What to expect?

[EmmaG]

I wouldn't be put off by a Jap Spec, as Alex says they are a great car and have some features the UK cars dont.

The best thing to do IMO is to go and drive, UK manual, UK auto, Jap manual, Jap auto, and see which one you prefer. We did this when we purchased our UK Spec car, personally I didn't like the Jap Spec cars (they didn't seem that "special") but was amazed at the car we bought, but that could have been down to the individual cars that we drove.

A word of warning though, do drive a few manual cars, we test drove a manual UK car and I hated it (it was quite clunky) Then we test drove the UK car that we have got and it was completely different, very smooth.

cool. Out of interest, how much would a respray like yours cost normally? I swear I could see my face in the reflection.. nice job.

I'll certainly have a few test drives. So far I know of about 4 cars I'd like to check.

[EmmaG]

I don't know how much the respray would cost normally, as it is a friend of a friend type arrangement so we are getting the car done at a (VERY) reduced rate. ?They are one of the oldest and most established Aston Martin dealership in the world, so I would be too frightened to ask for a price of a respray from them, well over ?5k I would have thought. ?Remember Aston Martin owners can afford it!! ?

The paint alone cost ?70 a litre.

Remember you get what you pay for!

Their workshops are amazing anyway enough of my babbling about our car

?70 a litre ?? blimey.. I can see this car is gonna become an expensive hobby... Can't wait to get started!!!

[EmmaG]

Oh it is a very addictive hobby let alone expensive!

But oh the fun!

The great thing is my girlfriend loves them! We had a lovely L reg one go past us the other day. What can I say, the noise alone was enough to get us both going..

[EmmaG]

Well that is a major plus then! unless she wants to drive it, and you end up fighting over the car! lol

So what car are you driving at the moment? Have you driven a Supra yet?

[Nathan]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (alex h @ May 19 2004,13:41)]more likely you'll have to go for a JAP TT6 (which when it comes to being modified is the superior machine IMO).

I have to disagree with this- I'd be much happier knowing I would already have the bigger injectors, better cams, steel turbos and big brakes of the UK car.

Sure, if you're going to go bananas on the tuning (500bhp+) it doesn't matter which you get as most parts will be ripped off on either car but up to around 450bhp you'll be spending more money on a Jap car to reliably achieve it.

That said, theres very few nice milage manual UK cars around as has been said. Personally I'd choose a very late manual VVt-i in gunmetal if I was buying a soop again. Still, with 12K to spend I guess beggars can't be choosers.

at the moment I'm driving a Mk2 astra GTE. Ok so it's only 2 litres but it goes like stink..

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]Still, with 12K to spend I guess beggars can't be choosers.

Begger is one thing I'm not..

[EmmaG]

Well I think you will find a decatted Supra loads of fun.

Going from a 2 litre car to a 3 litre isn't so bad, it's the 1 litre drivers going to the Supra I find amusing (no offence to anybody on here) ?Driving a 1.3 litre Yaris at the moment, so getting back into the Supra for the first couple of times is going to be scary/fun, but you get used to the power very quickly.

I think our budget when getting the Supra was about ?11k-?13k and we ended up spending ?18K on the car, so be careful what you test drive as you can easily spend quite a bit more.

So does your girlfriend drive?