Newbie went to see Rev 5 today - advice needed!

[JohnQ]

Hi all

I sold my beloved Integra Type R DC2 yesterday to Dutch buyers (sad day after a full restoration) and quite fancy an MR2 before my BMW 335i M Sport touring turns up.

I went to see a late 1999 silver Rev 5 UK car today having had virtually 1 mature lady owner since new. I'll try and list the particulars below and then list my questions;

- Silver 1999 UK with the lovely rear spoiler
- Cloth trim
- Manual
- No A/C
- 160000 miles from new (motorway cruiser for this lady)
- Very comprehensive service history (virtually all Toyota bar the most recent three which has been a proper local garage)
- Cambelt last changed 2008 at 62K (seriously over due!)
- Clutch changed 30K ago by Toyota
- New CAT and exhaust fitted recently at the cost of £1341!
- Serviced last week together with MOT
- No real advisories on the MOT

Cosmetically the car is original an clean, but not perfect as you can imagine. It has seen a lot of miles! There was no real rust on it apart from the drivers door at the bottom where there were about 3 large festered bubbles.

The wheels are tired and quite corroded. The tyres were old and perished (P6000 up front, some Nexen wider things at the back).

The front and rear brake pads were recently changed, quite why they didn't recommend the discs is beyond me as quite clearly the pad is not contacting the entire brake disc surface....

The radiator has been advised for the last 3 years but still hasn't been changed - it's an absolute MESS and I'm really surprised it isn't leaking!

The interior is in good condition, minus all the ladies shoes etc. Need a clean and some genuine mats in there!

On the test drive it went really well (she doesn't hang around!). There was some exhaust vibration coming which she says has been there since the genuine exhaust went on.

I got to drive it and found it really entertaining. It takes no oil (so she said) but drove well and seemed to brake OK (I would rip off all discs/pads and replace the lot together with new rubber all round). However, I noticed from the cold/hot the engine idle was all over the place, initially hunting from cold and then almost stalling when hot (she knew this and generally blips the throttle to stop it, not for me!).

The car has fabulous documentation from new showing money, love and attention. She has obviously loved this car.

We talked price and I mentioned to her the following things that require immediate attention;

- Cambelt well over due
- Radiator DEAD and needs changing ASAP
- Brake discs all round very tired
- Tyres old/perished and generally knackered
- Drivers door needs repair
- Engine idle needs investigation ASAP

Even with all this to hand and the fact she has a new car coming soon the lady would not budge from £1800!

Now I know its not a huge amount of money but the car does have outstanding issues and is on 160K!!

Is she being unreasonable here? I even showed her a What Car valuation listing it at £1100 private A1 condition (hers is far from that) but she was having none of it.

Help and advice appreciated chaps. I don't know enough about these cars to make a call. I also wouldn't mind some advice and prices for the remedial work.

BTW the tyres looked staggered? She said she always runs the wider ones at the rear.

What's it worth guys (and gals)?

Advice appreciated.

Cheers

John

[MR2 Rich]

Sounds like 1800 is double what it's worth maybe worth less. Tyres should be staggered sizes as the car is mid engined.

[wilkie senior]

Theres quite a few out there for sale go and look round at a few

Remeber buy with your head not your heart

Look in the knowledge base theres buyers guide to a mr2 turbo, for a na just ignore the turbo bits

Also on the mr2oc theres a buyers guide too, http://www.mr2oc.co.uk/know-your-2-know ... kbartid=87

If you let us know where abouts you are i am sure a local member will be only too happy to meet up and advise etc


Best regards brian

[pistol pete]

Keep eye on bay of e
I got a rev 5 100k for 800

[JohnQ]

Thanks guys.

I am quite a savvy buyer and can see all the positives of this car. Originality, body, documentation etc.

BUT I really don't see it worth more than £850?

What are your thoughts on its actual value? I'm budgeting;

£350 cambelt
£200 front and rear discs and pads
£350 tyres
£200 body with my friend

That's £1100 post purchase! Why she couldn't see my logic was actually beginning to frustrate me. She was obviously trying to get back as much money as she possibly could.

And what are the correct staggered tyres? I definitely saw 225/50/16 rear, forgot to check the front but I'm assuming 205/55 maybe?

[wilkie senior]

If you have a seller who your not getting to a mutial price with, walk away, i wouldnt keep arguing as, youve lost the deal at that point anyway.

If its one your set on, keep an eys on it, see how the sale goes, but as before theres planty out there, get out and look at as many as you, can.

[androo007]

Run away! That'll be a money pit and there's always more needing doing than you first suspect.

[danjama]

Agree with the above. Buy on condition not age. This will be a money pit.

[raptor95GTS]

so folks complain their cars are worth much more in parts than as a complete car and split them while lamenting the loss of yet another MR2. The car you're looking at has done a lot of motorway miles and has a full Service History and yet you're upset cause the seller wont budge on price? It's her car, you don't like the price you walk away.

[Peter Gidden]

It's her car, you don't like the price you walk away.

This. Bit obvious really.

What we think it's worth is irrelephant.

[kev8611]

Like above. if its too expensive for you, dont buy it...... But....

The first thing I see because I have been stung before with cambelts.

It is well over due but she is fine with spending money on exhausts and clutches but will not get the cambelt done.

Also, it was serviced at toyota apart from the last 3. cambelt was done 100k miles and 6 years ago. so was probably due around 3 years ago then again now, seems a coincidence that she stopped using toyota when it was last due perhaps? I would ask her why she stopped using toyota for servicing but I am OTT when it comes to cambelts.

That comprehensive service history means nothing if it has just had oil changes for the last 100k and not the proper servicing at intervals.

I wouldn't touch it, theres plenty more out there that deserve your hard earned cash more than this one.

[DottySkee]

Just walk away. A car is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it which some sellers seem to forget. If she won't budge then thank you for your time and walk.

You'll probably find in about 3 or 4 months you'll get a phone call asking if your still interested at a slashed price as she find that no one touches it at that price and it just sits there so desperately tries to drum up business.

Happened to me with 3 MR2s before I bought mine. Got phonecalls for a few months after I bought mine offering me then for a lot less than they first asked for.

To be honest, sounds like a car that's been run on a shoe string budget for the last 3 years. Skipping the cambelt, probably had very long oil change intervals and irregular, budgetish tyres all paint a bit of a picture of run for as cheap as possible. Which is fine, but I wouldn't buy it unless it was so incredibly cheap, it covered all the work needing done. If not, there's plenty more out there in nicer condition.

[Rosssco]

The one mature lady owner doesn't know anything about MR2's..

£750 max I'd say.. That way if on further investigation the sills are shot, or something else goes, you could recoup most of that from selling various Rev5 bits..

You need 225/50/15 rears (go check the price!).

Leave the cambelt IMO - its not an engine destroyer if it goes. Get a used radiator, not too bad to fit.

[Odin_S]

Just make sure you won't be disappointed with the performance and be wanting a turbo.

[2mad]

Just make sure you won't be disappointed with the performance and be wanting a turbo.

Perchance cost plus money you will need to put in to it .. could get you a nice well looked after tubby.

[JohnQ]

Thanks for the replies guys.

To be honest it hasn't been run on a shoestring, shes got some huge bills in there from Toyota! The last three years servicing has still not been cheap, in fact, regularly costing her more than £500 on servicing per visit! I did say to her the local 'good garage scheme' garage is probably charging more than Toyota as they don't know what their doing, lol.

But I know you are right. Unless it's £750 like you say I won't be looking further into. Should she call at that money I'll have it, but not at the ridiculous money she is asking now.

As for power, I'm not fussed as I have a BMW 335i M Sport touring (306PS 3.0 straight six with two turbos lol) and an E36 328i Sport touring. I just wanted it because 1) I'd always wanted one 2) I thought it would come cheap and 3) It was local and 1 lady owner.

I'll keep you all posted.

I'll also check the price of the rear tyres!

P.s - Where could I buy a new radiator from should I get the vehicle? Is it a pig to do? I guess the bleeding would be an ar$e.

[Peter Gidden]

I guess the bleeding would be an ar$e.

If you're unlucky, 15 minutes.

[RazzyRascal]

'One mature lady owner' - this statement always really bugs me.

So the clutch has probably been ridden to hell and back & there's probably been next to no basic home checks and maintenance carried out in it's ownership...

Furthermore her obvious lack of understanding in the current mr2 market is enough of a warning that your probably heading for a pup.

There are plenty of decent NA's going for real bargains at the moment. Ebays great but check Facebook also for some quick deals.

[raptor95GTS]

er it's her car, she doesn't give a flying hoot about the current MR2 market lol. Brilliant, love it

[Peter Gidden]

er it's her car, she doesn't give a flying hoot about the current MR2 market lol. Brilliant, love it

If the car was £500, i wonder whether OP would insist on giving her extra money as she was asking less than the IMOC massif deemed reasonable?