Hatchetman

Yeah the auto box on my supra has the same MAN button (no power button though). MAN mode means you shift the gears yourself and generally means the gearbox won't change gears automatically. I would expect the Caldina box is similar. Dan

Don't bother looking for a modified one to import, as the new regulations means you will need to return the car to factory standard before it can be complianced anyways (more cost involved buying original toyota parts to do this!). Also make sure you budget more than what the sale price is as all the additional costs to import can add up, last thing you want is to finally get your car into the country and not be able to afford to get it complied and registered :( True, its not a quick process at all from what I have been told, expect to wait! - or buy local as xGSiR says. Import dealers hike the prices up, but theres usually a few good private sale deals going (just get the car checked before buying!).

Haven't had to order parts myself, but the supra's are so common in Aus now that parts are plentiful, and can be sourced from heaps of places so you can shop around. The fuel consumption all comes down to how much driving you actually do, and how heavy your right foot is :) - oh and the type of fuel you use, theres a big price difference in high octane fuel (98 or 100RON) vs. standard unleaded, but I can say that the 2JZ's love the good quality stuff (I run mine exclusively on at least 98RON fuel). You could get away with $40-50 per week on fuel but it depends on the Km's you do as I said above. Also just be aware that the "low KM" imports are generally (not always) wound back medium KM cars, the only way to know, other than external signs of wear and tear, is to check the odometer for signs of tampering, a parts guy showed me a few spare odometers he had that were second hand and the marks from the screwdrivers etc. used to reset the clocks (as they are digital on the Supras) were quite bad on some. Only problem with this method, is you need to remove the odo from the dash to check it. Anyhoo, GL with your search I hope you find a car that you are happy with, and xGSiR: even though mine is red, I've always liked the Supra in white with a nice clean bodykit they look stunning! ;)

I heard getting aerotop Supra are sorta risky since structure of the chassis would be weakened without the roof on so when taking corners in sprited driving, it causes more flex. Although it would be cool for those summer nights. My preference right now is a white Supra NA manual. One with side skirts and rear pods would be heaps good and with 18inch wheels. I won't disagree that when the top is off they do tend to flex more, but this is something that you get used to as an aerotop owner, and I wouldn't say its at all risky, unless you are driving it like a madman (in which case any car would be risky ). The great thing about them is nice days or nights they are awesome for cruising around in and if the weather is bad you have a hard top - best of both worlds really :D Take a look at the link I sent, mine has 18's and is set at standard factory height (but was extremely low when I bought it), so that should give you a good idea with a subtle kit (skirts, front lip and rear pods) they look great!

rkim2312: Glad my tidbits were helpful to you, the NA really is a great car, and just goes to prove that turbo isn't everything in a sports car (especially when laws and insurance don't allow it!). In answer to your questions, I can offer the following: 1) I looked into this option when I was searching for my car, but ultimately bought one already on the road in Aus. as I didn't like the idea of buying a car sight unseen and with the possibility of major costs if the car was not up to standards for compliance. I would expect that importing is relatively safe if you go through the right import company as many people seem to do this, but I have no first hand experiences myself to make a judgement. 2) Going back to my original post, it depends entirely on the condition of the car, but I can tell you that mine has been running like a dream since the day I got it, and I have only done the regular servicing (through a Toyota Import specialist who knows these cars). Overall its not been different from any other car to service. 3) All depends on how heavy your right foot is :) But seriously, I have driven mine to QLD twice and on the open road mine got much better consumption than my brand new 2001 Mazda SP20 (previous car). This is a car that LOVES the open road! City cycles I average anywhere between about 380Km (my lowest) up to about 450Km's or a little more depending how hard I drive (using only 98Octane fuel). Also be aware that the TT's generally have slightly larger tanks than the NA's so direct tank to tank comparisons may be skewed slightly. 4) Not sure, I have full comp. with Just Car (which is pretty reasonable after doing lots of shopping around), but give them a call and find out. Also for rkim2312, xGSiR and anyone else I know a nice aerotop for sale if interested :) Sorry for getting a bit off-topic!

Modikaz, Everyone here has spoken the truth regarding performance. A twin turbo is always going to be faster than a non turbo, but all out speed isn't the only thing to consider when buying a car. I have a 1994 Aerotop Supra (N/A) and whilst its certainly not going to keep up with a TT Supra, the N/A's were never intended to, just as the NA Celicas, NA Silvias or Skylines were never meant to produce the same performance figures as their turbo cousins. What it really comes down to is cost, reliability (cost), and the model you really want (and the cost :D ). Crap condition 1993 on (JZA80) Supras seem to start at around the $15,000 mark these days with aerotops being roughly $5K on top of base price, and TT starting from $5-10K on top of base price. Quality and import date play a big part in price as anything much less than about $18K that was imported before early this year, you will really want to get checked out as there are lots of dodgy examples floating around. Non Turbos (NA) will go for anywhere up to about the $25K mark for a good example, a little more for a post - 1999 model in perfect condition, whereas thats about the starting point for the TT's (particularly the 6sp manuals). As one of the others said, manual or auto is your choice, but the autos are far more common, and often have not been as abused as their manual counterparts. As you are 20, I can tell you right now that even if you could get insurance for the TT it would be a killer, some companies charge well in excess of twice the price for comprehensive TT's insurance over the NA alternative. Whilst the NA's are big heavy cars, they are still fun to drive and you're not going to find a better car, especially the aerotop, for cruising in. Sing out if you want more info, I can point you in the direction of some Supra addicts that can really give all the ins and outs of owning a Supra. Sorry for the big ramble, just wanted to point out that TT isn't always the ONLY option to go with. Hatchetman