Saving the best for last? | Toyota MR2 Spyder buyer's guide

Robert
By Robert Bowen
Mar 28, 2023 | Toyota, MR2, ZZW30, Buyer's Guide, Toyota MR2 Spyder | Posted in Buyer's Guides | From the Nov. 2012 issue | Never miss an article

Photography Courtesy Toyota

[Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the November 2012 issue of Grassroots Motorsports.]

The MR2 was the Japanese giant’s most notable on-again, off-again niche sports car. First introduced for 1985, it was an inexpensive, mid-engined two-seater based around the Corolla engine and transmission. 

A light curb weight and low polar moment of inertia made it thrilling to drive despite its low …

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NickD
NickD PowerDork
9/16/19 9:41 a.m.

Good lord, are you guys reading my brain? I drove one of those last weekend at an autocross in E/Street (he had just wheels and some BFG Rivals on it, no sway bars or exhaust or brake work) and it was such a delightful car to drive. So, now I've been out looking for cheap ones so that I can retire my supercharged Miata from autocross and have my PAX work for me instead of against me.

Jordan Rimpela
Jordan Rimpela GRM+ Memberand Digital Editor
9/16/19 9:47 a.m.

Am I the only one who likes these?

sleepyhead the buffalo
sleepyhead the buffalo GRM+ Memberand Mod Squad
9/16/19 9:55 a.m.
Jordan Rimpela
Jordan Rimpela GRM+ Memberand Digital Editor
9/16/19 10:25 a.m.

In reply to sleepyhead the buffalo :

Good news! 

NickD
NickD PowerDork
9/16/19 10:45 a.m.

In reply to Jordan Rimpela :

I also really like these. Of all the Mister2s, I want one of these. Also, forum member Carbon has a badass ~225whp, ~1800lb one that I've ridden in. It's a little rocket ship

MadScientistMatt
MadScientistMatt PowerDork
9/16/19 1:34 p.m.

This one's always puzzled me as to why it never left the factory with the 2ZZ-GE to begin with.

Vigo
Vigo MegaDork
9/16/19 3:01 p.m.

I have a E36 M3ty MR-S and a E36 M3ty pile of disassembled 2zz engine.  Some assembly required. blush

Jordan Rimpela
Jordan Rimpela GRM+ Memberand Digital Editor
9/16/19 3:03 p.m.

In reply to Vigo :

Still waiting for that 1980 T&C build thread...

CyberEric
CyberEric HalfDork
9/16/19 7:16 p.m.

I love these... sadly they are really expensive when I see them for sale. 

Carbon
Carbon UltraDork
9/16/19 7:55 p.m.

I have a pair of them, a 1zz turbo one and a 2zz turbo one. Both are ridiculous fun. Both have been very reliable despite copius track use and hard street use. Both are ftd cars at most events.

I took another 6lbs out of the silver car, it weighs (with a 1zz turbo and a six speed/lsd swap) 1929lbs. Ready to drive, in street trim, with stock seats. A N/A one with a 5 speed would be even lighter. 

Carbon
Carbon UltraDork
9/16/19 7:57 p.m.
CyberEric said:

I love these... sadly they are really expensive when I see them for sale. 

Wait..... what? Theyre all over the place for between 3k and 5k. Thats cheaper than any rust free miata I can find. 

Carbon
Carbon UltraDork
9/16/19 8:00 p.m.
NickD said:

In reply to Jordan Rimpela :

I also really like these. Of all the Mister2s, I want one of these. Also, forum member Carbon has a badass ~225whp, ~1800lb one that I've ridden in. It's a little rocket ship

The one you rode in was the heavy one (1929lbs) lol. It got a trd lsd/ and six speed, and a bigger turbo (tomei arms 7660) since you rode in it. 

BlindPirate
BlindPirate Reader
9/16/19 8:01 p.m.

So, what are they like to work on? Would it be tough to do some stuff in the garage on jack stands? I have been eyeing these for awhile but mid engine maintenance has held me back.

Carbon
Carbon UltraDork
9/16/19 8:47 p.m.

Theyre not bad, its like working on a backwards carolla. 

BlindPirate
BlindPirate Reader
9/16/19 9:12 p.m.

Who is the Flying Miata of the MR2 world?

Vigo
Vigo MegaDork
9/16/19 9:20 p.m.

Pretty sure there isn't one, per se. 

Dootz
Dootz Reader
9/17/19 1:48 a.m.

In reply to MadScientistMatt :

So that people would have a reason to buy its platform mate the Elise

NickD
NickD PowerDork
9/17/19 5:18 a.m.
BlindPirate said:

Who is the Flying Miata of the MR2 world?

At least for the MR-2 Spyder, I would say Monkeywrench Racing. They sell turbo kits, all sorts of 1ZZ internal upgrades, 2ZZ swap kits and Honda K-series swap kits.

sleepyhead the buffalo
sleepyhead the buffalo GRM+ Memberand Mod Squad
9/17/19 6:20 a.m.

I was discussing somewhere else that one of these (probably w/ the 2zz) would make an interesting GLTC car... since it's lighter/wider/lower-drag and mid-rear compared to the miata which has 'semi-dominated' GLTC so far

mad_machine
mad_machine GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
9/17/19 9:07 a.m.

back in 1999 when I bought my one and only new car. It came down to the MR2 spider and a Hyundai Tiburon. The only reason I went with the Tib was because I needed the storage space the MR2 lacked. I was doing 20,000 miles a year as a video editor and I was often carrying equipment with me. If it had a rear trunk like the previous two MRs, it would have been all over it

Carbon
Carbon UltraDork
9/17/19 6:18 p.m.
NickD said:
BlindPirate said:

Who is the Flying Miata of the MR2 world?

At least for the MR-2 Spyder, I would say Monkeywrench Racing. They sell turbo kits, all sorts of 1ZZ internal upgrades, 2ZZ swap kits and Honda K-series swap kits.

They are definitely not on par with fm in terms of quality or service imho. But they’re ok, and they support the platform consistently for decades now. 

CyberEric
CyberEric HalfDork
9/17/19 7:35 p.m.

In reply to Carbon :

Really?! That’s great to hear because in my area they are hardly ever for sale, and when they are, they’re Toyota-taxed like crazy. Miatas are half the price around here (SF Bay). I can pull up a half dozen nice-ish NBs for less than 4K. Not a single Spyder for sale. Last one I saw was $6k. Where do you see them so cheap?

BlindPirate
BlindPirate Reader
9/17/19 7:52 p.m.

I have been spoiled by the Miata aftermarket and the info out there. In my limited research today on a mostly street suspension what info I found was a bit confusing. Tire size, staggered set up or square, a good spring, shock or coilover seems to be you are more on your own to figure out.

Niannone
Niannone New Reader
9/17/19 9:45 p.m.

I went from an NA to a spyder. The aftermarket is absolutely frustrating. Seems to be only low tier coil overs or custom crazy expensive stuff. Currently running BC coils which I really dislike and make the car a handful to drive. The car has been extremely reliable though. 

Carbon
Carbon UltraDork
9/18/19 11:06 a.m.
CyberEric said:

In reply to Carbon :

Really?! That’s great to hear because in my area they are hardly ever for sale, and when they are, they’re Toyota-taxed like crazy. Miatas are half the price around here (SF Bay). I can pull up a half dozen nice-ish NBs for less than 4K. Not a single Spyder for sale. Last one I saw was $6k. Where do you see them so cheap?

Massachusetts. I went on fb marketplace to prove myself wrong and found ten right off the bat that are asking sub 5k. Several were 3k and two were 1+k needing engines. $3500 should buy a reliable fixer upper here.

MadScientistMatt
MadScientistMatt PowerDork
9/18/19 12:33 p.m.
Dootz said:

In reply to MadScientistMatt :

So that people would have a reason to buy its platform mate the Elise

The timeline doesn't fit - the 2ZZ-GE version of the Elise didn't show up until the 2005 model year, long after the MR2 Spyder had been sold in the US.

java230
java230 UltraDork
9/18/19 12:50 p.m.

I have a Cheap ish one for sale.... In the PNW if anyone is looking :D

 

they are great little go karts! But I needed more seats.

NickD
NickD PowerDork
9/18/19 12:50 p.m.
Carbon said:
CyberEric said:

In reply to Carbon :

Really?! That’s great to hear because in my area they are hardly ever for sale, and when they are, they’re Toyota-taxed like crazy. Miatas are half the price around here (SF Bay). I can pull up a half dozen nice-ish NBs for less than 4K. Not a single Spyder for sale. Last one I saw was $6k. Where do you see them so cheap?

Massachusetts. I went on fb marketplace to prove myself wrong and found ten right off the bat that are asking sub 5k. Several were 3k and two were 1+k needing engines. $3500 should buy a reliable fixer upper here.

There's a scruffy black one with 120k miles for $3500 in Fairfield, CT on FB Marketplace that I would absolutely be picking up if I had room for a third car

mad_machine
mad_machine GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
9/18/19 4:44 p.m.

I would love to see Toyota bring the MR2 back as a hardtop hybrid 2 seater sports car

Toyspyder
Toyspyder New Reader
2/8/23 7:05 p.m.

I have had a 2000 since 2011. Stuck in a 2zz in 2012 to increase the fun factor. Coilovers. bracing, hardtop, upgraded seat and head unit, 6 speed, wheels and tires all have been added. I have owned this car longer than any of the other 52 cars I have owned in my lifetime. It ranks in my top 5 of all time favorite fun to drive cars along with my:

69 Camaro Z28

78 Datsun 280Z

94 Integra GSR

2003 Nissan 350Z.

It may actually be the most fun of them all.

edizzle89
edizzle89 SuperDork
2/9/23 2:14 p.m.

Isn't there a yellow one on this forum that i think ran in the Challenge? had all the panels stripped off of it? what was the weight on that one? and how did it do in the quarter mile? That seems like an absolute blast

Lof8 - Andy
Lof8 - Andy GRM+ Memberand UltraDork
2/9/23 2:39 p.m.

In reply to edizzle89 :

Thats me!   It weighed in at 1620 lbs (pre-roll bar and 2zz swap).  I just dropped 12 lbs per corner switching to 13" wheels from some heavy Bassetts.  It ran a 14.6 @ 95 this year with a 2zz.  It was about a second slower with the old 1zz.


Feedyurhed
Feedyurhed UltraDork
2/10/23 6:06 a.m.

When these first came out I looked at them. The local Toyota dealerships all had a $5K "market readjustment charge" on them. That was a lot back then. I walked. Eventually bought a Miata which I still have and so glad I made that choice instead.

FSP_ZX2
FSP_ZX2 SuperDork
2/10/23 8:05 a.m.

 

I bought a (1-owner-with-a-perfect-Carfax-record) 70K mile 2000 Spyder last fall.  It's an absolute joy to drive on a sunny day with the top down. Highly recommended.

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