1988 AW11 NA Automatic White HT

[Octaneguy]

Wow that's a mouthful for a subject line! I picked up last month a mint condition 1988 White MR2 NA with only 68,000 miles on it. Based on the Car Fax report, most of the miles were in the first 4 years of it's life and the remaining 16 had only a few thousand every few years. Though I'm not sure, it looks like there were multiple owners based on the registration updates, or maybe they just moved. Regardless, the car wasn't being driven much and in 2006, it was involved in a collision that earned the salvage title.

Not hard to do for a 20 year old car. It was a minor fender bender and I'm sure the tires and brakes had something to do with it because everytime I tried to stop, I would skid about 100 feet more with the tires smoking from going only 35 mph!

I don't know the journey from there till today other than it ended up an an auction house and a shop in Riverside bought it for $1900, put on a new front bumper, and new front drivers fender, a new front wheel and struts, and put it on Craigslist for $3,000.

I happened to be in the market for an MR2 after my highly modded 2005 MINI Cooper S had to be parked for the rest of the year due to me spending way too much $$$ repairing it after it keeps breaking due to all the power it's got..currently 255HP!

I had seen 4 potential MR2's. All with mileage over 175,000miles, with new engines, bad paint, broken speedos, etc.. and this one, an automatic NA with a salvage title!

I visited the shop, talked to the owner, took the MR2 for a spin and fell in love with it immediately. The car was pristine and as a professional paint polisher I could tell the paint was in excellent and buffable condition.

Needless to say I bought it that day, and spent another $1,000 in servicing (timing belt), master brake cylinder, valve cover gasket, new Nitto Neo Gen tires, threw on some driving gloves, and have found that the MR2 is just as fun to drive as my front wheel drive MINI.

In fact, prior to my MR2, I had two MINIs, a 2003 Cooper and a 2005 Cooper S (Supercharged), both manuals...so driving an NA is a no brainer, and being an Auto didn't bother me..in fact it was welcome.

I've found that by leaving it in POWER mode and selectively using OD On/Off when I need power...I could effectively down shift by turning OD off temporarily, then switching it back on to conserve fuel. Same was when approaching a turn, I could utilize the OD button for engine braking to slow down before hitting the brakes. Just like my Cooper NA, keeping the revs high, driving smoothly, and utilizing sticky rubber on small diameter wheels keeps the fun quotient high!

The interior and exterior are nearly perfect with some minor imperfections. Some of the things were missing, the tools for the spare tire and the mounting parts for the spare..not even sure if the spare in there is the factory one. I bought an owners manual off eBay and the shop manuals as well.

There was an alarm installed but no remotes, so I had another one professionally installed.

Some more pix







Old Tires Removed


New Tires

[MR2Jedi]

I can't get over what good condition the car is in and how low the mileage is.
The outside looks great and so does the engine(bay). How 'bout some pics of the inside?

[Octaneguy]

Thanks!! I love it!

Even the interior is perfect except for a crack in the dash by the clock, and the passenger side a/c vent ring is cracked. The center storage bin near the window has a broken hinge as well. All interior fabrics are perfect. Yes the steering wheel isn't great. It's about the only thing I will change out..planning a Momo, just haven't decided which one yet..Montecarlo or Race are at the top of the list. I'll be keeping it as an auto and NA for as long as it will run and I can source parts for it.

Originally Posted by MR2Jedi

I can't get over what good condition the car is in and how low the mileage is.
The outside looks great and so does the engine(bay). How 'bout some pics of the inside?

[MR2Jedi]

Yeah, the inside does look good! The blemishes you described are minor. Seats look perfect(cleaner than mine..eek)
I didn't know that model redlined at 7500rpm.. wow

[Octaneguy]

Haha yes, no rips or tears or wear spots in the seats! With the Overdrive off and the Power Mode set, it will shift at about 7000rpm..never really watched how much over or under 7K, but it's definitely peppy. Off the line at stop lights, it feels like every other car is faster as we pull away, but soon enough, everyone becomes a faint dot as the rpms build up.

Like I said in the first post, using the OD switch, cruising at 3K on the freeway becomes 5K, same as downshifting a gear, and passing is easy, as is using it to slow the car down without hitting the brakes.

To conserve gas, Power mode off and Overdrive On, and now I can save gas for long trips. I have a bad habit of not being overly conservative when I drive. My NA Cooper was supposed to get 28-35mpg, but I normally got 22-25mpg because I loved driving it spiritedly!

The 10 gallon tank bothered me at first in the MR2..I'm getting about 185 miles to the tank..yes I know it's way under what I should be getting..but most of my commute is just a few miles each way and it's the best part of my day!

Richard

Originally Posted by MR2Jedi

Yeah, the inside does look good! The blemishes you described are minor. Seats look perfect(cleaner than mine..eek)
I didn't know that model redlined at 7500rpm.. wow

[MR2Jedi]

Originally Posted by Octaneguy

my commute is just a few miles each way and it's the best part of my day!

Richard

That drive to and from work can be great "therapy".
I know it is for me in my '91 turbo!

[Octaneguy]

Definitely agree!! Just 5 months ago, my commute to and from work was 100 miles a day, for the past 3 years! Glad to have gotten away from that horrible 3 hour daily commute that was mostly stop and go!

Originally Posted by MR2Jedi

That drive to and from work can be great "therapy".
I know it is for me in my '91 turbo!

[MR2Jedi]

Yeah, I drive 55 miles-One Way to work 5/6 days a week. It's mostly hi way thru the country side. Virtually no traffic! I love it.
Alot of people don't understand why I don't move closer. I don't wanna lose my cruise!
Only thing, is at night, I usually have to drive 55. So much Deer running around. I see no less than a dozen every night.! Smacked one in My Tacoma last summer and one jumped on the fr. hood and rt fender of my MR2 jumping a 6 ft. fence! Scared the crap out of me!

[Ghostyman]

That is a very nice car. I'm jealous.

[Octaneguy]

Hey Sammy,

Thanks for the tip! I ordered a reproduction set in blue just now! As for the bras..interesting. I don't see any signs of bra usage though you could be right.

Richard