Toyota MR2 Mk2
Discussion
After two and a half years of driving my much loved first car (a 1.4 SEAT Ibiza), I felt it was time for something a bit different. Something...faster. 
I'd wanted an MR2 for a while and a few weeks ago, after discovering insurance was cheaper than I was expecting, I found one in budget. So I am now the proud new owner of a 1999 UK-spec Revision 5:
Cosmetically it's in really good nick; the interior's pretty tidy and the bodywork's in excellent condition for an eighteen year old car. I haven't driven it too hard yet, partly because it has a ten year old timing belt and partly because jumping from a small, ordinary hatchback to a mid-engined, rear wheel drive sports car with twice the power has the potential to end very, very badly. Even being reasonably cautious though, it's still huge fun! It's got a decent turn of pace, it barely rolls at all in the corners, and the induction kit fitted by a previous owner sounds fantastic.
It isn't perfect: it won't idle properly, there's some surface rust in places, one of the driveshaft seals is leaking gearbox oil and the sills are in need of some welding. I'm happy for it to be an ongoing project though, over the next few months I plan to get all the big jobs done and then sort out all the little details to make it as good as it can be. I'm also hoping to do some skidpan training at some point, which will hopefully reduce the risk of an unplanned reverse entry into a field!
Sometimes the list of things to sort out seems quite long, but every now and then I find myself on a nice road, with good weather and barely any traffic, and I don't really care!
I'd wanted an MR2 for a while and a few weeks ago, after discovering insurance was cheaper than I was expecting, I found one in budget. So I am now the proud new owner of a 1999 UK-spec Revision 5:
Cosmetically it's in really good nick; the interior's pretty tidy and the bodywork's in excellent condition for an eighteen year old car. I haven't driven it too hard yet, partly because it has a ten year old timing belt and partly because jumping from a small, ordinary hatchback to a mid-engined, rear wheel drive sports car with twice the power has the potential to end very, very badly. Even being reasonably cautious though, it's still huge fun! It's got a decent turn of pace, it barely rolls at all in the corners, and the induction kit fitted by a previous owner sounds fantastic.
It isn't perfect: it won't idle properly, there's some surface rust in places, one of the driveshaft seals is leaking gearbox oil and the sills are in need of some welding. I'm happy for it to be an ongoing project though, over the next few months I plan to get all the big jobs done and then sort out all the little details to make it as good as it can be. I'm also hoping to do some skidpan training at some point, which will hopefully reduce the risk of an unplanned reverse entry into a field!
Sometimes the list of things to sort out seems quite long, but every now and then I find myself on a nice road, with good weather and barely any traffic, and I don't really care!
Looksgreat and good to see a uk spec car.i had a j reg tbar many moons ago and still miss it today. Have fun and keep posting with your upgrades and running repairs. Just be careful in the wet around corners as these cars are prone to mid corner lift off oversteer and can be a sod to catch.
Thanks chaps! I'm being very careful not to upset the balance of the car in the corners, I'm aware of the reputation these cars have!
The timing belt and water pump are being replaced early next week. I'm going to have both sills cut out and replaced at some point as well. After that, I plan to spend a weekend with some sand paper, some rust remedy and some spray paint sorting the remaining rust out. Then I'll get on with the little jobs like replacing the corroded headlamps. I'll keep this thread up to date as I go.
The timing belt and water pump are being replaced early next week. I'm going to have both sills cut out and replaced at some point as well. After that, I plan to spend a weekend with some sand paper, some rust remedy and some spray paint sorting the remaining rust out. Then I'll get on with the little jobs like replacing the corroded headlamps. I'll keep this thread up to date as I go.
Sorry for the lack of updates, it's been a bit of a roller coaster ride over the last few weeks as it's all taken a turn for the worse. I left the car with a local MR2 specialist a couple of weeks ago for them to change the timing belt and sort out the idling problems. A few days later they discovered the reason why it won't idle properly: slightly low compression on cylinders 1, 2 & 4, and very low compression on cylinder 3. 
Various tests were carried out and there's clearly a problem with the piston rings or the cylinder bore itself. We agreed not to carry out any more work until I'd decided what to do, so at the moment I'm back where I started: it's still rusty, it still has an ancient timing belt and it still won't idle. At least I now know why it never felt quite as fast as I was expecting, it's obviously way down on power!
For the time being, my old Ibiza has been taken out of hibernation on my parents' driveway and put back into daily use (I'm very glad I chose not to sell it now!). What happens next all depends on whether or not I can find somewhere to keep the MR2, as I don't really have room for both cars at my house. If I can find somewhere to store it, then it'll become a long-term project. I'll replace the engine, either with another standard 3SGE (albeit one in rather better condition than the one it has currently) or maybe with a 3 litre V6 as that's supposed to be fairly simple as engine swaps go. If I can't find anywhere for it then I'll have to sell it as spares or repair, probably at a pretty noticeable loss.
So that brings this thread up to date, sorry for the rather depressing update. I'll try and post updates more often as everything progresses.
Various tests were carried out and there's clearly a problem with the piston rings or the cylinder bore itself. We agreed not to carry out any more work until I'd decided what to do, so at the moment I'm back where I started: it's still rusty, it still has an ancient timing belt and it still won't idle. At least I now know why it never felt quite as fast as I was expecting, it's obviously way down on power!For the time being, my old Ibiza has been taken out of hibernation on my parents' driveway and put back into daily use (I'm very glad I chose not to sell it now!). What happens next all depends on whether or not I can find somewhere to keep the MR2, as I don't really have room for both cars at my house. If I can find somewhere to store it, then it'll become a long-term project. I'll replace the engine, either with another standard 3SGE (albeit one in rather better condition than the one it has currently) or maybe with a 3 litre V6 as that's supposed to be fairly simple as engine swaps go. If I can't find anywhere for it then I'll have to sell it as spares or repair, probably at a pretty noticeable loss.
So that brings this thread up to date, sorry for the rather depressing update. I'll try and post updates more often as everything progresses.
Sorry to read the above OP. They are getting to an age where alot of the examples for sale need work (the good ones tend to be kept long term). If your not already IMOC would be a good place to sell if with engine issues as there are lots on there looking for projects, v6 or turbo conversion sounds like a plan though.
Sorry to hear that. I guess it may have been one of those 'there was a reason why it was up for sale' used cars, then
It sucks, but I imagine that with the relatively low values of the SW20 at present, it's likely cheaper to try and buy a better car than to fix the engine and the rust in this example.
It may be worth asking for some sort of estimate for all the work the car needs, to help in making a decision ?
Good luck whatever you decide to do.
Shame about the engine but if the shell/chassis is good then for it's worth launching a replacement engine in.
If you go for another 3sge then you could be in luck and find another engine for £300-500 , there are a few on ebay that are still in the car so you could hear it before purchasing. I've bought a few secondhand engines without hearing them run and only had 1 duffer out of a dozen engines.
Or, you could go down the conversion route and get something like a BEAMS engine (circa 220hp NA) , a 3SGTE turbo engine (although then you run into the "why build something you can buy" argument) or buy a rotten MR2 Turbo and swap as much as possible into your good shell.
edit, being a REV5 it could already have a beams engine if it's a JDM model.
If you go for another 3sge then you could be in luck and find another engine for £300-500 , there are a few on ebay that are still in the car so you could hear it before purchasing. I've bought a few secondhand engines without hearing them run and only had 1 duffer out of a dozen engines.
Or, you could go down the conversion route and get something like a BEAMS engine (circa 220hp NA) , a 3SGTE turbo engine (although then you run into the "why build something you can buy" argument) or buy a rotten MR2 Turbo and swap as much as possible into your good shell.
edit, being a REV5 it could already have a beams engine if it's a JDM model.
Edited by aka_kerrly on Sunday 23 April 14:39
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