Where have all the MR2s gone?

[Angpozzuto]

I think the MR2 is probably the last of all the 90s Japanese fast cars to start seeing increasing values. I've just made the mistake of selling my MK2 turbo to a friend for pocket change, but it's very much a pain in the arse car that has always had issues

[White-Noise]

Aah that is iteresting i didn't know about the us market! I guess its nearer and cheaper to import from the UK to eu. Not sure about now though

[gavsdavs]

Rust has killed a lot, Accidents have ended quite a few more.
It's a shame that they seem to be worth more in parts than as a whole (check out prices of rev3+ rear light clusters in the US)

Those that are left are either ratty and need money spent on them (rust and other ignored maintenance) or are being maintained by their owners and don't change hands so often now.

[rotaryjam]

This thread seems as good an excuse as any to post my MR2 history!

Purchased in 2010 - 1996 Blue Rev 4 10th anniversary N/A T-bar



Head gasket went but had the engine rebuilt
MOT expired in 2019 at 157k miles, hopefully that's not the end of it

Purchased in 2012 - 1998 Red Rev 5 N/A T-bar



MOT valid and currently at 128k miles, so doing well!

Purchased in 2013 - 1994 Yellow Rev 3 Turbo Tin top




Converted to LPG and exported to Germany when I sold it late 2013.

Purchased 2019 - 1995 Red Rev 3 Turbo T-bar

[


Tragically burnt to a crisp when our garage set fire

Purchased 2019 - 1994 Red Rev 3 Turbo T-bar



My current MR2, I've done quite a few little bits to get it as original as possible and converted it to the Rev 5 look.

[CoolHands]

Here was mine back in 2004

[White-Noise]

Go on then ill get involved. I must have been 22 or 23 when I got it. Good times. Tragic that garage fire above, scary. What started it?
[url]

|https://thumbsnap.com/MPMSbGJY[/url]

[Lollypops]

As mentioned, rust has gotten a lot of these. Also they hit a really low price point some years back and a lot of them got bastardised. Hard to find a nice clean turbo now that's not been overly messed with.

[Agent57]

Yeah I love the MR2 as it is the complete opposite of all those grey square boxes that everyone else drives around in these days.

I had a Rev1 from 1997 to 2004 and a Rev 4 from 2004 to now. So I've been driving them for half my life. I still can't walk away from it without turning around to have another look.

[thetapeworm]

Most of my MR2 photos are so old that they look like they've been taken with a potato but what the heck... these are from 2001.

[Wadeski]

White-Noise said:

Go on then ill get involved. I must have been 22 or 23 when I got it. Good times. Tragic that garage fire above, scary. What started it?
[url]

|https://thumbsnap.com/MPMSbGJY[/url]

Pacific works sticker on the chargecooler install! Mine was the first one Luke did

[rotaryjam]

thetapeworm said:

Most of my MR2 photos are so old that they look like they've been taken with a potato but what the heck... these are from 2001.

That's one clean engine bay and a very nice looking example.

The MR2 just looks better and better with age

[Wadeski]

This was mine from circa 2008.





The guy I sold it to turned it into a drag car making 580whp. I'm guessing it is...quite lively to drive now.

It certainly was with ~300whp.

[White-Noise]

Wadeski said:

White-Noise said:

Go on then ill get involved. I must have been 22 or 23 when I got it. Good times. Tragic that garage fire above, scary. What started it?
[url]

|https://thumbsnap.com/MPMSbGJY[/url]

Pacific works sticker on the chargecooler install! Mine was the first one Luke did

Sad news on that front. I found out Luke died a couple of years ago. They don't know why, I happened to have someone contact me when I was selling my car that used to work with him. He was only young :/

[Wadeski]

What?! That is so sad. He was such a good guy, talented and had big dreams for his shop. I had no idea.

[thetapeworm]

White-Noise said:

Sad news on that front. I found out Luke died a couple of years ago. They don't know why, I happened to have someone contact me when I was selling my car that used to work with him. He was only young :/

March 2018, it came as a huge shock, a lovely bloke who really made his mark in the community, it's alway nice to see his stuff out there.

His brother, Julian, finished Luke's car in his memory and there's been a couple of memorial meets orgsnised for him at Driftlimits I think, the posts usually appear over on IMOC-UK.

https://m.facebook.com/groups/InternationalMR2Owne...

Edited by thetapeworm on Sunday 17th January 10:28

[TheJimi]

thetapeworm said:

White-Noise said:

Sad news on that front. I found out Luke died a couple of years ago. They don't know why, I happened to have someone contact me when I was selling my car that used to work with him. He was only young :/

March 2018, it came as a huge shock, a lovely bloke who really made his mark in the community, it's alway nice to see his stuff out there.

His brother, Julian, finished Luke's car in his memory and there's been a couple of memorial meets orgsnised for him at Driftlimits I think, the posts usually appear over on IMOC-UK.

https://m.facebook.com/groups/InternationalMR2Owne...

Edited by thetapeworm on Sunday 17th January 10:28

Julian is also on PH, and started a thread on the car.

Can't for the life of me remember his username though.

Edit: found the thread! https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=17...

Edited by TheJimi on Sunday 17th January 23:28

[thetapeworm]

TheJimi said:

Julian is also on PH, and started a thread on the car.

Can't for the life of me remember his username though.

Edit: found the thread! https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=17...

Thanks for that, I had no idea that was on here.

Edit, apparently I did, I posted in it

Edited by thetapeworm on Monday 18th January 10:04

[irish boy]

Just bought a 50k mile rust free U.K. car. Always wanted one but couldn’t insure them up till 25 and then they were all rotten.

Definitely not a case of don’t meet your hero’s. Pulls, turns and stops well. Remarkably well considering it’s 27 years old.

Question, timing belt was done in 2011 but only 15k miles ago. Considering it’s non interference would you change it?

[TheJimi]

thetapeworm said:

TheJimi said:

Julian is also on PH, and started a thread on the car.

Can't for the life of me remember his username though.

Edit: found the thread! https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=17...

Thanks for that, I had no idea that was on here.

Edit, apparently I did, I posted in it

Edited by thetapeworm on Monday 18th January 10:04

[Wadeski]

irish boy said:

Just bought a 50k mile rust free U.K. car. Always wanted one but couldn’t insure them up till 25 and then they were all rotten.

Definitely not a case of don’t meet your hero’s. Pulls, turns and stops well. Remarkably well considering it’s 27 years old.

Question, timing belt was done in 2011 but only 15k miles ago. Considering it’s non interference would you change it?

You might want to get it up on a ramp and REALLY check it is rust free. They can rust from the inside out.

Lovely looking thing though! If you are looking for some basic mods, I found a koni & eibach combination of shocks and springs was great for both ride and handling, and you can always upgrade to Turbo brakes.