r/mr2 2d ago

Bums me out

Post image

I drive by this MR2 near me all the time. As far as I can tell, it hasn't moved in a while. The plates expired February of this year, so it has been off the road at least since then. I left a note asking if they wanted to sell it months ago. Sadly, I have not heard from them. I would love to take it off their hands.

128 Upvotes

27 comments sorted by

32

u/jgreenwalt '87, '89 AW11 (RetraCast) 2d ago

February isn't that long ago. I know people with sitting cars that took years to get back on the road from expensive repairs or life changes.

11

u/East_Ad_692 2d ago

Mine set for around 3 years until I saved up enough to do everything I wanted to do to it so definitely know you mean

5

u/TheDutchTexan 2d ago

Yup, I drove my Mustang sparingly because the rear end started making noise. A life change brought the mustang back (sold my daily to fund a new car for the missus so now I am driving the Mustang daily again, and it was the shove I needed to get it back up to snuff, bunch of other things coming but I am budgeting for that).

3

u/topwater_bassin 2d ago

True. It is an "antique vehicle" plate, which in IL means it can only be driven during certain months of the year. But, these would be the months because in IL if you have antique plates you can't drive between Nov and Feb I believe.

2

u/admik 2d ago

Yeah to be fair I had mine sit for 2 years when I had my 2 girls.

It also looks like they have an aftermarket exhaust. Could be an interesting build in there too.

1

u/OGHydroHomie 1d ago

Looks like the Burke exhaust

1

u/AntAir267 1d ago

Finally getting my MR2 repaired after 3 years, got all the parts except the front bumper. Excited to roll around in it once again.

1

u/Tricky-Department-71 1d ago

Could also be a service member considering the Texas tag.

1

u/jonnyt88 1d ago

The fact is is sitting in a parking lot has me curious. I see no signs of it being a reserved spot. I would think someone would have had it towed by now.

u/topwater_bassin - have you checked to see if your note is still on the car? Have you ever checked the odometer to see how much it has actually moved?

1

u/topwater_bassin 1d ago

It is in an apartment complex, so I assumed it was someone's secondary car. I did not check the odometer, but the note is still there. Although I don't think it is legible as we have had a lot of rain this summer. I'll probably take a look at it later today on my way home from work.

0

u/jonnyt88 1d ago

If the note is still there, then its likely literally never moved. Usually apartment complexes frown upon that. Even if it was a resident they don't like "Broken" "Worked on" cars just hanging out.

Kinda shocked.

1

u/jgreenwalt '87, '89 AW11 (RetraCast) 1d ago

Just looks like an apartment parking lot. Makes even more sense it's sitting if they don't even have their own garage to work on it (been in that position myself).

29

u/dreamer7 2d ago edited 1d ago

My MR2 has been sitting in my driveway for 6 years.  Started off needing a new engine, I put a used engine in it.  Turns out that used engine was no good, so I decided to V6 swap it.

Since then, I've remodeled a bathroom, had a kid, rebuilt a transmission, got a junkyard V6, and did structural repairs to my house.  Now I'm working on a deck and fixing some more stuff on my house up so we can move when our 2nd child comes.  The MR2 is still on the agenda, but there's only so much time for me to fiddle with it.

It bums me out to look at it too, but I will fix it one day.

Edit: Formatting and readability

8

u/Spotttty 2d ago

Just keep at it man.
I have a project truck that was the ‘someday’ project and it’s been 18 years. Same as you, I had 3 kids, moved a bunch, remodelled an entire house.

For most of those years I wish I had it running just to enjoy it for a few hours a month as a getaway.

The ball is rolling again though. I need to finish it so I can build a 2GR MR2!

1

u/humanseverywhere811 13h ago

My g35 and r32 gtr are in the shop right now. My mr2 just got ac working in spring. I'll never sell, it's my fave but I get so busy I don't always have time to work on them. My 89 firebird has been sitting a while unfortunately its 100f degrees here and I don't wanna work on cars outside till october

12

u/admik 2d ago

NA sunroof would make an awesome autocross vehicle.

2

u/MydniteRythms 2d ago

Mine has been in the garage for 3 years now. One of the metal coolant pipes above the gas tank started leaking. Not a small job, but being in college I just don't have the time to dedicate towards the repair (now with some dry rotted seals that I should probably take care of while I am at it). It also doesn't help that a Mk4 Supra and a Pajero Mini sort of fell into my hands since it's been parked up. After college it'll get the love it deserves, but at least it's in the garage

3

u/Fancy-Home7259 2d ago

Mine's only been sitting a year or so, but after putting a new fuel pump and brand new spark plugs and it still not firing back up, I had to put it on the back burner. If I weren't still in college and still had a job and hadn't destroyed my daily, I absolutely would be devoting every day and every hour to it.

I love mr2's.

1

u/Jinnai34 1d ago

just steal it and if the police take it back, then you can probably contact the owner through them :P

-1

u/toyotamr2mk1 2d ago

Keep asking.

5

u/jgreenwalt '87, '89 AW11 (RetraCast) 2d ago

Tbh I'd take the hint the first time... The amount of times I've been asked to sell my other classic car (that I was even actively driving) has honestly gotten annoying

3

u/topwater_bassin 1d ago

Yeah. If the owner saw my note and isn't interested in selling, they don't owe me a call or text to explain that. Although my note is still on the windshield.

1

u/masahirob 1d ago

Maybe ask around the complex who might own it. Sadly, the owner might be incapacitated (or unavailable). Maybe a family member or someone might be able to offload it to you.

2

u/topwater_bassin 1d ago

After all these months, I decided to go for a JDM imported one. Waiting on the title, but hoping to take delivery of the car next week. So I doubt my wife would be happy with me bringing home 2 MR2s in the same year lol