1987 Toyota MR2 2 door coupe review from North America
"Cruise at low gears, high revs, then make heads turn!"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Alternator went out, but I fixed that with a good hammering. Fixed this one for free.
Constantly overheated, but a new thermostat and moving the front license plate, as to not block airflow to the radiator, fixed that easily. $20 fix.
Front shocks went out when I cracked a rim. $100 fix.
And both front stabilizer link bars wore out causing annoying clanking. Each stabilizer link bar is ridiculously expensive. They can only be found at Toyota, and they cost $65 a piece.
General comments?
Going from a Civic LX to a MR2 was the best darn decision I could have made.
Very quick car, even if it only has a 1.6 liter 4 cylinder. I've raced, and beaten, other cars with 6 cylinder engines. Advantage, MR2's lightweight and Toyota's excellent engine design.
Driving this car is extreme fun. The engine lacks inspiration at low RPMs, but screams at higher RPMs.
This car was not meant to be driven under 3500 RPMs. It's just no fun that way.
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  | Superior Bang for the Buck! |
| A lovely car, a blast to drive, and inexpensive to obtain and maintain |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| First year of ownership | 2000 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2001 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.6 DOHC Inline 4 Manual |
| Performance marks | 8/10 |
| Reliability marks | 9/10 |
| Comfort marks | 8/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 7/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | |
| Distance when acquired | 130000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 144000 miles |
| Previous car | Honda Civic |
| Date of Entry | 2nd August, 2001 |