mk1 as a second car?

[benson]

Hi,
Just after a bit of advice from the mk1 experts on the forum...I currently drive a FTO but after a cheapish fun second car to use every now and again, possibly 2000-3000 miles a year.

I've always fancied a mk1, and in recent weeks have been browsing pistonheads/ebay to see what was on there and what prices they tend to go for. The clean ones seem to go for about a grand, does that sound about right?

I'm not really that mechanically minded but if it was a second car it would be an ideal opportunity to learn a few bits and pieces...the main problem with these cars would seem to be rust issues which I dont think I could sort myself. I was wondering if someone could advise on the following (I've had a good look on here with no joy)

Apart from rear arches, where else are the places that are prone to rust?

For a grand, would you expect to be buying a car with the rear arches already done? I presume to guarantee the rust not coming back the whole panels need to be replaced rather than rubbed down and sprayed?

Is the mk1 likely to be a cheap car to run for a few years doing these kind of miles, if the above has been sorted out?

Thanks in advance,
Simon

[kevin..in]

a budget of a grand should get you a pretty well sorted car
just view as many as you can because the opinion of what is sound varies greatly
a well chosen car should give you little or no problems
my own car cost me a whopping £410 -£150 for the wheels it came with which I sold
total £260 spent 2 years on its a bit rough around the edges but its never failed to start or pass an MOT test
just choose well and reject anything that looks a bit ropey, they are not rare & probably the cheapest £ for grin ratio you can currently get

[Karl_T]

Hiya Benson,
we've got an FTO as well as a couple of Mk1's, and from my experience you'll find the Mk1 MR2 way cheaper to run, a lot easier to work on and infinitely easier to get parts for.

If you're not mechanically minded it's still an advantage because you don't get forced into 'specialist garages' or hear that' Well it's gonna cost you cos it's an import' excuse. If you can fix a Corolla you can fix an MR2.

For a grand I wouldn't expect to be finding too much rust on a car. The odd blister maybe but nothing serious.

The suspension's liely to feel a bit soft if you're used to FTO springs, but trust me, it'll still go round corners.

You'll find the FTO probably becomes your second car though. Big grin factor in a Mk1, and it doesn't drink fuel quite as professionally as an FTO.

[kevin..in]

You'll find the FTO probably becomes your second car though. Big grin factor in a Mk1, and it doesn't drink fuel quite as professionally as an FTO.

could easily become your only car

[BIGBOBO]

I bought my MR2 as my first car with the same reasons as you. Cheap, Fun and Learn.

My MR2 has been reliable since I got it (I did replace a couple of bits and bops but nothing that would prevent it from driving). And I pretty much did it all myself so learned a ton. (Knew nothing of car before that)

It was a bit more expensive as 1 grand since they are a quite uncommon (cheap diesel so almost no one buys a petrol car) in Belgium.

[boyzdad]

Well I spent £1500 on mine, the rear arches have been chopped out and replaced, and it was a black MK1a which is what I REALLY wanted

I looked the car over before I brought it, mainly on the bodywork, although I did insist on a test-drive and waited until the engine was warm, the oil pressure seemed fine..........

However.............. on the reliability front........ my "only done 40k, possibly a low mileage jap import engine" destroyed itself on the way home (30 mile journey). Oh and the brakes failed on the way home as well because the front caliper had siezed and boiled the fluid! What a fun journey in my "new car" that was

So I pulled out the engine (only had the car a day), put the bottom end of my reliable (up until then) old MK1a engine with the top end of the "import" engine........ it ran for 600 Miles before the top end had a nasty rattle (and no I didn't drive it like a joy-rider.......the whole time!).

Soooo, head off (again) in the skip, with the cams (all wrecked) I think the original engine failure must have started the damage.

I am now rebuilding the bottom end, the rings, big ends and mains cost me £160 (dura-glides, heavy duty, maybe!) so no too bad. I am going to use the original head that I had and I am rebuilding it now.

I am still pleased with the car as it's the bodywork that I really wanted to get and it has been done to what seems a high standard with care.

The car had only coved 50miles in the year before I brought it, so maybe the pressure relief valve was sticking?

So in my experience, I seem to be lucky like this, they are just as reliable as an other car

Just make SURE you don't get too carried away with making sure the body-work is ok and assume that you can forget about the mechanical stuff. They are obviously not as "Bullet proof" as some people will have you beleive!

I am hoping that I will not have to touch the engine for a long, long time after this..........


Regards



MATT!

[kevin..in]

Well I spent £1500 on mine, the rear arches have been chopped out and replaced, and it was a black MK1a which is what I REALLY wanted

always best to get one in the best condition
if you limit yourself to "I want this colour etc." then you narrow your options to accepting a car that maybe not up to scratch
I'm sure I could live with any of the colour options if the car was sound
like I initially said view as many as possable and reject those that don't come up to standard
they are not rare!!

[benson]

cheers for all the advice...pretty sure I'll be keeping the FTO though as I;ve spent a fair wad of cash on it now and got it just how I want it the amount of petrol it gets through isnt great though so was hoping to save a bit using the mk1 50% of the time...

Is there anywhere else I need to look for rust other than the arches, esp the undercarraige like chassis rails etc? Mechanically I presume its just the usual stuff like any mayo on oil cap, overheating, calipers binding etc

[bobbyh]

the only thing i would not compromise on when picking one, was the leather and the T-bar. always admired cars with those..

would have loved either of the 2 blues... helios and umm the dark un,


but got a not quite mint red un with no rust, 2 owners and a toyota/toyota specialist every 6000 mi service history that nearly gave me a semi when reading!!

[bobbyh]

oh paid £1275 btw

[kevin..in]

cheers for all the advice...pretty sure I'll be keeping the FTO though as I;ve spent a fair wad of cash on it now and got it just how I want it the amount of petrol it gets through isnt great though so was hoping to save a bit using the mk1 50% of the time...

Is there anywhere else I need to look for rust other than the arches, esp the undercarraige like chassis rails etc? Mechanically I presume its just the usual stuff like any mayo on oil cap, overheating, calipers binding etc

this is always worth a read for newbies
http://www.challoner.com/mr2/tech/mk1bg.html

[benson]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

benson wrote:
cheers for all the advice...pretty sure I'll be keeping the FTO though as I;ve spent a fair wad of cash on it now and got it just how I want it the amount of petrol it gets through isnt great though so was hoping to save a bit using the mk1 50% of the time...

Is there anywhere else I need to look for rust other than the arches, esp the undercarraige like chassis rails etc? Mechanically I presume its just the usual stuff like any mayo on oil cap, overheating, calipers binding etc

this is always worth a read for newbies
http://www.challoner.com/mr2/tech/mk1bg.html

excellent cheers mate thats exactly what I was looking for...

[Karl_T]

Is there anywhere else I need to look for rust other than the arches, esp the undercarraige like chassis rails etc? Mechanically I presume its just the usual stuff like any mayo on oil cap, overheating, calipers binding etc

There are oodles of buyers guides kicking about, detailing where to look for the rust, but rear arches, base of b pillars, and bottom of a pillar behind the front wing are generally the first to go. Beware of one that's rusty across the top of the windscreen, it's a real PITA to fix.

Mechanically their nigh on* indestructible, and what does go is normally cheap to fix. Brake calipers, suspension bushes, clutch etc etc All quite cheap and aftermarket perfomrnance stuff is easilly available and often cheaper.

*I think boyzdad's just unlucky

Karl_T

[boyzdad]

*I think boyzdad's just unlucky [Wink]

Karl_T

I won't disagree there I wasn't specifically looking for a black mk1a, but as it came up, I was very pleased to get it, even with the......erm.... teething problems

I must also add, that having done quite a bit of work on the car now it is not as bad to work on as the first view may lead you to belive, once the TVIS gubbins is removed, access is pretty good and most engine work can be done with 10,12 and 14mm spanners and socket set. It's a nicely engineered car with most jobs very logical.

I must admit, I never really feel I "own" a car until I have done some major work on it, it's just that this has happend a bit sooner than I wanted!

I will hopefully have it up and running tommorow, I will keep you posted!

Regards

MATT!