potential new mr2 owner

rocklizzard91 · 11-04-2009, 04:33 PM

hello mr2.com

my name is Cory and im thinking about picking up an MR2 this summer (long ways out i know)

I currently drive a MK3 VW jetta. its been my baby since i bought her when i was 16. I learned lots from her, and although weve had a few fights i still love it to death. Done a few things to it. Dropped on ksport full coilovers. gone through various sets of wheels. mk4 intake manifold swap. swaybays. tie bars. 11" dual piston front brakes. rear drum to disc swap. short ratio trans. lightweight flywheel and stage 1 clutch. manual adjusting clutch cable. upgraded motor and trans mounts. relocated battery. yada yada yada. i could go on all day.

Anyway, ive always enjoyed a nice handling car over a fast car. I knew if i got a fast car at 16 i would wreck it, and i have to pay for my cars and mods, so wrecking a car isnt a good idea

so i focused on making the mk3 handle the best it could. Well, recently the power bug has gotten a hold of me. I had planned on boosting the mk3 but a kit is 2.5k+ for a basic kit. and the one i would have wanted is 3.5k

: and thats a hefty price for some go fast parts that really wont make me much faster. I'd have a fast mk3. not a fast car. so i decided if i was willing to pay 3.5k why not save more and look into a car with more power from the factory? so i pondered the idea of a few hondas, and decided while i could enjoy a nice EG its not really what i see myself driving. i dont want to fall into that ricer catagory. Thought about a few nissans like a 240 and whatnot, and again. around here they are the ricers. Then one day i had a revalation. I heard a BOV sound, which always perks my ears, then a very clean mk2 MR2 drove by and i knew then that i needed one. RWD, mid engine means ill get to keep my love for handling. turbo'ed from the factory means no kit and less worried about turboing an NA car. and they are by far one of the best looking cars ive ever seen. so i looked around online and found quite a few for pretty cheap. only 1 or 2k more that i was going to spend on the mk3 turbo kit (minus all the prep work i was going to do to prepair the motor which was another thousand) so ive decided im going to talk the parents into letting me buy an MR2 (im in college and commute while living at home) and daily that with a few mods and let my sister who will be turning 16 soon, drive my mk3 when she needs to.

ive looked through a lot of the site already. the page on whether or not an mr2 is a good first car was quite helpful. it reinforces that i must keep the jetta for when i need more seats and a trunk

and for winter.
i also like that you all are anti-rice. my vw scene is all about "euro" (pretty much just keeping it OEM+ using imported european parts for those who dont know) and it seems you guys here are the same, although focusing less on looks, which i can dig.

sorry i wrote so much. im kind of a post whore on my vw forum too

heres a pic of the jetta

hopefully ill get to park an mr2 next to it soon

lookin forward to gettin to know you guys

o6spdracer · 11-04-2009, 06:55 PM

Welcome to the club! There is no harm in planning for the future. It is difficult to find a clean and original MKII turbo. The stock turbo isn't that fast either. I thought it was okay at first but then you get used to it, like anything else, and want something faster!
Luckily turbos are not too expensive for the sw20 but they are not the easiest cars to work on. You are very limited on space. Are you leaning towards finding a clean original one or doing a swap? There are some here who have done the V6 swap and are very happy with them. Or just get an NA and swap a 3s into her. Anyways, welcome and let us know what your plans are as they unfold.

rocklizzard91 · 11-04-2009, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by o6spdracer

Welcome to the club! There is no harm in planning for the future. It is difficult to find a clean and original MKII turbo. The stock turbo isn't that fast either. I thought it was okay at first but then you get used to it, like anything else, and want something faster!
Luckily turbos are not too expensive for the sw20 but they are not the easiest cars to work on. You are very limited on space. Are you leaning towards finding a clean original one or doing a swap? There are some here who have done the V6 swap and are very happy with them. Or just get an NA and swap a 3s into her. Anyways, welcome and let us know what your plans are as they unfold.

i agree. plans always work better than no plans

im not sure which i will go for.
i just talked to my dad about it and he doesnt think i should buy one because his friends back in the 90's had them and both of them had lots of issues with them always breaking down and such. any word on this?

as for swaps, im rather mechanically enclined so a swap is do-able.
what is the v6 swap out of? i havent seen anything on that yet
i'd like it to be a daily car so i need reliability more than anyhting else

lucky_charms · 11-04-2009, 07:10 PM

the v6 is out of the camry

IDon'tKnow · 11-04-2009, 07:16 PM

Good looking V Dub you have there. Welcome to the forums.

rocklizzard91 · 11-04-2009, 07:17 PM

right on. it looks pretty packed in the bay with the 3sgte how does it look with a v6 packed in there? have to drop the motor for any real work?

lucky_charms · 11-04-2009, 07:19 PM

to me it looks just as packed as the v6 but thats just me

Denz · 11-05-2009, 03:21 AM

^ Check out the V6 section for more of V6's
The MR2 was my first car, I don't drive anyone round really ( Most of my mates live in the same flat and all have 4 door 5 seater cars for some reason) So ive never found the 2 seats being an issue even with it as my one and only car, however I borrow mums Civic every now and then to pick up stuff for the MR2.

They are no more reliable or un reliable than any 20+ Year old turbo car, there are a couple of "problem areas" but there are easy remedies avaliable.

In regards to the "ricers", its not the car, its how you drive it and present it.
Personally I plan on getting a civic or something similar for the simple reason that they are dirt cheap, the Vtec engines are dirt cheap and they can be some FWD Fun.

o6spdracer · 11-05-2009, 03:34 AM

Yep, the 1MZ (out of the Toyota Camry v6) is the more common V6swap and pretty cheap. The hard part is sourcing the trans, unless you use an E153 from a turbo and either 'trick' the ecu to think that it is an auto trans or are really fortunate to find a V6 manual with ECU so the CEL doesn't turn on.

Denz is right. Personally, I think if you keep the car up and know what are the common things that go wrong with them, you won't have too many problems keeping it 'reliable.' At the same time, you are leaning towards a turbo, probably an upgraded turbo sooner than later, and how reliable are those? hahaha. I run a TD06 in mine and enjoy it. I also drive like a grandpa and its always in vaccuum. hahaha. Since you are mechanically inclined, with the help of this forum and its members, I'm sure you can get a reliable SW20, like many others on the forum, to be a daily driver.

11-04-2009, 04:33 PM	#1 (permalink)
rocklizzard91 noob Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Bonney Lake, Wa Posts: 3 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	potential new mr2 owner hello mr2.com my name is Cory and im thinking about picking up an MR2 this summer (long ways out i know) I currently drive a MK3 VW jetta. its been my baby since i bought her when i was 16. I learned lots from her, and although weve had a few fights i still love it to death. Done a few things to it. Dropped on ksport full coilovers. gone through various sets of wheels. mk4 intake manifold swap. swaybays. tie bars. 11" dual piston front brakes. rear drum to disc swap. short ratio trans. lightweight flywheel and stage 1 clutch. manual adjusting clutch cable. upgraded motor and trans mounts. relocated battery. yada yada yada. i could go on all day. Anyway, ive always enjoyed a nice handling car over a fast car. I knew if i got a fast car at 16 i would wreck it, and i have to pay for my cars and mods, so wrecking a car isnt a good idea so i focused on making the mk3 handle the best it could. Well, recently the power bug has gotten a hold of me. I had planned on boosting the mk3 but a kit is 2.5k+ for a basic kit. and the one i would have wanted is 3.5k : and thats a hefty price for some go fast parts that really wont make me much faster. I'd have a fast mk3. not a fast car. so i decided if i was willing to pay 3.5k why not save more and look into a car with more power from the factory? so i pondered the idea of a few hondas, and decided while i could enjoy a nice EG its not really what i see myself driving. i dont want to fall into that ricer catagory. Thought about a few nissans like a 240 and whatnot, and again. around here they are the ricers. Then one day i had a revalation. I heard a BOV sound, which always perks my ears, then a very clean mk2 MR2 drove by and i knew then that i needed one. RWD, mid engine means ill get to keep my love for handling. turbo'ed from the factory means no kit and less worried about turboing an NA car. and they are by far one of the best looking cars ive ever seen. so i looked around online and found quite a few for pretty cheap. only 1 or 2k more that i was going to spend on the mk3 turbo kit (minus all the prep work i was going to do to prepair the motor which was another thousand) so ive decided im going to talk the parents into letting me buy an MR2 (im in college and commute while living at home) and daily that with a few mods and let my sister who will be turning 16 soon, drive my mk3 when she needs to. ive looked through a lot of the site already. the page on whether or not an mr2 is a good first car was quite helpful. it reinforces that i must keep the jetta for when i need more seats and a trunk and for winter. i also like that you all are anti-rice. my vw scene is all about "euro" (pretty much just keeping it OEM+ using imported european parts for those who dont know) and it seems you guys here are the same, although focusing less on looks, which i can dig. sorry i wrote so much. im kind of a post whore on my vw forum too heres a pic of the jetta hopefully ill get to park an mr2 next to it soon lookin forward to gettin to know you guys

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11-04-2009, 06:55 PM	#2 (permalink)
o6spdracer Nothing Clever Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 1,731 Thanks: 1 Thanked 96 Times in 91 Posts iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	Welcome to the club! There is no harm in planning for the future. It is difficult to find a clean and original MKII turbo. The stock turbo isn't that fast either. I thought it was okay at first but then you get used to it, like anything else, and want something faster! Luckily turbos are not too expensive for the sw20 but they are not the easiest cars to work on. You are very limited on space. Are you leaning towards finding a clean original one or doing a swap? There are some here who have done the V6 swap and are very happy with them. Or just get an NA and swap a 3s into her. Anyways, welcome and let us know what your plans are as they unfold.

11-04-2009, 07:10 PM	#4 (permalink)
lucky_charms custom Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: small ass place in ohio Posts: 244 Thanks: 4 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	the v6 is out of the camry

11-04-2009, 07:16 PM	#5 (permalink)
IDon'tKnow but I can find out. Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Huntsville, AL Posts: 130 Thanks: 4 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	Good looking V Dub you have there. Welcome to the forums.

11-04-2009, 07:17 PM	#6 (permalink)
rocklizzard91 noob Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Bonney Lake, Wa Posts: 3 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	right on. it looks pretty packed in the bay with the 3sgte how does it look with a v6 packed in there? have to drop the motor for any real work?

11-04-2009, 07:19 PM	#7 (permalink)
lucky_charms custom Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: small ass place in ohio Posts: 244 Thanks: 4 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	to me it looks just as packed as the v6 but thats just me

11-05-2009, 03:21 AM	#8 (permalink)
Denz Cage Fighter Join Date: May 2008 Location: Hamilton, New Zealand Posts: 284 Thanks: 2 Thanked 13 Times in 13 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	^ Check out the V6 section for more of V6's The MR2 was my first car, I don't drive anyone round really ( Most of my mates live in the same flat and all have 4 door 5 seater cars for some reason) So ive never found the 2 seats being an issue even with it as my one and only car, however I borrow mums Civic every now and then to pick up stuff for the MR2. They are no more reliable or un reliable than any 20+ Year old turbo car, there are a couple of "problem areas" but there are easy remedies avaliable. In regards to the "ricers", its not the car, its how you drive it and present it. Personally I plan on getting a civic or something similar for the simple reason that they are dirt cheap, the Vtec engines are dirt cheap and they can be some FWD Fun.

11-05-2009, 03:34 AM	#9 (permalink)
o6spdracer Nothing Clever Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 1,731 Thanks: 1 Thanked 96 Times in 91 Posts iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	Yep, the 1MZ (out of the Toyota Camry v6) is the more common V6swap and pretty cheap. The hard part is sourcing the trans, unless you use an E153 from a turbo and either 'trick' the ecu to think that it is an auto trans or are really fortunate to find a V6 manual with ECU so the CEL doesn't turn on. Denz is right. Personally, I think if you keep the car up and know what are the common things that go wrong with them, you won't have too many problems keeping it 'reliable.' At the same time, you are leaning towards a turbo, probably an upgraded turbo sooner than later, and how reliable are those? hahaha. I run a TD06 in mine and enjoy it. I also drive like a grandpa and its always in vaccuum. hahaha. Since you are mechanically inclined, with the help of this forum and its members, I'm sure you can get a reliable SW20, like many others on the forum, to be a daily driver.