A Hard Luck Story

[fastel888]

On 6th June this year I purchased my first MR2. It was as a combination of my 63rd birthday and a retirement present to me from me. Wow! What a fun car! I bought a number plate with "TEL" in it and was a very happy bunny with a beautiful specimen of an MR2.

Less than two months later (August 2nd) I was awoken at 3 in the morning by a policeman banging on my door. "Are you the owner of..." was as far as he got and I knew something bad had happened to my car. He explained that an uninsured driver had ploughed his Peugeot into my lovely MR2.

I have fully comp insurance and was provided with a courtesy car (Discovery Sport with only 50 miles on the clock. All well and good but total opposite of my MR2. I've always been impatient so foolishly went out and bought myself the first MR2 I could find.

Yes it looks good in the rain, but oh dear what a rubbish spray job. Silver one was write off so bought it back from insurers and am now in the process of salvaging parts to put the black one in order. I just hope it's good luck from now on.

[JD]

Oh dear. As always, I hope noone was hurt.

All the best - keep posting with your progress of how you get on patching up the new one.

[craig]

Sorry to hear about your car bud. All the best with the new one. Keep us posted on updates.

[fastel888]

The black beast now has the wheels, red leather seats, trunk lid, spare wheel housing/trim and wipers from the wreck.

Still lots more to do so down to my garage I shall go!

[JD]

Nice. You going to respray the black bits to match the silver?

[fastel888]

When I eventually have a respray it's going to be matt black with red side vents and petrol cover. First I have to find out why it drives like a skateboard with supermarket trolley wheels. It was serviced a couple of days ago and nothing seemed amiss. Maybe the suspension is too hard. Looking at dashcam video footage it is like it was shot by someone with a very bad shake.

[DB Mr2]

Nice story good shame about the first bit everything happens for a reason they say! First things I would check are tyre pressures, quality of tyres, balance of wheels.
You will get a lot of good advice on this forum don't be afraid to ask questions!

Looking forward to updates.

[fastel888]

All 4 wheels are straight off the silver car which was a comfortable ride. Front tyres are only a few weeks old and are BC ES9000 185/55R15 82V. At the rear are Bridgestone Potenza which are less than a year old. These are 215/45R16 86W. The ride is very hard with every bump noticable, almost like solid tyres and no suspension.
Pressures are correct and balancing was done a few days ago. I suspect that the suspension could be at fault but I'm no mechanic and must admit that my age is now showing as I can't wriggle around underneath cars any more due to all my suppleness having gone.
Would changing the suspension (i.e. replacing with that from the silver car) be very difficult? Open to suggestions.

[fastel888]

Just been scanning various forums and came across "have you done the bounce test?" Ho ho ho, bounce it doesn't. Solid as a rock. Seems this car has been seriously abused. I gather it was keyed all over, then badly resprayed. Stood out in all weathers since last November with blocked drains hence resembling a paddling pool. The old boy I bought it from was 80 years old and had never driven it as he could not get in it. Methinks I have a pig in a poke. Never shall I be so hasty again.

[fastel888]

Black one can now be sorted out over a longer period of time. Just got my 3rd MR2 in less than 3 months.