Toyota MR-2

[TBR]

Well, I've been doing a little research and have discovered that not only are MR-2 Spyders fairly readily available considering only a couple thousand were made per year but they are also a pretty good value considering their limited production (in the $17000 range for a '01).

wow. 7k depriaciation for a 4yr old car is good. there goes my hopes of getting one.

Considering how limited production was I am actually surprised that they aren't more expensive.

i don't think they were wanted much anyways. that's why toyota is axeing them.

There were people that wanted the MR-2 Spyder, just not as many as Toyota apparantly expected. I think they thought it would be an off the charts success like the Miata, not realizing the MR-2 was too impractical and expensive for many roadster buyers.  

[Raghavan]

Well, I've been doing a little research and have discovered that not only are MR-2 Spyders fairly readily available considering only a couple thousand were made per year but they are also a pretty good value considering their limited production (in the $17000 range for a '01).

wow. 7k depriaciation for a 4yr old car is good. there goes my hopes of getting one.

Considering how limited production was I am actually surprised that they aren't more expensive.

i don't think they were wanted much anyways. that's why toyota is axeing them.

There were people that wanted the MR-2 Spyder, just not as many as Toyota apparantly expected. I think they thought it would be an off the charts success like the Miata, not realizing the MR-2 was too impractical and expensive for many roadster buyers.

if Toyota had broken the tradition and had made the MR-2 front engined, it would've been more practical. that, with a lower baseprice, and the car would've sold well.

[Raza]

It's true that the MR2 is abnormally impractical.  A combined total storage space of 2 cubic feet, including the near useless trunk and the cubbies behind the seats makes it hard to put anything sizeable in there.  Only the bravest of brave would brave one as a daily driver, but in reality, the cargo space isn't much less than the Miata.  It's a sharper, faster car that beat the MX-5 around a track by over a full second (C&D article) which proves that the MR2 handles as well or better than the Miata.  

One of the things that killed it compared to the MX5 is that it doesn't get the cutesy chick niche.  No automatic trans offered, and the SMG didn't become available until 2002 or 2003.  The SMG also slowed the car down by over a second to 60, and takes away the involvement that the manual trans gives you.  

It is roomier than the MX5, and that counts for alot.

Rag:
The MR2 can't be front engined.  MR2 stands for "Midship Runabout" (I think the two stands for seats or drive wheels, I'm not sure).  Break that down:  Midship means that it's got a  mid placed engine, and runabout means it's a convertible, or a car with a removeable top.  A front engined car will take away not only the recognizeable name, but also the mid engined advantages.  Having that weight on top of the rear wheels helps acceleration and handling.  

[Raghavan]

here are some of the most popular interpretations of the name:

   "Mid engined, Runabout, 2 seater"
   "Midship Runabout 2-seater"
   "Mid engined, Rear drive, 2 seater"
   "Midship-engine, Rear-wheel drive, 2 seater"
   "Midship Racer 2 seater"

so it wouldn't have the same meaning or name, but they'd atleast sell more.

[Raza]

here are some of the most popular interpretations of the name:

   "Mid engined, Runabout, 2 seater"
   "Midship Runabout 2-seater"
   "Mid engined, Rear drive, 2 seater"
   "Midship-engine, Rear-wheel drive, 2 seater"
   "Midship Racer 2 seater"

so it wouldn't have the same meaning or name, but they'd atleast sell more.

I know it's Midship Runabout, but that's not exactly my point.  What is my point, however, is that if you take away the advantages of the midship design, it move from a brilliantly affordable sports car to another underpowered Miata wannabe.  

[mazda6er]

Too bad they're not making any new ones. I've seen the car on a lot before and it is very small. You could literally load it into the back of some SUVs.

[Raza]

Too bad they're not making any new ones. I've seen the car on a lot before and it is very small. You could literally load it into the back of some SUVs.

I haven't heard any official reports of its demise.  As a matter of fact, Toyota still has it on its website as a 2005 model.

[mazda6er]

Too bad they're not making any new ones. I've seen the car on a lot before and it is very small. You could literally load it into the back of some SUVs.

I haven't heard any official reports of its demise.  As a matter of fact, Toyota still has it on its website as a 2005 model.

I am fairly certain that 2005 is the last model year for both the MR-2 and the Celica. No replacements are in the works.    

[giant_mtb]

Too bad they're not making any new ones. I've seen the car on a lot before and it is very small. You could literally load it into the back of some SUVs.

I haven't heard any official reports of its demise.  As a matter of fact, Toyota still has it on its website as a 2005 model.

I am fairly certain that 2005 is the last model year for both the MR-2 and the Celica. No replacements are in the works.  

I wouldn't mind if they kept it around, but I guess because it's failing terribly there's really nothing they can do.  There's only one in my entire area (a little yellow one) but it's always fun to see it zipping around the corners once in a while...and sometimes I even go to where the owner works so I can check out just how small it is...it's pretty cool actually.  I wouldn't mind one as a daily driver, but that's just me.

[mazda6er]

Too bad they're not making any new ones. I've seen the car on a lot before and it is very small. You could literally load it into the back of some SUVs.

I haven't heard any official reports of its demise.  As a matter of fact, Toyota still has it on its website as a 2005 model.

I am fairly certain that 2005 is the last model year for both the MR-2 and the Celica. No replacements are in the works.  

I wouldn't mind if they kept it around, but I guess because it's failing terribly there's really nothing they can do.  There's only one in my entire area (a little yellow one) but it's always fun to see it zipping around the corners once in a while...and sometimes I even go to where the owner works so I can check out just how small it is...it's pretty cool actually.  I wouldn't mind one as a daily driver, but that's just me.

I don't believe that either vehicle is failing. I don't think I've ever seen an MR-2 on the road, simply because it's a very low volume car, even more so than other roadsters.  

[giant_mtb]

Too bad they're not making any new ones. I've seen the car on a lot before and it is very small. You could literally load it into the back of some SUVs.

I haven't heard any official reports of its demise.  As a matter of fact, Toyota still has it on its website as a 2005 model.

I am fairly certain that 2005 is the last model year for both the MR-2 and the Celica. No replacements are in the works.  

I wouldn't mind if they kept it around, but I guess because it's failing terribly there's really nothing they can do.  There's only one in my entire area (a little yellow one) but it's always fun to see it zipping around the corners once in a while...and sometimes I even go to where the owner works so I can check out just how small it is...it's pretty cool actually.  I wouldn't mind one as a daily driver, but that's just me.

I don't believe that either vehicle is failing. I don't think I've ever seen an MR-2 on the road, simply because it's a very low volume car, even more so than other roadsters.

Oh...I thought they were giving it the axe because it's sails were too low and they were losing money because of it...

[Raghavan]

Too bad they're not making any new ones. I've seen the car on a lot before and it is very small. You could literally load it into the back of some SUVs.

I haven't heard any official reports of its demise.  As a matter of fact, Toyota still has it on its website as a 2005 model.

I am fairly certain that 2005 is the last model year for both the MR-2 and the Celica. No replacements are in the works.  

I wouldn't mind if they kept it around, but I guess because it's failing terribly there's really nothing they can do.  There's only one in my entire area (a little yellow one) but it's always fun to see it zipping around the corners once in a while...and sometimes I even go to where the owner works so I can check out just how small it is...it's pretty cool actually.  I wouldn't mind one as a daily driver, but that's just me.

I don't believe that either vehicle is failing. I don't think I've ever seen an MR-2 on the road, simply because it's a very low volume car, even more so than other roadsters.

Oh...I thought they were giving it the axe because it's sails were too low and they were losing money because of it...

that's what i thought too.

[TBR]

I believe I have only seen 2 actually on the streets, yet there were at least 15 on autotrader within 300 miles of my rural East Texas zip code.  

[Raghavan]

i've only seen 1 i think...

[Raghavan]

I actually really like MR-2's. they're my favorite car after the S2000 and Elise.

[giant_mtb]

I actually really like MR-2's. they're my favorite car after the S2000 and Elise.

Do you mean your favorite car overall or just your favorite roadster?  My favorite roadster is probably the Elise and I guess the S2000 because it looks sweet.  :P  

[Raghavan]

I actually really like MR-2's. they're my favorite car after the S2000 and Elise.

Do you mean your favorite car overall or just your favorite roadster?  My favorite roadster is probably the Elise and I guess the S2000 because it looks sweet.  :P

overall.  

[giant_mtb]

I actually really like MR-2's. they're my favorite car after the S2000 and Elise.

Do you mean your favorite car overall or just your favorite roadster?  My favorite roadster is probably the Elise and I guess the S2000 because it looks sweet.  :P

overall.

 :P  

[Raghavan]

I actually really like MR-2's. they're my favorite car after the S2000 and Elise.

Do you mean your favorite car overall or just your favorite roadster?  My favorite roadster is probably the Elise and I guess the S2000 because it looks sweet.  :P

overall.

 :P

???

[giant_mtb]

I actually really like MR-2's. they're my favorite car after the S2000 and Elise.

Do you mean your favorite car overall or just your favorite roadster?  My favorite roadster is probably the Elise and I guess the S2000 because it looks sweet.  :P

overall.

 :P

???

No idea.

[Raghavan]

I actually really like MR-2's. they're my favorite car after the S2000 and Elise.

Do you mean your favorite car overall or just your favorite roadster?  My favorite roadster is probably the Elise and I guess the S2000 because it looks sweet.  :P

overall.

 :P

???

No idea.

..  

[Raza]

I'd have to drive them back to back, but I'd venture that the MR2 handles just as well or better than the S2000.  If it had that 180HP 1.8L it would probably be faster too.  138HP is puny, you can barely get the tires to smoke when you drop the clutch.  Hell, if this thing had VW's 1.8T in it, it would be really freaking fast.  

[Raghavan]

I'd have to drive them back to back, but I'd venture that the MR2 handles just as well or better than the S2000.  If it had that 180HP 1.8L it would probably be faster too.  138HP is puny, you can barely get the tires to smoke when you drop the clutch.  Hell, if this thing had VW's 1.8T in it, it would be really freaking fast.

if it had the S2000's 2.0l 240hp I4, it'd get to 60 in well under 5 secs!
plus, you get a 9000 rpm redline.  

[BMWDave]

I'd have to drive them back to back, but I'd venture that the MR2 handles just as well or better than the S2000.  If it had that 180HP 1.8L it would probably be faster too.  138HP is puny, you can barely get the tires to smoke when you drop the clutch.  Hell, if this thing had VW's 1.8T in it, it would be really freaking fast.

if it had the S2000's 2.0l 240hp I4, it'd get to 60 in well under 5 secs!
plus, you get a 9000 rpm redline.

Which means that the MR2 would be extremely hard to drive in traffic.

[Raza]

I'd have to drive them back to back, but I'd venture that the MR2 handles just as well or better than the S2000.  If it had that 180HP 1.8L it would probably be faster too.  138HP is puny, you can barely get the tires to smoke when you drop the clutch.  Hell, if this thing had VW's 1.8T in it, it would be really freaking fast.

if it had the S2000's 2.0l 240hp I4, it'd get to 60 in well under 5 secs!
plus, you get a 9000 rpm redline.

Which means that the MR2 would be extremely hard to drive in traffic.

Because I often see S2000 drivers slitting their wrists in traffic...

The S2000's engine should be fine and easy to drive in traffic.  Especially the 2.2L version.  

[TBR]

I'd have to drive them back to back, but I'd venture that the MR2 handles just as well or better than the S2000.  If it had that 180HP 1.8L it would probably be faster too.  138HP is puny, you can barely get the tires to smoke when you drop the clutch.  Hell, if this thing had VW's 1.8T in it, it would be really freaking fast.

if it had the S2000's 2.0l 240hp I4, it'd get to 60 in well under 5 secs!
plus, you get a 9000 rpm redline.

Which means that the MR2 would be extremely hard to drive in traffic.

Because I often see S2000 drivers slitting their wrists in traffic...

The S2000's engine should be fine and easy to drive in traffic.  Especially the 2.2L version.

Particularly in a lighter car.  

[Raghavan]

I'd have to drive them back to back, but I'd venture that the MR2 handles just as well or better than the S2000.  If it had that 180HP 1.8L it would probably be faster too.  138HP is puny, you can barely get the tires to smoke when you drop the clutch.  Hell, if this thing had VW's 1.8T in it, it would be really freaking fast.

if it had the S2000's 2.0l 240hp I4, it'd get to 60 in well under 5 secs!
plus, you get a 9000 rpm redline.

Which means that the MR2 would be extremely hard to drive in traffic.

the S2000 is easy to drive around in traffic... have you even driven one?

[Fire It Up]

I think if Toyota had put GTS cams in the MR-2, it would prove to be a problem if they wanted to add some other sportscar to their lineup.

[Raghavan]

I think if Toyota had put GTS cams in the MR-2, it would prove to be a problem if they wanted to add some other sportscar to their lineup.

but they didn't add any new sports car to their lineup...

[Fire It Up]

I think if Toyota had put GTS cams in the MR-2, it would prove to be a problem if they wanted to add some other sportscar to their lineup.

but they didn't add any new sports car to their lineup...

Suppose they want to add a Supra.