The MR within the identify of in the present day’s Good Value or No Cube MR2 Spyder stands for ‘Midship Runabout,’ denoting its engine placement and spry driving habits. Let’s see if its vendor has named value for it.
To say I used to be shocked by the response to yesterday’s 1968 Ford Nation Sedan wagon could be an understatement. I believed the automobile’s rebuilt engine, heavy-duty transmission, and fairly full and driveable situation have been probably definitely worth the $8,000 requested for it. Most of you disagreed, nevertheless, sending the Ford packing in a 73 % No Cube loss.
I assume we’ll all should conform to disagree each every so often, and we would have one other alternative to take action with in the present day’s 2000 Toyota MR2 Spyder. We’ll should see the way it goes.
When Toyota launched the third technology of its mid-engine runabout, the brand new automobile proved a radical departure from the mannequin’s two prior editions. Positive, it nonetheless rocked a mid-engine format and simply two seats, nevertheless it adopted a full convertible roof and wide-eyed anime styling in distinction to the earlier generations’ extra conventional sports activities automobile appears to be like.
Additionally gone was the two.0-liter engine and the choice of turbocharging provided by the Spyder’s instant predecessor. As a substitute, the one engine possibility was the 1.8-liter all-ally 1ZZ-FE DOHC naturally-aspirated 4. That gives 138 horsepower and 126 lb-ft of torque, however drivers should go searching up the revs to succeed in to both of these numbers.
As a first-year mannequin, this MR2 Spyder has a regular five-speed guide, not the bizarre SMT auto-manual launched as an possibility the next yr. Meaning all of the ponies can be found on the driver’s whim. These automobiles didn’t have lots of choices accessible when new, and other than a big-screen double DIN stereo, this one doesn’t seem to have been contaminated by aftermarket-itis both.
This Toyota is dealer-offered, promoted by the vendor as a two-owner automobile that’s been well-kept and maybe one of the best in California. It rolls on manufacturing facility alloys that look to be in good condition, and people are wrapped in rubber which are mentioned to have about 75 % tread left.
Complementing that could be a silver metallic coat of paint and black vinyl convertible with a elaborate glass again window. None of that reveals any important flaw within the footage. Of notice, nevertheless, is that the headlamp and tail lamp lenses seem to have been lined in darkish movie of restricted attraction. That will most likely be only a morning’s work to take away.
The one notable flaw within the cabin is a big crack within the exhausting plastic high of the middle console. Was that owed to an errant elbow or too many aggressive yanks on the e-brake deal with? There’s no CSI for such issues, so we’ll by no means know.
One other concern to contemplate concerning the MR2 Spyder’s cabin is how tight it’s. This can be a Kewpie Doll-sized automobile, and two-up, it might probably make for an uncomfortable house for folks with private boundary points.
One other tight house is the engine compartment. That’s anticipated of a mid-engine convertible, and to be truthful, Toyota’s packaging is among the many better of the breed. In truth, it seems that this automobile’s bay has been accessed not less than as soon as, as there are lacking fasteners on the engine’s magnificence cowl.
That apart, there actually don’t appear to be any gotchas with this MR2. Per the vendor, it has a reasonable-for-a-Toyota 133,414 miles underneath its belt and has a clear title. The asking value is $11,495.
Now, right here’s the place it will get difficult. You see, that type of money will purchase a decently sorted Porsche Boxster of the identical period or any variety of Mazda Miatas. Both of these is a strong alternative, and I believe we are able to all agree that each have higher pedigrees than the Toyota. That mentioned, that is the much less probably alternative and, therefore, good for the person who likes to reside outdoors the mainstream.
What do you suppose? Is that this MR2 value that $11,495 asking and a sensible expenditure in mild of the competitors? Or is that this Spyder simply not too fly?
You resolve!
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