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Unusual or Rare Cars - Part 2


Carbon82
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1 hour ago, Carbon82 said:

The owner...

ST_20200530_TTMYCAR30_5698133.jpg

Sales manager Darran Kwok owns what may be the only Toyota Soarer in Singapore

Mr Darran Kwok drives a 1993 Toyota Soarer - possibly the only one left in Singapore.

The third-generation rear-wheel-drive coupe is a Japanese domestic model brought in by parallel importers. It is powered by a 2.5-litre engine making 280hp and 363Nm, paired with a five-speed automatic gearbox.

The fourth-generation equivalent - the Lexus SC430 coupe-convertible - was imported by Toyota agent Borneo Motors.

Mr Kwok first saw a Soarer in Japan in 2010. "I was walking out of a restaurant," the 43-year-old sales manager at an events company recalls. "The long bonnet, sleek windows, swoopy lines and muscular stance made me fall in love at first sight."

At that time, he was driving a Honda Civic SiR. The following year, a friend told him he spotted a Soarer at a used-car dealer.

"I drove there immediately," the father of three says. "I didn't know if the car was for sale, but I was confident that if I offered the right price, they would sell it to me."

He paid around $35,000 for it. "I wanted the car so badly, I did not even take it for a test-drive."

His haste cost him dearly. Within a month, the car made the first of many visits to the workshop.

In total, Mr Kwok ended up spending more than what he paid for the car on repairs. "The seats, dashboard and various panels were replaced as they were very worn," he says. "The engine was losing compression, so it was rebuilt. The turbochargers were also not boosting properly.

"The automatic transmission was replaced with a reconditioned unit as it was sluggish and showed signs of slippage. Even the door lever on the inside was not working - I had to wind down the window to open the door from the outside."

Even today, his workshop visits are not over. Yet he is quick to say no when asked if he ever felt like giving up on the car.

In February 2013, he renewed the Soarer's certificate of entitlement for more than $93,000, which he had to sell his Civic to help pay.

Mr Kwok has since added some modifications to the car.

Besides giving it alloy wheels, a bodykit and new exhaust system, he also forked out $9,000 (including installation) for an air suspension system made by American firm AccuAir. It allowed him to adjust the ride height by nearly 14cm. At its lowest, the car sits merely 1.3cm from the ground.

"I select the lowest setting when the car is parked as it looks so cool. When I encounter an obstacle like a hump or kerb, the highest setting allows the car to clear it with ease."

He has not thought about his next car. His children - aged six, four and two - can still fit in the rear seats, with the younger ones in child seats.

"I still enjoy driving my car so much," he says, adding that because it is the last of its kind here, "that makes it extra special".

And look like it is very very costly to own such a niche car... 

The Toyota reliability and low maintenance not valid with this one. 

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Supersonic
(edited)
23 hours ago, Atrecord said:

Saw this in hougang few days ago when out tabao'ing

TOYOTA / COROLLA GT

20200526_165320.jpg

20200524_134924.jpg

The tofu car attracts more attention than the Levante with special number!

Edited by Fitvip
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15 hours ago, boonhat_91 said:

kiss kiss

 

Wow... Same day as when i saw it leh dunno what time this happened... only about 5 min away from Heartland Mall. Aiyah... should have bought 4D...

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2 hours ago, Fitvip said:

The tofu car attracts more attention than the Levante with special number!

Ha ha ha...

It's actually a Ghibli, not Levante.

Crop another couple photos here to see it. 

20200530_165547.jpg

20200524_134922.jpg

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3 hours ago, Scholesy said:

The Toyota reliability and low maintenance not valid with this one. 

i also say. the amount of money he has spent in total...

$35,000 (car) + even more for repair say conservatively $40,000 + $93,000 COE + road tax all these years...

could have easily bought a Maserati Gran Turismo, those aren't that ex nowadays.

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38 minutes ago, Alheych said:

i also say. the amount of money he has spent in total...

$35,000 (car) + even more for repair say conservatively $40,000 + $93,000 COE + road tax all these years...

could have easily bought a Maserati Gran Turismo, those aren't that ex nowadays.

on top of these, the road tax of $2688 (should be).... the 10 years cost is 200k.

Dep 20k a year.

the cost of owning something rare overcomes everything.

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2 hours ago, Alheych said:

i also say. the amount of money he has spent in total...

$35,000 (car) + even more for repair say conservatively $40,000 + $93,000 COE + road tax all these years...

could have easily bought a Maserati Gran Turismo, those aren't that ex nowadays.

The other part of me feels it’s damn tua pow 😂

full overhaul engine 5k-6k

new turbo 2k

overhaul gb 3-4k

fix leaks 2k

new suspension, joints 2-3k

aircon 2k

all the major parts covered above not over 20k n most are with buffer.

 

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7 minutes ago, Scholesy said:

The other part of me feels it’s damn tua pow 😂

full overhaul engine 5k-6k

new turbo 2k

overhaul gb 3-4k

fix leaks 2k

new suspension, joints 2-3k

aircon 2k

all the major parts covered above not over 20k n most are with buffer.

I thought 1JZ is bulletproof 

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Twincharged
13 hours ago, inlinesix said:

I thought 1JZ is bulletproof 

Most likely that unit is an abuse Imported Unit....that is why 1st owner gave up.🤣

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(edited)
14 hours ago, Scholesy said:

The other part of me feels it’s damn tua pow 😂

full overhaul engine 5k-6k

new turbo 2k

overhaul gb 3-4k

fix leaks 2k

new suspension, joints 2-3k

aircon 2k

all the major parts covered above not over 20k n most are with buffer.

 

The soarer suspension and wheels already easily blow through your 20k liao

Edited by Mockngbrd
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Supersonic
48 minutes ago, jimmyfong said:

don't see many itashas around

JD3_h9GxS_kF7X6bmAmGOipyNbI4Dj1s7HXPrQPH9rSvt9yu9pgEMfNcRAy0eV3zcpb4DOWid6pMu3wE3oJMZUL4EqAHZX1x4S57.png

This one no need rear view mirror one? Wrapped sticker will create force field behind until 10 cars away? 

Wa...powder man. 

😅😂😂

Thanks for sharing. 

Stay safe 

Cheers 

 

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