Nocturnal

Finally got the SC430 out on a nice day and maybe go for a nice little drive.

Drive down the road at 30mph normally and a flying ROCK came from no where and bust a huge chip on my screen.

I know you can fix a windscreen chip that is about the size of a 5p coin... but this thing is the size of a 50p coin!!!

Anyone know how does insurance do this normally? Just want to brace myself as I can't see the windscreen of a SC430 being cheap at all.

Yea, there are some countries that are like that... where you can only put on things that are "approved" by the manufacturer.

In your case... maybe an Altezza is on the card? Or find a Tom's 280T?

If you don't mind reving the car, then the Altezza isn't a bad car at all.

My mate got hassle by the police before... The first time he ever tax a car online.

Maybe they have this exemption because my mate got a ticket from them for "not displaying valid tax disk"

The thing is they even check on the computer and it say that the car is tax, but he still got done for not "displaying" it.

:(

Have anyone had problem with the Denso dropping an electro and killing the engine?

Very common stories over on the GTR section as the Denso use a 4mm tip.

Thats why I always use NGK iridium, just not sure if the Supra/Aristo have the same issue.

I have been using MeisterR Coilovers on my Altezza for the past 5 months and they have been great.

Not hard for a daily drive, but can stiffen up if I want to do some "spirited" driving.

Are they worth the money knowing i will only be using them for road going purpose ?

For me, they have been great. My standard suspension is about 100,000 miles old and you can really feel the difference when you but new suspension on.

Stiffer linear rate springs also makes the car handles much better and become more predictable.

Is it easy to set coilovers up ?

Coilovers is a complete replacement, you take off the old damper unit and put in the new. You won't even need a spring compressor.

How do you know exactly how much lower you have gone ?

Don't know, just lower it until it looks right. But my rear is 20mm higher then the front, makes the car feel more balanced when I drive it.

Is it worth paying the extra and saving for a set of Tein's or is it much and such the same thing ?

I actually don't rate Tein as most of their coilovers are TwinTube dampers. For the price they charge, it should be MonoTube.

But then their MonoTube dampers are a lot more expensive.

Yes, I know I need a new set of wheels.

I always set my softer at the rear. This is because I want the car to understeer so you can balance the car using the throttle....

Don't forget that most damper should be valved softer for the rear end anyways...

Oversteer when you don't expect it will normally cost you alot of money...

A proper set of springs and shocks will cost as much as coilovers (Eibach Springs + Bilstein Dampers for example)

Lowering Springs on 80K miles dampers probably won't be too good anyways.

For Dampers, the general rule I learn is take 1% of its life off for every 1,000 miles you do.

So there is 20% of life left in dampers that done 80k miles. Don't forget that dampers are wear and tear item, and its efficiency decrease with use... So used dampers will never be as good as new dampers to begin with.

So back to your questions, can you use lowering springs with your damper?

Yes you can, you can use it until the dampers blows, then replace the dampers. But you end up paying 2x for installation.

Or

You can go for a set of springs/dampers or coilovers and you know you will be warranty for at least 1 year and only pay once for installation and geometry setting.

One thing I do suggest though, go for Eibach if you decide to buy lowering springs. :)

Eibach is one of the few manufacturer that always get their springs rate right, and you need that quality for progressive lowering springs.

I try to sell my Altezza RS200 for the past few months, put it up for 3,200 and I didn't get any interests.

And that is for a tidy car with coilovers too.

So I am just going to keep it and drive it now. No point selling it as you can't get a much better car from the Altezza for 3 to 4 grand.

I am looking into buying a RX300.

However, I been reading report of the transmission breaking around 80-100k miles.

Mostly from America, and it seems to happen in both FWD and AWD model.

Is this also a problem for the UK RX300? I am interested in a 99-2000 RX300 with around 90-100K miles on the clock.

That is really good. Thanks for the offer of help, i think there will be alot of owners who will jump on this.

How hard do you rate the install now that you got the wiring sorted out? Is it pretty straight forward?

That is looking good. IS400... Kind of like a 1st gen IS-F.

I love it when people take on unusual and difficult projects...

Its long and costly, but the end result is always worth it. :)

Sorry to hear that... The main thing is that you are posting here and it mean you are okay.

The car can always be fix, but well gutted for you.

Maybe it is time for a bit of styling upgrade as it sometime works out cheaper than the standard body parts.

Another thing to remember is that it can be worn suspension after 100K miles

My Altezza was wobbling all over duing accelation in mid corners, and it is just due to old and worn dampers.

I fitted some new coilovers to the car and it transformed the car.... You wouldn't believe it is the same car.

It will be back.... Probably louder and faster too.

For now, I will play with my Altezza a little bit with the GTR is in the works. :D

why not come and play with the Altezza at the open sprint day on Nov 2nd at Barkston Heath

Thanks for the offer... But probably going to keep my expense down until I can figure out what is going to happen.

I am sure I will come out once everything is sorted.

It will be back.... Probably louder and faster too.

For now, I will play with my Altezza a little bit with the GTR is in the works. :D

who mapped the car for you ?

Well, I will crack it apart and talk with the mapper first...

Before I start putting name on because I don't think it is fair until the story is complete.

I mean I am not trying to have a crack at the mapper at all... You push a car on the track, it breaks, simple as that.

Just a bit gutted that I was worry about det so I had it remapped, and it was det that end up killing me.

But have to say though... car was fun when it was working; the way the power come out at one lump sum is just unreal. B)

Well, the day have finally come.

Took the car out at RAF Marham... and the Engine did not make it.

Will need to take a bore scope and see what it looks like, but Cylinder2 have no pressure at all.

Anyways, just thought I share some photos and video....

A bit upset as I had the car re-mapped for this event, and it seems like det that had kill it...

So no happy at all. Will have to take a look to see what is the cause of it.

When it was working...

When it stopped working....

In Car Video... Only made 150mph on that run.

I did do 170mph on one of the run, but I forgot to turn the camera on..

Hope you like the video... It was alot of fun. :winky:

Thanks Matt. :)

I am looking for some coilover and I want to know if the IS200 have the same spec as the Altezza?

I am sure I read somewhere that the IS200 have the same mount as the Altezza (top and bottom), and the spring rate would be the same as the engine roughly weight about the same.

Can anyone confirm please. :)

I got an old DVD Sat Nav 86271-24120 and it does not have a address search by postcode.

I find that I can update the disk, but was not sure if the newer version will let me search by post code.

Can anyone advice?

Thanks. :)

Sell your car privately... you probably still get more then the peanuts that the dealer is offering you.

I like the GS350... lovely looking car... Interior is great... and a much more lively engine compare to the IS200 (Or even a RS200)

Plus a little work:

I like. :)

Glenn, you have PM

Is there any other car with the same throttle body?

Or can I only use the throttle body off a RS200?

I think I have a faulty throttle body on my car, just wondering if it is the same as a IS200 or not?

If not, anyone got a extra throttle body hanging around? Or know of an Altezza breaking?

Is the throttle body the same for Auto and Manual.

Cheers,

that pipe is for fresh air to go into the rocker cover ,the other 1 is the pvc valve that goes into the plenum

I am thinking the same as I found a nice little puddle of oil at the bottom of the air box...

It also can be 100k miles of oil... but not sure if it is worth it just to block it off.

Anyone have done anything like this before?