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-   -   Should I Buy this MR2? (https://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28977)

tdoggy57 02-14-2013 07:51 AM

Should I Buy this MR2?
 
OK, so every day on my way home I see this red MR2 for sale. Looks really clean for such an old car. Today, my curiosity got the best of me and I stopped by on my way home from work to take a look.

Everything looks good and clean on the outside, paint looks good, looks to be original everything. The older man came out to assist me (or make sure I don't steal it, I'm a young colored guy lol) and he ended up being pretty cool. He said that an older lady owned it and all she did was drive it to work at a church every day. He said that the interior looks brand new and tried to show me, but the door was frozen shut lol. I reassured him that I believed him about the interior and there was no need to break the handle off.

So in short, it's a red manual 87 Toyota MR2 with 60,000 original miles with 1 owner. His listed price is $1495 and he said that he needs at least $1400.

Should I bite? I don't know a ton about these cars other than the fact that they're RWD, lightweight, and fun to drive. I've never owned or driven a manual, so I'd be learning on this. It'd be a second car to my FR-S obviously. Is this a car that would be good and inexpensive to mod?

I know a lot of you guys have experience in the past with these, so let me know what you think! Sorry didn't snap any pics.

whaap 02-14-2013 08:23 AM

Though I've never driven one I've always been a fan of the MR-2. If it won't throw you in a financial bind I'd have to say yes, buy it. From what you describe I would think you would never have a problem getting your money back, if not more, if and when you decided to sell it.

leon78 02-14-2013 08:35 AM

Get it for sure....pretty much any car that runs and drives if worth $1400, and this one has character.

DanoFA20 02-14-2013 08:48 AM

I know a bit about mr2s that's a great price ! If I'm correct it should have a 4age engine if its supercharged it has a 4agz both are 1.6 liter engines ones obviously super charged other NA. If you are working on it your self they can be tricky but great cars. Careful around corners since having a mid ship is different you can't just lift off the throttle at a quick pace.

Beyer Subaru 02-14-2013 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdoggy57 (Post 734273)
OK, so every day on my way home I see this red MR2 for sale. Looks really clean for such an old car. Today, my curiosity got the best of me and I stopped by on my way home from work to take a look.

Everything looks good and clean on the outside, paint looks good, looks to be original everything. The older man came out to assist me (or make sure I don't steal it, I'm a young colored guy lol) and he ended up being pretty cool. He said that an older lady owned it and all she did was drive it to work at a church every day. He said that the interior looks brand new and tried to show me, but the door was frozen shut lol. I reassured him that I believed him about the interior and there was no need to break the handle off.

So in short, it's a red manual 87 Toyota MR2 with 60,000 original miles with 1 owner. His listed price is $1495 and he said that he needs at least $1400.

Should I bite? I don't know a ton about these cars other than the fact that they're RWD, lightweight, and fun to drive. I've never owned or driven a manual, so I'd be learning on this. It'd be a second car to my FR-S obviously. Is this a car that would be good and inexpensive to mod?

I know a lot of you guys have experience in the past with these, so let me know what you think! Sorry didn't snap any pics.

Colored? Really? I hope that you don't refer to yourself in this manner often.

As for the car, 1,400 seems like a drop in the bucket for an ultra low mileage 80's Toyota. But I don't know the ins and outs of the service work that it might need to keep it on the road. I think it would be a real fun "first" manual to learn on.

theenglishmidget 02-14-2013 09:48 AM

Paging @Turbowned

Dadhawk 02-14-2013 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdoggy57 (Post 734273)
So in short, it's a red manual 87 Toyota MR2 with 60,000 original miles with 1 owner. His listed price is $1495 and he said that he needs at least $1400.

Should I bite? ....

If it seems mechanically sound (get it checked out so you know what you are getting) you might want to buy it before I can drive to Delaware and snipe it from you!

clevrname 02-14-2013 10:27 AM

If you can swing the money, buy it.

I've got an SW20 MR2 with a 3SGTE and it's an absolute blast to drive. I've got basic upgrades to it and putting down about 290whp. Granted the 3SGTE didn't come in the first gen.

I've always wanted a first gen. Take that car, swap a 2ZZ into it and they are a
Blast. Some people even swap the Camry V6 into it for auto cross. It'd be a great car to learn to drive manual in and if you wanted, they're hella fun to mod.

Also, that mileage is crazy low and for it to be a manual, it's a great price. I've got a guy local asking 5k for an automatic in that bodystyle with a little over 70k.

tech4pdx 02-14-2013 10:30 AM

Buy it and put an FA20 in it.. .. ..Oh wait, don't do that since it won't be an MR2 anymore.

On a serious note, buy that shit as long as you have the financial cushion for the pushin' in case it ever stops on the road.

Haha

Dave-ROR 02-14-2013 11:23 AM

Get it checked out. If all is good buy it.

However it's not exactly the best winter car if that's what you want it for...

CSG Mike 02-14-2013 11:33 AM

I've had both a 1st and 2nd gen MR2.

Is this one supercharged?

The chassis will be noticeably floppy compared to the FRS. In fact, it'll be noticeably floppy in general; you'll hear creaks as you angle up driveways and such.

This car is, literally, a go kart.

zygrene 02-14-2013 12:32 PM

That's an insane deal for an original MR2 with 1 owner and low miles. Get it checked out by a mechanic, and if it's clean, buy it. Hell if I could find a deal like that in NorCal I would think twice about paying almost 20x as much for a 91 NSX with 72k miles, which is what I'm trying to get a loan for atm.

husker741 02-14-2013 12:35 PM

Yeah I agree, if it checks out, throw your money at the man. I would love an MR-2. Such a fun car. I always hated that a supercharged 2nd gen was able to out accelerate my 98 GS400.

bestwheelbase 02-14-2013 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beyer Subaru (Post 734419)
Colored? Really?

Wow. Just wow. :bellyroll:

@tdoggy57 if the inspection checks out, grab it! That will be a lot of fun for fourteen-hundred bucks.


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