Tell me about the MR2 MkII

I've always liked the looks of the second-gen MR2, and I wonder if one might make a good DD and general fun car. If I got one, I'd want it to be an NA 5-speed car. Can anyone tell me what it's like to live with one of these cars? What kind of mileage they get, any problem areas, etc. And have I heard right that hardtops (no T-tops or targa) are incredibly rare?

Don't push on the gas until you know you won't have to lift off of it :]

I love the looks but got a Miata. After driving both the Miata felt like a sports car and the MR2 felt like I was getting groceries. That said I still love them....a lot!

Have you been to MR2OC Com?

Will wrote: I've always liked the looks of the second-gen MR2, and I wonder if one might make a good DD and general fun car. If I got one, I'd want it to be an NA 5-speed car. Can anyone tell me what it's like to live with one of these cars? What kind of mileage they get, any problem areas, etc. And have I heard right that hardtops (no T-tops or targa) are incredibly rare?

Hardtop turbos are rare, hardtop N/As aren't quite as rare, but still uncommon.

Many of the hardtop turbos you see started life as N/As.

They should get high 20s combined, over 30mpg highway.

Easy to live with, have surprising amounts of storage space. Comfy drivers.

No real problem areas, just look for rust and leaks. The 5sfe leaks when it's old, but it'll run forever leaking, just stay on top of it. The leather seats don't hold up that well to sunlight, but they're also what... 20 years old these days?

Great cars, i would love to have one as a daily.

Count on any one you find in need of a suspension freshening, so don't be too worried if you're underwhelmed in terms of handling on your test drives. They DO handle. They handle like crazy.

I'll check out that forum. Also, I'm not interested in a Miata--not my style.

It was a while ago, but I had a '91. 5spd N/A with t-tops. I also had several MKI cars too. By comparison, the MKII is much more of a "cruiser", not as nimble as the MKI, or an NA/NB Miata. But still a great car for daily use (I didn't use mine daily, but could have). The seats are great, they'll cruise the highway all day long, or you can have fun on back roads too. Storage space isn't bad, as long as you aren't expecting wagon like room. IIRC, I got something like 25-30mpg.

Like 92Celica said, I don't know of any major issues, except for rust and the bushings are probably worn out by now. They were pretty indestructible cars. I think some of the 5 speeds had issues with 5th gear pop out, or maybe that was the MKI??

Just keep in mind that one you find is likely to be 19-20 years old, so they're no spring chickens anymore. The '91-'92 is far and away the most common, from '93-'95 they sold far less each year...the '95 is really rare.

Yep, not as "nimble," they're bigger and heavier, but they generate a lot lot LOT of grip.

I look at it as a difference between a "toy" and a "tool." SW20 is a "tool."

I'm helping a friend with his MkII MR2 ('92). He LOVES it. It's significantly roomier and more comfortable than a NA Miata (he's big). The T-top is fun, but will still be suitable for winter, and the car handles great while providing plenty of storage and good fuel economy. The non-turbos are competitive auto-xers in stock class, so I wouldn't say they aren't nimble. Swaps are easy and plentiful: we're looking at an aluminum V6 from a Camry since his 5sfe is burning oil. The 2gr from the Sienna/Highlander also works, with about 275whp!

Drove an n/a 5 speed back when I had my p71. I like my p71 a lot more. Tons more.

N Sperlo wrote: Drove an n/a 5 speed back when I had my p71. I like my p71 a lot more. Tons more.

We are no longer long-lost brothers. I am disappoint.

5S-FE has oiling issues. I've blown one up because of that. (Well, okay, let's be honest - it got rod knock because of the oiling issue, it blew up because I was stubborn and insisted I could still drive it the 80 miles home).

Mk IIs are heavier than you'd think, too.

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote:

N Sperlo wrote: Drove an n/a 5 speed back when I had my p71. I like my p71 a lot more. Tons more.

We are no longer long-lost brothers. I am disappoint.

It may be because it was a piece or because he has just wrecked the TT Supra that daddy got him. Truthfully, I doubt the MR was in peak condition.

Have I won you back yet?

N Sperlo wrote: Drove an n/a 5 speed back when I had my p71. I like my p71 a lot more. Tons more.

Is that a car weight joke?

See, I've done the big car thing. CTS-V, Supercoupe, LS1 Z/28. I want to see what it's like to own a small-ish car. I can sell the CTS-V (my current DD), buy a Mk2, have $10k left over, and save money on gas, insurance, and consumables.

My dad has a CRX--a nice car, but I'd rather have RWD.

The Mk2 may be heavier than the Mk1, but I prefer the Mk2's looks, and I'm not buying the MR2 as a racecar. I guarantee that given the cars I'm used to, a Mk2 will seem tiny to me.

I appreciate all the responses so far. Please keep them coming.

You must go here! http://www.mr2oc.com/

Some of the most well-built cars ever to come out of Toyota. Over-engineered. Considering the age, relatively low production numbers and owner demo, there seems to still be a bunch in pretty good shape. Pretty safe too, considering their size.

Great cars. Mid engine handling and toyota engineering. Some things Don't buy one that has been hacked by bad mechanics. Go as stock as possible. T tops leak. Put it in a garage or carry towels. The NA ones are a good street choice. Lots of torque and good mileage but they don't rev well. Learn how to control oversteer as soon as you buy the car. It can and will bite you if you don't.

You can reseal the t-tops if you can't find a good hardtop or sunroof. If you're not going to use the car as a dedicated competition vehicle, I wouldn't worry too much about the type of top you get.

The 5S-FE was the 4cyl from the Camry, so replacement engines/parts are easy to find and relatively cheap. Power levels are obviously not overwhelming though (says the guy with a 1.6 na). If you get the hankering for more non-turbo power you can swap in the jdm 3S-GE "Beams" engine that was rated at 200hp. I always thought they should've brought that engine stateside instead.

As others have said, most need a suspension refreshing - just like any other car from the 90's. IMHO, mr2's are especially sensitive to worn bushings, balljoints, tie-rod ends, and dampers due to their weight distribution (and partly their macstrut suspension design). Once replaced it really transforms the car.

MR2s really underscore that Polyurethane bushings are crap. I really regretted installing them on my MR2. Poly bushings are all over the place unless they're loaded up. As a result, my car never drove 'straight' again. Again..this is just my experience with MR2s. Maybe they work better on other cars? If you need bushings, look for the TRD rubber bushings.

The tie rod ends and balljoints make a huge difference, and the MR2 is tough on rear balljoints. The upper mount on the front struts is often beat by this point.

what do you mean "all over the place" with the poly bushings? I have my Ti polybushed and it tracks as straight as it can (aside from accident damage)

Will wrote:

N Sperlo wrote: Drove an n/a 5 speed back when I had my p71. I like my p71 a lot more. Tons more.

Is that a car weight joke?

You made me LOL

If you like the way it looks, and you aren't worried about the weight, is there a more specific question you could ask. When I drove it, it didn't seem to have the pep I wanted

N Sperlo wrote:

Will wrote:

N Sperlo wrote: Drove an n/a 5 speed back when I had my p71. I like my p71 a lot more. Tons more.

Is that a car weight joke?

You made me LOL If you like the way it looks, and you aren't worried about the weight, is there a more specific question you could ask. When I drove it, it didn't seem to have the pep I wanted

Probably because they're high 15s cars at best.

Tyler H wrote: MR2s really underscore that Polyurethane bushings are crap. I really regretted installing them on my MR2. Poly bushings are all over the place unless they're loaded up. As a result, my car never drove 'straight' again. Again..this is just my experience with MR2s. Maybe they work better on other cars? If you need bushings, look for the TRD rubber bushings. The tie rod ends and balljoints make a huge difference, and the MR2 is tough on rear balljoints. The upper mount on the front struts is often beat by this point.

I've had completely the opposite experience with my mr2. I love the poly bushings and use them on my dd. Now, I didn't use them everywhere though. I only used them on the lower control arms & swaybars, where there was a pivot only in one axis. I used the TRD bushings for the front "radius" arms and elsewhere that needed more than 1 axis of movement. I've never had any problems.

For those out-of-the-know, the TRD bushings were a harder version of the stock rubber. Ultimately, I agree that they're the best all-around solution. The mk1 TRD bushings are out of production and extremely hard to find, so it's not a solution for everybody there. Not sure how available the mk2 bushings are.

I was pretty surprised to see the weight at 2700 pounds. That's a LOT more than a Miata!

dculberson wrote: I was pretty surprised to see the weight at 2700 pounds. That's a LOT more than a Miata!

They're a MUCH more solid car. They don't feel heavy, per se... but a properly maintained one should feel like it's been machined out of a solid piece of steel. Build quality is pretty incredible.

Like i said earlier, it's like "toy" vs. "tool."

Probably because they're high 15s cars at best.

A whopping half second behind a best-case-scenario p71, is what you're saying? hehe

Only p71 i ever raced was with my 3.5 intrepid. It was about even.