I'm looking for a ragtop - What makes the MR2 so good?

[Timbo]

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

[Anonymous]

Hi and welcome to the club   s: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:

[dj2k21]

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

[Bernie]

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

[SteveMK3]

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 s:D

[AndyM]

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

[stewart@boro]

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 s:D    s:D s:D

[wotugonado]

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:

[Zonda_]

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!

[chris3boro]

Drive one and it'll save you having to ask  s;) s;)

[knightRider]

MR2 was developed by lotus chief engineer. Basically, you have 8/10 th of an Elise with Toyota reliability!   s:D s:D

[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?

[stewart@boro]

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 s:D    s:D s:D

[2 of the left]

If you want this -   s:D s:D    s:) s:)    s: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!!

[Zonda_]

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.

[StuC]

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.  :-) :-) :-)

[AndyM]

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]

[chris3boro]

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:)

[Treboeth]

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:

[AmeR]

There is a reason why we have so many long standing or returning members here - "We are spoilt! (A general appreciation thread!)"
Some have owned more than most Toyota dealerships have ever seen - Okay So Who's Had The Most MR2s

[The Zohan]

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.

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

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.........................

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

[Wabbitkilla]

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:

[stargazer30]

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: