Opinions on this please.

[Don't Worry, It's Just Me]

i just want to know what some people would do in this situation. I've wanted a MR2 since i was old enough to drive, im now 23, so thats about 7 years of wanting one. I got a good job now, and i was finally able to get one. every one i looked for was WAY out of my price range. Mine was only $950 which i though would leave plenty of money for upgrades. well i got this car, (knew about the rust wich is fine). but when i pull off the front bumper i found out that my frame looked like this. now my question is: should i spend the money to get it pulled, or should i just cut my losses and get a different one. A) I don't really want to get a new one cuz it's hard to find hardtops in Minnesota. B) i don't want to get rid of this one, cuz now i finally have one. C) i don't want to get rid of it and have to sit and save and save and save, just to get another one.


so i guess, To pull, or not to pull. that's my question.

[PearlJammzz]

I say not worth it, it's usually always more to fix something up, then just get one in good condition. You also have no idea what else is f'd up on the car until ya start rippingi t apart, I'd honestly scrap out any good pieces (straight body parts and such) and try to clain yer 900 bucks back, and save up for a clean hardtop.

The better you start out with, the cheaper/easier it is to make it what you want. If I was buying again, I'd personally look for a 93-95 and nothing older. At that point yer in the 5+k range without a doubt, but a 93 hardtop NA shouldn't be much more than 5k depending on condition/miles.

Also, with this type of a car, and you wanting something specific/rare, yer gunna have to go out of state most likely. Keep yer eyes peeled nadh ave cash in hand, that's how you get the good deals.

[TreyMR2]

Unless you can get another MR2 that got smashed from the rear for almost nothing I think PearlJammzz is probably right.

[Don't Worry, It's Just Me]

well theres a guy about 35 miles from my house that has a 92 N/A that rolled over, the roof is smashed in, but he said he'd sell the car for $1000 or give out any parts needed. do i dare try to cut and swap frame rails between them?

[Don't Worry, It's Just Me]

oh and in response to Pearljamzz, it's hard as f**k to find decently cheap good contidion MR2 in MN, plus to find a Hardtop too. MR2's are just pretty hard to find around here.

[PearlJammzz]

I wouldn't, again, more trouble than it's worth for sure.

Seriously, save your cash and get one w/ a solid paint job, good interior, and runs nice for 5-6k. Hell, you could get a 95 na for ~8k if ya wanted, but there you're paying for rarity. A super-clean 91-92 na hardtop you could get for ~5kish if you looked around, turbo on the other hand can easily double that price into the 10-12k range. Look around and get the right car for you, going half-assed and just trying to fix it up later is not only more time consuming, it's also more expensive and more of a pain the ass.

Think about how much it'd cost to try to pull that out and straighten it all (if you could) on top of paint and everything else, you'd be into the car 5-6k, and the car would of have been in a nasty wreck. Whynot spend that on one that has never been wrecked, or atleast only mildly, and nopt have to deal w/ the BS? For the first while you'll have a nice clean gorgeous looking stock MR2, then in time you can turbo it, add suspension, etc. and be golden . Doesn't that sound liek a better picture then trying to molest 2 MR2's together or try to fix something that may never be right again, all while spending more money and time to get less of a ride?

Just think about it...

PS, go out of state for yer 2. Being so specific on what you want, you'll need to. A little bit of a hassle, but totally worth it.

[Don't Worry, It's Just Me]

k theres a guy i work with, him and one of his friends own a shop, he said he'd be able to do it for me with a VERY small charge, if not free. should i still just say f**k it. or what do ya think?

[PearlJammzz]

How much is a small charge? Depends on if you think it's worth the price to fix it back to where it needs to be...price it all out and then decide.

[Don't Worry, It's Just Me]

well at first he said he'd come help me try and do it for free, by heatin up the rail and hookin it up it a tree and pullin it out with a ratchet pully thing (he called it a "come-along") but that didn't work. then he said he'd do it at the shop and he said for around $500. which is nothin to me. but as long as it doesn't go over $1000 i'd be happy.

[Don't Worry, It's Just Me]

by the way, NICE lookin MR2 you got there.

[PearlJammzz]

Thanks, I still don't think it's worth it, and it could of crooked the whole frame, it looks liek a nice whack, have you got that all checked out?

[Don't Worry, It's Just Me]

haven't even brought it to a shop of anykind yet

[PearlJammzz]

Well I think that's your first step, take it to a shop, asses the damage and what it'd all cost you to get it to where a car you could just buy done would cost, and then weight those 2 prices and such against eachother and see which one comes out the winner

[Don't Worry, It's Just Me]

alright, thanks alot for your input. i think im goin to try and go to a shop today after work if i can. theres one within 3 blocks from my house so hopefully they can give me and estimate.

[55mr2]

If you look at my gallery, you'll see the before and after of my 2 which had a similar damage. The guy who did it took what he needed off the front clip of a donor 2, including the rails, and rebuilt the front to the satisfaction of the government inspector who needs to certify that the car is road worthy before it can be insured.

When I talked to previous owner, he estimated that the cost to have this done "professionally" would've been over $4000 but that almost all of it would have been labour which was, in his case, free.

So if for $950 + the cost of the "donor" car + paint and misc parts + a lot of sweat equity the poster gets his car, I say "go for it and good luck".

[PearlJammzz]

aye, but his might not just be small front-end damage, the frame could be tweaked beyond repair, or atleast beyond minor repair.

[55mr2]

Originally Posted by PearlJammzz

aye, but his might not just be small front-end damage, the frame could be tweaked beyond repair, or atleast beyond minor repair.

True, but that would be more the case if the car had been hit either off center or in the side and it doesn't look like this is the case here. A straight on impact is the least likely to twist the frame. Plus the fact that it's a hard top (rather than a T-top) so the roof would also provide added stiffness in a front impact and would help keep the frame from twisting.

Anyways, I'm sure an inspection by a professional before he starts taking things apart should determine if he's wasting his time.

Regardless, does this mean there is now a rolled over 2 being parted out? If so, I'm looking for some interior parts.

Oh.... And I forgot to mention

Originally Posted by Don't Worry, It's Just Me

well at first he said he'd come help me try and do it for free, by heatin up the rail and hookin it up it a tree and pullin it out with a ratchet pully thing (he called it a "come-along") but that didn't work. then he said he'd do it at the shop and he said for around $500.

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!

[Don't Worry, It's Just Me]

yea we tried the tree thing for about 5 minutes and i was like. i dont like the looks of this. so we stopped. yea if you want some interior parts lemme know what you want and i'll try and get them for you (if i dont need them in mine)......... that is if i do end up gettin the rolled one.

[Roger_Rabbit]

Originally Posted by Don't Worry, It's Just Me

well theres a guy about 35 miles from my house that has a 92 N/A that rolled over, the roof is smashed in, but he said he'd sell the car for $1000 or give out any parts needed. do i dare try to cut and swap frame rails between them?

Look at my previous posts... I dont give up... I would not advise you to either... Here is my suggestion... Buy his... Take parts from yours that are better than his and put them on his... This would build his up... Then sell the parts that are left from the two and make some if not all of your money back... If you are a bad @$$ welder and metal worker, then yeah... Splice the 2 cars... If you are not... Then forget it... Just try to fix his up and sale your part by part till it is gone...