Reviewing Toyota MR2 Spyder before buying one. MR2 Buyers Guide

[@mr2bmw]

I think the MR2 is a very good looking car. Everytime I drive mine, people always stop me to compliment the car.

[@JioniDrive]

@mr2bmw.. I think the side profile is pretty good looking, it reminds me of a Carrera GT. The rear is good looking too but the front, I’m not sure. I think if the head lights looked different, It would look good all around. It’s a unique car and I’m learning to appreciate its uniqueness.

[@mr2bmw]

@@JioniDrive I always thought it looks a little like the Carrera GT. 👍

[@JioniDrive]

@mr2bmw.. is yours stock? Have you done some upgrades? I was thinking of a hardtop but they are kinda pricey.

[@mr2bmw]

@@JioniDrive Mine is a 2001 Silver MR2 Spyder original owner with only 10,000 miles! Mine is stock, with the precats gutted, and I have a Teammoon Exhaust (Magnaflow). Love the car!!!

[@JioniDrive]

@mr2bmw That is awesome! It’s a collector car now. I just installed PPE exhaust which is basically a magnaflow exhaust and it woke up the car. I wasn’t sure if I can pass smog inspection with gutted pre-cats so I installed aftermarket headers to preserve the pre-cats.

[@layslekker]

Every time I drive it I feel happy. The weekend will be very special with Toyota MR2 MK3.

[@UAF_ViVi]

I used to to think the MR-S was ugly as.. well, compared to the 1st and 2nd generations.. but as I get older it has kind of grown on me. They can look really nice when cosmetically modified.

[@JioniDrive]

@ryotakamine, I don’t think it is ugly; it is unique. But if you compare it to an S2000 or Lotus Elise, those looks much better. I still love the MR-S and the one on the video was actually my car.

[@euroflipn]

Nice video, keep it coming!

[@JioniDrive]

@Euro Flipn Thank you for watching and for the feedback!!

[@MixMasterMaj]

Very detailed review. I love my MR2 Spyder. There is a lot of aftermarket parts available for these to make them very fast.

[@JioniDrive]

@BoomBoxBoy, thank you for watching. I tried to make the review useful. I like the MR2, it is light enough to feel quick. I will probably do light weight flywheel and six speed transmission and see what happens.

[@blueboykevs]

Nice video man, I’m in the market for one to do the 2zz swap and C60 swap. Very informative video. I’ve heard about the pre cats being an issue, but now I’ll for sure look out for them. Nice job, thanks again👌

[@JioniDrive]

@ Blueboy Kevs, I’m glad to hear the video was informative. 2zz would be a nice upgrade but the chassis can handle more. 300hp would be great on this car. If you will swap the motor, then you don’t have to worry about pre-cats. Buy the one with bad motor for like $1500 and build it from there.

[@warrentom6537]

Best explanation I've heard about the Pre-Cats issue and the related oil burning problem. Simple and clear. Nicely done.

[@JioniDrive]

@Warren Tom, thank you Sir!! I appreciate it.

[@ltvddvtl]

Many complain about the MR2 Spyder looks. I think it definitely looks better than the 1st gen. And the front looks better than the Elise MKII, which looks like a bug. But check the price on an Elise!

[@JioniDrive]

@Itvd dvtl, I do agree the 1st series Elise looks like a bug. I looked at the new T50 and the headlights reminded me of the MR2 Spyder.

[@I_vchris]

Subscribed!

[@JioniDrive]

@ onesnowfall, Thank you for the support!! I appreciate it.

[@mortisvan]

Love my 2003 MR2.

[@JioniDrive]

@mortiscan, they are fun little cars. I would not mind owning it again. Keep enjoying it.

[@mendezj615]

I'm wondering what is the reason for someone to dislike 👎. It's a great video and very well explained. 👍 👌

[@JioniDrive]

@WeMexicans615, maybe because I said ‘it wasn’t a good looking car’. But it is normal to have dislikes 👎 on KZbin. It’s just part of the job. Thanks for watching and I appreciate your kind words.

[@wezlay1]

I disagree about the looks. I always get positive comments. Mine is all black, looks tight

[@JioniDrive]

@Wes Steven, it’s not a PT Cruiser ugly but in general, some people might say an S2000 looks better. I like the MR2 Spyder, I would not mind owning another one.

[@gamemastr7]

I see a lot of people nowadays swapping out their original 1ZZ engines to V6 1mzfe or 2GR-FE. I also see some people take the 2zz route as well. No matter what people use, any of those options will improve the MR2 Spyder drastically. Especially if it's a V6 swapped MR2 Spyder.

[@JioniDrive]

@gamemastr7 I have thought about the 2ZZ as an upgrade. But I wouldn’t mind putting a v6 with low end torque.

[@gamemastr7]

@@JioniDrive I'm personally going with the 2GR V6 out of a lotus evora 2010 base model. There's plenty of aftermarket support for engine upgrades for both the 2ZZ and the 2GR. I'd highly recommend checking out monkeywrenchracing.com if you can. 👍 There's a few other people that are supporting the V6 swapped version of the MR2 Spyder on their websites and are selling their products to help people swap their 1zz to the 2gr.

[@JioniDrive]

@@gamemastr7 I have not looked into 2GR but now I’m interested. If this 1zz dies, 2GR will be on the top of the list. Are you building the Spyder for track use?

[@gamemastr7]

@@JioniDrive yes and no. My plan is going with the full exotic build on the MR2 Spyder. And the reason why I say that is because there's an exotic body kit that specially made for the MR2 spider that kind of makes it look like a Porsche gimbala GT. The people that make them are out in Thailand. Just look up luxury part MR2 spyder.com.

[@JioniDrive]

@@gamemastr7 I know those wide body kits. They look sick. It will be an affordable Carrera GT. Let me know how long it takes to get the body once you order it.

[@jeii8841]

Toyota designed it not to have storage, so people couldn't overload the vehicle and upset the balance of the vehicle!!. If you want storage buy a suv not a sports car!!

[@JioniDrive]

@j eii.. I like the MR2 the way it. If someone want storage, Miata or BRZs are available. The MR2 was surprisingly roomy inside.

[@blountman747]

So if i see a used one What are some things to look for before buying it ?

[@JioniDrive]

@blountman747, www.spyderchat.com has a buying guide. A well maintained car will have small issues taken care of. Check to see if pre-cat has been replaced. If engine is damaged due to pre-cat failure, it will have issues going to higher RPMs and it will not have power. Listen for weird noises. Check oil, if you can get vehicle history, ask if it burns oil. Remember both transmission do have a clutch. The automated transmission has a clutch and kinda expensive to fix that transmission. Other than normal wear and tear, it is a pretty reliable car.

[@blountman747]

@@JioniDrive thank you so much

[@JioniDrive]

@blountman747 good luck with the purchase.

[@blountman747]

@@JioniDrive thank you for your awesome video I just got to find one

[@ninjashidan]

I think mr2 is a beautiful car.

[@JioniDrive]

@Acumen, I’m starting to like the MR2 now. I like the side profile and the rear. The front is still not my favorite.

[@ninjashidan]

@@JioniDrive it needs the trd lip and skirts. Makes a huge difference

[@JioniDrive]

@Acumen. The TRD parts are difficult to come by. But I will keep looking.

[@ninjashidan]

@@JioniDrive yes, that's the frustrating part. The mr2s should have come with trd kids by default

[@JioniDrive]

@Acumen, I was looking for an OEM hardtop and I can’t believe how much they want for it. $3k! Maybe someone close to me will be parting out their MR2 build and I will get some parts.

[@alexhise968]

I just bought a wrecked unit with 42k miles for $150. Obviously it has what a lot of people see as a total loss. But I'm able to save what others can't

[@JioniDrive]

@Alex Hise, that’s a smart way to go especially if you’re building a track car or plan on modifying and swapping the engine. The cost stays low.

[@alexhise968]

I plan on putting a 2AR or 1AR in it with a NA build for road racing/autocross. I can build a AR to 260-280hp pretty reliably. The 2AR comes witha great 6speed that is much better from the Honda K series transmissions

[@JioniDrive]

The 2AR looks like a better option compared to 2ZZ. It has more torque and bigger displacement. I’m still not sure what I will do with my MR2. But I’m tempted to make it an autocross car.

[@alexhise968]

I think I can get 245/40R15 front and 275/30R15 rear

[@alexhise968]

@@JioniDrive if I would go to an 18" road racing

[@aftastosk6016]

You really failed to point out how nice this car drives.... and the last mention to the Elise was an unfortunate one. It's a much more user friendly car than the Elise.

[@JioniDrive]

@Aftastos K, I’m a fan of the MR2. I actually bought the car I was reviewing. I do agree that I failed to mention drivability. The MR2 is an everyday car and the Elise is more of a weekend and track car. The MR2 does have a little bit of body roll but it’s still a very well balanced car. Thank you for watching and for the feedback.

[@aftastosk6016]

@@JioniDrive you have to check the front suspension if everything is ok. Suspension wear at the front may be worse than you think. It happens at new MR2-S owners that are not realising how worn is the front suspension because they are not accustomed to how well this car handles.

[@JioniDrive]

@Aftastos K, thank you for letting me know about the suspension. I was going to install coilivers to reduce the body roll. But I will check for other suspension components such as bushings. Do you still own one?

[@aftastosk6016]

@@JioniDrive sure I do. Yes the first thing you have to do is check the bushings.

[@JioniDrive]

@Aftastos K. The first thing I did was to check the pre-cats. They were fine but one side had a small crack. Do you have a hardtop or do you think they’re worth the money?

[@MarcelHoskins]

Didn't the 2zz have major issues and caused the celica to get discontinued? That celica engine wasn't made by them it was made by suzki

[@JioniDrive]

@Marcel Hoskins, from what I have researched, I did not see any evidence that 2ZZ was designed by Suzuki. From what I can see, Toyota engineers developed the engine and for the high performance version, Toyota commissioned Yamaha to tune the engine. As far as reliability, 2ZZ is a strong and reliable motor. The problem came with the ‘over-rev’ which destroyed the oil pump. Are they as robust as K24s, no. The 2ZZ do not take modifications well compared to let’s say Honda K-series engines.

[@MarcelHoskins]

@@JioniDrive gotcha! Thanks for that info, I'm looking to buy a 2002 mode for 10K with 60k miles on it. I"m going to have the pre cats gutted from the car.

[@JioniDrive]

@Marcel Hoskins, are you going to buy an MR2 Spyder? For the Spyder, you have to take off the pre-cats. With age, they will disintegrate and some particles with get sucked back into the engine when exhaust gases are recirculated to burn off hydrocarbons. But it was was a fun car for me and I only sold it because an RX-7 became available. Good luck with the purchase and enjoy the car.

[@robertpearce5553]

​@@MarcelHoskinsthe 2zz was co developed by Toyota and Yamaha!!

[@elobiretv]

Why does everyone always talk about the frunk and then never show the storage behind the seats?

[@JioniDrive]

@elobiretv, I think I mentioned the storage behind the seat. It does have cup holders too which many sport cars do not have. I liked that car. The storage behind the seat is decent size.

[@Tweedewoning]

Yes no wishbones but... chapman struts , so with the help of Lotus !!!!

[@leonscheepers5350]

Bru, in depth? - You should get your facts straight - I read some of the comments and I figured your viewers also don't know the car very well. I am an owner and a lot of what you've said is incorrect and I've only watched up to 1:40 .... First Gen 1984 - 2nd Gen 1989 - 3rd Gen 2000 - stopped building in 2007 - 27 941 to be exact - much better looking than an MX5 - there was a turbocharger version - car comes with a factory hard top option. Just a few facts to set straight ... otherwise an enjoyable review. Toyota reliability :)

[@JioniDrive]

@Leon Scheepers, I knew about the hard top but I haven’t seen a factory turbo MR2 Spyder.

[@leonscheepers5350]

@@JioniDrive The last 300 exported to the UK were turbo models.

[@JioniDrive]

@Leon Scheepers, thanks for the info. A turbo Spyder must be a dream to drive. Now I have to go search for a video of one of those.

[@leonscheepers5350]

@@JioniDrive I want one!

[@layslekker]

You are talking about a car that you don't know anything about. Because you don't have it. All your criticism of this car is nonsense.

[@JioniDrive]

@Mohammed A, that was actually my personal MR2. I only sold it to buy FD RX7. I love the MR2 but it has its strengths and weaknesses. I was just being objective.

[@layslekker]

@@JioniDrive I see it almost as a classic car. She is an old lady but still attractive and seductive. I drive German cars. With powerful motors. And I bought the MR2 by chance. But I loved it so much and decided that it would be my classic car. I guess I'm a little fanatic about this car.

[@JioniDrive]

@Mohammed A, it’s a different experience compared to the big and heavier German cars. I enjoyed the light weight of the MR2, the manual transmission was great, it handles very well and it is cool because of the mid-engine. I’m glad you found a car you love and enjoy. I would not mind owning it again.

[@layslekker]

I hope you don't talk about anything of this car or any other car.