Bargain-bucket MR2

Started by The Arch Bishop, July 15, 2017, 18:13

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thetyrant

Good to see you had fun at the night sprint Adam, i pondered entering but didnt fancy the chance of a wet cold sprint and sounds like that was what you got, still sounds like your enjoyed it and despite the obvious rule benders did ok :)

Looking forward to getting out on track again next year when i put mine back on the road :D
Ex-2005 roadster  owner, i will be back :D

AdamR28

Thanks guys - glad the write-up was a little interesting at least, and you don't mind The Bucket being used properly Lee  ;)

I'm currently about half way through 'The Affair' - but have listened to tons of Reacher books recently. Each one is about 12-13 hours long so they make great long-distance drive and bedtime companions. All free through the Borrowbox app and my local library, too!

Photos have surfaced from the even - what a mission these must have been to both take and edit, so a massive thanks to Matt and Darren!


Bit of a slide on...

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Always wave when you see the 'tog!

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Front wheel slightly in the air!

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AdamR28

Been out in the snow today to deliver some supplies to my shielding mum. Lots of fun on the deserted industrial estate nearby!

And a couple of quick snaps, visiting where I used to live as a kid.

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The Arch Bishop

Great pictures from the event and da bucket looks fantastic with a hard-top and a wheel in the air!

See this thread is far more photographically interesting now. Not all pictures of my manky driveway!

GRiches

so cool, very interesting read

AdamR28

#505
You know those 'spare hours' that you feel like you have available most days, but then they melt into the ether underneath a pile of jobs?

Well, one of them actually materialised for me yesterday, and given that The Bucket has a) been behaving herself rather well and b) was much-due a clean, I decided I would get stuck in.

She came up very well and is a nicer place to be without North Wales, Yorkshire Dales and Lake District mud in the footwells  ;D

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The MicLaren (Micra) in the background even got treated to a swill down with The Bucket's used water (don't worry, there's more peeled lacquer than actual lacquer on that thing).

I then worked out the last time I cleaned a car was March 2020. The weather gods obviously knew this, because it then proceeded to start raining as I was clearing my washing kit away.

C'est la vie...

In mechanical news, the grinding from the rear left is still there but not getting any worse. Roof down and / or loud music disguises it nicely. Oil usage has been virtually zero, and everything else on the car is still working perfectly - just like that battered old Micra in the photo above.

I now have a theory which I share with any car nerd who'll listen, that the late 90s / early 00s were the prime time for cars. Fuel injected engines for good behaviour and decent economy, proper cable operated throttles and brakes without massive servos, a few nice interior touches like electric windows and mirrors, high quality seats and good ergonomics; but without all the faff of a separate ECU for every part of the car, engine bays that are a complete pain to work on, small engines turbocharged to within an inch of their lives so they drive like crap, and bloated body shells that don't fit down country lanes.

Thoughts?

Petrus

Quote from: AdamR28 on June 17, 2021, 08:43Thoughts?

I think it is early eighties, maybe even late seventies. Electronic igntion has arrived and nothing much else with the cars still being delightfully light.

The Arch Bishop

I've been saying the same for years. It was the sweet-spot for technology vs simplicity from about '98 to '03. Glad the Bucket is behaving properly for you Adam. Still looks really sharp! I still miss its slightly baggy charm.

Topdownman

Glad to see that you have just washed this one and not taken the angle grinder to it!

I watched an interesting youtube video recently that was talking about why cars from the early 90s were lasting well and seemingly better made than modern ones. His argument (which he made very well) was that the difference between now and then was computer modelling and the ability they now have to determine more accurately when their components would fail. This allows them to not over engineer components (which they had to do previously) to make them cheaper and sell cars at a price consumers want or reduce weight etc to meet emissions. He didnt just slam them for making components to fail after the warranty period although I suspect most of us watching were thinking that.

Heres the link if it sounds interesting!

Video
"Racing" tax disc holder (binned), Poundland air freshener, (ran out), Annoying cylinder deficiency,  (sorted),
Winner of the Numb bum award 2017
Readers Ride

06 not V6 readers ride

AdamR28

It's official then, our collective nouse proves old cars are better ;) And that was an interesting video, thanks @Topdownman .


The Bucket is currently in London. Not-that-long story a little bit shorter, my neighbour starts a new job down there today and her car (an Alfa, obviously!) developed an issue yesterday afternoon. So with a 'spare' vehicle in our household it would have been rude not to help out.

I did, however, completely poopoo myself when she called saying the passenger window wouldn't go up - but then remembered about that daft switch on the dash, phew!

So it looks like a few more miles will be racked up by the little beaut before she returns home at the weekend.


Another huge tick for the MR2 - its such an easy car to get on with. My partner, Jane, has recently thoroughly enjoyed blasting it around our local back roads, and then Linda next door jumped in and drove it down to London no bother. Considering neither of them are 'car people', the fact it can be both enjoyed as a toy and used as a tool is astounding if you ask me ;D

The Arch Bishop

It's what I found with an MR2 - it's as easy to drive as a Yaris (controls, throttle, driving position, clutch, gearbox, brakes and steering are all perfectly judged) at 5/10ths, but when you push on, it is insanely rewarding.

It started as a project car for odd occasional trips out in but rapidly became the choice for school runs, small shopping trips, commuting to work and anything else not requiring 4 seats or loads of storage space, which is basically 90% of the time.

I've found our other one is a little compromised by the lowered ride-height and the slightly anti-social exhaust though. A standard one can be used like an appliance if that's your thing. Hasn't stopped Ali nicking it at every single opportunity recently...

I can see you not getting that back easily though Adam - they are perfect for city driving!

AdamR28

#511
Well, luckily The Bucket did come back - all shiny and clean after our neighbour Dave gave it a full valet and polish. Very kind of him!  ;D

I've been a bit quiet on the car front recently due to a house move, another house sale, preparing my business for sale, doing a lot of mountain biking and building bike frames (need my fabrication fix from somewhere!) - but The Bucket has been getting enjoyed and behaving itself recently so I needed to find a way to treat it. Fresh fully synthetic 5w30 and a Bosch (oooOOOooo fancy) filter followed by an Italian tune up was the best I could come up with.

Worst "I did an oil change" photo ever.

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On that note, I still bloody love this thing. Honestly I can't think of a better all round fun car, all things considered. It will be a sad day if there comes one when I don't have an MR2 Roadster in my life.

In related news, the MOT expired today... Or it would have done had the plucky little beast not gone and passed! First attempt he failed on the handbrake (obviously) and a leaky shock, but due to the generosity of @Iain I was able to swap it out for a non-leaky one at no cost. Thanks again dude!

I always imagine the chap who invented spring compressors is up there in the sky somewhere due to a spring compressor related incident, chuckling to himself at the idiots wrestling with his invention. Makes me smile anyway!

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An hour's labour at the local garage somehow managed to get the handbrake up to 15% efficiency despite it barely having worked at all most of the year (needs 16% to pass!), then a judicious use of the brakes on the way to the re-test (driving along with the handbrake on to warm the pads up  ;) ) saw 18% efficiency and a pass!

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Here's to another year's motoring for £93 including the test fee. The Bargain Bucket living up to its name once again.

What else to report... the drains needed clearing out as I heard a splashing noise from behind me the other day, I think I'll pop the hardtop on soon, and a chap I play tennis with who has had a few MX5s wants to borrow it to see what MR2s are like. He fancies something with a bit more 'go' but hopefully he'll be swayed by the handling... though I hear you are looking at selling yours Phil? @JB21 If so, I'll let Richard know if he's in the market for an MR2.

The Arch Bishop

@AdamR28 - Any updates on the Bucket? I'll admit to being nosy and saw that another MOT had been passed recently?

AdamR28

Ha! Yes. You're right. Squeaked through on the handbrake, just  8)

It's still going strong, not needing anything other than fuel. I could do with giving it a proper clean and a service / check over now spring is (sort of) here, but a recent house move has swallowed all my spare time. I'll update the thread when that happens!

AdamR28

Well... The Bucket has been moved on! Not quite as far as last time though, in fact just 0.3 miles ;D

I had the itch for a 'new' MX-5 ever since they came out, and mentioned to a (non car) friend that I was going to test drive one. He asked what was happening to the little silver beast, I said it was for sale, and money was in my account the same day!

I still have the hardtop and fitting kit left but I'm sure that won't take long to sell.


Picked up the MX-5 today, which is a surprisingly impressive piece of kit. I preferred the 1.5 over the 2L, due to how power is delivered, the reduced weight (smaller wheels and brakes, lighter engine). Outright pace is very similar to the MR2, but it has that very playful front engined characteristic.

I still maintain the MR2 is one of the best, of not the best, all round cars I've ever had (for the sort of use I like)  8)

The Arch Bishop

Glad that the Bucket found a new home so quickly - solid little car that one and I still miss it!

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