RE: Shed Of The Week: Toyota MR2 GT
Discussion
405dogvan said:
SonicShadow said:
I think values will go up as neglected ones go for parts / scrap and they become more rare
err, yeah, that's how it works - however there are other factors.Cars drop in value until they're worth more in bits but there has to be DEMAND for the bits and that demand can be curbed by parts which are rare and which most cars can't donate (because they're knackered or incompatible or whatever). Put simply, people only pay good money for good cars which don't need work and which parts are available for.
Furthermore, the cars reach an age where "they need everything doing to them" - once someone has embarked on serious restoration (not just a bit of sill bodging) they are throwing thousands into the car and will want SOME of that back and that drives-up prices in itself.
The idea that you can buy a car, spend nothing on it and watch it's value rise really only applies to rare and expensive metal (money makes money) - you cannot buy a cheap and slightly tired sportscar and wait for it to blossom financially, it'll never happen.
Who else ever made one? Mr2 Turbo's are rare enough in England due to not being made here. As numbers dwindle even further the values will rise.
I sold mine for £2,350 (1992 Rev 2) 5 years ago, they're already selling for more than that now.
They wont be worth tens of thousands but I can see these creeping up to late single thousands for good ones in the next few years.
Rev 5 Turbo's are extremely rare already due to the change in import laws around about the time Rev 5's came out. I forget the specifics but it was something to do with difficulty importing cars under 10 years old so Rev 5's wouldn't have been imported in large numbers until 2010ish (some got through during the naughties though)
Reading this thread kind of gives you an idea why they're not subject to the same JDM tax as other cars of the era. I didn't realise MR2's were so misunderstood!
As someone else said, these are cars you learn to drive. And that is the key to enjoying them.
The numbers don't tell the whole story either. they are bloody quick! My previous turbo had basic mods and had no right to be as fast as it was! You wouldn't imagine it to be 1200KG+.
The 3S is a peach of an engine with or without boost. Sounds great, exactly the sort of car you want to be in for a spring/summer/autumn/winter drive!
As someone else said, these are cars you learn to drive. And that is the key to enjoying them.
The numbers don't tell the whole story either. they are bloody quick! My previous turbo had basic mods and had no right to be as fast as it was! You wouldn't imagine it to be 1200KG+.
The 3S is a peach of an engine with or without boost. Sounds great, exactly the sort of car you want to be in for a spring/summer/autumn/winter drive!
![](https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/t31.0-8/964543_10151401320255178_50123130_o.jpg[/img] <a href="http://thumbsnap.com/LX1vXivn" Target="_blank">[img]http://thumbsnap.com/sc/LX1vXivn.jpg)
andreas542 said:
Ug_lee said:
Well as for not been able to afford a Ferrari, I've got something probably much more expensive to run lurking in the background.
SonicShadow said:
I do like the colour coded side strip look on a Sonic, my old one had that. I was going to colour code my current one too, but now I've got my Advans back on with dark centres, I think the black side strip quite suits it:
Funnily enough I prefer the black side strip too as I think it breaks up the sea of silver and matches the roof nicely. The strip was painted silver for the previous buyer who I bought it back off and now it is returning to a black strip for the next new owner
The addition of silver graphics on the sidestrip like they had on the Turbo's which for some reason stopped on the Sonics is a nice touch like this:
I know that everything is relative, but I cannot imagine anyone driving a decent MR2 turbo and not thinking it a fast car.
I had a fairly standard REV4 turbo and that was a quick car, but the fettled REV3 turbo I had...holy mother of god was it fast. Rapaciously, stomach churningly fast. Full bore acceleration in the first three gears would see the bonnet rising as all the weight went to the back of the car and it surged forward. You had to be very respectful in the wet.
I still fancy another, but not many good ones left.
I had a fairly standard REV4 turbo and that was a quick car, but the fettled REV3 turbo I had...holy mother of god was it fast. Rapaciously, stomach churningly fast. Full bore acceleration in the first three gears would see the bonnet rising as all the weight went to the back of the car and it surged forward. You had to be very respectful in the wet.
I still fancy another, but not many good ones left.
Ug_lee said:
Funnily enough I prefer the black side strip too as I think it breaks up the sea of silver and matches the roof nicely. The strip was painted silver for the previous buyer who I bought it back off and now it is returning to a black strip for the next new owner
The addition of silver graphics on the sidestrip like they had on the Turbo's which for some reason stopped on the Sonics is a nice touch like this:
The sticker is a nice touch. I think I prefer yours with the black strips too The addition of silver graphics on the sidestrip like they had on the Turbo's which for some reason stopped on the Sonics is a nice touch like this:
My Mother in Law has a white G reg MR2 that is absolutely factory standard and has been serviced on the button by the same Toyota main dealer, and kept in her garage every single day, since she bought it new in 1989. It's got something like 50k miles on it and is absolutely mint. She loves it to bits, warms it up properly before giving it the beans and drives it as Toyota meant it to be driven - not bad for an 87 year old!!!
Well - as we are posting images:
This was mine - started off fairly standard but then was upgraded to a CT26b turbo, upped boost, full front end suspension rebuild, custom sub enclosure, amp and no doubt many more tweaks.
Utterly cracking car - really quick and handled like a go kart after the front suspension work.
Roof leaked like a leaky sieve though...
I miss it - as I do many of my cars. Not hard when I now drive an 11 year old Skoda FFS.
This was mine - started off fairly standard but then was upgraded to a CT26b turbo, upped boost, full front end suspension rebuild, custom sub enclosure, amp and no doubt many more tweaks.
Utterly cracking car - really quick and handled like a go kart after the front suspension work.
Roof leaked like a leaky sieve though...
I miss it - as I do many of my cars. Not hard when I now drive an 11 year old Skoda FFS.
Had an M reg gts turbo back in 2001 no cat required with the old loop-hole in the Mot, coming from a mk1 MR2 this thing felt proper fast as in proper hard wired to your brain shove when needed....worth a mention also that it always felt significantly faster in colder weather, the two small intakes after each door didn't allow much in the way of air flow to either the intercooler or the air-intake, compared to the front mounted intercooler on an Evolution VI for example.
Ug_lee said:
Cheers I still need to have a long hard think about if I'm doing the right thing selling it but 3 people into a 2 seater simply doesn't work. It took me years to find genuine BBS LM's in the correct staggered fitment.
Love your car Lee - It was watching your videos that convinced me to do the same with mine.Obligatory here's mine photo:
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff