Mr2 Turbo Or Na?

[Racingmcfly]

Ok, I used to have a 1995 MR2 REV 3 about a year ago and i never had a days trouble from it apart from it needing a new clutch! (Although totally my fault due to many a racing start). I canned the ***** out of it all day everyday serviced it reguarly and it never missed a beat!

Anyway then I wanted more power so i was gonna go for a Turbo MR2 but then decided because there only being 2 seats id go fo a GT4 ST205 instead, excepecting this to be just as reliable as the 2!

Anyway to cut a long story short ive had nothing but problems with it, from blown turbos to knackered big ends! So im gonna get rid of it and go back to a MR2 as its more fun for a start!

Thing is do i go for a Turbo or stick to the NA? I do like to drive them very hard and im thinking that a Turbo 2 may let me down too? How reliable are these 2's, i know its the same engine as the 4, was i just unlucky and got someones old dog??

[kalmr2]

My car's a 200bhp rev3 and never missed a beat aswell apart from the clutch I f*****d.

But seriously lacks turbo power!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You'll find it hard to go back to N/A

[tony4]

yeah... stock turbo is just about enough.. but need more... :D

Driving a NA is like having turbo lag 24/7 and boosting at sub atmospheric.... can't imagine that

[Jesus]

Turbo... Touch wood, no probs in 4 and a half years. Just look after her right, and she'll return the favour! ;)

[Fizz]

Turbo... Touch wood, no probs in 4 and a half years. Just look after her right, and she'll return the favour! ;)

he's right.. just make sure you hold out for a good one and you cant go wrong mate...

very reliable.. many of us on here use the Tubby as a daily drive.. and you can ask peeps.. i like to push the car in the twisties as well..

[Jimlad]

A Turbo should be as reliable as a n/a if looked after well.

Also I would go for a Turbo. I've recently had a shot in Kalmr2's n/a.... it's not slow by any means, but compared to the turbo the difference is huge.

[tony4]

Also I would go for a Turbo. I've recently had a shot in Kalmr2's n/a.... it's not slow by any means, but compared to the turbo the difference is huge.

What a nice way to put it and not offending NA driver

[midmotorsteve]

got my turbo running A1 now at 15 psi, and yes it is faster than when it was n/a but can tell you for fact there is no difference in 'Fun factor' if anything its less fun as a turbo, just doesn't make the same noise & throttle response isn't as good as n/a

I'm very happy its now a turbo, but if things had been different and by block hadn't craked I think my n/a with the camshafts head work etc would have been more of a fun drivers car.

If i'd spend £2000 on my n/a engine that would have got me nice light forged high compression pistons and a motec, i bet it'd have killed most things on a track. Would have easily been 230 240 bhp :)

Still tubby now its boosting properly must be give 260bhp.

I recond a well modded n/a would be as fast as a stock rev1 tubby when rolling, when mine wasn't boosting properly ( 9 - 10 psi in 4th and 5th ) i think the n/a would have been even.

[DeusMR2]

Im another daily turbo driver here. The most important thing when buying one is to make sure its been looked after beforehand, unfortunatley 90% of the time they'll have no service history from japan but any uk owners should have kept some history. The most important thing to check is whether it has had an oil and filter change every 3000-4500 miles - any other service is secondary to this.

It also helps if youre enthusiastic about doing your own DIY work (e.g. oil/filter change, HT leads, dizzy cap and spark plugs (every ~20kmiles), coolant change(every ~50kmiles)) If youre able to do them then you've basically cut out almost all the labour costs of a garage in maintaining a 2!

the turbocharger itself if well looked after (turbo timer/cool down period ~1-3 minutes after a hard run) will last more than 100kmiles

Other than that they are as reliable as any other Toyota (bar the previous GT4 you had!). The key thing is regular preventive maintanance from the beginning.

[CraigT]

I would imagine that the N/A and turbo are just as reliable as each other.

I have an N/A and Ive never had a problem with it in the year Ive owned it.

Amazingly fun to drive, gets LOADS of looks, and it doesnt drink petrol like a b*tch.

Cant ask for much more than that

[Fizz]

I would imagine that the N/A and turbo are just as reliable as each other.

I have an N/A and Ive never had a problem with it in the year Ive owned it.

Amazingly fun to drive, gets LOADS of looks, and it doesnt drink petrol like a b*tch.

Cant ask for much more than that

Speaking of fuel...

A question for you N/A chaps...

How many miles do you get off £10 of unleaded..?

In my tubby I get about 50/55 miles... per £10... Mixed driving..

[mr2nut123]

id say n/a...but im 18 so insurance wud be too high for me a turbo but the n/a is extremely fast and will surely beat ALOT of stuff out there, plus the petrol isnt too bad considering how much of a beast it is. if your looking for a fast runabout with cheaper running costs go for n/a, both are stunning cars either way

about petrol fizz, n/a can do 30mpg i heard?

[Racingmcfly]

Drivabilty, is what im after, ive done a few track days and wanna do some more! My previous 4 was rubbish on fuel. £50 would get me about 200 miles if i was lucky yet my n/a 2 would get me 200 miles on £35

[mr2nut123]

sounds to me like ur after an n/a :) theyre ok on fuel if your steady with them, put your foot down everywhere and it'll drink a fair bit. as for driveability, its amazing, wudnt say there was much difference between n/a and turbo myself, but having not drove a turbo wouldnt know for sure. the end of the day if your willing to pay high petrol prices for the performance, go turbo. if not, an n/a's sure fast enuf

[houston]

for a tenner i get 100 km, which is under 70 miles, sound normal?

[Fizz]

for a tenner i get 100 km, which is under 70 miles, sound normal?

100KM = 62 miles...

[houston]

so i dont get good fuel economy? think i do drive a bit too fast, what should the idle speed be? mine varies from 1250rpm to around 750

[Jimlad]

idle speed should be about 750rpm if the engine is all nice and warmed up. If cold then 1250 ish.

[kalmr2]

A Turbo should be as reliable as a n/a if looked after well.

Also I would go for a Turbo. I've recently had a shot in Kalmr2's n/a.... it's not slow by any means, but compared to the turbo the difference is huge.

nice way of putting it mate...........

personally i think it's slow as sh*t compared to the turbo's but cheers anyway :D

[kalmr2]

usually always fill 'er up so on a full tank of super i get about 200-220 miles

but to be honest...i drive like a ******!

[Jimlad]

A Turbo should be as reliable as a n/a if looked after well.

Also I would go for a Turbo. I've recently had a shot in Kalmr2's n/a.... it's not slow by any means, but compared to the turbo the difference is huge.

nice way of putting it mate...........

personally i think it's slow as sh*t compared to the turbo's but cheers anyway :D

nah man... I'm not gonna slate your motor !! It's a MR2 ! :D

[mergli]

I get 300-350 miles on a full tank of Optimax and I've not got a particularly light right foot!

I do quite a bit of motorway driving so that helps with the economy.

[midmotorsteve]

A Turbo should be as reliable as a n/a if looked after well.

Also I would go for a Turbo. I've recently had a shot in Kalmr2's n/a.... it's not slow by any means, but compared to the turbo the difference is huge.

nice way of putting it mate...........

personally i think it's slow as sh*t compared to the turbo's but cheers anyway :D

must remember jims turbo can hardle be called stock

[Jimlad]

:D

[dawolf]

My N/A isn't great on petrol. I'd say it does about 80-100 miles on £20. I do drive quite fast but try not to go into the 'red'.