mk3 MR2 is the 'new' mk1 MX5 - discuss

[s m]

vtecyo said:

They should have done a version with the 190 engine from factory. If you ever get the chance, have a go in one of those - it changes the whole car for the better to the extent that the interior could be barbie pink and it wouldn't matter.

Edited by vtecyo on Wednesday 8th June 12:23

TTE did a turbo version around 2004/2005

[Office_Monkey]

200Plus Club said:

Keep an eye out on Facebook for the mr2 roadster group as it's very active with buying and selling parts. You can pick up manifolds with decat and exhausts etc second hand and cheap. Essential mods to tighten it up are the matt mr2 under brace and a front brace. 200 quid tops. So much more confidence in throwing them into bends with those.

There's a few different groups on FB. Am looking to keep standard at the moment though

[s m]

LaurasOtherHalf said:

I had an Y reg one back in the day and used it as my daily, lovely bloody things



Oh and the lotus question, disregarding the huge difference in price, I thought my MR2 Spyder on TTE lowering springs and 17" alloys better than my S2 Exige.

I remember Autocar doing a triple test with Elise and VX220 some years back

I dug out the road test for my friend who owned one - he's moved onto Elises with Honda VTEC engines now but he said both are "pretty adjustable" cars in the bends

[Vroom101]

Would love to own one in the future. Definitely appeal to me more than an MX-5.

A workmate's son had one and said it was lots of fun, apart from when he got a puncture. He put the space-saver on only to realise the full size alloy is too big for the front boot! He had to put it in the passenger seat. Luckily there wasn't a passenger sitting in it at the time!

[anonymous-user]

I have had both.

Mk3 MR2 blew up.
Mk1 MX5 did not.

MR2 was better in nearly every way, except it did not have pop-up lights and I prefer the looks of the MX5, mine was a JDM (yo!) model.

Miss them both, strangely different yet similar, MK3 was the better (dare I say it) steer.

[MehrunesDagon]

I personally really do not get on with the MK3's looks.
I'm not aware of the reliability of MK2's, but personally I'd look into an MK2 more instead.

[Martin350]

FIREBIRDC9 said:

I have an unmodified Mk2 MR2 , i will have a MK3 one day, definitely want to give it a try.

I've heard its much more of a go-kart than the MK2 is.

Having driven several examples of both, I can confirm that this is the case, though I found them both enjoyable.

[ally_f]

daveofedinburgh said:

Edit:

Maybe I should retract that comment about 'afew bags from Tesco';

Edited by daveofedinburgh on Sunday 5th June 01:04

But that's not the boot, that's the spare wheel well - the 'boot' is accessed from behind the seats and is surprisingly practical - we managed weekly shops without much drama. I've owned a Mk1 MX5 and a Mk3 MR2 (at the same time actually) and they're both great cars but in very different ways. I'd say in terms of practicality there isn't that much in it. The MR2 is a far better car, more refined, precise, better handling and much quicker, but the MX5 was still the go-to if I was feeling like a ham-fisted hooligan and for that reason it's the one that I took to track days.

[daemon]

Krikkit said:

I would suggest the MR2 is also a fair bit less practical. The MX5 has a genuinely usable boot, and some good cabin spaces too.

+1

We'd a mk3 MR2 and theres frankly no real usable space.

The MX5 has a decent boot and FR setup works nicely

Plus in our MR2 there was always a crossbar right below my kneecaps which i couldnt see ending well in an accident.

[daemon]

ally_f said:

But that's not the boot, that's the spare wheel well - the 'boot' is accessed from behind the seats and is surprisingly practical - we managed weekly shops without much drama. I've owned a Mk1 MX5 and a Mk3 MR2 (at the same time actually) and they're both great cars but in very different ways. I'd say in terms of practicality there isn't that much in it. The MR2 is a far better car, more refined, precise, better handling and much quicker, but the MX5 was still the go-to if I was feeling like a ham-fisted hooligan and for that reason it's the one that I took to track days.

Sorry, but there IS a lot in it. Apart from anything you dont end up having to fumble around every oriface in the car to find someone to put a packet of Rich Tea from your Tescos shop.

The MX5 is significantly more practical.

[CABC]

ally_f said:

The MR2 is a far better car, more refined, precise, better handling and much quicker, but the MX5 was still the go-to if I was feeling like a ham-fisted hooligan and for that reason it's the one that I took to track days.

nailed the benefit of the 5 there. fun.
MR2, like the Elise, is a more precision tool.
Great to have both together i would suggest!

[daemon]

CABC said:

ally_f said:

The MR2 is a far better car, more refined, precise, better handling and much quicker, but the MX5 was still the go-to if I was feeling like a ham-fisted hooligan and for that reason it's the one that I took to track days.

nailed the benefit of the 5 there. fun.
MR2, like the Elise, is a more precision tool.
Great to have both together i would suggest!

I've had both.

Would prefer the MX5.

[LaurasOtherHalf]

daemon said:

CABC said:

ally_f said:

The MR2 is a far better car, more refined, precise, better handling and much quicker, but the MX5 was still the go-to if I was feeling like a ham-fisted hooligan and for that reason it's the one that I took to track days.

nailed the benefit of the 5 there. fun.
MR2, like the Elise, is a more precision tool.
Great to have both together i would suggest!

I've had both.

Would prefer the MX5.

Had both too but would definitely prefer the MR2

[daemon]

LaurasOtherHalf said:

daemon said:

CABC said:

ally_f said:

The MR2 is a far better car, more refined, precise, better handling and much quicker, but the MX5 was still the go-to if I was feeling like a ham-fisted hooligan and for that reason it's the one that I took to track days.

nailed the benefit of the 5 there. fun.
MR2, like the Elise, is a more precision tool.
Great to have both together i would suggest!

I've had both.

Would prefer the MX5.

Had both too but would definitely prefer the MR2

Damn

Wasnt worth me posting that then. We've cancelled each other out!

[TameRacingDriver]

I very nearly considered a MK3 MR2 as a cheaper sports car option instead of the Z4C I ended up buying instead.

The thing is, I'd driven a Mk3 many years ago, coming from a Clio 182. Granted, I was less bothered about handling characteristics (although they were still fairly important), but I did find it quite underwhelming. I could see that the handling was actually excellent, far better than the Clio. However, that engine just didn't feel up to the job to me.

So, I what I really wanted was a 2ZZ one, but try finding one for sale. Assuming you do, you have to answer lots of questions as to WHY they are selling it. There are many genuine reasons, but the thought that it was a failed project with gremlins they couldn't solve popped into my mind far too many times for me genuinely go for it. As the OP says, if you pay an expert to do it, is ceases to be a cheap Roadster. In the end, if I was going to spend the kind of cash I would probably have ended up doing, I'd have been better off in an Elise, but I ended up just going for the Zed (totally different car, appreciated, but huge fun).

I could still fancy one as a toy, but I don't have the readies lying about, nor is it fair for a flat dweller like myself to have 3 cars parked in the street.

One day, perhaps... I have a LOT of respect for those little cars, and I did love my old Mk2 Turbo.

[zebra]

daemon said:

LaurasOtherHalf said:

daemon said:

CABC said:

ally_f said:

The MR2 is a far better car, more refined, precise, better handling and much quicker, but the MX5 was still the go-to if I was feeling like a ham-fisted hooligan and for that reason it's the one that I took to track days.

nailed the benefit of the 5 there. fun.
MR2, like the Elise, is a more precision tool.
Great to have both together i would suggest!

I've had both.

Would prefer the MX5.

Had both too but would definitely prefer the MR2

Damn

Wasnt worth me posting that then. We've cancelled each other out!

Possibly but I prefer the Mx5 having had 4 of them. Scales have tipped again.

[LaurasOtherHalf]

zebra said:

daemon said:

LaurasOtherHalf said:

daemon said:

CABC said:

ally_f said:

The MR2 is a far better car, more refined, precise, better handling and much quicker, but the MX5 was still the go-to if I was feeling like a ham-fisted hooligan and for that reason it's the one that I took to track days.

nailed the benefit of the 5 there. fun.
MR2, like the Elise, is a more precision tool.
Great to have both together i would suggest!

I've had both.

Would prefer the MX5.

Had both too but would definitely prefer the MR2

Damn

Wasnt worth me posting that then. We've cancelled each other out!

Possibly but I prefer the Mx5 having had 4 of them. Scales have tipped again.

See daemon, it's always worth posting! MR2 Spyder is definitely rarer which probably tells it's own story

[zebra]

LaurasOtherHalf said:

zebra said:

daemon said:

LaurasOtherHalf said:

daemon said:

CABC said:

ally_f said:

The MR2 is a far better car, more refined, precise, better handling and much quicker, but the MX5 was still the go-to if I was feeling like a ham-fisted hooligan and for that reason it's the one that I took to track days.

nailed the benefit of the 5 there. fun.
MR2, like the Elise, is a more precision tool.
Great to have both together i would suggest!

I've had both.

Would prefer the MX5.

Had both too but would definitely prefer the MR2

Damn

Wasnt worth me posting that then. We've cancelled each other out!

Possibly but I prefer the Mx5 having had 4 of them. Scales have tipped again.

See daemon, it's always worth posting! MR2 Spyder is definitely rarer which probably tells it's own story

The story is that it wasn't popular enough to keep making it.

Jokin aside, great car but not as usable as an Mx5. Looks great, handles great, performance is reasonable but will never be the 'new Mk 1 Mx5'

[daemon]

zebra said:

Jokin aside, great car but not as usable as an Mx5. Looks great, handles great, performance is reasonable but will never be the 'new Mk 1 Mx5'

Thats really the crux of it for me.

Also not helped by the fact its not the "first" of its line. mk1 MX5 - first of its line, which continues today. mk3 MR2 - two versions before it, Toyota couldnt be bothered making another

[McAndy]

daveofedinburgh said:

I once moved house in a mk1 MX5 (I know, 'cool story bro').

White goods, TVs and furniture etc. required a van ofcourse, but virtually all the other useless junk that we humans accumulate was moved over the course of afew (roof down) jaunts across London, scraping speedbumps all the way.

Admittedly, I doubt I could've done that in an MR2...

I guess that's the second downside of the mk3 MR2 (early 1ZZ bork being the first) that I neglected to mention; it's widely known to be VERY impractical due to lack of storage/ boot space. Would be interested to hear from a more knowledgeable/ geeky PHer as to what the actual difference is in terms of sq. litres of storage (or whatever the appropriate unit of measurement is!).

Without having actually owned one, I'd hazard a guess that it could still perform most day-to-day tasks... Even the ridiculously tiny 'boot' must be able to take afew bags from Tesco? The passenger footwell could certainly swallow a couple of them. I'd imagine that the missus and I could fit enough gear in there for a weekend jaunt without too much discomfort (waits to be corrected by mk3 owners).

Realistically, is the storage space difference between the two cars enough to sway a potential buyer away from the MR2? In most cases I suspect not; particularly given that most will be very much a 'second' car.

Edit:

Maybe I should retract that comment about 'afew bags from Tesco';

Edited by daveofedinburgh on Sunday 5th June 01:04

My wife and I lived out of our Mk3 MR2 for a week, driving 1,000 miles around the UK ad camping each night in a 4 person tent. While it has its limitations, from experience my understanding is that people are just crap at packing!

k-ink said:

The MR2 is so limited in storage you may as well get a bike. At least you can go shopping with an MX5.

Ref. the last sentence: seriously? Weekly shops were no problem at all. A weekly shop on a bike would be a fair few factors more challenging!