MR2 buying guidance please
Discussion
Hello,
I started a thread about a week ago asking for advice on cars going from a fiat coupe 20vt to something else. After alot of thinking, the mr2 is my chosen car. I am going to look at a very nice 1998 example at the weekend with the full intention to buy if it is what it states in the add. So, basic breakdown:
UK spec rev 5 1998 mk2 MR2 N/A
Condition is considered "immaculate"
Running on fully-adjustable BC coilovers
BMC CDA induction kit (this to me looks crazy for how much they cost to buy)
New calipers, bushes and drop links all round
Running on toyo proxes TR1's all round, with two brand new tyres on the front
No signs of rust
T-bar seals have been silicone sealed to prevent leakages
Owner is a genuine enthusiast claimed to have owned two previously including another rev5 before this one
He has said he will let me drive the car with the right documentation and will take me out in it and open it up a little, is there anything I should be looking out for in particular? The clutch apparently has "life left in it" but that to me is very subjective and could be a good way to cover up something. Is there any way to check for things that may fail, or anything nasty to look out for. All I mainly hear is poor sills but he told me they constructed the rev5 differently so it didn't suffer as bad on the sills as the other cars, is this true?
Also I worry that leaving this car outside all year will eventually start to show up as the seals fail. All is well now when the sun is out and shining but I have no room in the garage to keep this car sheltered. Are they bad enough to consider a cover? Seems quite the task to take it on and off every morning at half 6.
Thanks,
Jalo1548.
I started a thread about a week ago asking for advice on cars going from a fiat coupe 20vt to something else. After alot of thinking, the mr2 is my chosen car. I am going to look at a very nice 1998 example at the weekend with the full intention to buy if it is what it states in the add. So, basic breakdown:
UK spec rev 5 1998 mk2 MR2 N/A
Condition is considered "immaculate"
Running on fully-adjustable BC coilovers
BMC CDA induction kit (this to me looks crazy for how much they cost to buy)
New calipers, bushes and drop links all round
Running on toyo proxes TR1's all round, with two brand new tyres on the front
No signs of rust
T-bar seals have been silicone sealed to prevent leakages
Owner is a genuine enthusiast claimed to have owned two previously including another rev5 before this one
He has said he will let me drive the car with the right documentation and will take me out in it and open it up a little, is there anything I should be looking out for in particular? The clutch apparently has "life left in it" but that to me is very subjective and could be a good way to cover up something. Is there any way to check for things that may fail, or anything nasty to look out for. All I mainly hear is poor sills but he told me they constructed the rev5 differently so it didn't suffer as bad on the sills as the other cars, is this true?
Also I worry that leaving this car outside all year will eventually start to show up as the seals fail. All is well now when the sun is out and shining but I have no room in the garage to keep this car sheltered. Are they bad enough to consider a cover? Seems quite the task to take it on and off every morning at half 6.
Thanks,
Jalo1548.
Bottom of the doors is prone to rust.
It's also worth checking how the alternator copes under load; a known weak point due to rain water draining directly onto it. So put all the electricals on full and look at the handy voltage gauge in the cluster - it should stay around 14V.
Front callipers are also known to go bad on a regular basis.
Also check the 'cancer bars' on the rear sub-frame. A quick Google will show you where they are.
Those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head but there's loads of good information on the owners club posted above, a very helpful and friendly bunch.
Enjoy the test drive; the fizziness of the 3SGE is addictive! And, with a stainless exhaust fitted, has to be one of the best sounding four pots there is.
ETA: The radiator is in a very vulnerable place so is prone to corrosion and stone damage, check that too! A new alloy one can be had for ~ £100 though so it's not the end of the world, just a b
d to bleed the system!
It's also worth checking how the alternator copes under load; a known weak point due to rain water draining directly onto it. So put all the electricals on full and look at the handy voltage gauge in the cluster - it should stay around 14V.
Front callipers are also known to go bad on a regular basis.
Also check the 'cancer bars' on the rear sub-frame. A quick Google will show you where they are.
Those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head but there's loads of good information on the owners club posted above, a very helpful and friendly bunch.
Enjoy the test drive; the fizziness of the 3SGE is addictive! And, with a stainless exhaust fitted, has to be one of the best sounding four pots there is.
ETA: The radiator is in a very vulnerable place so is prone to corrosion and stone damage, check that too! A new alloy one can be had for ~ £100 though so it's not the end of the world, just a b
d to bleed the system! Edited by yorkshireegg on Friday 17th April 01:11
PompeyPaul said:
As stated already. Radiator is indeed in a vuinerable place.
I would also have a good check (as far as possible) of the clutch, as that seems a strange thing to mention. I would have thought normally the clutch is accepted to be in good working order unless mentioned otherwise.
That rings alarm bells for me as well, it's an odd thing to say, and suggests it's just about worn out.I would also have a good check (as far as possible) of the clutch, as that seems a strange thing to mention. I would have thought normally the clutch is accepted to be in good working order unless mentioned otherwise.
OP what do you mean by "silicone sealed" on the roof panels? Silicone sealer is what you use to seal kitchen worktops and baths to the wall, and would effectively glue the rood panels into place. Do you mean silicone lubricant/rubber conditioner, which is used to keep the rubber seals in good condition?
The biggest thing to watch out for on an MR2 is rust, especially towards the rear of the sills. They tend to rust from the inside out, so a small amount of rust (or obviously patched repairs) will probably mean the inner sills are well on the way - fixable, but not a cheap job due to the time required to do it. Other common rust points are the rear arches - I've seen ones were the rear of the arch has rusted through so badly I could put my hand straight through towards the rear bumper! They can rust around the T-tops as well, though that is less common. All it takes is a small amount of paint damage and the water that collects there will do the rest.
The thing he said about Rev5 sills being different is BS. Some say that the Rev5's are actually more prone to rust as Toyota were trying to keep build costs down, but I don't know about that. At this stage in their life how it's been looked after will make a bigger difference than the revision of the car.
Where abouts are you based OP? I'd recommend signing up over on MR2OC.co.uk - chances are there will be a knowledgable member who will be happy to accompany you to have a look at it with a more critical eye.
The thing he said about Rev5 sills being different is BS. Some say that the Rev5's are actually more prone to rust as Toyota were trying to keep build costs down, but I don't know about that. At this stage in their life how it's been looked after will make a bigger difference than the revision of the car.
Where abouts are you based OP? I'd recommend signing up over on MR2OC.co.uk - chances are there will be a knowledgable member who will be happy to accompany you to have a look at it with a more critical eye.
Sounds like a good example - if the owner is a true enthusiast he should probably be on IMOC/MR2OC so you can stalk him and his car on there 
Making sure the car is rust-free should be your primary focus. The clutch, brakes, exhaust, even an engine is pretty cheap to replace as there are quite a few breakers and decent garages out there.
Making sure the car is rust-free should be your primary focus. The clutch, brakes, exhaust, even an engine is pretty cheap to replace as there are quite a few breakers and decent garages out there.
steveo3002 said:
coilovers = maybe driven hard /trackdays /boy racer , id prefer a standard one then alter what i want on it
silicone sealed seals - have a good look at that silicone isnt really the right stuff for that job , hope he hasnt gone round em with bog sealer
It will almost certainly be this fix:silicone sealed seals - have a good look at that silicone isnt really the right stuff for that job , hope he hasnt gone round em with bog sealer
http://www.mr2oc.co.uk/know-your-2-knowledge-base....
A bit ugly, but it works very well. And when you look at the price of new seals, I think most people would give the silicone seal method a go first!
steveo3002 said:
coilovers = maybe driven hard /trackdays /boy racer , id prefer a standard one then alter what i want on it
silicone sealed seals - have a good look at that silicone isnt really the right stuff for that job , hope he hasnt gone round em with bog sealer
Coilovers would worry me a little bit too. Toyota put a fair bit of effort into getting the Rev2 onwards cars handling properly and I wouldn't want the experience to be all twitchy and bouncy.silicone sealed seals - have a good look at that silicone isnt really the right stuff for that job , hope he hasnt gone round em with bog sealer
I test drove a rev4 before buying my first mx5 which was standard apart from an exhaust. It felt a really nice cockpit, was definitely faster, and was surprisingly comfortable. I ended up with the mx5 basically for the roof and because it felt like I could drive like a bit more of a tit in it without getting spat through a hedge, but the MR2 had more grip. It was also quieter and longer geared - I got a 'sports GT' vibe off it which I still quite fancy the idea of now.
That example looks worth a look, but be a little wary for all the points mentioned above.
Re: Coilovers, these are units which range from £800-1000, not some £150 eBay specials. I think it's fair to say they'll probably be better than knackered 17 year old OEM suspension.
I would make sure the 4 wheel alignment was done (or budget for doing it) after them being fitted though. Made a huge difference to my car.
I would make sure the 4 wheel alignment was done (or budget for doing it) after them being fitted though. Made a huge difference to my car.
luckystrike said:
Coilovers would worry me a little bit too. Toyota put a fair bit of effort into getting the Rev2 onwards cars handling properly and I wouldn't want the experience to be all twitchy and bouncy.
The difference was more in the setup than the suspension units themselves.It depends on what ones they are, how they have been looked after and importantly how they are set up. The problem is people often just put them on straight out of the box, set it to max camber and take it to a local alignment place to get the tracking done. When set up properly, BC's, MeisterR and the like work very well on the MR2. Ride quality is compromised for handling, but that's the trade-off. There are a couple of aftermarket strut / spring options which don't compromise the ride as much (Bilstein / Koni plus springs of your choice).
Priority is to find rust.
Outer sills, inner sills, doors, undertray bolts, cancer bars.
Any original bushes will need replacing, t bar and door rubbers are pretty tired by now.
Most other stuff you can sort out with bolt on bits.
If it's got service history and receipts an inch thick, you have a careful/responsible owner.
If it doesn't, buyer beware.
You want to see geo testing evidence - they're a bit sensitive to correct tyres and geometry. Simply slapping on coilovers doesn't always improve things. I've heard BCs are a bit hard but haven't been in a car with them to confirm
Outer sills, inner sills, doors, undertray bolts, cancer bars.
Any original bushes will need replacing, t bar and door rubbers are pretty tired by now.
Most other stuff you can sort out with bolt on bits.
If it's got service history and receipts an inch thick, you have a careful/responsible owner.
If it doesn't, buyer beware.
You want to see geo testing evidence - they're a bit sensitive to correct tyres and geometry. Simply slapping on coilovers doesn't always improve things. I've heard BCs are a bit hard but haven't been in a car with them to confirm
Is it a sonic shadow by any chance? (silver and black).
There's a very good one of these, Rev 4 NA for sale at £2100 on a facebook group. Known member of OC etc. Car looks very good.
I would see coilovers as a positive. Nobody wants knackered OEM suspension. BC's are very good coilovers.
Also don't worry about leaving it outside all year round, i left mine out for 2 years and made no difference with regular cleaning.
Be sure to pop your fingers in the rear arches and poke around, see how muddy etc they are. If they are clean it's been looked after.\
Where are you based? I'd be happy to look with you if you're local.
There's a very good one of these, Rev 4 NA for sale at £2100 on a facebook group. Known member of OC etc. Car looks very good.
I would see coilovers as a positive. Nobody wants knackered OEM suspension. BC's are very good coilovers.
Also don't worry about leaving it outside all year round, i left mine out for 2 years and made no difference with regular cleaning.
Be sure to pop your fingers in the rear arches and poke around, see how muddy etc they are. If they are clean it's been looked after.\
Where are you based? I'd be happy to look with you if you're local.
yorkshireegg said:
Bottom of the doors is prone to rust.
It's also worth checking how the alternator copes under load; a known weak point due to rain water draining directly onto it. So put all the electricals on full and look at the handy voltage gauge in the cluster - it should stay around 14V.
Front callipers are also known to go bad on a regular basis.
Also check the 'cancer bars' on the rear sub-frame. A quick Google will show you where they are.
Those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head but there's loads of good information on the owners club posted above, a very helpful and friendly bunch.
Enjoy the test drive; the fizziness of the 3SGE is addictive! And, with a stainless exhaust fitted, has to be one of the best sounding four pots there is.
ETA: The radiator is in a very vulnerable place so is prone to corrosion and stone damage, check that too! A new alloy one can be had for ~ £100 though so it's not the end of the world, just a bd to bleed the system!
All good advice, your biggest issue with MR2's now is rust, everything else can be fixed. The cancers bars whilst a known corrosion area are not structural and easily replaced.It's also worth checking how the alternator copes under load; a known weak point due to rain water draining directly onto it. So put all the electricals on full and look at the handy voltage gauge in the cluster - it should stay around 14V.
Front callipers are also known to go bad on a regular basis.
Also check the 'cancer bars' on the rear sub-frame. A quick Google will show you where they are.
Those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head but there's loads of good information on the owners club posted above, a very helpful and friendly bunch.
Enjoy the test drive; the fizziness of the 3SGE is addictive! And, with a stainless exhaust fitted, has to be one of the best sounding four pots there is.
ETA: The radiator is in a very vulnerable place so is prone to corrosion and stone damage, check that too! A new alloy one can be had for ~ £100 though so it's not the end of the world, just a b
d to bleed the system! Edited by yorkshireegg on Friday 17th April 01:11
Ask to see if the hose from hell has ever been replaced (Cooland from the radiator through the car to the engine) they corrode over time. Car should pull through the rev range, no flat spots, they are sensitive to the correct geo setup so check the tyres for uneven wear.
Edited by Dakkon on Friday 17th April 14:09
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/t...
This seems to match the description.
Front bumper looks like it's been replaced at some point, and the indicators / sidelights should be clear on a Rev5. Owner states that he changed the indicators for the look, but I would be checking the front end very carefully for accident damage as the splitter isn't painted like the stock one should be. It's missing the foglights at the front too.... And as I read the ad further it states it was written off due to front end damage. Price seems a bit high for a car with a category marker on it IMO.
This seems to match the description.
Front bumper looks like it's been replaced at some point, and the indicators / sidelights should be clear on a Rev5. Owner states that he changed the indicators for the look, but I would be checking the front end very carefully for accident damage as the splitter isn't painted like the stock one should be. It's missing the foglights at the front too.... And as I read the ad further it states it was written off due to front end damage. Price seems a bit high for a car with a category marker on it IMO.
I would also personally avoid that car.
This one is the one i was talking about though:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Toyota-Mr2-1997-NA-Rev4-...
This one is the one i was talking about though:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Toyota-Mr2-1997-NA-Rev4-...
I bought my 7th MR2 in Feb last year and this is the longest I've ever owned the same car.
Got it from a member on here from Portsmouth, then drove it home to Glasgow
- good way to get to know a car!
It had done 54k at the time (now on 60K) with fsh. Since I've had it I've done a full brake refresh (calipers/lines/pads/discs/fluid), new oil sump/full service, and replaced the standard suspension with GAB Gymkhana suspension (which is probably way too hard for my driving) which will be getting changed back to stock soon.
I think I bought the car at the bottom of its depreciation curve and, as I intend to keep it pampered for a few years, I can't see me loosing any money on it.
Got it from a member on here from Portsmouth, then drove it home to Glasgow
- good way to get to know a car!It had done 54k at the time (now on 60K) with fsh. Since I've had it I've done a full brake refresh (calipers/lines/pads/discs/fluid), new oil sump/full service, and replaced the standard suspension with GAB Gymkhana suspension (which is probably way too hard for my driving) which will be getting changed back to stock soon.
I think I bought the car at the bottom of its depreciation curve and, as I intend to keep it pampered for a few years, I can't see me loosing any money on it.
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