NPoCP: 2ZZ MR2 aka Budget Elise for $6,500

"Milky" (jordanmielke)
02/17/2017 at 14:45 • Filed to: MR2, Elise, NPoCP, 2ZZ

Previous owner has questionable taste plus it’ll need new seats and a top. But thats a cheap price for a lot of fun.

180hp / 2,200lbs
145k miles on the chassis, 75k on the engine.

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DISCUSSION (22)

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > Milky
02/17/2017 at 14:49

Huh. Wonder why the engine was replaced.

Bytemite > Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever
02/17/2017 at 14:50

It’s a 2ZZ swap?

Bytemite > Milky
02/17/2017 at 14:52

If I wasn’t in Cali, the 2ZZ-Spyder would be my attainable dream car. 4/5th Lotus for 1/5th of the price!

Milky > Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever
02/17/2017 at 14:55

I’ve watched a couple of videos this afternoon on them and one person said the cat gets clogged on the 1zz and can damage the engine. No idea if that actually true or not.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Milky
02/17/2017 at 14:56

Thats a 1500 dollar car here.

Milky > Bytemite
02/17/2017 at 14:58

I just wish it had some kind of trunk.

Milky > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
02/17/2017 at 14:59

Every used car is cheaper over there. Plus you can still buy a new Elise, its a dead car type over here.

Out, but with a W - has found the answer > Milky
02/17/2017 at 15:01

Even more fun: the precats disintegrate, after which the ceramic material is sucked into the engine. Largely solved with the 2003 refresh, or so I hope.
If they aren’t damaged, the easy fix is to remove them.

Or a preventive 2ZZ swap, that should work as well.

Out, but with a W - has found the answer > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
02/17/2017 at 15:04

>8000 USD here, without the swap. Well, not in that shape tbh, that’s CP at almost any price.

Bytemite > Milky
02/17/2017 at 15:13

The frunk is big enough for me. It can fit like two bags for a weekend getaway.

Milky > Out, but with a W - has found the answer
02/17/2017 at 15:13

Wow, that sounds very un-Toyota.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Milky
02/17/2017 at 15:14

If you’re in Canada, you could probably import one from Japan in better shape for cheaper than that.

Out, but with a W - has found the answer > Milky
02/17/2017 at 15:17

Just about the only point of failure, and with a rather low occurrence rate at that. Terminal if it does occur though, so a lot of pre-facelift owners gut their precats or remove them. I’m looking into replacing them (strict yearly inspections over here), but that’s a bit too spendy for now.

djmt1 > Milky
02/17/2017 at 15:24

Is it the 5 speed or did they do the 6 speed conversion at the same time. Also UK MR2s have an LSD as standard. I gather this what not the case elsewhere so check that.

Milky > djmt1
02/17/2017 at 15:41

Ad says 6spd. “2003 Spyder with 2ZZ swap from JDM Celica GTS, 6 speed.”

Good point about LSD though, would want that.

MR2_FTW - Group J's resident Stig > Milky
02/17/2017 at 15:58

With a bad top, crappily painted accents everywhere, and god-awful wheels.....maybe $4k.

phenotyp > Milky
02/17/2017 at 15:58

Pretty CP. It’s a 2zz swap (which I always wished I had done with mine), but even at that price there are enough things about this one that say STAY AWAY.

Milky > MR2_FTW - Group J's resident Stig
02/17/2017 at 16:11

Yea, but it was superman’s car, dood.

Milky > phenotyp
02/17/2017 at 16:14

So if clean NP, but every other mod is terrible.

cbell04 > Milky
02/17/2017 at 16:30

Kinja'd!!!

for sale near me for 7k. No engine swap but I’d take a clean example over that deal anyday

Model year: 2000. 59k original miles. Great condition. Aftermarket header, cold air intake and exhaust (not loud). Built in APEXi tuner. Custom wheels. Fast, fun. No scratches or dents. Interior in great condition (no rips or tears). Open to trades. No motorcycles. This car is in turn key condition and needs nothing. Rear engine, rear drive. It’s like a go kart!

https://raleigh.craigslist.org/cto/6004506138.html

phenotyp > Milky
02/17/2017 at 16:42

If it’s a clean and sound 2ZZ? Hell yes all day long. If there are red flags outwardly visible like this one? I’d question it pretty hard. That said, it’s a TX car, and there are a couple places down here that do good 2zz swaps. If you’re interested in an MR2, there’s no better place to look than spyderchat.com. The people there are straight up, and don’t suffer jokers.

Kill'em with Kindness > Milky
02/18/2017 at 00:48

Much as I love mk3's, their cost/cool/benefit is out of whack. Go mk2 for power abs mk1 for handling/looks. My 2 cents.

Kinja'd!!!