Buying an MR2 MkII T-bar
Discussion
I'm seriously considering taking the plunge and buying an MR2 MkII T-bar next month. I have about £3-4k to spend. Couple of questions:
1. From what I can gather there are N/A engines and turbo... what are the different things to look out?
2. As I have no NCD and haven't driven anything significantly faster than a Fiesta 1.3, I imagine the N/A engine will be hairy enough for me? Or is it really worth the extra for the turbo?
3. I'm hoping to go on a driving holiday for two weeks to France in August. From what I have read they are quite reliable, but what the chances of one with 100k, or above, miles conking out completely?
Any other information/experiences anybody can share would be much appreciated.
Lots of reminders that I'm doing the right thing instead of buying a 'sensible car' would also be handy too.
1. From what I can gather there are N/A engines and turbo... what are the different things to look out?
2. As I have no NCD and haven't driven anything significantly faster than a Fiesta 1.3, I imagine the N/A engine will be hairy enough for me? Or is it really worth the extra for the turbo?
3. I'm hoping to go on a driving holiday for two weeks to France in August. From what I have read they are quite reliable, but what the chances of one with 100k, or above, miles conking out completely?
Any other information/experiences anybody can share would be much appreciated.
Lots of reminders that I'm doing the right thing instead of buying a 'sensible car' would also be handy too.
Well,
MkII's came arrived in '92 and whther NA or Turbo were updated a number of times till end of production.
I completely agree with Gaz, that if your not going to buy a Turbo, buy a UK car, you will find it much easier to insure.
You standard NA is pretty good, though I would advise not buying one without the rear wing as thats the one with the old camry engine and its not so great. Other than that you will have a 2 seater 170ish bhp rear drive, sporty car.
As long as its been serviced regularly and maintained getting a high mileage one should be fine, though obviously try and get one with as few miles as possible
If you are tempted by the Turbo, then you looking at a 240bhp car, 0-60 in 5.2 secs and will carry on going till 150mph.
First thing I would do is get some insurance quotes and see what you can afford, though with no NCB, you are probably looking at a lot of cash to insure a Turbo.
As for the driving holiday, car should be fine.
Depending on how quickly you intend on buying a car, you could pop along to JapFest at castle combe race circuit at the end of May, 24th I think, there will be lots of NA's, Turbo's, SC's, MkI, MkII, MKIII's all kicking about that you could look at, plus loads of other jap cars.
Check out www.imoc.co.uk for more info on MR2's
Hope that helps
MkII's came arrived in '92 and whther NA or Turbo were updated a number of times till end of production.
I completely agree with Gaz, that if your not going to buy a Turbo, buy a UK car, you will find it much easier to insure.
You standard NA is pretty good, though I would advise not buying one without the rear wing as thats the one with the old camry engine and its not so great. Other than that you will have a 2 seater 170ish bhp rear drive, sporty car.
As long as its been serviced regularly and maintained getting a high mileage one should be fine, though obviously try and get one with as few miles as possible
If you are tempted by the Turbo, then you looking at a 240bhp car, 0-60 in 5.2 secs and will carry on going till 150mph.
First thing I would do is get some insurance quotes and see what you can afford, though with no NCB, you are probably looking at a lot of cash to insure a Turbo.
As for the driving holiday, car should be fine.
Depending on how quickly you intend on buying a car, you could pop along to JapFest at castle combe race circuit at the end of May, 24th I think, there will be lots of NA's, Turbo's, SC's, MkI, MkII, MKIII's all kicking about that you could look at, plus loads of other jap cars.
Check out www.imoc.co.uk for more info on MR2's
Hope that helps
Cheers Dakkon, very helpful.
I think I'll give the turbo a miss, I had a quote for about £1k on a N/A so I'll probably stick with that.
The JapFest looks good (its the 22nd), but unfortunately its a bit far for me to travel and I have things going on that weekend.
I'm a little unsure what you mean by having no rear wing, do you think you could show me the difference with a couple of photos so I can keep my eye out?
I'm looking to buy at the end of May, so I'll have a convertible for the summer. I can't wait...
Now the more trivial choice of which colour. In order of preference:
1. Blue
2. Black
3. Red
4. White
Opinions on this appreciated.
I think I'll give the turbo a miss, I had a quote for about £1k on a N/A so I'll probably stick with that.
The JapFest looks good (its the 22nd), but unfortunately its a bit far for me to travel and I have things going on that weekend.
I'm a little unsure what you mean by having no rear wing, do you think you could show me the difference with a couple of photos so I can keep my eye out?
I'm looking to buy at the end of May, so I'll have a convertible for the summer. I can't wait...
Now the more trivial choice of which colour. In order of preference:
1. Blue
2. Black
3. Red
4. White
Opinions on this appreciated.
crazylegs said:
Cheers Dakkon, very helpful.
I think I'll give the turbo a miss, I had a quote for about £1k on a N/A so I'll probably stick with that.
It's worth getting a quote on a turbo, I started off in the same position as you and just decided to get a turbo quote for the hell of it. It was only an extra £200...
I have a N/A import...
Costs me £750 to insure at TPFT and I'm 20, so I guess it all depends on how much shopping around you do.
By all accounts though, my import is in a higher insurance group than the turbo, so come renewal time if I get a silly quote on the N/A I'll just sell it and buy myself a turbo.
Anyway, black is by far the best colour, and the most saught after.
Costs me £750 to insure at TPFT and I'm 20, so I guess it all depends on how much shopping around you do.
By all accounts though, my import is in a higher insurance group than the turbo, so come renewal time if I get a silly quote on the N/A I'll just sell it and buy myself a turbo.
Anyway, black is by far the best colour, and the most saught after.
Gazboy said:
[quote=Mr E]
Rev1 (1990-1991) (avoid- due to balance bias)
Dissagree. Just have to be careful with tyre choice. I use nice soft bridgestones, excellent balance and a really driftable car.
Then again I used to play with lift-off oversteer in my old 1.9 205 which had an equally bad reputation.... Each to their own.
Gazboy said:
groomi said:
Gazboy said:
[quote=Mr E]
Rev1 (1990-1991) (avoid- due to balance bias)
Dissagree. Just have to be careful with tyre choice. I use nice soft bridgestones, excellent balance and a really driftable car.
Then again I used to play with lift-off oversteer in my old 1.9 205 which had an equally bad reputation.... Each to their own.
I had someone coming from a 1.3 fiesta in mind, nothing actually wrong with a rev1, just isn't as 'tame' as a rev2. Even Toyota thought this, which is why they moved the engine foward on the rev2. However purists prefer the rev1 for trackdays, as it's more exploitable.
Fair point. At least it proves I'm nothing if not pure!
>> Edited by groomi on Tuesday 27th April 22:53
I get about 30mpg out of my 1997 NA and that is with a mix of driving styles. Sometimes I just drive 'normally' but the temptation to get the engine spinning up to the redline is usually to much to resist.
Goodwood Green is the colour to go for. So dark it almost looks black at times. Very nice.
Not that I'm biased.
Goodwood Green is the colour to go for. So dark it almost looks black at times. Very nice.
Not that I'm biased.
I had an M reg MkII (unfortunately in white ). It met a bit of an untimely end unfortunately , but not until well over 100,000 trouble free miles. The only problem we had was a bust radiator.
Watch tire wear - using the rear OEM Yokohamas, we were struggling to get 8k out of a set - the wear coming on high speed runs rather than back road blasting - other than than, fantastic car.
). It met a bit of an untimely end unfortunately , but not until well over 100,000 trouble free miles. The only problem we had was a bust radiator. Watch tire wear - using the rear OEM Yokohamas, we were struggling to get 8k out of a set - the wear coming on high speed runs rather than back road blasting - other than than, fantastic car.
Ermmmmmmmmmm fuel consumption under enthusiastic driving...
Not too great to be honest. I end up getting a full tank of Optimax (just under £30 worth) every other day notmally. If you're worried about fuel consumption then it would be wise to get the N/A and not the turbo because the N/A is bad enough!
If, of course, you drive with fuel economy in mind then you might get by with an MR2 turbo, but MR2s are great fun and like revs alot - There isn't much happening below 3000RPM so driving "economically" tends to prove far too boring for me personally. It's a test of will power.
Not too great to be honest. I end up getting a full tank of Optimax (just under £30 worth) every other day notmally. If you're worried about fuel consumption then it would be wise to get the N/A and not the turbo because the N/A is bad enough!
If, of course, you drive with fuel economy in mind then you might get by with an MR2 turbo, but MR2s are great fun and like revs alot - There isn't much happening below 3000RPM so driving "economically" tends to prove far too boring for me personally. It's a test of will power.
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