Finding MR2s - Ebay/AutoTrader

[Joesson]

If you buy silver you'll get bored of seeing them everywhere comparatively.
Sable is the best colour but as a red interior fan black is a great contrast.
Blue is very nice when looked after.
Red and yellow are proper sports car colours but do fade if not looked after.
Early pfl green is best avoided imho but late fl green is beautiful.

I bought a low ish mileage 06 silver only one I'd driven at that time and it had all the common problems.

"Red and yellow are proper sports car colours" Not if you are British and proud!!! BRG with all its history.

Not exactly a "sports car" but the Mercedes Benz Formula1 car is SILVER, iirc the colour the MB F1 car has used for many years.

Further to the comments about BRG again iirc, the story about the colour green was that it was considered to be unlucky, so the Green for BRG was chosen to be very dark, near  to black.

[H1GRM]

H1grm
Would like to see the goddess next to a BRG just to see the tonal difference.

My minds eye, sees BRG as darker. Maybe quite a bit.
Both good though.

Yep it is a much darker green, I always imagine a "D" Type Jag or Aston Martin DB3 complete with yellow ring round the nose.

[Ardent]

Those and a lotus 7

[Flibby]

Besides the colour which i understand appears to be a heated topic  would the MOT history of this car put you off?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2004-Toyota-MR2-1-8-VVT-i-Roadster-2dr/273491592100?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

It's around my price range, with good mileage, but as it's a trade place obviously i'm never going to know the whole 'truth'..

It's been un-MOT'd since October, the last MOT seems to only have had minor stuff noted, but back in 2016 brake pipes and rear subframe corrosion. There was a while until it was retested which i guess could indicate that it's been properly fixed - or just bodged up. Should be able to go and see it on Saturday.

Any advice appreciated  :notworthy:

https://imgur.com/uDvquA9
https://imgur.com/tuiS6cp

[jonbill]

It looks nice. I think you can only go on condition. I wouldnt pay much attention to current or historical MOTs. That past subframe corrosion problem could have been sorted by simply putting the nappy back on! Gotta check everything yourself.

[Gaz mr-s]

. I wouldnt pay much attention to current or historical MOTs. 

I don't agree with that. That car has had multiple MOT failures. It has been owned by one or more muppets who were not car enthusiasts.  One year...."corrosion on brake pipes"  A year later.... "severe corrosion on brake pipes".  That's somebody who didn't spend money on the car unless they absolutely had to.

Other years....cord visible in tyres. Cracks in tread. Crack in lights.  And it looks from the pics as if the front foglights are Donald Ducked.

OP, - get somebody to handcuff you to something. Don't go.

[Topdownman]

I would go and look and drive as many as possible so you get a feel for them.

I drove 2 sh1tboxes at little dealerships before I bought the 3rd one I drove privately.

This one doesnt seem to have been looked after but still worth a test if its not too faraway.

[1979scotte]

I agree with the above comments.
Yes go and drive it.
No don't buy it.

[Flibby]

Thanks guys that's given me some amusement and food for thought simultaneously 

I'm going to get together more than a few to go and see, albeit there appear to be so few private sales going on for anything...

I guess it's the result of PCP deals - why would anyone sell an old car when you can PX it against a German box for £250 a month, keep it for 3 years, then get another...

Unless you have taste in cars, that is 

[s12vea]

First thing I check is mot history, then ask for quality pictures if a fair distance away. Viewing is essential as one persons immaculate is another persons not so good.
Also Drive as many as you can to avoid the wrong ones or at least to alert you to any immediate problems.

[jonbill]

. I wouldnt pay much attention to current or historical MOTs. 

I don't agree with that. That car has had multiple MOT failures. It has been owned by one or more muppets who were not car enthusiasts.  One year...."corrosion on brake pipes"  A year later.... "severe corrosion on brake pipes".  That's somebody who didn't spend money on the car unless they absolutely had to.

Other years....cord visible in tyres. Cracks in tread. Crack in lights.  And it looks from the pics as if the front foglights are Donald Ducked.

OP, - get somebody to handcuff you to something. Don't go.

Yeah that's interesting. I *would* be happy to buy a 2 or 3 grand car that previously had rusty sections of brake pipes, bald tyres, cracked lights. But doesn't now and doesn't  have body or subframe rust a shagged roof or an knackered engine. If I was buying a £20k I might think different. Not sure.

[s12vea]

It will all depend on the car and what's its worth and how much you're paying for it.

Mot history just gives you an on-site to how the car has been looked after over the years and also you can check the mileage

[Flibby]

Well, it was as bad as some of you suggested it might be! On the upside - I fit into, and drove my first 2, and know I still want one!

Looking at a better prospect on Saturday, 06 plate, 60k miles and full service history. It's up for £3,5 which seems to be on the high side unless its absolutely mint condition.

[delhusband]

https://www.mr2roc.org/forum/index.php?topic=67132.0 @Flibby @Chilli Girl

[ManInDandism]

Well, it was as bad as some of you suggested it might be! On the upside - I fit into, and drove my first 2, and know I still want one!

Looking at a better prospect on Saturday, 06 plate, 60k miles and full service history. It's up for £3,5 which seems to be on the high side unless its absolutely mint condition.

Did they let you drive it eveñ though it has no MOT? I thought that wasn't permitted even for a dealer. That they can't even be bothered to sort it out prior to putting it up for sale would also be a turnoff, so am glad you're not buying it!

[Flibby]

Well, it was as bad as some of you suggested it might be! On the upside - I fit into, and drove my first 2, and know I still want one!

Looking at a better prospect on Saturday, 06 plate, 60k miles and full service history. It's up for £3,5 which seems to be on the high side unless its absolutely mint condition.

Did they let you drive it eveñ though it has no MOT? I thought that wasn't permitted even for a dealer. That they can't even be bothered to sort it out prior to putting it up for sale would also be a turnoff, so am glad you're not buying it!

The one I drove was another 2 (although just down the road from that one...). I wouldn't risk the repercussions for driving uninsured/illegally in my profession!

I had realised that there were more than a few issues with that one, but the price was attractive.