Shifterati4th gen Toyota Supra 1993–1998
This page is a draft. It has not been approved yet, so read it with care.
Watch out for
Reputation: what owners and the press report. Tap one to see what to check.
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Crash damage and bad modifications All years Walk away if found
What to check: Run a history check, look for filled panels with a paint-thickness gauge, and ask what was changed and by whom.
Classic & Sports Car says most have been modified, often badly, and many have crashed, and an incomplete history may hide serious problems. Hagerty's specialist also warns of filled panels and of wiring harnesses changed by past owners.
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A non-turbo converted to turbo All years One source so far
What to check: Check the VIN and build against what the seller says it is.
Hagerty's specialist names a converted non-turbo as a trap for buyers.
Sources 2
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Worn turbos or turbo controls All years
What to check: Feel for boost below 4,000 rpm and a clean handover at 4,000 rpm, listen for whine or grinding there, and look for smoke at start-up, under load and on overrun.
Hagerty's specialist says the second turbo can whine or grind near 4,000 rpm, its small shaft can bend, and turbo seals leak with age. Classic & Sports Car says a turbo that does nothing may only have a failed actuator.
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Automatic input shaft and second gear All years One source so far
Hagerty's specialist names the input shaft as a weak point, and says second gear's sprag can fail under hard use.
Sources 2
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Rust in the rear lower quarter panels All years One source so far
What to check: Look at the bottoms of the rear quarter panels, where water collects.
Sources 2
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Timing belt due All years One source so far
What to check: Ask for the service history and when the cambelt was changed.
Classic & Sports Car gives 50,000 miles or five years between changes.
Sources 1