Considering a Switch: From Manual Mach 1 to Supra 3.0 Premium - Seeking Advice and Dealer Recommendations

[94boosted]

Oh, the Camaro SS 1LE is in another league compared to the Mustang. Sure, they benchmark about the same in reviews, but there are tons of intangibles that are better in the Camaro. You can tell that Ford engineers are merely chasing the numbers the Camaro made, but not really appreciating why it's still a better car.

The biggest problem with owning a Camaro is that it's going to be stolen at some point.

This is true, but they are quite close IMO, with perhaps a slight edge going to the SS 1LE. Either way, in terms of track pony cars they're both excellent. Shame the Camaro is dead and shame that Ford made the new one so damn heavy.

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[SPMythic]

So I actually came from an A10 Mach 1 with handling pack and only thing I didn't have were the Recaro seats and navigation.

To put this very simply the only thing I miss about the Mach 1 outside of how it looked(Supra has it beat IMO in looks dept however) is the exhaust notes/sound of the engine. That is honestly the only thing I greatly miss about the Mach 1. I guess the interior lighting was kind've neat as well and how it was integrated but honestly that just doesn't matter much to me. Storage space I guess was one other thing but typically I'm not hauling that much stuff in the car.

Everything else about the Supra is better though IMO. I put a little over 20,000 rounds on the Mach 1 and I've put about 7000 on the Supra since I've had it. Car has been perfect with 0 issues since I've owned it. My good buddy also has one that he has racked up over 35,000 miles with 0 issues as well. I am averaging about 30mpg cause I have a 30 mile commute one way to work if I drive it and half of it is hwy and about half city driving. At hwy speeds (68-73 around here is my typical cruise speed) and I see around 36mpg or so. Car handles better than the Mach 1 and you can feel it, despite it having lower power and torque the car is not slower than the Mach 1 and is actually faster or feels much quicker than the Mach 1 as well.

As far as upgrades I coded out the auto start stop which is provided in the spreadsheet above as well as just doing the proximity lock/unlock to the car as well. I tried toggling off the fake engine noise but it's far to quiet in the car without exhaust which I plan on getting soonish. I did also upgrade the support bar that is inside the car and replaced the front sway bar with an eibach one. Lastly I went with AWE wind foiler/diffusers for the wind buffeting issue. Those are the only upgrades I've done so far and just have yet to do exhaust and wheels. May do more but currently those are my only ones on my list.

Thanks for your input! My Manual Mach 1 has the Elite Package, Appearance Package (Fighter Jet Gray), and Navigation system. It is the premium model, so I have heated and cooled seats, etc. The biggest thing I worry about is losing the sound; it sounds so intoxicating at redline with the resonator delete and an X pipe. I don't know if I'll love the B58 sound as much. That said, the benefits of being lighter, having close to the same power, and getting better gas mileage are very appealing.

I am still on the fence, as I'm on a waiting list at a dealership that sells them at MSRP. I'm also considering a GT350. The reason for wanting to sell the Mach is that it has already had a few issues: a rear axle seal leak, a clutch pedal assembly replacement, an oil pan leak, etc. A tad riskier as the 5.2L seemingly has some issues to worry about, but my assumption is that the engine just needs a bit more TLC. However, it's wildly less practical as a daily compared to the Mach 1, which already feels impractical.

One of my biggest concerns with moving to the Supra is that I'll lose the network I've built for the Mustang. I have an incredibly knowledgeable mechanic who works with race teams and a dealership that goes above and beyond for repairs and customer care. That, to me, is the biggest thing and is incredibly valuable.

 

[Vertex]

Thanks for your input! My Manual Mach 1 has the Elite Package, Appearance Package (Fighter Jet Gray), and Navigation system. It is the premium model, so I have heated and cooled seats, etc. The biggest thing I worry about is losing the sound; it sounds so intoxicating at redline with the resonator delete and an X pipe. I don't know if I'll love the B58 sound as much. That said, the benefits of being lighter, having close to the same power, and getting better gas mileage are very appealing.

I am still on the fence, as I'm on a waiting list at a dealership that sells them at MSRP. I'm also considering a GT350. The reason for wanting to sell the Mach is that it has already had a few issues: a rear axle seal leak, a clutch pedal assembly replacement, an oil pan leak, etc. A tad riskier as the 5.2L seemingly has some issues to worry about, but my assumption is that the engine just needs a bit more TLC. However, it's wildly less practical as a daily compared to the Mach 1, which already feels impractical.

One of my biggest concerns with moving to the Supra is that I'll lose the network I've built for the Mustang. I have an incredibly knowledgeable mechanic who works with race teams and a dealership that goes above and beyond for repairs and customer care. That, to me, is the biggest thing and is incredibly valuable.

I also had a couple of issues with mine that never ended up getting fixed because it was so intermittent that I was never able to replicate it at the dealer despite knowing the techs working on the car. Had a transmission problem since new and a very odd problem with the wrench light coming on during warm starts if it sat for a shorter period of time before being started again.

I also had an x pipe on mine and I can say that as good as the car sounds the Supra sounds as good in its own way. You definitely won’t regret it. It’s hard driving the car without trying to speed around because of how fun and reactive the car is

 

[oreobbq]

Good questions. I had an ’18 5.0 with pp. IMO, the supra is a great daily but is much less practical than a mustang. IIRC, I was able to fit an entire set of wheels in the mustang. That being said, I daily my supra and the rear hatch design offers all the space I need. On the mustang I had an h-pipe paired with a Borla s-type axle back exhaust. The roar of a v8 is hard to beat and in a full parking lot, the cold start would occasionally set off car alarms.

IMO, the main benefits of the supra over the mustang are superior handling and more fun power delivery. With the stang, you have to wring out the engine to higher rpms to really enjoy the NA power. The downside is it’s a bit of a dog in city driving. The supra handles like a nimble sports car (hks springs help significantly), and the mustang feels like a small yacht in comparison. Not many things feel more aquatic than a dodge challenger though lol.

A few more thoughts about the sound. On the supra I have a downpipe and a Borla exhaust. The result is a satisfying amount of burbles and it’s plenty loud. Downshifts sound great and the burp of the upshifts during aggressive throttle is even better. On the other hand, the mustang’s exhaust was very aggressive and would scare pedestrians—a fantastic bonus feature if you ask me.

The aftermarket for the supra is plenty strong and it’s much easier to make power gains because of the turbo setup. There’s probably even stronger support on the s550 platform, but the path to more power requires turbos or a supercharger. Then look at your gas mileage. Womp womp.

Now if you want to talk about looks, the exterior styling of the supra takes the cake. From the clamshell hood to the double bubble roof and the flared hips…hot damn! I haven’t gotten tired of the style yet. I still catch myself staring at supras in the wild. Meanwhile, the mustang has a good personality. Lol I think the 2018+ mustangs have great proportions and I enjoy seeing all of the colors they come in.

Final answer, the supra is more fun but less practical than the mustang. All of the above results in the supra feeling like a much more special car. If you have to regularly chauffeur a couple of midgets in the back, sticking with the mustang might be the answer.

 

[66joeyn]

Oreobbq said it best, the Supra is less practical, but more of a sports car. I am also a mustang fan, and always will be, but I purchased my manual Supra last year and live it. I really wanted a 2020 gt350 but did not pull the trigger, but truly happy with the Supra.

Usually the same guys who would on mustangs are not the same people who have a ton of knowledge on supras/bmw engines. If they come out with a new boss mustang in a couple of years and it is affordable, I would trade my manual Supra in. Good luck in your decision, they are both great cars.

 

[JoshuaQ]

No experience with Mustangs since like 1998, haha, but I did buy my Supra in the Bay Area. I drove down from Redding to buy a car for the wife. I was a Supra hater then (Mostly because the concept tease). I ended up coming back two weeks later because of the Supra sitting next to us as we bought her car.

It was ~$62k out the door back then (I think this was right before poo hit the fan). It had everything (Which isn't much). Mirror caps (overpriced), driving aids, wheel locks, etc.

I've had it since. Sadly, mine isn't a great example. I've only put 8800 miles on it. I can say (And it doesn't bother me), I have had oil consumption a couple of times, but I've updated to an slightly thicker oil and haven't seen it in again. I also had the replace battery issue (I guess some had an issue with a battery warning, but battery never has had any issues, but I need to bring it back in to review that)

 

[ipecacd6]

Do not test drive a GT350, it will dampen the Supra experience . Source: Own both.

 

[Arkaybee]

Thanks for the reply! Long-term maintenance is a plus for Mustangs since parts are plentiful. However, In regards to the Supra, I'm concerned about the long-term cost of ownership after hearing rumors of Toyota discontinuing the Supra. This raises concerns about how long Toyota will support the platform with parts. Maybe aftermarket parts will suffice, but that's a thought I've had.

Most (if not all) of the drivetrain is BMW. The B58 has been around for a while and there's no shortage of parts for it. There are some people on the forums/reddit that take their Supras to BMW dealerships or European shops for service and report getting better (or more trustworthy) service compared to Toyota dealerships because the Supra is very different from anything Toyota has in it's lineup and techs need Supra-specific training.

 

[SPMythic]

Most (if not all) of the drivetrain is BMW. The B58 has been around for a while and there's no shortage of parts for it. There are some people on the forums/reddit that take their Supras to BMW dealerships or European shops for service and report getting better (or more trustworthy) service compared to Toyota dealerships because the Supra is very different from anything Toyota has in it's lineup and techs need Supra-specific training.

Ah, that makes a lot of sense! I guess it might not be worth getting an extended warranty then? Or maybe it might be worth it for drivetrain issues, and take the car to a BMW or European shop for general service.

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