Discussion
Keep looking, do not be in a hurry to buy, took me months to find the right one.
Had you not beaten me to it I would have said that on the face of it the outside does look rev 2 (apart from the rev 3+ rear lights) but the biggest giveaways where the smaller rev1 brakes and smaller 14" rev1 standard wheels (rev2+ are bigger brakes with 15" wheels) and in the engine bay pic the tapered inlet going in to the manifold is rev1
Had you not beaten me to it I would have said that on the face of it the outside does look rev 2 (apart from the rev 3+ rear lights) but the biggest giveaways where the smaller rev1 brakes and smaller 14" rev1 standard wheels (rev2+ are bigger brakes with 15" wheels) and in the engine bay pic the tapered inlet going in to the manifold is rev1
The Mk2 does have rust issues, yes, although AFAIK it's pretty much average for a 90s car. Cars imported from Japan are often very clean at the time of import, although they can deteriorate quite quickly if driven unprotected on our roads. Definitely something to look out for, worth paying more for a solid car I think.
I've just purchased another one myself, a rev 3 t bar turbo. Previously owned 2 turbos and 2 NAs.
There is a nice original rev 3 turbo going for just under £6k with 98,000 miles which I almost purchased but not so keen on the colour.
The seems nice and genuine and has owned the car for 20 years, it's the best rev 3 turbo available right now in my opinion and I doubt you'll find better for cheaper in a while! I too looked at importing but the prices were a lot higher than expected, so it's actually cheaper to buy one already in the UK.
Here's the car: https://www.gumtree.com/p/toyota/toyota-mr2-turbo-...
There is a nice original rev 3 turbo going for just under £6k with 98,000 miles which I almost purchased but not so keen on the colour.
The seems nice and genuine and has owned the car for 20 years, it's the best rev 3 turbo available right now in my opinion and I doubt you'll find better for cheaper in a while! I too looked at importing but the prices were a lot higher than expected, so it's actually cheaper to buy one already in the UK.
Here's the car: https://www.gumtree.com/p/toyota/toyota-mr2-turbo-...
rotaryjam said:
I've just purchased another one myself, a rev 3 t bar turbo. Previously owned 2 turbos and 2 NAs.
There is a nice original rev 3 turbo going for just under £6k with 98,000 miles which I almost purchased but not so keen on the colour.
The seems nice and genuine and has owned the car for 20 years, it's the best rev 3 turbo available right now in my opinion and I doubt you'll find better for cheaper in a while! I too looked at importing but the prices were a lot higher than expected, so it's actually cheaper to buy one already in the UK.
Here's the car: https://www.gumtree.com/p/toyota/toyota-mr2-turbo-...
Thanks a lot for the link.There is a nice original rev 3 turbo going for just under £6k with 98,000 miles which I almost purchased but not so keen on the colour.
The seems nice and genuine and has owned the car for 20 years, it's the best rev 3 turbo available right now in my opinion and I doubt you'll find better for cheaper in a while! I too looked at importing but the prices were a lot higher than expected, so it's actually cheaper to buy one already in the UK.
Here's the car: https://www.gumtree.com/p/toyota/toyota-mr2-turbo-...
I’ve just given the owner a call, yes I agree he’s very genuine and decent bloke. He’s going to WhatsApp me over some more pictures and videos.
The only issue with that car is that it has none of the documentation regarding the import.
I’m keen to ask you all on your opinions on buying an imported MR2 without any import documents.
On a personal level, it doesn’t really bother me… but what I’m thinking about is when it comes to selling it in the distant future, how off-putting that will be for a potential buyer.
All opinions appreciated!
Great to hear!
Personally it wouldn't bother me at all, nice to have but that's all.
Most were purchased at auction so at best you usually only get an auction sheet with original condition on.
You'll be lucky to find one with more than that. That said I've had Japanese cars with service books from Japan but since I can't read it I have no idea what it says anyway!
In most cases its been so long since they were imported the condition they were in is largely irrelevant.
Personally it wouldn't bother me at all, nice to have but that's all.
Most were purchased at auction so at best you usually only get an auction sheet with original condition on.
You'll be lucky to find one with more than that. That said I've had Japanese cars with service books from Japan but since I can't read it I have no idea what it says anyway!
In most cases its been so long since they were imported the condition they were in is largely irrelevant.
Thanks guys for your replies.
Going to view the car on Sunday and hopefully put down a deposit providing I’m happy.
Would some of you in the know on these cars pick out anything in this video? I noted the leather wear which is typical (I’d plan to repair that) but is there anything else you’d point out?
The engine sounds good to me, not too tinny or rattly... but what do you think?
https://streamable.com/e81xm8
Going to view the car on Sunday and hopefully put down a deposit providing I’m happy.
Would some of you in the know on these cars pick out anything in this video? I noted the leather wear which is typical (I’d plan to repair that) but is there anything else you’d point out?
The engine sounds good to me, not too tinny or rattly... but what do you think?
https://streamable.com/e81xm8
Seems a good car, colour is not my cup of tea but not that many good standard ones about these days. Engine sounds good, other than that just check the usual places for rust - sills, bottom of doors, arches. When last serviced? When was timing belt last changed? Couple of questions I would have are does it still have the 112mph jdm limiter? Is it reading in mph or still in kph? Is the odometer now reading in miles or still kilometers? If in miles what mileage was it changed at? (to give a more accurate current mileage). Shame it has had the uk side indicators fitted, did not really need them with still having the jdm triangles, looks odd with both fitted (you can get blanking plates for the triangles) clear lenses are available for the sidelights and side indicators. The is also a mod you can do to the rear lights to include the rear fog light in the cluster to get rid of the unsightly hanging down fog light. Good look with your viewing.
So just to update, I didn’t buy the car.
Overall the car was good but the following points started to ring alarm bells.
It’s worth mentioning that each point in itself didn’t bother me, but it was the culmination of all the points (and the last point especially) that made me walk away.
The paintwork had lots of scratches on, some deep. The colour was actually lovely, it wasn’t really solid green, it was more of a green pearlescent like flip paint with purple. I considered that it was probably a premium colour, but touching up or respraying areas would be difficult and/or expensive.
There was years and years of MOT history but zero service history, for someone who had owned the car for 18 years I found this to be odd.
The owner claimed the cambelt was replaced 5 years ago but again there was no record of this.
Despite advertising the car’s mileage as 87k miles, the owner wasn’t aware if the odometer (reading 144k) was actually in miles or kilometres. The MOT history stated the mileage in miles throughout, so it was unclear as to whether the car had done 87k miles or 144k miles. The speedometer was also in mph. If this was my car, I would have been making it abundantly clear to the MOT garage every year to record it’s true mileage, but the owner didn’t seem to care!
There was budget tyres on the car, mismatched across the axle, and one had damage to its tyre wall... so would have been an MOT failure.
Brakes looked excessively worn.
Ultimately, the car struck me as having been run on a budget and with no service history to back anything up I was wary.
At this point I decided however, regardless of the above, to take the plunge, as I thought to myself I could get all this fixed, give it a bit of TLC, ignore the scratches, and enjoy the car for what it was.
So I started with a bit of light haggling and it quickly became apparent that the owner wouldn’t budge so I accepted the asking price and was met with “are you sure you want it? Can’t you find another one?”
I know he didn’t want to sell it but I still found it quite bizarre. I insisted that I wanted it and we finally agreed the sale.
However, the seller didn’t want me to pay via bank transfer and was insistent on me paying cash. I explained I’d happily wait until the funds cleared in his bank but he said that didn’t work for him and he only wanted cash.
With no option to go to the bank on a Sunday and withdraw it I decided that with all the points considered, to walk away.
Did I do anything wrong here? Am I really expected to turn up with £6k cash in an envelope in the modern world of today? The ad didn’t state cash only so expected a transfer to be fine.
Please let me know and go easy on me, I feel like I’ve let a potentially great car go, but something just didn’t feel right on the whole.
Overall the car was good but the following points started to ring alarm bells.
It’s worth mentioning that each point in itself didn’t bother me, but it was the culmination of all the points (and the last point especially) that made me walk away.
The paintwork had lots of scratches on, some deep. The colour was actually lovely, it wasn’t really solid green, it was more of a green pearlescent like flip paint with purple. I considered that it was probably a premium colour, but touching up or respraying areas would be difficult and/or expensive.
There was years and years of MOT history but zero service history, for someone who had owned the car for 18 years I found this to be odd.
The owner claimed the cambelt was replaced 5 years ago but again there was no record of this.
Despite advertising the car’s mileage as 87k miles, the owner wasn’t aware if the odometer (reading 144k) was actually in miles or kilometres. The MOT history stated the mileage in miles throughout, so it was unclear as to whether the car had done 87k miles or 144k miles. The speedometer was also in mph. If this was my car, I would have been making it abundantly clear to the MOT garage every year to record it’s true mileage, but the owner didn’t seem to care!
There was budget tyres on the car, mismatched across the axle, and one had damage to its tyre wall... so would have been an MOT failure.
Brakes looked excessively worn.
Ultimately, the car struck me as having been run on a budget and with no service history to back anything up I was wary.
At this point I decided however, regardless of the above, to take the plunge, as I thought to myself I could get all this fixed, give it a bit of TLC, ignore the scratches, and enjoy the car for what it was.
So I started with a bit of light haggling and it quickly became apparent that the owner wouldn’t budge so I accepted the asking price and was met with “are you sure you want it? Can’t you find another one?”
I know he didn’t want to sell it but I still found it quite bizarre. I insisted that I wanted it and we finally agreed the sale.
However, the seller didn’t want me to pay via bank transfer and was insistent on me paying cash. I explained I’d happily wait until the funds cleared in his bank but he said that didn’t work for him and he only wanted cash.
With no option to go to the bank on a Sunday and withdraw it I decided that with all the points considered, to walk away.
Did I do anything wrong here? Am I really expected to turn up with £6k cash in an envelope in the modern world of today? The ad didn’t state cash only so expected a transfer to be fine.
Please let me know and go easy on me, I feel like I’ve let a potentially great car go, but something just didn’t feel right on the whole.
Cl4rkyPH said:
Ultimately, the car struck me as having been run on a budget and with no service history to back anything up I was wary.
This seems like the bottom line to me, I think you did the right thing by walking away from this particular car. These cars have been cheap for a long time and I suspect there's a big gap in condition and impending bills between those that have been cherished and well cared-for, and those that haven't.As regards your general point about paying, for my last private purchase I asked the seller in advance, he wanted to go to a bank together and transfer the money at the counter, so I took a day off work and that's what we did. So I'd ask in advance next time.
Cl4rkyPH said:
Did I do anything wrong here? Am I really expected to turn up with £6k cash in an envelope in the modern world of today? The ad didn’t state cash only so expected a transfer to be fine.
Please let me know and go easy on me, I feel like I’ve let a potentially great car go, but something just didn’t feel right on the whole.
Absolutely not, that alone would have put me off slightly but with no service history I think you did the right thing.Please let me know and go easy on me, I feel like I’ve let a potentially great car go, but something just didn’t feel right on the whole.
Really sorry to hear it didn't work out
You did the right thing walking away, it sounded like he just didn't want to sell it in the end so was trying to make sure you couldn't buy it by asking for cash. When I rang he was willing to let if go fro £500 less than asking so clearly he had a change of heart on it.
In any case it sounds like the car hadn't received any care and as you say, very odd to have no service history having been owned for 18 years!
Best of luck with your search!
You did the right thing walking away, it sounded like he just didn't want to sell it in the end so was trying to make sure you couldn't buy it by asking for cash. When I rang he was willing to let if go fro £500 less than asking so clearly he had a change of heart on it.
In any case it sounds like the car hadn't received any care and as you say, very odd to have no service history having been owned for 18 years!
Best of luck with your search!
Thanks all, your supportive replies have made me feel much better.
Funny to hear that he accepted a lower price to you over the phone rotaryjam, I guess that’s my fault for not agreeing a price before travelling. He probably knew I’d accept the asking as I’d come all that way, so I don’t blame him for sticking to his guns.
However, makes it all the more bizarre that he wouldn’t accept a bank transfer as I was obviously keen!
Regardless, he’s apologised this morning for the confusion yesterday and I’ve wished him all the best with the sale.
I’ve enquired about this one, it’s had a bit of modification but still looks OK. I just wish these dealers would be forthcoming with the reg number so I could check it’s history!
https://www.japimportcars.co.uk/cars/toyota/mr2/tw...
Let’s see if they come back to me.
Thanks again
Funny to hear that he accepted a lower price to you over the phone rotaryjam, I guess that’s my fault for not agreeing a price before travelling. He probably knew I’d accept the asking as I’d come all that way, so I don’t blame him for sticking to his guns.
However, makes it all the more bizarre that he wouldn’t accept a bank transfer as I was obviously keen!
Regardless, he’s apologised this morning for the confusion yesterday and I’ve wished him all the best with the sale.
I’ve enquired about this one, it’s had a bit of modification but still looks OK. I just wish these dealers would be forthcoming with the reg number so I could check it’s history!
https://www.japimportcars.co.uk/cars/toyota/mr2/tw...
Let’s see if they come back to me.
Thanks again
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