This or that? Need opinions!!

[Jimbo]

Theres two cars I have dibs on but I cant decide which to buy.

White 1990 Hard Top
N/A 5 Speed
No TEMS
Blue Interior is in near mint condition
Straight body, good paint, dent in rear passenger side
Mechanic has to put engine back in, ready next week.
Around 135k?
Possible BHG?
$1000 + $400 registration fees.


..OR...


White 1987 Targa
Turbo 5 Speed
TEMS
Body is straight, good paint
Blue Interior is trashed, ripped seats/steering wheel.
Cracked rear bumper
No Battery
Jumped it and it doesn't crank, not even starter click
Headlights dont flip up.
Around 97K?
Definite BHG
$800 maybe less?



What do you guys think???

 

[Dingoboy]

For virtually the same money, I would go with the car that appears to need less help. It sounds like the '90 would be that car. Interior parts can be hard to find, but dents are easy to fix. So that, plus the "pssible" vs. "definite" bhg both favor the 90.

Question though- if the engine is out of the '90, why not make sure the head gasket is good instead of pulling it all apart again later if it is blown? Not in the budget at the moment?

 

[supraguy@aol]

Interior pieces are hard to find?? no.
A dent is easy to fix? maybe. If its in the rear quarter panel it sux. I'd rather have a dent in a replaceable panel imo. As for the interior, what exactly is trashed? If it's the dash, then yeah, that's a pita. Anything else is easy to replace, especially with a forum like this.

But i think we should also be asking what his goals are:
Do you want to go turbo at some point?
Do you want the targa option?
Is this to be your immediate daily driver?
Do you have money above and beyond the purchase/ registration fees?

If this is to be a project car that you don't need to drive for the next few months, get the 87. If you need to drive it now, get the 90.

 

[Koenigturbo]

I agree with both the above. Supra guy hit on the money I think. What are your goals? Do you like the hard top? do you want to go turbo? Most Supra owners up grade to the newer trim. It's almost kinda a good idea to get both them (depending what your goals are, turbo or n/a) and make one good car. Money wise it's probaly going to be a wash. yeah you have a lot of spare parts. I think there some unknowns as of now they both dont' have a good engine persay. There may be more problems once you get it started. Are the bodies good because they have work done on them or are they original. I would rather replace bolt on parts than repair a quarter panel, chance of having the paint match is going to be hard. (unless you get one of those guys that do paintless dent removal) I have a softball size dent in my qaurter panel, that alone cost me a grand to fix. I think you need to decide what your finale dream car is going to be. I'd say the 87 would be cheaper to fix. maybe he'll take less than $800. if you didn't care about turbo or n/a I'd do the "90".

 

[Jimbo]

Question though- if the engine is out of the '90, why not make sure the head gasket is good instead of pulling it all apart again later if it is blown? Not in the budget at the moment?

the mechanic dude seems annoyed when I ask him so many questions, but screw it if Im giving him my money then I wanna know what Im getting. Im going to check the oil/cap/dipstick for some yummy milkshake and see if he can do a compression check.

But i think we should also be asking what his goals are:
Do you want to go turbo at some point?
Do you want the targa option?
Is this to be your immediate daily driver?
Do you have money above and beyond the purchase/ registration fees?

I've been wanting to go turbo for a while.
I do like the targa option lol
This most likely won't be my DD, since I have the other supra right now, auto.
I do have the moneys, barely.

Most Supra owners up grade to the newer trim. I think you need to decide what your finale dream car is going to be.

I'd have to say my finale WHITE dream car would be the Turbo, Targa, Tems that the 87 has...but with the body style(bumper, tail lights, etc.), clean newer interior, and mechanical working condition that the '90 has.

Apparently both cars haven't been driven in a few years.
Is that bad for the engine?

I got a crazy idea, but its risky, and going to cost me more.

 

[Koenigturbo]

Now that we know which way your going, now we can help you better. Sounds like you have a tough decision. The 87, doesn't start, no power,sounds like a minor problem. What if it's something dumb like a fuse? B.HG. minor. Sounds like you like the newer trim, the tail lights, climate control, front bumper, I'd go shop around here to see what these parts cost, I bet you can get good deals on interior pieces, I bet it wont cost you over six hundred bucks. You should still be able to get new factory seat covers for it, then it will look incredible. If you didn't live so far away, I'd sell you my bumper, I'm asking fourty bucks, it's in real good condition. I'd do the 87, because it has the majority of your goals. The ninty you'll have convert over to turbo. Ask anyone here it's not cheap to go turbo from n/a/. Also your $600, bucks cheaper to start on the 87. The ninty has a better engine? It doesn't matter if you want to go turbo. The 87 has a B.H.G.? , that's cheapish to fix. I'd rebuild the engine in either case. Whats the registration fee for the 87? Probaly cheaper than the 90.
As I've said, Id' rather replace bolt on stuff than repair a qaurter panel. That's my humble opinion.