WATCH THIS BEFORE You BUY a TOYOTA MR2 SW20!

Specially for new people to the MR2 community I have made a video discussing 5 things you need to know before buying a Toyota MR2 SW20, so make sure to watch this video before you buy your first MR2.

In this video I have used some videos from other MR2 creators, the source is shown in the video so make sure to check those awesome creators out! I do not own any of the videos used from other creators.

00:00 - Intro
00:24 - Reliability
03:15 - Snap Oversteer
04:47 - Tuning
08:51 - Common Issues
12:27 - Buyers Guide

Welcome! Thanks for taking a look at my channel! I am Allard, a car enthusiast from the Netherlands. On this channel you can follow my journey of owning a 90s Toyota Mr2 and hopefully some more different sports cars in the future! I will also upload lots of video's about (underrated) JDM cars! So make sure to subscribe and drop me a follow on instagram ;)

Instagram: @Dutch_Fake_Ferrari

Tags (ignore):
Toyota,MR2,Supra,Automotive,Mr2,JDM,Cars,GR,Corolla,Yaris,GR86,GT86,SW20,AW11,MR-S,Sports car,Toyota Mr2,Toyota Supra,GR Supra,GR Corolla,GR Yaris,Automotive news,Celica,Underrated,Used car,Car review,Revving,Exhaust,Sound,walkaround,Before you buy,buyers guide,car information,tuning guide,mr2 problems,snap oversteer,racing

[gehringer]

Your so wrong about the t top MR2s being worth less!!! The most valuable is the hard top. I think all us MR2 fans know that! Next in line is the T top, And least valuable is the sunroof. I have been buying MR2s for 28 years. And this has been my experience. I buy atleast 2 to 3 MR2s a year. The sunroof MR2s always sell for less.

[jamescrosby]

Some advice for those looking to own an SW20 for the first time.

Don't worry too much about which MR2 you get as all 6 revisions are great cars and pretty much the same besides engine, brakes and suspension which can be upgraded no problem if desired.

MR2's only rust up really bad if they are not cleaned very often so as long as they are washed and garaged then you won't have to deal with rust for a long time.

Parts is mainly an issue depending on where you live, certain toyota dealerships sell them cheaper than others so shop around. Most frustrating part to replace will be the front bumper as they are discontinued and impossible to repair.

These cars are still able to be daily driven, easy to service and economical.

With regards to snap oversteer it will not be a problem you encounter if you drive sensibly. There is no need to throw 1000's on fancy suspension to eliminate it either, a simple staggered wheel set up is all you need to tame it.

Lastly don't buy cheap tyres. A good set of middle priced tyres at least is not only going to make spirited driving more fun but also safer.

[turbotank]

Really like your first point. I don't like how some people think owning an old school sports car is all sunshine and rainbows, never do the research (before owning the car and/or when owning it), then talk trash about the car because "it's unreliable".

[kalui]

I'm hearing about all these "issues" but I'm looking at the car like "yeah but shes worth it" LOL

[jakubmuron]

What helped me the most with leaking t-top was unclogging the water channels meant to take water away from the seal. I used a long piece of wire and just went back and forth in there. Another thing is that we have to keep in mind is that it's old rubber. It's dry, hard and it has small cracks in it. Now, there is a way to somewhat mitigate this, and that is to apply glycerin. The rubber absorbs it, swells up closing the cracks and improving the seal against the window, and it gets softer and kinda greasy.

[CollectorCarFeed]

Great video! Really sums it up and keeps expectations realistic. The SW20 is great, but it's only as reliable as any 30 year old toyota.

[JanPost]

Having owned a technically almost stock MR2 coupe for a few years, some things are true and fun to watch. But the snap oversteer was never a problem. This is mainly a problem with turbo models and earlier revisions of the SW20.

Also in my eyes the reliability argument is not entirely true, at least for the 156hp n/a version. The car has a not so common lay-out, but the parts in itself are mostly not that complex or unique. I found it an easy car to maintain, however the rust was becoming an issue at certain point. Only costs can get relatively high as there is obviously more labour needed to do work in the engine bay.

Anyway, it has always been a great car, I loved that it had no power steering and that it was just simple. Driving was always a joy!

[iron_spark]

snap oversteer - just continue to look in the direction you want to go and turn your steering wheel in that direction - do not slam in the breaks or handbrake

[whiplash-wl]

3:42 that's half of snap steer, it is usually caused by lift off oversteer or just being incredibly aggressive with your inputs. It's not at all just some magic moment where your car decides to unalive you. But the second half that wasn't explained is the overcorrection the makes it "snap" the other way, this is usually a mistake made by people who are used to driving FR platforms. To anyone interested in getting an MR2, don't let snap steer discourage you, just getting a good set of tires and coilovers pretty much makes it a non issue unless you're going far too fast to begin with.

Also have of the situations he mentions in the video, I live in, and I plan to daily my '93 Turbo. And my main combatant in part availability is just learning how to fabricate, and not to mention the MR2 community is very welcoming and supportive (I recommend mr2oc for forums).

[HenriqueBarbosaCH]

This is a really good video. I always see videos where people just say what we want to hear, but now that i bought my sw20 1 month ago, seeing this video makes me really happy because i can spot good problems and search for many other swaps. I bought my sw20 as a restoration project because he doesnt even run, i tried specially to look only for rust problems and missing parts. I didnt really care if the engine was good. Although i noticed that the seals were leaking water, i have to fix that but as you say, it will be a big problem.

But enough of problems. People dream for lamborghini and ferraris, my dream car was this toyota mr2 since i was 15 yrs old. Its everything a car guy could want for a decent price. Mid engine, pop up headlights, t-top, lightweight and toyota reliable. I think that this car was one of the best cars ever made because its a perfect combination between cheap and fun and it looks so fkin nice...

[underscr]

im watching this AFTER rn and you cant stop me

[BennyJ]

Love that first point. Having bought a gen 5 Celica (basically a FWD SW20 MR2), I've learnt that if you buy an old 90s car, you're probably going to want to replace everything that's a gasket or made of rubber :D

[unionvoluntad]

Thanks, Dutch, It looks astonishing, I'm still thinking about it.

[stephenoneill]

I have owned a 1992 T-bar since 2008. I have never had any issues with it except, with its age, "bumping" from the two glass roofs. This was easily fixed with asymetric locking rod replacements which cost less than 20 €. Do a YT search for leaking roof repairs to get the spare parts number. It's easy - my friendly repair shop fitted them within a day. Otherwise, this is the most reliable car I have ever owned and is a gas to drive - especially open. It still turns heads and is rare these days. Being mid-engined, it has excellent weight distribution and drives like on rails. Don't overdo it in the rain though - the fat rear tyres will teach you a lesson trying to take corners too sharply at speed. With winter tyres, I drove it to work through ice and snow - the weight on the rear axle is a big help. Unless you drive it like a maniac at top revs, overheating is not a problem. It is also not a gas guzzler and can be economical to drive normally despite its age. Mine is now a registered oldtimer (over 30 years old) with a fixed vintage car tax bracket. Its value has also shot up, overtaking its 1980s cousin. I thought I was mad buying a 2-seater back then, but I was proved wrong. One of the best things I ever did. Don't believe the sensationalist "shock/horror" crap you often see in revue videos. It's just click bait.

[brianmoore]

I have a 1991 MR2 2.2 non turbo. 476, 000 miles. Cylinder head is off rebuilding the cooling system. Commuted 110 miles a day. Many parts are interchangeable with Celica, and Camry.

[jamesmustin]

My 1997 Honda Del Sol Si manual transmission is very reliable. It has 220, 000 miles and runs great. After 26 years I had to rebuild my air conditioning system. I live in Florida. The car believe it or not still has some major parts. So I will match any car against my car for reliability.

[darraghevans]

The mr2 spider literally made me spit coffee and fall out of my chair why has no one told me about them 😭

[raylenmeissner]

I know you own the car and I'm only searching for one, but you are wrong about snap oversteer, taking your foot off the gas or braking through a turn initiates LIFT oversteer. It's people over correcting for that that leads to snap oversteer.

[philipeveritt]

My 1990 tbar was a rot box, but my current 1998 rev 5 is much more resistant to rust. Must have been given attention by Toyota over the revisions. Sharp handling for rev 1, but much more dead, and more boring on rev 5. I have other more exotic classics, but mr2 is my favourite. Beautiful.

[Pauley_in_GP]

I owned a '93 MR2 t-top for 23 years.

I appreciate the time you took to create this video. No offence, but I urge those looking for an MR2 to do additional research in other places, especially MR2 forums. Even Bring a Trailer is worth a look.

FYI, the suspension was considerably changed in '93 making it far friendlier.

You make a point about them being "hard to work on" and then get into engine swaps? They aren't simple.

And as far as ALL old sports cars being unreliable, one word: Miata. ;) (I've also owned my '03 Miata since new.)