Mockngbrd Supersonic May 30, 2020 Share May 30, 2020 End 2012 early 2013 almost 100k ↡ Advertisement 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scholesy 4th Gear May 30, 2020 Share May 30, 2020 1 hour ago, Carbon82 said: The owner... 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. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fitvip Supersonic May 30, 2020 Share May 30, 2020 (edited) 23 hours ago, Atrecord said: Saw this in hougang few days ago when out tabao'ing TOYOTA / COROLLA GT The tofu car attracts more attention than the Levante with special number! Edited May 30, 2020 by Fitvip 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kobayashiGT Internal Moderator May 30, 2020 Share May 30, 2020 COnsider rare? 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamahbee 5th Gear May 30, 2020 Share May 30, 2020 28 minutes ago, kobayashiGT said: COnsider rare? I think this colour costs extra... 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atrecord Supersonic May 30, 2020 Share May 30, 2020 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... 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atrecord Supersonic May 30, 2020 Share May 30, 2020 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. 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alheych 6th Gear May 30, 2020 Share May 30, 2020 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. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old-driver 5th Gear May 30, 2020 Share May 30, 2020 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. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scholesy 4th Gear May 30, 2020 Share May 30, 2020 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. 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
inlinesix Supersonic May 30, 2020 Share May 30, 2020 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 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
K_sujadi 1st Gear May 30, 2020 Share May 30, 2020 These are very interesting, thank you for sharing those unique models Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ER-3682 Twincharged May 31, 2020 Share May 31, 2020 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.🤣 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mockngbrd Supersonic May 31, 2020 Share May 31, 2020 (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 May 31, 2020 by Mockngbrd 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mockngbrd Supersonic May 31, 2020 Share May 31, 2020 16 hours ago, Alheych said: could have easily bought a Maserati Gran Turismo, those aren't that ex nowadays. Yuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carbon82 Moderator May 31, 2020 Author Share May 31, 2020 1st gen Nissan Murano (Z50). 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmyfong 5th Gear May 31, 2020 Share May 31, 2020 don't see many itashas around 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PSP415 Supersonic May 31, 2020 Share May 31, 2020 48 minutes ago, jimmyfong said: don't see many itashas around 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 ↡ Advertisement 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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