Brand Newbie, need some help please!

[mase]

I am very interested in purchasing a 1991-1993 MR2. First question is, am I nuts to be looking for one with <150K miles, with turbo, for about $4,000? My next question is probably unanswerable but I will try anyway. I have never purchased a used car. I have never owned an import. Yes, you read that right, please don't shun me forever. I am very afraid of buying a used Toyota and then having the thing break down to the tune of $2K+. Besides taking it to a mechanic for compression test, looking for wobbling tires, and smoke. What other problems are common and costly in these cars? My hope is to get a decent car and then put about $2k into it to make it exactly how I want that will run virtually problem free for 50K miles. Reason being, is I don't want to take out a loan to buy it, and have about $6500 set aside for the car. I am decently mechanically inclined, but never worked on an import, so that just may be out the window. Anyone here that has had the same goal/dream that make it happen? The most important question I guess is, Would you think it better to buy the Turbo car for more $ as a base car and have less $ for aftermarket performance parts, or the NA for much less, and then put more money into performance/turbo later? Thanks for reading my post! Mase

[Piddy]

Start out with a decent turbo. NA to Turbo is a pain in the ass... except you get cheap insurance still

[mase]

Thanks for the quick reply ishcoleobo! Does my price range seem close, or am I dreaming?

mase

[Piddy]

I paid $3,600 for my NA

If you wait it out you could probably pick one up for cheap like that. I was a little impatient... but still love the car. Especially now that its turbo'd

[mase]

May I ask what kind of money is involved in the swap? Also, can you simply add a CT-26 or CT-20 to the 2.2L?

[Piddy]

You can.... but you have to rebuild your motor for a turbo... low compression everything. So it's cheaper to just use the 3sgte. Some go with the 3sgte head on the 5sfe block and it does turn out okay.

My swap... after everything... was somewhere around $4k+. I got an incomplete clip and had to gather close to $1k worth of parts. Plus I lost the garage I was going to do it in... so i had to have someone else do it... but I got a pretty good deal on the labor... $800