Reliability? Help!

zluke13 · 03-19-2007, 11:10 PM

I am seriously looking at purchasing an MR2. I want a NA 5spd 1991-1994. I am looking to spend $4k or less. From what I have seen that would most likely put me over 100k miles. My question is can I trust this as my daily driver (60 miles per day) for a long time. I really like these, but I can't afford to have it broke down all the time. I have no problem maintaning cars, in fact it is somewhat of a hobby, I just don't want major problems. Any help would be appreciated.

Gairloch · 03-19-2007, 11:12 PM

As long as you don't buy into a vehicle that already has issues and has been well maintained you should be able to expect it to run basically forever as long as you maintain it well yourself. That's a pretty reasonable expectation for price range. You might find what you're looking for at http://www.mr2trader.com.

bean · 03-19-2007, 11:21 PM

buy a 90's camry for a DD

zluke13 · 03-19-2007, 11:24 PM

No way! I won't more performance, not less. I don't want to drive a "grocery getter" to work anymore.

blackbob · 03-19-2007, 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zluke13

No way! I won't more performance, not less. I don't want to drive a "grocery getter" to work anymore.

sorry bro,but a NA MR2 doesn't have much more performance to offer just less space...lol

Gairloch · 03-19-2007, 11:55 PM

Don't listen to the hater

NA MR2s can be a blast to drive.

Davis · 03-20-2007, 12:03 AM

I have a 91' n/a, it's awesome. I love it.

zluke13 · 03-20-2007, 12:12 AM

I'm not looking to race, I'm not even looking for blistering straight away speed. I want a car that handles well, gets good gas mileage, reliable and is fun to drive. Everything I have read has pointed me towards the MR2.

zluke13 · 03-20-2007, 12:22 AM

I seem to have gotten off subject, does anyone else have something to add about reliability? I'm really interested in these cars, as all of you are. I just can't help but be skeptical of cars with this level of performance being reliable as well.

Gairloch · 03-20-2007, 02:20 AM

What do you mean by cars with this level of performance? MR2s are fun cars to drive but there's plenty out there that never saw anything beyond usage as a daily driver. Some saw even less than that. Of course there are also MR2s that were driven into the ground.

You're looking at a car that's 12-16 years old so most specimens are going to need some help. At the very least I would expect to have to do a tune up. A lot of them also need to have the original dampers replaced and possibly suspension bushings. The paint on a lot of them has gotten to be rather tired too. Some will need a respray and others will respond wonderfully to paint cleaner and wax.

In short, for $4k you should be able to find an NA MR2 that is in good condition that will be a reliable daily driver. As with any car this age expect at the very least to find little things that need attention.

blackbob · 03-20-2007, 06:42 AM

Yeah,couldn't have said it better myself

phzoinkMKII · 03-20-2007, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackbob

sorry bro,but a NA MR2 doesn't have much more performance to offer just less space...lol

Tell that to the v6 guys.

blackbob · 03-20-2007, 11:54 AM

You can't count them,that's like counting V8's under cheap horsepower,it's just not fare...lol

phzoinkMKII · 03-20-2007, 11:56 AM

They're NA, so that should count.

I count V8s as cheap horse power just because you buy the engine with high horse power with no effort on your end.

mr2much · 03-20-2007, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zluke13

I just can't help but be skeptical of cars with this level of performance being reliable as well.

The NA mr2 doesn't have that high of a level of performance. don't get me wrong, it's pretty quick, but its not exactly pushing the limits of a 2.2 liter. The NA was designed to handle not to put down gobs of power.

with the NA mr2 i wouldn't worry about it being unreliable just because its a sports car. as was already stated, if it was well taken care of it will last a long time. if not then it won't. this is true of any Toyota whether it be a camry or an mr2. the fact that its a "performance" car only affects the kinds of people who have previously owned it.

what you should be more worried about is the age of the car. any car that is this old has parts that are wearing out. have a good look at all the visible parts before buying to figure out what'll have to be replaced and when.

03-19-2007, 11:10 PM	#1 (permalink)
zluke13 No Skills Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 5 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	Reliability? Help! I am seriously looking at purchasing an MR2. I want a NA 5spd 1991-1994. I am looking to spend $4k or less. From what I have seen that would most likely put me over 100k miles. My question is can I trust this as my daily driver (60 miles per day) for a long time. I really like these, but I can't afford to have it broke down all the time. I have no problem maintaning cars, in fact it is somewhat of a hobby, I just don't want major problems. Any help would be appreciated.

03-19-2007, 11:24 PM	#4 (permalink)
zluke13 No Skills Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 5 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	Camry? No way! I won't more performance, not less. I don't want to drive a "grocery getter" to work anymore.

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03-19-2007, 11:12 PM	#2 (permalink)
Gairloch Dreaming of apexes Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 5,313 Thanks: 139 Thanked 296 Times in 264 Posts Blog Entries: 4 My Google Map iTrader Rating: (7/100% )	As long as you don't buy into a vehicle that already has issues and has been well maintained you should be able to expect it to run basically forever as long as you maintain it well yourself. That's a pretty reasonable expectation for price range. You might find what you're looking for at http://www.mr2trader.com.

03-19-2007, 11:21 PM	#3 (permalink)
bean 91 NA Hardtop Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: SC Posts: 531 Thanks: 17 Thanked 15 Times in 14 Posts iTrader Rating: (3/100% )	buy a 90's camry for a DD

03-19-2007, 11:55 PM	#6 (permalink)
Gairloch Dreaming of apexes Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 5,313 Thanks: 139 Thanked 296 Times in 264 Posts Blog Entries: 4 My Google Map iTrader Rating: (7/100% )	Don't listen to the hater NA MR2s can be a blast to drive.

03-20-2007, 12:03 AM	#7 (permalink)
Davis Radical Dreamer Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Long Beach, California Posts: 4,536 Thanks: 85 Thanked 125 Times in 113 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (7/100% )	I have a 91' n/a, it's awesome. I love it.

03-20-2007, 12:12 AM	#8 (permalink)
zluke13 No Skills Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 5 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	I'm not looking to race, I'm not even looking for blistering straight away speed. I want a car that handles well, gets good gas mileage, reliable and is fun to drive. Everything I have read has pointed me towards the MR2.

03-20-2007, 12:22 AM	#9 (permalink)
zluke13 No Skills Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 5 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	I seem to have gotten off subject, does anyone else have something to add about reliability? I'm really interested in these cars, as all of you are. I just can't help but be skeptical of cars with this level of performance being reliable as well.

03-20-2007, 02:20 AM	#10 (permalink)
Gairloch Dreaming of apexes Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 5,313 Thanks: 139 Thanked 296 Times in 264 Posts Blog Entries: 4 My Google Map iTrader Rating: (7/100% )	What do you mean by cars with this level of performance? MR2s are fun cars to drive but there's plenty out there that never saw anything beyond usage as a daily driver. Some saw even less than that. Of course there are also MR2s that were driven into the ground. You're looking at a car that's 12-16 years old so most specimens are going to need some help. At the very least I would expect to have to do a tune up. A lot of them also need to have the original dampers replaced and possibly suspension bushings. The paint on a lot of them has gotten to be rather tired too. Some will need a respray and others will respond wonderfully to paint cleaner and wax. In short, for $4k you should be able to find an NA MR2 that is in good condition that will be a reliable daily driver. As with any car this age expect at the very least to find little things that need attention.

03-20-2007, 06:42 AM	#11 (permalink)
blackbob wiring....odds and ends Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Stationed in Guam Posts: 753 Thanks: 61 Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts iTrader Rating: (2/100% )	Yeah,couldn't have said it better myself

03-20-2007, 11:54 AM	#13 (permalink)
blackbob wiring....odds and ends Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Stationed in Guam Posts: 753 Thanks: 61 Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts iTrader Rating: (2/100% )	You can't count them,that's like counting V8's under cheap horsepower,it's just not fare...lol

03-20-2007, 11:56 AM	#14 (permalink)
phzoinkMKII Now with more Triforce!!! Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: D.C Area Posts: 2,197 Thanks: 4 Thanked 76 Times in 70 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (4/100% )	They're NA, so that should count. I count V8s as cheap horse power just because you buy the engine with high horse power with no effort on your end.