Toyota MR2 Mk1 Reviews

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Bit of a Review and also a bit of a Buyers Guide. You'll want one after this! :)

Why the Mark 1 Toyota MR2? (1987-1990)

Firstly and fore mostly; they are seriously fun to drive! Just ask any Mk1 owner, and watch as a massive cheesy grin appears across their face. It will happen! :)



80's rocket ship styling

Removable glass roof (T-Bar model)

Very light weight

Engine revs up to 8,000 RPM

True sports car handling - refined by Lotus

Toyota reliability

Toyota build quality

Lots of electrical toys - EW, CL, EA, EM, etc

Light steering - Mid Engined

Excellent value for money

Excellent investment

Cheap Tax (£180 a year)

Very cheap to insure, even on a standard policy

Qualifies for 'classic car insurance'

Stands out from the crowd - a 80's Classic





So, what's the not so good stuff about these cars?



Rust - that's what kills most of them:

Wheel arches + wings front and back

Bottom of B-Pillar by door switch

A-Pillar by hinges

Sills

Exhausts



Many have had lots of previous owners (8-20!)

Many have very little history, due to the above.

Rarer leather interior fitted to the T-Bar model is often ripped and beyond repair.

Even the best T-Bar example will leak a little in heavy rain - THEY ALL DO! Manny T-Bars will leak a lot, but this can be dramaticly improved with the right know how. Beware of sellers who claim they never leak

A common fault is that some will pop-out of 5th gear, there is a good technique to test this. Always ask.

Name badges, stripes and stickers on bumpers and wings missing. Indicating a re-spray, but on a tight budget as not to replace these items.

Electric aerials often to not work and are very costly to replace.







I think I'd like to try one of these, any other advice?



As with most cars and particular with classic cars - You get what you pay for. Always buy the best example you can afford, this will ultimately save you money in the long term - even make you some. That's a lesson learnt many years ago. Buying from a Mk1 MR2 specialist - such as ourselves - can safe you a lot of heartbreak, time and your hard earned pay. A good specialist will only buy the best cars available, and they will know their onions, or Mk1 MR2's in this case. Example of a potentially very good Mr2:



1989 Toyota MR2 T-Bar, AW11

3 Previous Owners

Excelent original leather interior

Original Bill of sale!

MOT 8-12 Months

82,000 miles

Extensive folder full of service history - Mainly Toyota

15 Old MOT's to verify the mileage

Original Handbooks and roof shades and bags

3 Month Warranty



A very original example in superb condition. Viewing welcomed, call me anytime if you have any questions or to arrange a viewing or test drive.





Tell tale signs of a potentiality sub-standard MR2:



1989 Toyota MR2, T-Bar

8 Owners

Average condition leather seats

No leaks from T-Bar roofs, ever

6 Months MOT

135,000 miles

Not much rust

Had full history but the last owner didn't pass it on as his next door neighbours, uncles mate misplaced it. Then the fish ate it. But it's like a new car!



Very good condition. (Photos taken at night, in the rain or when car is wet(to give the illusion of a good paint finish) - beware!)



Note: There are a lot of bad cars out there that people claim are in very good condition, BEWARE. If in doubt - then go and check it out. And check peoples feedback for other cars they have sold. What did the customer say?





Conclusion

I hope that this guide will be useful to you, it's taken me about 2 hours to put together! Let me know if it is, I would appreciate that :). If you are after just a good condition MR2 Mk1 then happy hunting, there are some out there but they will undoubtingly need a bit of cash spending on the body, gearbox and the usual areas that these cheaper less cared for examples have perish. HOWEVER, if your after a near Concourse condition Mk1, a low mileage 'Minter' or even just an exclent everyday car that will be the envy of all your friends - get in touch and check to see if we have your MR2 in stock today! Our official website adress can be found via our E-Bay Profile, and be sure to check out our e-bay items.



*For complete peace of mind contact us about our Mk1 MR2 Warenty Program.





Best Regards



D. Crisp

Managing Director
Superb Classics and Sports Ltd

www.superbclassics.co.uk

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The Toyota MR2 Mk1 is a simple, reliable, nimble, frugal, zippy, tiny 1980's 2 seater, mid engined, 1600cc bundle of fun fun fun.Faster in Supercharged form (1986 onwards....), but not so much fun fun fun fun.SO much more REWARDING TO DRIVE than some latest greatest turbo FWD honda hatch type R or GM VXR thing, Where will the typeR's and VXR's be in 25 years time?

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Always fast for a 1600cc car (I own the supercharged) always goodlooking, always reliable (it can work all day) very comfortable for a two seater,good driving sense. Nice steering. And of course the t-bar makes it special for the summer time.
if you want to be forever young buy a mr2 mk1!

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Well I paid £260 of eBay and I drove 160 miles to pick it up.Once on the motorway the car drove brilliantly comfortable. Apart from the spotlights this car is in amazing condition and the interior is dated but still in good tact I can't think of any car this old were you have sincere fun driving it I just worry were I am going to get parts from when required.

themr2mk1's review has yet to be rated - Be the first!
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The best small sports car I have driven for a long time. It handles like a dream and has never let me down (unlike the X19 I had).

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This Toyota MR2 Mk1 is the best car I've ever owned and I'm 64 years old.
One owner I spoke with had a problem with his water pump which failed at 95,000 miles and stranded him on the highway. I have tried to find if there is a pattern to this but have found none. Does anybody have any input on this?

ashleya340's review has yet to be rated - Be the first!
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I have a 1986 Toyota MR2. I love this car! Virtually no mechanical problems. I have over 230,000kms on it, and it just keeps going.

sniperwalsh's review has yet to be rated - Be the first!
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I bought this little Mk1 BEAST of a car nearly 6 months back and i've had nothing but great fun in it!! Although the spark plugs went which halved the power - other than that this Toyota MR2 sports car has been solid as a rock. Not bad for an F reg with 87,000 on the clock.
I am fairly sure that if you went to a garage with £1000 in your hand, you would not find a better handling car for your money and with 120Bhp through the rear wheels and that superb mid-mounted engine singing it's way ...

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This review is for the early "classic" MK1 (AW11) model Toyota MR2 sports car sold between 1984-1990.
I have owned my 1990, 37,000 miles example for just about a year and is used as a second car on a classic insurance policy.
If you want a fun, fast, and great mid engine handling sports car then you should defiantly check out one of these Japanese pocket rockets.

History.
The story goes that back in the early 80's Toyota produced reliable well-built salons, which had all the character of ...

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I have owned my Toyota MR2 for two years now, I have replaced the exhaust with a full stainless steel one and also changed a couple of interior cosmetics. The handling and road holding the MR2 gives is second to none for the price and can also show up cars of twice/three times its price, especially saxo's and corsa's (childrens toys who like to look better than they drive)? Stats speak for them selves. 1.6 16v, Twin cam, 122bhp @ 6,600rpm, 104 Lb ft @ 5,000rpm and a weight of just 925kg giving i ...

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I bought my Toyota MR2 car last week, 1987 private plate. Awesome, just awesome. Suspension has been lowered and the interior needs a little attention, but hey, it's fun, fun, fun!

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I have an 85, and an 88 model Toyota mr2. The 85 was my first mr2, and i drove it for about 2 years with no problems after I rebuilt and put in a j-spec engine inside. The 88 seems to run even better, with power windows, cruise, and leather seats. Both models are equipped with A/C. The 1985 however, has better handling, due to a suspension change, I believe in 1987. The early models had a lower and tighter suspension, the 88 model I have banks a little more on curves, but all in all it still pro ...

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A friend of mine has just bought an old C registration MR2 and I am simply saying how impressed I was by it. Fast, corners well and has this weird system which cuts it at 4500rpm and give an extra burst of speed like a turbo but not!!!. Most excellent TOYOTA!!!!!