1990 Toyota Supra turbo
Summary:
A high maintenance, high performance super car
Faults:
Since purchasing the car I have had a long and expensive list of repairs that needed doing. The most annoying of the problems is a tendency to overheat when the car is driven at high speeds for only a short time.
The radiator will lose all of its coolant and the mechanics that I have taken it to seem to only guess. Their guesses are costing me a lot of money with radiator changes, and thermostat changes. The car shows no sign of any problems, the viscous fan works to manufacturers specs.
Other problems include replacement of the tail-shaft centre bearing. This is a common problem. Other Supra owners complain of this as well.
Front brake rotors and pads have a tendency to overheat rapidly with manufacturer's specified unit. The pads glaze up and seriously reduce braking performance.
I have since changed the pads to a higher performance set and the rotors to a slotted type to help with cooling, but no noticable difference has been made. Only the fast erosion of funds from my bank account.
General Comments:
Though the car is prone to problems, I really enjoy driving it.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 2nd November, 2001
10th May 2002, 14:03
My Supra turbo (1990) loses water when driven hard, I have been told this is due to a blown head gasket-it was doing it when I bought it and it has not changed at all three years later... Something I am willing to live with considering the cost of a new head/skim ect!
4th Nov 2004, 18:20
I drove my Supra for two years with a head gasket problem. It was blown however it only go hot when you drove hard. It would loose very little water and when it did it burned clean. No water in the oil or oil in the water. A smog shop diagnosed the problem and it was rather cheap to fix. My second supra had a blow head gasket and warped head when I bough it. Supra's are notorious for head gasket and head problems. Don't LET IT GET HOT... I have learned. Also always have the head resurfaced when getting the gasket replaced.
18th Nov 2004, 16:07
Don't get it HOT, or, preferably, change to more reliable head gaskets. Toyota's are just thin and very aging.
That's my opinion on this subject.
5th Jun 2008, 22:47
Hi.
Get a Turbo timer, lets the engine cool a bit as per. man. rec.. works with mine.
2nd Dec 2001, 10:46
My 1986 Celica suffers from overheating when pressing on, only around 90-100mph & in summer. No great water loss & no reason at all, I just slow down a bit now. Perhaps a strange Toyota thing?