MR2 For a First Car - Page 10

goopi · 08-11-2009, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jessetjames

alright so im one of those 17 year olds who is looking for his first car. looked at a 3000gt but they are to expensive to maintain....and ive also looked at the mr2 read up on it and it sounds like a fun car. my question is that isn't the same for a RWD miata. about the same size why is this harder to spin out? if you're pushing it to its limits then i can see why.Is it not the same as most small RWD cars? also why cant you drive this car while its wet/snowing as long as you are careful ect . also if this car is not for me since i am younger what sport car would u recommend in the 4,000 price range. also if i do get this car im not going to be drifting around corners/racing people doing nothing stupid/showing off....i just want to cross all my Ts before buying a car.

I hope i didn't sound (no it all) i just want to ask everything before i buy. almost got a 3000gt until i looked into it further and learned that its reliability sucks.

Seems like you need to go for a 240sx....

, I wouldn't mind one of those

Yozuki Ri · 08-12-2009, 12:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jessetjames

also why cant you drive this car while its wet/snowing as long as you are careful ect .

From my own experience - the back of the vehicle quivers ever so slightly in the rain, several times a second.

Motocompo · 08-21-2009, 11:27 AM

I think I will add my two cents as well... Because my MR2 was my first car 5 years ago and I still daily driver it!

I would agree that an MR2 has no place in the hands of a HS or college student merely due to the mechanical aspects of the car. You can buy an N/A or even a turbo and have it be just a nice drivers car without having to thrash it. But when it comes to breaking down and fixing it, that's another story in itself. I have been fortunate to have been plagued by very few problems with my car. However had I known that most parts of the engine were not readily accessible and/or easy to work on with the engine in the car, I would have bought a different car 5 years ago. I love doing all of my cars maintenance myself but finishing up college doesn't give me the time to do a engine drop clutch change compared to an 86' corolla evening only clutch change with the engine still in the car.

Further more, the MR2 as previously stated has high enough performance stats that a first time driver shouldn't be trying to find those. Buy a cheaper car, learn to drive it properly, maintain it properly, and then upgrade to a performance car when you have the time and the money.

David · 08-21-2009, 11:40 AM

An MR2 is easy to work on. I'm a high school student and did all the work on my MR2 when I had it. The (NA)MR2 is painfully slow in a straight line, and takes corners very well, so it isn't that bad of a car for a student. Atleast the NA model.

Motocompo · 08-21-2009, 11:52 AM

I still have to say no. The N/A performance wise would be alright for a new driver but mechanically I still don't agree with the MR2 being a wise choice.

I value drivers who take the time and energy to learn about there car and understand how to maintain it properly. An MR2 is different enough (electrohydraulic steering, mid engine, turbo in some cases) that showing a person how to work on an MR2 is more difficult then it needs to be.

"Hey son, your car needs a new timing belt real soon... Would you mind dropping the engine for me to get to it?" (This all under the assumption that said person values his knuckles and sanity by not trying to remove it in car)

David · 08-21-2009, 12:02 PM

orly? I didn't feel confident enough to do my timing belt, so the mechanic at my dad's dealer did it for me. He didn't drop the engine, and he didn't say anything about it being hard to do. :/ And other than that, I did all the work on it. From a tune up to a starter.

Yozuki Ri · 08-21-2009, 03:45 PM

Motocomp, why so pretentious? I bought my MR2 as my first car and nicked my license in it. The timing belt didn't seem that hard to me, the car just needed to be jacked up.

Motocompo · 08-21-2009, 10:19 PM

We might be referring to different generations. I have nothing against the Mk.I MR2. Great car and the 4AGE is an easily little engine to work on and maintain. Its the Mk.II I am cautious with.

328FTW · 08-21-2009, 10:50 PM

I have both and they are all gravy to work on. An mr2 n/a of any generation is not a bad car for a learner. I've worked on audi's and mercs and those are hard to work on, MR2 is cake in comparison and is on par with any fwd car. Also parts swap interchangably and are readily available unlike some hondas and mitsi's which can be terrible for getting parts. Some kids use daddy's money and get evos and crap (and crash them) but never do any of their own work and when they do they face a monumental task for even simple jobs.

Also its a maturity thing, if you are going to work on the car then you are going to work on the car and learn in the process, however if your not going to and your using daddy's money to fix it it doesn't matter anyway. I've seen highschoolers with evos and 300zx try to do headgaskets and turbo swaps with no knowledge and it ends in getting someone to do it for them, the MR2 is simply not that hard to work on you can do most stuff yourself.

David · 08-22-2009, 10:42 AM

I'm talking about the MKII, which is incredibly easy to work on. One time I attempted to work on a newer merc, and that is difficult. MR2s aren't.

traintech86 · 08-27-2009, 01:09 AM

i just wanted to say i bought my mk1 and its my first time, i chose a hard car to drive, i demanded it was manny and i am learning how to drive in VA which has crator sized pot holes and horrid drivers. so far my driving exp has been pretty good. i don't speed like morrons tho so i dunno. i find it to be a good car to learn with as long as you're safe.

chriswf · 09-05-2009, 02:14 AM

Well reading 5 or 6 pages of this thread answered a lot of questions I had...

Mk1 might be in my higher interests now.

Although I'm no teenager... My first cars were a civic hatch, to a CRX, to a probe GT turbo(208HP), to a 288HP Ranger... I never had a problem with traction around corners. Even in the ranger. Yeah leaving lights/stop signs on a wet rainy day it was easy to spin the back tires on the ranger (NO weight back there at all), but I never spun it around a corner.
I had all those before I was 21. Don't think age matters, I've met some pretty retarded 25-30 year olds... I think maturity/brains have more to do with the handling of a MR2 (or any car) for the first time.

poptart3191 · 10-13-2009, 09:53 AM

mr2 was one of the first cars for me(xjs was first daily) i got my mr2 when i was 18, i took it out drifting and learned to control it real quick but it gets scary.

Denz · 10-17-2009, 04:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Motocompo

We might be referring to different generations. I have nothing against the Mk.I MR2. Great car and the 4AGE is an easily little engine to work on and maintain. Its the Mk.II I am cautious with.

My first car is my MR2, its the 3S-GE which is harder to do a timing belt on, but me and some buddies still did it, with the engine in the car.
Sure its harder to work on than my mums 75hp Civic but hell, if you want a sporty car you get over having to work on it.

GR8MR2 · 10-24-2009, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrGrimm

im skipping everything the same question has been asked and answered at least 500 times on this page. okay i drive 40 miles to work everyday. i live in missouri, which we have rain snow blah blah. now i have a civic and have never driven a rear wheel drive car. i have goofed off with a ford lighting but thats somthing totally different sense the weight is opposite the mr2. im just wondering if this car is good enough to drive 80 miles a day(2 or 3 times a week) and is safe in rain as long as its now pouring at an extreme rate. the road to work has some curves. i slow down before i turn, not as i turn, so would i be alright? and aside from that, how is sharp cornering in the dry weather? i have read nothing but good on this car the last few years, i dont want to have to go with a tt 300zx. they be ugly! help me out!

I've owned my 1991 NA MR2 for 19 years. I purchased it new in Sept of 1990. I drove this car as my daily driver for 12 years. For much of this I was commuting 75 miles a day in all kinds of weather. The MR2 handles very well in rain if you have good tires on it and use your head.

Sh0ty · 10-25-2009, 02:51 AM

Yeah, I'm in high school and I think the MR2 is cake to work on. I have a manual rack, so none of this electrohydraulic witchcraft to work on, but nothing is terribly difficult, just maybe a little more time consuming (except for rear strut work, those exposed towers are just wonderful).

Mattcdl · 11-04-2009, 02:21 AM

You yuongn's are funny. I'm going to be 50 in January and I'm getting a 1993 for my B-day. I can't wait to get that thing on a track

lovely09 · 11-17-2009, 08:28 AM

My brother has '93 MR2 which actually given to him by dad.He used it everyday going to his office,driving around 80 miles a day.I guess it's one of the most reliable car the family owns.

poptart3191 · 11-19-2009, 03:45 PM

didnt read any of that but i say no unless you have super deap pockets, i bought my two on my birthday march 1, of last year and have spent so much on it, as a first car man everything is costly and hard to do, even replacing a head its easier just to drop the motor, but hey its a great car to learn on, you can do anything after working on these. but just look into maintnace of a two more before you buy one. and try to get an mk1 4age is alot stronger motor than the 5sfe i drift a ae86 with 4age and red line almost daily with no issues knock on wood

Dooz · 12-16-2009, 01:50 PM

i would agree mr2 is not a first car im only 19 but i have been driving since i was 10 and my mr2 is my 3rd car and i love how it handles and out performs every other tuner car and its quicker them most the mustangs and camaros out there that all my friends have i am a great driver and race it all the time and only have spun out 3 times in a little over a year i guess you should only get the car if you are a good/comfortable driver.

08-27-2009, 01:09 AM	#191 (permalink)
traintech86 Cage Fighter Join Date: May 2009 Location: Yokosuka, Kanagawa Japan Posts: 1,802 Thanks: 27 Thanked 47 Times in 43 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (3/100% )	i just wanted to say i bought my mk1 and its my first time, i chose a hard car to drive, i demanded it was manny and i am learning how to drive in VA which has crator sized pot holes and horrid drivers. so far my driving exp has been pretty good. i don't speed like morrons tho so i dunno. i find it to be a good car to learn with as long as you're safe. Last edited by traintech86; 09-05-2009 at 04:05 PM..

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08-21-2009, 11:27 AM	#183 (permalink)
Motocompo 1st General Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 9 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	I think I will add my two cents as well... Because my MR2 was my first car 5 years ago and I still daily driver it! I would agree that an MR2 has no place in the hands of a HS or college student merely due to the mechanical aspects of the car. You can buy an N/A or even a turbo and have it be just a nice drivers car without having to thrash it. But when it comes to breaking down and fixing it, that's another story in itself. I have been fortunate to have been plagued by very few problems with my car. However had I known that most parts of the engine were not readily accessible and/or easy to work on with the engine in the car, I would have bought a different car 5 years ago. I love doing all of my cars maintenance myself but finishing up college doesn't give me the time to do a engine drop clutch change compared to an 86' corolla evening only clutch change with the engine still in the car. Further more, the MR2 as previously stated has high enough performance stats that a first time driver shouldn't be trying to find those. Buy a cheaper car, learn to drive it properly, maintain it properly, and then upgrade to a performance car when you have the time and the money.

08-21-2009, 11:40 AM	#184 (permalink)
David Banned Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Tampa, Fl Posts: 2,621 Thanks: 120 Thanked 55 Times in 54 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (4/100% )	An MR2 is easy to work on. I'm a high school student and did all the work on my MR2 when I had it. The (NA)MR2 is painfully slow in a straight line, and takes corners very well, so it isn't that bad of a car for a student. Atleast the NA model.

08-21-2009, 11:52 AM	#185 (permalink)
Motocompo 1st General Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 9 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	I still have to say no. The N/A performance wise would be alright for a new driver but mechanically I still don't agree with the MR2 being a wise choice. I value drivers who take the time and energy to learn about there car and understand how to maintain it properly. An MR2 is different enough (electrohydraulic steering, mid engine, turbo in some cases) that showing a person how to work on an MR2 is more difficult then it needs to be. "Hey son, your car needs a new timing belt real soon... Would you mind dropping the engine for me to get to it?" (This all under the assumption that said person values his knuckles and sanity by not trying to remove it in car)

08-21-2009, 12:02 PM	#186 (permalink)
David Banned Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Tampa, Fl Posts: 2,621 Thanks: 120 Thanked 55 Times in 54 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (4/100% )	orly? I didn't feel confident enough to do my timing belt, so the mechanic at my dad's dealer did it for me. He didn't drop the engine, and he didn't say anything about it being hard to do. :/ And other than that, I did all the work on it. From a tune up to a starter.

08-21-2009, 03:45 PM	#187 (permalink)
Yozuki Ri Cage Fighter Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 170 Thanks: 8 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	Motocomp, why so pretentious? I bought my MR2 as my first car and nicked my license in it. The timing belt didn't seem that hard to me, the car just needed to be jacked up.

08-21-2009, 10:19 PM	#188 (permalink)
Motocompo 1st General Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 9 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	We might be referring to different generations. I have nothing against the Mk.I MR2. Great car and the 4AGE is an easily little engine to work on and maintain. Its the Mk.II I am cautious with.

08-21-2009, 10:50 PM	#189 (permalink)
328FTW Crazy Nasty Honey Badger Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: New Zealand Posts: 5,236 Thanks: 24 Thanked 266 Times in 239 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	I have both and they are all gravy to work on. An mr2 n/a of any generation is not a bad car for a learner. I've worked on audi's and mercs and those are hard to work on, MR2 is cake in comparison and is on par with any fwd car. Also parts swap interchangably and are readily available unlike some hondas and mitsi's which can be terrible for getting parts. Some kids use daddy's money and get evos and crap (and crash them) but never do any of their own work and when they do they face a monumental task for even simple jobs. Also its a maturity thing, if you are going to work on the car then you are going to work on the car and learn in the process, however if your not going to and your using daddy's money to fix it it doesn't matter anyway. I've seen highschoolers with evos and 300zx try to do headgaskets and turbo swaps with no knowledge and it ends in getting someone to do it for them, the MR2 is simply not that hard to work on you can do most stuff yourself.

08-22-2009, 10:42 AM	#190 (permalink)
David Banned Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Tampa, Fl Posts: 2,621 Thanks: 120 Thanked 55 Times in 54 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (4/100% )	I'm talking about the MKII, which is incredibly easy to work on. One time I attempted to work on a newer merc, and that is difficult. MR2s aren't.

09-05-2009, 02:14 AM	#192 (permalink)
chriswf No Skills Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 5 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	Well reading 5 or 6 pages of this thread answered a lot of questions I had... Mk1 might be in my higher interests now. Although I'm no teenager... My first cars were a civic hatch, to a CRX, to a probe GT turbo(208HP), to a 288HP Ranger... I never had a problem with traction around corners. Even in the ranger. Yeah leaving lights/stop signs on a wet rainy day it was easy to spin the back tires on the ranger (NO weight back there at all), but I never spun it around a corner. I had all those before I was 21. Don't think age matters, I've met some pretty retarded 25-30 year olds... I think maturity/brains have more to do with the handling of a MR2 (or any car) for the first time.

10-13-2009, 09:53 AM	#193 (permalink)
poptart3191 No Skills Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 24 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	mr2 was one of the first cars for me(xjs was first daily) i got my mr2 when i was 18, i took it out drifting and learned to control it real quick but it gets scary.

10-25-2009, 02:51 AM	#196 (permalink)
Sh0ty Armchair Racer Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Novi, MI Posts: 1,273 Thanks: 22 Thanked 57 Times in 54 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (3/100% )	Yeah, I'm in high school and I think the MR2 is cake to work on. I have a manual rack, so none of this electrohydraulic witchcraft to work on, but nothing is terribly difficult, just maybe a little more time consuming (except for rear strut work, those exposed towers are just wonderful).

11-04-2009, 02:21 AM	#197 (permalink)
Mattcdl No Skills Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	You yuongn's are funny. I'm going to be 50 in January and I'm getting a 1993 for my B-day. I can't wait to get that thing on a track

11-17-2009, 08:28 AM	#198 (permalink)
lovely09 No Skills Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 10 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	My brother has '93 MR2 which actually given to him by dad.He used it everyday going to his office,driving around 80 miles a day.I guess it's one of the most reliable car the family owns.

11-19-2009, 03:45 PM	#199 (permalink)
poptart3191 No Skills Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 24 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	didnt read any of that but i say no unless you have super deap pockets, i bought my two on my birthday march 1, of last year and have spent so much on it, as a first car man everything is costly and hard to do, even replacing a head its easier just to drop the motor, but hey its a great car to learn on, you can do anything after working on these. but just look into maintnace of a two more before you buy one. and try to get an mk1 4age is alot stronger motor than the 5sfe i drift a ae86 with 4age and red line almost daily with no issues knock on wood

12-16-2009, 01:50 PM	#200 (permalink)
Dooz Some Skills Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: wagoner, OK Posts: 67 Thanks: 2 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	i would agree mr2 is not a first car im only 19 but i have been driving since i was 10 and my mr2 is my 3rd car and i love how it handles and out performs every other tuner car and its quicker them most the mustangs and camaros out there that all my friends have i am a great driver and race it all the time and only have spun out 3 times in a little over a year i guess you should only get the car if you are a good/comfortable driver.