1st mr2 advice?

[billyboy1990]

hi i want to buy an mr2 mk2 preferable the tbar version, im looking to spending around £800.

is there anything i should look out for and is that price to low?

any advice apreciated cheers!

Billy

[rossdymond3352]

£800 will get you a rev1/2 NA. Or an older rev1 turbo maybe a rev2 turbo is yoru lucky.

steer clear of rev1's imo, the brakes and suspension are aweful compared to the rev2+

rev1's are known to crack antiroll bar mounts.

[billyboy1990]

im only 18 so the turbo is out of the question anyway .

but thanks for the advice. ive been looking on ebay etc.. how will i tell the difference between the rev 1 and 2 if its not stated on there, are the years different ?

thanks!

[rossdymond3352]

rev2 is late J plate onwards, rev2 has the 15inch rims.

Easiest way to tell the steering wheel on a rev1 is offset, on the rev2+ the centre of the wheel is in the center.

NA's are good engines, if you buy a tbar watch out for the seals, they leak, lots. Listen to noises frmo the engine, look when you start it too see if the oil pressure light goes out almost straight away, if it stays on for a few secs, steer clear. Check it goes through all the gears, with no noises.

Listen for clucky suspension, go down a bumpy road if poss.

To be fair, it will have problems at that price, but there the main things.

[rossdymond3352]

Oh nearly forgot, if it says Glimited on the back, its an import, if it says 2.0 GTI16 its a UK car. Imports will be more to insure.

Talk to Ollie at Sky Insurance there the dogs for insurance

I got my rev1 turbo insured for less than 1300 with them when i was 18.

[GHOST]

No offence mate, but the only MK2's you'll get for that price are ones that are going to cost you twice as much in problems.

I've seen a few ridiculously priced MR2's and I wouldn't touch them with a bargepole if I was you.

For an extra 500 you could maybe get a nice REV2 in this economic climate. I know its a bit more, but its the difference between admiring your car as it sits outside your house knackered or actually being able to drive it.

If you could muster £1500 you could even have a stab at getting a decent REV3 94 upwards.

Good luck though. Its a buyers market out there.

[rossdymond3352]

I do agree however like you say, its such a buyer market, that £800 is a good amount to get an NA if you shop around enough!

[billyboy1990]

thanks guys really apreciate it, ill shop around with the money i have and as time goes by the savings will only get bigger! apart from that how are they on running costs and the general wear and tear parts, also driving difference at the moment im driving a renault master, but my previous car was a fiesta xr2i.

thanks billy

[HighwayStar]

Well looked after rev1s are fine (see my garage for the proof) and often found without the original 14" wheels or original suspension for that matter (some may have had the later cars brake upgrade also). At that money pay more attention to the condition, & maintenence records of the individual car you're inspecting. There are good buyers guides here and elsewhere on the web and good cars out there. See if you can get experienced local members to help out.
Once you have one drive carefully till you're used to it and have thoroughly checked over it. Differs in many ways to an XR2.

R.

[GHOST]

Highway star is right mate. If you do end up getting one just be careful.

Theres many a driver on this site, me included, that has sent an MR2 to the scrapyard because they didn't respect its Christine like urge to try and kill you every five minutes if you push her too hard.

Treat her with respect and learn to understand her urges and mood swings.

Just like women really

[rossdymond3352]

I wish i understood women as much as my car!"

[HighwayStar]

It'll never happen...
Don't want to scare billyboy with tales of killer cars here though, they're not nasty at all once you know them and don't drive beyond 80% on a wet road.
General service costs are no worse than any other car that age... probably less as they are generally very reliable, specially the N/As. Find a local specialist who'll look after it well and cost effectively and as I said see if you can get a knowledgeable member to go with you when you view.


.... just realised my car is older than Billboy!

R.

[GHOST]

Oh I agree there mate. But I always think that its better to know the in's and out's before you suffer any consequences.

I drove around a 2.8i Capri around for years and understood how the tail behaved, then got in an MR2 expecting much the same and I was wrong.

I think, with the MR2, it doesn't casually drift like other rear wheel drives because all the weights in the back. It sticks likes glue and gives you more faith in it, but if you push it too far at speed and it goes then you're in a world of trouble if you're not used to it.

When I wrote off my previous one the nearside rear caught a drain on a corner (stupid place to put on) and it was like driving on ice. Turned sideways in an instant and although I caught it - it was that servere of a jolt that it flipped out in the opposite direction and that was that as they say.

There's been too many casualties on here and I'm a strong believer in forwarned is forarmed thats all.

[jim-mapps]

I got me a Rev1 N/A which I love to bits... cost me £460. Hardly anything wrong at all and the steering / suspension differences are a matter of opinion if you ask me... love it to bits, best car I've had since my mk1!

[Ben]

Just bear in mind the difference in UK cars between the normal GTi-16 NA (the decent one) and the bog-standard 3sfe-engined car, which only has 120bhp. I test drove one of these and it was pretty disappointing I have to say! These lesser models can be told apart as they didn't come with spoilers or front fog-lights, and the rev-counter only goes up to 6k instead of 7k on the 'proper' ones (I think rev 1/2s have 158bhp if i remember rightly - these have the 3sge engine)

EDIT: also bear in mind that some fe ownerswill change the exterior to look like the ge by changing the bootlid, adding fogs etc. Rev-counter is the most reliable way to check

[HighwayStar]

If you go for a t-bar Billybob as your preference then it can't be the lower powered 3fse engined version...

R.

[jim-mapps]

Deffo bear that in mind... mines a 3SGE T-Bar so there's no reason to settle for the lower powered one when you can get a proper one for less than 500 notes!

[billyboy1990]

If you go for a t-bar Billybob as your preference then it can't be the lower powered 3fse engined version...

R.

hey thanks again some great advice! and yeh i herd that the mr2s dont slide so well but when they do they will scare the crap out of ya lol.

highwaystar what do you mean it cant be the lower powered one? do you mean get the gt ? or get the uk car?

thanks alot

billy

[billyboy1990]

http://www.imoc.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=108554

i wonder if any 1 could tell me if thats a good buy ^^^ ?? thanks

[Peter C]

http://www.imoc.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=108554

i wonder if any 1 could tell me if thats a good buy ^^^ ?? thanks

Doesn't look brilliant.