RE: Toyota MR2: Market Watch
Discussion
Uncle John said:
Great cars, I've had a mk1 and currently a mk3 which no one wants to buy for some reason, had 1 decent nibble and that's all.
Very underrated cars which somehow do not have the following they should.
Agreed. The Mk3 in particular seems surprisingly underrated. I can only assume this is because of its somewhat cutesy looks after the first two angular cars, the fact that it is impractical, and isn't particularly quick, yet people will happily overlook that in an MX5. I've also owned a Rev 2 Turbo, which I also loved driving, but I'd definitely say the Mk3 is easily as good a steer, not as quick sure, but the handling is in a different league.Very underrated cars which somehow do not have the following they should.
It's a car for around £2k that gives you mid-engined, RWD fun in a manner not dissimilar to an Elise, is cheap to run, easy to live with (as long as you can live without much luggage space) and gives a level of fun that is really, really difficult to achieve for that little money. In all honesty, an Elise is what I wanted, but I couldn't justify £12K+ for a good one, as a weekend toy that I may only use for 2 or 3 hours a weekend. So I spent £1800 on my MR2, a bit more on a few choice mods (springs, brace, exhaust, brake refurb) and I do not regret the decision at all as its been utterly fantastic to drive and own.
I suspect people will start waking up to how underrated they are, and prices seem rock bottom at the minute and can only go up. Unless there's a massive change in my financial circumstances then I can't see myself ever getting rid of mine, nothing else I could afford or justify would offer me more smiles than I get off this. Even the looks have grown on me massively (especially after lowering it 30mm).
Edited to add shameless photo from the weekend just gone, at Tan Hill Inn if anyone knows it.
Edited by TameRacingDriver on Monday 17th July 12:53
Owned a white '88 Mk1 for two years in 1996/97. No electric windows, no sunroof or T-bar, I loved it, it was perfect.
Traded it in for a Nissan 300ZX, good looking car and twice as fast but I should have kept the MR2.
The driving position and the two-seater arrangement were very special. The little rear window right behind your head and the extremely low scuttle and dash gave it a roomy yet intimate feel. One that my Cayman with it's sloping rear window can not match.
I remember the seat did not hold you in all that well but it didn't need to because you sat wedged in between the door and the high transmission tunnel which also was perfectly placed for your whole arm right onto that stubby gear lever.
I am 6'4" and always felt snug yet comfortable inside. Certainly one of the most special cars I've owned.
Traded it in for a Nissan 300ZX, good looking car and twice as fast but I should have kept the MR2.
The driving position and the two-seater arrangement were very special. The little rear window right behind your head and the extremely low scuttle and dash gave it a roomy yet intimate feel. One that my Cayman with it's sloping rear window can not match.
I remember the seat did not hold you in all that well but it didn't need to because you sat wedged in between the door and the high transmission tunnel which also was perfectly placed for your whole arm right onto that stubby gear lever.
I am 6'4" and always felt snug yet comfortable inside. Certainly one of the most special cars I've owned.
I had two MK2 turbos and too NAs in my early twenties and yearned for another turbo terribly in the years that followed. Finally got around to buying another one last year almost ten years later. Paid top money for it, but it was mint and had been completely refreshed. Some people said beware of going back as it wouldn't live up to expectation but I am totally enthralled again. They are magical little cars and as someone else mentioned, they genuinely feel like a mini exotic. Every journey feels exciting. It still amazes me that Toyota engineered these things from the ground up. They are an incredible piece of design, from the swooping bodywork with little design flourishes, to the great use of every last scrap of space in the cabin.
Mine is packing some power mods carried out by the former keeper and he estimated the car to be nearly 300bhp. I have made some further updates to make it my own - different front splitter, new wheels and tyres (MIchelin Pilot Sport 4s), painted calipers, KW V3 coilovers and a custom Cobra exhaust. It is a hoot to drive down a twisty B-road and is so ballistic that it is rare that you find enough straight road to deploy full boost for long. I had some fun with a chap in an F-Type S a few weeks back in the peaks. We had a run together and then pulled over to chat. He said the MR2 was pulling away on the straights but he then reeled me back in through the corners. Not bad for a 23 year old car.
[url]
|https://thumbsnap.com/uVyeBkVV[/url]
Mine is packing some power mods carried out by the former keeper and he estimated the car to be nearly 300bhp. I have made some further updates to make it my own - different front splitter, new wheels and tyres (MIchelin Pilot Sport 4s), painted calipers, KW V3 coilovers and a custom Cobra exhaust. It is a hoot to drive down a twisty B-road and is so ballistic that it is rare that you find enough straight road to deploy full boost for long. I had some fun with a chap in an F-Type S a few weeks back in the peaks. We had a run together and then pulled over to chat. He said the MR2 was pulling away on the straights but he then reeled me back in through the corners. Not bad for a 23 year old car.
[url]|https://thumbsnap.com/uVyeBkVV[/url]danllama said:
I've had 4 mk2's including three turbos. My current rev 3 turbo I've had for coming up two years. They've all been reliable and everything you'd want and expect. Its a very strange market for the mk2's, where NA's are priced higher than turbos and its not quite clear what's selling and for how much. I don't plan on selling this any time soon, but I do toy with the idea of transplanting the goods into a mk1 shell.
MR2 Turbo spring drive by Dan J, on Flickr
Thought I might find you here Dan... MR2 Turbo spring drive by Dan J, on Flickr
As we're sharing photos of our MR2s:
Donington Park Trackday Official Photo by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
MR2 Sunday Drive by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
Donington Park Trackday Official Photo by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
MR2 Sunday Drive by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
Just to temper the "prices are increasing" line...
I recently sold my Mk1 Mr2. Admittedly it had 130,000 miles (but it was 30 years old). No rust, mint interior, and sailed through its MOT with a single advisory. It was a great car which I'd owned for seven years. Almost a FSH and receipts going back its original owner.
Best I could get was £1,250 including loads of spares and a full bush kit worth nearly £200 on its own.
Good cars at £3k isn't realistic in my opinion. The best ones might be £3-5k. Most cars will still be £850-2,000.
I recently sold my Mk1 Mr2. Admittedly it had 130,000 miles (but it was 30 years old). No rust, mint interior, and sailed through its MOT with a single advisory. It was a great car which I'd owned for seven years. Almost a FSH and receipts going back its original owner.
Best I could get was £1,250 including loads of spares and a full bush kit worth nearly £200 on its own.
Good cars at £3k isn't realistic in my opinion. The best ones might be £3-5k. Most cars will still be £850-2,000.
I also still love these. Had two JDM N/A MK2s, both t-bars.
My first one was the first 'proper' car I'd had, and I will never forget the first drive home in it. Sure, there are faster, better handling cars out there, but I only had a couple of grand and nothing else came close for the money. Definitely the perfect car for me in my mid 20s.
My first one was the first 'proper' car I'd had, and I will never forget the first drive home in it. Sure, there are faster, better handling cars out there, but I only had a couple of grand and nothing else came close for the money. Definitely the perfect car for me in my mid 20s.
Back in the late 80s mother decided she wanted to buy a sportscar. She asked my advice and my brother's. I suggested she head down to Daytune and get a Lotus Elan S3 FHC, preferably one that Peter Day had restored. She also asked my brother his advice. He suggested buying an ex-demo Toyota MR2 Mk1 (they were about the same money!). My brother has always been mother's favourite so she heeded his advce.
That MR2 had been garaged and pampererd since the day it came home. It has been driven in the rain, but only very, very occasionally, it's has never seen a frost, or a night sky - having lived it's life in a garage. It's is kept meticulously and no expense spared on it. It has about 40,000 miles on the clock and has just had new brakes and tyres fitted (the previous ones had perished, still with many mm of tread on them). She now uses one of those weird age-concern handles that you fit to the door hook to help get yourself out of the car. I don't think the car has ever broken a speed limit. I doubt mum realises it has a fifth gear. It may well be the best kept, unrestored, original car in the country.
She's 85 years old now, still driving it, albeit even slower. And she says "it'll see me out".
I still wish she'd bought the Lotus.
That MR2 had been garaged and pampererd since the day it came home. It has been driven in the rain, but only very, very occasionally, it's has never seen a frost, or a night sky - having lived it's life in a garage. It's is kept meticulously and no expense spared on it. It has about 40,000 miles on the clock and has just had new brakes and tyres fitted (the previous ones had perished, still with many mm of tread on them). She now uses one of those weird age-concern handles that you fit to the door hook to help get yourself out of the car. I don't think the car has ever broken a speed limit. I doubt mum realises it has a fifth gear. It may well be the best kept, unrestored, original car in the country.
She's 85 years old now, still driving it, albeit even slower. And she says "it'll see me out".
I still wish she'd bought the Lotus.
V8RX7 said:
jason61c said:
so much more exciting than any mx5.
That's because you haven't driven a good turbo / supercharged one.I run 240bhp supercharged MX5 and a modified V6 MR2 - they are both very good but the MX5 is more playful.
in world where even supposed petrolheads fawn over pumped-up hatches, a lightweight bespoke chassis is always good.
having both MR and FR is heaven.
After a few years of being in storage, I very recently got my Rev3 turbo back now that I have a garage to keep it in again. It was laid up for a good few years and it started first time with just a jump start needed.
It also sailed through the MOT this weekend, so not bad for a 23 year old car that's been sitting idle for years.
I've had all sorts of Jap cars of this era and the MR2 turbo is my favourite.
When I bought it years ago it was barried up and whilst I used to like that sort of thing, I've spent quite some time since getting it back removing all the bolt on bodykit and tat and returning it to standard form. Got to love fleabay for getting anything I need to return it to stock and selling all the crap I removed.
It's now got a whole new charm to it in standard form, although I will be leaving the rather tasty engine mods.
Being an import and being garaged most it's UK life, it's totally rust free, so I don't think I'll ever be getting rid of this one.
Quite pleased to read these are getting the attention they have always deserved. I think they've largely been off the radar as the turbo only came as an import and the early ones were pretty temperamental
It also sailed through the MOT this weekend, so not bad for a 23 year old car that's been sitting idle for years.
I've had all sorts of Jap cars of this era and the MR2 turbo is my favourite.
When I bought it years ago it was barried up and whilst I used to like that sort of thing, I've spent quite some time since getting it back removing all the bolt on bodykit and tat and returning it to standard form. Got to love fleabay for getting anything I need to return it to stock and selling all the crap I removed.
It's now got a whole new charm to it in standard form, although I will be leaving the rather tasty engine mods.
Being an import and being garaged most it's UK life, it's totally rust free, so I don't think I'll ever be getting rid of this one.
Quite pleased to read these are getting the attention they have always deserved. I think they've largely been off the radar as the turbo only came as an import and the early ones were pretty temperamental
suffolk009 said:
Back in the late 80s mother decided she wanted to buy a sportscar. She asked my advice and my brother's. I suggested she head down to Daytune and get a Lotus Elan S3 FHC, preferably one that Peter Day had restored. She also asked my brother his advice. He suggested buying an ex-demo Toyota MR2 Mk1 (they were about the same money!). My brother has always been mother's favourite so she heeded his advce.
That MR2 had been garaged and pampererd since the day it came home. It has been driven in the rain, but only very, very occasionally, it's has never seen a frost, or a night sky - having lived it's life in a garage. It's is kept meticulously and no expense spared on it. It has about 40,000 miles on the clock and has just had new brakes and tyres fitted (the previous ones had perished, still with many mm of tread on them). She now uses one of those weird age-concern handles that you fit to the door hook to help get yourself out of the car. I don't think the car has ever broken a speed limit. I doubt mum realises it has a fifth gear. It may well be the best kept, unrestored, original car in the country.
She's 85 years old now, still driving it, albeit even slower. And she says "it'll see me out".
I still wish she'd bought the Lotus.
That's a great story. I don't think the Lotus would still be around. That MR2 had been garaged and pampererd since the day it came home. It has been driven in the rain, but only very, very occasionally, it's has never seen a frost, or a night sky - having lived it's life in a garage. It's is kept meticulously and no expense spared on it. It has about 40,000 miles on the clock and has just had new brakes and tyres fitted (the previous ones had perished, still with many mm of tread on them). She now uses one of those weird age-concern handles that you fit to the door hook to help get yourself out of the car. I don't think the car has ever broken a speed limit. I doubt mum realises it has a fifth gear. It may well be the best kept, unrestored, original car in the country.
She's 85 years old now, still driving it, albeit even slower. And she says "it'll see me out".
I still wish she'd bought the Lotus.
sanguinary said:
I'm sure I recognise that one. Did it herald from the North West per chance?
Other things were said...
Not that I'm aware. Only one previous owner and was down south somewhere. Without looking at the documents, I couldn't tell you where exactly.Other things were said...
Love that picture of yours at Anglesey. Give it some hammer
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