Hoping you all can help me out with another Supra question.I’m just about ready to buy one and test drove a Mk5 Supra today. It completely blew my mind. The power was unreal.The car is at a dealership that mainly sells enthusiast cars. They seem solid and have a good reputation, but of course, dealerships are dealerships. What I didn’t realize until I got there was that the 3.0 Supra they had was modified.Before I drove it, they told me it had a few things done: aftermarket wheels and tires (looked amazing), an ECU tune (don’t have much info on this, but I can ask), a downpipe, and some wind buffeting guards (which I was planning to install anyway).They made it seem like the mods were pretty standard, but I don’t know enough to judge. I checked the maintenance records, and they were spotless. The car has 49K miles (it’s a 2020), and the previous owner took great care of it. Still, I know mods come with risks, and I don’t know if I want to take that chance.The thing is, I love the car. It’s local, so I don’t have to drive hours to pick one up, and after driving it… I’m hooked. It’s insanely fast. I thought I knew speed coming from a Challenger and a BRZ, but this was something else entirely.So… how much of a gamble is it to buy a modded Mk5? It seems well taken care of, and the mods don’t seem extreme, but I don’t have much experience with this.What do you all think?
I got a 2020 with the same mods a few years ago. Still running great, and I’m about to add more power soon with a turbo upgrade.One thing to check—make sure you can measure the oil. The early 2020 models had an oil pump with plastic internals. The part is cheap to replace, but the work is a pain.
@Amelia
Great advice, I’ll definitely look into that!
Do you know what platform it was tuned on? What fuel it’s set up for? Did they remove any mods but leave the tune? Personally, I wouldn’t risk it. If it’s tuned for E30 and you fill it with 93, that could be a disaster. You need to get a full mod list before deciding.
@Thayer
That’s a really good point. I’ll ask the dealer for all the details. If they can’t give me a straight answer, I’ll move on to another Supra.
If the maintenance records are solid, you should be good. The B58 engine is a beast and can handle serious power without upgrades to the internals. Even just ethanol blends can push crazy numbers with minor mods.I’d recommend getting new spark plugs (they’re due at 40K miles), a transmission fluid change (even though they say it’s lifetime, ZF recommends changing it between 50-80K), a diff fluid change (40-50K), and fresh brake fluid (every two years). Also, check the coolant level.
@Alton
Giving maintenance tips without knowing what tune is on the car is risky. What if it’s still running an E30 tune but the previous owner removed the supporting mods? That could cause serious issues.
How much are they asking for it?
Zed said:
How much are they asking for it?
$43K. Seems like a solid deal for a 3.0, though I wish the mileage was a little lower. They wouldn’t budge on the price, but they were more flexible on my trade-in, so I negotiated there.
Buying a modded car is always a gamble. The big thing is warranty coverage. Will the dealership offer any kind of extended warranty that covers the drivetrain? If not, I’d personally pass.If something major breaks, you’re looking at $15K-$20K to fix the engine or transmission.
@Zora
Oof. That’s a lot. Might be better to find a stock one with lower miles instead.
These are pretty standard mods for a 2020 Supra. I’ve got the same setup—tune, downpipe, intake. I’m at 46K miles with zero issues. I bought mine new and have kept up with all the service work. I don’t see any reason not to go for it.
@Floyd
That’s really reassuring to hear. Thanks for the input!
Milan said:
@Floyd
That’s really reassuring to hear. Thanks for the input!
If you’re interested, I might be selling mine soon. I’ve got all the service records and receipts for every part I’ve put on it. Thinking about moving on to something different.
@Floyd
I appreciate the offer! I’m looking for one closer to my area (Great Lakes region), but I really appreciate the insight.
@Floyd
You’re giving advice without knowing what tune it’s running. If the previous owner left an E30 tune and removed supporting mods, that’s a huge problem.
Buying a modded car is already a risk, but getting one from a dealership is an even bigger gamble.Unless they have full documentation of every mod and adjustment made, I’d be really cautious. Dealerships will say whatever it takes to sell the car.
@Ripley
Good advice. I’ll be talking to them this week—what kind of documentation should I ask for? I’ve already looked at general maintenance records (they were very detailed), but I didn’t see anything specific about the mods themselves.