I have some noob questions here that you guys can hopefully help me out.

I currently have a Nissan 240sx N/A, but am looking into getting a MKII MR2 Turbo.

How's the reliability in these? I know it's an older car so I don't expect to not replace anything, I have a 1991 so I know all about that. Just wondering, on average, the usual problems (turbo is shot?).

And how about the handling? I heard it's a nightmare in the rain, but am wondering if it could possibly be any worse than my current car. Also read about the oversteer problems with these (supposedly later fixed in the later years of it?) But again, am wondering if it's so much worse than my current car.

Also, I have heard that the car is a pain to work on, is this true?

I have done research, however I have gotten conflicting answers on all my questions, so I figured it would be best to just ask here.

Thanks for any and all help...

 

Great car. Fun as hell. Mine was a daily driver for 4 years and I just rolled over 150k. Check out MR2 Owners Club Message Board&#8482. Tons of info there. These cars are very reliable, depending on how the previous owner(s) treated them of course. I never had any issues in the rain. Keep good tires on and don't drive like a jackass and u will be fine

 

Stock, the reliability is very good as long as the car was well maintained. Some common things to look out for:
1) This car is extremely senitive to the condition of its ignition components. A MR2 Turbo that sounds like it's dying may only need new spark plugs, plug wires, dizzy cap and rotor.
2) The stock CT26 turbo will evenutally go bad. There are some nice aftermarket kits out there from KORacing and ATS, or it can be rebuilt for a few hundred bucks as long as the core is good. This really isn't a big issue.
3) Oil leaks are most common from the following: Valve cover, distributer main seal, turbo return hose, loose oil filter, and oil pan. If the car appears to have an oil leak, verify that it is from one of these places. They are all easy fixes.
4) The most common coolant leak comes from a hose that sits behind the turbo, call the HFH (Hose From Hell). This is a cheap fix, but kind of a pain on a stock car, as you can probably guess by the name

Once the MR2 is modified, it's reliability pretty much depends on the quality of the mods and the quality of the installer, as I'm sure you know

It handles beautifully, just make sure that you learn the car before pushing it. The MR2 isn't as forgiving as most cars when pushed to the limit, so make sure that your driving is smooth. Also, quickly lifting the throttle if you make a mistake in a turn is a bad idea, use counter-steer instead. I've never had any problems in the rain, don't drive stupid and you should be fine. The oversteer "problem" isn't bad as long as you know what you are doing. The problem occurs when the driver tries to take a turn too fast. The normal human reaction is to lift the throttle and/or brake to slow down. This lifting action unweights the rear end, where most of the weight in an MR2 resides. This causes the tire to change it's toe, and the car starts to spin in a way that is difficult to recover since all that rear weight acts as a pendulum. Many drivers then panic and counter way too hard sending the car in a spin in the other direction. If you follow my tips, you shouldn't have any problem with this. Also, this effect is lessened in 93+ MR2s as well as ones with suspension upgrades.

Not true at all. All cars have quirks that can be difficult to work on depending upon experience and tools. From start to finish, I can drop the engine out of my 2 in under 2 hours, so it can't be too bad, can it?

If you're interested in buying an MR2T, I am most likely going to be selling my 91 MR2 turbo within the next couple of weeks. PM me if you want all the details.

 

don't forget the oil pump seal,mine was leaking and it leaked 2 full quarts on a 1600 mile trip.

 

i just sold mine, try Toyota MR2 Board for some more info

 

Good!