Is my Dad talking crap?

[The DJ 27]

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?

[The DJ 27]

Exactly what I thought. Obviously, any car of that age is going to have certain rust issues, but I'm prepared to deal with that. I think it's the mechanical side of it that he's more worried about. I've told him to read the buying guide in this months Retro Cars, but I don't think he will

[The DJ 27]

My dad has talked me out of having an MR2 as a daily driver (git!), but the idea has been resurrected as me and my mates first trackday car, what with it being rear wheel drive and all. Any thoughts on it's suitablility for trackdays

[The DJ 27]

The plan at the moment is:

Strip the interior completely, bung in a pair of racing seats and harnesses

Bit of and induction kit, exhaust, Koni adjustable shocks with fast road/track springs, track day mentalist tyres or even used slicks.

We've added it up and we reckon we can do that, including a decent MR2, for about £2800. Seems a cracking idea to me

[The DJ 27]

Well his current argument is that the metal is 14 years old and it'll be knackered. To be fair he is a very skilled metal worker, but I've researched this to death and I can't see any major bills lurking if I buy carefully and look after it. And if it's a track car then rust won't be quite the issue it could be if it was my daily driver. The more I think about it the more tempted I am.

[The DJ 27]

Car: £1300 (give or take a couple of hundred quid either way)

Fully adjustable koni dampers and 35mm drop fast road springs: £600-£700 fitted

Blitz induction kit: £139

Mongoose stainless steel exhaust: £290

Brakes: £400 ish

That little lot comes to £2729, taking some prices as ballpark figures. That's split between two people, so it's a pretty affordable way of doing trackdays to me. It's a Mk1 MR2, not a Mk2

[The DJ 27]

Bugger, the car we were looking at has been sold. I have a feeling this is going to be a long search

[The DJ 27]

I think we'll be able to afford brakes, tyres (Yoko or Dunlop track mentalism) and suspension at the same time. Cross drilled and grooved discs with Pagid FR pads should go down very well I think

[The DJ 27]

Theres a G-reg example in the classifieds on here for a grand with 150k on the clock. Is the mileage a bit high? It's got a full service history and the ad seems pretty honest. Any thoughts people?