Toyota MR2 (AW11) from 1986 - an Oppo review

"505 - morphine not found" (morphine500) 09/25/2013 at 15:15 • Filed to: AW11

16

100

The last AW11 left the assembly line 24 years ago, and compared to other Toyota products, the 163.000 examples made aren’t all that many - though that’s still more than they sold from the failure, that the third generation MR2 was. I wanted one since i was a kid, and in 2011 i bought this red 1986, with sunroof and a singing-dancing 4A-GE. Two other things of note about my car: it has no tuned parts, even the OZ wheels are of factory size and offset, and it’s rusting right now, in all the usual places, so I will have to get my shit together and pay for a proper body-job and respray. As there are no replacement body panels available from the normal channels, it’ll cost dear. Luckily, the underside and the mechanicals are as sound as they come after 27 years and 157.000 miles, as you’ll see right in a minute.

Disclaimer: this is an European spec car, sold originally in Switzerland, so it gets a cat and 116 DIN ponies out of the 4A-GE, as well as a rear anti-roll bar. This latter thing is important: sometime in 1986 Toyota ceased to include that particular piece of iron in AW11s sold on the US market, which made them handle a bit more on the safe side up until the limit, then snap! oversteer. I have no idea why they did this, because with the bar in there, and good rubber, the MR2 is as gradual in letting the rear go, as they come. For shame, Toyota USA, for shame.

EXTERIOR (8/10)

I could go on a lot about how i like the basic stance of the car, how i’m head over heels with dat ass, because that is an ass back there, nothing short of that, and how the flying buttress and the wraparound windscreen, blah. blah, blah. I tend to think about my MR2 as a woman, and as women do, she has sexy angles, gorgeous angles and less-than-flattering angles too. This is a very ‘80s shape, and one that was and still is absolutely recognisable, which must be a huge plus. I wouldn’t go as far as calling it individual, because the Bertone design of the Fiat X 1/9 obviously served as the starting point, but this looks better, and is memorable, and that’s enough for me.

INTERIOR (7/10)

It’s not bland, as the plastics and cloth are better than you would hope for, but it’s not the looks that sell this interior, it’s the, wait for it… space. Believe it or not, but if you’re under 190cm and/or 110kg (6’ 3” and 240 pounds for you Americans), you’ll fit quite comfortably. Also the driving seat adjusts in 5 ways, including the tightness of the side bolstering, which is excellent, and i do wonder why they don’t include this in modern equivalents. As you would expect from a Japanese sports car, the ergonomics are excellent, the pedals are well placed, the steering wheel adjusts for height and the shifter is as close to the wheel as you can get. Oh that shifter… i would say that’s the origo, the ground zero of this car. But i digress. With the huge screen and the big sunroof the cabin is light and airy too and there’s excellent vision all around. No cupholders though, which i miss as i like to take a sip from a bottle of water once in a while, when driving distances. One point deducted because the pedal layout does not help heel-and-toe. It’s doable, but my ancient Peugeot 505 enables this trick much more.

ACCELERATION (6/10)

The gearing is relatively short, so much so, that you just can’t get to 100 km/h (62mph) in 2nd, but still: even though curb weight is only a ton (2400 lbs), the 116 HP 4A-GE will not get you anything better than high 8s to 62mph. Lots of family cars can do better than that today, and it wasn’t all that special in 1986 either. At least it feels brisk doing so because you’re not in an NVH-less cocoon. In-gear acceleration is good however. The short gearbox helps, as does the fact the trick induction (called: T-VIS) makes the 4A-GE work under 3000 revs, as well as over 6000 - few engines knew how to do this back then. Best results are attainable over 4200, as thats the switch point of the two-stage induction, so if you really want to shift, grab a lower gear.

BRAKING (6/10)

As with all ‘80s cars this isn’t a strong point, even if you renew with factory parts (and you can do that, because unlike body parts, mechanicals are abundant). The brakes are less powerful, than on a modern economy car. Brake balance is excellent though, the pedal has feel and is progressive and if you’re unhappy about them, there are easily available upgrades for it, which’ll work wonders, thanks to the low weight. Just don’t forget to upgrade the tires too, as there’s no ABS if you lose traction under braking. Because it’s an older disk design in the back, the e-brake is useless to induce drifts, but otherwise no gripes with the system in itself.

RIDE (6/10)

The short wheelbase and light weight means you get to know about it if there’s anything wrong with the pavement, but because it’s not harshly sprung at all, in the end it’s still comfortable. Really, no problems here, if the engine wasn’t that loud at highway speeds, the car would be perfectly ok to travel long distances with. The seats are supportive, there is a dead pedal to rest your left foot, and padding for your arm, but of course it’s no W126.

GEARBOX (10/10)

Go on and try it, if you ever get a chance. It’s up there with the very best of them: short throw, precise action, just the right amount of weight, and general all-round awesomeness. There was an LSD equipped version too, which i would love to try, but if i see right, the engineers included equal-length half-shafts in the design, so the car manages pretty well without that. A lot of “tuners” mess with the handle on the shifter, which they shouldn’t do, as it’s a pistol-grip design, that you can grab in full. Lovely.

AUDIO (4/10)

Pitiful, in one word. They did bother a bit, because there were several different factory audio options, and one of them was an active subwoofer under the driving seat, which my car has, but it doesn’t work, because it needs a factory head unit. Which are like hens’ teeth nowadays. The two speakers on the dash are small and lo-fi. Later models included speakers behind the seats too, maybe its better that way, but hey there’s a glorious 4A-GE screaming at 7200 behind your back, why would you want to listen to anything else?

TOYS (5/10)

The only thing to mention here is that you can take out the sunroof easily, and put it into the front trunk, and even fasten it there. Takes like a minute either way, and it’s almost a targa. Other than that, there’s only what you put into it. But the whole car is a plaything, so nothing's missing.

VALUE (8/10)

If there is any rust on the car it’ll take some money to fix it properly but other than that it's cheap to buy and cheap to upkeep. Even the mileage is good, because if you aren’t in a hurry, it’s only a 1.6 Also not expensive at all to upgrade, at least as opposed to more upmarket or left-field cars, but you all know that properly building one to be a track car will cost money.

HANDLING (9/10)

I left this last, because frankly, this is what’s the whole car is about. I cannot hope to express my feelings in English, and anyway, why talk, when you can show? There’s this video we made, i talk some Hungarian in it, but there are English subtitles (just switch them on), and there is a lot of engine noise and spirited driving. I’m no Monkey Harris, let’s hope you’ll still like it.

In all, the car’s really all about the handling and the packaging - both are enhanced by the MR layout. I know it’s nothing new, but if you think about it there are only a precious few cars that give you this at that price range - Fiero, MG F & TF, Fiat X 1/9 come to mind, and i don’t think you can really argue any of them is better than the AW11. The only real competition i would name is the Miata - lots of them in red, 1.6 with 116 HP, RWD, two-seater, it even has pop-ups just like this - no wonder they are roughly the same price if in the same upkeep, at least on Mobile.de they seem to be. I made my choice, and i do think the MR is the better of the two, but the Miata found a more abundant market - the NA sold more than 400k copies to the AW11s 163k.

TOTAL: 69 points. It’s not for everyone, because there are weak sides to it, but those who like it, love it. I know i do.

Tom McParland > 505 - morphine not found 09/25/2013 at 15:21

2

I love these little buggers

feather-throttle-not-hair > 505 - morphine not found 09/25/2013 at 15:25

1

Like you, I have wanted one since I first saw one as a four year old. Unlike you I do not own one. All in good time I suppose. The first gen mr2 could legitimately be considered my first automotive love.

Matt Hardigree > 505 - morphine not found 09/25/2013 at 15:26

5

That's about what I'd give it, and I've driven this exact car!

nataku83 > 505 - morphine not found 09/25/2013 at 15:46

1

You're dead on about the gearbox. I thought the shifter on my '90 Miata was the best I've ever used until I bought an '87 AW11. It's completely telepathic, somehow.

505 - morphine not found > feather-throttle-not-hair 09/25/2013 at 15:51

2

I would recommend taking the plunge, because sooner or later prices will take a hike.

Lime - Light > 505 - morphine not found 09/25/2013 at 16:24

1

Been wanting one to compliment my sw20, because the longer I own that the less of a daily driver it is.

phenotyp > 505 - morphine not found 09/25/2013 at 16:25

2

The day I find a white one without a wing, I'm buying it no questions asked.

505 - morphine not found > phenotyp 09/25/2013 at 16:30

1

Like this?

I can see why you would like that, though i like the rear wing as it is. Of course you can always bolt it off you know.

phenotyp > 505 - morphine not found 09/25/2013 at 16:38

0

Yeah, but the holes would bug me, and the paint would be fucked up at its age. Cost more to fix it up than the car itself, probably (based on nothing but gut feeling). I think they look so slick without the wing (and we all know the car isn't fast enough for the wing to make a difference). I also kinda dig the ones with the two-tone paint jobs. I could deal with the wing if it looked like this one:

trynthink > 505 - morphine not found 09/25/2013 at 17:15

1

Thanks for posting some bait for me. I love both the AW11 and SW20...a lot.

I want to have an AW11 of my own, but they aren't very common in the US. It's especially tough to find examples with a manual. Most of the ones I've seen for sale at a reasonable price are automatics. I check craigslist and ebay every so often, but so far, no luck.

Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy > 505 - morphine not found 09/25/2013 at 19:38

0

I always pass by a parked AW11 on my commute to college, It's amazing to see such a car on a daily basis.

John > 505 - morphine not found 09/25/2013 at 19:42

0

We had one in 1986, awesome car for a 16 year old to drive around!

hellbillylarry > phenotyp 09/25/2013 at 19:42

0

Buy one with a wing and I'll send you a wingless lid for shipping.

phenotyp > hellbillylarry 09/25/2013 at 19:43

0

Shit, don't encourage me.

Lets Just Drive > 505 - morphine not found 09/25/2013 at 19:44

0

I feel like I saw and read this review already?! Am I high, or is my brain breaking bad Grand Theft Auto 5 hours of sleep with the remote close at hand under my pillow sobbing because the dreams are so violent?

alexdc > 505 - morphine not found 09/25/2013 at 19:59

0

the one I drove had a VERY sloppy and imprecise shifter but the car was fun. I would like to own one. I would LOVE to own one.

Duckferd > 505 - morphine not found 09/25/2013 at 20:00

0

Rust is probably the most common thing I heard about this car. One of the long-termers at Petrolheads actually got rid of his because he found the rockers filled with NEWSPAPER. Don't know how that passed the MOT. As for the snap oversteer, is this a result of suspension binding, or is it because of total loss of rear camber due to the Chapman struts in the back (which is what they had, IIRC) approaching their travel limits? Toe control out of wack near those same travel limits?

AutoSavant > 505 - morphine not found 09/25/2013 at 20:04

0

Came across one of these in the local salvage yard a few months back. No rust and completely stock. Such a shame. They only give $400 for a junk car around here. I would gladly have paid that to bring it home and save it.

M54B30 > 505 - morphine not found 09/25/2013 at 20:07

0

These were super sweet. I love these and would buy one if I found one somewhere. This is from back in the day when Toyota was cool.

WarShrike > 505 - morphine not found 09/25/2013 at 20:09

2

Any time I see an MR2, I think of Jekyl and Hyde. Two MR2's owned by the same guy. One DD the other his race car. Hyde was over 600whp, and had quite a few hillclimb records with the SCCA. Really awesome car.

RiseVbove > 505 - morphine not found 09/25/2013 at 20:11

0

You forgot one toy!
P O P - U P Headlights! That's definitly a toy! I mean Pop-Headlights, how cool is that?!

nmalinoski > 505 - morphine not found 09/25/2013 at 20:14

0

DO WANT.

DailyTurismo > 505 - morphine not found 09/25/2013 at 20:15

2

Little known fact - these can be used to haul Ikea furniture. Funny seller story here .

Ben Crowe > 505 - morphine not found 09/25/2013 at 20:20

0

You've sold me, I want one....
The problem is the price here in New Zealand has already gone up (you can get two tidy SW20 MR2s for the price of a tidy AW11), and unmolested examples are becoming harder to find.

Someone Else's Projects > 505 - morphine not found 09/25/2013 at 20:22

0

After selling my Spyder, I tried out one of these. First thing I noticed was the amazing visibility: thin pillars and a really close windshield do wonders for the view. The steering is nice and direct, but the power steering units found in the Mk2 and Mk3 are indistinguishable in feel. Unfortunately, the lack of power from the stock 4A-GE is something I don't think I could deal with. I'll have to find one with a more powerful motor swap.

moneypit > AutoSavant 09/25/2013 at 20:22

0

That's almost like I found mine after it was stolen... (tears...) Except mine didn't even have the seats...

RustySpanner > 505 - morphine not found 09/25/2013 at 20:29

0

Great review man, I'm a sucker for 80's Japanese sports cars... it was a unique period in car design that is unlikely to be repeated.

BrianK > 505 - morphine not found 09/25/2013 at 20:40

1

The MKI MR2 was my second car (after a Porsche 914). It was the car I owned when I learned how to change oil, brakes, suspension, and some body parts. I replaced it with an MKII MR2 out of necessity, but wished I could have kept the MKI. You feel so much more connected in the older car - it's lighter, the shifter is faster, it revs more freely & the view out the front is unusually open. A friend of mine likened it to riding in a wheel chair at 70 mph. Another friend said looking at the pop-up headlights so close was like looking at his feet under a blanket.

I now own an Elise - which is closer to the first gen MR2 than one may think (certainly moreso than the second gen MR2 - which I still own, btw). The Elise made me appreciate the MR2 that much more - especially considering how far apart they are in age/technology.

Great to see a good write-up on a nice example.

Jason.MZW20 > 505 - morphine not found 09/25/2013 at 21:10

0

Now, you should take your MKI for a long road trip to the UK, and talk to Paul Woods at Woodsport (or just go there without your MKI). Maybe he can find someone to lend you a V6 MKI to compare. I think most are 3VZ-FEs with the 6800rpm rev limit. The 1MZ is newer and lighter (all-aluminum). Both V6s have the updated version of TVIS -> ACIS.

The supercharged 4AGZE MKI is good too, but it's still down on power. I think the guys who supercharge the 1MZ-FE in the MKI are crazy (same for those who put in the 3SGTE). V6s are a little too much work to get in the chassis for most people, but it really does transform the car. It's crazy what a torquey engine can do.

The poor 4AGE sounds labored.

350Zed > 505 - morphine not found 09/25/2013 at 21:16

0

My first car was an '86 MR2, and I still miss it almost 20 years later.

I 100% agree about the transmission being 10/10... I haven't driven a better stick-shift since.

George > 505 - morphine not found 09/25/2013 at 21:20

1

I bought one of these new in 1987. I agree with the reviewer, the handling was great. Good leg room and a surprising amount of space for luggage (if your luggage was of the right shape and size). The only complaint I had was if you did not put premium gas in it, it performed like a dog. Drove it until 1997 when a two seater became impracticable. Enjoy it.

midengineer > 505 - morphine not found 09/25/2013 at 21:24

0

I have a good friend who owns an '86 NA, fun car. It makes my 2nd gen turbo almost seem big. I own a '91 and it 'suffers' from snap-oversteer, which more than anything simply punishes those who don't know how to properly drive and rewards those who do. In my own biased opinion the 2nd gen is the best MR2 thanks to its beautiful curves but at the end of the day a fun sports car with the best Toyota characteristics is a win. That's what makes the MR2 awesome.

oldmancolin > 505 - morphine not found 09/25/2013 at 21:27

3

I have a silver '85 hardtop which I love to death. I wouldn't trade it for anything. The feedback you get from the road is unlike anything else I've experienced. It has manual steering! Others see this as a drawback but I see it positively. Parallel parking is harder but high speed cornering is all the more confident. It's not in the greatest shape but it has so much character and quality.

beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard > WarShrike 09/25/2013 at 21:33

0

I thought I'd seen that car somewhere before...

MR2_FTW - Group J's resident Stig > trynthink 09/25/2013 at 21:43

1

Like 80% of them are manual.

MR2_FTW - Group J's resident Stig > 505 - morphine not found 09/25/2013 at 21:44

4

It's a shame you guys never got the Supercharged versions the US and Japan got. It's pretty much the most fun I've ever had in a car.

Break-Mend-Continue > 505 - morphine not found 09/25/2013 at 22:11

0

Agreed. Get one while they are cheap.

Break-Mend-Continue > nataku83 09/25/2013 at 22:12

0

I'm glad to hear that. Having driven an MX5 and my AW11 back to back I preferred the AW shifter by far. Yet some of my mates disagreed.

fsckerdot1q > MR2_FTW - Group J's resident Stig 09/25/2013 at 22:17

0

I daily drive an 88 supercharged. I gave my IS300 to my parents once I got it on the road. Just so much fun.

Cochese: 4k120fps > phenotyp 09/25/2013 at 22:18

0

My ex girlfriend's father had two white ones. One turbo with a wing and one without a wing and a turbo.

phenotyp > Cochese: 4k120fps 09/25/2013 at 22:21

0

Turbo, not supercharger?

midengineer > oldmancolin 09/25/2013 at 22:23

0

My 2nd gen doesn't have power steering either; when people ask me about it, my only complaint is that parallel parking can be a workout. I completely agree with your sentiment about being able to feel the road. It is a fantastic experience!

Someone Else's Projects > Ben Crowe 09/25/2013 at 22:31

0

Do you guys have easy access to JDM cars, or are these too old to benefit from that source?

rabbitman > trynthink 09/25/2013 at 22:31

1

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/wsh/cto/407770…

rabbitman > rabbitman 09/25/2013 at 22:34

0

Can't believe it's not rusted out lots of these up here in mn in surprisingly good condition must be the owners that love me taking care of them.

cbrew73 > 505 - morphine not found 09/25/2013 at 22:34

0

Had one for several years. It died and could not bring it back due to a lack of funds at the time. I gave it to some one who had two others, I miss it. He did have to find a new seat though. I loved the seats so much I kept the drivers and it is now years later part of a racing sim setup.

Dunnik > 505 - morphine not found 09/25/2013 at 22:37

2

Excellent review. Deserves to be on the front page.

Kinda sad to read it's not quite the pocket Ferrari it was back in the 80's, but it's still a sexy, sexy car and a card-carrying modern classic. They need to remake it (again). Rather see a new MR-2 than a new Supra.

Iamopenlyjudgingyou > 505 - morphine not found 09/25/2013 at 22:37

0

My dream garage has does not contain a ferrari or Lamborghini. It does contain am 89 MR2 SC. I love these cars.

I remember the first time I sat in one way back in the early 90's and I was amazed at the gearbox. Unfortunately I couldn't swing the insurance premiums on it and had to find another car. A neighbor has had a few MR2's, this generation and a second generation.

trynthink > MR2_FTW - Group J's resident Stig 09/25/2013 at 22:44

0

Sorry, I should have been more specific. I've definitely found manual AW11s for sale, but the automatic AW11s I've seen are often reasonably clean and/or fairly stock, and I've had a tough time finding ones with a manual that haven't been modified beyond recognition, are complete non-runners, or are perfect. If I had the cash for a perfect car, I'd just buy one of those and stop whining.

MR2_FTW - Group J's resident Stig > fsckerdot1q 09/25/2013 at 22:47

1

Sweet! I've been DD'ing mine for over 5 years now. I go back and forth every other day between the MR2 and the Cressida these days.

trynthink > rabbitman 09/25/2013 at 22:48

0

Even though these are at least 2000 miles away, it's kinda tempting given that you get two more-or-less whole cars for $1500. No idea if they could be repaired into actually being two runners, though.

speeddemon807 > 505 - morphine not found 09/25/2013 at 22:48

0

Toyota needs to bring back its MR2 platform. They don't need to make boring models like the Camry and Prius.

MR2_FTW - Group J's resident Stig > 505 - morphine not found 09/25/2013 at 22:50

0

Of those 163k total AW11's, less than 10% were supercharged. As of 2010 US DMV data, there are only like 1700 SC cars registered in the US.

BuickSuper > 505 - morphine not found 09/25/2013 at 22:53

0

Did you jump it?

rabbitman > trynthink 09/25/2013 at 22:54

0

Yea wasn't sure on your local but,see them all over around here there's about 5 more in better condition on there too including the two tone some one mentioned and a deep maroon that is exactly the same as the one in the review for 2900, same rims etc. just deep maroon.

Cochese: 4k120fps > phenotyp 09/25/2013 at 23:21

0

He mentioned changing the turbo on several occasions and was going to sell the "turbo-less" version to get money to buy a slightly newer model. He could have been wrong. He and his brother used to install car stereos and do engine work, I assumed they knew what they were talking about, but you never know.

phenotyp > Cochese: 4k120fps 09/25/2013 at 23:24

0

The first gen 2s had a supercharger from the factory, but I'm sure plenty of people strapped turbos on em. They certainly have been around long enough.

phenotyp > Cochese: 4k120fps 09/25/2013 at 23:25

0

The first gen 2s had a supercharger from the factory, but I'm sure plenty of people strapped turbos on em. They certainly have been around long enough.

sdwalt > 505 - morphine not found 09/25/2013 at 23:29

0

I like this because you obviously love this car, its might be the cleanest one left on earth.

mrbwa1 > 505 - morphine not found 09/25/2013 at 23:44

0

Interesting fact. My Scion Xa has the same Toyota C50 gearbox as the AW11. I would imagine the Xa doesn't quite have as nice of a shifter though. It makes me wonder if they just dug up the old Corolla FX16 specs and built it into a newer body (with a cheaper less exotic I4 as well). It's probably the closest I will ever get to an MR2 since they will be long gone by the time my kids are grown and I can think about a 2 sweater.

PuristDriver > 505 - morphine not found 09/25/2013 at 23:48

0

Nice review on my first car and one of my favorites of all time. I had a white '86 and a grey two-tone '88 supercharged. They were some of the funnest cars I have ever owned. I would love to own another clean supercharged AW11 one of these days.

Ben Crowe > Someone Else's Projects 09/25/2013 at 23:51

0

We do to a certain degree, but importers and wholesalers will usually limit their intake to vehicles less than seven years of age. We can privately import vehicles without too many headaches around dealer/wholesaler licenses etc, but the cost to import one car works out to be a lot more inhibitive, compared to importing 10 or more at a time. Simple economies of scale.
We really benefitted from the import of AW11's, along with AE86's in the early 1990's, where I'd estimate that almost half of those vehicles on NZ roads currently are JDM vehicles. AE86 prices too have soared in the past four to five years, and predictably, the JDM vehicles are always in higher demand than their local market counterparts.

rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S > 505 - morphine not found 09/26/2013 at 00:10

0

You're right about the gearbox - it's like magic. I still remember that from driving a red one a friend bought used in 1989.

Reigntastic > 505 - morphine not found 09/26/2013 at 00:19

1

This is an awesome review, definitely raising the bar for user submissions. Thanks for the MR2 porn, I really want an AW11 to be parked out next to my SW22 now.

KingGeorgeXIII > MR2_FTW - Group J's resident Stig 09/26/2013 at 01:11

0

There was a S/C one for sale near me for $1500. Had well over 200,000 miles on it and the transmission was stuck in gear. If I'd had a place to tear it down I would have snatched it up.

naegling > 505 - morphine not found 09/26/2013 at 01:12

0

I owned an '87 when I was in college. It had the one large vent instead of the two smaller ones. I loved that car. I still have a dream about once a year that I'm driving it. Amazing little machine.

Will H > 505 - morphine not found 09/26/2013 at 01:43

0

Wish I hadn't read this—now I really miss my 86 MR2. :(

Kanaric > trynthink 09/26/2013 at 02:10

0

umm where do you live? Around me ALL are manual and theres at least 5 for sale at all times.

You probably live in the rust belt i'm guessing.

Kanaric > MR2_FTW - Group J's resident Stig 09/26/2013 at 02:14

0

The supercharged version really is the inferior version of the car. The best version of the car is the slicktop base model. It's about 250lbs lighter and the stock ECU and 4age are far more able to be tuned then the 4agze and it's ecu.

You can get a lot of power out of the engine NA and there is plenty of piggybacks and ecu replacements like megasquirt pnp for the stock engine. Nothing exists for the 4agze but pullies which you would be lucky to make 180hp with. Meanwhile you can make a high compression hot cam ITB NA engine and make 200hp or more if you decide to turbo it. In a 4agze you would need a complete ECU and harness swap over to 4age to even consider that route and you are ditching the supercharger anyways.

Also another fact about the GZE is that the supercharges havn't been made for years and have become rare. So when they break, and it is when they are notorious for failure, you are going to be paying out of your ass for one.

Kanaric > 505 - morphine not found 09/26/2013 at 02:15

0

When that happens you buy the MK3 MR2 which is pretty much the exact same car except lighter and a 2zz bolts in and works with the same ECU. They are going for $6000 now amazingly. It's pretty much a cheap elise.

Kanaric > 505 - morphine not found 09/26/2013 at 02:20

0

There is a guy on the MR2 forum, runs the site matrix garage, that makes a lot of turbo parts for this car. For around $2000 if you buy a cheap chinese turbo you have around 200hp and that amount of power in a base slicktop AW11 is scary. Keeping in mind that around where I live you can find great running and mostly cosmetically OK AW11s for less than $2000 left and right they are the bargain of the century for fun.

You are fairly SOL if you have a supercharged. Better hope you don't ever break a rear axle as well because you will not find replacements on that trans. Aftermarket for that car has been steadily declining and it is now almost nil since the superchargers are becoming harder to find by the month.

Kanaric > Ben Crowe 09/26/2013 at 02:21

0

That is crazy, I looked at one down my block for $1500 and it was near immaculate.

buck7 > 505 - morphine not found 09/26/2013 at 02:23

0

Always dream about getting one too, then drop in the 20valve blacktop with open pods, a 4-2-1 header straight into a bike muffler. mmmmmmmmmmm

Kanaric > Dunnik 09/26/2013 at 02:24

0

I would as well, especially considering that the MK3 they ended with in 2006, i believe, was a great car. 2100lbs, 140hp, it was a true successor to the AW11. LOTS of aftermarket options for that as well if you are into modding those cars.

If they just updated that car and put a 2ZZ in it the car would be better than the BRZ by far and I think they won't do that because they would be competing with themselves.

Ben Crowe > Kanaric 09/26/2013 at 03:20

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Just had a quick look on Trade Me (our answer to eBay), and the average price from the first 5 examples I saw was $5300 in our money ($4300 US). You don't know how good you have it...

notahater > 505 - morphine not found 09/26/2013 at 04:59

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I know it is a great little car, but I would almost feel obliged to dress like this whenever I would drive it.

cesariojpn > 505 - morphine not found 09/26/2013 at 05:07

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Obligatory Wheeler Dealers Episode.

Shiftright > 505 - morphine not found 09/26/2013 at 05:33

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Great car and already a modern classic, but the Fiat X1/9 that inspired it was much better looking and better proportioned / detailed. So was the Fiero, but well, we know all about the Fiero. The later versions were pretty good though, and I admit I have a soft spot for all three.

alfesti > 505 - morphine not found 09/26/2013 at 07:57

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My wife hated mine with its duct tape rear arches and busted radio until she had to take it to work one day as her Alfa was in for service.

She left moaning everyone would laugh at her in the car park and came back smiling and said "its amazing, you dont have to brake for corners!"

505 - morphine not found > Duckferd 09/26/2013 at 08:02

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I don't know enough about suspension geometry to answer that question, however, i know that the USDM model has a reputation to do snap-oversteer, while the others don't - and the missing anti-roll bar is the only difference AFAIK.

With all this said, it doesn't roll that much anyway, because the whole thing is pretty low, so i expect the center of gravity to be very close to the roll axis. If you seen the video, the tuned example in there has Toda Fighter coil-overs and some tuned roll-bars added, and simply does not do rolling at all.

About the rust: as i wrote it's problematic and expensive to get any new metal for this thing, so if you don't have a fortune to spend at the bodyshop you have to pull all the dirty tricks to get it to at least look right. For sure this is the main cause of demise of this model.

505 - morphine not found > MR2_FTW - Group J's resident Stig 09/26/2013 at 08:18

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Yeah i don't like that fact either. I had a long and hard think about getting an SC transaxle though, as those can have LSD, but i gave up on that - it doesn't need it that much, and i don't have that much free money lying around.

I love your car though, keep posting the videos. That flat black looks menacing on this car, and doesn't feel played-out like on many others.

StalePhish > 505 - morphine not found 09/26/2013 at 08:35

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Never driven one, but I'm a bit biased towards the Fiero. It's great in most of the same ways, but still has the problem where the pedals are all squished together on the right. Makes left foot braking (at least with US size 12 shoes) nearly impossible without stepping all over yourself. And the shifter is rather tall and annoying. But why was the Fiero disqualified from the "only real competition"? They are also mostly red, but a larger 2.5L I-4 or 2.8L V6 with 92 to 140hp stock, RWD, two-seater, pop-up headlights. Even has the same mid-engine layout with a place to store the sunroof in the front trunk and I'm willing to bet they are in the same price range. You can get an 86/87 GT with the 2.8L in decent shape for around $3k (I've got an 87 GT with a 5-speed).

505 - morphine not found > oldmancolin 09/26/2013 at 08:35

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That's a beautiful example, i love the lack of wing, and the color. Keep her happy!

505 - morphine not found > StalePhish 09/26/2013 at 08:53

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You are correct, when it comes to the USDM. However, i live in Europe, and Fieros just aren't here, the few that sailed over are now almost all gone. I heard there was a good version of the Fiero that handled well and had enough power and looked cool too, but to be perfectly honest with you, that's almost hearsay here in Europe so its simply a no-go.

In short: bias :-D

SathingtonWilloughby > 505 - morphine not found 09/26/2013 at 09:14

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the 163.000 examples

I think you mean 163,000. The thousands' separator in English is a comma.

Yes, I'm being pedantic.

RazoE > 505 - morphine not found 09/26/2013 at 09:33

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I love AW11's. My first car was almost an '89 Supercharged automatic (I didn't know manuals back then), but through freaky turns of events, I ended up with a 240sx.

Still, one day I hope to own an 88/89..

StalePhish > 505 - morphine not found 09/26/2013 at 09:39

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I've heard that Germany has quite a few of them. Haven't heard anything about them in other EU countries though.

It originally launched in the US in 1984 with the wimpy 2.5L commuter version (square-ish, notch-back):

But by the time it went out in 1988, it had a great suspension and a very good V6 for the time period. There was even talk of introducing a V8 for the next model year, but the project got canned.

(side note, while searching images for 1984 Pontiac Fiero 2M4, the actual 84 that I used to own comes up on the first page, but it's not a very good angle so I used a different image here)

dean_acheson > 505 - morphine not found 09/26/2013 at 09:45

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Have always found these to be very attractive cars. Had a buddy in high school who had one, but I think every time I saw it, it had ganja smoke rolling out the windows and Beastie Boys on the stereo.

iska2000 > WarShrike 09/26/2013 at 09:57

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That was Bill Strong, wasn't it? Did he sell them?

Ratchet when he's all hopped up on synthetic energon > 505 - morphine not found 09/26/2013 at 09:59

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the failure, that the third generation MR2 was.

On behalf of myself and all other ZZW30 owners,

iceman34572 > 505 - morphine not found 09/26/2013 at 10:01

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I'm so happy to see a feature article on the first generation Mister Two. I've had mine for almost 5 years (traded my 92 Acura Integra to a guy on Craigslist) and it is by far the most pleasurable car to drive that I've owned. Sure it's not fast in a straight line, but that isn't the cars intended purpose. Mine is a manual; I wouldn't touch one with an automatic, and a car like this both needs and deserves to be driven with a manual. The cabin is noisy but that's a positive. You drive a car like this to feel connected to the car, the road, and everything in between. And if you ever have the gas door pop open on you when you are driving, you just stick your hand out the window and close it. :) Mine has 191,xxx miles on it, and I replaced the factory clutch at 187,xxx miles. The mechanicals are bulletproof, and mine is still completely stock save for the clutch and the cone air filter that I put on. Mine does have the all too common quarter panel rust, but they do sell patch panels for those interested ( http://www.twosrus.com/catalog/produc… ). Other than the common rust problem, these are great cars to own. I wouldn't recommend it to be your sole mode of transportation if you live in an area that gets snow in the winter (I had to drive mine in the snow once, and it took an hour to go 19 miles home with 2" of snow on the unplowed roads) or if you are buying it as your first car, because as mentioned in the article, the handling can be very unforgiving if you drive it past it's limits and are inexperienced. Toyota had it right in the 80's; I've had the pleasure of owning my 87 MR2 and just sold my 85 Supra, which was another bulletproof, well put together, fun to drive car. I'll keep my MR2 until the day I die. Sure the second generation MR2 has a much larger following (which unfortunately has driven prices up way too high in my opinion), but this is a unique, fun car to drive, and getting harder to find a serviceable, salvageable example as time goes on. If you find one that's a decent price and are contemplating buying it, do it. You won't be sorry.

mtdrift > 505 - morphine not found 09/26/2013 at 10:12

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These sometimes pop up on local dealer lots or on CL around town for $2-$4k, and I'm always tempted to make a low-ball and hope for the best. At that price-point, they just seem incredibly accessible, and yet mysteriously exotic at the same time. I've never had the pleasure of driving one, so I may need to remedy that.

Nice write-up, too, btw.

505 - morphine not found > Ratchet when he's all hopped up on synthetic energon 09/26/2013 at 10:20

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It's not a bad car per se, but i would argue both earlier generations are better as an all-round package, and the W3 also failed miserably on the market - by far the worst sales numbers of the three.

But you're right, it's too good to just simply diss on, and good for you that you have one - keep her happy!

ATaylor-Jones > 505 - morphine not found 09/26/2013 at 10:22

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This is a great read, who would have thought English was your second language?

H4N5 GRU83R > 505 - morphine not found 09/26/2013 at 10:25

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DEM SEATS!

505 - morphine not found > H4N5 GRU83R 09/26/2013 at 10:33

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I know, right? And before the facelift of '87, they were color-coded to the body. You read that right: red car, red seat inserts, silver car, silver inserts, etc. Awesome!

Gothmog3VZ - Twin AW11's > 505 - morphine not found 09/26/2013 at 10:34

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tl;dr MR2's are awesome. Congratulations on the purchase!

I had a fairly ratty AW11 I sold back in May, but it was an amazing DD. If you dont have to haul much, and just want something fun/good on gas (i.e. Miata criteria), I vote MR2. The 4A is fairly bulletproof, and it looks fantastic.

Now I've upgraded to an "SW11"... ;) That's a whole different ballgame! It's amazing what the W11 chassis can do with ~250 turbocharged horsepower :)

The aforementioned SW11

And my old beater/dd/winter-rally-car

And the two together right before I sold the slow one :( Kind of regret it since winter is coming soon...

Wonk Unit > 505 - morphine not found 09/26/2013 at 10:36

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Great writeup! id dint' know that about the sub under the seat, i'll have to check mine. i always wondered why the seat vibrated alot.

Hoy! Lip buddy pawnch! > feather-throttle-not-hair 09/26/2013 at 10:37

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They are so dirt cheap. Do yourself a favor and drive a lightly upgraded (pads, tires, struts, springs, bushings) one. You will be hooked (owner of a '85 and '87) AW11). If you track your car then I highly recommend the MRS.
As for the gearbox yeah that's a spot on review. The shifter has good feel (wish the throw was more firm but that grip!) for a car at that age; no short throw needed (never liked them anyways).
I have a TRD LSD on my '85 and there is a difference from my '87. Is it worlds apart? No but I do notice the differences (attack corners like Lupin III).
Thanks for the review!

Ratchet when he's all hopped up on synthetic energon > 505 - morphine not found 09/26/2013 at 10:53

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Oh, it was an absolute sales failure, I'll give you that. Toyota cut corners to meet a price-point, and it made for a confusing car in the market. With its complete lack of practicality they should have accepted putting a slightly higher pricetag on it and used the 2ZZ-GE and 6-speed. The extra ~40hp of the 2ZZ would have really gone a long way in that car, and with the extra power/gear, they could have dropped the final drive a hair and made it much better on the freeway. Mine turns ~3700 rpm in 5th to do 70.

That all said it's still one of the most fun cars I've ever driven.