Newbie with 2004 Red Edition

[scm2004red]

In the last week purchased a very tidy 2004 Red Edition as the answer to my search for a "lockdown" project.

For the last 10 years I have been heavily involved in Porsche 924's having had 7 (still own 1) and have been looking for a convertible for a change, not minding if it was a minor project to keep me amused as the 924 is covered up in the garage needing nothing doing. In the past I have been involved in restoring and running vintage cars and originality is my thing. Having looked throughMX5's, full of rust and dodgy immobilisers, MG TF's funny headgaskets, chanced on the MR2 locally, not really knowing a great deal about them!

In nice original condition, plus factory rear spoiler, but regrettably fitted with a set of black Team Dynamics 17" alloys which will have to go in favour of the standard wheels at some time. Currently bugged by what appears to be a heavy residual battery drain and not sure if it is that or a dud battery which I have just replaced today to see what happens.

Don't like the alarm/immobiliser system which keeps cutting in after about 30 secs, most annoying, these things are my pet hates, and can't understand why it is fitted with a single DIN JVC audio in place of the normal Toyota double DIN system, did these cars come fitted with a radio or were they fitted by UK dealers.

Sure I have lots of electrical queries if this battery drain persists

[shnazzle]

Aloha
Welcome. If you're after a spare facelift original radio, we've got one. You're definitely not the first to want to go "original'.
If you look REALLY hard there's actually some trim you can buy so that you can get rid orbth stereo and ashtray assembly. Jdut leaves a big clean gap. Weight savings

Very good shout on the alloy replacement. Sell those TD 17s to the nearest mx-engineinwrongplace  crew and enjoy the much improved handling that the stock setup gives.

Immobiliser definitely shouldn't be cutting in. If you're keeping it unlocked in a locked garage, just unlock it with the fob and open/close a door.
You've done well to avoid the mxFives and MGs Excellent choice

[s12vea]

Welcome

[marculos]

I have a facelift Fisher price stereo for sale. Some that came with single din stereos were imported from Belgium.

[scm2004red]

Seems a long time ago that a 2004 Red edition entered my life. As previously posted this limited edition car was purchased the end of May to keep me amused during lockdown and in the hope that by summer things would be back to normal and I could enjoy some top down motoring, as we all know normal didn't happen!

So "Red" stayed in the garage, not quite unloved, but with the Porsche 924 on the road and used about 3 or 4 times this year, the MR2 served as something to fiddle with and find out what all this mid engined nonsense was all about and, over time, find out about all of the built in issues these cars come with.

So it was serviced, the rear brakes freed up and handbrake mechanism un seized and adjusted various electrical gremlins chased and some sorted, timing chain tensioner serviced and so on. The MOT was due to expire in June and had previously had advisories for lower front ball joint covers split and an oil leak, this MOT was carried on to the 18th of December as part of the Government lockdown favours. I was still not entirely sure whether midship runabouts would float my boat compared to the past 10 years of serial Porsche 924 ownership so it stayed in the garage as a plaything, never driven.

So at the end of November the Porsche was mothballed, and I thought I had better put Red on the road to give it some Italian tuning and see if there any other issues I hadn't discovered, thinking I had better get some miles on before the MOT ran out.

So, on the road, Tuesday 1st December, blitzed it around a bit, Wednesday more miles and adjusted the handbrake a bit more, phoned my local MOT man assuming he would be booked up for a couple of months, said he could do it today at 11.30, result a clean pass, no advisories, well pleased.

Do I like it, too early to tell, drives well, a bit tail happy, bit of wind noise from the hood, will it replace the 924, I doubt it, I can get a bicycle in the back of that if I needed to, rather than 3 pairs of underpants and a toothbrush in the MR2, but will continue to use it for a while.

Have to express a lot of thanks for all of the help given or available on here to someone completely inexperienced in the MR2, can't recommend it highly enough.

[Mickemo]

Nice honest write up 👍🏻

Being a Porker lover, have you considered a Boxster for your mid engine fix ?

[1979scotte]

Seems a long time ago that a 2004 Red edition entered my life. As previously posted this limited edition car was purchased the end of May to keep me amused during lockdown and in the hope that by summer things would be back to normal and I could enjoy some top down motoring, as we all know normal didn't happen!

So "Red" stayed in the garage, not quite unloved, but with the Porsche 924 on the road and used about 3 or 4 times this year, the MR2 served as something to fiddle with and find out what all this mid engined nonsense was all about and, over time, find out about all of the built in issues these cars come with.

So it was serviced, the rear brakes freed up and handbrake mechanism un seized and adjusted various electrical gremlins chased and some sorted, timing chain tensioner serviced and so on. The MOT was due to expire in June and had previously had advisories for lower front ball joint covers split and an oil leak, this MOT was carried on to the 18th of December as part of the Government lockdown favours. I was still not entirely sure whether midship runabouts would float my boat compared to the past 10 years of serial Porsche 924 ownership so it stayed in the garage as a plaything, never driven.

So at the end of November the Porsche was mothballed, and I thought I had better put Red on the road to give it some Italian tuning and see if there any other issues I hadn't discovered, thinking I had better get some miles on before the MOT ran out.

So, on the road, Tuesday 1st December, blitzed it around a bit, Wednesday more miles and adjusted the handbrake a bit more, phoned my local MOT man assuming he would be booked up for a couple of months, said he could do it today at 11.30, result a clean pass, no advisories, well pleased.

Do I like it, too early to tell, drives well, a bit tail happy, bit of wind noise from the hood, will it replace the 924, I doubt it, I can get a bicycle in the back of that if I needed to, rather than 3 pairs of underpants and a toothbrush in the MR2, but will continue to use it for a while.

Have to express a lot of thanks for all of the help given or available on here to someone completely inexperienced in the MR2, can't recommend it highly enough.

A stock engine roadster isn't tail happy. If anything they understeer.
Let's start with pressures then tyres and then move on to alignment.

[scm2004red]

I am not really a Porsche lover, modern ones are just "modern", early rear engined aircooled remind me of VW Beetles, which of course is their design origin, I just like "classic" cars of any sort. Had 2 or 3 honda CRX, the del sol type, liked those, often thought about the Boxster, but everyone except the early 2.5's has the potential for an expensive engine failure, and they are not fun to work on.

Perhaps the MR2 has the potential to be a classic one day if they last long enough, but like the MGf and everyones favourite front engined 2 seater made by Mazda, rust and parts no longer available will kill them off, although the MR2 is probably the least well served by the aftermarket replacement parts supply compared to the other 2.