Toyota MR2 Message Board - View Single Post

Jackstand Queen · 02-12-2009, 03:13 AM

Not quite ten years ago the Car Collector magazine listed the 1st Gen Mr2 as one of the top ten cars to buy "back then" because of its anticipated collectability.

Your car has incredibly low mileage. Most Mk I owners on this forum have closer to 200 K mileage on the average. Most of us on the forum are mediocre to really good backyard mechanics. So most of us do a lot of modding to our cars. There are a few Purists who think that modding them ruins them. And they will especially agonize over any mods you do to your pristine Mk I. Oh the suffering of those Purists, the sweet suffering . . .

Which bring us to your situation in particular. This is a 22 year old car that was not religiously maintained, i.e. the 22 year old air filter installed at the factory in Japan. I can tell you haven't got a lot of automotive repair background. Basically, your 22 year old car is going to have a lot of simply age related (not mileage) problems. You will be dumbfounded at how much parts cost at the Yota dealer. And further disheartened by how the interior pieces, and many body pieces are no longer available. If you have to pay some garage $70 an hour to fix every problem that will come along, you are going to regret buying the car and dump it after the first couple of thousand in repairs.

Your other option is to learn to be a decent backyard mechanic. The path is littered with stripped threads, broken bolts and leaks galore. The learning curve is steep, and expensive mistakes are a part of the learning process. A place out of the weather to work, and about $500 in tools and supplies would get you off to a good start. But it is rewarding nontheless.

Basically here's lesson one on Mk I maintenance. Fuel injection parts are so very expensive, and there are so many of them . . . that you only replace them if they are defective. Hint: your O2 sensor. If you had a mechanic replace every component of the fuel injection system on your car . . . the bill could easily be ten grand.

By the way I should introduce myself . . I'm this Forum's Official Long winded, Pompous, Gas Bag!

02-12-2009, 03:13 AM	#7 (permalink)
Jackstand Queen Cage Fighter Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 840 Thanks: 75 Thanked 64 Times in 60 Posts iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	Not quite ten years ago the Car Collector magazine listed the 1st Gen Mr2 as one of the top ten cars to buy "back then" because of its anticipated collectability. Your car has incredibly low mileage. Most Mk I owners on this forum have closer to 200 K mileage on the average. Most of us on the forum are mediocre to really good backyard mechanics. So most of us do a lot of modding to our cars. There are a few Purists who think that modding them ruins them. And they will especially agonize over any mods you do to your pristine Mk I. Oh the suffering of those Purists, the sweet suffering . . . Which bring us to your situation in particular. This is a 22 year old car that was not religiously maintained, i.e. the 22 year old air filter installed at the factory in Japan. I can tell you haven't got a lot of automotive repair background. Basically, your 22 year old car is going to have a lot of simply age related (not mileage) problems. You will be dumbfounded at how much parts cost at the Yota dealer. And further disheartened by how the interior pieces, and many body pieces are no longer available. If you have to pay some garage $70 an hour to fix every problem that will come along, you are going to regret buying the car and dump it after the first couple of thousand in repairs. Your other option is to learn to be a decent backyard mechanic. The path is littered with stripped threads, broken bolts and leaks galore. The learning curve is steep, and expensive mistakes are a part of the learning process. A place out of the weather to work, and about $500 in tools and supplies would get you off to a good start. But it is rewarding nontheless. Basically here's lesson one on Mk I maintenance. Fuel injection parts are so very expensive, and there are so many of them . . . that you only replace them if they are defective. Hint: your O2 sensor. If you had a mechanic replace every component of the fuel injection system on your car . . . the bill could easily be ten grand. By the way I should introduce myself . . I'm this Forum's Official Long winded, Pompous, Gas Bag! Last edited by Jackstand Queen; 02-12-2009 at 03:24 AM..