[Misc] Anyone on NSC ever had a Toyota MR2. What do / did you think of it

[Gabbafella]

Modern Alfas are just as reliable as any other car - i.e. really reliable.

Insurance, though? Have you got any quotes yet?

I'm really late to the game (43!) So insurance isn't an issue.
I really want the Spider but my Mrs keeps banging on about it not being practical. I have a list of cars that I want, just depends on whether they come up for sale anywhere.

 

[WATFORD zero]

I wish this thread didn't exist.


I'll be looking at a new (to me) car in about 6 months time, as Jnr inherits my current old Clio.
(amazingly a long term, but boring, plan around money, savings and succession might just actually work).


I'd all but given up on life and had pretty much decided my £5-10k would be spent on a 'forever car'.
Now suddenly I want my MR2 back, or it's current equivalent of a latter years mid-life crisis on wheels.

Do it. I bought my mid life crisis car 6 years back and still love it. Only comes out in summer when it's sunny, but one of the most impractical and enjoyable decisions I have made since my early 20s.

And [MENTION=25308]Gabbafella[/MENTION], even at your age, if you've just started driving then there's always a fair chance you'll bump dent or scratch your first car. A cheap little runner for a couple of years (£2K 50,000 miles type thing) nearly always makes sense for a new driver.

 

[Icy Gull]

I'm just about to start driving, I've been looking at either a Brera or Spider for my first car but I'm a bit put off by the horror stories about Alfa's. Are they really as unreliable as people make out? I don't fancy sinking a shed load of cash in to my first set of wheels.

Service history is essential Alfas don't do being abused without maintenance (plenty are run on the cheap because they are a lot of car for the money so easily afforded by people who can't afford to maintain them). Go on Alfaowner.com and you'll find buyers guides written by Alfa fanatics, good checklists on there.

I hesitate to say just buy one as they can have problems, like all cars.

Mine have mostly been trouble free and depending where you are I can recommend independent Alfa garages in the Sussex area for servicing.

Go for a good well maintained one rather than any sort of project for a first car. Pay more now, save a potential fortune, they can be money pits!

They are not anywhere near as unreliable as people who've never owned one are likely to tell you. The forums are excellent for help too.

[MENTION=396]WATFORD zero[/MENTION] makes a very good point, I'd suggest buying a cheapish runaround as a first car, you will almost certainly scratch and dent the car....

Apologies for the thread hijack [MENTION=1510]Binney on acid[/MENTION]

 

[zefarelly]

sod the scratch dent scenario, I've never done it . . .buy what you want . . . . my only advice would be something yo can see out of, may sound odd, but modern cars have appalling visibility from within. I can park my Cortina to the mm, but newer stuff you're lucky if you get withing a foot of anything without either thinking you will hit it, or it bleating at you

Alfa Giullieta is fun, affordable, quick. practical and a sensible size. Mrs Zefs has been really reliable, 90k miles now.


an MX5 ticks a hell of a lot of boxes for not a huge amount of money.

 

[Icy Gull]

sod the scratch dent scenario, I've never done it . . .buy what you want . . . . my only advice would be something yo can see out of, may sound odd, but modern cars have appalling visibility from within. I can park my Cortina to the mm, but newer stuff you're lucky if you get withing a foot of anything without either thinking you will hit it, or it bleating at you

Alfa Giullieta is fun, affordable, quick. practical and a sensible size. Mrs Zefs has been really reliable, 90k miles now.


an MX5 ticks a hell of a lot of boxes for not a huge amount of money.

You started driving when there were 30% of cars on the road compared to now? Standard of driving, less places to park easily and an increase in aggressive impatient drivers makes chances of “incidents” far greater today imo.

 

[Alfagull]

Another vote for the Alfa 916, I've had my 2001 Spider for 5 years and had no more problems than expected of any 20 year old car. As [MENTION=19]Icy Gull[/MENTION] says, just need to make sure they are regularly maintained.

 

[Raleigh Chopper]

You started driving when there were 30% of cars on the road compared to now? Standard of driving, less places to park easily and an increase in aggressive impatient drivers makes chances of “incidents” far greater today imo.

And so many drivers without any insurance at all does not help matters.

 

[Gabbafella]

And [MENTION=25308]Gabbafella[/MENTION], even at your age, if you've just started driving then there's always a fair chance you'll bump dent or scratch your first car. A cheap little runner for a couple of years (£2K 50,000 miles type thing) nearly always makes sense for a new driver.

I do understand the reasoning behind getting a cheap runaround, I know I don't have the experience so I'm almost certainly going to hit or scrape a few things, but on the other hand, I've been waiting so long to in a position to be able to drive and I've always been so in to cars that I owe myself the car I want rather than the car I should settle for.
It's probably not a good shout for a first car but top of my list is a MK4 Supra, when I can find one in my budget, which isn't very likely.
GT86, Brera/Spider or SLK are looking the more likely, although the Mrs isn't keen on me getting a two-seater, plus a middle aged man in a two-seater convertible has saddo written all over it.

 

[studio150]

s. I can park my Cortina to the mm, but newer stuff you're lucky if you get withing a foot of anything without either thinking you will hit it, or it bleating at you

.

Isn't that what reversing cameras are for.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

I have owned 15 and I have no problem with anyone slagging off their rust problems in the 70's and 80's. Inferior cheap Russian steel and the Alfasud dissolved like soluble disprin in water. Such a shame as they were a fabulous car and there are very very few left now. Since then they have been very well built with minimal rust problems. My GTV is a 97 model that lives outside most of the time and is not babied. No rust and still on original shiny paintwork. 99% of people who have strong anti Alfa feelings have never actually owned one in my experience

How did you get on with yours?

I have neither had the pleasure of driving an Alfa, or even been in one as a passenger, but l agree, they are fine looking motor cars. I was just well aware of their chronic rust problem back in the day, happily long since resolved!

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

I do understand the reasoning behind getting a cheap runaround, I know I don't have the experience so I'm almost certainly going to hit or scrape a few things, but on the other hand, I've been waiting so long to in a position to be able to drive and I've always been so in to cars that I owe myself the car I want rather than the car I should settle for.
It's probably not a good shout for a first car but top of my list is a MK4 Supra, when I can find one in my budget, which isn't very likely.
GT86, Brera/Spider or SLK are looking the more likely, although the Mrs isn't keen on me getting a two-seater, plus a middle aged man in a two-seater convertible has saddo written all over it.

Sounds as if you have quite a conundrum there, accept you are middle aged and act boringly accordingly, or conversely, relive your youth!

 

[Raleigh Chopper]

I have neither had the pleasure of driving an Alfa, or even been in one as a passenger, but l agree, they are fine looking motor cars. I was just well aware of their chronic rust problem back in the day, happily long since resolved!

Alfas are so much better now but they are Italian which meant that what they look like was far more important than actually working properly.
Improved greatly but in Italy it is all about style.

 

[Gabbafella]

Sounds as if you have quite a conundrum there, accept you are middle aged and act boringly accordingly, or conversely, relive your youth!

Luckily I still look like I'm in my 30's so may just be able to get away with a younger man's car. I really like the idea of a convertible for the two days of summer we have each year, but then it doesn't make sense for the rest of the year. And I like the idea of a Supra, or Cayman, or Skyline etc but I'm not going to be hooning it around town or sitting in car-parks showing schoolgirls my handbraking skills.
I think I just need to accept the fact that I missed out on a lot of fun times in sporty cars and now the humdrum mediocrity of middle aged life means I have to drive a beige Volvo estate.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

You think you look in your thirties......

You actually look.........

Shouldn't you also be trying to pull a seventeen year old girl friend who is young enough to be your (grand) daughter - and is younger than your actual children.

 

[Gabbafella]

You think you look in your thirties......

You actually look.........

Shouldn't you also be trying to pull a seventeen year old girl friend who is young enough to be your (grand) daughter - and is younger than your actual children.

A 17 year old being my granddaughter when I'm only 43? And her being younger then my children would mean I fathered a child at 7 or thereabouts.
I was a horny kid but that's pushing it.

 

[Baldrick]

I'm thinking of buying a MK3 Toyota MR2. Are they any good?

Had two of them. A late 80’s model and a late 90’s model.

Best cars I have driven. Late 90’s model was Rosso red and looked like a baby Ferrari. It did 142mph on an empty French motorway early one morning. Fine was £90 but worth it.

 

[Stat Brother]

I hate you all:-

Ferrari, 360M £1,999

https://www.motors.co.uk/car-58668597/?i=0&m=srf

 

[WATFORD zero]

I do understand the reasoning behind getting a cheap runaround, I know I don't have the experience so I'm almost certainly going to hit or scrape a few things, but on the other hand, I've been waiting so long to in a position to be able to drive and I've always been so in to cars that I owe myself the car I want rather than the car I should settle for.
It's probably not a good shout for a first car but top of my list is a MK4 Supra, when I can find one in my budget, which isn't very likely.
GT86, Brera/Spider or SLK are looking the more likely, although the Mrs isn't keen on me getting a two-seater, plus a middle aged man in a two-seater convertible has saddo written all over it.

I've said my piece but you only get one go at life so do it

Just be prepared for the bills

 

[Gabbafella]

I've said my piece but you only get one go at life so do it

Just be prepared for the bills

I've not decided on anything yet. It's something I've never had to think about and it's a much harder decision than I thought it would be.
Your opinion has been taken on board though, as have others, I need all the advice I can get as I've never done this before.

 

[Knocky's Nose]

MR2's... I have about 20 of them in my time (used to be a car dealer back in the day)

Mk1's in Mica Blue were the ones to have. T-Bar didn't matter (a real faff). I spun a few on roundabouts in the wet. They used to say to you 'yeah.. okay.. okay.. we're good.. okay.. aaaaand you've spun me'

Mk2's were a bit fatter, comfier, but lost some of that lovable skittishness.

If I were in the market for a little budget roller-skate today I'd be looking at an early (2003-2006) Z4 3.0i. Beautiful looking car which still looks cool, has a cracking engine, won't bust the bank to service, and will hold its money well.