At $14,000, Is This 1993 Toyota MR2 A Red-Hot Deal?
According to its seller, today's Nice Price or No Dice MR2 is a highly optioned model and was once sold on Bring a Trailer. It's been demoted to a Facebook Marketplace ad, and it's up to us to decide whether its price matches that lower-tier venue.
Rumored federal rollover safety standards effectively killed off convertible production in the U.S. from 1976 to the early '80s. The convertibles that boldly remained on the market during this time were all older cars like the MGB and Mercedes-Benz SL.
It was that latter convertible, the two-seater Benz, that served as the role model for the 1977 Cadillac Seville Milan we looked at on Monday. A custom-bodied two-seater convertible, the Milan attempted to fill that obvious gap in North America's car lineup. Unfortunately, the car's odd proportions gave the impression that upon arrival, its occupants would be revealed to be a congress of clowns rather than a chic couple with wind-tousled hair. That factor, plus questions about the car's condition, made us all question the seller's set $8,000 asking price. In short order, that dropped in an 82% 'No Dice' loss.
A bigger Mister
When it comes to styling and proportions, it's safe to say that Toyota hit the mark with the second-generation MR2. Larger, more cohesive, and roomier, the SW20 edition traded the first MR2's odd mini-Ferrari Mondial look for one more reverent to the better-looking Ferrari 328 GTB. It still checked all the boxes that made the first generation popular: a mid-engine layout, pop-up headlamps, and an optional T-top roof. Where the second-generation car strayed from the first was in size (it's substantially larger in almost all dimensions), and in the breathing of its top-models as the earlier cars' supercharger was traded for a turbo. One other distinction of the SW20 (perhaps unfairly) is that its handling at the limit can bite unwary drivers on the butt.
This 1993 MR2 comes in the officially named Super Red, making it a perfect accompaniment to the Man of Steel's cape and booties. This is a non-turbo car, so horsepower is limited to 135 ponies from the 5S-FE DOHC four. Fortunately, that engine is mated to a five-speed manual to make the most of that output. Even better, the seller says a new clutch was installed 46k miles ago, and the timing belt and water pump were refreshed just 26,000 miles back. New motor mounts, pads and rotors, and T-top seals are additional milestones in the car's service history.
Southern comfort
This MR2 looks the part of a well-cared-for car, too. According to the seller, it was bought in Florida and spent much of its life in the South before being brought to New Jersey in 2018. When the present owner made that move, the car had 118,000 miles on the clock. It now has 136,788 miles, which averages about 2,400 miles a year under the current owner's care.
Overall, the car looks to be in great condition. The paint still pops, set off against factory alloys that show no evidence of injury. The engine looks cramped under its cover, and the sweeping buttresses make maintenance even more of a back-breaker, but at least it all looks intact.
The cabin doesn't appear cramped at all and looks quite handsome in its black-and-biscuit color scheme, with swanky leather upholstery on the seating surfaces. It all appears stock in here, save for a TRD-branded leather shift knob, although that does keep it in the family.
Some things to consider
On the downside, the seller warns that the A/C compressor is grinding and hence they've removed the belt to keep it from turning and potentially doing more damage. The ad also makes no mention of the tires' age or condition. With so few miles driven each year, it's easy to let tires hang on longer than they should. The MR2 features a staggered setup, with larger, wider wheels in the back, meaning that rotating front to rear is out of the question, making the meats even more out of sight, out of mind.
On the plus side, the ad notes that all of the car's glass has been VIN-etched as an anti-theft measure. In addition, the car comes with a clean title, not one but two options for T-top storage, and three keys. Oddly, though the seller says this was a heavily optioned car, it does not seem to have a remote-entry key fob. Weird. There are also two manila folders full of maintenance records going back to the previous owner. Those will accompany the car in the sale.
Let's talk money
On the face of it, this appears to be a solid example of a stock, mostly complete second-gen non-turbo MR2 with all the right specs and the promise of a well-managed service history. What's not to like, right? Well, there's that sweaty-Betty non-working A/C. That's going to cost a pretty penny to fix. We should also probably consider a new set of tires unless, upon inspection, they still seem to be in the game. Other than that, there don't seem to be any major red flags on this car. Plus, who doesn't dig an old MR2?
That only leaves us with the car's $14,000 asking price to either rejoice or bemoan. Let's talk about that. What's your opinion on this MR2 at that $14,000 asking? Does that sound fair given the car's presentation and specs? Or, at that price, is this Mister a miss?
You decide!
Facebook Marketplace out of Tenafly, New Jersey, or go here if the ad disappears.
Hat tip to Aleman for the hookup!
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