Should I buy an MR2?

Anonymous · February 1, 2005, 14:52

I have been looking at buying an MR2 for about a month now. I want a nearly new one possibly with leather and hardtop.
However, after reading through the masses of posts on this site about the pre-cats and similar problems I doesn't sound like a very good buy as a second hand car. Obviously there are other cars out there like the mx5 or the mg-tf but they both lack the look, performance and fun of the mr2. I think that if i were to get one I would definately make sure that the precats are ok and then rip them out as soon as I get the car home.
As you all seem to have lots of experience with this car what do you think I should do?

Thanks (in advance)

Chris J

p.s I can't afford a brand new one, if i could i would probably get an Audi TT instead.

markiii · February 1, 2005, 14:55

get it, gut it, enjoy it.

it sounds like a bad problem, but % wise it's not that high.

love teh sig line by tegh way :-) :-) :-)

dreambackup · February 1, 2005, 14:58

you'd get an Audi for the looks and hate it for what it is...

you might not fall in love with the MR-S' looks but you'll love what it does to you s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

get it ASAP s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

Anonymous · February 1, 2005, 15:02

I love how the car looks and generally toyotas well known for good quality reliable cars. Now i'm not so sure, I don't really want to have to start ripping things out of the car as soon as I get it. You don't expect to have to do that with a new car.

Bongo · February 1, 2005, 15:07

If it's nearly new it will be under warranty and so you won't need to worry for a while.

Also I wouldn't say that the MX-5 lacks the fun and performance of an MR2 - they are quite evenly matched and both very good fun.

markiii · February 1, 2005, 15:08

Quote from: "chr15athome"I You don't expect to have to do that with a new car.

but that teh rub, your not buying a new car

Anonymous · February 1, 2005, 15:12

sorry, new car as in I'd just bought it. Has anyone here bought a nearly new one and had any other problems to look out for?

SimonC_Here · February 1, 2005, 15:18

Mine was at 13,000 miles when I got it and is now sailing past 52,000.

Other than the precat thing (which they sorted under extended warrenty) not had any problems other than unavoidable ones. Stone chips and the like.

I still have fun with it (more to come when the unichip arrives s:D

s:D ) and still prefer the look of it to the MX5.

If I am in the same situation with regards to cars when this one's time comes, I would seriously consider another one (minus Precats!)

Simon

Anonymous · February 1, 2005, 15:22

But how will I know if the precats haven't already been sucked into the engine and then replaced under warranty, without replacing the engine. Also if i were to remove the pre-cats has anybody actually had an MOT done after to make sure it passes the emissions test?

SimonC_Here · February 1, 2005, 15:25

The oil will look like treacle!

There are threads around on the topic of MOT after precats
I believe all have passed.

Someone here tried it with the main cat gone as well. I seem to remember it passed as well. Although I think there was some engine management magic going on.

Simon

markiii · February 1, 2005, 15:26

it will pass, an MOT they are only there to pass US Smog regs as a ULEV vehicle , it's just cheaper to use the same unit on all cars worldwide.

And for teh record I passed without a main cat, so pre-cats are no problem.

SimonC_Here · February 1, 2005, 15:29

Was just going to edit my post but Mark beat me to it. s:D

s:D

http://www.mr2roc.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2478&highlight=precats+mot+main

Simon

Anonymous · February 1, 2005, 15:30

Excellent help people, I think you have nearly convinced me to join the fold. One last thing, how difficult is it to remove the pre-cats?
I know there is a tutorial post on this forum somewhere but I can't seem to find it now. I am quite technically minded, having changed my head gasket on my old Pug 306 TD and 2 injectors which were leaking. Would the job of taking the pre-cats out be harder than this?

markiii · February 1, 2005, 15:41

short answer,

remove manifold, if you've done head work beofre, then this will be easy by comparison.

step 2, use screwdriver/chisel, and hammer to knowck out ceramic material from teh manifold, wash out teh chamber to remove last remaining dust.

step 3, reattach to car.

peice of proverbial.

SimonC_Here · February 1, 2005, 15:45

The post is probably in the Mantainance section.

Search for

precats AND remove

GSB did the write up.

Simon

Anonymous · February 1, 2005, 15:46

What no sealing kits needed, what about access in the engine bay or do you take the pre-cats out first before you remove them.

By the way how big are the pre-cats they look like small thin discs on the tutorial but when they have been completely removed there seems to be loads of crap coming out, judging by the pictures on the tutorial.

markiii · February 1, 2005, 15:50

no sealing kit, manifold to block gasket is reuseable, even if you don'y it's £7

you would probably be best to use new manifold to gaskets, £3 each, but I've done loads using teh old ones and no problems.

teh precats themselves, imagine your manifold, it goees 4-2-1 with the 2-1 being merged on your main cat pipe.

where teh 4-2 bit happens each set of 2 pipes goes inot a baked bean tin sized chamber that is part fo teh manifold.

each one contains a ceramic matrix and some glassfibre. It's this contents that you are knocking out, the chamber are part of teh manifold and remain.

Anonymous · February 1, 2005, 16:11

so how will I know if the pre-cats haven't already been partially erroded into the engine?

markiii · February 1, 2005, 16:21

with teh manifold off, their condition is easy to spoty, without doing so in all honesty you won't.

best bet is to remove teh 02 sensors, (cough have the owner do it) and look, minor pitting is usually ok, if there are big holes or complete absence of material, walk away.

Anonymous · February 1, 2005, 16:25

I have just had bad luck in the past with cars, I guess i jus don't want to end up getting another car with lots of problems. I suppose if the garage want to sell the car then they will have to strip away the manifold for closer inspection won't they. Has any body got any pictures of what a good condition pre-cat should look like.

Anonymous · February 1, 2005, 16:32

Its not 100% the pre cats, there have been various other idea's for causes, i still think its odd that most of them are in america,- could it be the ron? anyway there are no more mr2 engines blown than any other make, well maybe the type R,- but that is a milkfloat on steroids.

Anonymous · February 1, 2005, 16:42

I am confused then as to why so many posts and discussions about the pre-cats if this isnt definately the problem or very likely to happen. Does everyone else agree with what Slidey has said.
I am thinking about e-mailing toyota to see if they know about the problem or cause, they shouldn't be too worried about answering my questions as I am not yet the owner of an MR2.
One thing about dealers is that they generally look at these types of problems based on costs. For example, it would be far cheaper to replace engines under warranty that to recall all of the cars and have the cost of replacing all of these engines. Besides they make quite a lot of money from changing the engines of out of warranty cars. This is one main reason why dealers won't admit to problems.

Anonymous · February 1, 2005, 16:48

I see your a programmer too .... looks like this car is fast becomeing car of choice for programmers !

Anonymous · February 1, 2005, 16:49

im not sure im right on this ... but im pretty sure that the engine failures have only been on models bought 2000 - 2001. im sure ill be corrected if im wrong .

markiii · February 1, 2005, 16:50

are teh pre-cats a cause or a symptom?

no offence but I think thats been covered to death in teh past.

they might be they may not.

however, what is certain is when/if they do disintegrate they will cause a problem, you don't wnat cermaic bits either in your engine, or blocking teh main cat, whether they occur because tehy are crap, or because something else triggered it, when it happens bye bye engine.

now if it's something else, you can't really prevent it. You can however remove teh precat issue,

to me it's no brainer.

As for the states, there are so many variable,

1. environemntal conditions,
2. Gearing rations, which effect the average engine speed,
3. Fuel Octane
4. because SC is niminaly teh biggest board in terms of users for teh roadster, and most of it.s members are American, teh percentages are seriously scewed. We hear from a much higher proportion of owners of US cars than we do from otehr countries.