NPoCP - AW11

"Bytemite" (bytemite) 01/18/2017 at 16:07 • Filed to: npocp

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While searching for MR2 spyders and na 2nd gen MR2s, I came across this. It’s so beautiful, it’s like getting in a time machine and going back to the 80s except this time you have a back-up camera and bluetooth.

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404 - User No Longer Available > Bytemite 01/18/2017 at 16:10

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I think you got Kinja’d...

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Bytemite 01/18/2017 at 16:14

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Link’s kinja’d, but I’m going to have to say NP anyway without knowing anything other than that it’s an AW11.

Bytemite > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 01/18/2017 at 16:19

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FIXED

Textured Soy Protein > Bytemite 01/18/2017 at 16:24

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Kinda crazy for me to see a clean one like that, every once in a while I see one here in Wisconsin and they’re rusted to hell and back.

RiceRocketeer Extraordinaire > Bytemite 01/18/2017 at 16:31

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I like it a lot, but I can’t help picturing what else I can get for $13,700 ...

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Bytemite 01/18/2017 at 16:31

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Believe it or not, if it all checks out, this is NP. That’s about what cherry ones are selling for these days.

EDIT - I changed my mind. That new paint’s probably hiding alot of rust. If the paint were original, it would still be NP, but now it means you need to put it on a lift to see what damage there really is.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > RiceRocketeer Extraordinaire 01/18/2017 at 16:32

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Nothing as awesome.

Bytemite > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 01/18/2017 at 16:32

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Personally, NP for me too. If i can negotiate a bit because it is a ‘88 NA, not SC. If I’m going NA cherry then I would rather have the lighter ‘85.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Bytemite 01/18/2017 at 16:34

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I ninja-edited my post too quickly. The paint bieng new worries me as it’s probably hiding bondo and rust.

RiceRocketeer Extraordinaire > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 01/18/2017 at 16:44

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Won’t argue with that.

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > Bytemite 01/18/2017 at 16:47

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It’s got novelty value, but $13.7k buys a lot of really cool classics with way more appeal.

Bytemite > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 01/18/2017 at 16:57

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True, for me it’s priced right at where AP1 Honda S2000 is at. And between those two, I’d get the Honda.

Roadster Man > Bytemite 01/18/2017 at 16:57

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Crack Pipe at that price, I LOVE me an AW11, but that’s just crazy. I’d rather buy a bone-stock one with like 20k miles on the clock for $4-5k less.

Steve in Manhattan > Bytemite 01/18/2017 at 17:06

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CP - following gen had an airbag and, I believe, ABS brakes. And, for me, is prettier. Safety man.

Bytemite > Textured Soy Protein 01/18/2017 at 17:21

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Yeah I bought a cheap one earlier this year thinking the rust wouldn’t be a big deal.

It was a big deal.

beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 01/18/2017 at 17:24

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The new paint could also have been when they went in and fixed any rust.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 01/18/2017 at 17:26

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My choice for that would probably be a third-gen Thunderbird with a 390.

Khalbali > Bytemite 01/18/2017 at 17:28

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Beautiful car and it’s on my short list of classics to try and own at some point but definite CP.

Trunk Impaired 318 > Bytemite 01/18/2017 at 21:43

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CP but I would totally buy it. I can’t wait to get back into another AW11

Orange Exige > Bytemite 01/18/2017 at 22:33

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First picture: Wow. NP.
Craigslist preview blurb: Double wow. NP at any price.
Open the Craigslist page: Triple wow. And an extra wow for a “I did not see that price coming”.

I’m very torn. That’s a stupid amount of money for a cheap car, but if it’s as clean as it says it is - it may actually be a real NP.
This could be nostalgia talking, reminiscing on my first car 5 years back, an MR2 just a year older - same color, but infinitely worse condition. (also $12k cheaper)

Man but that thing is a sight to see. It’s been a while since I’ve lusted over an MR2. Little did I know I was not over it. Great find. And thanks for sharing.

Bytemite > Trunk Impaired 318 01/18/2017 at 23:52

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It really doesn’t get much better than the AW11. All other automakers should have just given up at the sight of its magnificence and closed their doors permanently. Toyota should have just focused all their production on pumping out as many aw11s as possible knowing that anything else they made couldn’t possibly live up to this.

Bytemite > Orange Exige 01/18/2017 at 23:56

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I know...just when I thought I’m over Adubs because I’m convinced they’re all rusted, rotted projects, I see this and I’m reminded of what it could be...and what the car actually was had I been alive those years. A dream come true really.

Nauraushaun > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 01/19/2017 at 02:15

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That depends squarely on how much value you put in mid-engine-ness. The only other MR classics you can get for less than 5x that price are other MR2s.

Personally I think I’d prefer the AW11. I’ve long thought about an S2000, but once you go MR you either die by snap-oversteer into a tree or live long enough to see yourself become a Lotus owner.

Orange Exige > Bytemite 01/19/2017 at 08:00

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Yes exactly! I always had wished I could have been alive during its heyday and - just like you, thinking all AW11s nowadays, sadly, are poorly maintained rust buckets - seeing an example like this is probably as close as we can ever get to seeing a brand new AW11. Hell, this one’s even better than brand new because the engine’s broken in ;)

Bytemite > Nauraushaun 01/19/2017 at 13:55

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but once you go MR you either die by snap-oversteer into a tree or live long enough to see yourself become a Lotus owner.

Bytemite > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 01/19/2017 at 13:59

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As one of Oppo’s MR2 fanatics, I wanted to ask what would be your choice of MR2 between Sw21, SW20, and ZZW30, taking into account what you get for the money because of course if money wasn’t involved it would be the SW20 or a ZZW30 with 2ZZ swap. But I want to keep it stock and I’ve thought long and hard about which one I would get to complement my NA Miata.

I wanted to keep it below $5k, which meant SW21 or ZZW30. But I see something like this... http://stockton.craigslist.org/cto/5949667202.html and the want becomes too real. And THEN I think to myself, at that price wouldn’t I just get an AP1 S2k...it’s a real dilemma.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Bytemite 01/19/2017 at 14:17

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If you’re looking at mostly stock, I think NA AW11's the only way to go. Good ones are pricey now, but they’re appreciating rapidly, the engine’s amazing and well supported even if it won’t win you any drag races (seriously, it revs to 8000 and more importantly wants to - in 1984!), and the lack of power steering adds to the go kart feel of it. Still gets good gas mileage, easy to maintain (just watch out for the rust monster), and will always get you attention and entertain you. If you were looking to play a bit, I’d go SW30 because they’re cheaper than good SW20s now, weigh the same as an AW11, and are newer. There’s a guy at my formerly-local autoX who almost always got FTD in his with the original (lame) 1zz engine. Granted, he had hoosiers on it and reworked the suspension, but alot of the Miata guys who went slower had that going for them too. SW20 turbo’s fastest out of the box, but a bit of a fatty relative to the other two models, and the other two are only an engine swap away from the same power or more anyway.

Bytemite > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 01/19/2017 at 14:24

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Well that’s the thing, I know all about the AW11 and how amazing it is. It’s my MR2 of choice, but I’ve been burned by a rustbucket example and just have to admit there won’t be clean ones out there any more...at least not for sane prices. So I have moved my search for a Spyder, which would be perrrfect if not for that crappy 1zz, and maybe a little redundant with my Miata? Now I’m seeing if I can get an NA SW20 for cheap or maybe just move up to the Turbo if they can be had for $5k.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Bytemite 01/19/2017 at 14:32

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I think a clean AW11 can be had for 5k. I’ve seen them in that area recently, but it’s definitely not super common. There’s probably an AW11 or MR2 Facebook group in your area/region. I’d just join that and be ready for when the good one pops up. Hell, yesterday there was a very clean-looking automatic one on the FP for $1800 that’s just a transmission swap away from greatness. The 1ZZ isn’t bad per se. It’s reliable, gets good gas mileage, and puts out more power than the 4AGE. It just doesn’t scream into the red like the 4A does, but a non-BEAMS (not sold here) NA 3SGE isn’t really any different in that regard. The only point of the 3S is to boost it through the roof because it can take it.

Bytemite > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 01/19/2017 at 14:54

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Hmm...I guess you are right. The NA 5S-FE is even worse than the 1ZZ, so it ain’t all bad. I have experienced the 4A-GE before I sold it though. It literally sang at high rpm and somehow...felt more comfortable and vibration-less past 7k RPM than it did the lows. It was definitely more rev-happy than my already sweet 1.6 B6. The Miata engine vibrates and doesn’t even particularly like going up to 7k. My god, that short stroke oversquare engine just felt so good. We don’t see many oversquare engines nowadays, they’re all undersquare with long stroke and no willingness to rev.

But also I think my mind is made up since this MR2 will be my DD while I keep the Miata as the weekender. It will have to be the Spyder or the fat 2nd genners. I’m also looking for GS-R Integras and Celica GT-S’ to get that valve lift kicked in yo fun. It will be like I got my 4A-GE again.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Bytemite 01/19/2017 at 15:04

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If you’re DDing, I’d really think the SW30’s the way to go even though it doesn’t have a trunk and the frunk’s smaller. No one abuses them like they do SW20s or AW11s and they’re all way newer, so less rust-prone and less of a risk. SW30s all seem to be selling for around $6k in good shape while 20s are all over the map with actually clean ones occasionally approaching five figures. It also handles better. But yeah, the way that 4A screams is just magical. Possibly the second best rev limiter on a “regular” car after the S2000s also.