Can’t believe I am doing this, but yes, my car is for sale.
People always want to know why you are selling a car, so here it is, work. Simple as that.
My job requires an exec type car. I used to be a member of another Irish MR2 club some years ago and missed the car and the whole scene. Some friends of mine bought 2’s again recently and I got a little over excited earlier this year, sold my M3 and bought this 2 with the intention of buying a second, exec type car within 6 months or so. However, it hasn’t worked out that I am in a position to keep and run two cars and it is not likely within the next year or two. So basically I am forced to sell the two and get a car suitable for work as a matter of priority.
I am hoping that within the next year or so, I can buy another MR2 for a weekend/MR2.ie meets car, as I still do really love them. I just hope I am as lucky then in finding one as I was with this one. It was a rare find and had a lot of good points and rare JDM goodies, not to mention the condition.
Ok, on to the car.
This was the spec when I bought it back in…oh…March I think.
Body:
Fresh paint job in original colour back in Jan 2010.
Fibre glass bonnet in matching colour.
Genuine SARD MC4 front bumper.
Genuine SARD MC4 rear wing / spoiler.
Genuine Toms rear bumper.
Genuine Toms side skirts.
Genuine Toms Scoop.
Advan 3 spoke deep dish JDM racing wheels, 16” front, 17” rear and new tyres.
Engine:
Pheonix Power Departure II exhaust.
Whiteline Anti-Roll bars.
Custom Turbo piping.
G-Reddy sidemount Intercooler.
Apex’i Power FC ECU and hand commander.
Apex’i solenoid type electronic boost controller, controlled via FC commander.
Oil cooler.
Uprated ignition leads.
New Clutch.
Stock Toyota BOV / Dump valve.
HKS Induction kit.
Grooved brake discs.
Interior:
Apex’i Boost gauge.
Apex’i Temperature gauge.
Double A-Pillar gauge pod.
Momo Corse 300mm steering wheel.
Black half leather seats.
HKS Boost controller.
Suspension / Chassis:
Bilstein Black Billy shocks.
Progressive springs.
Genuine TRD front upper strut brace (in the frunk).
Genuine Toms rear upper strut brace (in the engine bay)
Additional lower bracing.
Whiteline Anti-Roll bars.
Bad points at the time were:
The fibre glass bonnet was a little uneven and big pins on it.
The carpets and most of the trim had holes everywhere from a roll cage.
The bolts on the spoiler where rusted to hell.
The brake discs were well worn with a lip.
I didn’t really like the wheels.
The grey headline was pretty tatty.
What I did with the car since the Spring:
Replaced the fibre glass bonnet with a Carbon Culture Bonnet.
Replaced the orange front lenses with crystal clears.
Fitted Audi style LED strips inside the clear lenses.
Made up custom clear “toblerone” side repeaters.
New EBC drilled and grooved disc.
New EBC Yellow Stuff pads all round.
TRD Gearknob
Ripspeed chrome racing foot pedals.
Ripped out the entire interior and replaced all carpets and trim with clean black.
Replaced grey roof liner, tbar shades, light dome and sun visors with black.
Overhauled the frunk area, painted the spare wheel and replaced missing parts.
Did rear quad light mod.
Replaced spoiler nuts, bolts and washers with new chrome ones.
Custom plasma EL Glo dials.
Carbon Fibre dial surround.
Carbon Fibre Heater control surround.
Replaced all of the LED’s in the heater controls and ignition with Blue LED’s.
Carbon Fibre ashtray.
New leather gear shift gaitor.
Chrome gear shift surround.
Headlight wink mod.
Diamond cut, projector, clear headlights.
Ice-White headlight bulbs.
LED fog lights.
New 5W50 fully synthetic oil (Redline)
Performance oil filter.
Have new brass gear linkage bushings (never got around to fitting, inc in sale.).
Have new Redline MT90 gearbox oil (never got around to fitting, inc in sale.).
Have flush carbon fibre bonnet pins with key lock, very neat (to be fitted, inc in sale.)
New 17” white, 5 spoke, MAK racing alloys with Khumos.
All new speaker wiring throughout.
All new speakers throughout, Alpines.
Fitted proper head unit loom, factory one was cut off and was a mess.
Upgraded new head unit.
New boot liner, old one was a mess.
Replaced stock BOV with a GReddy adjustable BOV.
Removed mirror window film and tinted with 25% smoke.
Replaced broken antenna, SO YES IT WORKS!
New gas strut for engine lid.
Reconditioned the whole air intake.
Car treated with Autoglym HD wax. Protects for 50 washes.
With the HD wax, a simple hot soap wash brings it up like new.
Still have the following bits and pieces which can be sold separately or included in the deal:
The Advans the car came with.
Full set of fold in mirrors, including relay, looms and switch. Currently red.
Some spare pieces of interior trim (I will actually chuck these in).
Original factory ECU.
Original factory steering wheel.
Maybe some other bits and pieces, need to check the attic.
Additional info:
The very next day after I bought the car, was a club dyno day.
The car was dyno’d at 245 FWHP running on only 0.8 bar boost.
It is now running on 1.2 bar boost, so it would be interesting to see HP now.
I had intended to get the mapping up to date and prefect.
I would reckon with a good map and the 1.2 bar, there is easily 300-320BHP there.
Everything works, no issues.
I just taxed it for a whole year, about 2 months ago.
About a year of NCT left too, would have to check the actual dates on NCT and tax
Ready to roll.
Bad points to date:
It has developed a leak in the power steering pump so drips out slowly, until the level is so low that the steering becomes pretty heavy. I reckon it needs a seal or at the worst, a second hand or reconditioned P/S pump for about 50 quid. I really don’t have the time with work now to sort this at the moment, I am just flat out the last month with projects. I do have a bottle of fluid though, which will last for a while and allow a test drive to reflect the car’s true feel and performance. That’s it really.
Summary:
All in all, and in my opinion, this is one of the nicest, cleanest, most eye catching head turner of an MR2 going. It has gotten me tons of compliments and appreciation.
It has been my pride and joy and I am laughing now thinking of the three lads that were trying everything to make me sell it to them, but I insisted that I would NEVER sell it! Ha..!
She is in really, really good condition and the only issue I can think of at all is the power steering pump. I have never had any other mechanical problems with the car.
The callipers are in great working order and with the new discs and pads, it seriously drops anchor when you stand on the stop button. Amazing braking power as well as mental performance. A really sweet car for an MR2 enthusiast.
Ask anyone who knows me or the car, I truly loved this thing and sunk thousands in to it, endless modding and upgrading to the point of it being my “thing!” So it stands me approx 8-9K since the spring. So much money went on little things, odds and ends that you would not see add up, plus all the bigger mods. I was constantly ordering things online and dropping in to Halfords to get something and coming out with 120euro worth of nothing! Ah, that’s me LOL!
I took pics of everything I did, ie, all mods and upgrades. So I have step by step pics that I will happily give to you. You can see the car as I bought it and right through to how it is today.
Looking for offers around 6000 euro.
PM me with any questions please.
Trying to add pics now, bare with me:
Some pics:
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I always say that pics are not a very true reflection of a car as pics can hide things, so here is a little vid that does more justice to the paint work. Enjoy:
Thanks Spanky, sooner rather than later but yep, ill be back one day soon mate.
Cheers Quandry. I don't think ill be that luck twice, to get so much rare stuff on a 2. I mean, you said yourself when I bought it, you had only ever seen the SARD kit in catalogues!
For those interested, here is the SARD MC4 brochure:
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PS: those Advans in the pic are the Advans that came on the car funny enough!
I still have those as an option if someone would like them.
Swagger, Sorry to hear that you are selling up. Have you thought about putting it on Classic insurance? Mine is a second weekend car and it cost about 320 3rd party only. I have the my main driver parked behind it each night so its not likely to go walk about....
Anyway I'm sure you will still look in on us from time to time and come along to the meets. No divorce here.....!!!!
Thanks for that slipsliderg, don't know what that was about.
Steelheart and Punky, cheers for the sentiments boys.
Punky, that was the original plan, but you see, the MR2 is going to fund the purchase of the work car. Ill be checking in for sure, until circumstances change and I can have a second car. You see, space is an issue too, that would technically be 3 cars in the garden!
Not yet Ozzy, was hoping to keep it in the forum as such. There seemed to be a few people on looking to buy recently. Might give it a few days before I stick it anywhere else. I would rather see a true enthusiast get it than a randomer. Someone who will understand what is on and in the car and really appreciate it. There are some very rare bits on there, specially the Sard stuff and the Pheonix Power exhaust. Even the Advans I have are very hard to come by.
Just going through the folder that was in the glove box and it is the original Japanese Toyota folder from new. It has lots of Jap info and the Jap auction sheet.
I have manuals for the stereo and found some receipts for stuff I had forgotten about.
The owner before me, who brought this in from Japan, put in a new clutch, a new diff, a new flywheel, new handbrake cables, new horn, ARB rubbers and four new Bilstein Black Billy shocks.
So Spidey, that's why my suspension felt so good on the way back from Athlone!
I even found the original SARD Racing stickers that came with the kit and where never used. So there is even more to this car than I had thought driving it around all that time.
swag, I would suggest advertising your car on some of the UK sites (IMOC, MR2OC etc). You have a larger audience to appeal to and people will be happy to travel for a decent car, especially with the spec yours offers
if you put the advans on your car and sell the wheels that are on your car I would be interested. Might not be a runner for you but just thought I would mention it as I am considering buying some white wheels for my car.
