New to MR2's

[TheBaker]

Hi, new guy here.

Looking to buy an MR2(mk2) sometime soon or in the future and have been researching quite a bit lately.

I was just wondering how much the cheapest is you would buy one for?? Obviously the more expensive it is the more likely it is to be better but I won't be at that end of the table..

Also would you bother with less than a rev3? How much mileage is too much etc?

I've been looking around and saw this car, it's quite close to me and seems very cheap(obviously, as it's faulty), I'm wondering if anyone know's how much it would cost to fix up? A couple hundred from looking around but I'm not all that knowledgable with cars let alone the MR2.

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1172313.htm

(apologies if you're not allowed to post links here)

Advice/Info is much appreciated.

Thanks.

[Mr2_NA]

My car was in far better condition than that for £600

Walk away now

Check the MR2s for sale section on here

[phipck]

any good condition mr2 is where you should be aiming. the rev3 onward thought process is only realy applicable if you want to ensure you have the extras like power steering and side impact bars etc.

rev 1 has slightly different suspension setup from rev2 onward and rev3 onward has a slightly higher bhp but are slightly heavier. its realy 6 of one and half a dozen of the other. a clean mr2 will certainly keep you happy, just look for any revision with the kit that you would like it to have.

ps, please do not look any further into the pistonheads car.....ive seen people break mr2's with less issues!

[scott64]

dont bother with that one mate its a minger keep your eyes open

[Ryan S]

Hi, new guy here.

Looking to buy an MR2(mk2) sometime soon or in the future and have been researching quite a bit lately.

I was just wondering how much the cheapest is you would buy one for?? Obviously the more expensive it is the more likely it is to be better but I won't be at that end of the table..

Also would you bother with less than a rev3? How much mileage is too much etc?

I've been looking around and saw this car, it's quite close to me and seems very cheap(obviously, as it's faulty), I'm wondering if anyone know's how much it would cost to fix up? A couple hundred from looking around but I'm not all that knowledgable with cars let alone the MR2.

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1172313.htm

(apologies if you're not allowed to post links here)

Advice/Info is much appreciated.

Thanks.

my missus is selling her rev3, open to offers.

http://www.imoc.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=122966

[TheBaker]

Thanks for the replies & advice. I'll steer clear of that one I posted. I've been browsing the Sale section and am surprised at some of the bargains posted.

my missus is selling her rev3, open to offers.

http://www.imoc.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=122966

Thanks but bit out of my price range & edging more towards getting a turbo( $$ ) but not sure.

On that note, what do you guys think about a turbo for a newbie, I have no experience with sports cars but there again I don't drive like a madman, it's just what I hear about the back end sliding out that puts me off.

Cheers.

[Ryan S]

my tubby is better in the wet than my missus' n/a, seriously, hers slides at every opportunity, mine's feels much more stable, could be down to the limited slip diff on the tubby, pretty sure hers doesn't have one

[phipck]

if you drive sencibly then theres little that will go wrong on either an NA or tubby. because the mr2 is a sporty car people tend to drive them harder, which obviously narrows the margine for error. if your driving sencibly you have nice large margines and no problems

both the NA and tubby are quick enough cars, the tubby quite obviously has far superior acceleration but both are essentialy the same vehical. whichever version you buy i would advise you to consider brake and suspension maintenance or upgrade as a priority before any performance modifications, along side a full wheel alignment.
its my personal opinion but i think if you either return these worn parts to how they were when they left the factory or better still improve beyond that point, you will see just how well the mr2 can handle, then any more power you might consider would still be within the cars capabilities

[TheBaker]

Cheers guys.

http://edinburgh.gumtree.com/edinburgh/95/46433695.html

Been having a look at this, quite interested, bit older than I planned to go for but it's in my budget and would be good for a starter until I can afford a turbo I reckon.

I'm just wondering though, does this have the 3S-FE or 3S-GE engine?

Thanks.

[JJ]

Yip... 3SFE type...

Front fogs, black trim, no rear spoiler and a carina engine !!

Not bad if you just want to pot about in... but offer him a much lower price for not being a GT...

[TheBaker]

Yip... 3SFE type...

Front fogs, black trim, no rear spoiler and a carina engine !!

Not bad if you just want to pot about in... but offer him a much lower price for not being a GT...

Damn, don't think I want to stoop lower than the 3G-SE, you get the looks but not really the speed? However one site did say they are both about the same upto a certain speed and then the 3G-SE keeps going??

Upto what point did the UK NA/Coupes use the 3S-FE?

Cheers.

[Race Idiot]

Yip... 3SFE type...

Front fogs, black trim, no rear spoiler and a carina engine !!

Not bad if you just want to pot about in... but offer him a much lower price for not being a GT...

Damn, don't think I want to stoop lower than the 3G-SE, you get the looks but not really the speed? However one site did say they are both about the same upto a certain speed and then the 3G-SE keeps going??

Upto what point did the UK NA/Coupes use the 3S-FE?

Cheers.

I dont think there are any chips that would make a difference. Unless you meant fish and chips. Any money spent trying to make a 3sfe as fast as a 3sge would be better spent on an actual 3sge mr2. The 3sfe is an economy engine as the fe part denotes an economy head). The ge denotes a performance head, iirc.

[Peter C]

Upto what point did the UK NA/Coupes use the 3S-FE?

Most are Rev1 but some early Rev2s were also sold over here.

[Mike]

You'll be best off avoiding the 3SFE engined cars, they're just too underpowered and I suspect you'll be left wanting more. In terms of chosing between the revisions, in some ways you're lucky in that prices are so low now that even Rev5 Turbos can be had for about the same amount that I paid for my Rev2 5 years ago.

Having said that, one of the reasons why prices are so low is because so many poo examples have been imported into the UK in recent years.

My advice would be go for the best example you can find regardless of revision. If you find a nice low mileage rev1 thats been cherished and looked after take that ahead of a higher mileage less well maintained rev5.

You see so many threads on here and on sites like pistonheads where people say they're only interested in Rev3 onwards, dont fall into that trap.
I went to an IMOC rolling road day last year and according to the RR operator my Rev2 was the healthiest car of the day because its been looked after and probably a little bit of luck if I'm honest.

Firstly though you need to decide if its NA or Turbo for you....

Good luck

[TheBaker]

You'll be best off avoiding the 3SFE engined cars, they're just too underpowered and I suspect you'll be left wanting more. In terms of chosing between the revisions, in some ways you're lucky in that prices are so low now that even Rev5 Turbos can be had for about the same amount that I paid for my Rev2 5 years ago.

Having said that, one of the reasons why prices are so low is because so many poo examples have been imported into the UK in recent years.

My advice would be go for the best example you can find regardless of revision. If you find a nice low mileage rev1 thats been cherished and looked after take that ahead of a higher mileage less well maintained rev5.

You see so many threads on here and on sites like pistonheads where people say they're only interested in Rev3 onwards, dont fall into that trap.
I went to an IMOC rolling road day last year and according to the RR operator my Rev2 was the healthiest car of the day because its been looked after and probably a little bit of luck if I'm honest.

Firstly though you need to decide if its NA or Turbo for you....

Good luck

Insightful post thanks. TBH I'd been trying to avoid anything less than an 93, just seems really old after that and doesn't fuel my sense for their reliability at such age but there again, I'm no expert.

I figure I'll go for an NA first then a turbo, decent idea since I've never driven anything faster than a 1.8 escort lol(well, had a shot of my bro's 150bhp Primera GT and that was fine)

Also, is there a mileage too high? Does it matter that much?

Cheers.

[TheBaker]

Hey guys, wondering if you could give me some advice.

I've been looking at this one lately, what do you guys think? Seems like a steal at that price but I don't know why it hasn't been snatched up already. Is the engine mount knocking a big issue?? I'd get it fixed if I got it ofcourse.

Also the no history thing isn't very good is it but still, it has quite a low mileage for it's age.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1991-TOYOTA-MR2-T ... 286.c0.m14

Any opinions/advice appreciated.

[Lucifer]

It would be worth checking if there is any old MOT's as the mileage is very low for the age poss new speedo at some point. other than that its cheap, check all the normal bits but at that price you could afford to spend a few hundred getting it up to a good spec and may end up being a good car (may)

[TheBaker]

It would be worth checking if there is any old MOT's as the mileage is very low for the age poss new speedo at some point. other than that its cheap, check all the normal bits but at that price you could afford to spend a few hundred getting it up to a good spec and may end up being a good car (may)

Cheers, think I will print off the "what to look for" thread on here go take a look at it.

Any idea how much the engine mount would cost to fix? or how much it is for the part and where best to get them?? Also is it the sort of thing that can be fixed by yourself? My friend knows his stuff and says he'll do it for me but Im just wondering if it's best left to the garage.

Thanks again.

[Lucifer]

I'm currently rebuilding my NA and did the timing belt waterpump and soo on a while back and getting the mount off wasn't a bad job on mine, I don't think it is too bad on the turbo but lots of advice on here might also be worth posting across on the MR2 Owners club

J

[Peter C]

The same car is also being offered on Retro Rides:

http://retrorides.proboards.com/index.c ... read=68981