Hi Everyone,
Newbie here so please be gentle!
We're in the market for a fun ragtop/roadster, not as an everyday runner but for the weekends when the sun is out and we fancy a bit of wind in our hair, We are empty nesters with the kids at Uni and are treating ourselves now we have a little more disposable income! With that in mind, we're doing the rounds of the forums of our shortlist models, MGTF, MX5, Audi TT, and of course MR2.
So, as I've asked in other forums, why do you love the MR2? Why, in your obviously unbiased opinion, does the MR2 lie head and shoulders above the other marques we've considered? We know that they all have their strengths and weaknesses (brakes, head gaskets, cost, image etc etc), but why should I put my cash into an MR2?
Also, when considering value for money, what would we realistically expect to get for £5k? We'd ideally like as new a model as possible, leather interior with any other luxury extra our budget would run to!
Thanks everyone, really appreciate your time,
Timbo
Hi and welcome to the club s:D :D s:D
I could say a great deal but if you click on any of the two links in my signature it might give an idea why I like this little car s:wink: :wink: s:wink:
The only thing I can say about your list of cars really is.....
Mg... well need I say more, headgasket lol
Mx5 has the engine in the wrong end s:) :) s:)
Audi tt good luck finding one that isnt an absolute shed for 5k i reckon.
Mr2 is outstanding. Handles better than the others and has a better owners club :p
You need to get out and drive them all leaving the MR2 till last and then take into account after the handling the looks and the actual running costs cheap to insure and for £5K you will easily get a decent low mileage FL
If it helps I've owned 3 of those 4 cars,the MGTF was ok but isn't really in the same class in my opinion,the MX5 was brilliant and I still love them but the MR2 is even better! I'm now on my 3rd which should speak volumes s:D :D s:D
Hi Timbo,
Welcome. s:) :) s:)
First off here is my elevator pitch... In my opinion the MR2 provides the best fun-per-pound of any car you can buy.
For me this opinion is based on a combination of things (and I'm not just going to rubbish the others)...
Drive/handling: The engine is in the right place, the balance is perfect and I challenge you to drive one of these hard without developing the trademarked 'grin'.
Economy/reliability: It's the best performing of the cars you have listed and it's comfortable too.
Looks: I concede this is a matter of opinion but of the roadsters I think the MR2 provides something unique and distinctive. The MX5 is no doubt a classic shape, but it looks just that (a cheap, modern version of the Elan). I like that when I drive my '2 around I see very little of them about (especially compared to an MX5 or TT which are about as rare as a Ford Focus).
Club: The owners club is a very welcoming and friendly group of genuine enthusiasts. There is a wealth of knowledge available, experts to ask and help when required.
On you question of value... I picked up my spotless 2003 facelift sable with hard top, leather interior and air conditioning for a little under £4k with only 48,000 on the clock. With another £1k to go at I have no doubt you could find yourself a tidy later model or even a TF300 (the limited edition final 300 that were released) which will be as new as you can buy and come with a host of parts you would normally get as options (e.g. TTE twin exhaust, stylebar, limited edition seats, etc...).
I hope that helps you buy an MR2 s;) ;) s;)
Andy
In terms of your budget you should be able to get an 05 or 06 car with less than 50k on the clock
Everything else is priceless!!
Proper mid engine, runabout, cheap to run(unless you get the bug to modify) fantastic owners club and the drive..
The drive s:D :D s:D s:D :D s:D
Drive an mr2 and i think it will speak for itself, as for an unbiased opinion, we all love ours so we may be a little biased s:wink: :wink: s:wink:
From your list I would say that the TT is not really comparable as they are much larger and heavier. They are great cars and one I'm certainly considering but you can compare them to the 2. Obviously on here we all love our 2s but we accept their limitations, i.e. tiny inside and sod all us able luggage space!
Drive one and it'll save you having to ask s;) ;) s;)
MR2 was developed by lotus chief engineer. Basically, you have 8/10 th of an Elise with Toyota reliability! s:D :D s:D
Yup, I get it. You all love them, but then again all the TF and MX5 owners love theirs as well! So, can you be objective/critical at all?
To be fair, I think we need more than £5k for a good TT, and the MX5 seems a bit too effeminate for me. So that leaves the MR2 & the TF. Yes, the TF has it's head gasket Achilles heel, but most have been replaced/uprated and the TF forum reckon it's not too expensive to fix. So, are there any gotcha's with the MR2?
Price wise, £5k would appear to be an ample budget for either, and having driven both they are both great fun, although I would say the MR2 has a more modern (or less dated) interior.
So, if you did have to be picky, what would you say are the downsides of the MR2?
Can your wife/partner cope with 3pairs of shoes for a romantic trip away?
Yes. Buy a 2
No. Get something else that drives like a wardrobe
Solved s:D :D s:D s:D :D s:D
If you want this - s:D :D s:D s:) :) s:) s:D :D s:D s:) :) s:) Then buy the MR2 - If you want this - s:cry: :cry: s:cry: s:evil: :evil: s:evil: s:roll: :roll: s:roll: s:twisted: :twisted: s:twisted: s:scared: :scared: s:scared: Then buy any one of the others!!! - Glad to be of help!!
I had an MX-5 before my 2, hated it. My mate is on her 2nd TF, they are appalling cars, quite quick, don't handle and the interior feels like it's going to come apart at any moment.
Quote from: "Timbo"Yup, I get it. You all love them, but then again all the TF and MX5 owners love theirs as well! So, can you be objective/critical at all?
To be fair, I think we need more than £5k for a good TT, and the MX5 seems a bit too effeminate for me. So that leaves the MR2 & the TF. Yes, the TF has it's head gasket Achilles heel, but most have been replaced/uprated and the TF forum reckon it's not too expensive to fix. So, are there any gotcha's with the MR2?
So, if you did have to be picky, what would you say are the downsides of the MR2?
In the earlier ones certainly there were issues with the piston rings leading to oil starvation. Something that shouldn't concern you as they were upgraded in the later cars (in your budget).
If you are being really picky then an Achilles heel for would be the handbrake. There are plenty of examples of either the cables seizing or the auto-adjuster inside the caliper seizing. Doesn't happen on every car though.
As someone that used to work at MG and got taken out in brand new TF's, the build quality for me was seriously lacking. They also did everything on the cheap components wise. I didn't even look at one when considering my 2 seater options.
Hope that helps :-) :-) :-)
Btw, I am on my second 2 now. :-) :-) :-)
Quote from: "Timbo"So, if you did have to be picky, what would you say are the downsides of the MR2?
Being 100% honest as a daily car I have found no downsides with the MR2 Roadster. But, in the interest of objective review, here are some general things:
- Storage/luggage space is limited. Can't defend it. You can use it wisely and fit more than you think in there but it's still small.
- The mechanical 'achilles heel' of the MR2 is the piston ring/oval bore issue. It's not very common and only generally in PFL models. A further update was done around the end of production which pretty much removed the risk all together (the TF300 I mentioned would be in this category).
- The handbrake seems to be a bit of a weak spot.
- The headlights have a tendency to cloud over/get a bit of a tinge due to UV. This can be polished out with the correct process and some elbow grease.
On a slightly less serious note, I found this to help your deliberations...
[youtube:1v6jqvls]eMvNeOwpEcw[/youtube:1v6jqvls]
TF's are convertibles not sports cars, thats the difference. You sit on them not in them and lacks real dynamics in the corners, plus the reliability and build quality issues as mentioned. Honestly just drive them all s:) :) s:)
As above, plus either find a local member who will take you /swmbo for a spin or take one for a test drive.
Biggest concern is the engine/precats issue but check the car over and read this forum I joined 5/6monthds before I purchased and read lots beforehand.
From an emotional viewpoint look how many members have sold their 2`s and gone on to buy another s:mrgreen: :mrgreen: s:mrgreen:
There is a reason why we have so many long standing or returning members here - "We are spoilt! (A general appreciation thread!)" (http://mr2roc.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=39287&hilit=general+appreciation&sid=e086b2832eceb219814db00dcce1b4ee)
Some have owned more than most Toyota dealerships have ever seen - Okay So Who's Had The Most MR2s (http://mr2roc.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=36819&p=439499&hilit=most+owned&sid=e086b2832eceb219814db00dcce1b4ee&sid=e086b2832eceb219814db00dcce1b4ee#p439499)
Really you need to drive them all to see what suits you best.
They all have their faults, their quirks and their advantages.
Out of all of your list the MR2 is the best drivers car of the bunch, when pushed on is more rewarding and in the hands of a good driver is the most fun. Having said that it doesn't have to be driven at 10/10ths all the time and around town or just pottering it behaves itself and is perfectly docile. However, when the roads are permitting you can plant the accelerator and have as much fun as you like.
You need to drive them all to make up your mind.
Make sure you test drive one with the correct tyre stagger and matching tyre makes all round or you will not get the best handling car.
As far as I remember the only problem with the TF was they fitted plastic type dowel locators for the cylinder head, once sensible metal ones were fitted the head stopped moving ..... problem solved
Similar with the Roadster piston design, improved oil control rings preventing clogging up .....problem solved
Sure both of these will have other issues and no doubt you will have looked into them, I did try searching the TF site for any snags they might have but as you have to either register or send an email for any information I didn't bother, at least here everything is open warts and all.
I did find a downside that might seem bad but was in fact very reassuring.
My wife and I walking away from this.........................(http://selenna10.weebly.com/uploads/1/2/9/6/12964486/8433418.jpg)
We are not the only members of the upside down club on here and I hope there won't be any more but having the knowledge that these little motors can look after you in such a situation does instill confidence, so much so that within two weeks of this happening I went out and bought another one......
Good luck with what ever you decide on anyway s:wink: :wink: s:wink:
Les
I can't comment 100% on the other cars in your list but I can say what I've heard other people say about them.
Audi TT is a nice car, but it's basically a fwd golf in more attractive clothing, it's got the solidity of VW but is heavy and not really a focused sports car.
The MX5 is a dandy car with handling ability hailed by owners and press. Saying that the MR2 actually has a more roomy cabin and the boot in the earlier cars isn't actually all that big .... It's just a more traditional shape and position.
The TF is a good looking car in my opinion, it does have it's head gasket problem but nowadays is easily fixed and the engine is actually a pearl, especially the 160 version. It has a boot, it has cabin space and funky looks in there. What I hear is that it's driving dynamics are a step improvement from the previous MGF, but it is a car you sit on rather than in and never has the confidence of the other cars in your selection. A pity in my opinion as I would love this country to have produced a seminal small affordable sports car.
The MR2, well then I know a little bit about that particular car. I test drove one just over six years ago and I'm still driving it today. What was I after? I was looking for a car that gives what I call "a positive drive". What I mean by that is that it goes when I want it to, it turns where I want to go, and it does it in a way that feels right. When you sit in and drive an MR2 you feel that you are part of the car and it's serving you feedback from everywhere. I had driven the Elise S2 previously which had given me the bug for mid-engined sports car driving, the Elise in my opinion is the best car on the road for handling and feedback, it's a step on from the MR2. You sit in and MR2, a Lotus wraps around you. The MR2 is more robust and affordable though. Luggage space is limited, but I'm single and considered if I can pack a motorbike for a weeks holiday, then I had room to spare in the MR2 without even touching the passenger foot well.
Achilles heels?
Oval bore (plus eventual precat follow on damage) - In the main this affects pre facelift and is avoidable IMHO. Good servicing with quality fully synthetic oil, and pre-emptive removal of the precats will avoid this. In your price bracket you can afford a good late facelift car that should have no worries about this situation. Regardless of some of the fantasy prices I've seen lately from late facelift cars.
Handbrakes, rear brakes - brakes are consumable items, the handbrake isn't a great design and the callipers can stick on their sliders. Saying that we probably consider it more of a problem than it probably is in relation to other cars. Every car has mechanical handbrake and I've had one or two other cars where callipers seized on sliders. They're not hugely expensive to replace of have refurbished.
Rear suspension subframes - we're seeing some serious rust problems on some cars now in this area. It's a bit of a design flaw, the exhaust runs too close to the cross member and it's not a sealed unit. You can avoid it by taking extra precautions and trust treating and cavity waxing it. They can be bought from Toyota if it comes to that point but I would still recommend taking those extra precautions before fitting a replacement.
At the end of the day it really comes down to how much you enjoy driving what you choose. If you test drive a standard example with correct tyres, stagger, and pressures then you won't be disappointed. The MR2 feels special whenever you get in it, it looks different to pretty much anything else on the road, it has a layout that puts it amongst some of the sporting greats, and it gets plenty of looks and admiration if you don't get silver.
Go have a drive and you will be able to decide best, or in the case of the TT have a trundle s:wink: :wink: s:wink:
We are having a meet in May at Demon Tweeks, you are more than welcome to come along and meet the croud, have a look around some members cars. Hopefully we won't scare you off s:lol: :lol: s:lol:
Easy answers..
1. Don't buy an MGTF, they are rubbish and it will break.
2. Buy the TT if you want something solid, safe (boring) and convertable, but you don't care about handling, expect to pay more money though.
3. Buy the MX5 if you want RWD handling,cheap, cheerful and fun. Less leg room though and watch out for rot on older cars.
4. Buy the MR2 is you want the best handling one of the lot, but expect to sort out the tyres and watch out for oil burners on older cars.
Personally I find it easy to knock the TT, but I can understand why people buy them. MGTFs well people make mistakes and ladies buy by colour? MX5s I do like them and they are a very well regarded car (just go on pistonheads) the fact they have sold so many you can't argue with. I just can't fit in one lol. The MR2 is marmite, they'll have to prise mine out of my cold dead hands. I just hope the MR2 isn't the one causing that scenario s:scared: :scared: s:scared:
Easy one this...
As a new MR2 owner who's had a fair few different cars (Porsche, 200SX, Works Mini) I can honestly say I was blown away by the MR2 in terms of pure handling ability and fun factor. It was one of Evo's favourite handling cars for many years. I just cannot understand why it didn't get more notoriety like the Elise did? To me there is little to chose the Elise over the MR2, especially considering the MR2s far superior reliability, cheapness of parts and its still relative rare - to me make it totally unique!
Its also perfectly capable of taking a weekends luggage for two, or a weeks shopping for one - something an Elise cant do.
The only downside is that its been called a "tarts" car by a few people - their loss not mine!
in short I love it!
...or to put it another way, I am seriously considering selling my Mini to have my very own MR2 (at ~1/10 of the price) since my wife keeps taking the '2 to work!
s:D :D s:D
Sod it I might even buy three! In fact hands off they're crap! I want them all for myself s;) ;) s;)
Thanks everyone, I really appreciate all your comments.
On a practical point, when viewing, what should I really look out for? Oily smokers are fairly easy to spot, but what's the issue with tyres and stagger? To be honest, I'm not actually sure what stagger is!
sorry for the post bombardment!
Another downside which put me off the MGF is that you sit "on" it, not in it.... a bit too far forward. Oh and its a Rover! and cheap ones have hydrogas suspension. I think the chocolate head gasket issue has been overblown. If your only spending 1k on a cheap fun car its not going to be your main concern. SIAC developed a metal head gasket for the K series which removes any weakness, since they still use the engine in their cars!
The MX5 is probably the main contender due to again its superb handling and gear change. I think the MR2 is faster than the 1.8, I just found them a bit too common and a touch feminine, but that's a personal judgement.
Stagger....
The majority of rear wheel drive sports cars have wider wheels/tyres at the back than the front.
The pre facelift MR2 came from the factory with 185 front and 205 rear tyres.
The facelift car came with 185 front and 215 rear.
Being a mid engined car and the way it's designed it's pretty important to keep this stagger when replacing wheels and tyres. You can get away with same sized wheels all-round but keeping some stagger is beneficial. It's also highly recommended to use the same make and model tyre on all corners. Again people have got away with it, but many have ended up in hedges when they have not. It's especially relevant when you are new to the car or are pushing it close to it's limits.
Quote from: "Timbo"Yup, I get it. You all love them, but then again all the TF and MX5 owners love theirs as well! So, can you be objective/critical at all?
To be fair, I think we need more than £5k for a good TT, and the MX5 seems a bit too effeminate for me. So that leaves the MR2 & the TF. Yes, the TF has it's head gasket Achilles heel, but most have been replaced/uprated and the TF forum reckon it's not too expensive to fix. So, are there any gotcha's with the MR2?
Price wise, £5k would appear to be an ample budget for either, and having driven both they are both great fun, although I would say the MR2 has a more modern (or less dated) interior.
So, if you did have to be picky, what would you say are the downsides of the MR2?
As I and many others have mentioned you really have to get out and drive the ones you have narrowed it down to to compare the handling for yourself after you have driven the 2 you may then appreciate our love for these cars
As for storage the bins behind the seats will take a couple of airline size cabin bags and there is also the frunk space too so whilst on the face of it there is no boot there is usable space 11 of us are going in a 3 day long weekend to Paris next week and Les has an annual 2 week euro trip so don't let the lack if a traditional boot put you off
So get out in one and make a decision I'm sure we will then find you making a Newbie post !
Quote from: "Timbo"Thanks everyone, I really appreciate all your comments.
On a practical point, when viewing, what should I really look out for? Oily smokers are fairly easy to spot, but what's the issue with tyres and stagger? To be honest, I'm not actually sure what stagger is!
Yeah stagger got me a few times (swagger?). If its a facelift (2003> and can be spotted by the two round white elements to the rear light clusters) then you need wider tyres and bigger alloys at the rear 215 wide rear and 185 wide up front - IIRC?
This keeps handling in check and I think the facelift was tweaked a bit to make it more stable? Anyway, mine is on the original Bridgestones and behaves very well, even when provoked to oversteer s:) :) s:)
Others can add to this...
Deffo: Check the rear suspension/body crossmember ("subframe") for rust (hands and knees job at the back). Check where the ARBs mount to it and take a look in the engine bay looking down onto the crossmember (just below the manifold heatshield).
Mine had a huge hole in it!
Check the oil filler cap for mayo, and the dipstick for oil quality (mine was like golden syrup) s:D :D s:D
Check the hood for operation and condition
Engine check light comes
on (very important) and then goes off
less so..
Check brakes for excessive caliper/disc rust, can be an issue.
Check headlight housing for clouding/UV deterioration
Service history
Gear change can be a bit stiff so worth checking for this maybe (not sure what you could glean from it) s:? :? s:?
Tyre stagger is apparent in all mid-engined layouts, this is where the width if the rear tyres is greater than the front.
Rears should be 30mm wider in the facelift versions in your budget. Rears are also 16" with the fronts 15", even though they are small compared to some, it shows the focus by Toyota to make this a drivers car as they are light.
If you view a car with non-standard wheels, check the tyres. Ideally you are looking for the same brand all round. Often when aftermarkets are bought as a package the same size tyre is used in all 4 corners.
This seems to be moving on rapidly! s:D :D s:D
I take it that £5k is a reasonable budget? A quick peruse on a well known auction site would suggest I should be looking for a 2004/2005 model, does that sound about right? I've also seen a couple of ads for a "Red" limited edition. What's the difference there?
With 5k you could probably pick up a cracking 03/04 with low mileage and have some change.. But when the sun decides to stop being lazy and make an appearance the prices will creep up
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Quote from: "Timbo"This seems to be moving on rapidly! s:D :D s:D
I take it that £5k is a reasonable budget? A quick peruse on a well known auction site would suggest I should be looking for a 2004/2005 model, does that sound about right? I've also seen a couple of ads for a "Red" limited edition. What's the difference there?
Red edition has red leather seats, door inserts, part red leather steering wheel and most notably the red roof.
It's not a bright red, but definitely lends the car a classy look.
£5k is a good budget to get a very nice car.
I wouldn't normally quote myself but the thread has exploded so it may have got slightly lost and is relevant to your recent question...
Quote from: "AndyM"I picked up my spotless 2003 facelift sable with hard top, leather interior and air conditioning for a little under £4k with only 48,000 on the clock. With another £1k to go at I have no doubt you could find yourself a tidy later model or even a TF300 (the limited edition final 300 that were released) which will be as new as you can buy and come with a host of parts you would normally get as options (e.g. TTE twin exhaust, stylebar, limited edition seats, etc...).
When I was buying I looked at a low mileage TF300 at a dealers on at £5450. I reckon they would have taken £5000 (it was snowing and it had been on the forecourt a while), however I decided it was still a bit rich for me.
Yes that budget will ensure a very late low mileage model with AC and leather.
IMHO That's what you should be looking for as the "special editions" aren't worth paying more for. It's just different colours and personally I can't get on with the Noddy red steering wheel!
Hard tops can be fitted later, so don't buy the wrong car just for the top.
AC is rare but essential to me (others disagree), it makes the car useable on a very hot day with the top down when travelling slowly.
Just to reiterate, I suggest you get the latest and lowest mileage car you can with a full history and the right spec.
There was a chap trying to sell his very late extremely low mileage car recently on here I think? He wanted the earth for it (poss 6k) but it was almost new! 2006 and 10-20k miles!
Would love a nice example like that! s:) :) s:)
These cars will only appreciate over the next 10 years if kept to low usage.
Don't think mileage is an issue with Toyota engines. Surely they can do a couple of hundred k if looked after?
Quote from: "knightRider"Don't think mileage is an issue with Toyota engines. Surely they can do a couple of hundred k if looked after?
Low mileage is always good as total wear across the car will be less. However it's not the single be and end all factor some people make it out to be.
For example, I would rather have a lovingly cared for 60k car over a ragged and cheaply/badly looked after 20k one.
Quote from: "AndyM"Quote from: "knightRider"Don't think mileage is an issue with Toyota engines. Surely they can do a couple of hundred k if looked after?
Low mileage is always good as total wear across the car will be less. However it's not the single be and end all factor some people make it out to be.
For example, I would rather have a lovingly cared for 60k car over a ragged and cheaply/badly looked after 20k one.
It's not about "issues" just the general feeling of overall tiredness and looseness which comes with mileage.
Mine certainly exhibits this and compared to a newer car needs little things like a full suspension rebuild, engine mounts, gear linkage, clutch.... To make it totally perfect.
An ultra low mileage car (say 15k), pampered toy really would be tight!
s:) :) s:)
As per above, always buy on condition. Mileage is an indicator of this...
Quote from: "trickyD"...or to put it another way, I am seriously considering selling my Mini to have my very own MR2 (at ~1/10 of the price) since my wife keeps taking the '2 to work!
s:D :D s:D
Sod it I might even buy three! In fact hands off they're crap! I want them all for myself s;) ;) s;)
s:lol: :lol: s:lol: s:lol: :lol: s:lol: s:lol: :lol: s:lol:
say no more, another mr2 addict.................
TF vs MR2?
I like both and looked at lots of the MGFs and TFs - but all had some fault or other to the to the interior / controls / hood. Every one had wet door cards and damp floors suggesting roof leaks - even those with hardtops (was looking in winter as best time to be objective about a rag top).The VVC/160 is an ace motor and really goes but put aside £500 for HG and twin timing belts + after market mod to sort it for good. Hood rear window is plastic and breaks, espicially in the cold so no roof down during the winter (unless you get the aftermarket glass option).
I also looked at a number of MR2s. Every one just seemed totally sorted and well put together and loved by previous owners. Glass rear window as standard. And the drive is just fun. Small word - big emotion (not subjective). The drive can feel insanely twitchy at times (compared to a family FWD) but it is a FUN, reliable, economical car. Period. Just drive it and all will be revealed.
I used to be an MX5 owner and a Lotus owner, the MR2 I think actually handles way better than the MX5 and is better allround. Its like a cut price more practical Elise, I was passing Elises and MX5's like they were stood still on track on Friday s;-) ;-) s;-) Took an MX5 owner out for a passengeride after a conversation about how I got the MR2 and never looked at my MX5 again, when he got out, to say he was impressed was bit of an understatement. Also had a Boxster Spyder owner come and chat about how amazingly well he thought the MR2 went, wanted to know all about it.
Quote from: "steve b"I used to be an MX5 owner and a Lotus owner, the MR2 I think actually handles way better than the MX5 and is better allround. Its like a cut price more practical Elise, I was passing Elises and MX5's like they were stood still on track on Friday s;-) ;-) s;-) Took an MX5 owner out for a passengeride after a conversation about how I got the MR2 and never looked at my MX5 again, when he got out, to say he was impressed was bit of an understatement. Also had a Boxster Spyder owner come and chat about how amazingly well he thought the MR2 went, wanted to know all about it.
they are the performance bargain of the decade IMHO. Classic and Sportscar had a write up last month waxing lyrical about them. Ours is std apart from uprated kyb struts and a chassis strut brace and it handles very well to say the least, it works for a living, used each and every working day to commute down the back roads from Northampton to MK, now showing 90k and still tight as a drum. Have a set of EBC greens to go in in the next week or so. If anything it could do with more power but gets along just fine as it is.
We would have another in a second if anything happened to the current one.
Q: What makes the MR2 so good?
A: Less is More s:) :) s:)
Quote from: "The Zohan"they are the performance bargain of the decade IMHO. Classic and Sportscar had a write up last month waxing lyrical about them. Ours is std apart from uprated kyb struts and a chassis strut brace and it handles very well to say the least, it works for a living, used each and every working day to commute down the back roads from Northampton to MK, now showing 90k and still tight as a drum. Have a set of EBC greens to go in in the next week or so. If anything it could do with more power but gets along just fine as it is.
We would have another in a second if anything happened to the current one.
Sorry! kyb struts and ECB greens? Can someone explain?
Apologies if I'm a luddite!!
I think he means suspension dampers made by KYB, which are an upgrade over stock, I believe.
And EBC Greenstuff brake pads, which are a light upgrade pad suitable for light low powered cars.
So Timbo after 48 (now 49) postings, have we managed to persuade you into an MR2 yet? s;-) ;-) s;-)
Do we get anything for 50+ posts?! s:D :D s:D
The MR2 is starting to feel like a good bet, I'll just need to find a good one now. Unfortunately, N Devon is pretty remote, so I may need to take a few days holiday for a road trip!!
Quote from: "Timbo"Do we get anything for 50+ posts?! s:D :D s:D
Only when you have bought one!! s;-) ;-) s;-)
Quote from: "Timbo"The MR2 is starting to feel like a good bet, I'll just need to find a good one now. Unfortunately, N Devon is pretty remote, so I may need to take a few days holiday for a road trip!!
Excellent news :-) :-) :-)
Keep an eye out for the For Sale section on here, you can be sure of a good car from a longstanding member on here, especially as the history is usually documented on the boards.
In the meantime if you see anything that takes you fancy, post up a link and we can help you.
If it is not local to you, and there is a willing member, we might even be able to look it over before you make travel plans.
Of what you have seen, are you happy to go for a normal one or do one of the limited editions (TF & Red) grab your fancy?
There is a nice red one in the for sale section. I have actually seen that one and it looked pretty tidy, if that was the sort of thing you are after.
Hi Timbo
Good to see you leaning towards the 2 – you won't be disappointed s:D :D s:D
As you may have gathered and as others have said, one of the fringe benefits is the support network on this forum.
I would be interested on your experience on the other forums – have they been as enthusiastic and helpful as those on here?
I had the same decision to make last year, wanted a weekend 2nd car for fun, had to be a ragtop and had to be small to fit into my garage.
My immediate thought was an MX5 or an MGF. I started looking. I like the look of the original MX5, not so keen on the updated version, but could I find one which didn't have rotten sills? Rough looking patch up jobs excepted.
I turned to the MGF, always had a liking for them although I'd never driven one. I read up about the HGF issues and suspension problems (I'd had hydragas suspension cars before so wasn't worried about that). I very nearly bought a VVC from a dealer but when I turned up for a test drive, found out that the head gasket had blown that morning when they moved the car out of the showroom! I saw another nearby, phoned about it and guess what? They said it wasn't for sale just yet as it was having the head gasket done. I started gettting worried then.
Popped over to see my mechanic and mentioned what I was looking at. He pleaded with me not to buy the MGF, he hates working on them and says even if the HG is replaced they often blow again. He told me to look at the MR2. I hadn't even thought of one until that point. Subconsciously I probably thought they would be out of my particular price range (I was looking to spend no more than around £1500).
Anyway, when I looked at an MR2 close up I was really impressed with the design. OK the interior is a little plasticky compared to a specced up MGF but it's a nicer place than the MX5 IMHO. I knew there wasn't a boot but was quite surprised at how big the compartments behind the seats are.
Long story short, I bit the bullet, paid a bit more than I wanted and bought a nicely looked after MR2, and have been very happy with it. You don't see so many about which I like, and it has the makings of a real future classic if you intend to keep it. It's a car I really like driving just for the sake of it. It's comfortable for a sports car too, and although it's hibernating in the garage at the moment I can't wait to get back out and about in it, having made mental notes of must do roads I've driven on recently (always think "wish I was in the MR2" when I'm driving on a nice twisty B road).
I think the only drawback for the MR2 is if you think you need more luggage space, but as it's a weekend car I can't see why you'd need more than there is. Easy enough room for two squashy holdalls and the passenger can always stuff a bag down the footwell too.
Quote from: "ais"Hi Timbo
Good to see you leaning towards the 2 – you won't be disappointed s:D :D s:D
As you may have gathered and as others have said, one of the fringe benefits is the support network on this forum.
I would be interested on your experience on the other forums – have they been as enthusiastic and helpful as those on here?
Would be interesting to see replies from owners of the other cars, any links to the threads?
Cheers.
Quote from: "ais"Hi Timbo
Good to see you leaning towards the 2 – you won't be disappointed s:D :D s:D
As you may have gathered and as others have said, one of the fringe benefits is the support network on this forum.
I would be interested on your experience on the other forums – have they been as enthusiastic and helpful as those on here?
The response on here has been really great, especially as you probably get loads of guys like me wanting the same sort of "what are they like" type info.
Having said that, I had a very similar experience from the folks on the MGTF forum I joined, a lot of very entusiastic members, all willing to give advice freely, willing to look out for and initially scope potential TFs for me. We recently bought an X Trail to pull Mrs T's horse box, and if I had a pound for each time I asked a dealer/seller "Is it really that good, good enough for me to travel an hour+ to view", only to be hugely disappointed later, I'd be a rich man!
Quote from: "loadswine"There is a nice red one in the for sale section. I have actually seen that one and it looked pretty tidy, if that was the sort of thing you are after.
Which one?
l viewtopic.php?f=30&t=43423 (http://mr2roc.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=43423) l s:?: :?: s:?:
Looks a nice tidy example to me and by the sounds of things has been well looked after.
The only thing it's missing for me is the AC.
Oh and I suppose the OP could use his budget to get a "tighter" one with fewer miles, should he wish.
Quote from: "trickyD"Oh and I suppose the OP could use his budget to get a "tighter" one with fewer miles, should he wish.
Or... £2k of mods s:bounce: :bounce: s:bounce:
Looks nice, but I must admit if I had to describe my perfect model, I would go for as late a model as budget would allow, dark metallic blue with a cream leather interior. However, I have no idea if that colour/interior option was ever offered! AC would also be pretty near the top of the list of extras, hard top would be nice as well. s8) 8) s8)
Lol s:) :) s:)
There is also a TF300 (ltd ed) available at a Main dealer in Durham (on auto trader) advertised at £5k
2006 year, 52k miles, TTE twin exhaust (factory option), alcantata seats.
Might be a nice late low miles example?
Or there is a "red" edition also on autotrader with just 35k on the clock! Also 5k.
There is a lovely metallic blue though its not the most common colour.
Pretty sure you can only have red or black seats in cloth or leather.
AC is fairly rare but I managed to find one, ironically not even advertised as having AC.
Quote from: "trickyD"AC is fairly rare but I managed to find one, ironically not even advertised as having AC.
Is it? Not being pedantic just never thought of it as rare.
Maybe rare is the wrong word? They aren't Unicorn cars.
Drawing on my experiences, I searched for about 3-4 weeks to find a £3-4k car within 150 miles of me with AC.
Looked on every site, right down to Gumtree and at probably about 50-100 cars?
I would estimate around 10-20% were advertised with AC
Quote from: "Tom_K"Quote from: "trickyD"AC is fairly rare but I managed to find one, ironically not even advertised as having AC.
Is it? Not being pedantic just never thought of it as rare.
From the adverts I've seen it looks like the AC went 'hand in hand' with the hardtop option when buying new?
Quote from: "smarty2072"From the adverts I've seen it looks like the AC went 'hand in hand' with the hardtop option when buying new?
I believe the hard top variant always came with A/C but it was also available as an option on other cars.
Yes I think all Hardtops have AC but potentially non-hardtop cars can also have AC?
Mine doesn't have the hardtop clips but has AC....
If you look at the history of the roadster.
All cars ordered with hardtops came with AC
Cars ordered without hardtops had the factory option of AC
Some cars (like mine) were retrofitted with hardtop but don't have AC
AC is as common as non-AC cars, if you fail to find a selection, you're just unlucky.
Good luck finding one with AC
And just when you thought you'd made a choice of which marque to go for, a helpful friend sends you this link to really mess with your head:
m http://forums.mg-rover.org/showthread.php?t=506186 (http://forums.mg-rover.org/showthread.php?t=506186) m
That appears to be a lot of car for not a lot of cash!! s:o :o s:o
Decisions, decisions!
I don't get it?
:/
It's a joke? Irony?
As has been said, test drive each car and then decide.
Quote from: "Timbo"That appears to be a lot of car for not a lot of cash!! s:o :o s:o
If you like it then JFDI! The only crime is not to make a decision. it's only a car so if you don't like it then change it. s:lol: :lol: s:lol:
Quote from: "mrzwei"If you like it then JFDI! The only crime is not to make a decision. it's only a car so if you don't like it then change it. :.:
JFDI? Sorry!
Quote from: "Timbo"JFDI? Sorry!
Just flipping do it! (Or something close to that), the tension on the forum is unbearable s:lol: :lol: s:lol: Make a decision man.
I cannot believe you're still dithering - What happens when you drive up to a junction??? s:lol: :lol: s:lol:
s:lol: :lol: s:lol: to the above 2 comments
Hang on a bleedin sec! One minute everyone is saying "Drive both, look at lots" etc etc, the next it's "Just buy the first thing you see" s:scared: :scared: s:scared:
I've worked damned hard for my £££, and I've only been on here a week or so, give me a chance!!
Quote from: "Timbo"Hang on a bleedin sec! One minute everyone is saying "Drive both, look at lots" etc etc, the next it's "Just buy the first thing you see" s:scared: :scared: s:scared:
I've worked damned hard for my £££, and I've only been on here a week or so, give me a chance!!
Sorry - didn't mean to upset you - Whichever motor you go for will be your decision - BUT - when confronted with motors that have appeal you are spoilt for choice - I've always gone for reliability in a motor ( hence Japanese ) and the best there is on the second hand market is the Roadster s:wink: :wink: s:wink:
Hey, no offence taken! If you don't want the flak, don't put your head above the wall!! s:wink: :wink: s:wink:
I really like what I've seen on the MR2 front, but I've always had a soft spot for MG. Head over heart, heart over head? It's never easy s:mrgreen: :mrgreen: s:mrgreen:
Quote from: "Timbo"Hang on a bleedin sec! One minute everyone is saying "Drive both, look at lots" etc etc, the next it's "Just buy the first thing you see" s:scared: :scared: s:scared:
I've worked damned hard for my £££, and I've only been on here a week or so, give me a chance!!
If you choose the mg i think your gonna need to develop your sense of humour too, because your gonna need it s:wink: :wink: s:wink: my old man worked at rover and hes hopeless with spanners but they let him loose on them anyway. Joking aside the build quality has never been great so it all depends what you want from the car spending weekends driving it or weekends repairing it.
Quote from: "Timbo"Hey, no offence taken! If you don't want the flak, don't put your head above the wall!! s:wink: :wink: s:wink:
I really like what I've seen on the MR2 front, but I've always had a soft spot for MG. Head over heart, heart over head? It's never easy s:mrgreen: :mrgreen: s:mrgreen:
I'm an ex MGF owner, wrote it off and was looking for another then stumbled across an SMT Roadster.
One very big advantage of the MG is the club, which is steeped in history and they won't let any MG die and there will be spares forever. It will always have a very 'British' tradition and eventually I guess that will be reflected in the price.
A very big advantage of the Roadster is also this club but probably for slightly different reasons.
In terms of the design, handling, technology and looks then the Roadster has it but if you're looking longer term then the MG will probably live up to its pedigree.
JFDI s:lol: :lol: s:lol:
Quote from: "Timbo"Hey, no offence taken! If you don't want the flak, don't put your head above the wall!! s:wink: :wink: s:wink:
I really like what I've seen on the MR2 front, but I've always had a soft spot for MG. Head over heart, heart over head? It's never easy s:mrgreen: :mrgreen: s:mrgreen:
OMG Don't buy British - especially at this level - Your hard earned ££££'s will disappear in rectification/repair bills!! s:roll: :roll: s:roll: s:roll: :roll: s:roll:
Why not buy a £2500 MR2 and a £2500 MGTF... problem solved s;) ;) s;) s:D :D s:D
On a side note...
A colleague of mine got a herself a tidy little silver MG ZR Friday last week, had it checked over my a mechanic, service history intact. Yesterday morning she rolls up in her old Hyundai, I raise my eyebrow and she just says 'head gasket'.
TBH this is now tedious go and drive both and make a reasoned decision based on whatever floats your boat be it based on handling looks budget whatever
After looking at the MG Linky, you've got to ask why is an "06" MGTF car in tip top condition half the price of an MR2 the same age?? There's got to be a reason.
I only know one person who has had MG TF from new. My husband (trained many moons ago on BL/MG/Triumph/Landrovers etc) shook his head when he heard he had bought it. Needless to say, 3 or 4 engines later it's gone to the scrapyard in the sky!
Quote from: "bernie11a"TBH this is now tedious go and drive both and make a reasoned decision based on whatever floats your boat be it based on handling looks budget whatever
Sorry if I'm a burden to you, so far everyone has been very helpful.
On the face of it, the MGF does look like a good buy. It looks good, has a decent interior, has good parts and modifications available and it is a good chunk cheaper than an MR2. This was exactly what went through my mind 9 years ago when looking. I opted for the MR2 in the end, because as soon as I sat in one, I just knew it was right, and had to have one. I'm now on my fifth one and not regretting the choice. It was all very subjective on the initial choice, but glad I went for the Roadster. I didn't have a lot of technical info or opinion back then, but the MR2 won me over just by experiencing it.
I don't think there is much more to add over what has already been posted by everyone, so next step really is experiencing the cars themselves. That is good fun and hope you enjoy it! s:) :) s:) I loved hunting around for my first one. s:D :D s:D
I can't see any appeal in that "cheap" MGF on the link.
I might sink £300 into an MGF as a toy (a friend was recently given one!)
My MR2 cost £300 more than that one and is amazing!
2003, 70k miles.... So it's hardly a basket case
They are chalk and cheese IMHO....
Like comparing a £5 bottle of fiz with Champagne!
s:) :) s:)
Thanks Guys, really appreciate your thoughts.
I'm off up country next week on business, so may try to stop off and look at a couple on the way. If anyone knows of anything along the M5/M6 corridor, anywhere from Taunton to Warrington, that would be worth cutting my teeth on, give me a shout.
I would consider the tf as well at that price, the head gasket once repaired properly will last a long time and spares are cheap and easy to get hold of. The mg rover scene are also a good friendly bunch as ive discovered with my VVC metro.
It's easy for people to jump on the band wagon with 'oh don't touch mg rover' 'head gasket' etc etc but most have never had one and are just regurgitating others.
The mr2 suffers from the same rumours with the oval bore pre cat issue, that's probably why the arse has fell out the mr2 market, at the end of the day if the car is fixed properly then what's the difference, plenty people have higher mileage pre facelifts and have had minimal issues for a older car,
Drive both the mr2 and the mg and decide then,
Good luck and let us know how you get on s:mrgreen: :mrgreen: s:mrgreen:
People buy cars for lots of reasons, some are rational, some emotional.
Other than possibly luggage space, I can think of no rational reason to buy a £2500 MG TF over a same price MR2.
My guess is that the 2006 MG appeals for emotional reasons - you like the badge and the fact that it is "only" 7 years old.
We can only really help you with the rational buying reasons on here s:) :) s:) though once you get an MR2, you WILL get attached to it !
...plus last time I looked this was an MR2 forum, so don't expect too much gushing over a deceased old British marque...
This is an MR2 forum so it should be no surprise that we'll all tell you to buy the MR2!
Some of us have driven the MG and some of us have owned them. That should tell you something.
I like the looks of the MG and it is a bit more practical to be fair. Personally if I were to buy one now (based on my knowledge from looking and learning of the potential faults) I would spend as little as possible - it's pretty easy to find decent MGF's for well under £1K, and at that price if you can easily budget to spend a bit of money on the engine if necessary. Spend £3K on an MGF/TF and you'll most likely still have to spend money on the engine (for modifications to prevent HGF if not for HGF itself).
You take your choices, you pays your money.
+1
I know! I'm sure I'll be as smitten once I see a couple, then I'm sure heart will follow head!!
As I said before, if anyone knows of anything nice along the M5/M6 corridor (Taunton/Bristol/Birmingham/M6/M56) then I'd take a look on way up north on Monday.
So put us out of our misery have you got out in anything yet ?
Really hope this isnt a sign of things to come if he does get an MR2, can you imagine the length of threads on deciding to change the indicators to clear,cloth seats to leather etc.
Just decided to read this topic. If you haven't already made a decision, I had a slightly different approach to getting the MR2
Needed a 2nd car to get me to work. Wife's choice this time.
Started looking at a Nissan Figaro. Too expensive for a 20 year old car.
I remembered this "MR2" I saw in a car show in 2001 I believe.
Autotraderd it, went to see one. Bought it on the spot. 2002 pre-facelift. The one with all the "issues"
No service history. Engine light on. 4 different tyres, with rears the wrong size. All 4 brakes needed doing completely.
Drive home: plastic fell off the bottom.
2500 (yes I overpaid by about 600-700) wasted?
2 months on now, and my wife and I couldn't love the car any more!!! Fixed brakes and tyres. Been on one MR2ROC meet and rally.
So...if you can even buy such a sh** specimen of an MR2, on a whim, with NO research, and STILL love it to death.....imagine what a 5k well-researched specimen will do for you. s;) ;) s;)
+1
Mine's ended up needing a few bits, but since the forum is (mostly) so helpful and bits are cheap, it's not so bad.
Oh and the car is so rewarding - it's totally worth it!
s:D :D s:D
I can certainly feel the love out there! s:D :D s:D
The only small issue I've got is finding one reasonably locally to go and see, there doesn't seem to be many around, although I expect that's due to the time of year s8) 8) s8)
Take one for a test and you'll find out why we drive mr2s.
These cars are old now so a lot of them are tired. Look out for rear subframe rot, power steering pipes leaking, calipers binding, steering universaljoint problems, worn shocks and top mounts, roof issues, knackered engines.
Most of these things are down to the age of cars and salt so I'd buy the newest lowest mileage one you can afford that has been looked after. A rare find.
I wonder what (if anything) he bought?
PM`d him over the w/end as there was a 2 in the local paper, he`s still looking, Timbo if you see this I have a cheap MGf for sale, head gasket upgraded s:D :D s:D .
Al.
...to a metal one (SIAC)?
Timbo, your epitaph:
'He slept beneath the moon, he basked beneath the sun; he lived a life of going to do and died with nothing done.'
FFS JFDI s:lol: :lol: s:lol:
Carpe Diem!!!
Yeah, the triple shim type with non stretch bolts etc.
Al.
Quote from: "2 of the left"Carpe Diem!!!
(http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/reference.gif)
Is he even active on the forum any more?
I bet he bought the MG
Quote from: "trickyD"Is he even active on the forum any more?
I bet he bought the MG
On here nearly every day, and still looking. Quite a few TFs locally but not a lot on the MR2 front. As someone suggested earlier, I'm not going to rush in, I know what I want and am willing to wait till it comes around.
How do you feel about the ones in the For Sale section?
Quote from: "StuC"How do you feel about the ones in the For Sale section?
I've liked several of them (like the green one that's just gone on), but I don't have the time at the mo to travel around the country to view, so I'm limited to stuff locally, which is pretty non existent. This may be because of the weather, or just due to the fact that the SW is pretty sparse for MR2s. there have been a couple of PFLs advertised, but I really want a FL model.
Glad to hear you are still looking!
What town are you near? I can't believe they're that rare?
D
That green one is amazing, why haven't you bought it?
It's clearly a genuine owners club car so I might even be tempted to buy it blind!
There is also the low miles black one with AC in Bedford.
Timbo is right about 2`s being a bit thin on the ground down here in the south west, geoghraphy really, because you have not got the large cities all within an hour or so drive that you have further north, so less people, fewer cars, and those cars are further apart, it took me 6 or 7 months to find a good one (hopefully) after my first one was written off, I set a radius of 100miles and even then only had a choice of 4 or 5 to look at, and if you put in a 100 miles from Devon you get results up to mid wales as they are as the crow flies distances, very frusrating.
Al