Mr2 rust

Started by K-rich92, January 22, 2023, 08:58

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K-rich92

Hi all

I'm looking for a mr2 roadster as a weekend/second car.

What are these like for rust? I can't seem to find much online (guess this is a good sign) other than rear subframe. As this is a bolt on part and Apprently still available from Toyota I'm not too concerned about that.

The mk2s used to rot the back of the sills out and rear arches, any thing like this happening to mk3's?

Kyle

Joesson

As is sometimes said "No news is good news", correctly so in the case of our mk3's bodywork, generally unliked by the rust worm.
As you mention the rear cross frame, due to it's position above the  exhaust, the enclosed box area tends to rust in some situations.
My car is a 2002, had it since 2011 when shortly after I sprayed the frame, and the front cross frame box sections inside with a Bilt Hamber ( other materials are available) rust killing/ preventing fluid. My car is only used now in dry weather, and that must help it's longevity.
The sills and arches are very resistant and I recall only one report of sill rot starting.
Don't forget to have a look at the Buyer's guide on here, particular points of interest to watch out for. Clean oil especially.
Enjoy your search and let us know what you find and then some on here will help, you spend more money on Bling and things.


Call the midlife!

Generally avoid cars from the North or coastal areas as over the last few years these have been shown to have more problems with rust due to the prevailing weather conditions.
Also coming to light over the last few years are a prevalence for the front crossmembers/radiator supports and inner wings due to areas that trap road filth and detritus against the steel.
They're not necessarily as immune to rot as originally believed, especially given the age of even the youngest available.
That said, I've got a 2000 that's still in really good condition and there are 04 and 05's that are rot boxes.
If you're looking at prospective purchases it might be worth investing in an inspection camera you can push behind the wheel arch liners etc, some are rotting from the inside out.
60% of the time it works everytime...

Carolyn

I've learned over the years that you simply can't tell how one of these cars is for rust until you get it up on a lift.  I've seen really shiny, tidy looking late model cars that were sheds underneath and also really early cars that were spotless underneath, so it pays to have a proper look.

In general, the pre-facelift cars seem to fare the best.

Most rust underneath will be surface rust and won't have penetrated the metal.  A vigorous rotary wire brushing, treatment with a good rust convertor, then zinc primer and a top coat of paint that approximates to the car's colour, will do the the trick.

As Midlife says, it's worth cleaning out behind the wheel arch liners (especially at the rear).

I've seen a couple of cars that have had the black mastic-type 'underseal' treatment and they were a mess.  As we peeled the mastic back, water actually ran out.  The resulting serious structural damage was pretty terminal.
Perry Byrnes Memorial Award 2016, 2018.  Love this club. 
https://www.mr2roc.org/forum/index.php?topic=63866.0

Call the midlife!

#4
I noticed with a recent purchase of an FL also that there's areas where the front undertrays trap wet filth against the radiator side supports. I caught it early on mine and it's an 06 but bearing in mind the year it changed its not surprising we're seeing an increase in front crossmember failures.
60% of the time it works everytime...

shnazzle

Quote from: Call the midlife! on January 22, 2023, 10:33I noticed with a recent purchase of an FL also that there's areas where the front undertrays trap wet filth against the radiator side supports. I caught it early on mine and it's an 06 but bearing in mind the year it changed its not surprising we're seeing an increase in front crossmember failures.
And this is appearing more and more. I think we can probably add the radiator supports to the list (of two items) along with the subframe.
It's just gone unnoticed because it's entirely invisible unless you take the front bumper off and look closely 

@MrChris has a few good pictures of said rust from my old car. I had no idea it was there and I was under the car a fair bit 
...neutiquam erro.

Call the midlife!

Quote from: shnazzle on January 22, 2023, 12:13And this is appearing more and more. I think we can probably add the radiator supports to the list (of two items) along with the subframe.
It's just gone unnoticed because it's entirely invisible unless you take the front bumper off and look closely

@MrChris has a few good pictures of said rust from my old car. I had no idea it was there and I was under the car a fair bit
If it's any consolation, I'm stripping the front of the SFX at the moment and not finding anything particularly worrying or outside of the realms of surface rust.👍🏻
60% of the time it works everytime...

Call the midlife!


For reference, this is after I cleaned out all the crap that had accumulated in the V formed by the chassis upright and the plastic trim.
Which gives some insight into why the rust eats through the upright.


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60% of the time it works everytime...

K-rich92

Wasn't expecting so many replies so quickly, thank you.

Sounds like these are generally good on the corrosion front.
The rust that's found at the front, rad support/crossmenber and inner wing, how difficult are these to to sort out?

Also I think Im being blind but what section can I find the buyers guide in?

Carolyn

Quote from: K-rich92 on January 22, 2023, 13:46Wasn't expecting so many replies so quickly, thank you.

Sounds like these are generally good on the corrosion front.
The rust that's found at the front, rad support/crossmenber and inner wing, how difficult are these to to sort out?

Also I think Im being blind but what section can I find the buyers guide in?

'Welcome to new members'.  At the top of the page
Perry Byrnes Memorial Award 2016, 2018.  Love this club. 
https://www.mr2roc.org/forum/index.php?topic=63866.0

Call the midlife!

It all depends on how badly the rot has taken hold,  some have had to have a new front welded in but that's in the extreme cases.
There's a reasonable supply of second hand panels available and the majority of the wings etc are bolted in place but there's evidence that rot can take hold in the chassis legs and that's more work to sort out.
60% of the time it works everytime...

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