mn_angrybeats

My Mrk2 MR2 was one of the worst handling cars I have ever driven in the wet,If it was pissing it down I'd have taken the Cerbera I owned anyday over the MR2...didnt even have to provoke it with the throttle to get it to spin..

Was pre suspension changes though that might make the difference...

[Edited by mn_angrybeats - 12/1/2003 7:58:51 PM]

mynickers

Dream Weaver: Thanks for advice on the insurance, makes sense, was just hoping that by the second year a) god willing I will have an extra years NCB, and b) hopefully will be earning more cashola. But think what you're saying sounds like the best policy.

screech: Also happy to hear that 10mpg isn't the norm. Also agree about teg's, just a bit more practical in terms of running costs, (almost) space in the rear for four up, and a decent size boot. If you check the avi movie I uploaded to my website and posted earlier, totally proves what you're saying, the MR2T just practually leaves it standing.

How do MR2T sound though? Do they sound as meaty as tegs?

mn_angrybeats: Rev3 (post 94) suppose to be much less unruley, and I think they carried on tweaking it till it went out of production. Most people I have spoken to say it's a fantastic handling car, seems it's mid-engineered, rear wheel drive, well balanced sports car. In fact the more people I talk to about it the more good storeys I hear about it.

I have fallen in love with this one, it's above my budget, and i won't be buying till after christmas anyway - but it's a beaut.



1995 TOYOTA MR2 GTS TURBO


White, Hardtop, 38750 miles, ABS, Aircon, PAS, E/W, E/M, LSD, CD stereo, Bomex nose cone, 16 inch alloys, aftermarket exhaust, Japanese service records. In stock at our Japanese Garage in Osaka.

UK on the road price (including 12 months warranty) £8250

http://www.mr2-direct-imports.co.uk/ This one is endorsed by the owners club, really good bunch. It's the 4th one down I think.










[Edited by mynickers - 12/1/2003 8:50:25 PM]

mynickers

screech: giving people lifts everywhere, never thought of it that way - good point..

So you can adjust the boost or is that some aftermarket gadget? Whats max and min bar? Earlier in the post someone said a unichip (or some such) + Decent exhaust can bump up BHP to upto 300bhp, and pretty cheap too! YES PLEASE!

Teg's with a decent induction kit, and decent exhaust sound pretty good, spoon/mugen ones sound chicken oriental! Sure it could get tiring though, and motorway you're grabbing for the 6th gear it hasn't got.

Nothing compares to a well tuned scoob though!

[Edited by mynickers - 12/1/2003 11:00:49 PM]

mynickers

Hello folks,

Been looking to buy a sports car, and finally realise that niggling boyhood dream for some time, finally going to start work soon after being a pesant student..

I was hoping to get a higher salary than I am likely to get shortly, and thus my master plan to get my dream integra seems to be going out the window.

So I have lowered my budget to around the £5k mark, (baring in mind that my insurance is likely to be £1k).

I love scoobs, but given my demographics, the insurance seems to be very high compared to alternatives, and obviously there is the issues of high running costs.

I have done quite a lot of research on insurance, and as most of you will know it’s all based on complex statistics, and popular cars for the boys, that boys of a certain age into motorsports buy, are statistically more risky than the more forgotten ones. Hence the massive popularity of scoobs means they’re quite expensive. Similarly more acceable and obvious cars can be too for example it’s quite expensive for me to insurance a golf gti mk2 16v. (anyway don’t want to go too far from the point).

Cars I like at the moment

306-gti-6, quite a nice understated looker, cheap to buy, nice all-rounder, and fairly potent, can also squeeze out a bit more power easily can get fully comp for £690 for standard version. Slight worry is build quality in comparison to German and jap counterparts.

Corrado g60/v6 – yet to obtain a quote, but doubt I will like it, also hard to find an un molested one.

Honda’s off, because all the ones I like are too expensive for good’n, even though I love them. Scoobs off for above reasons.

Mk1 MR2 fab little car, but showing their age, don’t’ like the styling, and also hard to get one that hasn’t been ragged and with low mileage.

MR2 GTS Turbo, well put together, high spec, very, very rapid, pretty reliable, great looks without too many outrageous air scoops and spoilers and can get one with around 50k mileage for £4-7k surprisingly cheap too insure, cheapest quote £900 (baring in mind, I am 26, live in London in central zone, park on street, and have 1ncb as name driver). Down point, scary in the wet, troublesome on the edge, but probably a good learning experience..

Great owners clubs with lots of amazing advice about buying here.

http://www.mr2dc.com/index.asp

Anyone had experience of MR2 turbos? Opinions or thoughts much appreciated.

Dream Weaver

Had a NA MR2, 175bhp, superb car really miss it.

Build quality and reliability are just unreal, you will never get problems with it.

As for "scary in the wet", only for people who cant drive properly Had some great sideways action in mine and controllable. urbo may be a bit more lairy, but is all good fun if you respect it.

Go for it

philz

I've got one, what do you wanna know? They're fast, handle well, can be easily tuned and are mega reliable. (oh, and they look just like a normal UK MR2 to the untrained eye so you can give the Scoobs a surprise )

Come over to www.imoc.co.uk or www.mr2oc.co.uk for more advice.

Ch!lledBudwei2er

Could you muster up 6.5k ish?

JDM ITR

http://forum.hondarevolutions.com/viewtopic.php?t=21874

Silvafox

iTrader: (1)

Philz, I for one can couch for that comment about surprising Scoobs! Posted a while ago about an MR2 Turbo that I couldn't gain an inch off up to 100+ (dual carriageway at night) and I consider an STI7 fairly sharp!

Muffleman

Hi,

I have a Turbo as a 2nd car, it's a cheap RWD mid engined sports car that AINT slow ! Faultless reliablity, even when tuned - which mine is.

Get one, you won't regret it. I even thought about getting a 2nd one for to-and-from work and keep the monster for the weekends\track days.

If you're interested, checkout www.mshperformance.co.uk to see my little '2.

All the best


Matt

[Edited by Muffleman - 11/26/2003 12:41:03 PM]

philz

Very nice car Muffleman, have you got the hybrid fitted yet?

I keep having thoughts of making my 2 into a monster with full rebuild, hybrid etc. but so far I've resisted

Some pics of mine -----> http://www.philz.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/

330uk

Im also thinking of buying a MR2 as a second car. How much BHP do these cars have as standard ?
Tesco have 2 different models listed a GT Turbo and GTS Turbo. Whats the difference between the 2 ?

philz

Early Rev 1 and 2 cars had 220BHP as standard, later Rev 3+ had 241BHP. The earlier ones are more difficult to tune but the later ones can pretty much hit 300BHP with only a Unichip/exhaust combo.

The GT and GTS are basically the same, the GTS is the bare model (less extras like steerable fogs, retractable mirrors) but a lot of Japs fitted the extras anyway so in reality they're the same.

fatherpierre

You sure the insurance is for a turbo? I was paying around that amount in N Scotland with full NCB @ 28yrs of age!

Running costs for a turbo will be at least that of scooby too!

BHP of a rev3 is 241 as standard. 225ish for rev 2 and a little less for rev1.

fatherpierre

GTS in its standard form came with only PAS, aircon and CC

No elec windows, mirrors or leather. Hard top only too. All for weight reasons.

I had a GTS that had everything though - except a t bar.

330uk

what year did the various revisions take place ?

mynickers

1994 was major revision.

http://www.mr2dc.com if you look under buying guides, and importing turbo's it gives a good run down of MR2 history.

mynickers

Hi Guys,

Muffleman & Phiz, yeah both your cars looks lovely, theyr'e both post 94 revision? I'm I right in thinking the pre 94 version is also a bit more of a handful to drive? Have also been looking on both the sites you posted thanks, just wanted to hear the scooby boys thoughts.

Can you get a post 94' for more or less around my budget? I prefer the styling too, 240bhp through the backwheels should be good fun! Also folks think the GTS has half leather seats..

As for insruance, I am kinda shocked myself, they quoted me some really cheap figures on slots of small cars, I normally get ridiculously high figures, and it defo says turbo so I am not complaining. The only one that was stupidly high was the Fiat 20v turbo which the cheapest was around £2,500 - yeah well you know where they can stick that figure. Also to my surprise today they cam back with a fairly reasonable figure for a classic scoob so now I am I dunno again LOL.



Confused.com is acutally wicked site, trawls most of the major insurers, and then comes back with a break down the cheapest as you can see, and has given me some great figures, I mean earlier in the year I got quoted over £2k for a clio 172, which hardly compares with a scoob or a mr2 turbo!

AS for JDM Teg, I LOVE tegs, and found it really hard to track down JDM ones, have been checking honda revs occationally, never any in auto trader when I have looked and all the importers say they can't be arsed cause they're not much cheaper than uk spec. Plus JDM ones have ugly lights at front prefer euro/us rounded headlights, although I could cope

Nice thing about MR2 is though that it already packs quite a punch as standard, and teg I woudl end up messing around with and spending more money

Cheers for your help guys, always nice to hear others opinions, especially when they agree with you lol...

Nick

philz

Yep, the Rev 1 and 2 are a bit more of a handful to drive but anything with a mid engine design putting over 200BHP through the rear wheels is gonna be a bit scary if you're not used to it.

fatherpierre

I had a rev 2 and 3 and I'd say the 2 was the better car to drive.

The 3 lost some of its appeal and seemed to have some of the 'feel' of the rev2 removed.

No noticeable difference in pace either - until I had the rev3 upped to 280 bhp.

Muffleman

Hi Philz,

The turbo is currently with Owen Developments being worked on as we speak, and I can't wait to get it back ! I'll let you know how I get on. We're going to have to keep the power down to 400ish bhp because of the limits on the gearbox, but it's gonna be good !

TBH, once you start on the slippery slope of BIG mods, it gets expensive, but that's the same with all cars. I'm in for quite a lot of money now, but you're a long time dead as they say.

Your car looks great ! Obviously we have good taste, black with minimal exterior mods, clean and tasteful.

Those seats look great too, good choice.

I'm pleased with the stereo too, I hadn't heard of Audiobahn when I bought the 8" subs, but it's BL00DY loud in there !!!

Cheers



Matt

330uk

mynickers have you tried Tesco ?

I just got a very good quote from them. I will be buying mine in about 2 weeks.

Muffleman

Also try AON, I was with them last year. And if you join MR2DC, then you get to use the scheme with Dorset insurance.

I pay less than £600 and I've declared the mods, although that is on a limited mileage. I'm 29 with full NCD.

All the best


Matt

Muffleman

I actually know of a tintop GTS for sale in red, it's a VERY clean example and being sold by the guy who does all my tuning. He's not a dealer but he works for Toyota and KNOWS HIS STUFF.

It's up for £3,500 and on a K plate, let me know if you need more details. Not the cheapest or dearest, but a very straight example.

Cheers



Matt

matt5cott

"scary in the wet"

What makes you think that?



Im looking to install racelogic traction control as soon as its sorted (damage is all aesthetic by the way)

R1916v

Theres a red rev 3 for sale near me, 5500 from a dealer!

http://www.mx5cars.co.uk/index.cfm?c...74480DBEA38B45

They seem to always have one rev 3 in, and they always seem to price them at 5500

fatherpierre

They're very cheap these days.

If a dealer has one @ £5500 you'll be able to find a private one @ £3500 - £4000 easily.

A mate of mine sold his 93k Rev 2 for a mere £2500 about a year ago. It was a lovely motor, too.

5 Type R

Had a Rev 3 GT Turbo with 340bhp before the Version 5 Type R.

Cracking straight road car.

Dino at Owen Developments now has it. Currently under development
400 @wheels !!!!!!!

fatherpierre

Straight road?

Were you using it properly?

Wet straight road - yes. But in the dry they handle like nothing I've ever driven.

mynickers

Thanks for all your advice guys, yeah I have tried tesco, they're normaly not good for me. The main discounters are intersted in low risks and basically young car lovers that wants a fast car are the worst risk. Even if myself and many of the peeps in this forum are good drivers (orcourse we all are right?) we get let down by the masses.

It's nice to have people accept my judgement and not say, NO don't get that get this...

I just want a kick **** car on a budget but without the worry. After all nothing in life comes for free. And there are many great cars around cheap, but normally that means they've been ragged to death. I won't be able to afford big bills for repairs, so I want something that can do the business without having to worry about them falling apart. Or having to do lots to get them to the performance I need. For example I think mx-5 is a nice chassis, and good little car, but to get it to perform you need to spend money and effort, as aspose to a scoob or a mr2 turbo which doesnt' really need it, unless you REALLY want performance...

Thanks again guys..

The only thing that puts me off mr3 is lack of space for mates. Which is why scoobs will always win, apart from that wonderful throbing noise which no car fan could resist, very few other cars apart from perhaps the evo can happily take 4 up.

Nick

Drunkenly so above might not make much sense, btu i CAN'T SEE too straight lol Nick.

mynickers

One more note..

Does the t-bar suffer from any stiffness problems, does it get more scuttle shake than a hard top, or no difference?