Hello To You All

[LovingMyAltezza]

Hello,

I've owned a Toyota MR2 Mk2 Rev5 for over a year now, and have been delighted and impressed with the quality feel of the engineering dripping from every fixture and fitting. I usually run two cars at a time, and I've had a handful of Mercedes-Benz 190E's and Alfa-Romeo 75's, as well as Opel Ascona B series - Yes, I love mid-sized RWD saloons. When the Altezza came up on my radar (thanks to Gran-Turismo5 on my cousins' PS3) I started looking, and I've just traded my rather tidy Alfa 156 for a '98 RS200 Altezza.

Despite being almost 16 years old, the Altezza is quite tidy with low miles, living the first six years in Japan and the next almost-ten here as a one-owner car. It's in silver paint, almost with a hint of gold in it (must check the shade), on a nice light strong non-sunroof shell- indeed, I'm amazed that this 5-seater saloon is a tad LIGHTER than the MR2! The air-con is ice-cold, and there's a funky black/grey/white cloth interior which I like a lot more than I thought I would, with matching floor-mats, and a loud and bassy Kenwood CD/Tuner which I have yet to get my head around. There's even a road-side flare in the glove-box! The engine is docile and smooth, nothing like you'd expect from something making 100bhp per litre - until you get up over 4,000rpm, and then it starts to haul... The transmission is similarly bi-polar - sm00th and easy if left to behave as an Auto, but slick and quick if you want to hustle along faster.

I drove my Alfa from the South Coast all the way up to Leeds to get the car, from a trader who didn't seem to know much about it or where to best advertise it - he said he'd had some interest from local young lads who then couldn't get insurance as it's an import. As a 'mature' driver, with a very long and good record, this is not so bad for me. I've used Adrian Flux, and am insisting on an Agreed Value policy - I feel that I STOLE this car from the trader, and I'd hate to be given 'market-value' which would be around my purchase price, or what you can get a ropey, middling-grade Lexus for.

The drive back home, getting the feel of the Steer-Shift mode of the transmission, was a very nice drive. I'm writing to the previous owner, telling him the car will be looked after, and asking if he can detail any servicing or issues he had. It's all good from the drivers' seat, just a few very minor chips in the paint, and the wheels have some light kerbing - nothing I can't sort out. I'm servicing it over the next week or so, giving it a deep-pore clean, and will be keeping a log of issues and work done.

In all, I'm delighted to have so much car for the price - I felt that way about my Alfa 156, but always felt it was maybe twenty minutes from going expensively-wrong. I'm here for the usual - all the great insight that owners' divine and share with one another, and maybe to show up at a few gatherings. One thing's for sure, this is a keeper. :-))

[FROSTYBALLS]

Hello Neal - welcome to Toyota Owners Club.

[Raistlin]

Hi, Welcome to the club... Enjoy