How high do you have to get the car to drop the motor? As I recall, ramps typically aren't high enough, though I think I saw pics of someone who was able to get the motor out of the bottom with the car on tall jack stands, though I couldn't tell exactly how tall they needed to be.
Thanks, -chris r.
The 2nd gen NA has more potential than most people give it credit for, mostly from handling. As a specific example, Paul Brown of Los Alamos, NM ran a '93 NA nationally for years in ES, and while he never won Nationals with it, he always placed in the top positions, several times in the top five. His wife won ESL. IIRC, he was running Konis and 225 or 245 Hoosiers (and driving it exceptionally well), and at local events he was always very well placed overall, and way faster (several seconds) than I could ever dream of being in my tweaked Mk. 1. So the engine may not rev, but it's torquey, and the handling can be outstanding - remember, though, his was a '93 with the factory tweaks, an earlier one could be more of a handful unless you want to play with the springs, swaybars, etc.
Biggest problem is finding decent street tires in the stock sizes.
In reply to intrepid:
Seems that it is video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbESuybq1i8
Test drove the Black Turbo MR2, garbage. There was no reading on the boost gauge, and it definitely felt as if the turbo was done. It was slower than the N/A I test drove yesterday! It was unbelievably hard to get it into gear and even to find the gears. Also there was a pretty bad oil burning smell after I drove it. Not buying that
The N/A looks like a good deal right now, going to check out #2 Turbo MR2 later today.
http://york.craigslist.org/cto/3933789038.html
Could drop the price depending on how bad the body is
So just been reading up on the BGB and MR2 forums for DIY maintenance that I might have to do. There is one belt on the outside that is cracked, is that the alternator belt?
I'm thinking if that is bad, the timing belt might be bad as well. If I buy it, I'll make sure by taking off the top timing cover
I own a 91 turbo that's all original and almost too nice to drive.
T-Tops: Get the Eccentric T-Top Guides from Twos R US. Fixes the problem right away for cheap.
The manual steering is fine in this car. The electronic power steering has really good feel too. They still use the same design in the prius.
Surprising but there are a lot of parts still available even from the dealers.
If you do the struts, get the right pin hole wrench. It makes the job so easy.
Also, I've never felt that the stock 91 was a handful. When I bought it, they had matching tires all of the way around which should make it worse. That whole myth was from young kids who bought the cars but didn't know MR driving dynamics and did stupid stuff. So they had to idiot proof the car in 93.
bmw88rider wrote: If you do the struts, get the right pin hole wrench. It makes the job so easy.
This. Thank you, Koni, for supplying a round nut, and making your inserts such that the factory gland nut (with sides! and corners!) won't fit.
Just an FYI. The wrench I have is armstrong PN 34-107. I guess the official name is a face spanner wrench. It's 1 1/2" on center.
Works like a champ.
Word, all noted.
Hmm he's not budging from 2900, my fault since I agreed to it on site.
I brought up the resurfacing of brakes, timing belt and work, AC belt, bla bla bla and offered 2600 max, but he was saying he bought it for 3K and dropped 400 on an ignition job.
Do you guys think I should go with 2900? I am taking a gamble with the condition of the timing belt which is what I'm most concerned about. It's a big dro from the 4K he listed but then again seems that he was trying to make a profit from the car. I'm sure he knew about the problems all along, after all he did take it to a shop. And he's selling it after 3 months of ownership
You agreed to 2900, he wants 2900. Is it still worth it?
I paid $2k for mine and easily dropped another $1k for assorted things. What happened to Turbo#2?
In reply to Jerry:
Hmm I'm feeling it's worth less. 2600 is appropriate, 2700 is fine if he'll do that.
That's my exact point, I will be dropping close to that amount to fix it up. Seller of Turbo #2 could not meet yesterday
I just listed my 93 turbo, will give a better price to a GRMer http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/cto/4020979429.html
To answer the question about how high do you lift the car, use an engine hoist and some chain across the rear strut mounts, lift it until the hoist arm is in the rafters! Drop the drivetrain on an old skateboard and pull. BTDT, first time is a bit@#. Good thing about mine is all the fun stuff was done less than 10K ago
Welp...after 6 months of working during the school year and 3 months of 40+ Hours a week during the summer I finally bought a car! Got a Naturally Aspirated 1991 MR2 with 177000 miles on it, and I love it. Got it for $2700
Yesterday evening my parents flipped ish, so I was uneasy that night. I wake up the next morning and my mom tells me to take her for a drive lol
That being said here are the pros & cons of the car
Things to be fixed:
Interior is ish, but I have to compromise somewhere.
Pros:
Here are the pics! My good camera's battery took a poop, so I can't use it :'(
Interior is poopy. Missing glove compartment and crappy headunit install. Gotta compensate somewhere for the price -shrug-
Pop Up headlights = :D
Just to get an idea of how low it is
The two steeds. Time for the I30 to go. It's been an awesome car, but ready to head in a new direction with the MR2
Yeah. Gotta get them brakes and belt done. Brakes are driving me nuts. OnceI take care of that, I want to get into Auto-X again and possibly Track Days with SCCA
Cleaned the gross interior:
Nice looking Two! fortunately, with the coil-overs you should be able to set the ride height where you want it. To get any real choice in high-performance tires, you'll probably have to go to larger diameter wheels, the stock 14s will pretty much limit you to Dunlops, and I think (without looking) the widest you can get are 195s, which are smaller than stock on the back.
I prefer the 1rst gen but nice looking ride for the $! And your comment about the interior to compensate? Right on the money. (And I thought that generation was at least 15" stock?)
14's for early cars, '93+ was 15"
Looks sweet. 2GR when you have the money, don't forget about brakes.
Nice! Congrats on the new rig. Slow in fast out till you get used to the mid engined thing. +1 on 2gr someday!
Thanks fellas! I have taken all of your advice and written them down as notes to refer to in the future
In reply to Jim Pettengill:
Yeah, I want to know if I can adjust stiffness. It's a bearable for me most of the time, but ultimately a jarring ride.
Word. The 14s are fine for now, I think they look good. But alrighty I'll write that down
In reply to Jerry:
Yeah, I don't care too much about interior. As long as exterior is nice and it's in decent mechanical condition
In reply to mr2peak:
2GR ha...that would be cool
Oh brakes for sure! Would you happen to know what company provides good brakes for MR2s?
In reply to carbon:
Yeah, I was driving it spiritedly on the way back. I'm pretty scared of it actually since I have never experienced oversteer and I know these cars are prone to it.
I want to get in some Auto-X days to understand its potential
Sal_the_man wrote: In reply to mr2peak: 2GR ha...that would be cool Oh brakes for sure! Would you happen to know what company provides good brakes for MR2s?
I'd look at upgrading to later turbo brakes, then jujust pads of your choice.
Theyre not cars that suffer fools, but if you are smooth and progressive with your inputs youll be ok. Mid engined cars tend to oversteer on decell, so be gentle on entries until you get used to it. You're less likely to spin it on corner exits, at least until you do your 2gr swap
The complexity of the driving experience is what makes these cars so special, you develop a relationship with them, you cant just hop in and drive 10/10ths, you need to learn the car.
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