1987 Toyota MR2 Mk1 from UK and Ireland - Comments

Apart from the dreaded rust eating into the bodywork quicker than Homer Simpson eating a doughnut, nothing has gone wrong, and the engine sings with delight as I fly down the country lanes on a sunny evening (keeping to the speed limit of course!)

The car is bog standard apart from a performance air filter, big bore exhaust, high level rear brake light, and some 15in alloys fitted with Avon tyres.

I purchased this car in spring 05 for £650 with 12 months MOT and 6 months tax, & OK it's a bit scabby round the edges, but who cares when you take the Tbar roof panels out and turn the key (although not too loud, the exaust note is wonderful).

I was originally looking for a Fiat X1/9 as I had one years ago and needed that feeling that only a small mid engined sports car can give (mid life crisis?), but I am glad I decided on this little rocket as performance and handling wise it's on a different planet to the X1/9.

Needless to say, any spare time I have on weekends and evenings, I can't wait to get this car out of the garage and set off into the countryside with no real idea where I'm heading or how long it would take (I have on more than one occasion phoned work to have a day off sick just to zoom of to the doctors (yeah right) in the MR2. If any car is addictive, then this is the one.

OK, you will not be able to get much luggage in it, and it's not exactly the latest bit of kit, but when you're into your favorite bit of twisty road, and looking forward to the next short straight, you won't really care.

My advice is that if you can find a good one (the engines are usually bomb proof, but watch out for tarted up rust heaps body wise), get one while you have the chance, because when they see the smile on your face, some people will want one and unfortunately in today's world, some people will want to ban it!

I.

When you said the car is addictive, you certainly called that correctly.

I just acquired my third MR2. The first was bought in 1985 when they first came out. In 1989 I traded that one in on a Supercharged with all the goodies. What a sweet ride that was for the eight years I owned it. I drove it for 120K miles before the thing started blowing belts, so I traded it in on an econobox.

What a tragic mistake that was. Within three years I traded that back-buster in on a truck, and it was much better... but still not the heart-pounding fun that an MR2 brings.

Recently while on a trip to a wedding reception I saw an old '85 for sale in someone's yard, and man, I felt the yearning again. That particular car was rusty and a little beat up, so I let it slide. When I started looking around locally, I found an '87 with T-tops. It's normally aspirated, so not as exhilarating as my old Supercharged... but compared to the truck, it's heaven on wheels.

I'm happy again... and firmly hooked once more. No denying it... the car is addictive.