MR2 Roadster

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Discussion

deadmau5

3,197 posts

179 months

Tuesday 25th March 2014
quotequote all
Craikeybaby said:
It has passed now, garage took it out for a thrash, then retested it. No other advisories.
Is that the excuse they use nowadays? wink

james_gt3rs

4,816 posts

190 months

Tuesday 25th March 2014
quotequote all
deadmau5 said:
Craikeybaby said:
It has passed now, garage took it out for a thrash, then retested it. No other advisories.
Is that the excuse they use nowadays? wink
It used to be 'just testing the brakes' wink

Craikeybaby

Original Poster:

10,367 posts

224 months

Tuesday 25th March 2014
quotequote all
hehe

It probably didn't help that the last few journeys in the MR2 had all be less than a mile, glad to know that it is otherwise in good condition.

Craikeybaby

Original Poster:

10,367 posts

224 months

Sunday 6th April 2014
quotequote all
Took a largish stone to the windscreen on the M45 yesterday, it looks like I'll be needing a new windscreen to go with the new pants - aw the rock coming straight towards my face from a distance, a couple of inches higher and it could have been a different story as the roof was down!



I've got the MR2 booked for a service and 4 wheel alignment with Matt Performace in Water Orton, he seems to be very highly regarded by the MR2 Roadster community - it will be good to have someone who knows these cars well have a look over it. I'm also on the way to having the "ears" sorted, with a replacement top strap on its way from the states.

Craikeybaby

Original Poster:

10,367 posts

224 months

Tuesday 15th April 2014
quotequote all
After cracking the windscreen last weekend, this weekend I had a tyre let go at motorway speed:


Blown tyre on the MR2 by Lewis Craik, on Flickr

Which is why I was at the Morgan Sunday Service in the 500.

Tyre now replaced and windscreen getting replaced tomorrow.

LasseV

1,754 posts

132 months

Tuesday 15th April 2014
quotequote all
Damn, bad luck! Good that you are okay.

Have you been on track with your mr2?

Craikeybaby

Original Poster:

10,367 posts

224 months

Tuesday 15th April 2014
quotequote all
LasseV said:
Damn, bad luck! Good that you are okay.

Have you been on track with your mr2?
Thanks, not yet - that is a plan for later in the year.

Craikeybaby

Original Poster:

10,367 posts

224 months

Monday 21st April 2014
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No MR2 related mishaps this weekend, which was nice, so I treated it to a wash and wax:

MR2 washed & waxed by Lewis Craik, on Flickr

It scrubs up well, although there area few deeper scratches on the paintwork, which I'll need to polish out sooner, rather than later. I'm not sure how they're getting there, unless the paint is even softer than Mazda's.

I was able to get a replacement tyre sorted fairly cheaply, but still haven't got the windscreen repaired, after the only glass company my insurance company will deal with decided to ignore my reminder that my MR2 is the face lifted model and turned up with a screen for a pre-facelift car. So thumbs down to Auto Glass (and Marker Study for forcing me to use them).

MR2 plans for this week are a service at the local MR2 specialist and hopefully a new windscreen!

Edited by Craikeybaby on Saturday 7th June 12:08

Craikeybaby

Original Poster:

10,367 posts

224 months

Wednesday 23rd April 2014
quotequote all
Got the MR2 back from the garage today - now my wallet is a lot lighter!

It was in for a big service, but as the brake pedal felt a bit spongy and the steering wheel wasn't exactly centred I asked them to change the brake fluid, give the car a 4 wheel alignment and give the car a good check over.

My feelings about the brake fluid and the alignment were right, the brake fluid was well past its best when tested and the alignment was a bit out at the front and quite a bit out at the back - enough that I noticed the handling was different on the drive home.

The only problem that they noticed was that the radiator had seen better days - the exposed part at the bottom had lost a lot of fins due to stone chips/corrosion, so as the coolant was to be replaced as part of the service anyway I gave them the go ahead to replace the radiator, rather than having to pay for 2 coolant changes. Other than that they were very complimentary about my car.

The total cost came to £425, which isn't too bad given the amount of work, but with the new tyre last week and the windscreen excess to pay tomorrow it has been an expensive fortnight of MR2 ownership!

Craikeybaby

Original Poster:

10,367 posts

224 months

Saturday 7th June 2014
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Yesterday I gave the MR2 a clean and applied some stickers for the trip to Le Mans next week:

MR2 stickered up for Le Mans by Lewis Craik, on Flickr

As I've got builders round, building a garage for the MR2, I've been driving to work so I can get home quickly if needed and I've found myself not bothering to drop the hood - which would have never happened on my MX-5s, the hood mechanism is just that bit more awkward, which means I don't really drop the hood as much, which is a shame.

Craikeybaby

Original Poster:

10,367 posts

224 months

Wednesday 18th June 2014
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I'm back from a brilliant weekend at Le Mans, we managed to fit all our camping kit & luggage in the car, so I'm fairly sure I'd be able to do a decent European tour next.

The MR2 didn't miss a beat for the 1000 mile trip, except for the check engine light illuminating on the way back to the campsite from Arnage. I checked the engine, as much as I could in a French field and as it seemed fine I drove the 500 miles home. Performance, economy and temperatures all seemed fine, so I'm not too worried.

I've been meaning to get a fault code reader for a while, so this is the kick I need to buy one.

I wonder if it is something linked to the emissions fail at MOT time.

deadmau5

3,197 posts

179 months

Wednesday 18th June 2014
quotequote all
Craikeybaby said:
I'm back from a brilliant weekend at Le Mans, we managed to fit all our camping kit & luggage in the car, so I'm fairly sure I'd be able to do a decent European tour next.

The MR2 didn't miss a beat for the 1000 mile trip, except for the check engine light illuminating on the way back to the campsite from Arnage. I checked the engine, as much as I could in a French field and as it seemed fine I drove the 500 miles home. Performance, economy and temperatures all seemed fine, so I'm not too worried.

I've been meaning to get a fault code reader for a while, so this is the kick I need to buy one.

I wonder if it is something linked to the emissions fail at MOT time.
Almost certainly an O2 sensor. The MR2 eats them. Unfortunately they're about £60 for an OEM one.

Did it come on slightly after you'd started the car?

Craikeybaby

Original Poster:

10,367 posts

224 months

Wednesday 18th June 2014
quotequote all
I think if was more it didn't go out when I started the car, but can't be sure. You're the second person to have said O2 sensor - are they a DIY fix?

james_gt3rs

4,816 posts

190 months

Wednesday 18th June 2014
quotequote all
Craikeybaby said:
I think if was more it didn't go out when I started the car, but can't be sure. You're the second person to have said O2 sensor - are they a DIY fix?
I've had 2 go in the last year, details in 'My garage'.

Craikeybaby

Original Poster:

10,367 posts

224 months

Wednesday 18th June 2014
quotequote all
Interesting, you seem to be having a lot of the same problems as me - my radiator was shot, but caught it before it leaked.

What took are you using for the fault code reads?

james_gt3rs

4,816 posts

190 months

Wednesday 18th June 2014
quotequote all
I used the cheap orange one. Recently bought a cheap bluetooth one but haven't had any fault codes yet.

deadmau5

3,197 posts

179 months

Wednesday 18th June 2014
quotequote all
Craikeybaby said:
Interesting, you seem to be having a lot of the same problems as me - my radiator was shot, but caught it before it leaked.

What took are you using for the fault code reads?
I also had my radiator go. Thankfully it was right at the end of a 15 mile journey so I coasted it home!

Also have the cheap orange OBD-II scanner.

There are two sensors in the top of the manifold and one further down. The top two are much easier to change. You'll need an O2 sensor remover if you haven't got one already: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sealey-Oxygen-Sensor-Soc...

Craikeybaby

Original Poster:

10,367 posts

224 months

Wednesday 18th June 2014
quotequote all
Thanks, I'll have a look later, do the fault code readers say which of the 3 sensors it is?

deadmau5

3,197 posts

179 months

Thursday 19th June 2014
quotequote all
Craikeybaby said:
Thanks, I'll have a look later, do the fault code readers say which of the 3 sensors it is?
It will say something like P0348 and you look that number up in the supplied booklet and it will tell you. 'Sensor 1, bank 2' or something like that.

Craikeybaby

Original Poster:

10,367 posts

224 months

Thursday 19th June 2014
quotequote all
Thanks, I've ordered a fault code reader, so will see how I get on.

Last night I worked out the fuel economy from the last tank and it hit 36mpg - which is the highests I've had it, although I'm guessing that is more to do with the journey being all motorway, rather than whatever fault is on the engine.