Actually, let's be honest here, they are most likely the worst Toyota ever built.
These are my top 10 reasons for hating the mk3 supra. How do I know them so well? I worked on them for nearly 2 years, I drove both RHD and LHD mk3's with all sorts of different engines, stock and modified. I've spent a lot of time wrenching on them, and man do they suck badly. Let's begin:
10. Racing History: Let's be honest, there's really nothing special here, Bjorn Waldergard won one event with the MK3 supra in a Beijing Rally, and a few British fellows ran it in BTCC for a while. No real pedigree here.
9. Steering Angle: This is straight up a joke, it can't be real, no way it's even considered safe or functional to have so little steering lock for daily use. You think I'm kidding, but that's full lock below.
8. Weight: This really should be the #1 reason why there's no point in driving an mk3 Supra for any sort of 'sporting' purposes. What's that? you've never known what the weight of a mk3 supra was? Pictured below is a vehicle that weighs nearly identical, and actually produces more power.
(Note: 3800lbs, that's right, the CK short bed, short cab, not only weighed 3800lbs, but it actually produced 230hp and 300ft/lb of torque. Although the 1JZ variant is comparable)
7. Aftermarket Styling: Yes it's a slick looking exterior, simply put, it's the only selling point of the car. However, the aftermarket stuff? yeah, look below...
6.Targa Top: So you have an oval, pretty strong shape, egg's are 3d ovals and resist deformation pretty well. Then you cut a huge chunk out of it. Now you've got an easily crushable "C" shape. Thus is the Targa roof. How bad is it for chassis flex? Toyota actually had high grade, long threaded allen bolts to hold it square when in. When out, people started putting in targa supports to help reduce the horrible flex.
5. Steering Stablizer: The whole Geometry of the MK3 Supra suspension is fucked, and to help reduce bump steer, and ultimately any sort of driver feedback that's left after the hefty power steering, was a shock, bolted to the steering rack to help reduce...something. Road feel mostly, or resist the horrible bumper steer associated with #4. This Stablizer, much like the Cressidas (Although they had different front suspensions and shared the rear) resists and sometimes completely removes the affects of caster during cornering. It reduces the speed of turn by adding a dramatic amount of resistance.
4.Suspension Dynamics: These are just plain FUCKED. For some reason, Toyota decided that going from a single lower control arm McPherson strut setup, that had proven extremely well in the Corolla's, Celica's, and Celica Supras of the past, had to go, and in place a needlessly complex, and albeit poorly designed multi-link/double wishbone setup in it's place. You want to know how bad it is? Camber actually becomes positive on compression and negative on extension. Seriously look vvv.
3. Cock Riders: This isn't about the owners. The amount of people floating around the internet praising the mk3, simply because of it's loose relation to that of an mk4 Supra most of them having never owned a Supra in their lives. Although this makes me curious of the dynamic of buying and polishing a turd.
2. 7M/1G: Pretty weak sauce. So you buy a 3800lb driveway ornament and want to go fast. In North America, your faced with the 7M, and Japan, luckily enough got the 1jz, however, they too got the 7M and even worse, the 1G. Every other M series engine was decent, the 7M screwed that right up. It's head design is the fault. People will tell you it was a bad factory gasket, or under torqued bolts. However, even with those factors coverd, the real core of the issue was a bad head design. Getting past the common, and often debilitating issue of 7m's blowing gaskets (try pushing that thing!) The power of a 7m is a joke. Remember that Toyota publishes not the wheel horse power, but the crank. By the time that inline 6 delivers it's 200hp N/a to the rear, it's about 160hp, got a turbo? Roughly 190hp. Brutal for that amount of weight, but look out! There's even a worse motor: the 1GGTE. Although not plagued with head gasket failures and people thinking they can build the ultimate 7m, only to fail like the next guy, the 1ggte had it's own issues, spinning bearings, and well, being 2 liters! Such a tiny inline 6, and it needed twin turbo's just to make the 210hp. Unless your supra screwed and end up with an n/a 1GGE at 150hp.
And the Number 1 reason MK3 supra's are garbage! *Drum Roll*
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1. Burgandy:
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You clearly forgot the most potent of all the a70’s the jza70 (r spec being the lightest) that model came with a 1jzgte 280hp r154 strong manual 5 speed, recaro interior, momo leather wheel, tighter steering rack, bilstein suspension and was stripped down to around 1450kgs, this car drove hard 13.6 second quartermile stock, steering was excellent, comfort, style and a great vehicle.
You obviously don’t know supras very well as even with the a80’s you had 2jge auto’s that drove like an absolute slug and the a70’s drive much nicer seats are more supportive and build quality of older jza70’s is far superior to a80’s, the shape of the widebody 90+ is the best supra ever made, who gives a shit about 7mgte’s or 7mge’s that blow head gaskets, cure: remove engine and place in 1jzgte problem solved, or even better use the best part of an a80 the 2jzgte engine.
I have owned 5 a70’s and 2 a80’s in different variants and hands down jza70 wins, mind you the yanks never got the jza70 so bit of a bastard for you guys haha.
Okay I’m 19 been driving a 1990 mk3 7mge Targa Top for about 3 years now. I love it. I have fixed most of these problems he’s talking about with minor modifications. I have front and rear strut braces, plus a harness bar for my corbeau bucket seat, i’ve ripped out the back seats, the a/c, cruise control, air bag and the doors have been lightened. All of this alone only cost me about $600. I’ve weighed my car and it only weighs 3100 lbs. with me in it. I’ve upgraded the suspension with Tokico Gas shocks and H&R springs and Tien tie rod end links(which by the way eliminate the small steering radius), and bigger sway bars. Now for the so called p.o.s 7Mge motor. Yes its a little underpowered, so what, i’ve beaten many muscle car v8’s with my little non-turbo 3.2L (its bored out) 7m. All i did when i rebuilt this motor was bore it, polish the head, had both the block decked and head milled, got a stock size 1.2mm HKS full metal HG, put a bunch of HG sealant on it, torqued the ARP head studs to 85 ft/lbs. and i have been revving this thing to the redline more than once a day for three years and it still puts out 260 RWHP today. All in all including the cost i payed for the car when i bought it, i’ve spent about $5k on this car and it has beat many expensive cars like a 350z, g35, cobra mustang, i even beat a brand new SS Camaro with it, albiet the course was mostly downhill with tight corners. So to you sir, i say, i respect your opinion about my car, but i most definitely disagree.
there are some that is completely true and some just an opinion. porsche 996 is 3750 lbs, GTR is 3800lbs, and EVOs are 3600lbs. early model ma70s are around 3300lbs. EVO steering angle is even worse. double wishbone is by far a more superior suspension set up (that photo is from a race group so….tells you something about the team). useless post. felt like i just lost 5 mins of my life that i’ll never get back lol.
Some what yes but the best year is the 92’. I drive an 89’ all original 2nd owner bought it with only 96k about 4months ago and I get alot of props for having this car. I was offer 7k but turn it down because it is rare to find a stock one and this cleaned! All you need is HKS headgasket, ARP headbolt, replace all the old hoses and maybe 57trim turbo or bolt on and good suspension like Megan racing. I put in my 2cents!!!!
Here is my car check it out! and like my page plz. Thanks.
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.319351614794011.78880.228079623921211&type=1
LOL This is one of the people that post only to get people to post back pissed off, I think its hilarious!! What car from the 80’s did not come in burgundy interior option? Yes everyone hates burgundy interior no mater what car it is on now, but that was big pimping back in the day. This forum is #1 reason you have not life.