I'd actually been looking around for Mr2 Turbos, saw one had a blown engine but was otherwise mint listed for $7000 CDN. . . Within 24 hours it was (presumably) sold, as the ad was taken down. Five grand seems optimistic at best.
@@johndizon735 The thing is many Japanese cars are built smaller because tax incentives basically make it more appealing and affordable to own a small car.
Snap oversteer is fun if you're aware of it, and use it as a party trick. With the addition of a stiff rear sway bar, my MINI Cooper S would do it. Giggles all around.
It's controllable in the dry... but not in the wet... or if there's any bumps in the corners. I spun my MkI many times on any surface that wasn't perfectly smooth and dry.
Well to reduce the snap oversteer as far as i know is change your rear wheel with a wider one and change your bushing into polyurethane one, it should be better
First time I drove an early MR2, having been told the horror stories of snap oversteer, when it stepped out, it felt just like my first car an old aircooled beetle, no issue, just fun. Great fun, amazing car, only car I still regret selling. Definitely want one again years later.
If you want pop up headlights, and you should, buy a C5. The Corvette is not only quicker in a straight line than an MR2, its way more comfortable, has a way bigger trunk with the fastback, and most importantly it has modern traction control system that can and will prevent spinouts in the rain. Its way easier to drive a Vette fast without totally losing it and curbing your wheels than a MR2 which just isn't forgiving.
To reduce the snap oversteer, you have to change the rear wheel with a wider one and change the bushing into polyurethane, it will reduced pretty significant
It's already inevitably happening. With the Supras and NSX's appreciating into unattainable territory for many, people are looking to see what else is out there, and the Mr2 Turbo is a pretty appealing option.
I used to own a '93 MR2 with a 3S-GE engine. What a fantastic car it was! It still had the snap oversteer, but until you hit that narrow red line it was unbeatable by anything in its price range in any corner. Had a lot of fun with the Subaru Impreza owners losing the grip at 3/4 my speed.
The 5SFE in my 1991 celica is still going strong! I did personally replaced the valves and head gasket around 210k miles, was a fun project. Bottom end still holding up strong, doesnt burn any oil. Love how simple it was compared to working on newer cars. It has 252k miles on it now and still runs smooth. They don’t make them like this anymore.
I had the exact car except for sunroof instead of t-top, which was more rigid, and purchased it brand new for about $17k US. Mine had 130hp and 140 torque. It was fast for the time and far quicker than my 1995 Isuzu Impulse - I got plenty of speeding tickets when I owned it. Keep up the great reviews! This was an unexpected surprise this morning - thank you!
If you pour the oil with that bottle flipped the other way, it won’t “glug” near as bad. Just a tip for trying not to splash/waste engine oil. That’s why the bottle has that odd look to it.
I have an old friend who’s had a JDM turbo (’94 I think) SW20 for like 15 years and he’s done a ton of work to it.. I think nearly 400 hp last time he dyno’d it a couple weeks ago. It’s monstrous. Nearly crapped myself last time I was in there with him and that’s way back when it still had under 300 hp.
my 2 mr2s burned in a out of control forrest fire 2 months ago...watching this is emotional, they are getting more difficult to find coupled with financial difficulties that covid has brought the window of owning one has seemingly come to an end (after 20 years of alway having a mr2)....all i can say is these little cars have a great soul like no other and the slow 0-60 just means you get to hear that sweet sounding toyota engine a little longer in between shifts....i love the car being slow, they will always be my favorite car and a pure driving experience....highly recommend, never met an owner who didnt fall in love with them
This video pushed me over the edge on my decision to buy one. I was failing the last required class in my final semester of college and desperately needed a distraction. I got probably one of the last running, rust free, manual MR2s in the US before the prices skyrocketed. Had to compete with over 50 other guys messaging the owner after only hours of being listed. (I blame this video for that). It was very worn, and had sat outside as a pellet gun target for years. Owner had rescued it and got it running but gave up on restoring it because it was too expensive to be worth it. I paid a lot of money for it considering its condition. Never having driven stick shift before, I barely got it home. The car completely died less than 300 miles later due to the former owner putting the wrong alternator in the car and got stranded on the highway in the middle of the night. Limped it home with 5 jumpstarts and started pulling it apart after realizing I couldn't afford to take it to the shop. I started to think I made a mistake spending 80% of my savings on this. But the more I worked on it and the more I drove it, the more I fell in love with it. After fixing it and spending a day at the track (and snap oversteering), instead of looking for a way to sell it, I started looking at how I could buy another one. My shiny red Monte Carlo SS that I spent thousands improving gets put in the back of the driveway and the beat up MR2 is my new favorite. Its everything I hoped it would be and more. I can't justify spending more than the entire cost of the car to fully restore it, but I can have a lot of fun driving it the way it is and give this car the life it deserves. You have to drive it to really understand. Its the most visceral driving experience you will ever get. Everytime my little brother says "tHaTs A cOoL mUsTaNg" I say, "If I won it in a raffle, I'd sell it and buy 3 MR2s".
I used to have a white 93 na mr2 payed 5k for it. It was slow but damn was it a fun little car. It's hard to find them at 5k in working condition anymore. The 90's were Toyota's golden years honestly.
My first car was an '87 MR2. A relative bought it brand new. I always enjoyed riding in it and later driving it. There was something about it that just made you smile. Man, I miss that car!!!
That MR2 is sweet, and it's also awesome that the owner was driving it and keeping it strong at that high mileage. We gotta get you guys in a ST185 AllTrac or GT-Four or ST205 GT-Four.
A few years ago, a friend of mine had a mark ii mr2 with oversized injectors and an oversized, aftermarket turbo. Violent acceleration and an average mpg of 8. Very fun car.
I've been looking for a decent condition MR2 to do a 2GR-FSE swap, the cheapest one I can find in my area is a 91 with 150K on it for $16,750 US. None of the sellers will budge. Thanks throttle house for inflating a bunch of fricken egos
Great video, I want to power slide mine now. I picked mine up a few months ago for £880. It has 270,000 miles and the 3sge engine, not much wrong with it either.
3 years ago is when I found my current 1991 MR2, myself being the 2nd owner, for $3,000 USD, an absolute bargain. Same spec, even with the same upgraded steering wheel, but mine has power steering. I've put a total of $900 into in in 3 years, saving up and collecting parts for likely the same 2GR V6 swap as your friend's. They are fantastic, and still an absolute bargain compared to some of the Japanese alternatives of the era. This is my 3rd MR2, still have my '85 I am swapping in the turbo drivetrain from the 2nd gen for rallycross. Scored that one from an insurance auction for $500 and fixed it back up. Enjoyed the video, and you guys nailed the review of this one. Cheers!
I just turned 46 and I am on my 7th MR2. These cars are AMAZINGLY-FUN and I have found my happy place with a '95 JDM NA. My last one was a USDM turbo and I find the JDM NA to be just more fun. Fun-fact: The JDM NA had about 43ish more HP than the USDM, so it really bridges the gap between the USDM NA and turbo. I also paid about $10K for a mint and lower-mile 92 NA (USDM) last year, so expect these to get even more expensive.
Had the chance to drive one of these about a year ago. Excellent car, really. That one was in a similarly worn, but very useable shape, and it's exactly how I like them. They are meant to be hooned around. They have this old Japanese style and that makes you feel like this car will never ever break down, therefore you don't feel sorry to drive it like a maniac. I drive an E36 with more power (slightly modded 28i) and a well-built suspension kit, but I enjoyed this car just as much if not more when I tried it. Unfortunately I could not find any for a good price since then, I guess your market has more of these. Where I live, their price already went up high enough that I didn't buy one. Yet.
I bought a 1986 MK. 1 MR2 from a friend you have up on the project. Sold it to me for $750, and so far, I got the car running and replacing things that the car needed, but can't wait to complete it.
This is probably the perfect car for me right now. I'm a Toyota guy, my mom has driven RAV4s since I was 3, it's cheap, it's reliable, it looks good and most importantly, pop up headlights.
$5k? These RUclipsrs always seem to find “the best deals” or “the cheapest ---available in North America”...Kinda reminds me of the pricing of houses on Love it or List it...I’m not even gonna start with Hoovie.
Hoovie obviously trys to find the cheapest cars I mean he spends ages in trying to find them and stuff and then gets em and has to fix some stuff he calls them hoopties for a reason and where I am finding a mr2 2nd gen over here is very easy under 5k
@@triplefart I'm in the UK and tbh I do look atc ars for sale 5+ hours a day most days but I quite commonly see n/a gen 2 mr2s for sale for about the 5k mark
I had a '92 NA MR2, same everything in Aquamarine Pearl. No power steering, no abs, nothing, ALL snap oversteer.. lol And when I got this car, I had NOT ever owned RWD, nor mid-engine before. There were many skids, and 'a lot of poo has come out'. lol I miss that old girl. I had a lot of fun in that car. And look, it leaks oil as well. Could it be the dreaded known issue of faulty valve guide seals? That's what did mine in.. it was fine, just keep an eye on the oil. Thankfully my 2017 BRZ lets me relive a bit of my youth and a whole lot of rwd fun again. :) Thanks for the memories guys, and to you Greg, keep the old girl alive for us that don't have ours anymore!
My favorite design element on this car is actually that black strip that runs around the mid-section, it just induces fond nostalgia for the time period in me. The Mk. II MR2 here has this feature, the Mk. III Supra has it, the pre-91 C4 Corvette has it, the Fiero has it, the F40 has it, the F50 has it.
Spun my MR2 numerous times. Most times completely alone with no problems. Once through a fence sideways causing 2k of damage to the car. But mine was a 300bhp turbo on square tyres. There's a reason they fitted staggered wheels on the rev2 onwards. Fixed the damage, fitted staggers tyres, different car.
I've been in a deep stress in the past two months and i didn't know how to release that but just watching these videos brightened me by a lot my enthusiasm and their performance is just 😩😩😩
Sarah N Tuned has already shown how awesome this car can be with some serious love and work put into it. CORRECTION: hers was the turbo version, but still, one of the best examples of an MR2 you will ever see.
I know this video is old, but god I recently fell in love with this car, I just turned 18, I plan on making it my first car, maybe it’s a mistake but I love it man, I can’t wait
Thanks for the videos, hope you and yours are staying healthy. Loved the MR2, much underappreciated "pocket rocket". Would claim the niche like Miata - just fun to drive. The Fiero would have been fun, but Toyota's reliability and knowing the MR2 engine was modified for use by the Lotus.
I'm always coming back to this video, it's what convinced me to buy my '91 turbo. I can see now how your friend spent $16k in work, a timing belt alone is a $2-3k job done professionally. Not easy to work on but my god is it a blast out on the road
Here in Italy you can find for 6/7K€ only the latter gen without pop-ups. This former gen is already up in value, starting from 13/15K€ (Which I believe is close to 20K Canadian)
My favorite part is "This is a 1991 MR2" as the camera pans to the back of the car and it blows a big blue smoke out the the tail pipes....burning a little oil there? LOL
I owned one, swapped from a 156hp na angine to a brandnew 3SGTE Turbo, tuned to 420hp. The Turbo was like 60 cm from your ear and you could hear everey rev it made. The Blowoff stroked your weiner into oblivion. 2 foot flames frome the Exhaust. 3,9 sec 1-100 km/h. Absolute bonkers.... and absolutely brillant! Never drove a ride like that again.
I have a question about an mr2 or mainly any sports car because I love the mr2 design but I wanna know if I could turn an mr2 into a 5 seater so me and my friends can chill in?
I had one in the same colour. And one in blue before that :) Might not be fast, but its the most fun I ever had going 'slow' :) I also think its fairly good looking. With the NA version, the snap overtseer wasn't that bad actually. They are right, this really is 'the cheapest version of a sportcar'
I’ve had two MR2 SW20’S for 10+ years now. Started with a N/A and loved it. Have a Turbo now and absolutely love it. Ferrari and Lamborghini have always been my dream cars. But the MR2 is by far the best car I’ve ever had. I wouldn’t even swap it for a supercar. If you get the opportunity to buy one. Get it. What a great car. Cool video was very entertaining.
Autocrossed one for a year. Wonderful handling with fresh suspension and correct alignment. I would argue my current daily driver is more fun to drive on the road though. ‘04 Mini Cooper S with JCW kit I bought for less than $5k.
got my MR2 Turbo back in 2012 for $3500. Clean title original engine and motor. Still driving it in 2020 with the same motor and turbo! all stock since ive owned it.
I owned one of these '91 non-turbo in black. I was loads of fun. It lasted forever too. Had it while in college and beyond. Drove it from Florida to Lousiana more times than I can remember and later on between Austin, TX and Lousiana. The thing was pretty bullet proof BUT that tail end sure did love to come loose. On several occasions dangerously so.
@@2grmr2 I have no clue how many miles are on my 1990 Turbo. That cable snapped for the last time a very long time ago and it went a long period of time before with no speedometer cable. I’ve got a electronic dash but I’ve yet to hook it up.
If it's been said once, I'll say it again myself; it's more fun to drive a slow car fast, than a fast car slow. Ringing out a small lightweight low horsepower car in daily driving is far more satisfying than driving a powerful car where, unless you can get yourself to a track often enough, you'll always either be driving at only about 10% of it's capability, attracting undue attention from the Fuzz, or end up wrapping it around a tree or into a wall somewhere! I love cars like these MR2s or MIatas, original Civic/CRX Sis, etc. My daily is a 2012 Fit Sport and it drives like my first car a 89 Civic Si I had in 93-99. Drives and handles like a go-cart in all the right ways!
My friend has had several (still does, since the broken one lives next to his driveway). His working MR2 has close to 500 wheel horsepower on race gas. It’s a monster.
Owned a 1986 and 1992. Hard to describe the fun every mile delivered. One should own one while young. Cheap to own too. Just watch out for the many trucks and SUV’s that do not see you at times. Go karts for adults.
Despite the avid fans of these car saying that they are all about handling and feel, I personally think they would sell more if they had more power. Maybe a 2L turbo 4 with around 250hp and good torque would be fantastic and not much heavier.
First the MKIV and now this!? My teenage self from 15 years ago is giddy as hell. Can't wait for a video on an FD RX-7. Listening to Thomas give a break down on the Wankel engine is what dreams are made of
in my region of Canada, they are called Selicah... like Tom Selick-ah. I know other regions call them Se-lee-ka, and I think the name originated because the Japanese were trying to evoke celestial grandeur, so that one makes sense.
You guys should drive a 1991 Celica awd All Trac, comes with a 200hp turbo 2.0l. My brother has one and he has had it for about 15 years, he's put in about 25 grand, didn't over night parts from japan but does make 400 wheel hp. This thing is so unique, not many were made and if you get the chance to drive one I promise Thomas will want to buy one.
"Hey, Greg. Can we use your car for a show?"
"Sure. Replace the tires, brakes, clutch, pay for the oil, and fill it up when done."
😂 When the cheapest car costs the most to review!
"Could you drop in a new transmission while you're at it?"
Oh, and remember to fix the blue exhaust smoke.
“Also while you’re at it go ahead and give it a detail”
Typical old Toyota owner
The favorite part of the opener is seeing James hit his helmet on the i8😂
My favorite too😂😂
Bang bang bang..😂
Haha such a solid thud
Never gets old
bang bang - easy as that😂
They best way to spend $5000, if you can find one for that price 😂😂
True ,would be a miracle 😀
Yeah the cheapest one you can find for at least 10K
I'd actually been looking around for Mr2 Turbos, saw one had a blown engine but was otherwise mint listed for $7000 CDN. . . Within 24 hours it was (presumably) sold, as the ad was taken down. Five grand seems optimistic at best.
Maybe an NA rust bucket. Turbo ones in good condition go for 2-3x that much
@@howzertech2222 I can confirm. I paid $5k for mine, and it has a 7x11 inch rust hole under the frunk lol
"The Miata is arguably more beautiful" wtf did I just hear? This is probably one of the best JDM designs ever
okay, while the mr2 is beautiful, especially the 2nd gen, the miata also looks nice because of its cute look
Miata looks too small imo
Sw20 is a beautiful chassis. Miatas aren’t bad fun to drive.
@@johndizon735 Was always a problem of mine. A JDM sports car should have some density and stance to it.
@@johndizon735 The thing is many Japanese cars are built smaller because tax incentives basically make it more appealing and affordable to own a small car.
*”look no snap oversteer”* ... Famous last words
Usually happens from panicking and getting off the throttle in a corner. Wrecked my 91 turbo that way. I blame myself completely.
Snap oversteer is fun if you're aware of it, and use it as a party trick. With the addition of a stiff rear sway bar, my MINI Cooper S would do it. Giggles all around.
It's controllable in the dry... but not in the wet... or if there's any bumps in the corners. I spun my MkI many times on any surface that wasn't perfectly smooth and dry.
@@dougrobinson8602 haven't driven one, but heard the cooper works minis have great lift off oversteer
Well to reduce the snap oversteer as far as i know is change your rear wheel with a wider one and change your bushing into polyurethane one, it should be better
Guys, stop driving up the value of these things. Not before I buy one.
Dude get one i have a 93 it’s in my profile pic best car ever
Right? I was planing to get a right hand drive 30,000 mile for like 10k... Doubt that will be the case come summer
@@NoOne-py5or yeah unfortunately prices for a clean low miles is up in the teens to 20s or more
@@MRIIMKII found one for 14,000 atm if it stays there I might try to pick it up and try to talk em down
@@NoOne-py5or have you ever owned one?
First time I drove an early MR2, having been told the horror stories of snap oversteer, when it stepped out, it felt just like my first car an old aircooled beetle, no issue, just fun.
Great fun, amazing car, only car I still regret selling. Definitely want one again years later.
That guy is wrong!!! The MR2 is a total classic timeless design!! I love it!
James: "The weight distribution is right here!"
**Points downward to his lap after performing a powerslide** 😂
*I came here cuz the MR2 has..............Pop up, up and down headliiiiiight! Pop up, up and down headlights uh. We want the song back!!*
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Lighting Lightning Lightning! ⚡⚡⚡
Mo Powa baby
From another channel:
"Headlights go up! *giggle*
Headlights go down. *chuckle*
Headlights go up, Headlights go down.
UPDOWNUPDOWNUPDOWN--"
If you want pop up headlights, and you should, buy a C5. The Corvette is not only quicker in a straight line than an MR2, its way more comfortable, has a way bigger trunk with the fastback, and most importantly it has modern traction control system that can and will prevent spinouts in the rain. Its way easier to drive a Vette fast without totally losing it and curbing your wheels than a MR2 which just isn't forgiving.
To reduce the snap oversteer, you have to change the rear wheel with a wider one and change the bushing into polyurethane, it will reduced pretty significant
How much wider?
@@kzukiodenthechad7205 an inch
I put a squared tire setup, with skinnier tires on the back - no more "snap," just oversteer.
@@kzukiodenthechad7205 I went from a 205mm to a 245mm in the rear but tbh a good alignment and good bushes make a bigger effect to snap oversteer
@@infidel900rr the recommended is a staggered set-up of 215in the front and 235 in the rear
The best MR2 generation‼️
AW11 gang!!
@@josiahs9559 zzw30 gang :D
Spyder gang
Definitely. I’m never selling my 1990 Turbo
Slightly biased (ZZW30 gang) but miss my old SW20 turbo. The AW11 is awesome cause it’s the OG of em all
Yall gonna drive up the price of these like the rest of the old 90s japanese sports cars.
I checked Japanese auctio s the other day and these are already selling for $15k over there. Better grab a cheap one while you can.
It's already inevitably happening. With the Supras and NSX's appreciating into unattainable territory for many, people are looking to see what else is out there, and the Mr2 Turbo is a pretty appealing option.
@@howzertech2222 not the N/A cars
Y’all? Including yourself being an enthusiast you mean?
It’s crazy they cost £5000 now, 10 years ago you could find one for £2000! Anyway, I understand because it is an amazing car.
How can you say the MR2 is not timeless?! Of course it's bloody timeless! It's amazing!
I'VE BEEN HOPING FOR AN MR2 REVIEW EVER SINCE THE GTR REVIEW
ruclips.net/video/ZRUNMVGQKeQ/видео.html
Literally in the middle of looking for this as my first car
I used to own a '93 MR2 with a 3S-GE engine. What a fantastic car it was! It still had the snap oversteer, but until you hit that narrow red line it was unbeatable by anything in its price range in any corner. Had a lot of fun with the Subaru Impreza owners losing the grip at 3/4 my speed.
I used to favor The Straight Pipes. But somehow you guys have caught that more "genuine" flavor and I love it.
The 5SFE in my 1991 celica is still going strong! I did personally replaced the valves and head gasket around 210k miles, was a fun project. Bottom end still holding up strong, doesnt burn any oil. Love how simple it was compared to working on newer cars. It has 252k miles on it now and still runs smooth. They don’t make them like this anymore.
Shall we take a moment to appreciate these guys amazing intros? 👍🏻
I had one of these for 23 hours, aquaplaned it into a fiat multipla! ... so I Bought another one the next day, Loved them both!
I had the exact car except for sunroof instead of t-top, which was more rigid, and purchased it brand new for about $17k US. Mine had 130hp and 140 torque. It was fast for the time and far quicker than my 1995 Isuzu Impulse - I got plenty of speeding tickets when I owned it. Keep up the great reviews! This was an unexpected surprise this morning - thank you!
If you pour the oil with that bottle flipped the other way, it won’t “glug” near as bad. Just a tip for trying not to splash/waste engine oil. That’s why the bottle has that odd look to it.
I was like legit 27 when someone shown me that..
@@ZackNakazora1 yeah, I learned that when I was mid 20’s. It’s a helpful thing!
🤯 can't wait to try it out now
@@Momo_8k hopefully not often! Lol
@@cmsweitzer1 I did have a deuce (MR2) in my younger days. Mid 2000's I had a Subaru. It was often enough 😂
I have an old friend who’s had a JDM turbo (’94 I think) SW20 for like 15 years and he’s done a ton of work to it.. I think nearly 400 hp last time he dyno’d it a couple weeks ago. It’s monstrous. Nearly crapped myself last time I was in there with him and that’s way back when it still had under 300 hp.
still can't believe James wasn't a bigger fan of the styling. I think this is one of the most beautiful Japanese cars ever. it absolutely IS timeless!
ahhhh the 90's what a good time it was.
my 2 mr2s burned in a out of control forrest fire 2 months ago...watching this is emotional, they are getting more difficult to find coupled with financial difficulties that covid has brought the window of owning one has seemingly come to an end (after 20 years of alway having a mr2)....all i can say is these little cars have a great soul like no other and the slow 0-60 just means you get to hear that sweet sounding toyota engine a little longer in between shifts....i love the car being slow, they will always be my favorite car and a pure driving experience....highly recommend, never met an owner who didnt fall in love with them
As a SW20 owner, this is a pretty honest review of the platform. Thanks for the cool video.
This video pushed me over the edge on my decision to buy one. I was failing the last required class in my final semester of college and desperately needed a distraction. I got probably one of the last running, rust free, manual MR2s in the US before the prices skyrocketed. Had to compete with over 50 other guys messaging the owner after only hours of being listed. (I blame this video for that). It was very worn, and had sat outside as a pellet gun target for years. Owner had rescued it and got it running but gave up on restoring it because it was too expensive to be worth it. I paid a lot of money for it considering its condition. Never having driven stick shift before, I barely got it home. The car completely died less than 300 miles later due to the former owner putting the wrong alternator in the car and got stranded on the highway in the middle of the night. Limped it home with 5 jumpstarts and started pulling it apart after realizing I couldn't afford to take it to the shop. I started to think I made a mistake spending 80% of my savings on this. But the more I worked on it and the more I drove it, the more I fell in love with it. After fixing it and spending a day at the track (and snap oversteering), instead of looking for a way to sell it, I started looking at how I could buy another one. My shiny red Monte Carlo SS that I spent thousands improving gets put in the back of the driveway and the beat up MR2 is my new favorite. Its everything I hoped it would be and more. I can't justify spending more than the entire cost of the car to fully restore it, but I can have a lot of fun driving it the way it is and give this car the life it deserves. You have to drive it to really understand. Its the most visceral driving experience you will ever get. Everytime my little brother says "tHaTs A cOoL mUsTaNg" I say, "If I won it in a raffle, I'd sell it and buy 3 MR2s".
Was reliable until Thomas and James got ahold of it 🤣
Absolutely buy one!! I bought one two years back, same style N/A model and its such a riot to drive!! Truly a car I will never give up.
I used to have a white 93 na mr2 payed 5k for it. It was slow but damn was it a fun little car. It's hard to find them at 5k in working condition anymore. The 90's were Toyota's golden years honestly.
Lamborghini Countach, Gallardo, and NSX owner here. I LOVE my Gen 4 Turbo MR2. Easy to live with, over 300hp, fun to flog and cheap to fix.
You guys are my favorite, not only do you upload pretty fast but the quality is always great. I absolutely love Thortle Horse
My first car was an '87 MR2. A relative bought it brand new. I always enjoyed riding in it and later driving it. There was something about it that just made you smile. Man, I miss that car!!!
I have an 88. It's fun but other cars can't see you so you have to be very careful.
These old school car reviews are what I live for!
That MR2 is sweet, and it's also awesome that the owner was driving it and keeping it strong at that high mileage. We gotta get you guys in a ST185 AllTrac or GT-Four or ST205 GT-Four.
I snap oversteered a Corolla into a ditch once. Felt proud.
93-97 corolla? Sounds accurate
@@bryan10444 Ha, no, a 2011!
My first car was a mid engine 1974 Fiat X1/9. 0-60 in around 15 seconds, but with world class handling. It was a blast.
I've always wanted on one of them. A mate got one in the early 90s and I loved it.
Having had an MR2 it seems like a perfect classic.
“If the price goes up bc of this video...”
“Uploaded 4 hours ago”
Well, I guess I missed my chance
A few years ago, a friend of mine had a mark ii mr2 with oversized injectors and an oversized, aftermarket turbo. Violent acceleration and an average mpg of 8. Very fun car.
When y’all going to do a s2000 review
When they hire the next new guy.
@@VAspeed3 XD
One of the best rides Honda produced
@@CampusSouth I have one myself I just wanna see there opinion on it
I've been looking for a decent condition MR2 to do a 2GR-FSE swap, the cheapest one I can find in my area is a 91 with 150K on it for $16,750 US. None of the sellers will budge. Thanks throttle house for inflating a bunch of fricken egos
Great video, I want to power slide mine now. I picked mine up a few months ago for £880. It has 270,000 miles and the 3sge engine, not much wrong with it either.
3 years ago is when I found my current 1991 MR2, myself being the 2nd owner, for $3,000 USD, an absolute bargain. Same spec, even with the same upgraded steering wheel, but mine has power steering. I've put a total of $900 into in in 3 years, saving up and collecting parts for likely the same 2GR V6 swap as your friend's. They are fantastic, and still an absolute bargain compared to some of the Japanese alternatives of the era. This is my 3rd MR2, still have my '85 I am swapping in the turbo drivetrain from the 2nd gen for rallycross. Scored that one from an insurance auction for $500 and fixed it back up. Enjoyed the video, and you guys nailed the review of this one. Cheers!
When someone can’t afford an NSX u get this. I’m someone. Someone is me.
*Cries.
I used to own an NSX and now a turbo swapped 1993 MR2. It’s honestly a great replacement
I’d rather keep my 1990 Turbo than own an NSX.
@@negativeindustrial Have you ever owned an NSX, or are you just trolling?
@@paulc.9871
I’ve driven them plenty. I wouldn’t own a non-Turbo MR2 for the same reasons.
I just turned 46 and I am on my 7th MR2. These cars are AMAZINGLY-FUN and I have found my happy place with a '95 JDM NA. My last one was a USDM turbo and I find the JDM NA to be just more fun. Fun-fact: The JDM NA had about 43ish more HP than the USDM, so it really bridges the gap between the USDM NA and turbo. I also paid about $10K for a mint and lower-mile 92 NA (USDM) last year, so expect these to get even more expensive.
Had the chance to drive one of these about a year ago. Excellent car, really. That one was in a similarly worn, but very useable shape, and it's exactly how I like them. They are meant to be hooned around. They have this old Japanese style and that makes you feel like this car will never ever break down, therefore you don't feel sorry to drive it like a maniac. I drive an E36 with more power (slightly modded 28i) and a well-built suspension kit, but I enjoyed this car just as much if not more when I tried it. Unfortunately I could not find any for a good price since then, I guess your market has more of these. Where I live, their price already went up high enough that I didn't buy one. Yet.
I bought a 1986 MK. 1 MR2 from a friend you have up on the project. Sold it to me for $750, and so far, I got the car running and replacing things that the car needed, but can't wait to complete it.
You can just keep reviewing this car over and over. Maybe a Throttle House version of Money Pit?
I own 91 mr2 turbo with beefed up suspension for 8 years and I love it
Hahah the intros these dudes come up with 🤣
Yep,lol
ruclips.net/video/ZRUNMVGQKeQ/видео.html
This is probably the perfect car for me right now. I'm a Toyota guy, my mom has driven RAV4s since I was 3, it's cheap, it's reliable, it looks good and most importantly, pop up headlights.
“You wanna buy every $5000 car you drive”😂😂😂 Brilliant!
LOVED my old MR2, wish I never sold it! Low speed skids was the name of the game.
$5k? These RUclipsrs always seem to find “the best deals” or “the cheapest ---available in North America”...Kinda reminds me of the pricing of houses on Love it or List it...I’m not even gonna start with Hoovie.
To be fair, Hoovie lives in BFE with bad weather, so any weird niche car that goes up for sale within 250 miles probably has only one potential buyer
Hoovie obviously trys to find the cheapest cars I mean he spends ages in trying to find them and stuff and then gets em and has to fix some stuff he calls them hoopties for a reason and where I am finding a mr2 2nd gen over here is very easy under 5k
@@Echothefox2 where?
@@triplefart I'm in the UK and tbh I do look atc ars for sale 5+ hours a day most days but I quite commonly see n/a gen 2 mr2s for sale for about the 5k mark
a 5k NA is too much, i have found like 20 mr2s for under 4k in my area
I had a '92 NA MR2, same everything in Aquamarine Pearl. No power steering, no abs, nothing, ALL snap oversteer.. lol And when I got this car, I had NOT ever owned RWD, nor mid-engine before. There were many skids, and 'a lot of poo has come out'. lol I miss that old girl. I had a lot of fun in that car. And look, it leaks oil as well. Could it be the dreaded known issue of faulty valve guide seals? That's what did mine in.. it was fine, just keep an eye on the oil. Thankfully my 2017 BRZ lets me relive a bit of my youth and a whole lot of rwd fun again. :)
Thanks for the memories guys, and to you Greg, keep the old girl alive for us that don't have ours anymore!
I have a Supercharged MK1 mr2 if u guys want to review it. It is an automatic though, it was all I could find. Still fun
I love those supercharged wedges. Such a cool car
Auto is way more rare than the manual
My favorite design element on this car is actually that black strip that runs around the mid-section, it just induces fond nostalgia for the time period in me. The Mk. II MR2 here has this feature, the Mk. III Supra has it, the pre-91 C4 Corvette has it, the Fiero has it, the F40 has it, the F50 has it.
0:43 blue smoke :D not a good sign
Valve seals. Put a quart of Lucas Stop Leak in it with every oil change, hit it once or twice with my purse and it's off to the races again!
5S-FEs just do that. No point in fixing it. A 3S-GTE (Or a V6 for some odd reason) will eventually replace it. No MR2 stays 5S-FE forever.
@@negativeindustrial hey 2gr turbo is the future!😂
Adobe Lumetri color correction
@@negativeindustrial hell ya. I had a 5S-FE camry that puffed smoke for 50,000 miles with no big issues 😂
Spun my MR2 numerous times. Most times completely alone with no problems. Once through a fence sideways causing 2k of damage to the car. But mine was a 300bhp turbo on square tyres. There's a reason they fitted staggered wheels on the rev2 onwards. Fixed the damage, fitted staggers tyres, different car.
When I heard double clutch my mind went "GRaNnY ShIFTinG NoT DoUBLE CLutcHINg LikE YoU SHoUld!"
I own 2 NA 2nd gen MR2"s and I don't HAVE TO DOUBLE CLUTCH both cars shift just fine, Excellent cars, fun to drive.
I've been in a deep stress in the past two months and i didn't know how to release that but just watching these videos brightened me by a lot my enthusiasm and their performance is just 😩😩😩
Sarah N Tuned has already shown how awesome this car can be with some serious love and work put into it. CORRECTION: hers was the turbo version, but still, one of the best examples of an MR2 you will ever see.
When she was done it's a very nice car. It was a basket case when she started, with mix and match wiring.
This is one of my favorite Throttle Houses, it really came together well. Was actually touching how James talked about the MR2.
The good thing of not sleeping it’s watching this video👌🏼
Facts 7am no sleep
I know this video is old, but god I recently fell in love with this car, I just turned 18, I plan on making it my first car, maybe it’s a mistake but I love it man, I can’t wait
Thanks for the videos, hope you and yours are staying healthy. Loved the MR2, much underappreciated "pocket rocket". Would claim the niche like Miata - just fun to drive. The Fiero would have been fun, but Toyota's reliability and knowing the MR2 engine was modified for use by the Lotus.
My dad had an 86’ MR2! I love that one because it was more blocky than round!
New intro! I love it!
I'm always coming back to this video, it's what convinced me to buy my '91 turbo. I can see now how your friend spent $16k in work, a timing belt alone is a $2-3k job done professionally. Not easy to work on but my god is it a blast out on the road
16k I better be at 500hp
How is the snap oversteer? I’d like to buy a ‘91
A decent MR2 is going cost you more than 5k in the states
Cheapest car in Ontario is 9k for a 85 model. Only 2nd gen is a 91 turbo for 17k.
I’ve got a pristine 91 NA for sale for 6500
Here in Italy you can find for 6/7K€ only the latter gen without pop-ups. This former gen is already up in value, starting from 13/15K€ (Which I believe is close to 20K Canadian)
I just bought two turbos for $3k five years ago. Can’t do that now.
Even in Canada, we got no way to find a decent one under 7k.
It has the same design as the NSX with the trunk and the engine in the back and then an empty space at the front. The design of this is gorgeous
My favorite part is "This is a 1991 MR2" as the camera pans to the back of the car and it blows a big blue smoke out the the tail pipes....burning a little oil there? LOL
They all do. No worries
I owned one, swapped from a 156hp na angine to a brandnew 3SGTE Turbo, tuned to 420hp. The Turbo was like 60 cm from your ear and you could hear everey rev it made. The Blowoff stroked your weiner into oblivion. 2 foot flames frome the Exhaust. 3,9 sec 1-100 km/h. Absolute bonkers.... and absolutely brillant! Never drove a ride like that again.
I have a question about an mr2 or mainly any sports car because I love the mr2 design but I wanna know if I could turn an mr2 into a 5 seater so me and my friends can chill in?
or is there a different model of the mr2 that can seat 5 or 4 people
I had one in the same colour. And one in blue before that :) Might not be fast, but its the most fun I ever had going 'slow' :) I also think its fairly good looking. With the NA version, the snap overtseer wasn't that bad actually.
They are right, this really is 'the cheapest version of a sportcar'
I’ve had two MR2 SW20’S for 10+ years now. Started with a N/A and loved it. Have a Turbo now and absolutely love it. Ferrari and Lamborghini have always been my dream cars. But the MR2 is by far the best car I’ve ever had. I wouldn’t even swap it for a supercar. If you get the opportunity to buy one. Get it. What a great car. Cool video was very entertaining.
That engine is also in the celica gt , and gts, not just the Camry.
It's in my 1991 Celica GT-S. Durable beyond belief....but unlike the MR2 it's heavy as hell at 3100 lbs. 135hp 2.2L
Lol the xv20 camry
Autocrossed one for a year. Wonderful handling with fresh suspension and correct alignment. I would argue my current daily driver is more fun to drive on the road though. ‘04 Mini Cooper S with JCW kit I bought for less than $5k.
Yes, finally they did my request. Thank you.
got my MR2 Turbo back in 2012 for $3500. Clean title original engine and motor. Still driving it in 2020 with the same motor and turbo! all stock since ive owned it.
greg: buys it for 3200, spends 16 GRAND on it, and now its worth 6000 bucks
maths: am i joke to you?
Aaaand its totaled.... aaand it's totaled again.... aaand its a money pit.
this car definitely doesn't have 16k invested. was definitely a misunderstanding.
@@MrRanpastrana maybe 16k after the v6 swap
@@MrRanpastrana Yes, probably 16hundred or thereabout
Absolutely one of my all-time favorite cars right here.
Granny shifting, not double clutching like you should.
heel toe for the pros
Just picked one up for 4300, not in best shape but the way you guys appreciated the NA model I bought definitely helps me justify the purchase lol
Being a Brit myself it's "sil-ee-ka". Love that James brought it up as I always thought the American pronunciation sounds pretty unpleasant too 😂
I owned one of these '91 non-turbo in black. I was loads of fun. It lasted forever too. Had it while in college and beyond. Drove it from Florida to Lousiana more times than I can remember and later on between Austin, TX and Lousiana. The thing was pretty bullet proof BUT that tail end sure did love to come loose. On several occasions dangerously so.
Paid only 28 for mine, only snap oversteered once. Broke my turn signal stalk lol
$28?!?
@@negativeindustrial $2800
😂 with 220k miles tho
@@2grmr2
I have no clue how many miles are on my 1990 Turbo. That cable snapped for the last time a very long time ago and it went a long period of time before with no speedometer cable. I’ve got a electronic dash but I’ve yet to hook it up.
A friend of mine had a turbo one of these about 25 years ago, he loved it.
Saleeca. Nobody calls it that in America lol. Sounds much fancier though
That's how they say it in Japan as well
It’s pronounced silly-car
If it's been said once, I'll say it again myself; it's more fun to drive a slow car fast, than a fast car slow. Ringing out a small lightweight low horsepower car in daily driving is far more satisfying than driving a powerful car where, unless you can get yourself to a track often enough, you'll always either be driving at only about 10% of it's capability, attracting undue attention from the Fuzz, or end up wrapping it around a tree or into a wall somewhere! I love cars like these MR2s or MIatas, original Civic/CRX Sis, etc. My daily is a 2012 Fit Sport and it drives like my first car a 89 Civic Si I had in 93-99. Drives and handles like a go-cart in all the right ways!
Title:"The Best Way To Spend $5,000"
Cargurus: Are you sure about that?
i brought mine for 2 grand so....
My friend has had several (still does, since the broken one lives next to his driveway). His working MR2 has close to 500 wheel horsepower on race gas. It’s a monster.
James: Be ready to get from 0-60 in a hair under 8 seconds
Me: What
James: Yeaaaaaaa
Owned a 1986 and 1992. Hard to describe the fun every mile delivered. One should own one while young. Cheap to own too. Just watch out for the many trucks and SUV’s that do not see you at times. Go karts for adults.
Imagine how many units would have sold if they went mid-engine on the FRS/86/BRZ...
Despite the avid fans of these car saying that they are all about handling and feel, I personally think they would sell more if they had more power. Maybe a 2L turbo 4 with around 250hp and good torque would be fantastic and not much heavier.
I dont get why theyre so stubborn about that, just give it some more power and people would buy that sht. Theres not a lot of rwd coupes out there
Imagine how many more units of FRS/BRZ would have been sold if it was actually faster than a 4Runner...
Would have been car of the decade if it had a turbo out of factory.
It's such a rarity to find one for that price, a lot are absurdly priced and the fair priced ones are still five digits
We love cars like this because society and technology, are going in the wrong direction.
So
Much
True!!!!
Disagree. I believe that my generation especially loves cars of this nature almost entirely due to nostalgia.
@@Skidracer21 im a zoomer, so i dont have nostalgia for the 90s but i own a MR2 so......
First the MKIV and now this!? My teenage self from 15 years ago is giddy as hell. Can't wait for a video on an FD RX-7. Listening to Thomas give a break down on the Wankel engine is what dreams are made of
I love the way they pronounce certain car names. "Celica" 😅
in my region of Canada, they are called Selicah... like Tom Selick-ah. I know other regions call them Se-lee-ka, and I think the name originated because the Japanese were trying to evoke celestial grandeur, so that one makes sense.
@@JS-hw8ve I'm from Chicago, and the Celica was my father's first car. He also pronounces it like Tom Selick-a. Thanks for the fun facts 😊
You guys should drive a 1991 Celica awd All Trac, comes with a 200hp turbo 2.0l. My brother has one and he has had it for about 15 years, he's put in about 25 grand, didn't over night parts from japan but does make 400 wheel hp. This thing is so unique, not many were made and if you get the chance to drive one I promise Thomas will want to buy one.