14 months in and I haven't introduced Twerp

[Roadster150]

Hi,

This forum was such a big help when buying Twerp about 14 months ago and I haven't introduced him yet, how rude...

Twerps a late 2005 (registered right at the end of December) - under 34k miles (more on that in a minute) in rude health. Purchased from a fellow enthusiast including hardtop, wrapped toyosport manifold and KN panel filter.

Since then Twerp's been fitted with new boots, fully undersealed including rust proofing the totally corrosion free subframe. Had a few missing clips sorted, gearbox oil change in addition to normal servicing and alignment to WIM specs by a trusted local garage and I've fitted a Pioneer something or other single din with all the bells and whistles I wanted and a kenwood KSC underseat subwoofer will be going in somewhere in the next few weeks.

Few other bits of preventive maintenance (i.e. header cap), new bulbs etc to get him ready for... Euro road trip at the end of August. 

About 3 years ago my wife and I went on a belated honeymoon in our Yaris T Sport across Europe for 10 days, camping and slumming it. We went to Stuttgart, Lake Garda, to the Blackforest, Spa (blagged onto a great tour) and Bruge. Bertie (don't ask) was faultless and we racked up just under 2500 miles packed to the rafters - we were going to a wedding in Lake Garda and apparently an epic selection of shoes was a key requirement of packing...

This time it's less distance (looking like 1200 - 1500 miles), more fun with Twerp. We're going via the tunnel, down to the old Reims circuit, via Epernay with a first night stop somewhere between there and Ballon d'Alsace. Day 2 is up through Ballon d'Alsace into Germany, via Feldberg to Lake Titisee where we're staying for a few days before moving on to Bad Herrenalb. From there, via the Blackforest High Road, we'll head via Ettlingen (have a mate who works for Porsche who lives there) to Trier before a blast back to the Tunnel.

It's a two pairs of Shoes only kind of trip!

I looked a long time (6 - 8 months maybe) for Twerp and wasn't initially sold on an MR2. I'd looked at a wide range of things and budgets including:

BMW Z4 3.0i / si - came close, great engines but a bit... American?

SLK 350 - cracking engine but wanted a manual and they're rare. Also wanted something more nimble.

S2000 - again, came close but the cost for what you're getting now... couldn't square it.

Early Boxster 3.2 - honest conversation with my german friend who works for Porsche, advice was don't. Ignored him for a bit until speaking to sellers... there was always something not quite right.

The Mazda car that shall not be named - had a mk1 1.6 as my second car more than 10 yrs ago which I modified with extreme head work, manifold, standalone management, coil overs etc and made 145bhp at the fly with a big swell on the torque curve (forget what now). And kept looking bogo stock as a hairdresser special! Was great fun and ran to over 110,000 being given hell as my daily before electrical gremlins started creeping in. This time was looking at mk3 and mk 3.5, priced up BBR parts as I'd driven a few over the years. Which is what stopped me. I wanted something which excited me 'out of the box' and had potential to tweak.

Enter Twerp.

Spoke to lots of sellers. About Subframes. About Manifolds. About Tyres. About Oil use. You know the old adage about you're not buying the car, you're buying the seller?

It was true. In the end I'd bought Twerp upon arriving at the seller's house and having had a real great car chat on the lift he gave me. Exactly (better in my mind) than described. Yes, wheel refurb sometime soon and a few bits of tinkering but good seller, good car. And he drove better than I could have expected, nimble, just enough grunt, instinctive.

Exactly what I was looking for.

My car history getting here has been interesting, but now I have what I think I've been looking for for a few years. It includes the aforementioned mx-engineinwrongplace , an Ignis Sport (great, great hooligan of a car), RX8 (should have kept it but had too much sentimental value) Mazda 3 MPS (biblical but ultimately boring), a Swift Sport (not as cheeky as the Ignis) and Bertie the Yaris amongst others. I've had brand new, nearly new, used and the thing I still can't get over is Twerp is - bar one shed - the cheapest car I've purchased but brings the most smiles per miles.P

If you've read this far pictures to follow, having size issues (ahem...).

Ta,
David

[shnazzle]

Brilliant story! Glad you stuck around and posted this.

[delhusband]

Hi, Welcome! I totally agree with you re: sellers - family I met were a bunch of petrol heads, they offered to take me up to their mate at the local garage and get it on the ramp, threw in a set of rear discs and pads, and we had a great chat. went up to see them again not long afterwards. You could tell he had loved the car

[K T M Rider]

Yeah, great intro.

You know the old adage about you're not buying the car, you're buying the seller?

Yes - Got a feeling I would be buying mine before I'd even seen it (I'd only seen it gleaming in the background while I was still taking in the 2CV based Lomax parked alongside, in the immaculate double garage the owner had specially built for them both).

nimble, just enough grunt, instinctive.

Sums up the "less is more" philosophy of these cars beautifully - something the Germans don't seem to understand.

[Roadster150]

Thanks for the welcome!

- Shnazzle, I've posted in the audio section about subwoofer wiring and looking at some of your threads I see you have one. Could do with some advice about wiring to battery and ground location if you've got any hints / tips?

Sizing issues hopefully overcome, one picture from a pitstop after purchase...

[delhusband]

Did wonder about the whole "twerp" thing - lucky it wasn't TWK - it'd have to be twerk, and if the car was twerking it'd indicate new shocks and springs required 

[shnazzle]

- Shnazzle, I've posted in the audio section about subwoofer wiring and looking at some of your threads I see you have one. Could do with some advice about wiring to battery and ground location if you've got any hints / tips?

Ah yes!
Can help you with the wiring to battery and where I grounded it. Whether that's the best place to ground is another matter I'll have a search for the thread

[StuC]

@Roadster150 welcome along

Nice write up. Great to see that a few small jobs did not deter and that you are really enjoying the car now. That's really encouraging!

Are we going to be seeing you at any meets to share in the joy?

[Ardent]

Hello and welcome.

We like pics on here.
Yes, totally get the Twerp ref.
Car will be feeling a twerp with a hard top on in the mddle of summer.
Easily remided though.

[Roadster150]

- Twerps been lidless for 12 months now! Piccie is from 1st pick up.
Ta,
David

[Ardent]

  :notworthy: