2003 Toyota MR2 reviews

Toyota MR2 2003

The only reason I can’t give my ’2 5/5 is that I would like the TTE turbo option! I have had my car for 2 years and bought used with 17k on the clock. There is an issue on the earlier cars with the cats in the manifold falling apart but this was solved by Toyota with the facelift (fog light) model in 2003. De-catted manifolds are cheap to buy and fit for peace of mind though. So far I have reached 35k and have had a new water pump new discs and finally replaced the original Bridgestone tyres that came with the car when I bought it. I recommend straying from the standard tyre size as it is an odd size that means you pay for the nose for tyres to match original spec. You can get a set of Toyota’s for a reasonable £250 rather than paying £180 just for the rears in Bridgestone OE format! I have fitted a luggage rack which helped when I took a large suitcase on holiday and I have removed the doors to the luggage compartment for easier access behind the seats. Removing the spare wheel gives lots of extra space but makes the front light so be careful if you decide to use this as your ’boot’ I regularly get 40mpg from my 6 speed ’2 and have never dropped below 36mpg even when I tried! I have once managed to get the 44mpg as listed in the sales brochure! Insurance is cheap and tax is relatively low compared to other sports cars due to Toyota’s ultra low emissions pledge when they revised the car in 2003. Hard tops only come with air con models so if you aren’t lucky enough to have a hard roof with yours you are looking at anything from £300-£800 for a lid on eBay and the fitting kit will set you back £150 from Toyota. Watch for cars that have been modified, thrashed and then put back to standard for sale. Also for track day damage. Servicing is every 10k and is reasonable. The standard stereo is rubbish even with the £1000 CD option - replace it as soon as you can! I researched the MX5, S2000, VX220, Z3, MGF etc before buying my MR2 and I am very happy with my choice. :)