Can anybody help me?

[Marz101]

My dad doesn't want me to get a MR2, and im trying my best to convince him to let me buy a MR2, I havnt heard anything but good things about MR2 cars and I want it to be my first car. Now ive been looking everywhere for information on the crash test ratings for the 1st generation Mr2 but I can't find anything, does anybody know what they are? Also, when im looking for MR2's is there anything i should be looking for?

[stu4u3]

well, it's a compact rear engine sports car with most of the weight about a foot and a half from your head. most have more than 150k miles on the clock and they live abused lives. make sure you can work work on cars and have money to pump into it. just tell your dad you can get back and forth quicker, you can beat yellow lights a and you want to own a car that was built 5 years before you were born

I'm not sure there is a logical conversation you could have that would convince you dad to get you an mr2 over say a corolla or a 4 door civic. good luck though.

[lucky_charms]

if u want one that bad just tell him its a toyota nd that toyotas run FOREVER

[Medusa]

Honestly, unless you're a very mature driver and either a relatively skilled mechanic or are very willing to learn, I wouldn't recomment an MR2 as a first car. Especially not an AW11, but really not any MR2 at all.

Why?

1) It's an 85 - 89, so between 24 to 20 years old. Expect frame rust and everything about the car to be tired. That involves a lot of time and quite a bit of money to restore.

2)Thanks to the mid engine handling, it is prone to "snap oversteer." While SW20's are notorious for this, it's just lift-off oversteer. But, being mid-engined, the car will spin a hell of a lot faster than your average mustang/miata/other rear wheel drive car. Compounding this is the short wheelbase and narrow track width. Unless you're experienced with mid-engine handling characteristics, or are a naturally excellent driver (which I know most people say, but it's really not true for almost all people who say it), or preferrably both, this can cause problems. What if you decide to have fun on some twisty road some day? We all do, it's going to happen. You're taking the corners fast, having fun, and a deer jumps out in front of you. You let off the gas and turn your wheel to avoid it. Next thing you know, you're ass backwards/wrapped around a tree/any other unwanted outcome.

Now, this isn't to say that MR2's are a death trap, or you'll kill yourself the second you make one tiny mistake. But the potential is there, in a panic situation, for the car's natural handling characteristics to surprise you and put you in a worse situation.

I love my MR2, and it is my second car. I got it when I was 17, I've had it for a little over a year now. I definitely respect the hazards inherent with any car, especially one like an MR2. I am careful. I haven't spun out, yet, but it will happen. Hopefully that can wait till I take it to the track in the spring so I can get more familiar with how my car handles, in a controlled environment.

And, like stu4u3 said, it's going to be hard to convince your dad that a 20 year old 2 door sports car is a better choice than your average 4 door compact.

[espguitarist33]

i havnt had a problem with the 1st gen, cept spinning the tires on this stupid road by my house when its wet. but thats not to say i wouldnt at some point. I'm very good at adjusting to things like that, but I cant say for you, because I'm not you. you have to look at it from an adult standpoint. not do i want it outweighing eveyrthing...look on the thread here somewhere about not having it as ur first car. you have to be able to learn an entire new set of physics before you go driving like a jerk. i'm pretty sure though, that just driving a mk1 as if it was a prius is just about as safe...and also no fun, so its a tradeoff. dont be hastey, you dont want to be stuck with something u cant drive

[mr3]

I kinda gave my parents 2 options when I was trying to get my first one. I was 18 and I just graduated high school talked to a buddy who had what I was looking for, rear wheel drive, t-top and stick shift. Saw the car for the first time and I fell in love with the car. Thats when I started working my parents. I was at a time when I was going to need to buy my own car. My younger sister was going to be getting her license and she was going to take over the car that I was driving so when I saw my lovely 2 and fell for it I did what I had to do. I also wanted a bike at this time. I gave them the option of letting me either get a bike or get the car. I had a friend die on a bike a few weeks before that so it was rough for me but I still wanted a bike but my goal was the car. I took my dad with me to check the car out and he wasnt quite as enthused as I was about it. He was a chevy guy through and through and this is a TOYOTA. We took it for a test drive and he got out and told me it was cute. That hurt but I still wanted it and wouldnt let him talk me out of it. For 2 weeks I sat down and googled everything I could about the aw11 and learned every little fact I could. I joined this site and read up on everything useful. Then I kept at it. I proved to my dad that I was ready to take on an older toyota with 140k on it. I showed him that I was mature enough knowing what was going on with the car and if something went wrong I'd be able to have the part and have it fixed in no time flat. When I got home from senior week, my dad told me I could get the car and he told me one thing that I wont forget, "jack be nimble, jack be quick." he said there is is no safety features in this car other than seatbelts and if I get hit I have a good chance of death. He said he didnt want that to happen to me and steer clear of those situations. It's been a year and a half and I still have the original 2. I bought another aw11 and swapped a 4age silvertop in it. It ran but not perfect. I got sick of it and picked up a sw20 mostly for the looks. Once that's finished and on the road I'll be parking the mk1 for a bit of a restoration. She needs new shocks so I'll be doing them with some new springs and maybe, just maybe a 4agze. not quite sure on that.

[scottohno]

where are you from?

the reason i ask is cuz if you live in a place like me (chicago) where theres a lot of snow, expect to have a truck for half the year. SNOW IS A BIG NO-NO

if you live in a place with constant rain (like washington, for example) and have a bunch of jackass friends that think sliding in their civic via E-brake is cool and you want to do it too, DONT. trying to slide in this car is a NO-NO. it will do that on its own

on that note, if youre one of those people that talks on the phone, drives stick through the city in the weather, adjusts the radio, drinks a pop, and tries to steer all at the same time, get a civic to destroy, because you will, one day, end up in a tree. driving this car requires a lot of respect for its design. its not made for anything slippery.

if you live in a place like nevada that its dryer than heck and never rains or snows, go ahead, just dont corner too fast or you WILL eventually spin out.

i drive an mk1 and i always need parts. plan to spend money for maintainence as im sure the guy before you did not. it will run FOREVER if maintained.

now dont think im picking on you. i know you think im being an ass. im not. im telling you my opinion. in fact, i was trolling down the road through the woods in a drizzle. it had just started. i was messing with my radio and looked up and saw a sign it translated to "slow down to 15 mph on a dry dy or you will spin on this turn" it was yellow. anyhoo, i ended up slowing down to 18 mph...

and thats where i went wrong...

i turned the wheel and the front end slid straight ahead because its so light

i made the mistake of lightly applying the brakes

i ended up spinning down a 5 to 10 foot slope, going through the trees for about 20 feet (i wasnt the first person to do this so there was a clearing) and ended up bass aackwards in some guys back yard. so i slowly crept out on to his driveway and got free. I WAS LUCKY. there was a path for me. im thinking it was a one in a million shot to make it through at that particular part.

the reason for my story is it can happen to anyone. especially teenagers. thats the last time i did over 10 around that turn. i wasnt going really fast, but it was too fast.

keep these things in mind when you buy a car. mid engine is not an all-the-time car in chicago. so where DO you live???

[scottohno]

plus everything medusa said

[efx]

If you're worried about a deer, I just found out that a sportscar with a low front end actually helps. Check it out! LOL. I think this deer is still an ornament up on that tree...hehe.

YouTube - Race Car Hits Deer

2)You're taking the corners fast, having fun, and a deer jumps out in front of you. You let off the gas and turn your wheel to avoid it. Next thing you know, you're ass backwards/wrapped around a tree/any other unwanted outcome.

[scottohno]

or ass backwards, upside down (we forgot that one) AND in the tree if youre the deer

mmmmmmmm. venicin ::licks lips::

[espguitarist33]

its intresting that i'm seeing all this. last year this was my snow car. It drove better in the snow then both my mystique and eclipse. it stayed planted better, braked better, and was easier to get going without spinning. the one time the back end slipped out was on purpose, and wasnt very out...it was very slick and it slid mabe 10 degrees out and then replanted.
at the same time though i'm VERY in tune with what my car is doing and what sounds its making, so that might help, i used to drift out the rear of my mystique even though its a fwd...well powerslide i guess


dont take ME as a reason for YOU to decide on the car, but i thought i'd thread jack just a smidgion and share it with teh other posters

[mattdouken]

I agree with all the precautions these fellow owners are giving you, I have owned all sorts of cars with different powertrain layouts and horsepower. I have had my Mr2 since September 08 the first 6 months I drove the hell out of it in a controlled environment , to get used to the uniqueness of the Mr2 since I did my research for the past 10 years because the Mr2 is my dream car. But one day in deep conversation and slight rain, I experienced uncontrollable snap oversteer that resulted in a cracked front bumper.

I dont know your age and dont know you personally, But if you are under the age of 20 the temptation of being "COOL" is always present. So with that said get a less unique car and learn to drive, before buying a Mr2 as your first car and "How do I unwrap my Mr2 from around a tree" Becomes your next post.

[scottohno]

mattdouken hit it on the head. espguitarist is a weirdo i guess

maybe he had magic tires or something....

cuz i was going up a hill in 5th gear at like 35 mph in a little bit of snow (a "dusting") and it went sideways on me in a heartbeat when i gave it more gas to proceed in the uphill motion against gravity... thats a complicated way of saying "itll slip out when you least expect it to and then your hot chocolate burns your private parts"

hopefully my chevy 350 2wd 5spd fullsize pickup (with LSD) will move... but if i hit somethin i aint stoppin....

do like me. have a 2 for summer and a tank with a concrete bumper for winter

[mattdouken]

Originally Posted by scottohno

hopefully my chevy 350 2wd 5spd fullsize pickup (with LSD) will move... but if i hit somethin i aint stoppin....

do like me. have a 2 for summer and a tank with a concrete bumper for winter

Or a Mr2 with the frunk filled with concrete,......who wants to get in ya way now?

Or even better,..after ya fill it with concrete you can put a massive raw iron pipe sticking out like a Rhino's Horn.

I'm done now, just scheming on my part...

[scottohno]

Originally Posted by mattdouken

Or a Mr2 with the frunk filled with concrete,......who wants to get in ya way now?

Or even better,..after ya fill it with concrete you can put a massive raw iron pipe sticking out like a Rhino's Horn.

I'm done now, just scheming on my part...

... or pour it with lead. leads even better. put a massive flamethrower on the front so i can melt the snow before i hit it. propane tank in the pass seat will do

[scottohno]

ive come to realize i the last one to put my 2 cents into most of these threads on the first page. i hve like $5 out!

[espguitarist33]

yea i'm not sure what it is, the last time i went in the snow it was about a foot on the grass and 2 or 3 inches on the road. i drove halfway on the median to get around the cars that couldnt get up hills and around turns...had to get to class 15 miles away

[muffinman]

Originally Posted by Medusa

Honestly, unless you're a very mature driver and either a relatively skilled mechanic or are very willing to learn, I wouldn't recomment an MR2 as a first car. Especially not an AW11, but really not any MR2 at all.

Originally Posted by Medusa

1) It's an 85 - 89, so between 24 to 20 years old. Expect frame rust and everything about the car to be tired. That involves a lot of time and quite a bit of money to restore.

REALLY?...........

Originally Posted by Medusa

Unless you're experienced with mid-engine handling characteristics, or are a naturally excellent driver (which I know most people say, but it's really not true for almost all people who say it), or preferrably both, this can cause problems.

if you have to have mid-engine experience before you can get an MR2 then i'm curious where you got your experience from before buying your MR2 (or others for that matter).

[scottohno]

load down a pickup truck and it handles the same. however it does take longer to spin.

[mattdouken]

Originally Posted by muffinman

REALLY?...........





if you have to have mid-engine experience before you can get an MR2 then i'm curious where you got your experience from before buying your MR2 (or others for that matter).

he meant like going to a test course and driving a mid-engine car, or if he had a friends he can drive.