I'm new, 15 years old, and ready to get into the car scene

[J.Harris]

Hi all,

I've been reading posts on this forum for quite a while, and I want to start asking questions. I build computers as a main hobby, and I do photography for fun also. I have a learner's permit and I will be getting a license in June. I originally told my parents I wanted a Mazda Miata, hey that's a pretty good looking car, but it has nothing on a MR2 as far as looks go anyway. The mid engine has me very interested also. I usually drive my mom's Chevrolet Lumina LTZ, it sucks! haha, but it isn't a sports car, is it as slow as Christmas getting up to speed. But besides the point, and want to try to find a MR2 as my first car, I want a manual transmission, turbo charged would be nice. Ohh yeah, when I get stuff I modify it, so I am going to be modifying this car to it's full potential, IE taking out the spare tire, trunk carpet, plastic in the front compartment and so on, yall know more to do than I. I don't mind if the car doesn't have airbags, power windows, power seats, power steering, and all that jazz. What car should I be looking for? The MR2 1st gen or 2nd gen? I like both in a way, neither look better than the other to me. Ohh yeah, how hard are mr2's to find? I've only seen one pass me on the road. Anyway thanks for providing this forum to me, I hope to learn a lot! Ohh yeah, my knowledge of gasoline engines isn't that much, as in I know how a 4 stroke engine works, but you get into the differences in cam shafts and all I get confused, is there a sticky I should be reading?

Jacob

[hmong337]

if you haven't already... read this: MR2 For a First Car

*now hit my "thank you" button

[J.Harris]

Dude i'm such an idiot, were was that sticky hiding at!

EDIT: I can see where he is talking about an MR2 woudn't be the best for a teenager, but that's the kinda stuff I do. I choose speed over impracticalness. When he said that they aren't good cars for wet or cold weather, what does he mean by that? I live in Georgia, so there isn't any ice or snow. That post may have disappointed me a little, but I would still like to get one.

[NONACK]

Practicality is not the issue with teens and 2s. The issue is that, although the MR2 can outperform many cars on the road, it is one of the most difficult to drive well. Most teenagers behind the wheel of a 2 WILL FIND THEMSELF IN A TREE VERY QUICKLY. I got my mk2 mr2 at age 18, after 2 years of autocross and street experience, and I still felt as if I was learning to drive all over again when I first raced it. Get some p.o.s. rwd junker first, and once you feel that you can drive that PERFECTLY, get an MR2 and realize just how screwed you would have been/ enjoy.

[JeffHo830]

Hi, I'm a new member also, but have been a MR2 owner for a few years already. The MR2 is not an ideal car in wet or snow condition is because of its engine placement. From my experiences, MR2 has oversteer characteristic, which if you are not careful you can spin out during turn quite easy. But this characteristic also help in quick corner attack. Another reason is if you run over a water puddle in the rain or wet condition, the car is easier to hydroplane (spell?) since the front doesn't have the engine to weight it down like front engine car does. Hope this helps a little.

Jeff

[J.Harris]

I don't plan on racing my mr2. I wish I knew someone who owned one so I could cruise around in it and get a feel for it. So far I have driven front engine vehicles, rwd and fwd. I'm not a crazy driver, I'm listening to you guys about how hard it is to drive them, I think I could learn how to drive it though. Again now, i'm not planning on racing with this thing.

Mr. Jeff, how bad does it hydroplane? I didn't think about it oversteering too.

[NONACK]

Sorry if my 1st post seemed too aggressive. Anyway, the car hydroplanes pretty bad, but nothing that will get you in trouble if you'rre going the speed limit and know how to drive. The oversteer in these cars is tremendous in the rain. Give it gas, it oversteers, brakes, it oversteers, not enough gas, it oversteers again, pretty much the only cure is driving very carefully and having decent tires. Consider this. If you don't want to race it (btw, I'm talking autocross and track days, not street raing), why do you need an MR2? There are other cars which still look good and are much easier to drive/repair.

[hmong337]

Originally Posted by NONACK

Sorry if my 1st post seemed too aggressive. Anyway, the car hydroplanes pretty bad, but nothing that will get you in trouble if you'rre going the speed limit and know how to drive. The oversteer in these cars is tremendous in the rain. Give it gas, it oversteers, brakes, it oversteers, not enough gas, it oversteers again, pretty much the only cure is driving very carefully and having decent tires. Consider this. If you don't want to race it (btw, I'm talking autocross and track days, not street raing), why do you need an MR2? There are other cars which still look good and are much easier to drive/repair.

I beg to differ with your statement on why not to get one... It's an MR2 and nothing looks as good as it in its price range!!! These cars are pure sex and get a lot of attention driving around.

However, for a first car... I'll say get more driving experience. You don't even have your full license!My mr2 was my first car. Yet, I've been driving since I was 12 years-old. Learned how to drive a stick when I was 13 and didn't even stall it on my first try. I'd consider myself a natural. However, in my opinion, this shouldn't be your first car... especially if you're asking why it does bad in the rain in your second post...

[J.Harris]

Do I don't have any plans to street race. But I want a fast car, that will accel fast. I'm tired of hearing my mom's car (the one I drive right now) bogging down when I get going, it turns like crap, takes forever to stop. I want a good lightweight car, that is fast. You guys think I should go with the Miata? Haha yall aren't sounding to confident in me.

[butter nuts]

Buy a corolla and learn how to drive before you buy an MR2.

[NONACK]

If you must have a lightweight sportscar as your 1st vehicle, then yes, the Miata is almost definately the way to go. They're easy as piss to drive, and seem to have about as much appeal as the MR2 for the average person.

[hmong337]

Originally Posted by butter nuts

Buy a corolla and learn how to drive before you buy an MR2.

+1

[Luni]

I honestly recommend an NA for your first car.

Get to know it. Learn to work on it, then if you feel like it later on, swap it to turbo.

Seriously, the handling dynamics of the 2 cars couldnt be more night and day from each other.

[J.Harris]

Originally Posted by hmong337

I beg to differ with your statement on why not to get one... It's and MR2!!! These cars are pure sex and get a lot of attention driving around. However, for a first car... I'll say get more driving experience. You don't even have your full license!

My mr2 was my first car. Yet, I've been driving since I was 12 years-old. Learned how to drive a stick when I was 13 and didn't even stall it on my first try. I'd consider myself a natural. However, in my opinion, this shouldn't be your first car... especially if you're asking why it does bad in the rain in your second post...

Sorry I didn't get the memo about it being a terrible car for wet weather. I didn't stall on my first try driving stick either. I drive everyday, last weekend I drove 400 miles, 200 there, 200 back. I do know a little bit about driving and how to enter and exit turns, so i'm not completely clueless. I'm not as stupid as the average teenager, I'm not as childish as most, and I don't get frustrated and quit stuff like most do. You should see me with computers, it took me a good solid week to get my DFI Lanparty motherboard to even think about working for me. Plus I like to work on things, my grandpa on my dad's side is a mechanic, my other grandpa rebuilds transmissions on hummers, and my uncle's rebuild transmissions for armored vehicles, I have been around greasy stuff for a while now, i'm not squeamish when it comes to hard fun work and grease.

Jacob

[J.Harris]

Originally Posted by butter nuts

Buy a corolla and learn how to drive before you buy an MR2.

What's the difference in the corolla and my mom's lumina, not a van lumina but the 4 door version of the monte carlo. I don't see why you guys are bashing on me so hard.

[hmong337]

Originally Posted by J.Harris

Do I don't have any plans to street race. But I want a fast car, that will accel fast. I'm tired of hearing my mom's car (the one I drive right now) bogging down when I get going, it turns like crap, takes forever to stop. I want a good lightweight car, that is fast. You guys think I should go with the Miata? Haha yall aren't sounding to confident in me.

I drove a 1996 Pontiac Bonneville for years... learned how to corner that 5000lbs boat of a car, how it stopped, how it did in the snow, rain, ice... fully learned how to drive a stick shift in a 1995 corolla that I drove for a few years too... to think back and picture if i had gotten an mr2 at 16, i don't think i'd be posting right now... i'd be dead.

nonetheless, when i did get my mr2, i was fully aware of how cars handled. I learned my mr2's basic driving characteristics and went from there. i'm still learning till this day and i've got 10+ years driving experience.

[3sgtepower]

I wrecked my first MR2. I dont want to get into details of how it happened other than I was driving like an asshat. But when I was a teenager, I gauruntee I would of wrecked it within months of owning it, I was caught doing over double the speed limit within the first two months of ownership when I was 19.

I think a naturally aspirated car is much more ideal for a new driver, like a miata. You cant get yourself into as much trouble as easily in a MR2, since miata's do 0-60 in 9 seconds and MR2's do it in 6 or less.

ANother thing is lets say you floor it when its wet in a miata, although your back end may slide out, you can still somewhat control where the car is going. When the rear tires break loose in a mr2, like accelerating too fast in slick conditions, turning too hard in slick conditions, braking hard while turning or simply letting your foot off the throttle midway through a tight turn, the mr2 can snap over steer and go straight into a tree, as it has a tendency to spin like a top.

Also turbo cars are not the best car's for someone who is very new to maintaining and owning cars. Like if you floor it when the motor is cold, you can easily spin a bearing, or not checking your oil and it runs out as high performance turbo motors go through more of it. Forgetting to stay up on maintenance or just having a mild highschoolers job as your budget to keep this 16 year old turbo car running good is probably not gonna happen when your on a grocery baggers salary. And maintenance is a huge factor when your driving a car that is over 15 years old and has 200k on the clock, some months you might have to spend 1k-2k in unexpected maintenance. Ive spent $12000 alone in my first year of ownership on my current mr2, not counting 2 $500 tickets and a $200 ticket I have received in the last 9 months.

THIS CAR IS NOT FOR NOVICES.

Edit: If you must own a MR2, I atleast recommend buying an NA and learning on that. A MK1 or MKII would suffice, and both of them can have turbo motors swapped in down the road when your a better driver anyways. But your 1st car will most likely get tore up so its not smart to make your 1st car, your show car.

[hmong337]

watch



if you know one thing or two about driving cars, you'll know why this happened...