1986 Toyota MR2 from North America - Comments

The car would shudder and die and not start for 45 minutes to an hour.

I replaced the alternator, battery, and all electronics, including the computer, under the hood every year. I did it myself to save money and eventually gave up and took it to the garage.

I was madly in love with this car, all the previous comments about the cars super performance and handling are true. I'm glad the car only weighs 2100 pounds, because I had to push the car over 40 times, up hill, in drive ways, out of turn lane intersections. Its like the car knew when it was the most inconvenient time to stop running.

The last eight months of ownership the car spent most of its time in the garage. I first took it to a automotive electrical specialty shop, then the dealer. Hats off to both of them, they gave the car back to me after months and did not charge me a dime, they could not fix it.

I wound up giving the car away to a friend who was in love with it. $1200 later he got the car running again, but for how long?

The odd twist to this tale is a year later I got a 96 Toyota Corolla that did the same thing. You can look up that review also, for now I never want to hear the name Toyota again.

I've never known anyone to break down in any car 40 times; you must be one of the unluckiest mr2 owners in the world. I think after the first 10-15 times I had to push it, I would have taken a sledge hammer to it. I've owned two MR2 MK1'S and never once broke down or had to push them. I've had my current MR2 (89plate) for almost two years now. I looked into the cars history and out of six previous owners, it had broken down three times; twice was from a flat battery and the third was faulty alternator. I think your car may have been possessed or something.

As for the 96 Corolla; I don't know much about them, except the 80's corollas shared the same engine as the MK1 MR2's. Strange how both of your Toyota's, 10 years apart did the same thing. As I said previously they must have been possessed. Maybe instead of a mechanic you need a priest to perform an exorcism.

Thanks! (mr2 owner).

Your ignition module was overheating and going bad... Even purchasing a new distributor and coil won't fix it. You have to replace the ignition control module itself, and that would go double for the Corolla you had, they are notorious for it, MR2's are not.