Toyota MR2 Mk1 - Any good?

[Rav]

Need your advice.

A freind has offered his Toyota MR2 for sale. Its a 1987 car with sunroof (not t bar).
Its finished in Mica blue with blue cloth interior.
Its got 150k miles on it.
Usual rust on one of the wheel arches.

He wants £200 for it as it is. There is no history, mot or tax on the car.

Is 150k miles too high?
What to look for when i goto see / test drive it?

Are these actually any good?
Do they have brake discs all round?
How fast are they?

Cheers
Rav

[Wadeski]

very good - and for 200 quid you can't really go wrong. You can actually buy replacement wings pretty cheaply now as people started making them due to all the rusting.

the 4AG engine is pretty bulletproof, but read the Know Your 2 guide on MR2OC.co.uk for more info and things to watch for.

they really are very light - they weigh a smidge under a ton (bear in mind the current Elise weighs 910kg!) and handle beautifully. No power steering so a little heavy when parking compared to a modern car but lovely through corners.

If you have the room for a project or track car, they are a fantastic platform - handling and braking mods aren't expensive, and two and a half grand will get you a 3S-GTE 2L turbo conversion by a specialist. That will give you 250bhp, which will scare many things on a racetrack, and waste most things on the road!

[adeholder23]

and they look cool!

[nottyash]

Ive had a couple. Last one being a Mica blue sunroof one.
They are not quick with 123 bhp. 0-60 is listed as 7.7 but they dont feel super quick.
The handling is there party piece. Its far better than the cars performance.
They have discs all around, calipers do sieze (as with most older stuff)
Prone to rusting sills and arches. (Meastro arches actually fit and cost £18 each.)
If the windscreens been replaced you can get rust spots develop above.
Ive heard of them jump out of 5th.
Alternators can sieze up if they get wet and are stood (Vents are above)
They are way better than the MK2s. Toyota went backwards with them.
I imagine the supercharged ones to be fantastic......if you can get one!

[patmahe]

At £200 I'd be snapping it up. If its meachanically sound then you can always patch up bodywork later and probably still have a bit of a bargain.

Pics when you get it.

[Established 1984]

adeholder23 said:

and they look cool!

Indeed they do...



I love mine and would recomend it to anyone. I've had a few propblem, seized alternator being the most expensive to fix.

I'd check what needed doing for an MOT before buying one for £200 though because some Toyota parts can be expensive.

[JollyGrnMonster]

I had an 88 t-bar in mica blue years ago and loved it.. for £200 as has been said you really cannot go wrong

Simon

[350GT]

Excellent cars, and definite classic!

[Uncle John]

Great handling, great engine, great cars!!

For that cash just do the usual checks and as long as your happy you'll get a lot of fun for very little.

Here's mine:

[Rav]

Thanks to all of you that took time to advise me.

Went to see the car today. Had high hopes and took the cash with me expecting a spirited drive home.
The car itself looked good from a distance. Interior was perfect except for a little sun fading.
The windscreen had rust all along the top edge, some quite badly blisterd. The sunroof had evidence of gaffer tape all around it. The sills on the drivers side didnt exist and fell apart to dust in my hands. Indide the door shuts A posts were badly blistered inside.

I walked, but felt that it once was a good little car.

Probably a breaker with all the work needed. Sad really.

[Uncle John]

Sounds pretty bad and you've made the right decision.

Shame really but some things are too good to be true.