why are early 90's Toyota MR2's so expensive?

[holden j caufield]

even the non turbo ones.

 

[spidey07]

weight balance/handling.

All around incredibly fun to drive car. Simply incredible handling.

Had one for a while.

I mean face it - its a mid engine, 50/50, rear wheel drive, light weight vehicle.

 

[Vette73]

Same reason 1988 fireo's still pull top dollar.

Small, light, and plenty of after market mods.

 

[geno]

Because they're rare and fun to drive. I've seen the non-turbos go for as little as $2500-$3000 with avg milage

 

[Analog]

Originally posted by: Marlin1975
Same reason 1988 fireo's still pull top dollar.

Small, light, and plenty of after market mods.

Hey, another Fiero Lover!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Apex]

Originally posted by: spidey07
weight balance/handling.

All around incredibly fun to drive car. Simply incredible handling.

Had one for a while.

I mean face it - its a mid engine, 50/50, rear wheel drive, light weight vehicle.

It has even better weight distribution than that. 42% front, 48% rear.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: Apex

Originally posted by: spidey07
weight balance/handling.

All around incredibly fun to drive car. Simply incredible handling.

Had one for a while.

I mean face it - its a mid engine, 50/50, rear wheel drive, light weight vehicle.

It has even better weight distribution than that. 42% front, 48% rear.

Thanks for the correction. I knew you'd chime in...

I knew I loved mine and have driven very few cars that felt that good. So extremely well footed. So light, so quick.

-edit- HEY!!! where's the extra 10%?

 

[Zim Hosein]

Originally posted by: Marlin1975
Same reason 1988 fireo's still pull top dollar.

Small, light, and plenty of after market mods.

Like Ferrari kits?

 

[Apex]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: Apex

Originally posted by: spidey07
weight balance/handling.

All around incredibly fun to drive car. Simply incredible handling.

Had one for a while.

I mean face it - its a mid engine, 50/50, rear wheel drive, light weight vehicle.

It has even better weight distribution than that. 42% front, 48% rear.

Thanks for the correction. I knew you'd chime in...

I knew I loved mine and have driven very few cars that felt that good. So extremely well footed. So light, so quick.

-edit- HEY!!! where's the extra 10%?

Bah, whole day of moving stuff around (HT is now gutted) and can't type.

42% front, 58% rear.

Absolutely awesome weight distribution, as well as very low polar moment (most of the weight is near the center instead of out near the corners).

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: Apex

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: Apex

Originally posted by: spidey07
weight balance/handling.

All around incredibly fun to drive car. Simply incredible handling.

Had one for a while.

I mean face it - its a mid engine, 50/50, rear wheel drive, light weight vehicle.

It has even better weight distribution than that. 42% front, 48% rear.

Thanks for the correction. I knew you'd chime in...

I knew I loved mine and have driven very few cars that felt that good. So extremely well footed. So light, so quick.

-edit- HEY!!! where's the extra 10%?

Bah, whole day of moving stuff around (HT is now gutted) and can't type.

42% front, 58% rear.

Absolutely awesome weight distribution, as well as very low polar moment (most of the weight is near the center instead of out near the corners).

It'd be interesting to hear "the experts" take on the car in terms of handling...for me:

virtually no oversteer, great braking, very balanced (car stayed on-plane through even the hardest corners and weight shifts - left/right, front/back)

 

[AnonymouseUser]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: Apex

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: Apex

Originally posted by: spidey07
weight balance/handling.

All around incredibly fun to drive car. Simply incredible handling.

Had one for a while.

I mean face it - its a mid engine, 50/50, rear wheel drive, light weight vehicle.

It has even better weight distribution than that. 42% front, 48% rear.

Thanks for the correction. I knew you'd chime in...

I knew I loved mine and have driven very few cars that felt that good. So extremely well footed. So light, so quick.

-edit- HEY!!! where's the extra 10%?

Bah, whole day of moving stuff around (HT is now gutted) and can't type.

42% front, 58% rear.

Absolutely awesome weight distribution, as well as very low polar moment (most of the weight is near the center instead of out near the corners).

It'd be interesting to hear "the experts" take on the car in terms of handling...for me:

virtually no oversteer, great braking, very balanced (car stayed on-plane through even the hardest corners and weight shifts - left/right, front/back)

They were great handling cars, but I heard that if you pushed it too hard the back end could snap out from behind and you were guaranteed to spin.

Text

 

[jlee]

Originally posted by: AnonymouseUser

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: Apex

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: Apex

Originally posted by: spidey07
weight balance/handling.

All around incredibly fun to drive car. Simply incredible handling.

Had one for a while.

I mean face it - its a mid engine, 50/50, rear wheel drive, light weight vehicle.

It has even better weight distribution than that. 42% front, 48% rear.

Thanks for the correction. I knew you'd chime in...

I knew I loved mine and have driven very few cars that felt that good. So extremely well footed. So light, so quick.

-edit- HEY!!! where's the extra 10%?

Bah, whole day of moving stuff around (HT is now gutted) and can't type.

42% front, 58% rear.

Absolutely awesome weight distribution, as well as very low polar moment (most of the weight is near the center instead of out near the corners).

It'd be interesting to hear "the experts" take on the car in terms of handling...for me:

virtually no oversteer, great braking, very balanced (car stayed on-plane through even the hardest corners and weight shifts - left/right, front/back)

They were great handling cars, but I heard that if you pushed it too hard the back end could snap out from behind and you were guaranteed to spin.

Text

If you push it too hard and back off the throttle, it will spin. If you start to lose it in a corner, stomp on the gas.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: CadetLee

Originally posted by: AnonymouseUser

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: Apex

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: Apex

Originally posted by: spidey07
weight balance/handling.

All around incredibly fun to drive car. Simply incredible handling.

Had one for a while.

I mean face it - its a mid engine, 50/50, rear wheel drive, light weight vehicle.

It has even better weight distribution than that. 42% front, 48% rear.

Thanks for the correction. I knew you'd chime in...

I knew I loved mine and have driven very few cars that felt that good. So extremely well footed. So light, so quick.

-edit- HEY!!! where's the extra 10%?

Bah, whole day of moving stuff around (HT is now gutted) and can't type.

42% front, 58% rear.

Absolutely awesome weight distribution, as well as very low polar moment (most of the weight is near the center instead of out near the corners).

It'd be interesting to hear "the experts" take on the car in terms of handling...for me:

virtually no oversteer, great braking, very balanced (car stayed on-plane through even the hardest corners and weight shifts - left/right, front/back)

They were great handling cars, but I heard that if you pushed it too hard the back end could snap out from behind and you were guaranteed to spin.

Text

If you push it too hard and back off the throttle, it will spin. If you start to lose it in a corner, stomp on the gas.

exactly.

But what dumbass lets off the throttle in a turn?

 

[jlee]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: CadetLee

Originally posted by: AnonymouseUser

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: Apex

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: Apex

Originally posted by: spidey07
weight balance/handling.

All around incredibly fun to drive car. Simply incredible handling.

Had one for a while.

I mean face it - its a mid engine, 50/50, rear wheel drive, light weight vehicle.

It has even better weight distribution than that. 42% front, 48% rear.

Thanks for the correction. I knew you'd chime in...

I knew I loved mine and have driven very few cars that felt that good. So extremely well footed. So light, so quick.

-edit- HEY!!! where's the extra 10%?

Bah, whole day of moving stuff around (HT is now gutted) and can't type.

42% front, 58% rear.

Absolutely awesome weight distribution, as well as very low polar moment (most of the weight is near the center instead of out near the corners).

It'd be interesting to hear "the experts" take on the car in terms of handling...for me:

virtually no oversteer, great braking, very balanced (car stayed on-plane through even the hardest corners and weight shifts - left/right, front/back)

They were great handling cars, but I heard that if you pushed it too hard the back end could snap out from behind and you were guaranteed to spin.

Text

If you push it too hard and back off the throttle, it will spin. If you start to lose it in a corner, stomp on the gas.

exactly.

But what dumbass lets off the throttle in a turn?

All those people who wreck MR2s..

Seriously, though..it's probably people who are used to FWD without an LSD..inside tire spins at WOT (assuming you have enough power, anyway), and you end up going straight instead of turning.

 

[Shawn]

because they are nice cars?

 

[Apex]

Originally posted by: AnonymouseUser

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: Apex

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: Apex

Originally posted by: spidey07
weight balance/handling.

All around incredibly fun to drive car. Simply incredible handling.

Had one for a while.

I mean face it - its a mid engine, 50/50, rear wheel drive, light weight vehicle.

It has even better weight distribution than that. 42% front, 48% rear.

Thanks for the correction. I knew you'd chime in...

I knew I loved mine and have driven very few cars that felt that good. So extremely well footed. So light, so quick.

-edit- HEY!!! where's the extra 10%?

Bah, whole day of moving stuff around (HT is now gutted) and can't type.

42% front, 58% rear.

Absolutely awesome weight distribution, as well as very low polar moment (most of the weight is near the center instead of out near the corners).

It'd be interesting to hear "the experts" take on the car in terms of handling...for me:

virtually no oversteer, great braking, very balanced (car stayed on-plane through even the hardest corners and weight shifts - left/right, front/back)

They were great handling cars, but I heard that if you pushed it too hard the back end could snap out from behind and you were guaranteed to spin.

Text

Weird, I actually know some of those people quoted there.

The 91-92 suspension was a bit tricky. I don't think it was bad for most corners. You just need to know the limits of the car. The problem was when hitting a bump midturn when you're already at the limits of adhesion. Hitting a bump causes the rear to toe out quite radically, offering the driver's posterior some seriously world class pucker.

To help fix that, you can do several things:

1. Lower the car. Lowering springs and better shocks definitely help. However, they also raise the limits of your car, so when you exceed the limits, it tends to be at a more dangerous point.

2. Get a good alignment. I'd personally suggest 1.25 degrees of negative camber front, 1.5 degrees rear. Toe-OUT the front suspension 1/16" (this gives you a more responsive turn in), and toe-IN the rear 1/16" (some argue 1/8", but this may be a little too much. Experiment to taste).

3. Go with some polyurthane bushings. This helps keep the dynamic toe changes to a minimum. When you install, make sure you grease them well, so they don't squeek.

The 93+ suspension changed the toe-out tendancies. The longer trailing arms helped keep toe changes under load to a minimum. People say that this also introduced too much understeer, but that too can be corrected by a good alignment.

I've gotten into trouble before in my 91 turbo. It can be scary, but it's a great learning experience. Driving the MR2 fast teaches you good technique. If you're sloppy, it bites back, HARD. You can brake very quickly thanks to the weight distribution (when you brake, weight transfers forward, so your 4 tires do more equal work slowing down the car. With a 50/50 weight distribution car, the front tires do WAY more than the rear tires). It turns in unbelievably quick thanks to the fact that it only has 42% of the weight on the nose. You can start accelerating out of a corner earlier too, because it has more weight over the driving wheels.

I've traded my car in for another mid engined vehicle, but one that's less hairy. I still have a ways to go before becoming a good driver.

 

[SithSolo1]

I've seen a few of those around town. A guy in my parents neighborhood has a MR2 and a Supra, both in pristine condition. The guy is like 50 years old ta boot.