Newb With Altezza Rs200

[Protok]

Hello all

I just joined up yesterday to have a look, get some information and hopefully eventually contribute to the club.

I have bought (collect Friday/Saturday) a 1999 Toyota Altezza RS200, imported over to the UK in 2001. Pictures will follow when it's picked up, currently only pictures I have are from the advert and it isn't right to use someone else's pictures. I believe it's only modifications are a TRD bodykit and wind deflectors.

It has a few niggles that need fixing before it's 100% but nothing too drastic.

Being the noob I do have a few questions;

Sat Nav - Sat Nav is in Japanese and doesn't really work, how do I update it to England? Is it a case of getting the software and flashing it or is it more complicated than that?

It is also missing what I think was the remote? Is there any way to get this?

Head Unit - 6CDs are stuck in the CD changer, the TV also doesn't seem to work with only BBC2 available. I am guessing the TV problem is because of the NTSC but how do I fix the CD changer problem? If I fitted an aftermarket head unit will it remove all the "features"?

Servicing - I have a habit of always servicing a car when I get it, now I have some knowledge of this engine due to having one (a close one at least) in my MR2 but that is modified and I've not actually had to do that much to it. I was thinking; Oil, Oil Filter, Air Filter, Timing Belt, Alternator Belt, Spark Plugs. Is there anything else I should be looking at changing? Are there any weaknesses on these cars that I should look at?

Which oil grade is best? Any recommendations?

Air Filters; I have looked and seen the Blitz and TRD ones, the TRD one being about £40 more, is it worth it or will the Blitz do? Are they the same ones as the IS200?

Belts; where is the best place to get these?

Spark Plugs; I've been told that it's a good idea to run iridium on my MR2 3SGE, is this the same case on the Altezza?

Thank you for reading.

Red

[stevie_]

hi mate, welcome to the club.

i recognised your username from the MR2OC, i had a red rev 3 on white kei office wheels that started out NA and got turbo'd (amongst many other things), posted as stevie_mr2 and was regional rep for the northeast at one point. you might remember me, might not, i lost interest in the club and hadn't logged in in about a year when i bought my altezza lol.

only had mine for a month or 2 so i'm in a perfect position to answer your questions.... you might not like the answers though lol.

sat nav - you dont update it, transplant the whole system from an IS or forget it

CD player - famous for eating CDs, not seen someone get their cds out of one in all the threads i've browsed on this forum

remote - its japanese, so if you really want it you need to find a breaking altezza with one... and it'll still be no use to you, because its japanese

TV- you hit the nail on the head, it's designed to run off japanese bandwaves. i'm gonna take my screen out and retrofit another one in the enclosure, but again i haven't seen a working altezza screen here or anywhere else for tv. mine gets a lovely snowstorm though

other things: diff oil and gearbox oil.

5w30 fully synthetic if you can get it. stick anything else in and your vvti will take ten years to operate... yes i'm serious, it has a noticeable effect - mine did

air filters - mine had a TRD in when i bought it, can't speak for the worth of other filters really. no IS ones wont fit, they're a different shape - you need a 3sge altezza specific one, it should be rectangular

spark plugs - all iridium plugs do is prolong life. but they're easy to get hold of, so go for it

[kevinsgs300]

welcome to the club

[Protok]

hi mate, welcome to the club.

i recognised your username from the MR2OC, i had a red rev 3 on white kei office wheels that started out NA and got turbo'd (amongst many other things), posted as stevie_mr2 and was regional rep for the northeast at one point. you might remember me, might not, i lost interest in the club and hadn't logged in in about a year when i bought my altezza lol.

Thanks dude

Yeah I remember you, you caused a little bit of a stir back then. The place has changed to be honest and isn't really the same but what can you do eh.

I still have my MR2 and will be using it as my headstone even when dead. That is just getting finished now and I am hoping to see good results out of the mods to the beams.

You were right, I don't like your answers :P

Currently my plans are to get some random cheap SatNav and fit it instead of the stock system, should save me some weight anyway.

CD Player / Headunit I really have no idea, I really wanted to keep it OEM, aftermarket never looks 100% in my opinion but maybe I can get the right bezel and fit a half decent second hand one.

TV - in a nutshell, who needs TV whilst driving?

Servicing wise I have ordered everything from toyota and should be here by Friday, should be sorted with the car by Sunday. I am thinking whether I should tackle the timing belt change myself or not, scared of screwing up the timing if I'm honest.

I will see if I can get myself a Greddy or a discounted TRD one, just seems a bit expensive for a panel filter.

iridium plugs also ordered, I do not mind changing them sooner.

Cheers for the advice dude.

You enjoying your Altezza?

[stevie_]

yes mate, it's spot on for what i bought it for. it's soul destroying having half the torque and 100 less bhp than my MR2 did by the time i'd finished with it, but i bought it so i could put mountain bikes on the roof, and drive a car i enjoyed to work. which is exactly what it gives me.

pm coming your way lol