Buying a Rev3 Turbo - Average Price?

[Haden693]

Hey All, apologies if this is in the wrong thread, after some advice!

About to purchase an MR2 Turbo after moving to Audi a while back and wanting to return to the good side.

The car in question is a 1995 Rev 3 Turbo GTS, it's done around 77,000 KM and was imported in '98. The prev owner had it resprayed from Red to Jaguar Racing Red.

Few mods: Greddy Intercooler & pipes, Greddy Nur Spec R Exhaust, Poly bushes all round, Braided brake hoses, clutch replaced 2000 miles ago.

The owner is asking £5200 ONO, the car itself is in really good condition, cleanest engine bay i've ever seen.

I'm struggling to find many Turbos around, so difficult to compare prices on; so just asking around.

Thanks!

[Race Idiot]

Doesn't sound like a bad price but if it's been in the country that long you might want to check the sills near the rear wheel arches even if it has been resprayed.

Is there an ad online somewhere?

[Odin_S]

Think you've just answered your question partly. Supply and demand.

Good ones will cost as they are getting thin on the ground

[Haden693]

Doesn't sound like a bad price but if it's been in the country that long you might want to check the sills near the rear wheel arches even if it has been resprayed.

Is there an ad online somewhere?

There is indeed:

www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201708017910521

[SonicSW20]

Lovely colour.

It has a UK spec rear bumper and UK spec Rev3 wings (indicator behind the wheel above the side strip). Japanese market models only got these wings for Rev4 and 5. These have been changed for some reason so do a bit of digging there and just check for signs of accident damage. It could be completely innocent though - perhaps it had an aftermarket rear bumper and it got swapped back to OEM, just a UK one.

It hasn't got a passenger airbag so it's not an early Rev4, it's almost certainly a Rev3 so the wings have been changed at some point.

Front number plate is UK size as well but this is just a holder so easily changed.

You can confirm it's definitely a Japanese market turbo (and the revision) and not a UK conversion by the chassis number / VIN plate.

It looks lovely in the pictures, if it's clean underneath and as good as the seller says it is mechanically then I think the asking price is a reasonable.

[Haden693]

Thanks for the advice!

Will certainly do some digging on the reason behind the respray and the part change, could be innocent could be something else.

[Madabout]

I am always curious on cars and took a quick look on the MOT history. It appears for 7 years it was off the road as never had an MOT. If this was in dry storage not a major issue but as others have said see what it is like underneath.

The change in wings to rev4/5 spec needs investigation but given the rev5 spoiler could simply be a past owner wanted to update the exterior look to the later model.

Personally as I have bought and sold recently in a few rev3 and rev4 mr2s for the specification I think it is expensive at £5200. I am all for prices going up but when I was selling there was not a wealth of buyers and equally when I bought the car I wanted whilst decent was for sale for quite a while.

[craig]

Looks smart, I guess the sellers personal pref with the UK stuff. Just looks to be changed to rev 5 UK spec.

[Madabout]

Nothing to do with me but if your still looking for a mr2 Turbo this rev4 is probably worth a look too.

https://www.gumtree.com/p/toyota/toyota ... 1261092489

[SonicSW20]

Looks nice, it's a 1997 Rev4 though, not a 1998 which would have to be a Rev5!

[Race Idiot]

Lol I misread the price, could've sworn that it was £2500 when you first posted it?

£5200 seems a bit steep but if it's definitely been looked after and rust free it's worth that.

[SonicSW20]

Yep, for £5200 it needs to be as good underneath as it is on the outside.

[Haden693]

Thanks for the advice and tips everyone!

I went to view and had to turn it down, as lovely as it looks there was not much explanation or paperwork explaining the changes in the bodywork and the seller mentioned 'the car was imported over 17 years ago so the paperwork has probably been lost in that time'.

It was a clean car but I'm not willing to chance something without adequate history and records.

The hunt continues!

[aussieGT]

I went to view and had to turn it down, as lovely as it looks there was not much explanation or paperwork explaining the changes in the bodywork and the seller mentioned 'the car was imported over 17 years ago so the paperwork has probably been lost in that time'.

It was a clean car but I'm not willing to chance something without adequate history and records.

Man, I reckon you need to look at each car on its own merits. Its plausible that the paperwork is going to get lost in that time, no doubt there's been a few bums in that drivers seat - and any one (or maybe a couple) of those owners decided they liked the look of differing year models body features.

I bought a 93 turbo with next to no history - I poked around the thing for hours, couldn't fault the body, zero rust, engine and gearbox sounded and ran beautifully - no way was a lack of a paper trail going to make me leave it where it was!

If ownership can be proved, and the car is what you want, is the condition you'll accept and the price is right - do it!

[Madabout]

If you are not keen on the red one you looked at then the white '97 rev4 is probably worth a look depending on budget.

Personally as mentioned above I always buy the car on the condition at this age then the service history/paperwork with it. A lot of imports won't have it so depends what UK owners have kept.

Good luck with your search.

[markstevieandmads]

These cars are like 20 plus yrs old so finding one with paperwork is narrowing down your choice quite a bit.
Lack of paperwork doesnt mean a bad car.... i bought mine 3 years ago and it didnt have anything apart from the logbk. Yet its passed every mot with very little to no work, no rust and was pretty much original.

Maybe i was just lucky.... or maybe just check the car out

Btw paperwork can be faked quite easily so i wouldnt let that be a selling point either.

[danjama]

Both of the cars in this thread look lovely, but especially the white one, forged, d2 coilovers etc, very nicely done and worth £6k all day.

[japaneseskoda]

Being honest and realistic there is no reason to pay more than £3000 for a good MR2. I seen them go for that so play around that level, there is no reason to pay more unless they are equipped with special types of mods.

[sinjen]

Being honest and realistic there is no reason to pay more than £3000 for a good MR2. I seen them go for that so play around that level, there is no reason to pay more unless they are equipped with special types of mods.

If it's a really desperate seller, maybe. You were massively lucky to get a Rev 3 turbo for 3k when I bought my Rev 5 NA back in 2008, no chance you're getting a decent tubby of any kind for 3k unless it needs a lot of work or as said, if the seller is really really desperate!

[SonicSW20]

They used to be cheap because it used to be cheap to import them. Not the case anymore.