New car time, thinking an MR2...

[Road Pest]

OK, so it's not the Lotus I'm yearning to buy into again but needs must and with a 1500 budget I'm not nearly close enough to getting there any time soon. The HR-V has served its purpose and it's time for it to go.

Are there any wise words that can help me pick a good one in this price bracket or am I fighting a losing battle here. From my preliminary searches there seems to be some viable stock around just wondering what I need to look for when I get there.

Thanks in advance.

Pest.

[2 Wycked]

Mk2? I've driven one, and considered it over-rated, but they're alright for the money I suppose.

Keep an eye out for rust along the sills and signs of it having been crashed. Other than that I think it's pretty standard used car stuff to look out for.

Oh, and make sure both the headlamps pop up.

[Herman Toothrot]

£1500, try to get a good condition (rust free) mk1 if you can, you won't get a mk3 for that money, you can compare those varients to a Lotus. The mk2 however is not worth of being mentioned in the same sentence. In its own right its a good car but handling isn't in the same league.

Edited by Herman Toothrot on Saturday 16th October 21:18

[TRUENOSAM]

As I own a mk2 Rev3 MR2 this may sligtly biased but thats what I would reccomend.

They can be picked up for good money now and with lots of parts readily available I cant see where you would go wrong. They do have some common issues but what car doesnt.

For the money they are a good all rounder albeit if the tail happy handaling is something to watch, even more so this time of year.

[andy43]

At the risk of being predictable, for 1500 quid I'd be looking at something that DOES handle - MX5.

[slipstream 1985]

mk is pointless unless its a turbo then it becomes a point and squirt job

[Blue Meanie]

Herman Toothrot said:

£1500, try to get a good condition (rust free) mk1 if you can, you won't get a mk3 for that money, you can compare those varients to a Lotus. The mk2 however is not worth of being mentioned in the same sentence. In its own right its a good car but handling isn't in the same league.

Edited by Herman Toothrot on Saturday 16th October 21:18

How do they fare in the MR2 championship?

[-Pete-]

I had a MK1 (a long time ago) for 4.5 years and it was great, a bit lacking in power but heaps of fun, very well laid out, cornered like nothing I've had before or since. But nowadays I'd go for an MX5, styling is less dated, Front-engine RWD a bit less perfect but more likely to be fun.

I never tried a MK2 but everything I heard/read says they became more comfortable and through that, less of a driving experience. But I could be wrong.
ETA: And I carnt spel

Edited by -Pete- on Saturday 16th October 22:29

[Road Pest]

andy43 said:

At the risk of being predictable, for 1500 quid I'd be looking at something that DOES handle - MX5.

I was initially looking at an MX5 but got drawn to the MR2 after seeing one today. The jury is still out on that one tbf.

[Road Pest]

TRUENOSAM said:

As I own a mk2 Rev3 MR2 this may sligtly biased but thats what I would reccomend.

They can be picked up for good money now and with lots of parts readily available I cant see where you would go wrong. They do have some common issues but what car doesnt.

For the money they are a good all rounder albeit if the tail happy handaling is something to watch, even more so this time of year.

Rev3 is what a mate has suggested too. I'm not expecting Lotus fun but something to keep me occupied in the meantime.

[pbirkett]

Sadly I've never driven a mk 1 mr2 but I understand they're lots of fun, but these days Id imagine it would be hard to find one without the dreaded tinworm, so I too would recommend the mx5 as they're great fun and cheap and reliable.

[Herman Toothrot]

Blue Meanie said:

Herman Toothrot said:

£1500, try to get a good condition (rust free) mk1 if you can, you won't get a mk3 for that money, you can compare those varients to a Lotus. The mk2 however is not worth of being mentioned in the same sentence. In its own right its a good car but handling isn't in the same league.

Edited by Herman Toothrot on Saturday 16th October 21:18

How do they fare in the MR2 championship?

The mk2 has more grip and more power, that is why it does better in the race series. It isn't as fun and it doesn't handle as well.

[Blue Meanie]

Herman Toothrot said:

Blue Meanie said:

Herman Toothrot said:

£1500, try to get a good condition (rust free) mk1 if you can, you won't get a mk3 for that money, you can compare those varients to a Lotus. The mk2 however is not worth of being mentioned in the same sentence. In its own right its a good car but handling isn't in the same league.

Edited by Herman Toothrot on Saturday 16th October 21:18

How do they fare in the MR2 championship?

The mk2 has more grip and more power, that is why it does better in the race series. It isn't as fun and it doesn't handle as well.

Pfft... Bigger, faster, more powerful, comfier, better boot space... Proper GT car they handle fine.

Edited by Blue Meanie on Saturday 16th October 23:25

[Gizmo!]

Speaking as an MX5-driving ex-MR2 owner: make sure you buy a good one.

I lost £2k on the MR2 in less than a year, bloody thing. Great fun when working and not raping my wallet mind. And I still think it's a beautiful shape. I just bought one that had 'issues'.

Whereas an MX5 can be done for a touch over £1k, and mine has done 18 months, 15,000 miles, plasters a grin on my face every single time I drive it, and has cost buttons to run even with an open-wallet policy.

[Road Pest]

Gizmo! said:

Speaking as an MX5-driving ex-MR2 owner: make sure you buy a good one.

I lost £2k on the MR2 in less than a year, bloody thing. Great fun when working and not raping my wallet mind. And I still think it's a beautiful shape. I just bought one that had 'issues'.

Whereas an MX5 can be done for a touch over £1k, and mine has done 18 months, 15,000 miles, plasters a grin on my face every single time I drive it, and has cost buttons to run even with an open-wallet policy.

As I start swaying back to the MX5...

[Blue Meanie]

The MX5 is akin to the NA mk2... The turbo is another kettle of fish.

[Gizmo!]

Blue Meanie said:

The MX5 is akin to the NA mk2... The turbo is another kettle of fish.

Agreed - in performance the NA MR2 and the Mk1 MX5 are about equal. They drive totally differently though - the MR2 (mid-engined) is all about sharp turn-in (when you get some decent tyres on the front at least) which is great, the MX5 is more about just how much speed you can carry absolutely everywhere, because it doesn't bite.

A Turbo MR2 is another level above: equivalent to 944 Turbos and S2s, S2000s and so on. I'd be extremely dubious about any Turbo MR2 for £1500 though - I know they're around but they're also probably not far from a very large bill either.

[zeppelin101]

I'd have an MX-5 over an MR2.

I'm still not entirely sure why I went and bought an MR2 after driving both the 1.6 and 1.8 MX-5s but I did. Lovely car to cruise in, I just found it lacking as a sporty car. Couldn't put my finger on why - it was plenty fast enough at the time (I was 19 when I bought it), handled ok, stopped ok, I just didn't really take to it I guess.

Driving position is absolutely fabulous for the money though. I drove up to Northallerton to see a mate in it last summer and the 4 and a bit hour journey was made all the better for being able to properly relax, ball along with a good soundtrack (had a Sebring exhaust and air filter when I bought it) and also had the optional sound system with a pair of subs behind the seats and loads of other speakers, so I had great sounding music too. Awesome.

Show it some twisty stuff though and I never really got that involved with it...

My vote is definitely look at an MX-5

[Blue Meanie]

Not involving? It has a superb precise front end, and it's great when you get a series of corners just right. The 2 is all about precision, and smooth driving. Oddly enough, I'd take an na mr2 over an mx5. Planting your foot as you go throu a corner, and it felt seriously planted. Lovely car.

[zeppelin101]

I didn't say not involving, I said I couldn't get involved with it. Unlike the S13 that replaced it, which I felt completely at home with and adored almost everything about apart from it's horrendous tendency to rust!