Mk1 MR2 vs Everything else.....

[jrleech]

I've just had my final 'do I want to buy another car, or spend loads on my Mk1' battle...

My criteria for the car is enjoyment. I'm not really bothered if something else is quicker in a straight line, quicker round a corner or brakes better, just how much enjoyment I get from driving it.

So with that in mind, I've just test driven a few cars:

Honda S2000 - When I drove it, I thought it was superb, felt quite sure footed, load of power. However, when I got back in my Mk1, I was instantly sure that the Mk1 is more fun, better feedback. In my opinion, it's similar to a Mk2 Turbo, which is no bad thing....

Honda NSX Type-S (2000 model) - Woah momma! That was fun, really fun. I've never driven anything that feels so stable at speed. The engine is awesome and sounds superb. The problem is, that it's huge fun doing 120mph round a corner (and feels glued to the road), however it needs to be going that fast to actually have any fun. What's the point in that then? The only times you can truely enjoy the car, you won't just lose your license, you'll probably get locked up for it. Getting back in the Mk1 and driving home was far more fun that driving the NSX at sub 8-mph speeds. So the Mk1 has won again.

MR2 Mk3/MR-S/Roadster/Spyder (how many names!) - Really didn't do anything for me I'm afraid, not going to get into a Mk1/Mk2/Mk3 battle, but not for me.

Mk2 MR2 - I've owned two Turbo's, and they were great fun & very fast. Again, not getting into a Mk1/Mk2/Mk3 battle, but I prefer the Mk1, as it's more rewarding to drive.

Mazda RX8 - Too damn big! It's not a sports car, it's a very fast and capable family car.

Nissan 350Z - Test driving this next week. 99.9% certain that I won't want one, as it's big, heavy and a Nissan Going to test drive it anyway just for a laugh.

I'm sure that my ideal car would be an Elise or VX220, but I'm not prepared to lose THAT much practicality.

I was going to drive a Lotus Esprit and a TVR Tuscan, but after driving the NSX, I'm convinced that supercars have no place on the road (unless you really don't care about getting caught). They're great fun, and a super babe magnet (you don't half get some looks driving a Pearlescent Orange NSX!!), but for day to day enjoyment of the driving, they're not for me.

There isn't anything else that would really fit my requirements for a car, so, after test driving everything that I think is available, I'm now certain that the Mk1 MR2 is the best car in the world

Of course, I've just saved £20-£30k by not buying a new car, and I feel fully justified in spending that money on my Project Mk1.... watch this space

Cheers,
Jon

[pistol supercharged pete]

good boy that will be a mad mk1 glad to here you are sticking with it
a paul woods turbo coonversion i think??
what about body what would you do with that leave it standard?

[jrleech]

Mk1 Plans....

- Toda Racing 200ps Engine Kit (High compression NA)
- Lightweight Flywheel
- Decent Clutch
- Fuel Pump
- Port & Polish
- Bottom End work (blueprinting etc.)
- Limited Slip Diff (not sure whether to use SC gearbox yet, depends on the power band of the engine kit)
- Koni Inserts
- Kg/mm Springs
- TRD Mounts
- Poly Bushes
- High and Tight Rear ARB and Drop Links

- Bodykit... not sure on what yet. I've got a Veins nosecone, and a GT rear wing, plus a black carbon fibre hood.
- Custom colour respray
- Big brake kit (AP Racing)
- 15" or 16" OZ Superleggera Alloys (dependent on brake options)

- Lots of leather for the interior
- Sports Seats + Harnesses
- The only stereo that suits a Mk1... Nakamichi.

I'm sure I've missed some bits, but that's the main bits.

Should give a power to weight ratio equal too or better than the S2000, 350Z, so will be rather fun

Cheers,
Jon

[pistol supercharged pete]

sounds cool
whats that stereo never heard of it got any pics?
trying to get my sc over the 200 hp barrier
i know that the turbo etc is the best option but i love having no lag etc etc just better for the roads i use adn it will be different

pete

[stevel]

Bottom End work (blueprinting etc.)

Whats that all about?

[Lauren]

Bottom End work (blueprinting etc.)

Whats that all about?

Blueprinting is a term used when an engine is stripped and built to the optimal tolerances, ie the whole rotating assembly is balanced to a more accurate level than what the factory would.

basically its building the engine by hand to much finer tolerances and ensuring the whole rotating assembly is well balanced.

A blue printed bottom end will add an extra 500rpm to the safe rev limit.

[stevel]

Thanks for that Lauren

Sounds very technical & pricey to me

[Lauren]

Good post Jon,

But when will it all be finished?

Agree with you, though i do think the MK1 is ideal having all the right compromises to be one of the most fun cars on the road.

[jrleech]

When will it be finished.... 2 years I reckon... it's the £20k worth of parts that's going to be the thing that slow me down a bit.

Nakamichi make exceedingly good quality, understated car audio stuff, check out:
http://www.nakamichi.com (You might want to hit the 'Music' tab and turn it off!!)
The new CD500 looks rather nice.

Cheers,
Jon

[Lauren]

sounds cool
whats that stereo never heard of it got any pics?
trying to get my sc over the 200 hp barrier
i know that the turbo etc is the best option but i love having no lag etc etc just better for the roads i use adn it will be different

pete

Good luck with getting over the 200bhp barrier. I think you will end up chasing your tail in the end though. I initially aimed for this, but i really don't think you will break 180bhp.

I know its possible to do it given enough money, but honestly is it worth it?

It will cost you £200ish to get 180bhp
Then it will cost you at least 1K more to get say another 20bhp at most.

The problem you have is that you can only spin the SC so fast before it turns into a hairdryer.

I don't know anybody who has acheived 200bhp with an SC but i know of a few that have tried.

If you take the SC off and put my turbo manifold on you will easily break the 200Bhp barrier, whats more it will do it with less effort than an SC running at 180bhp!

[tonigmr2]

Hey John

Spend it on the MK1, you know it makes sense.

I've done that instead of getting an R34GTR, insane but what the hell, might as well have something that is unique and buckets of grin factor eh?

I just adore the shape of the MK1, no other car does it for me in quite the same way...

T

[Raf]

i gotta drive a MK1....... shape doesnt do it for me much (not better than a MK2 but better than the 3). today all i have read (mostly) is how good the Mk1 is..... now to find a Mk1...

[Lauren]

Just to add to the MK1 love fest, I have done a lot with MK1s from NAs through to highly modded SCs and finally resulting in my stripped out track car.

I've looked at putting various bodykits on and the like, but now i think my perception of the MK1 has shifted subtly and whereas before i saw it as a car to mod like mad, nowadays i'm starting to see it as a real upcoming classic and am in the midst of restoring (gulp) an 86 car so i will be looking forward to comparing cars with Paul Moores et al come the summer time. That said the suspension will be 'well sorted' for the odd trackday, but it will be my daily driver.

I've driven lots and lots of cars especially over the last year from a Formula Renault to Elises, Caterhams, Skylines etc, but from a point of view of a road car that is practical enough to live with but still fun enough to take the drudgery out of road driving and the increasing number of joeys i encounter.

I think its strongest point is that you don't have to be doing over 80mph to have some fun in it and even though its nearly a 20 year old car it has the tactility that i find so lacking in more modern machinery.

Lauren
/counting the weeks till the new car is ready.

[154mph]

OK, it may be me getting getting old, but why would anyone want to spend 20k ruining a classic car like the mk1 MR2?

If you want performance then buy a motorbike.

If you want the attention, then walk down the street naked!

I've just brought a tarted up MK1 (it was cheap) while i restore my MK1 T-Bar and all i get is spotty little baseball cap wearing boys flashing and waving to me from their little saxo's and corsa's.....very embarrassing.

But hey, if it floats your boat, enjoy working on your masterpiece

[tonigmr2]

Exactly what you said, it's whatever floats your boat.
Some of us just want something a lickle different 'tis all!

T

[vashy]

I've driven lots and lots of cars especially over the last year from a Formula Renault to Elises, Caterhams, Skylines etc, but from a point of view of a road car that is practical enough to live with but still fun enough to take the drudgery out of road driving and the increasing number of joeys i encounter.

Lauren, how does a mk1 - with renewed suspension/bushes etc. - compare with an Elise?

[Lauren]

I've driven lots and lots of cars especially over the last year from a Formula Renault to Elises, Caterhams, Skylines etc, but from a point of view of a road car that is practical enough to live with but still fun enough to take the drudgery out of road driving and the increasing number of joeys i encounter.

Lauren, how does a mk1 - with renewed suspension/bushes etc. - compare with an Elise?

Thats an interesting question. Honest answer is that the elise has the most incredibly feelsome steering which is the first thing i noticed (even in a honda CTR powered one). The brakes are also better when it comes to feel mainly to there being no servo. The Elise (particularly S1s) feel so much lighter and because of the steering the turn-in is simply fantastic. There is none of the understeer you get with a MK1. Suspension wise the elise is at an advantage due to it having double wishbones front and rear so the geo stays truer under compression.

So handling wise the elise is streets ahead and it is a lot of fun to drive and defo one of the best drivers cars in the world.

A MK1 feels pretty soft in comparison, the steering has good feel but lacks that very pure feeling you get with an elise (or a caterham for that matter), though not a barge by any means the alacrity of response isn't there like it is in the elise, but in saying that there is an enjoyable amount of balance and fun to be had in a MK1 that though not quite as fast reacting is enough to be well playable with.

In the wet though, the MK1s relatively soft set up really helps it and where in the dry you can't stay with an elise in the wet the tables are turned and the MK1s more playful slower reacting setup lends itself to wet conditions ideally and various daft angles can be held with relative aplomb.

I've always said a MK1 is as close as you can get to an elise for no money. An Elise is a more focused tool than a MK1, but looking at the MK1 costing at most a 1/5th of the price it is much more than a 1/5th of the fun, so i'd say you are getting 80% of the fun for 20% of the money, if that makes sense?

Something else I should add is that I can live with a MK1 on a day to day basis but I think i would really struggle with an Elise.

[jrleech]

OK, it may be me getting getting old, but why would anyone want to spend 20k ruining a classic car like the mk1 MR2?

If you want performance then buy a motorbike.

If you want the attention, then walk down the street naked!

I've just brought a tarted up MK1 (it was cheap) while i restore my MK1 T-Bar and all i get is spotty little baseball cap wearing boys flashing and waving to me from their little saxo's and corsa's.....very embarrassing.

But hey, if it floats your boat, enjoy working on your masterpiece

As Toni said, everyone wants something different. A perfectly restored classic is lovely, but I want a bit of a statement. If I can make a one off, custom, fire breathing monster, then I'm happy to. Don't forget, you're talking to the chap who had a Red Mk1 Turbo with a Silver stripe and MENTAL in foot high white letters up the side

Might have just found a race spec'd 1750cc 4AG short block.... now that'll help me on my road to 200bhp

Cheers,
Jon

[tonigmr2]

*Head shoots up*

Eh, now that block sounds very tasty and interesting!

T

[michael]

*Head shoots up*

Eh, now that block sounds very tasty and interesting!

T

Buy it quick Jon, if the catcher of MR2 parts gets a whiff she'll be pinching it for the collection