AW11 MR2 prices

Most mint MR2 i've ever seen (w/160,000 miles and old lady owned) worthwhile at $5000 you guys think? Prices have been going up lately.

T-Tops and fully optioned.

They aren't there yet IMO but I wouldn't laugh at someone for paying that.

I know of one with 35k on it for $3500.

JamesMcD wrote: They aren't there yet IMO but I wouldn't laugh at someone for paying that. I know of one with 35k on it for $3500.

wow that's crazy, where is it located?

1-2k for a decent base models maybe 3k for a supercharged model.

.1 To 2k would only buy you a neglegted example, nothing approaching a nice car, and 3k wouldn't get you in the same ballpark for a supercharged version. I've made a career out of buying these it seems, and lately if you want a really nice example that doesn't need everything done to it, you're going to need 5 to 7k. Supercharged cars will start around 5k for decent ones. You can always find the oddballs out there, but that appears to be the trend.

the problem is that there are very few nice ones left.

In 2004, I sold my '88 SC which had 89k miles on it. I had bought it for $3k in '00 with 68k miles. I put about $1k into it with shocks and tires for Auto-x, etc. I sold it for $4k.
I would have loved to kept it but unemployment necessitated something had to go.
It was just starting to show some "bubble rust" at the wheel wells. I figured it was right at the point where it would loose value once those bubbles popped or at least it was going to require re-investment.
Had I kept it, I would have continued to spend $300 per year in insurance, plates, winter storage, etc not to mention repairs and updates.
Ten years later, here in 2014, I would have spent another $3k minimum in keeping it (and that is a low estimate.)
Sold it for $4k which was break-even (free car ownership.) To get that same break-even 10 years later would necessitate a minimum $7k sale price.
I miss the car and wish I still had it but I think the deal I got back in 2004 was still the best choice.

These prices seem very conservative compared to what I'm seeing. If you can find a rust free N/A one for 4-5 I think thats solid, and 6-8ish for a s/c. Look at where ae86s are.

In reply to carbon:

I'd have to agree. I think I lucked out on my 87 NA rust-free at $2k a few years ago. It needed a little TLC but could have easily been driven very well without. NA's can probably be found 3-5k pretty solid, SC's seem to be creeping up. Dammit.

Somebody has one listed here in the classifieds for $10k

Look at whats happening to collector car values. There's no reason the cars we like shouldnt appreciate as well.

Gee I guess I'm the loopy one.

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/cto/4316628659.html There's a sc one in Philly but it needs tlc it says

Right now there are two MR2s that i've found. I talked the guy down to $4000 (maybe can get less) but it has interior damage on the dash (easy to replace) and he said "worn paint" in some areas. But it's in Florida so that would mandate a $1000 shipping cost. I'm not paying $4000 for a car like that.

The one close is immaculate so clean that even the engine bay could pass a white glove test and has been garage kept and is down to $5000 right now. Despite that I like light blue metallic on the first car but I can't pass this up if i'm paying the same.

IMO anything more than $5000 on these cars, regardless if it's SC or not, is an outrageous price. You can get a MK3 car which has the same hp as the AW11 supercharged and weighs like 300-600 lbs less. Also you can get a AE86 for around that price in good condition which is considered to be a more desirable car. So many better options at higher than $5000 that you would have to want ONLY this car to pay more than that, which i don't. I even feel weird paying that much for one. I'm going to try to talk this guy to 4500 because of that.

Any ways i'm going to check this local car out this week and see how it goes.

the problem is that there are very few nice ones left.

This is the problem. I've seen many for like $2000 or less but they have severe paint and/or interior defects and if i'm looking for a clean car I cannot find one for that price.

This is for running examples of course.

Look at where ae86s are.

They are where they are for different reasons though. Much of the crowd that likes those don't care about MR2s at all. In fact they care so little they will buy a SC just to tear it apart for the engine.

Somebody has one listed here in the classifieds for $10k

Yeah but that is an insane price. I can buy a S2000 for that.

kanaric wrote:

JamesMcD wrote: They aren't there yet IMO but I wouldn't laugh at someone for paying that. I know of one with 35k on it for $3500.

wow that's crazy, where is it located?

It's in Illinois near St. Louis, but not in E. St. Louis. It belongs to a guy I work with. I guess I need to go look at it.

kanaric wrote: IMO anything more than $5000 on these cars, regardless if it's SC or not, is an outrageous price. You can get a MK3 car which has the same hp as the AW11 supercharged and weighs like 300-600 lbs less. Also you can get a AE86 for around that price in good condition which is considered to be a more desirable car. So many better options at higher than $5000 that you would have to want ONLY this car to pay more than that, which i don't. I even feel weird paying that much for one. I'm going to try to talk this guy to 4500 because of that.

You're applying logic to an emotional purchase. Why is a perfect condition AE86 worth $8K+? It's not a "better" car than an MR2, in many ways it is worse. An E30 M3 worth $30K? An E46 330 is a better car than both, but you can buy them for $6-8K.

Don't get me wrong, I wish logic ruled. I'd have a lot more beautiful old classics in my garage.

nepa03focus wrote: http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/cto/4316628659.html There's a sc one in Philly but it needs tlc it says

Either he swapped in an SC engine, it's really a '89, or he has no idea. Possibly 2 of 3 options.

Anyone want a restorable 88 (maybe wrong on the year) T top S/C for cheap? A friend of mine has one that is in need of some TLC but a very solid car. Very little rust, especially for Missouri. The only real downside is it is an auto but comes with a C series trans from a JDM Corolla.

Edit: Price should be like 1k or less. Located in central MO

Logic plays no role here. If that were the case, no old car would be worth anything. Mid year Corvettes would be worthless for example. It's all about emotion. Sure a S2K is a far better car, but not if what you really want is a MR2. The MR2 is a much different driving experience, and an emotional one, if like me, you had one back in the day and want to relive it. Personally, I'd pay $5k for a nice one over $2k for one needing work, especially bodywork as usually it far exceeds just buying a nice one to start with.

In reply to racerdave600:

I seem to remember the MR2 being decently spacious as far as seating accommodations vs. an S2000 which is a little cramped? I've never been in an S2000 and only drove an MR2 once but it didn't seem bad for just a driver & passenger.

MR2s are plenty spacious. The trunk and frunk on both generations are very usable, and there is enough slider room on the seats that my feet can't reach the pedals if they're all the way back. Much taller than six feet and helmeted headroom becomes a constraint.

I got a good deal on mine (87, T-Tops, Body with 187K and a replaced engine) with the notorious rust in one of the rear fenders. I was seeing it for over a year parked in the same yard. About a year later, and after some TLC, it's getting the timing done by an Mr2 fanatic after all the ignition was replaced. I sourced a mint fender and ready to get on.

If I were to calculate the money spent on it so far, I'd be crazy. I know that once it's road-worthy, not even 2K could rip it off my hands.

There is a great following with these toys. Get them while you can.

Jerry wrote:

nepa03focus wrote: http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/cto/4316628659.html There's a sc one in Philly but it needs tlc it says

Either he swapped in an SC engine, it's really a '89, or he has no idea. Possibly 2 of 3 options.

Good catch, I'm not gonna lie, I don't know too much about them other than I want one

SWMBO and I were talking about old japanese car values today. It's crazy to think how many truly special cars will be gone forever by the time people realize they were cool. I mean how many 77 celica liftbacks are left worth saving? how many nice ae86s how many aw11s? How many silvias? all told a couple hundred? Compare that to all the "rare" collector cars?

Zombie thread, but I thought I would update it since I ended up buying the low-mileage car I mentioned above (and I can't find the other thread I started when I bought it). I just got it licensed and drove it to work today. It's an '85 with 34,xxx on it...Needs some paint correction here and there, and has a few other minor issues. But it's solid and runs and drives really nice, as you'd expect. I paid $2,500, and plan to enjoy it for a year or so as I spruce it up, and then hopefully make a little profit when I sell it.

Stay close to mint stock and I think you can make a killing.