They say one man’s meat is another man’s poison. That’s what happened to the new owner of this Toyota Mark II JZX110. According to Erick Wokabi, on a Facebook post, the new owner got this rare purebred Japanese performance car for a throwaway price. But there’s a catch – it came with issues, and if you know anything about the Toyota Mark II in Kenya, they are considered lemons and petrol hogs. But that’s a misconception, as I said, to each man on his own.
According to Wokabi, the previous owner of this unicorn might have been getting rid of the problem, not knowing the value of what they were throwing away. I have seen this play out several times.
About 100 meters from my shags, there’s a 90s version of the Toyota Levin GTZ sitting in a junkyard, ready to be ridden off parts. It’s the real deal with a clean, solid body and bonnet scoop, but without the famous 4AGE engine. Maybe I’ll write about that car in a different post. I am certain the owner of the junkyard knows nothing about the car.
“Some people are too lucky. A Toyota Mark II JZX110 running on a 1JZ-GTE was brought in for an engine rebuild. The interesting thing is that the guy it was bought from sold it at a throwaway price, not knowing the actual value of the engine in the car.” Wokabi confessed.
He’s right. The heart plant under the hood of this Toyota Mark II can buy you a neatly maintained Toyota Corolla NZE. According to Wokabi, the engine’s aftermarket price is approximately KES 400,000. Remember, we are talking about a used engine.
A responder in the comment section was quick to say.
“Being in the engine business for a while. First, the resale value for that car in the Kenyan market is not so promising despite the displacement. That’s why most of them don’t fetch much. Secondly, aged cars are becoming a bother as far as parts are concerned, thus the price tag for the rare commodity.”
While the commenter was right about most old vehicles and engines, he’s clearly clueless about performance engines.
The Toyota Mark II JZX110 is not your ordinary Mark II. It’s a performance variant of the Japanese luxury sedan and features the iconic 1JZ-GTE, not to be confused with the one in the MK4 Supra, the monstrous 2JZ-GTE.
Here’s the truth: The last generation of the Mark II, developed between 2000 and 2007, featured four engines. The 1G-FE (2-liter inline 6), 1JZ-GE (2.5-liter inline 6),1J-FSE (2.5-liter Direct Injected inline 6), and crown of the jewel, the 1JZ-GTE (turbocharged 2.5-liter inline 6) engine.
Now, anytime a petrolhead hears the term turbocharged, their blood begins to boil – we love the thrill, the stututu sounds, and that turbo whirl when you hit the right spot. The car above packs a turbocharged 2.5-liter inline 6 engine good for 280 hp stock! That’s enough to chase down and dot just about any stock Subaru Forester SG5. This here, ladies and gents, it’s a unicorn worth preserving.
We are not sure of the back story, but if the previous owner was unfamiliar with the engine and took it to a backstreet mechanic, the mechanic probably advised them to drop it like it was hot. To the new owner, this Toyota Mark II JZX110 is a diamond in the rough!
— Motindechu (@motindechu) May 29, 2024 
