MR2 Roadster

Author
Discussion

james_gt3rs

4,816 posts

190 months

Friday 25th October 2013
quotequote all
chrisp84 said:
And I think how much I want one! Would love having my mk1 for summer then a mk3 for winter.
I think the mk3 would end up replacing the mk1 one though. I'd say the mk1 has a nicer engine (not more powerful though), much better looking, and more practical... but the mk3 is probably a better car.

chrisp84

408 posts

212 months

Friday 25th October 2013
quotequote all
james_gt3rs said:
chrisp84 said:
And I think how much I want one! Would love having my mk1 for summer then a mk3 for winter.
I think the mk3 would end up replacing the mk1 one though. I'd say the mk1 has a nicer engine (not more powerful though), much better looking, and more practical... but the mk3 is probably a better car.
You may be right, but keeping the mk1 as a track car.

james_gt3rs

4,816 posts

190 months

Friday 25th October 2013
quotequote all
chrisp84 said:
james_gt3rs said:
chrisp84 said:
And I think how much I want one! Would love having my mk1 for summer then a mk3 for winter.
I think the mk3 would end up replacing the mk1 one though. I'd say the mk1 has a nicer engine (not more powerful though), much better looking, and more practical... but the mk3 is probably a better car.
You may be right, but keeping the mk1 as a track car.
The mk3 is great on track as well biggrin It would be like owning an Elise and an Exige... both great but which one would you choose to drive each day?

Craikeybaby

Original Poster:

10,367 posts

224 months

Sunday 27th October 2013
quotequote all
Had another good drive out after the F1 this morning, went on a 20 mile drive to the supermarket, which is less than a mile away.

I had been expecting rain all day, so to be able to have a roof down hoon was a nice surprise. I wish I'd taken a proper camera with me, as the light was nice. Took this only iPhone:

MR2 by Lewis Craik, on Flickr

LasseV

1,754 posts

132 months

Thursday 31st October 2013
quotequote all
Nice car! I want MR2 Roadster.. Best bang for the buck in every category, i think.

Craikeybaby

Original Poster:

10,367 posts

224 months

Friday 27th December 2013
quotequote all
There have been a few old weather days recently, so I have been able to enjoy the MR2 over Christmas, although one morning I did open it to find wet seats, so checking the seals can be added to my todo list.

I've checked the economy and only seem to be getting 30mpg on super unleaded, which is a bit under what I was expecting, even with my usage which is either short urban journeys or hooning (obviously not thrashing it from cold etc).

A few days ago I had a run out in a friend's S2 Elise, the car that I want to replace the MR2 eventually. It made me realise just how refined the MR2 actually is. To be honest I think that the MR2 may actually be the sweet spot for me between performance and refinement.

Robert Elise

956 posts

144 months

Friday 27th December 2013
quotequote all
MX5 - great clean sports car handling
Elise - raw awesome handling/grip
MR2 - in between somewhere? Mid-engined, high grip that can bite too.

I've had the first two, and fancy trying an MR2.
All great cars, thankfully manufacturers still making them. Just.

Craikeybaby

Original Poster:

10,367 posts

224 months

Friday 27th December 2013
quotequote all
It's a shame they aren't still making the MR2, I think it's a good compromise.

The 2011 MX-5 I had was pretty good too, and probably would be more suited to the European trips I'll be doing next year than my MR2 will be.

Robert Elise

956 posts

144 months

Friday 27th December 2013
quotequote all
Craikeybaby said:
It's a shame they aren't still making the MR2, I think it's a good compromise.

The 2011 MX-5 I had was pretty good too, and probably would be more suited to the European trips I'll be doing next year than my MR2 will be.
I think the GT86 has a few more years and variants left. It'll be very sad if not.
Hot hatches are great these days, but as a general car that is also swift. I want more from my driver's car.

Craikeybaby

Original Poster:

10,367 posts

224 months

Friday 10th January 2014
quotequote all
Due to some project goal posts moving at work it looks like the MR2 won't be going to Monaco this year, which is a shame, but it will still be going to Le Mans!

Craikeybaby

Original Poster:

10,367 posts

224 months

Sunday 2nd March 2014
quotequote all
I had a really good weekend with the MR2, maybe it is because the sun was out, but I really enjoyed running about in it locally - which actually took the sting out of having to pay the £220 road tax. As my previous car was leased, which included tax it had been a while since I last had to tax a car!

On friday after work I washed and waxed the MR2 and was pretty pleased with how it looked:

Clean MR2 by Lewis Craik, on Flickr

I found what appears to be something loose under the front of the car - so that will need some further investigation. Afterwards I took a 40 mile detour home via some of my favourite local B-roads, it had been a while since I'd been out driving purely for fun and the MR2 was perfect.

On Saturday the MR2 brightened up trips to the supermarket (managed to stash the big shop behind the seats) and to see the in laws - again via some B-road detours.

Before the rain arrived on Sunday I managed to get out to meet a friend for breakfast, all sundays should start with sports cars, empty roads, friends and bacon!

Paraicj

502 posts

140 months

Wednesday 5th March 2014
quotequote all
It really doesn't look like a 10yr old car, the polish and seat cleaning bring out the best. Definitely a possibility for next car bought...

Craikeybaby

Original Poster:

10,367 posts

224 months

Wednesday 5th March 2014
quotequote all
Thanks, it's still fairly low milage and not having been replaced means it has aged well. They are brilliant cars - go for it!

Craikeybaby

Original Poster:

10,367 posts

224 months

Friday 21st March 2014
quotequote all
Had a weekend away in Chester, so it would have been rude not to detour via North Wales to get the MR2 on to some decent roads - and it didn't disappoint, I'm now looking forward to a proper Wales trip. Luggage wise we were fine, there was even room for shopping!


MR2 by Lewis Craik, on Flickr

While I was cleaning the car I noticed that there was something loose behind one of the fog lights, I tried to have a proper look under there this evening, but it seems like the wheel arch liner is attached to the front bumper, which means it is going to be a slightly bigger job than I anticipated On the positive side it is probably better for preventing corrosion.

550man

163 posts

161 months

Saturday 22nd March 2014
quotequote all
I loved mine. Had exactly the same colour scheme. Was great fun. Light, revvy - enjoyed chucking it around (in the dry - less so in the wet - could get a bit frisky!). Miss it so much, looking to move back to something light and simple thanks to the great memories my MR2 gave me.

Enjoy it - looks like you are!

Craikeybaby

Original Poster:

10,367 posts

224 months

Tuesday 25th March 2014
quotequote all
Yes, I am enjoying it, it is getting a lot of use for what is meant to be a weekend only car!

Just dropped it off to be MOT'd, even though I know it's a decent car it is always a worrying time.

randomman

2,215 posts

188 months

Tuesday 25th March 2014
quotequote all
I felt the need to reply to this thread as it has cost me more money than any other thread I have ever read.

I used your first picture posted to sell the idea to Mrs Randomman (or should that be Randomwoman?) and I am now the proud owner of an 03 facelift MR2 in Sable with red leather interior. Truth be told that first picture sold it to me as well, it looks stunning. I've got a few things to do before summer really arrives (new fogs, demist headlights and sort out a small rattle in the exhaust at 2k revs) but I am loving every moment of it and can fully understand the 20 mile trips to the supermarket. My personal detour takes about 12 miles... but that leads back to my house and not the supermarket.

I hope to hear more of your journeys and as the weather improves I shall get some pictures of my own up.

One last note mr2roc.org seems to be a very useful font of knowledge, with just about everything you could possible do/fix on the 2 detailed in some way.


Craikeybaby

Original Poster:

10,367 posts

224 months

Tuesday 25th March 2014
quotequote all
Failed MOT on emissions. Doh.

Craikeybaby

Original Poster:

10,367 posts

224 months

Tuesday 25th March 2014
quotequote all
randomman said:
I felt the need to reply to this thread as it has cost me more money than any other thread I have ever read.

I used your first picture posted to sell the idea to Mrs Randomman (or should that be Randomwoman?) and I am now the proud owner of an 03 facelift MR2 in Sable with red leather interior. Truth be told that first picture sold it to me as well, it looks stunning. I've got a few things to do before summer really arrives (new fogs, demist headlights and sort out a small rattle in the exhaust at 2k revs) but I am loving every moment of it and can fully understand the 20 mile trips to the supermarket. My personal detour takes about 12 miles... but that leads back to my house and not the supermarket.

I hope to hear more of your journeys and as the weather improves I shall get some pictures of my own up.

One last note mr2roc.org seems to be a very useful font of knowledge, with just about everything you could possible do/fix on the 2 detailed in some way.
Good work! I've got a few little niggles to sort on mine, including demisting the lights, but I've been putting them off until I have a garage to work on it in - hopefully that will be sorted in the next few months!

Craikeybaby

Original Poster:

10,367 posts

224 months

Tuesday 25th March 2014
quotequote all
It has passed now, garage took it out for a thrash, then retested it. No other advisories.