MR2 Roadtrips

[MIDSHIPSTER]

I decided after Christmas to do something fun and different for the summer. I've had x1 Mk1 MR2 and x9 Mk2 MR2's in the past and still have one of the last run out SW20 MR2 GT T-bar models in the two-tone silver and black on a W reg - it's in concours condition so I didn't want to use it loads for a few road trips over Europe and the UK because it's quite rare in this condition for that type of car.

A friend of mine bought recently a 2003 MR2 Roadster (pre-facelift 5-speed model) which looks great, which made me think. I didn't know too much about the mk3's so did a bit of research a found the facelift model a better buy as I liked the styling more. I didn't want to spend £4-6K finding a low mileage younger car as it was just for the road trips and supposedly not for keeps. I decided the MR2 Roadster would be the best car for the job with a budget of up to £2,500.

It was initially to join my mate with his roadster, but then my other mates (motorheads) all liked the idea and although like me having other cars like Porsche's and a Lamborghini they decided to join in and all buy MR2 Roadsters too! We have all found how addictive these small cars are, the drive, handling and character very similar to a Lotus. We have all being putting time and effort into cleaning and updating them as best as we possibly can trying to maintain a budget and not spending too much ...which is hard to be honest! First trip will be a whole day to Wales and then another trip into France for a few days. Hopefully later the trips will expand into more parts of Europe being Germany, Switzerland and Italy. We now have 5 MR2's  s:D s:D  

The one I bought is registered on the 1st October 2003 as a late '53' reg Facelift model with 102,000 miles. The colour is Crystal Silver Metallic (1E7) with red cloth interior (Acapulco). Although the mileage is seen to be high, against the age of the car a near 12 years old.. it's only done approx 8,500 miles per year. Plus it had a full service history with Toyota which was good.

The car needed a few bits to tidy up on. Over the years due to age and neglect it needed detailing and cleaning which I love doing but took time. A few missing screws and trim which was easily replaced. The headlights were cloudy, discoloured with green stains on the inner sides due to years of dirt build up. But strangely enough the overall general condition was good, the previous owners all seemed to look after it and it's hard to see it's done the mileage it has...looks like it's done less than half of that! A few pin dents here and there with the inevitable stone chips but all the panels fitted correctly and are true. All genuine Toyota glass still fitted and not replaced by copy glass. The seats are perfect with no wear or tears as per the roof which are the obvious tell tell signs of age and abuse. With the additive character of this car I now want to keep it which wasn't the plan!

From new the Roadster was ordered with a hard-roof as the fitting kit is still fitted and it has 'air con'. It also comes with a genuine Toyota GB full body kit, front splitters, rear spats and side skirts which has been fitted and ordered when the car was new also which looks the business and makes the car look lower still. The engine bay looks really good too for a car with this mileage it's very clean and no bits are missing or damaged. All genuine keys and Toyota documentation from new have been kept and supplied.

These are the items I fixed or updated:

New OEM fog lights with Nightbreaker bulbs
New TOYO T1-R tyres all round 225/40/16 rears and 195/50/15 fronts (wider and lower profile).
Refurbished standard OEM wheels hyper-silver
Painted hubs silver and calipers red with TTE decals
TEIN lowering springs all round
New badges as per the Japanese Spyder version (steering wheel, alloys, front nose, roof pull etc).
Gloss black vinyl wrap on windscreen surround and door mirrors
Chrome ball gear knob with red engraved 6-speed pattern (Ferrari style)
Silver 3M laser cut 3D interior trim around dash and doors
Chrome speedo push fit cluster rings
Front rubber splitter protectors
Replaced spark plugs to DENSO iridiums
Replaced air filter for K&N for longevity
Pin dents removed
Headlights cleaned and restored
Rear lights and high level brake light cleaned and restored
Whole body clayed, polished and waxed several times
Stone chips painted and corrected
3M clear protective film to avoid stone chips
BOSCH AERO wiper blades
Restored wiper blade arms to satin black
Rear Colour-coded Rounded Lip Spoiler for engine bay
Rear LED number plate bulbs
New Toyota dealer number plates x2
Granville Heavy Duty Rust cure and converter for suspension
Cobra exhaust with two pipes at the rear (waiting delivery)

Here's some pics to date of my car and the others.
I will keep you posted on my mates cars as they are having body kits and modifications etc done.

[StuC]

Welcome along. Tidy looking car you have there. I am guessing as an avid mk2 fan that you are over on MR2OC as well?

I am sure if you were to post up an event thread, there would be plenty on here who would join you.    s;-) ;-) s;-)

Also notice that you are a local. Keep an eye out for the monthly Midlands meet, ding day up in Wrexham and possibly the Midlands Rendezvous in the summer.

[MIDSHIPSTER]

I am a member of the other site but haven't posted this there yet.

I'll keep an eye out for any locals, be good for us to tag along   s8) s8)

[SteveMK3]

Welcome along  s:) s:)   it's nice to have some fellow Roadster enthusiasts in Solihull! I've not had as many MR2's as you just two MK3's and one MK1 which sounds very similar to your MK2 as it was an ultra low mileage concours car. It would be great to catch up sometime. Steve

[puma2]

 s:D s:D  what a great right up there.  s:D s:D  
great work you have a done as well.
must be great to team up with your mates as well enjoin the banter and fun when you all go out  s:D s:D  

if you do a trip of Wales let me would love to meet up on route at some point  s:bounce: :bounce: s:bounce:

[SteveP]

Great looking car having seen your photo's will now have to clean mine.

[MIDSHIPSTER]

Cheers guys, good to have feedback and comments. It's nice to get involved with like minded individuals who share the same passion.   s8) s8)

[MIDSHIPSTER]

what a great right up there.  s:D s:D  
great work you have a done as well.
must be great to team up with your mates as well enjoin the banter and fun when you all go out  s:D s:D  

if you do a trip of Wales let me would love to meet up on route at some point  s:bounce: :bounce: s:bounce:

Ok will do..keep you posted   s:D s:D

[MIDSHIPSTER]

Welcome along  s:) s:)   it's nice to have some fellow Roadster enthusiasts in Solihull! I've not had as many MR2's as you just two MK3's and one MK1 which sounds very similar to your MK2 as it was an ultra low mileage concours car. It would be great to catch up sometime. Steve

Hi Steve, sounds good, when we meet up locally..it would be good for you to tag along   s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

[Bernie]

Welcome along another Toyota GB body kit looking good

[SteveMK3]

Welcome along  s:) s:)   it's nice to have some fellow Roadster enthusiasts in Solihull! I've not had as many MR2's as you just two MK3's and one MK1 which sounds very similar to your MK2 as it was an ultra low mileage concours car. It would be great to catch up sometime. Steve

Hi Steve, sounds good, when we meet up locally..it would be good for you to tag along   s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

That would be great thank you!  s:) s:)

[Joesson]

A very smart car, you obviously have a passion and its good to hear that someone with experience of the "exotic" also finds the 2 is a car to enjoy.

[MIDSHIPSTER]

Bit of an update...this is my mates Roadster, very unique and has some good optional extras...he's the one that started this craze for the MR2!   s:D s:D  





Also my mates rare import in white. What is rare about this model is it's a pre-facelift but has had all the facelift body modifications done including a conversion from 5-speed to 6-speed!

[Anonymous]

Your car is super clean and I really like the white one  s:) s:)

[SteveMK3]

Is that first picture of your mates car taken in Leamington? It looks familiar to me, I know Leamington well as I lived in Kenilworth for 15 years before moving to Solihull.

[SteveMK3]

Is that first picture of your mates car taken in Leamington? It looks familiar to me, I know Leamington well as I lived in Kenilworth for 15 years before moving to Solihull.

And I had a White import MR-S during that time too! Got a Silver facelift like yours now.

[puma2]

don't  forget to give me a shout if you do a trip to Wales   s:D s:D  
great looking in white your mate must be well pleased with it  s:) s:)  
it must be hard trying to keep with your mates all trying to out do each other with Mods  s:bounce: :bounce: s:bounce:

[MIDSHIPSTER]

Is that first picture of your mates car taken in Leamington? It looks familiar to me, I know Leamington well as I lived in Kenilworth for 15 years before moving to Solihull.

Yes he lives in Leamington, well spotted.

[MIDSHIPSTER]

don't  forget to give me a shout if you do a trip to Wales   s:D s:D  
great looking in white your mate must be well pleased with it  s:) s:)  
it must be hard trying to keep with your mates all trying to out do each other with Mods  s:bounce: :bounce: s:bounce:

Your right, but it's alot of fun. I'll keep you posted for sure!   s:D s:D

[connorap]

Is this the OEM bodykit? And is it still available anywhere?

[Bernie]

Is this the OEM bodykit? And is it still available anywhere?

It's the Toyota UK body kit and is no longer in stock

They come up very rarely for sale not as a complete set front spats are particularly rare

[connorap]

Is this the OEM bodykit? And is it still available anywhere?

It's the Toyota UK body kit and is no longer in stock

They come up very rarely for sale not as a complete set front spats are particularly rare

Thanks for that, ill keep my eyes open and my ear to the ground in that case.

[MIDSHIPSTER]

Yes this is the original Toyota UK OEM Bodykit, which was ordered on the car from new as an optional extra. My mate's 2006 car has the rear spats and side skirts but as per the Toyota accessories brochure back in the day. His side skirts look the same as the ones in the brochure. It looks like his were fitted after the car was new. The side skirts on his have a lip that folds over the sill where as the ones ordered from Toyota as an optional extra don't (they have a clean cut finish) The style of mine are sharper in design to that of the Toyota accessory ones too. So although at first glance they look the same, under close inspection they are different.

Yes the front corner splitters are ultra rare. Only seen them on ones that came with them as an optional extra not as an accessory purchase. Don't think they were available as an accessory in the Toyota UK brochure for long as the picture on the brochure doesn't have them. My other mate found a set of rear spats (copies and OEM on Ebay). Plus he was lucky to find a pair of Toyota accessory skirts that needed fixing and painting. But bought an after market front bumper spoiler as best to match.

I've seen ones like mine for sale here and there generally on a 2003-2005 car as a full set.

[MisterK]

Yes the front corner splitters are ultra rare. Only seen them on ones that came with them as an optional extra not as an accessory purchase. Don't think they were available as an accessory in the Toyota UK brochure for long as the picture on the brochure doesn't have them. My other mate found a set of rear spats (copies and OEM on Ebay). Plus he was lucky to find a pair of Toyota accessory skirts that needed fixing and painting. But bought an after market front bumper spoiler as best to match.

I've seen ones like mine for sale here and there generally on a 2003-2005 car as a full set.

When I bought my car in 2004 it was completely standard.  I then fitted the Toyota front spats a year later & these were bought from & fitted by my local Mr T at a cost of £301.29!  They were an accessory item in the 2004/2005 accessory brochure.  I was lucky enough to source a matching set of Toyota rear bumper extensions from AndyM recently to match.  I'm not too fussed about getting the side skirts as I think the car looks great as it is, but if a set came up at a price I couldn't resist then maybe I'd change my mind!   s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

[andyroo104]

Hi and welcome along,like yourself I have owned three mk1's,7 mk2's and two mk3's and still own a mk1 and mk3 both in silver.