Trying to Decide on a year, TR

As you I prefer the look of the 87 for the wheels. But if you plan on driving it much the 5 lug are a bit safer. Other than that I don't think there are major différences. I have a 1990 and I love it. A very pleasant highway driver.

 

Many cars over the years have used center lug nuts with no problems. I have over 50K miles on my 88 T/R. just torque it to the correct # and enjoy. I bought a socket and breaker bar to check mine. 200 lb. 24 " from center of socket = close to the correct torque. An important aside, keep the splines and cone CLEAN thats very important in getting it all right.

 

Some people think the 87s will appreciate more than 90 because of the wheels and lower numbers. I don't want to start another TR value firestorm though so I'll stop here.

 

To be honnest with you I think it could be right. 87 to 88.5 have the best look in my opinion. If I could have find one I would have buy it. But my color choice and budget were not open to all the cars I could find. I made a choice in what I could afford.

 

I use a 3/4" drive torque wrench and torque to 325 ft-lbs as per the fectory spec.
Close is good for horseshoes and hand grenades not center bolt wheels.

 

Yeah I wouldn't say that the '87s were bad just for being '87s. They just weren't treated well. For me, it came down to the state of the running gear, versus color or interior condition. Paint and interior can be redone at any price point, from cheap to super expensive; the running gear can't. I spent three years but found my '87 that only had 17k documented miles on it. Turns out it was my dream TR black/black anyway, but the paint and interior colors were gravy on top of the great condition of the running gear.

 

90 is the best!

 

Listen to Harry's Garage video about the TR!

 

A little history to why the difference.

The 88.5-91 with the 5 lugs are better conditioned cars because in those 3 yrs they made the most of the TR line up with 3,000 units, coupled with the fact of the car boom many people paid the BOOM prices,for those cars and on a massive waiting list with Enzo dying. Some people paid close to 400k for a Testarossa back then , boxers were trading hands in the 400s and over as well.
Then the bust came , many people put the car away.

The 84ish-88.5 saw the remaining production line , and less cars built and was also the first model back to sell globally. The Testarossa was the first 12 back in North America since the Daytona that was not a grey market car, so they got used, driven like a normal exotic by the wealthy. Those cars were not bought for speculation and shrink wrapped, that's why they are hard to find in well condition.

 

This ^^^^

 

Never looked at it like that b4 but it makes sense. In fact lookin at Redheaded.com when u add them up its probaby nearer 4k made 88.5-91. No wonder there's a few ridiculously low mile/unused ones around!

Yeah I remember reading the car mags over here and seeing a Testarossa at 250k GBP - thought I'd never get one - but thanks to the collector car market crash I finally got here (about 20 years later lol). I remember reading in the paper someone trying to swap their house for a Countach S at 180k GBP! A few years later the cars were down to 35k, so depending on how long they kept onto the car they will have either lost a small fortune or made a small fortune!

Dom.