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SonicShadow
333 posts
23 months
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Love mine.
Had a disagreement with some nature that left it battle scarred - combination of rain, adverse camber and a little too much enthusiasm exiting a roundabout. No fault of the car though. All repaired and nice again now though.
I can't think of anything that really bugs me about the car tbh. Just watch out for rust. And sticky calipers!
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nigel_bytes
514 posts
105 months
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hygt2
147 posts
48 months
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You will initially find a MR car to understeer more than FF or FR due to the lack of weight over the front wheels. More throttle on entering a corner will just result in more understeer than FF or FR cars.
I found the MR2's reputation is unfounded as the only times you will spin it are 1) lift off suddenly mid-corner (like when you sense the understeer when using too much throttle as I described above), 2) brake mid-corner or 3) don't correct oversteer fast enough.
I certainly find you cannot let the car slide more than 10-15 degree and full opposite-lock oversteer is a definite no-no. Touchwood, I have never spun it on the road and only spun it once on the track when I missed a downshift into a corner.
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Agent57
176 posts
23 months
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MR2 mk2 is a great car, but not sure if "Fun" is the right word.
Reliable, well built, good looking and a pleasure to own.
An MX5 or a hot hatch would be more "Fun". MR2 is a bit more serious.
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wolfy1988
Original Poster
891 posts
32 months
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Thanks for all the feedback.
Well I was hoping to have it by now but I have not heard from the guy with the Red T-Bar.
So, I am on the hunt for a Rev3>, No sunroof model
What king of fuel consumption can I expect from a turbo and a N/A?, the reason I ask is that I am moving in the next couple of months and my commute to anf from will be circa 2hrs.
J
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Marf
22,907 posts
110 months
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My Turbo gives 24-26 on my daily a/b road commute and 32 on the motorway if I stick to 70.
Conversely it's really easy to get it into the teens if driving like my arse is on fire.
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SonicShadow
333 posts
23 months
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wolfy1988 said: Thanks for all the feedback.
Well I was hoping to have it by now but I have not heard from the guy with the Red T-Bar.
So, I am on the hunt for a Rev3>, No sunroof model
What king of fuel consumption can I expect from a turbo and a N/A?, the reason I ask is that I am moving in the next couple of months and my commute to anf from will be circa 2hrs.
J Best I have seen out of my NA is just shy of 40MPG on a M6 / A74M run up to Scotland from Stafford. Worst I have seen was mid 20's. I seem to average about 35MPG most of the time. Town driving really hurts MPG though. I dont really find much difference between sitting at 60 or 70ish on the Mway either.
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psummers
98 posts
24 months
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wolfy1988
Original Poster
891 posts
32 months
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God there both lovely, surprised to see the average pretty similar between the two!
Thanks for sharing
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psummers
98 posts
24 months
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Thanks  To be honest I think there was something wrong with my n/a, as other people achieved much better economy. I think 30-40mpg would more realistic from a healthy n/a.
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wolfy1988
Original Poster
891 posts
32 months
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psummers said: Thanks To be honest I think there was something wrong with my n/a, as other people achieved much better economy. I think 30-40mpg would more realistic from a healthy n/a. Whats the App your using? It looks impressive
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psummers
98 posts
24 months
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Agent57
176 posts
23 months
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I have a rev 4 and previously a rev 1. The fuel consumption is OK considering the type of car. Better on long motorway runs. Mind you I don't do many miles.
Both of mine have been T bars. No leaks and it makes the car feel extra special on those rare sunny days. Red T bars look more fun.
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Mastodon2
5,739 posts
34 months
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Here is something I wonder if any MR2 turbo owners can shed some light on, what are the boosting characteristics like? A friend of mine had a Japanese import MR2 turbo, iirc the standard power on these is quoted at 240bhp or something, but it seemed a very vigorous car for 240bhp - maybe it was the engine being situated right behind your head, but it appeared mechanically standard, no fancy induction kits or exhausts, yet it made a hell of a noise. I know the engine in the MR2 is often described as sounding quite harsh, and it did have that tonal quality, but it sounded pretty crazy back there from what I remember. What sticks in my mind the most, and what I would like some owners opinions on, is the boost and how it feeds in. In my memory, this car really went with a bang; I remember coming off a roundabout onto a dual carriageway, 2nd gear, accelerating fairly briskly as the steering lock was wound off, then as the wheel straightened, WOT was applied. Boost needle on 0%, whooshing noise behind head then BAM, 100% boost and the needle flicked over to the right in the click of a finger, the acceleration was savage. In my mind, it boosted like a car with a boost-heavy map, high pressure through the turbo for big power outputs but sacrificing a smooth, gradually building boost charge to do so. Does this sound like similar to anyone else's MR2 Turbos? Is it even possible to remap these things, with the standard ECU, or a piggyback chip? The owner in question never modified the car, and as I say there was nothing obviously non-standard about it, but jesus it was brutal and so f  king quick. Maybe it's just my memory, maybe the rawness of a small, tinny 2 seater made it seem crazy, but from what I remember, such an aggressive boost delivery seems almost at odds with the car itself. Maybe the widowmaker tag is undeserved, but if all the turbos were like my friend's, I can see how more than a few end up backwards in hedges. Does anyone else think this sounds about right, or are/were other owner's turbos more benign?
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Marf
22,907 posts
110 months
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Depends on what's been done to the car.
A standard car limits boost in first and second and until about 5000 RPM in third to 9psi or so, then allows it to increase to 12psi or so after 5000rpm in third.
In standard trim it does make the boost more tame and the power comes in quite smoothly. The stock turbo comes in very quickly on a Rev1/2 car, and just a little slower on a Rev 3 car as the turbo a smidge larger and can hold over 1bar boost to the redline, whereas the rev1/2 turbo cannot and will run out of puff after 13psi or so in the high revs.
A car with a boost controller will allow any boost up to the max allowed by the ECU/turbo (19psi or so on a rev3 car) and depending on how you set the "gain" setting, can either come in smoothly or pretty damned fiercely
My Rev3 Turbo car runs a blitz boost controller and the max boost I have set is 16.5psi and the gain is set pretty high to make the boost come in hard and fast. It'll easily hit full boost in first planting the throttle at 3000rpm and will hold that boost throughout the rev range and into the higher gears quite happily. My lower boost settings are more like the stock boost behaviour making the power come in much smoother and is what I run day to day.
On the higher setting I'd be very careful feeding the power in coming out of a corner or it'd spin or at least fishtail massively. On the lowest setting which gives me 8psi until 5000rpm, rising to about 11 after that(boost creep due to the large exhaust) I can pretty happily give it a bootfull of throttle coming off a corner and the rear will stay pretty planted or just slide a little.
I've only been in a standard car once, a rev2 turbo years ago and even then the engine and induction noise was very noticable, purely because the engine is right behind your head, but still much quieter than my decatted car with an ARC Airbox.
A 3" exhaust and decat certainly aid spoolup and release a good chunk of power too. When I had my car on the dyno with just exhaust, decat, and an ARC Airbox with the Toyota ECU still in control of the boost, max boost had increased to just over 13psi and the car made 285hp. Pretty good increase for minor mods.
Should be over 300hp now with my ST205 chargecooler and boost controller.
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Mastodon2
5,739 posts
34 months
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Interesting, I remember the car having a little turbo timer thing stuck to the top of the steering column, might have had a boost control function in it, it was a pretty fierce car!
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wolfy1988
Original Poster
891 posts
32 months
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Mastodon2 said: Here is something I wonder if any MR2 turbo owners can shed some light on, what are the boosting characteristics like? A friend of mine had a Japanese import MR2 turbo, iirc the standard power on these is quoted at 240bhp or something, but it seemed a very vigorous car for 240bhp - maybe it was the engine being situated right behind your head, but it appeared mechanically standard, no fancy induction kits or exhausts, yet it made a hell of a noise. I know the engine in the MR2 is often described as sounding quite harsh, and it did have that tonal quality, but it sounded pretty crazy back there from what I remember. What sticks in my mind the most, and what I would like some owners opinions on, is the boost and how it feeds in. In my memory, this car really went with a bang; I remember coming off a roundabout onto a dual carriageway, 2nd gear, accelerating fairly briskly as the steering lock was wound off, then as the wheel straightened, WOT was applied. Boost needle on 0%, whooshing noise behind head then BAM, 100% boost and the needle flicked over to the right in the click of a finger, the acceleration was savage. In my mind, it boosted like a car with a boost-heavy map, high pressure through the turbo for big power outputs but sacrificing a smooth, gradually building boost charge to do so. Does this sound like similar to anyone else's MR2 Turbos? Is it even possible to remap these things, with the standard ECU, or a piggyback chip? The owner in question never modified the car, and as I say there was nothing obviously non-standard about it, but jesus it was brutal and so f king quick. Maybe it's just my memory, maybe the rawness of a small, tinny 2 seater made it seem crazy, but from what I remember, such an aggressive boost delivery seems almost at odds with the car itself. Maybe the widowmaker tag is undeserved, but if all the turbos were like my friend's, I can see how more than a few end up backwards in hedges. Does anyone else think this sounds about right, or are/were other owner's turbos more benign? God, I want a turbo now!
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Mastodon2
5,739 posts
34 months
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wolfy1988 said: God, I want a turbo now! If it were possible to have the whizz-bang, all or nothing style map or smooth, progressive one with less accelerative power, but more gradual build of boost, I'd take the latter every time in a car like this. As mentioned by Marf, if full boost comes on and you've got some steering angle on / you hit a mid-corner bump or a funny camber, with a mid-engine car it could probably want to swap ends quite quickly. I've heard much the same said about the VX220 turbo - the big power modded ones are fun, but intimidating to drive quickly and the average driver in terms of skill and budget to repair potential crash damage would find a stock VX turbo or even an NA a quicker car day to day. I've been there with a 270bhp Seat Leon Cupra R that was very quick for a FWD car but had a really 1980s style map, but I find I can drive my current Civic Type R faster, more often, despite being about 30% down on power on the Seat.
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Marf
22,907 posts
110 months
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You just have to respect you have the ability to deploy a large chunk of torque and that there is a large amount of weight behind you to step out. If it moves you have to be quick to catch it.
Again this is where good tyres make a big difference. A decent tyre will communicate to you what's going on and be progressive at and over the limit. I run AD08s and frankly if there were a control tyre for road going MR2s, these should be it!
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psummers
98 posts
24 months
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My rev 3 turbo is standard and it the boost comes in very smoothly. I'll try to describe what its like with WOT in 3rd starting at about 3,000 rpm (about 35mph).
Imagine you apply full throttle then count to 10:
1 is accompanied by a deeper engine note but not really much acceleration.
2 - a whooshing sound just behind your left ear.
3 - boost gauge starts rising and acceleration picks up.
4 - you're well past 4,000 and the boost gauge rises to just beyond maximum and acceleration picks up another notch.
5 - Engine is in full song and pulls hard...
6, 7, power trails off a bit as you near 7,000 rpm..
8 rev limiter at about 90mph.
It's not a savage nothing, nothing, nothing... BAM! full power, wheelspin, hedge, hospital. It's more akin to a slingshot feel. I haven’t been in a modified MR2 yet but I’m told they can completely change character when you start playing with the boost.
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