I'm looking into buying an mr2 and wanted to know what things could I be expecting. For example, is it easy to work on the engine, what kinda problems is the mr2 known for, where could be a good place to look into mr2 to buy, and also for parts for the mr2, and are they considerably cheap to the average person. the car will be a 1995 or 1999 since
I'm in love with the model of that year. i live in VA
thankyou
Last edited by famousashes; 04-22-2009 at 04:13 PM.
You need to do some research. If you use the search feature most of your questions will be easily answered.
For starters... the MKII MR2 made from 1991-1995 in the states. So.... a '96-99 are impossible to get here.... and a '95 is rare and generally quite expensive. You will probably be looking for something in the 91-93 range.... unless you are dead set on having a '94-95. Besides tail lights (which are easily changed)... your average person will not notice the difference between a 93 and a 94-95.
Compared to most cars... they are not easy to work on. That's just part of having a mid engine car.... there is really nothing that is 'easy' to get to. A lot of jobs are easier to just drop the motor for. As far as parts.... rare car + limited aftermarket = expensive parts.
A turbo would be nice, I think from 5000, to 10000 dollars are around the price of a lot of them. I just have fallen in love with the car and I really wish I'm able to get one of them. Now, are the parts of them preferably cheap?, and I really want a reliable car in which I can count on to go to school, and slowly work on it, to customize it to my liking. This would be my first car, and ready to take care of it to the extreme, jeje
you have to remember that most of these cars are close to almost 20 yrs old....they are not the most reliable cars...not great first car unless you have access to another beater....you can find good condition ones...but expect to pay a premium....
well I really love the model of the car and is a toyota so parts have to be fairly cheap, but how much do you think would be to get a reliable car that I could work on slowly, I really don't like any other models except the supra and we all know that is expensive. Maybe if you could recommend other cars but I would really love it if I could get an mr2.
Get it.... but just know that it isn't a Honda Civic. Parts are not cheap or abundant. I don't know where you get the idea that Toyota parts are cheap..... especially for the MR2. There isn't a whole lot you can walk into autozone and say.... hey I need this..... almost everything has to come from the dealership. Not to mention it's almost always a special order part.... so expect to wait a day or two before getting anything.
yea parts are almost always dealership and they are pretty good about getting stuff in a couple days. As far as cost of a car, you can get a decent turbo 91-92 for around 5-6k and a 93-94 for around 6-7k. i got my 91 with 126k for $5500. and that was over 2 years ago. So they arent too expensive. If you want a place to look foro them check out www.mr2oc.com in the classifieds.
But they are very fun cars to drive, but can be a pain to work on since the engine is not too accessible, and some of the parts are tough, like the alternator you need to remove the exhaust pipe to replace just to give you an idea of some obsticles youll encounter.
thank you for the reply, this is giving me an idea of what I would get up against, and Do you think if you take care of the car slowly will it be reliable?
And from what I've seen in newer cars, the MR2 has almost as much room to work in/access. After you get to "know" the car and the engine, it gets easier to work on. Knowing the shortest route to get to something on/in the engine.
There is a good aftermarket perfomance parts support for the MR2. Many of those parts are way cheaper than OEM. For example-Toyota wants $2,700.00 for a new stock CT26 turbo. You can get a CT27 from ATS Racing for $700.00 plus the refundable $300.00 core charge.
Picking up my brand new MR2 either tomorrow or tuesday (when his new title comes in). Didn't wanna really post until I made an intro with pics but....
This one has some issues. It's a 1991 n/a but its black on black, ttop, and 5speed, which I've heard is a rare combo. I'm getting it at just under 160k for $2,200 which I feel is a steal
BUT
It needs (to pass Maryland inspection) rear rotors, high beam switch, and a cv boot. ok, no problem. wait, and fix the broken speedo..... AND a new rack and pinion.... ouch. Gonna be my first time doing a rack and pinion but I think it's well worth it for this car. I've been keeping my eyes out for a while to find something like this. Just keep your eyes open and let us know what you find.
Btw, I have another beater and this is my project car. Something to consider for sure.......
just out of curiosity, how much did you pay for it
$2,200 but still waiting on the new title (obviously haven't paid him yet). Damn it, I've wanted an MR2 since before I could drive and I'm soooo close!! Grrrrr!! Stupid dmv
The KBB retail value is $3695.00 for a 1991 MR2 N/A in excellent condition. You said that it has these problems-that you know of.
Quote:
It needs (to pass Maryland inspection) rear rotors, high beam switch, and a cv boot. ok, no problem. wait, and fix the broken speedo..... AND a new rack and pinion.... ouch.
FYI just to give you a base line...I think you should take a really good, detailed inspection of this car. I would be wondering why it needs a new rack and pinion. was it in an accident? I personally would look around for one in better condition or get him to knock off 1K. You're fixin' to fork out some bucks just to make it road worthy. IMHO
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