85 Mk I - to restore it or not…?

[NJmartian]

here's another of those questions you all love to not answer!

I have an 85 MR2 in generally decent running condition but it has some known "issues" that will need to be addressed. It's a second car for me for the past 5 years. I tell my wife it's letting me keep the miles down on my newer RX8. But it's just plain old fun to drive and I'd really don't want to give it up. It's my toy and I don't abuse it.

It's pretty much all stock. I got it from my sister who put 105k gentle miles on it in 17 years. I have put 17k on it since, while pumping about $2500 into it. (Timing Belt, water pump, gaskets galore, master & slave cylinders, struts, a lot of the exhaust system, sensors, etc.)

It still needs a new clutch. It has a possible leak in exhaust at the manifold even though the pipes were replaced two years ago. The engine basically looks like crap, lots of general corrosion. (But it's such a damn nice engine it just keeps running.) I probably have air in the coolant line since the idle is wandering. It needs a good flush anyway. The bumper is bimped and assorted other odds and ends are failing due to age. It still looks very nice, though it has a few spots of rust and dings here and there. But it's not embarrassing.

OK, I know I planned to spend about $1600 in maintenance/repairs on the mechanics plus about $2000+ in body work/paint, but that was going to be spread out over 3 years or so... while hoping to drive it about 5k a year.

Now my 17 year old daughter is using it every day for commuting to school and dance classes and her part time job. What, you think I should let her use the RX-8?? She learned to drive a stick in it (partly why the clutch was not previously fixed) and she loves the car too. But it was never intended to be a daily commuter car with the way I have been fixing it... I do not feel comfortable with her relying on a 22 year old car with know issues for necessary 'transportation.' Basically, there are just too many risks with this car for me to let her to use it the way it is. So, we're facing some hard choices.

What are restored/rebuilt 85 MR2s worth? Could I be committed for pumping another $5000 into the car to make it a reliable daily drive vehicle?? How much should I consider replacing?? (Other than what I mentioned above, the coolant system is prime suspect #2 right now. It's corroded and bound to be a problem when the other engine work is done.... )

Is there anyone else who has already invented this wheel who can relate their experiences with overhauls/restorations?
(Ultimately, I'll be weighing my mechanic's advice to make a decision, nut I would like to hear from others.)
I don't mind being a little daft, spending that money on it, but I would like to hear some other restoration horror and success stories.
How bout it??

[tHa kNiGHt FaLL]

cut your losses dawg.... get your 17 year old a second gen

[NJmartian]

yeah. that's sort of the conclusion I am reaching... sadly.

I'd like a Mark II but am sort of sick of patching up my knuckles on a mid engine location...

maybe I'll look for a 2004 S2000 and make you all mad at me.

[22redlined]

if you like it, i say keep it. think about it, its 22 years old and how many do not have any track time? not many, price on them have been going up almost daily. thats why i still have my mr2, i just can't talk myself into getting rid of it. it is extremely fun to drive, has the mileage of a hybrid and insurance prices are fantastic for being a sports car. i realize i am biased owning one also but this is my second and after i sold my first everytime i saw one i seemed to try to buy one. keep it and enjoy having a car that makes every little honda ricer nervous

[tHa kNiGHt FaLL]

Originally Posted by NJmartian

yeah. that's sort of the conclusion I am reaching... sadly.

I'd like a Mark II but am sort of sick of patching up my knuckles on a mid engine location...

maybe I'll look for a 2004 S2000 and make you all mad at me.

yea... but a car is a car and they all break...

only problem w/ new cars is how much shit they cram into them engine bays.

gotta pull the engine to change the alternator.... redunkulous

[toyotaspeed90]

Originally Posted by tHa kNiGHt FaLL

yea... but a car is a car and they all break...

only problem w/ new cars is how much shit they cram into them engine bays.

gotta pull the engine to change the alternator.... redunkulous

yeah, but a ford is not a toyota....

his car may be 22 years old, but it only has ~130,000 miles on it... probably less than most of you mk2 guys....


If you know how to work on the car yourself, then I would say you are set.... don't need to "restore" it.... it seems like you have kept up on it maintenance wise... and that's all it takes for these cars to keep going.



To give you a perfect example..... another mr2 owner (good friend of mine) his fiance had a daily driver Ford Focus.... had all highway miles as she drives quite a ways to work... it had significant problems.... CEL on, lumpy idle, a few other things.... and she was driving it down the road and it left her stranded... with a snapped timing belt and possibly valve damage...


now... does newer mean better? No way....

If you want to make sure this car is "reliable" then just do routine maintenance on it... a clutch job isn't bad.... check hoses for cracks and maybe bleed the coolant system.... keep up on oil changes and if it isn't beat on hard it will continue to run for years.....

[tHa kNiGHt FaLL]

newer is not always better...

they cost for the car and the montly payments and interest usually equals the cost for more frequent repairs on an older car.

and i kno someone w/ a dodge shadow... 280k in miles... still running. all original.

its how you maintain it which makes it last

[NJmartian]

thanks for the comments, all of which I took to heart. you all may be biased but then hey why not listen to those who know more than jethro down at pep boys or the kids with their butchered Talons or Tiburons in the 7-11 lot...

simple solution: I am keeping the MR2 for myself and will continue to take care of it like I have been. If trouble comes knocking, I will have to see if I can (or want to) afford to fix it. my mechanic loves me.

My daughter's getting something a bit less harrowing, like a new tC or 3. (I'd get her another Fit like her sister's, but she hates it. She wants a Miata or a Cooper. We'll see. New ones of all those will run $15k to $19k. Yeah, a lot more than I wanted but it's an early grad and xmas and birthday and... present. And used ones may be less $ but more risky. --and not all that much less these days!)

Thanks again to all.
m

[toyotaspeed90]

you can't really go wrong with a scion.... toyota reliability at un-toyota like prices

[byron12]

I say go for a restoration it is a classic car and will be known as such in the not too distant future. I am looking to find a first gen soon for restoration purposes....