looking to buy one

[NatL88]

i'm 19 and i'm planning to buy my first car within the year.
aw11's are about my age so they might have lost of problems. i know that these guys get really rusty and that brake rotors warp unless the wheel is put on just right, but what other things should i look out for?

[E T Haggis]

all in all great cars i guess just look for one with little or no rust and cheap i bought mine for 500 and it had no rust because it was garage kept and a daily driver

[thirdvector]

Look out mostly for rust, especially in the wheel arches. Also look under the carpet in the trunk and at the bottom of the frunk. Leaky t-tops are common, and easily fixed with some new seals.

If you're thinking of getting a MK1 read this archive: AW11 Archive

After you buy, do these small tune-up items right away: AW11 Tune Up

The car is going to be around 20 years old. If you don't want a car where you have to constantly chase small fixes then a Mk1 is not for you. Fortunately, the motors are really strong and reliable, if taken care of correctly.

[NatL88]

thats some good readin. but i was lookin for something more of a buyers checklist of what to look for in a used mr2 and how much each little repair will cost

[nitrate]

you want to look for mutalations to the cars sutch as burnt wiring cut panels has the radio been wiggered out ? holes cut for speekers in doors rear fire walls. rust can be delt with try pulling a harens out of one. as fare as the breaks go MK1.s are brittle cars unerneath. every part under a MK1 can and will break or warp if its not put on right anr or if ya . umm drive the cars. i just bought a 700 $ mk1 with 285.000 miles on it . it runds like a new car. no motor mods. no matter how shinny the parts are . crome does not make HP

[nitrate]

rear strud rods are they bent and or been welded? cheek the racks for play all MK1 racks where out and you can not buy a new one at the moment. a solid rack is worth what most people say they pay for there cars. o ya watch briving a mk1 they float above 80 and the breaks do suck on theys cars . and the turning radious is diffrent on a MK1 to any other car you will drive. o ya swar bare links can be hard to get and every MK1 needed links off the show room floor.theres ford link that fits and last longer <hint> <hint>

[thirdvector]

Originally Posted by nitrate

o ya watch briving a mk1 they float above 80 and the breaks do suck on theys cars

You mentioned some good stuff to look out for, but I'm going to have to disagree with you there. They don't have to float, nor do the brakes have to suck. Most likely the floating is from a bad alignment, blown struts, and most likely worn out suspension bushings. All common on 20 year old cars. All fixable. Also, I'd say the 87+ brake rotors are big enough and offer plenty of stopping power. Even if you buy an 85-86 all you have to do is use the 87+ mounting brackets to upgrade. They all use the same calipers.

Originally Posted by nitrate

o ya swar bare links can be hard to get and every MK1 needed links off the show room floor.theres ford link that fits and last longer <hint> <hint>

Try Twos R Us - Parts for Toyotas from Club MR2
Sway bar endlinks plus a bunch of other noteworthy suspension parts for the aw11 chassis.

Also, I gotta say nitrate - your "creative" spelling makes it really hard to read your posts.

[nitrate]

no why the hell does a german car if you understand me or not

[NatL88]

uuuhhh....thnaks...lol