going to view an mr2...

[Anonymous]

Hi guys, i'm going to view an 03 plate mr2 at a garage. Basically it's done 44k, 2 lady owners, i'm told the service history is "spot on". It's advertised at £6,000. Anyway, the photos show the car with hard top attatched, but the garage owner said it's not included in the sale and the person selling the car wants an extra £100 for it, which I didn't think was that bad to be honest.

Anyway, I've been phoning about it all week and not getting any closer to going to see it as apparently it's only just arrived at the garage today. The man at the garage said it's had the offside arch sprayed today as it was bubbling a little? is this normal? also he said the soft top is going in for repair as it apparently has a tiny hole so it's having a patch placed inside? should I be wary about this?

It's got 12 months MOT but no tax, I feel quite confident that it should be OK being from a garage rather than private, but i'm stil a bit worried due to the pre cat thing? I doubt the man at the garage, nor the previous lady owner will know about pre cats? Anything I can do to check if and when I make the 150 mile round trip journey this weekend?

Thankyou   s:D s:D  

p.s i'm gonna keep my mr2 forever cos this buying and selling lark is so stressful!!!

[Ilogik]

Are you insane? 6K for a standard O3, shop around, for that sort of money i would want it gold plated, heavily modded, or some tasty extra's.

Personally I would look elsewhere, for 6k i would want it with a brand new hood, no repair work? why would it have an arch done? accident? I would also want to get the pre cats removed, fully serviced and taxed for 12 months.

Personally i think you should keep looking, where abouts are you located?

Hi guys, i'm going to view an 03 plate mr2 at a garage. Basically it's done 44k, 2 lady owners, i'm told the service history is "spot on". It's advertised at £6,000. Anyway, the photos show the car with hard top attatched, but the garage owner said it's not included in the sale and the person selling the car wants an extra £100 for it, which I didn't think was that bad to be honest.

Anyway, I've been phoning about it all week and not getting any closer to going to see it as apparently it's only just arrived at the garage today. The man at the garage said it's had the offside arch sprayed today as it was bubbling a little? is this normal? also he said the soft top is going in for repair as it apparently has a tiny hole so it's having a patch placed inside? should I be wary about this?

It's got 12 months MOT but no tax, I feel quite confident that it should be OK being from a garage rather than private, but i'm stil a bit worried due to the pre cat thing? I doubt the man at the garage, nor the previous lady owner will know about pre cats? Anything I can do to check if and when I make the 150 mile round trip journey this weekend?

Thankyou   s:D s:D  

p.s i'm gonna keep my mr2 forever cos this buying and selling lark is so stressful!!!

[Anonymous]

I don't think £6k for an '03 with that mileage is particularly bad, but I certainly wouldn't be touching one with a tear in the roof (fixed or not) and one that needed an arch spraying after bubbling, which indicates to me it's probably had a re-spray there before hand so who knows what damage caused that? Walk away, plenty of others out there.

[Ilogik]

didn't markii sell his 03 with 36k on clock for 4.5k?

[jonfy]

Anni i know its a hassle finding the right car, however £6000 is WAY over at the moment ( i know its sunny !)The one your going to look at sounds like its had it's fair share of problems.Its a Toyota and it shouldn't be rusty or bubbling  on a 03 plate , well not on the surface anyway.As all the other members have said plenty out there , i bought my first two with some very heavily rose tinted glasses and it was a costly mistake. I'm not trying to teach you how to suck eggs but i would look else where because if you drive a long way to look at the car and once you drive it and if your like me, you might say bugger it I'm buying it !

My opinion for what its worth   s:? :? s:?

[onion86]

didn't markii sell his 03 with 36k on clock for 4.5k?

It was an 01.

[Wabbitkilla]

6k for an 03 seems fair if it is in pristine condition with low mileage.

However, bubbling paint on an 03? Now way, barge pole and not touchingcomes to mind. Hoods can get wear holes in them, but looks  like a lack of care to me.

I recommend you look elsewhere, where are you in the country?

[Ilogik]

if the car is low milage, it wouldnt matter too much to be what year it was unless the difference was between pre facelift and facelift

Just find one that has been taken care of well. They sound like cowboys, ohh you can have hardtop for 100 more, sounds like they are trying to make an extra buck. if its picture with a hard top it should come with it.  Garage warranty tend to be a load of shit to.

[Ilogik]

this looks clean,

 m http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/968094.htm m

its 2 years newer, and only has 15k on clock.

cheaper side, silver 2001 44k 3.9k
 m http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/959517.htm m

4.8k 2001 25k on clock
 m http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/955568.htm m

[Ilogik]

On ebay

03 ones

blue + hardtop 41k 6.4k, offer 6k
 m http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2003-Toyota-MR2-1 ... 240%3A1318 m

03 green, 51k 5.4k
 m http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2003-Toyota-MR2-R ... 240%3A1318 m

For the money this is my favo buy

black, extra bodykit, 2002, 6k
 m http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2002-TOYOTA-MR2-R ... 240%3A1318 m

[Anonymous]

So 6k for a standard 03 from a garage is insane, but 6k for a pre facelift 02 on ebay is your favourite?

[Ilogik]

So 6k for a standard 03 from a garage is insane, but 6k for a pre facelift 02 on ebay is your favourite?

i didn't say I would spend that much, not in this current time, but if she wants to  that sort of money there are others around.

If you wait and are patient you could buy privately, plus I thought Marks was an 03 so was going on that price. Personally id be happy with a and year as long as it was low milage, and think it daft to spend silly money for bog standard cars that are exactly the same.

[markiii]

really need to start for teh beggining

whats your budget?

[Anonymous]

Modifications add little or no value to a cars resale value. Mods are fine provoided the car has the mods you planned to add, but add nothing really to an asking price.

[markiii]

Modifications add little or no value to a cars resale value. Mods are fine provoided the car has the mods you planned to add, but add nothing really to an asking price.

quite and tbh most modded cars are modded crappily, not all owners have the discerning taste of most of our members

[SimonC_Here]

What about in our very own forum?

 l viewtopic.php?f=30&t=24549 l

Red 03 with 31500 miles MOT and Tax New tyres. 2 lady owners £5995

[loadswine]

Good luck with your search Anni, our more seasoned members on here know their stuff with regard to the 2 and I would trust their advice. Stick with the "old hands" on this subject I would say.( You can get an idea from the joined date)

[Ilogik]

lol, fair nuff.

Id say mine is tastefully modded, and I could easily get money back selling just the parts off it.

Car with a turbo kit fitted, 2zz or a v6 surely is worth more to someone than a standard car?

[Anonymous]

You will get money back by going back to stock yes.

Look at the last two turbos that were up for sale here.

[markiii]

lol, fair nuff.

Id say mine is tastefully modded, and I could easily get money back selling just the parts off it.

Car with a turbo kit fitted, 2zz or a v6 surely is worth more to someone than a standard car?

to the right buyer yes

one who knows what mods they want  or what they are worth,

problem with modded cars is finding that 1 in 10 buyer who appreciated what they are buying

[Ilogik]

lol, fair nuff.

Id say mine is tastefully modded, and I could easily get money back selling just the parts off it.

Car with a turbo kit fitted, 2zz or a v6 surely is worth more to someone than a standard car?

to the right buyer yes

one who knows what mods they want  or what they are worth,

problem with modded cars is finding that 1 in 10 buyer who appreciated what they are buying

true, I like the chances of 1 in 10 :p I still havent seen a tubby, v6, or 2zz up for sale anywhere yet Are they so few and far between?or people having too much fun with them.

[markiii]

there have been 3 TTE turbos come up to my recollection,

there are only a nhadnful of 2zz swaps none of which have come up

V6 wise Niges is  one of two running in teh UK and to my knowledge one of 3 in teh world at teh moment

though I do know there will be 2 more V6s around soon

[Silverman]

I don't think £6k for an '03 with that mileage is particularly bad, but I certainly wouldn't be touching one with a tear in the roof (fixed or not) and one that needed an arch spraying after bubbling, which indicates to me it's probably had a re-spray there before hand so who knows what damage caused that? Walk away, plenty of others out there.

Yes, the voice of reason.   All this shouting about how you can pick up a supercharged '2' with 'god knows what' added for peanuts, simply devalues our cars.  Getting a modded car insured properly can be a work of art/science and heaven help you if it comes to real grief and the insurers don't know every detail of the mods!?!?  Best is basic/mods listed, properly serviced, clean and low mileage for year.  If you don't believe me, look at Toyota dealer prices for cars since, say, 2003.  A lot more than our cheapskates advocate, just for a 1 year used car warranty?  No way.   S'man.

[ChrisHumes]

Anni, where you based? if any members spots a good one near you they could tell you about it

[cclarke99]

Those quoting low prices are all out of date - all this lovely sunny weather has had the usual effect and 03 trade examples are now £5900-£7500 on Autotrader and on ebay an '03 went for £6500 2 weeks ago. However bubbling paint = shoddy accident repair and damaged hood = big bill so I'd avoid it. Without wishing to offend, steer clear of modified cars - they're too hard to insure. Autotrader is a good place to find cars - I don't know where you live but there are 18 cars advertised there between £5K and £7k within 60 miles of my address, plenty of choice to pick a good one. Warranty direct is the best for mechanical warranties. Don't worry about pre-cats on the car you are buying - get them sorted once you've bought it (or buy a warranty)  Don't ask too much of the garage by way of work done on the car before you buy, they won't be interested and it'll be done badly.