MR2 Roadster Owners Club

The Workshop => General => Topic started by: StephenBennett on October 10, 2003, 09:54

Title: Weird....2 test cars, 2 different cars!
Post by: StephenBennett on October 10, 2003, 09:54
I've driven 2 MR2s so far.

Sable, twin exhausts, leather seats. In this car I could lower the seat far enough and raise the wheel so I was comfortable and could see out of the car - I'm very tall when sitting  s8) 8) s8) . Car was very responsive, fast on the throttle - and the hood was easy to put up and down.

Black, single exhaust, leather seats. In this car I could not lower the seat far enough! I had to crouch to see out. Car felt sluggish and unresponsive. Hood was impossible to put up...it just didn't reach the catches without forcing.

Maybe I should drive a blue one  s:twisted: :twisted: s:twisted:  

Has anyone else noticed this variance in the cars?

Regards

Stephen
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Post by: Slacey on October 10, 2003, 10:04
More likely down to age and mileage - the engine will be stiff when very new, as will the hood - was the Sable a little older and / or higher mileage?
I'm really tall too, and my Black with leather seats lowers down right low enough for me...
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Post by: StephenBennett on October 10, 2003, 10:07
Both cars had @ 10 miles on the clock.

I assume the leather seats are just the same as the cloth ones?

Regards

Stephen
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Post by: SteveJ on October 10, 2003, 10:19
Quote from: "StephenBennett"Both cars had @ 10 miles on the clock.

I assume the leather seats are just the same as the cloth ones?

Regards

Stephen

Nope - on the pre face lift models they are definately different - not sure on the post face lift.
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Post by: Slacey on October 10, 2003, 10:22
Yep, the seats are exactly the same, they either have cloth or leather covers.
The dual exhaust (I'm assuming it was a TTE) does helf the engine out, but only a tiny bit, it can't be the only reason that one felt better.
Seeing as they were both as new as each other, the weather might have some effect on the roof - they are a bugger to open and close when cold, but literally fall down when warm - the engine would perform better in cooler weather too.
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Post by: Slacey on October 10, 2003, 10:23
Quote from: "SteveJ"Nope - on the pre face lift models they are definately different - not sure on the post face lift.
How are they different Steve? I thought they were identical, bar the type of cover fitted?   s:? :? s:?
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Post by: markiii on October 10, 2003, 10:30
well some are very definatel different. When I transplanted steves leather from his old car into mine (cloth) I gained a lot of clearance.

In the 03 I never have enough clearance as the seats are different. Though the SMT is slightly better due to a different driving position I suppose.

One other thing, were you wearing the same shoes on both test drives? I always have less clearance when driving in thicker bottomed shoes as the position of the leg relative to pedals is different.

The best shoes I find for clearance are my business shoes as the heave quite thin leather bottoms.

Also were they both factory leather? or did the dealer have one trimmed byhe a trim shop? the cloth does seem to have less clearance than te leather so if they were originally cloth tis may explain it.
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Post by: Anonymous on October 10, 2003, 10:51
Its not all to do with the height of the seat (by that i mean the dial at the bottom of the seat that you twist), but can also be where you have the seat in position, as in how far forward it is and how much of an angle the seat is... even small changes in this can make a big effect.

Im 6ft+ so always have trouble sitting in cars... I just get used to it.
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Post by: Anonymous on October 10, 2003, 11:23
Quote from: "krisclarkuk"Im 6ft+ so always have trouble sitting in cars... I just get used to it.
Oh please!  I'm 6'3" and the only car I've ever driven that I could not get comfotable in was a Suzuki Cappucino.  Shame 'cos it's a great car but my long legs would only just fit in and was quite uncomfortable after a few miles.

--H--
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Post by: Slacey on October 10, 2003, 11:27
Quote from: "Hardcore"
Quote from: "krisclarkuk"Im 6ft+ so always have trouble sitting in cars... I just get used to it.
Oh please!  I'm 6'3"....
Oh please! I'm 6'4"   s:P :P s:P    s:lol: :lol: s:lol:
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Post by: Anonymous on October 10, 2003, 11:29
Quote from: "Hardcore"Oh please!  I'm 6'3" and the only car I've ever driven that I could not get comfotable in was a Suzuki Cappucino.  Shame 'cos it's a great car but my long legs would only just fit in and was quite uncomfortable after a few miles.

--H--

I DIDNT say i couldnt get comfortable in it...i just said i have trouble sitting in them   s:roll: :roll: s:roll:  The way i like to sit i prefer to have my seat reclined quite a bit, which in the '2 means the seat has to be closer to the steering wheel, which in turn gives me less leg room... not a problem IMHO - just making a point.
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Post by: Anonymous on October 10, 2003, 11:46
Oh shut up you lot!   s:wink: :wink: s:wink:    s:lol: :lol: s:lol:  I am 5' 5" and you wouldn't BELEIVE the trouble I have getting comfortable in cars.......not cos I am overall short, but because I have the strangest proportions.....

I make myself sound like a freak don't I? Well, I am not, but I am certainly not of the norm. I have a long body and short legs and being short exaggerates this, hence, when I get close enough to the pedals (which in itself is not always possible), I am WAY close to the steering wheel. Get the wheel right and I can't reach the pedals.....

The bain of my life it is. Not just for cars, but for pretty much everything I wear too.

Trust me, I don't look freakish! But I certainly aint right. How I WISH to 6 foot!!!
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Post by: Anonymous on October 10, 2003, 17:08
I presume that you'd lowered the windows on the black one before trying to raise the hood.
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Post by: Slacey on October 10, 2003, 20:10
Quote from: "RUSTY"I presume that you'd lowered the windows on the black one before trying to raise the hood.
Good point, I didn't think of that one   s:oops: :oops: s:oops:
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Post by: StephenBennett on October 11, 2003, 10:24
Quote from: "RUSTY"I presume that you'd lowered the windows on the black one before trying to raise the hood.

No I didn't! I didn't do this on the sable one and that was fine.

Is this a normal thing?

Regards

Stephen
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Post by: Anonymous on October 11, 2003, 10:58
yeah, you should always lower the windows just a inch or so so that the roof can lower easier... same for when you put it back up.
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Post by: Slacey on October 11, 2003, 11:05
Quote from: "StephenBennett"No I didn't! I didn't do this on the sable one and that was fine.

Is this a normal thing?

Regards

Stephen
Yep, you need to lower the windows at leat two inches minimum for the roof to open and close properly, else the rubber seals catch on the glass which makes it tight. The Sable one may have had some rubber care stuff on the seals to make them look shiny and new, which probably lubricated them some too.