Digestible Collectible: 1988 Toyota MR2 Supercharged
Salt is a killer. Any time I travel south, I’m amazed when I see pristine, 30-year-old cars being used as daily transportation. Up here in the Great White North [Don’t you live in Ohio? —Mark], most everything built prior to Y2K has been perforated horrendously.
Considering this, I laugh anytime a distant friend asks me to check out a local car. Invariably, the car in question is more air than metal, and what remains is held loosely together by the sheer adhesion of the paint, duct tape, chewing gum and dreams.
I checked one such MR2 near my house a couple weeks ago. The Craigslist photos showed a pretty clean car, with nice, lightweight alloys for a rather low price. What I saw when I arrived, however, was horrifying. After I left, the seller texted me links to online supply houses that offered cheap patch panels, which was both reassuring and depressing.
I’d never driven a MR2 before, let alone any mid-engined car. This lightweight runabout was unbelievably fun to drive, even considering the overwhelmingly loud exhaust (rusted, natch) a few inches from my ears. Unboosted power steering, responsive throttle, and instant turn-in made my brief drive memorable. It also allowed me, for a fleeting instant, to consider this heap for myself.
This Texas car looks to have no such worries. Pristine red paint and the all-too-rare supercharged option make it nearly irresistible. I’d want to replace the driver’s seat upholstery, since there’s no other reason to put a $20 seat cover on an otherwise $10,500 car, and I’m guessing the steering wheel vinyl has rotted beneath the leather wrap, but this is a perfect time capsule.
I’m sure clean early MR2s will be a target for collectors at some point soon. It’s a far cry from the new Alfa 4C, but the Toyota looks to be a great alternative for enthusiasts on a budget.
Some enthusiasts say they were born with gasoline in their veins. Chris Tonn, on the other hand, had rust flakes in his eyes nearly since birth. Living in salty Ohio and being hopelessly addicted to vintage British and Japanese steel will do that to you. His work has appeared in eBay Motors, Hagerty, The Truth About Cars, Reader's Digest, AutoGuide, Family Handyman, and Jalopnik. He is a member of the Midwest Automotive Media Association, and he's currently looking for the safety glasses he just set down somewhere.
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Fun fun car, but watch out for alternator bearing failure and heavy oil consumption. Mine was a NA version - had it for 8 years.
I've always liked these ever since their intro. They were an admitted updating of the Fiat X1/9... with more power and Toyota's rep for quality. I know a handful of guys who have owned both and they do say the MR2s have their positive attributes (e.g., reliable, quality of materials), but to a man they prefer driving the Xs.