The MR within the title of right now’s Good Worth or No Cube MR2 Spyder stands for ‘Midship Runabout,’ denoting its engine placement and spry driving habits. Let’s see if its vendor has named an excellent worth for it.
To say I used to be stunned by the response to yesterday’s 1968 Ford Nation Sedan wagon could be an understatement. I believed the automotive’s rebuilt engine, heavy-duty transmission, and fairly full and driveable situation have been probably well worth the $8,000 requested for it. Most of you disagreed, nonetheless, sending the Ford packing in a 73 % No Cube loss.
I suppose we’ll all need to comply with disagree each on occasion, and we would have one other alternative to take action with right now’s 2000 Toyota MR2 Spyder. We’ll need to see the way it goes.
When Toyota launched the third era of its mid-engine runabout, the brand new automotive proved a radical departure from the mannequin’s two prior editions. Positive, it nonetheless rocked a mid-engine structure and simply two seats, however it adopted a full convertible roof and wide-eyed anime styling in distinction to the earlier generations’ extra conventional sports activities automotive seems.
Additionally gone was the two.0-liter engine and the choice of turbocharging supplied by the Spyder’s fast predecessor. As a substitute, the one engine choice was the 1.8-liter all-ally 1ZZ-FE DOHC naturally-aspirated 4. That gives 138 horsepower and 126 lb-ft of torque, however drivers need to go looking up the revs to succeed in to both of these numbers.
As a first-year mannequin, this MR2 Spyder has a regular five-speed handbook, not the bizarre SMT auto-manual launched as an choice the next 12 months. Meaning all of the ponies can be found on the driver’s whim. These automobiles didn’t have quite a lot of choices obtainable when new, and except for a big-screen double DIN stereo, this one doesn’t seem to have been contaminated by aftermarket-itis both.
This Toyota is dealer-offered, promoted by the vendor as a two-owner automotive that’s been well-kept and maybe the very best in California. It rolls on manufacturing facility alloys that look to be in good condition, and people are wrapped in rubber which can be mentioned to have about 75 % tread left.
Complementing that may be a silver metallic coat of paint and black vinyl convertible with a elaborate glass again window. None of that exhibits any important flaw within the photos. Of observe, nonetheless, is that the headlamp and tail lamp lenses seem to have been lined in darkish movie of restricted attraction. That will in all probability be only a morning’s work to take away.
The one notable flaw within the cabin is a big crack within the laborious plastic high of the middle console. Was that owed to an errant elbow or too many aggressive yanks on the e-brake deal with? There’s no CSI for such issues, so we’ll by no means know.
One other situation to think about concerning the MR2 Spyder’s cabin is how tight it’s. This can be a Kewpie Doll-sized automotive, and two-up, it may possibly make for an uncomfortable area for folks with private boundary points.
One other tight area is the engine compartment. That’s anticipated of a mid-engine convertible, and to be truthful, Toyota’s packaging is among the many better of the breed. Actually, it seems that this automotive’s bay has been accessed no less than as soon as, as there are lacking fasteners on the engine’s magnificence cowl.
That apart, there actually don’t appear to be any gotchas with this MR2. Per the vendor, it has a reasonable-for-a-Toyota 133,414 miles below its belt and has a clear title. The asking worth is $11,495.
Now, right here’s the place it will get difficult. You see, that sort of money will purchase a decently sorted Porsche Boxster of the identical period or any variety of Mazda Miatas. Both of these is a stable selection, and I feel we will all agree that each have higher pedigrees than the Toyota. That mentioned, that is the much less probably selection and, therefore, excellent for the person who likes to stay outdoors the mainstream.
What do you suppose? Is that this MR2 value that $11,495 asking and a sensible expenditure in gentle of the competitors? Or is that this Spyder simply not too fly?
You determine!
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