Is my Dad talking crap?
Discussion
I used to have an MR2. Sold it with 120k on the clock. Only one engine thing replaced, the water pump. Cam belt done as normal routine.
Did put Koni's on it and Jamex springs. Handled really well. On track though, the wheels, being of a solid sort of design, don't let the brakes cool very well.
Mine didn't look rusty, until one day I took the plastic side skirts off. Eeek! Rust everywhere! Took it to a garage as a trade in.
Did put Koni's on it and Jamex springs. Handled really well. On track though, the wheels, being of a solid sort of design, don't let the brakes cool very well.
Mine didn't look rusty, until one day I took the plastic side skirts off. Eeek! Rust everywhere! Took it to a garage as a trade in.
I've got one as my daily driver. 1987D plate with 110k on the clock and iffy service history. Big smile going to work, it's great.
One that's been looked after will run forever. My first one died finally from rust with 167k on the clock (but then I had bought it from a scrappy for £220 - and it hadn't been looked after, bodywork wise). My second, that I run now, I bought with 98k on the clock and I've done 12k in it in 10 months. I now need to replace the shocks, one handbrake cable and ... er, that's about it.
Oh and the gearbox:-( as has been said they often end up jumpign out of 5th gear, which mine does. I've been running it as a 4-speed for about 6 months though, I'll get around to replacing it sometime soon. I bought a 60k mile gearbox on Ebay for £15 ...
If the gearstick moves more than a few mm when going on and off the power in 5th gear, it may be on its way out. Make sure the gearbox oil gets topped up every service, it'll preserve the gearbox indefinitely (provided it's good to start with).
I could go on, at length. If you want to know more, email me. It's a great car, you won't regret buying it.
One that's been looked after will run forever. My first one died finally from rust with 167k on the clock (but then I had bought it from a scrappy for £220 - and it hadn't been looked after, bodywork wise). My second, that I run now, I bought with 98k on the clock and I've done 12k in it in 10 months. I now need to replace the shocks, one handbrake cable and ... er, that's about it.
Oh and the gearbox:-( as has been said they often end up jumpign out of 5th gear, which mine does. I've been running it as a 4-speed for about 6 months though, I'll get around to replacing it sometime soon. I bought a 60k mile gearbox on Ebay for £15 ...
If the gearstick moves more than a few mm when going on and off the power in 5th gear, it may be on its way out. Make sure the gearbox oil gets topped up every service, it'll preserve the gearbox indefinitely (provided it's good to start with).
I could go on, at length. If you want to know more, email me. It's a great car, you won't regret buying it.
My house mate has just bought one and I used to own an MR2 Turbo, they are great cars as long as they have been serviced properly.
You can get new wings through the MR2 drivers club and there a few people who use MkI's as trackday cars. There is even a new one make racing series for MkI MR2's.
You can also get a lot of help from the IMOC site.
Just be sensible and if the car has a few issues budget for them when you make an offer on the car.
(They do have a tendancy to snap-oversteer if you back off mid corner though)
You can get new wings through the MR2 drivers club and there a few people who use MkI's as trackday cars. There is even a new one make racing series for MkI MR2's.
You can also get a lot of help from the IMOC site.
Just be sensible and if the car has a few issues budget for them when you make an offer on the car.
(They do have a tendancy to snap-oversteer if you back off mid corner though)
Dakkon said:
My house mate has just bought one and I used to own an MR2 Turbo, they are great cars as long as they have been serviced properly.
You can get new wings through the MR2 drivers club and there a few people who use MkI's as trackday cars. There is even a new one make racing series for MkI MR2's.
You can also get a lot of help from the IMOC site.
Just be sensible and if the car has a few issues budget for them when you make an offer on the car.
(They do have a tendancy to snap-oversteer if you back off mid corner though)
The Housemate here! I picked mine up for 1100 which was about 300 more than it was worth. I'm getting quotes for bodywork at the moment. 2 rear wing replacements. So far i have a quotes for 1300 and another for 400. I'm going to get more to work out whos trying to fleace me!
The way i'm looking at this car is that curently I loose 1000 a year in depreciation. I'd sooner spend 1000 a year keeping the MR2 on the road, and maintaining it's value.
I will respond with out reading any of the other answers.
yes your dad is talking crap.
2 million cars are scrapped in the UK every year and the reason people like your dad.
Don't expect a 14 year old car to be totally trouble free though. Things will wear out and you must be prepared to spend the money when needed. But the money you spend will be alot leess than the depreciation on a newer car. There a couple of good owners clubs and websites and if you e-mail me I will pass on details from a bloke at work who is really into these cars.
they are fast becoming a classic if that is the right word.
yes your dad is talking crap.
2 million cars are scrapped in the UK every year and the reason people like your dad.
Don't expect a 14 year old car to be totally trouble free though. Things will wear out and you must be prepared to spend the money when needed. But the money you spend will be alot leess than the depreciation on a newer car. There a couple of good owners clubs and websites and if you e-mail me I will pass on details from a bloke at work who is really into these cars.
they are fast becoming a classic if that is the right word.
The DJ 27 said:
Now, as I have discussed before on these pages, I want to buy a Mk1 MR2. I've spotted a 1990 G-Reg example with 84,000 miles on the clock for £1400 on autotrader.
So I ran the idea past my parents tonight, and my Dad reckons I'd need a full workshop to run a car like that, becuase its 14 years old, and he reckons everything on it will be on the point of failure. Now, I've read in several places that they're nice, reliable little cars, they just have rust issues on the rear arches and front cross-member.
So, to return to the point, is my Dad talking crap, and should I buy one?
Rear arches : 200 quid done properly by back street garage. 50 quid if you do it yourself.
Engine : about 2 hours to get out and easy to work on
Depreciation : ZERO
Fun : High (Not too fast and good fuel consumption.
And what's wrong with having a full workshop ? Is that a bad thing ?
I myself have a completely unrelated car an 18 year old vauxhall cavalier 1.8CDi Auto.
I do 400 miles a week in it, but i look after it.
So far it's been more reliable than my colleauges NEW passat which he got in the same week. The nice 1.4 astra i had before cost me 2000 quid in depreciation over 3 years and I figure that the odd repair won't make a dent in that too much.
jacko lah said:
.
Engine : about 2 hours to get out and easy to work on
Not sure if that's
or 
It took 2 of us 2 days to do an engine swap. Some of that was due to struggling to lift the car high enough to drop the engine out. The best bit was putting the dizzy on the new engine, lining it up by eye and having the car start first time, with near spot on timing
Things to bear in mind....
£1400 should buy you a good example with little rust and if you're luck with FSH and one lady owner! They are out there if you look hard enough!
If you want it for track-days don' get a T-Bar as these have been known to crack at the back of teh bar.
If there is the slightest hint of smoke then walk away as it's probably the big end about to let go.
At around 110k fifth gear has a tendancy to start poping out so try to buy lower mileage or one which has already had teh problem rectified.
Other than that the cars are amazingly reliable and durable providing you look after them.
Regarding the track day mods....
There's hardly any excess weight to strip out of the car without making it illegal for road use.
The seats are brilliant so I'd send the money elsewhere on the car instead.
The cars have a tendancy to lock up at the front quite easily so perhaps look at ensuring the brakes don't fade rather than making them more powerful?
Think very hard before butchering the suspension. There may be quite a bit of body roll but this makes it a really progressive car and an absolute hoot on the track. A delecately balanced 4 wheel drift is so much more satisfying than just turning in with no drama whatsoever!
Dont change the tyre size as this makes them a pig to drive on the road.
IMHO, I'd spend £2k on an absolute stunner and just upgrade the brake fluid. Then use the other £400 to buy a trackday and have a great time, then cruise home in a truly great car.
£1400 should buy you a good example with little rust and if you're luck with FSH and one lady owner! They are out there if you look hard enough!
If you want it for track-days don' get a T-Bar as these have been known to crack at the back of teh bar.
If there is the slightest hint of smoke then walk away as it's probably the big end about to let go.
At around 110k fifth gear has a tendancy to start poping out so try to buy lower mileage or one which has already had teh problem rectified.
Other than that the cars are amazingly reliable and durable providing you look after them.
Regarding the track day mods....
There's hardly any excess weight to strip out of the car without making it illegal for road use.
The seats are brilliant so I'd send the money elsewhere on the car instead.
The cars have a tendancy to lock up at the front quite easily so perhaps look at ensuring the brakes don't fade rather than making them more powerful?
Think very hard before butchering the suspension. There may be quite a bit of body roll but this makes it a really progressive car and an absolute hoot on the track. A delecately balanced 4 wheel drift is so much more satisfying than just turning in with no drama whatsoever!
Dont change the tyre size as this makes them a pig to drive on the road.
IMHO, I'd spend £2k on an absolute stunner and just upgrade the brake fluid. Then use the other £400 to buy a trackday and have a great time, then cruise home in a truly great car.
mechsympathy said:
.
Engine : about 2 hours to get out and easy to work on
Not sure if that's
The best bit was putting the dizzy on the new engine, lining it up by eye and having the car start first time, with near spot on timing
My mate has a mk1 MR2. When he got it off Ebay for £100 it had a broken jap only supercharged engine in it. He got hold of another non blown engine and did an engine swap in 3 evenings on his own. He's now rebuilding the supercharged engine and plans to swap again in about 2 months. He reckons that having done it once he will be able to do it in 2 evenings. I never asked him how long an evening is so it might be all night !
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