Discussion
I had a great trip to the Prescott PHSS earlier in the month - the MR2 was good fun up the hill climb. I think it was one of those situations where a smaller footprint was more beneficial than lots of power. It was pretty narrow!
After that I parked the Roadster in the garage and have not driven it, life was much too hectic. I could have taken it to work yesterday, but decided to take the train - and didn't get home until 8pm because of "an issue with overhead wires". Should have driven.
Or maybe not! I took my son to his swimming lesson, he loved being picked up from school in the sportscar with the roof down! As we were approaching the swimming pool I was behind a bus. I could smell a burnt brakes smell, which I just blamed on the bus. Until we parked up, and I could still smell brakes. The right rear brake calliper was smoking, and the wheel was pretty warm. It didn't seem as bad on the way home, but I will check it out tomorrow. I am meant to be going to the Bicester Scramble on Sunday, so hopefully the MR2 is fit! I suppose that I am lucky I got the train yesterday - an issue with the car through the roadworks on the M6, or on the Aston Expressway into Birmingham would not have been fun.
After that I parked the Roadster in the garage and have not driven it, life was much too hectic. I could have taken it to work yesterday, but decided to take the train - and didn't get home until 8pm because of "an issue with overhead wires". Should have driven.
Or maybe not! I took my son to his swimming lesson, he loved being picked up from school in the sportscar with the roof down! As we were approaching the swimming pool I was behind a bus. I could smell a burnt brakes smell, which I just blamed on the bus. Until we parked up, and I could still smell brakes. The right rear brake calliper was smoking, and the wheel was pretty warm. It didn't seem as bad on the way home, but I will check it out tomorrow. I am meant to be going to the Bicester Scramble on Sunday, so hopefully the MR2 is fit! I suppose that I am lucky I got the train yesterday - an issue with the car through the roadworks on the M6, or on the Aston Expressway into Birmingham would not have been fun.
The brakes have been fine since my last update - thankfully. I have just been using the MR2 to commute into Birmingham a few times a month and run errands locally. Except for last night, when I managed to have a brilliant drive. I had to pick my son up from the in-laws, and we took the long way home. It was a cool, dry evening, so naturally, we had the roof down. Somehow we managed to time it just right so we had a 1o mile stretch of B road with no traffic in front of us! It was one of the best drives I have had for years.
It is the annual MR2 event at Hatton this weekend, so will try to give the Roadster a wash and pop down for a few hours.
It is the annual MR2 event at Hatton this weekend, so will try to give the Roadster a wash and pop down for a few hours.
This is my 10,000th post on PH, so I thought I should make it on my longest running thread. Even if there is not that much to report. The MR2 keeps running nicely, although it is really only being used for commuting and local errands at the moment.
It was fun taking it down the the national MR2 show with my youngest son a few weeks back:
LRCV0081 by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
We also recently went to watch the MR2 racing at Mallory Park, but as I had to take both my sons to that we went in the van.
The only other update is that someone bumped into my wife's car last week, so it is booked into a local bodyshop to get the resulting bumper scuff removed. If they do a decent job, I'll also sent the MR2 there to get a few bits tidied up.
It was fun taking it down the the national MR2 show with my youngest son a few weeks back:
LRCV0081 by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
We also recently went to watch the MR2 racing at Mallory Park, but as I had to take both my sons to that we went in the van.
The only other update is that someone bumped into my wife's car last week, so it is booked into a local bodyshop to get the resulting bumper scuff removed. If they do a decent job, I'll also sent the MR2 there to get a few bits tidied up.
It seems to be a bit feast and famine for the MR2 at the moment, I barely drove it for weeks when the weather was bad, then over the last 2 weekends I've gone through a full tank of petrol! First was PH25, via some family visits in the Cotswolds, a few local trips, a trip to the office in central Birmingham, then last weekend I was on a course up in the Peak District. It was a good drive there, and back late at night, with the roof down, but sadly seemed to spend most of the time stuck behind traffic. Still, the scenic route in the Roadster is better than the motorway route in my van.
As it is holiday time now, the MR2 is tucked up in the garage, on the trickle charger, waiting what will hopefully be an Indian summer and some hooning!
As it is holiday time now, the MR2 is tucked up in the garage, on the trickle charger, waiting what will hopefully be an Indian summer and some hooning!
Finally got a chance to de-poo the Roadster - it actually looks OK for a 19 year old car!
Whilst drying it, I noticed that the rubber seal on the scuttle panel had broken and was just flapping around. I have pushed it back in to place, but it looks like I will need to replace the while scuttle panel trim. Hopefully I can get one from a breaker.
Whilst drying it, I noticed that the rubber seal on the scuttle panel had broken and was just flapping around. I have pushed it back in to place, but it looks like I will need to replace the while scuttle panel trim. Hopefully I can get one from a breaker.
The MR2 has spent most of the last 6 weeks in the garage, connected to the trickle charger, as life has got in the way.
Yesterday I went to pump up the tyres and disconnect the charger, only to find that I hadn't switched the charger on at the plug. Fail. Unsurprisingly it didn't start. Although it did after a few hours connected to the charger when it was switched on
I have been using it as my daily driver this week, and it is great to be back in the Roadster, even if it is just for ferrying my son to various hospital appointments. Especially as my older son appreciates spirited driving.
Yesterday I went to pump up the tyres and disconnect the charger, only to find that I hadn't switched the charger on at the plug. Fail. Unsurprisingly it didn't start. Although it did after a few hours connected to the charger when it was switched on
I have been using it as my daily driver this week, and it is great to be back in the Roadster, even if it is just for ferrying my son to various hospital appointments. Especially as my older son appreciates spirited driving.
The good thing about all the rain we have had recently is that it washes the salt of the roads, so I have been using the Roadster a fair bit over the last few weeks.
However, yesterday, whilst driving in some particularly heavy rain, I noticed a strange clicking noise from the wipers. I expect it is something to do with the linkages, as I could feel it through the brake pedal when stationary.
I have meant to do some tidying up under the bonnet, including replacing the scuttle panel, as the rubber seal is coming off on mine, so this gives me a bit of a kick to crack on with that.
As I shared on my other readers cars thread, I have been messing about with AI:
Although with some further digging, I have found instructions on how to turn the Lego Supra model in to an MR2 Roadster, which I feel will be a nice indoor project over the Christmas. Even though it will be yellow, rather than grey.
However, yesterday, whilst driving in some particularly heavy rain, I noticed a strange clicking noise from the wipers. I expect it is something to do with the linkages, as I could feel it through the brake pedal when stationary.
I have meant to do some tidying up under the bonnet, including replacing the scuttle panel, as the rubber seal is coming off on mine, so this gives me a bit of a kick to crack on with that.
As I shared on my other readers cars thread, I have been messing about with AI:
Although with some further digging, I have found instructions on how to turn the Lego Supra model in to an MR2 Roadster, which I feel will be a nice indoor project over the Christmas. Even though it will be yellow, rather than grey.
I got the MR2 out of hibernation today. I was meant to be taking it to the PHSS tomorrow, then on to lunch in Cheltenham, but as the field at Prescott is a bit wet and the event has bee cancelled, I'll just go straight to Cheltenham and take the scenic route. It will be good to be out in the MR2.
As the car has been tucked up in the garage, possibly since last year, I thought I should probably take it out for shakedown. A 15 mile b-road detour to the supermarket just up the road showed that the MR2 wasn't any worse off from its extended stay in the garage.
It could do with a wash though.
As the car has been tucked up in the garage, possibly since last year, I thought I should probably take it out for shakedown. A 15 mile b-road detour to the supermarket just up the road showed that the MR2 wasn't any worse off from its extended stay in the garage.
It could do with a wash though.
Craikeybaby said:
That was an enjoyable 120 miles! Even if I had to stop to put the roof up twice.
You mean "That was an enjoyable 120 miles! And I managed to zoom around with the roof down, twice." 
Much as I love my current car, I still miss my mk3 on certain roads
recursion by kentsmudger, on Flickr
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