Faults:

Driver side window switch broken.

General Comments:

This car is simply amazing! It is the perfect car for me. I love Toyotas as they are dead reliable. My other car is a Lexus LS400 and it has 200+k miles.

When I bought the car, my first question was "do I fit"? I am 6'7". The answer is... yes! With room to spare.

The next question was "Is it fun to drive?" The answer is ABSOLUTELY! I got in and turned the key and it sounded a little more raspy than your typical Toyota 4 cylinder. I put it into 1st (it's a manual) and let out the clutch. I was rewarded with quite a strong push from the 2.2Liter. This is not a fast car, but it is a quick car. This car sounds like a baby Ferrari F355 while going through the gears. The sound and feel are astounding!

Top speed is about 120-130mph (only did that once. I don't dog my cars but rather enjoy the machine as a whole). Getting to highway speeds is super fun.

One downside is that at 70mph the engine turns 3200-3400rpm. This is a bit high in my opinion but it still manages 30mpg!

Frankly, this is a poor man's exotic. The normally aspirated car won't win many races (0-60 in 8-8.5 sec), but it will keep you awake at night thinking about it. You will find reasons to drive it, and you will catch yourself just staring at it for long stretches at a time.

If you have to have the Alpha Toyota, get the MR2 Turbo or Supra Turbo (major $$$$).

Otherwise, get yourself a regular MR2 and let folks mistake you for a Ferrari owner.

Faults:

PAS motor brushes.

Gear shifter bushes.

Seized brake caliper.

Throttle cable snapped.

Speedo sender stopped working.

Temp gauge sender stopped working.

Air con never worked.

T-bar leaked (fixed for 2 quid and elbow grease though)

General Comments:

This car goes like the clappers and handles extremely well in dry weather. It is not for the faint hearted though, being a powerful turbo RWD car the back end jumps about like an electrified cat if you are too heavy footed in the corners.

The only gripe I have is its reliability. I'm sure it was very reliable when it rolled out of the factory 17 years ago but time takes its toll on any mechanical device. The car has never actually broken down and all of its problems have been related to the age.

If you want a cheap 2 seater car that goes like stink and you are not afraid of getting your hands dirty, this is the car for you. MR2 turbos are all imported from Japan. Don't be put off by this, there is an excellent spares network out there and the import thing has never been an issue for me since owning the car.

Faults:

I have had several issues with the car, but I bought it knowing work would be needed.

I have replaced the droplinks and ball joints, along with new tyres (it is fond of them).

The coolant pipes had to replaced underneath, and this would have cost in excess of a grand, but the owners club had information about a cheaper and more efficient way.

General Comments:

She is very fast and handles like no other car I have ever driven, although caution is needed in the wet!

Turns heads everywhere you go, and is the ultimate posers car!

Faults:

The genuine stereo cassette/radio head unit stopped playing a year after buying the car. A nightmare to replace, as every MR2 has a different wiring system, why?...

The alternator was replaced at 220,955 kilometers.

General Comments:

This car is for drivers with a wild streak of fun! It handles just beautifully on the open road! Just take off the roof and it's a fun-tastic experience that one just wants more and more!!

It's a head turner and a stunning looking car, but after all, it is the car in front, it is a Toyota! 0-100 km in 5.5 seconds - Porsche 911 eat your heart out! It’s a good feeling to see the Porsche on your rear view mirror in 1/2 a mile…

I guess I can speak highly enough about the car as it’s simply one of the best cars I have owned. Mine is a red one, excellent value for money, the car is fast and economically balanced. I guess if you look after your vehicle the way I do, the fuel efficiency is reached without a problem. I have owned the vehicle for the past 7 happy years of motoring. Keeping its service history up to date. Would I buy another one? Definitely without hesitation! It’s a shame Toyota stopped manufacturing it.

The only downside of the vehicle, is the fact that if one has to use the spare wheel, which is a space saver type, the normal wheel does not fit under the bonnet oops! So join a rescue service just in case. What I have done is purchased a rack with sucker feet that fits on the top of the engine lid, just in case I have to replace the wheel and I can not get assistance. The rack is high enough to allow air circulation to the engine through the vents…

Most owners find it difficult to find a good garage that knows how to service the vehicle properly. I am one of the lucky ones in the Scottish Highlands to have a good garage!

But if you looking for parts and advice, then join the MR2 Owners club for sure; lots of help and good gatherings!