1995 Toyota MR2 GT from UK and Ireland - Comments

The clutch was replaced at 100,000 miles by the previous owner. I think a cheap one was used cause it went again at 110,000. I had it replaced by Toyota with a brand new clutch. It cost £400 but comes with a three year warranty on parts and labor. It feels ten times better for it.

The car is very quick for a 2.0 injection.

The handling is exceptional in the dry, but not as good in the wet. I've had the back end go out a couple of times in the wet and it scared me to death.

It is by far the most comfortable car that I have ever driven. The driving position is nice and low to the ground and the seats can be adjusted in various ways to ensure maximum comfort.

I was told the cabin was quite noisy due to the engine being right behind you however I haven't ever really noticed it at all.

The standard stereo was a bit disappointing however I have since upgraded to a Kenwood Head Unit and the 8 standard speakers are superb.

The fuel economy is very good around town however it can be more juicy on the motorway. I think this is due to it being Japanese and slightly high revving.

This car turns heads all the time. Everyone always comments on it. Whenever I stop at a zebra crossing it's always nice to see a little boy tug on his dads jumper and point at my car.

I will be keeping this car for a very long time.

I am the original reviewer and would like to add a couple of points for anyone that is still looking at buying, what I feel still is, a good sports car with all the refinements making it comfortable enough for everyday use.

I’ve now owned the car for nearly 5 years (And they have been 5 happy years as far a motoring goes). The car is now at 36K miles and is still a pleasure to drive and own.

I have also noticed that 2 more of these have appeared down my street in the last year or so :-)

Firstly dealers – I put my car into Toyota for a service and it was hit while in their car park taking a large amount of paint of the front bumper. They admitted to it before I even saw the car, were very apologetic and told me they would fix it and provide me with a courtesy car. The work was done to a good standard and I was left a happy customer. (Not as happy as if they had taken car of it in the first place.)

I’ve since found a local Toyota Specialist who, in my opinion, does better work at less cost. In summation, I’ve found Toyota to do good work however they are very expensive. If you can find a local garage/specialist who you feel you can trust then go with them.

Problems I’ve had since the review are as follows:

Front Brake discs have been replaced due to wear.

There is an intermittent fault on the Oil Level Sensor. I’ve looked into replacing it, but unfortunately it’s quite expensive and so I’ve chosen to leave it for the time being as I don’t feel it’s essential. I just check the oil regularly like I would any other car.

The Heat shield over the exhaust in the engine bay started to rust and as a result it started rattling horribly. I was told this was a common problem and the heat shield has just been removed.

The seals rusted through just in front of rear wheels. Again, I was told this is a common problem and they were welded and re-sprayed.

Unfortunately, the car is bright red and the paint has started to fade. With a car this age it’s hardly surprising. It requires a lot of attention with Shampoo and Polish, but with a bit of elbow grease it does still come up nice. I’ve had to invest in an electric buffer though :-) This has put me off buying another red car.

There have been a few other small problems, like the springs that hold the brake pads in place failing and causing a knocking noise, but these were fixed with little expense and effort.

In the end, none of these problems have once made me doubt my decision to buy the car or made me an unhappy owner.

I’m now nearly at the point where I will be replacing the MR2 and I’m finding it difficult to find something that I believe will make me as happy. Whatever my new car is, I will be sad to see the MR2 go.