Thursday, April 10, 2008 - 10:09 pm, by: Charlie Ters(Ul05st)
-kms, -service history, (i like to look at the oil used, a soarer with cheapo oil used shows the customer cost cuts on the car) -timing belt changed? (if around the 100k mark? this will save you $$$ -electrics are working. eg sunroof, windows? -air con working? -coolant colour? clean or corsion filled brown? - look underneath for oil around the pans (although some is natural through wear and tear)
--any cracks in the interior and paint, as the climate from japan to Australia usually stuffs these
keep an eye for oil around the main seal area, between the exhaust and the pan area. -heavy smoke when revving, from the rear?
- drive at 50kmh (with power button on) then suddenly snap the accelator, does the car kick down to a lower gear? or does it remain lazy? (this indicates 5% of a boxes condition (i think )
to be honest, i dont know much , but i thought ill get the ball going
that's the car i'm looking at, been negotiating with the owner for a while. i'll be taking up a camera and note book and taking snaps and notes of everything that i can on it.
taking it for a test drive also to see how it runs, does it change gears nicely.
also you may think i'm silly for going to QLD just to check it out but i'm also using this as an excuse to catch up with an old mate of mine who i haven't seen in a very long time
Friday, April 11, 2008 - 04:45 pm, by: James Harris(Haro)
Looks pretty nice mate !
There is nothing wrong with flying around AUS to see a car because although an airline ticket may cost you a couple of hundred and even if you have to drive it home and pay for your fuel...
You still may save thousands of dollars on the purchase price !
That is why im not afraid to search all the Eastern states for cars when im hunting for one. *sorry westies*
Friday, April 11, 2008 - 05:29 pm, by: Lachie Bryce(Caboose)
well that's the plan... fly over, check it out, if i'm blown away by it i'll even throw a deposit in, otherwise take all information back talk it through with car people here, get the money, fly back and drive it home. (taking a mate with me to share driving)
Friday, April 11, 2008 - 05:49 pm, by: Mike Beck(Gold_40gt)
Welcome to the forum Mate,
Looking at the JZZ31 you found there, I think you can do better, has a few k's on the clock, It's white which is not a colour Soarers go well with and claims to be a 1991 model, and 3.0L Soarers didnt come out in japan till 1994 I recall. So its a bit strange has old Tail lights by the looks too... Could be a 1992-93 Lexus model but appears to be Right hand drive so surely cant be!
I think these would suit you much better: Lower k's and newer possibly. Those wheels on the first one look very schmick... Think Ill get some BBS style mags for my soarer when the time comes.
Friday, April 11, 2008 - 06:01 pm, by: Glen Muller(Doom_and_gloom)
Matthew Sharpe wrote on Friday, April 11, 2008 - 09:00 am:
Don't pay extra money for the Lexus badges.
Man I hate people asking me how much I paid for my "Lexus". I really wish Crossover Cars didn't put them on there... the Soarer is the only Toyota with it's very own emblem in the griffin, so it must be a thing of pride for the company. Why anyone would want to defile that, I don't know... I can understand that having a Lexus in 1995 when my Soarer was imported would have been pretty snazzy, but seriously...
I'd change badges tomorrow, but some heathen drilled holes in my boot to put that forsaken Lexus badge on the left. When I get the scratches fixed on the side of the car I might get them to bog and paint the boot too...
Friday, April 11, 2008 - 09:28 pm, by: Mike Beck(Gold_40gt)
Yeah, I think the Griffin Badge is brilliant.
Something different and just the 'Soarer' logo. Why have some stupid 'L' Badge every ones seen before?
Id never change my Badges to Lexus now days, I used to think it would be kinda cool but now I just love the Toyota Soarer thing, hell I even got a random personalized plate "SOAR1N" HAHA
Saturday, April 12, 2008 - 10:31 am, by: Lachie Bryce(Caboose)
i think the look a bit... wanky i guess without badges, there's one that i see around and it doesnt look that impressive being de-badged. its funny how a little bit of shiny plastic or metal can make a difference to something.
Saturday, April 12, 2008 - 11:39 am, by: Karyn Cornwill(Limesoarer)
I have just the griffon badge on the front of mine, no other badges. Its a nice clean look, though do get asked on a regular basis what it is. Also it stops the temptation of people trying to pry them off and wrecking your paint
Guess some people cant decide what they want to be. Mine is badged toyota at rear and no badge at front because of the kit. Theres getting a lot more soarers in geelong, a lot of kids, and a lot for sale in bad shape.
Yeah i have a mate that is scouting around for a V8 at the moment, and he said everyone he has looked at either air bags stuffed, emv gone, trims ripped apart. Got to wonder what some people do to these cars.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008 - 01:31 pm, by: Patrick Robinson(Islandsoarer)
Had the opportunity to bash a SC300 the other day. Str8 6 no turbo. Guy thought he had me. KEYWORD "THOUGHT" By the time he could think again he was tasting the smoke from my rear wheels.