and just get to know the car and drive it then down the line when you are out of college swap in some turbo goodness that's what i'm planing on doing at least

Pretty much what I did. I learned stick in my 89, then when I felt ready, I went turbo and BPU. Next I'm going MAFT-Pro and it'll open up some new possibilities.

 

[Dan_Gyoba]

If it's the Mk4 you love, then save for one. If you can live with RHD, then a JDM one is probably a cheaper way to get ahold of one. It might not even be much above the range of a nice Mk3.

Me, I fell in love with the Mk3 when I first saw a brand new '87T, so it's the car I wanted.

 

[MPR]

To the OP:

DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT use your education funding to support a vehicle build up. Car builds (no mater what make or model) are a huge bottomless pit, in which you will never get your money back. At least most of it.

Do not go into debt because of a car build. If you can afford it, buy one and keep it stock/reliable. Despite what some people have said here, this can be done for a fairly low cost, if you do most or all of the work on it yourself and you know what you're doing.

I bought my 89 NA targa 5 speed for $800 and all it needed was a head gasket and a few other parts. All in (including the 800 to buy the car) I spent about $1500 to put it on the road. It's been fine for almost a year now and has been one of the most reliable cars I have ever owned. Part of that is because I have kept it stock.

You are young and just starting your life. Take advantage of having no bills to pay and save up. When you are older, have the money on hand (not credit) and you have done the research, then go nuts and build a 500whp monster.

A Mk3 might be the right car for you, but be smart with how you handle your money and what you do with the car.

Good luck with your endeavors.

Keep us posted.

 

[te72]

OP, see that "how to live with a Supra" thread linked in my signature. You should read that. Gives you an idea of what you can expect, quality of life speaking.

If you have to ask then its not for you. And 500whp on a budget? Keep dreaming. The supra will take your budget and shit on it. You won't know where your money goes, these old cars are black holes.

Harsh but fair....

"Budget" and "Mk3" shouldn't be together without "No" in front

Boostmonger is indeed harsh, but like you said, it is a very fair assessment of what to expect when things are a bit rough in the Supra game.

You need a reliable DD 1st. Then you can get a supra on the side.

I cannot stress this enough. I suggest a Miata. Supra for the weekends and a Miata to get to work/school is a great combo. Totally different driving experiences, so you never get bored, no matter what you're doing or where you're going.

Just gotta get over the looks.

Yet more proof college doesn't make people smart.

Yet again, you make me nearly spit out my water.

If you want a MKIV, then a MKIII is NOT the car for you. It is a completely different beast. You'd be better off in a 300ZX or RX7.

That said, any MKIII can be a money pit, whether it's mods or repairs, but one thing is for sure. PLAN EVERYTHING first. You can't just go on and throw parts at it, as you can quickly get yourself into a lot of trouble. Draw out a list of things you want done and stick to it. RESEARCH RESEARCH.

Razoe makes a lot of good points here. Anything is possible, if you have either time or money. If you have both, things can happen quickly. If you have money, but not time, you can pay someone else to do things right. If you have time, but not money, you can save what money you do have, and learn to do a car right yourself. However, that last bit requires patience. A LOT of patience.

However, to do up a car to make 500whp reliably, I would suggest that a MkIV is only more expensive INITIALLY. Hell, ask anyone on here who has passed the 500whp barrier, and driven their cars daily with such power. Ask them how much they've put into their car. You might be surprised.

To the OP:

DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT use your education funding to support a vehicle build up. Car builds (no mater what make or model) are a huge bottomless pit, in which you will never get your money back. At least most of it.

Do not go into debt because of a car build. If you can afford it, buy one and keep it stock/reliable. Despite what some people have said here, this can be done for a fairly low cost, if you do most or all of the work on it yourself and you know what you're doing.

You are young and just starting your life. Take advantage of having no bills to pay and save up. When you are older, have the money on hand (not credit) and you have done the research, then go nuts and build a 500whp monster.

Keep us posted.

There is a lot of wisdom in this post as well... going into debt over a car is probably my biggest (if only?) serious regret I have in life. If I had used my head a bit more, I would have an NSX parked beside the Supra right now. Sadly, I'm still paying for the Camaro I had, and the Supra I now have. I bought both of those cars late 2007/early 2008. I won't be out of my car debt until late 2013. Let that sink in a minute.

Got the point? Good.

Anyway, back to my point on the Miata. Seriously give one consideration. Ask Supracentral his thoughts, he's been in MANY different cars over the years. I would suggest that with $10k on top of the price of a Miata (around 4k-10k depending), you could build a car that would walk circles around most Supras at the track. Plus they're nearly as reliable as the sunrise. You don't NEED 500hp when you weigh only a ton...

 

[MendigoMkIII]

Wow thanks for all the feedback guys. I didn't expect so many helpful replies! I feel the love<3 haha
Anyway, I notice some people read 500rwhp and think OMG this guy is insane! So to those I say thanks I won't be attempting that anytime soon. The money I get from fafsa is not a loan guys and I can spend it on any car however I want because I need transportation for school. Actually it was my teacher's idea to save up a couple semesters worth of financial aid and spend it on the car! School expenses aren't as expensive as most of you think. Or maybe I'm just that good at managing my money.
I just like to go extremely fast. I love the feeling of getting sunk into my seat and so does my girlfriend hehe. You should've seen the look on my face when I rented the AMG for prom! Man what a beast!
Also, please don't get me wrong. I'm not getting the mkiii to compensate for the mk4. I love the car! I just have a little more love for the mk4. Looking at all the build threads inspired me to buy one because.. well.. they're fucking beautiful!
So I think I'll end up buying the mkiii and drive it stock until I'm out of college. I know how to manage my money so don't worry about that.

Anyway, back to my point on the Miata. Seriously give one consideration. Ask Supracentral his thoughts, he's been in MANY different cars over the years. I would suggest that with $10k on top of the price of a Miata (around 4k-10k depending), you could build a car that would walk circles around most Supras at the track. Plus they're nearly as reliable as the sunrise. You don't NEED 500hp when you weigh only a ton...

How much does the miata cost in insurance? In my opinion owning two cars would be overkill while I'm in college.

 

[ryansmith]

I am 18 and I have managed I love the way my mk3 has turned out you can check out what I have done on my forum page, It is my daily and I haven't had problems as of yet.
Saying that I have only really made the car really tidy and done a few things like suspension wheel tyres and the other small bits and pieces like tinting, sun shade, clutch, steering wheel all that and replaces a few parts on the exterior like the front mud guards and trim, B pillar trim ect to make it looking good and correct.

As MkIII FTW said, make sure it's the car you want to do as I learnt this in doing a project since I was around 16, I'd choose the supra over it but I learnt so much and still really love the car.
Make sure you have time to put into the car as at our age other things do come up, personally i'd say go for it, join the many people who own these cars

 

[MNBmk3T]

I bought my 89 last year to be my daily. Back in April I spend $6.5K to swap in a 1JZ and have never regretted it one bit. The 7M for my wasn't as reliable and so I took it out. Ever since April I have spent a total of $3 to keep my 1JZ running (aside from the usual oil change, etc.) and that was to replace a broken heater control valve (which was already on the car when the 1J was swapped in) with a brass coupling.

But personally, if I were you, I wouldn't buy a MK3 (or a Supra) just yet. Get a Miata like others have said above. They are great cars, driving experience like none other. Wait until you have MORE money to spend (than $3k every 4 months) to buy any Supra. Like people said before, wait and save up money, then buy a MK4 if that is what your truly want. Goodluck bro!

 

[MkIII FTW]

Wow thanks for all the feedback guys. I didn't expect so many helpful replies! I feel the love<3 haha
Anyway, I notice some people read 500rwhp and think OMG this guy is insane! So to those I say thanks I won't be attempting that anytime soon. The money I get from fafsa is not a loan guys and I can spend it on any car however I want because I need transportation for school. Actually it was my teacher's idea to save up a couple semesters worth of financial aid and spend it on the car! School expenses aren't as expensive as most of you think. Or maybe I'm just that good at managing my money.
I just like to go extremely fast. I love the feeling of getting sunk into my seat and so does my girlfriend hehe. You should've seen the look on my face when I rented the AMG for prom! Man what a beast!
Also, please don't get me wrong. I'm not getting the mkiii to compensate for the mk4. I love the car! I just have a little more love for the mk4. Looking at all the build threads inspired me to buy one because.. well.. they're fucking beautiful!
So I think I'll end up buying the mkiii and drive it stock until I'm out of college. I know how to manage my money so don't worry about that.

How much does the miata cost in insurance? In my opinion owning two cars would be overkill while I'm in college.

You can never be too sure, I've seen plenty of people that wanted an Mk4 and just got the Mk3 to settle. I know a guy right now who in a year's time has been through 4 mk3's because he is never actually happy it when he get them, now he has a '92 turbo mk3 and Im hoping he doesn't do anything stupid I will probably just buy it off him >. My point if you settle, it creates a nasty cycle of debt and disappointment. With the money this guy has spent, he could bought an Mk4 and had extra left for modifications. If you get an Mk3, great welcome to the family....just be sure that's what you really want to do. Not saying you are one of those who will get the car to settle, that's just a good piece of advice. Just be sure to think twice before you make what could be an investment into an expense.