[Piddy]

*mod edit: This discussion was split from the following thread http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/t26471.html* -Phi

Since I don't think we have any spyder owners on here... I'm just gonna flat out say.... the MRS is a piece of shit.

Some people swap in the 2zz (Celica GTS) motor... and recently I think someone actually got a 1mz to fit in there. Don't know if the project was ever finished though.

I don't consider the MRS a MR2 at all.... 99% of the drivers don't even know what it is :hammer:. I think most of them are midlife crisis people that couldn't afford a Porche... so that got something that looked like it.

Now an Elise!!!! Wooot! Now thats a car ... There are a couple out there (not in this country... car is too new) that have Audi twin tub V6's in them.

 

[Tommy]

oh yeah, i agree the MR-S is a peice, they are such chick/girly cars.

if you're over 6ft tall, you cant even sit in the things. plus ive heard the handling and performance kinda sucks.

it would be different to see someone sup one up though.

 

[Piddy]

Personally... I think any convertible car is a chick car. If you are a guy... and you buy one... I seriously question your sexuality :lol:

T-tops and targas are okay.... but not topless. Girls belong topless... not guys. They make a hardtop for the MKIII... but it runs about $3k... and not many people get it. Looks great though.

They actually do handle pretty well... handling was improved from the MKII.... it's more like the MKI handling. The only problem.... thing is near gutless.

Then when I actually got to look at one... I was even more pissed off. They have NONOOOO trunk... not even a little one. They placed the entire muffler inside of the engine compartment... along with the batt. and a bunch of other shit. Plus the top takes up about 2 feet of space.... and its ugly. Their "storage".... is taking the spare tire out... and that is the luggage spot :.

If they would have stuck the 2zz... or at least given the option of it.... or maybe a supercharger that would fit in the engine compartment..... it would have been a better car. They sold it with no options.... slow engine.... and an ugly soft top.

 

[Chris Corolla S]

Saying the MR-S is a piece of shit is pretty ignorant. They handle as well or better than the previous MR-2s stock for stock, and since when has an N/A MR-2 been fast in a straight line?? I'm sure the MR-S would at the least keep up with the previous two (N/A) Gen MR-2s in a straight line and on a road course. Granted they are slow out of the box but no more so than any other N/A toyota, "sports car" or not. Stock they put down 120 HP to the wheels and weigh less than 2200 lbs. The Gen2 weighs 2,650 lbs for the N/A version. Throw on an SF turbo kit or do the 2zz swap, and you have a track monster.

If you don't like the looks and the top and no lugage space or whatever then fine, that's your opinion, but it's not a piece by any stretch.

 

[Piddy]

If you have ever driven, been inside of, or even looked really closely at one.... you wouldn't be impressed. I just consider it a huge downgrade from the previous 2's. I would take a MKI over and MKIII any day.

Everything on the car is real cheesy and plastic-ish. Thing seriously feels like its gonna fall apart. I'd take one with a 2zz swap.... but I think the 1zz killed the car.

 

[ripley's99]

^ i agree with ishcoleobo on the quality of the MKIII...it is not that great and if you are around 6' tall it is very hard to fit in & see out of...there is not much room in it at all, especially when compared to my '89 MKI.

i drove the sequential version & it handles decently but the power is really lacking...again my MKI N/A is slow too at around 105hp but it just feels faster to me.

i think a turbo'ed 2ZZ MKIII would be much more fun for certain and with some suspension work could be a monster at the track/auto-x.

i would rather have my '89 MKI anyday though over the MKIII. the MKI is a pure driver's car, No power steering, No ABS No Traction Assistance....whereas the MKIII is simply water-ed down version...ok to drive, but nothing that great imho.

Keri

 

[Piddy]

I'm sure the MR-S would at the least keep up with the previous two (N/A) Gen MR-2s in a straight line and on a road course.

1zz has no chance against a BEAMS 3SGE..... no chance ever. Even in the heavier MKII.... it would win. Too bad they stopped making them here before that motor was put in them

 

[Tommy]

It seems that the people who have owned/driven multiple Mr2's either Mk1 or Mk2 or MR-S. Think that the MR-S is the least impressive of the bunch.

The MR-S is more like an early Miata when compaired to the previous generations.

The first 2 Mr2's were performance oriented sports cars, but the 3rd seems to be aimed towards the happy college girly cruiser type.

 

[Chris Corolla S]

1zz has no chance against a BEAMS 3SGE..... no chance ever. Even in the heavier MKII.... it would win. Too bad they stopped making them here before that motor was put in them

WTF Beams has nothing to do with stock NA MR2s

 

[Tommy]

Except in Australia they got a BEAMS MR2...

 

[Chris Corolla S]

The watered-Down thing that people are reacting to is why this new MR-2 actually has some sales unlike the 2nd Gen MR-2, which most people seem to think is the best gen for performance (Turbo). it's like the TT FD RX-7, Enthusiasts hail them as god-like, but they never sold. So yes the MR-S has performance compromises for things like marketing and sales and reliabilty.
The MR-S I like is the Wide-body one with the 2zz swap that was on one of those Touge showdown vids. That thing was great, and the driver raved about it's handeling.

 

[Chris Corolla S]

Except in Australia they got a BEAMS MR2...

Exactly it has nothing to do with this discussion involving North American People. Next thing we will be talking about jap-spec toyotas....

 

[Zrain]

MR-S What a JOKE.

that car was never intended or will ever be intended as a "sport car" it losely fall's into the catagory given its Mid engine, and the fact its a convertable.

but its Grosely underpowerd. and lacks any true sporty feature's such as a 6 speed, agresive handeling, and more then 150HP.

the MR-S was Toyotas atempt at a Girl car, to be an alternitive to the Boxter. they didnt want to make it competitive with the boxter, no they just wanted it to be a cheeper. as a guy i look at the MR-S as a Underpowerd pore handeling "good idea" of a chassy.

the best thing that could hapen to an MR-S is this...........

Widen the Stance by 4 inch's on both sides. (longer costom tubular Controlarms) use a dual controlarm setup with Micpherson coil overs.

setup a wide body on it, (costom fabirication)

swap out the 1zz, for a Heavly modifyed 2zz. (oversized Valves, port polish) Change out the bottem end compreshon to 8.5:1 and have a costom crank to stroke it up to 2.0L (if thats posible) then bolt on a T-76 Turbo, (top mount intercooler).

use an independent Iginion and Fuel Managment system, instal a costom made secondary computer to activate the VVTi celinod at any RPM u set it for.

change out the fuel system to include dual injectors for each port. (primarys and secondarys) costom fabricate an intake with dual length runders's with butterflys that open at a set RPM (controled by the costom VVTi Computer Box) and top it all off with portmatched, 4-2-1 Turbo Step headers.

get some nice sized rim's and tires. have a costom interior instaled. get a role bar and take it to the track, and make shure you get the letters GTP on the side of the car.


or you could just get a MKII and bolt on a biger turbo with larger intercooler and call it a night.

 

[knuckleduster]

it is a girls car plain and simple. im 6'5 and cant fit in them at all. with the seat all the way back my knees hit the dash and steering wheel. i have no trouble sitting in an aw11 or sw20 (real mr2's)

 

[Piddy]

Ya I'm 6' ... maybe 6'1".... I was so uncomfortable in that car.

 

[Rolla97]

I dont even put the MR-S in the same category as the MR-2. The 2 was a badass car, in both performance and looks. specifically the last generation ones. The MR-S by comparison looks like a TOTAL CHICK CAR that no self respecting man would buy

Besides they are like $30K + and have a whole 130 HP....... LMAO like im gonna pay over 30 grand for that? Toyota must be crazy.

 

[Chris Corolla S]

I can't really argue with the girl car thing, but people have put that label on some cars that I think are cool anyway like the Celica. It sounds like I wouldn't fit in an MR-S at 6' 2", but I also can't fit in a Miata and some 7th gen celicas.

Let me play devil's advocate and put down some figures.

I bet most people know that the MkII is the heaviest and the MkII Turbo has the best power to weight ratio, lets see if the rest pans out like you would think:
(all info for manual trans)

WEIGHT
Listed from lightest to heaviest:
MR-S
MkI N/A
MkI S/C
MkII N/A
MkII T

HORSEPOWER to weight
Listed from best to worse
MkII T
MR-S
MkI S/C
MkII N/A
MkI N/A

TORQUE To weight
Listed from best to worse
MR-S
MkI S/C
MkII N/A
MkII T
MkI N/A

Wheel Track Width
Listed from widest to most narrow
(these are very close)
MR-S
MkII
MkI

Food for thought...

 

[Chris Corolla S]

A little more info for those who might not know about the MR-S.
Stock 1/4 mile capabilities:
http://newcelica.org/forums/showthread.php?threadid=146925
Should be around a 14.9 for a best stock time. Not bad for 138 HP.
The guys with the SF Turbo kits are running mid 13s on low boost

 

[ripley's99]

the MR-S isn't a bad car...i think its just a shame that as light as the body is it seems underpowered and does not "live up" to the previous gen's in most peoples' eyes.

some good auto-x friends of ours have an N/A MKII & just bought a brand new MR-S...they like the MR-S but cannot stop talking about how much more fun the MKI is to drive over the MR-S.

i guess my biggest beefs with the MR-S are:

1. if you are close to 6' tall it is very difficult to see out of & fit in.
(p.s. i cannot drive a miata & as a passenger my knees hit the glove box this all has to happen with the top down.)

2. the quality is not really very good...lots of cheapy looking & feeling plastic for a $30k as well as trunk room for a kleenex if you are lucky. ( i know its a sports car etc but i can fit a ton of groceries & even a laptop comp in my MKI trunk)

3. i was hoping the car would be a large improvement over my 15 year old MKI, in so far as handling mostly. this was my biggest disappointment...i can find no reason to buy this car even used later on down the road. it just doesn't "excite" me the way my MKI does & i have yet to even upgrade my suspension so its soft and bouncy & also i have no upgraded front or rear sway bar installed.

now...that Elise in your sig Chris Corolla S...i will be getting one of those used if i can find one in a few years. from everything i have read everywhere it delivers raw driving excitement in everyway possible...sign me up please!

Keri

 

[Number Eight]

Personally... I think any convertible car is a chick car. If you are a guy... and you buy one... I seriously question your sexuality :lol:

This is a chick car to you?