Toyota MR2 Turbo - rare hard top - fast, clean, well-maintained - 160K miles

Price: - Item location: Boulder, Colorado, United States
Description:

1991 Toyota MR2

  • 1991 MR2 Turbo
  • Rare hard top.Not a T-top.
  • Very fast.
  • Clean and well-maintained.
  • Accident-free.
  • 160K miles
  • Just reduced reserve price

This description as accurate and thorough as possible. If you have questions, please ask me.

This is a great car! It is fast and solid and been meticulously maintained. It is not one of those worn, junky, or modified cars you see listed elsewhere. You’ll enjoy driving it every day.

It is basically stock except for small changes that actually make the car better. For example, we have installed a CT-20B* turbo like the one that comes with the Japanese version of this car. It spools a little sooner, offers a little more horsepower (the Japanese MR2Turbo had 245 HP), but still offers great drivability. We added Koni adjustable shocks. We added 15” wheels from the ’93 version (the original 14” are included).

The spare is full size. The car is shod with Yokohama ES100, tires but they’re close to the end of their life. All the rubber bushings in the front and rear suspension have been replaced to keep the car going straight and to avoid annoying clunks and rattles. The brake pads are premium quality. The transmission shifts like a warm knife through butter and the clutch is firm. The car comes with complete Toyota factory manuals.

Everything works except the A/C. The system has been converted to R-134a but there is a leak up by the front that causes the system to lose pressure after a few days. Probably easily fixed by someone with the right tools. The car comes with a complete set of Toyota factory manuals. All the standard stuff, like speed control, power windows, electric locks work . The radio has been replaced with an AM/FM/CD unit (a dash filler has been artfully crafted) and the factory equalizer fills the car with sound. Stock radio/player is available. There is a lighted boost meter on the A-pillar to let you know more accurately what’s going on.

The main shortcoming of the car is that it needs a paint job. In addition to the normal fading, and a small section of peeling on the rear bumper, someone vandalized the paint. Rumor has it the perpetrator was a WRX owner who I embarrassed at a stoplight. It appears some fluid was thrown on the left side of the hood and the right side of the top, causing the clear coat to bubble and flake off. It still looks okay but would look terrific with a new paint job.

The 2 liter engine purrs like a kitten around town but screams on the highway. It is infinitely drivable getting upper twenties in gas mileage. It always starts without a fuss. This is a real find for an MR2 Turbo fan. Serious inquiries only, please. No joyrides. Thanks for looking.

*The turbo is the "CT-20B", but that's not really the technical name according to Toyota. CT-20B is basically the internet name for it, since it shows some resemblance to the CT-20 turbo from the old Celicas, but I suspect it's really just considered a 3rd generation CT-26 at Toyota (CT-26 was the stock turbo). The stock turbo said "CT-26" on the compressor housing, but this one only says "Toyota", hence the dubious naming. The turbo came from a 3rd generation MR2 in Japan (we never got that engine here), which came stock with 245hp (vs. the US car with 200) due to the different turbo, revised cam profiles, different intake manifold, etc.