1998 Toyota MR2 (SW20) |

Closed Auction- Unsold

1998 Toyota MR2 (SW20)

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Mileage~104,200
TransmissionManual
Engine2.0L
LocationLiverpool

AUCTION CLOSED

1998 Toyota MR2 (SW20)

Introduction

Kevin Jacutan

Professional Consinger

Instantly recognisable, the Toyota MR2 is a mid engined, rear wheel drive, Japanese sports car that quickly became an iconic drivers car.

Originally introduced in 1984, the MR2 platform underwent some major revisions in preparation for release of the second generation model in 1989. These revisions included a more spacious and comfortable cabin, a sturdier transaxle and improved suspension setup. All round this made for much more car than the previous iteration of the MR2 and with these new mechanical revisions came a new exterior, with design cues similar to the Ferrari 308 GTB/GTS and Ferrari 348 the MR2 was affectionately referred to by some as the “baby Ferrari” of the era.

Being one of the later year cars from this generation of the MR2, the car features the further revised suspension to reduce the "snap oversteer" problem that was reported by many publications during its early years. This car comes to market from 1 year ownership from a car enthusiast couple, and is fitted with BBS staggered wheels, and a twin filter induction setup.

This auction listing was written from information supplied by Kevin after meeting Rebecca the owner, and having visited and photographed the vehicle.

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Secure Auctions

We verify all our sellers and buyers to keep our community safe whilst also providing the highest levels of website security.

Full Transparency

8 out of 10 people that buy cars via our service don’t feel the need to visit due to the transparency and thoroughness of our listings.

Vehicle Delivery

We're there every step of your buying journey and will even arrange pick-up and delivery of your new vehicle.

Meet the owner

The first time I saw the car I knew I had to own it, the Azure Blue paintwork is amazing and it never fails to turn my head.

Rebecca originally fell in love with the SW20 MR2’s after seeing one at a local car show, and then started her hunt for one. After much time spent looking, she located the model we have here today and instantly fell in love. The spec, the colour, the drive, there is no aspect of this car that she didn’t immediately love.

She's covered some ~3,000 miles in her ownership, and now wants to find the car a new home, along with her partner they have a number of cars and more recently the MR2 isn't getting as much use and so the car comes to market. Rebecca will be on hand to answer any questions about the car in the comments section.

Rebecca

Vehicle Owner

Ask Questions

CONTACT OWNER

Exterior
Interior
Mechanics
History
All Images

EXTERIOR VIDEO

Exterior

With pop up headlights, sleek and curvaceous body styling, and tasteful modifications, this MR2 is a bit of a head turner.

Wheels and Tyres

The car is fitted with BBS staggered wheels featuring a chrome lip and gold centres, these appear to be in good condition and have obviously been well cared for. Rebecca tells us that the BBS centre cap spanner will also be included with the vehicle, making maintenance a breeze.

The BBS wheels are wrapped in Hankook Ventus V12 evo tyres on all four corners and they appear to be in good condition with no split or cracked sidewalls and appearing to have a good level of tread across the board.

Bodywork

This car features some very distinct styling, with simple and sleek body lines that would make any misaligned panels stick out like a sore thumb. Thankfully this is not the case, when we visited the vehicle we could not see any visibly misaligned panels or unusual panel gaps. We also noted no sign of obvious corrosion to any of the body panels.

We've highlighted in more detail our observations through our high resolution images and videos, so please take time to look through all the media files for a detailed view at what’s on offer, and for you to assess the condition of the car for yourselves.

Paint

The "Azure Blue" paintwork appears to be in good condition, with no major scratches, chips, or other such damage. It holds a good amount of gloss and presents an even and matched colour across all panels.

Again, we have taken high resolution images and videos of the car for you to assess the condition of the bodywork for yourselves.

Glass and Trim

The car features a glass sunroof that can be prone to leaking, however during our assessment the seals seemed to be in good condition along with the rest of the glass. There were no visible chips or scratches to any of the glass on the car at the time of our inspection.

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INTERIOR VIDEO

Interior

With the introduction of the SW20 MR2, Toyota introduced a more spacious and comfortable cabin, whilst not sacrificing the driver-centric design.

Seats and Carpets

The cloth seats are in a good condition for the age of the vehicle, showing little sign of wear, and having no tears or rips present at the time of our visit. The interior carpet is suffering from some wear just under the heel pad, unfortunately the carpet has worn through in this location.

There are some scratches to the headliner present, these are visible in our “Interior Review” video, along with the condition of seats and carpets.

Dashboard

Overall the dashboard is in good condition with no cracked or damaged plastics, and the soft touch vinyl finish on the top surface of the dash did not have any visible damage during our visit. The clocks and gauges in the dashboard all work as expected, and the owner, Rebecca, has fitted an aftermarket stereo to the vehicle.

Steering Wheel / Gear Stick

Both the steering wheel and gearstick are in fair condition, showing no heavy damage. The steering wheel does feature some slight scratches to the hide, however these are not eye catching nor are they beyond economical repair. The gear stick retains a good finish, with no heavy wear to the gear knob or gaiter.

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'ON THE ROAD' VIDEO

Mechanics

This car fits the golden ratio of sports car mechanical design; mid engined, rear wheel drive, and low centre of gravity, and with ~168BHP available.

Engine and Gearbox

The engine is the 3S-GE naturally aspirated 2.0L, a typically reliable motor, and in this case things are no different. We can report that the car started first time under cold start conditions, this can be seen in our "On The Road" video where you can also see and hear the vehicle being driven. We noticed no unexpected noise from the engine, which has been fitted with a twin filter intake system for additional intake noise.

Suspension and Brakes

Toyota revised the suspension setup for the original design of the SW20 MR2 and once again circa 1992 in order to deal with "snap oversteer" issues, this has led to extremely responsive and controllable handling in the MR2.

During our time with the car we noticed no signs of damage to the suspension, nor did we hear any unusual knocks bangs or bumps from any of the suspension units. You can observe the ride and handling for yourself during our "On The Road" video.

The Drive

The MR2 provides an extremely responsive and engaging driving experience, this is due to the well balanced mid engined chassis, strong suspension setup, and rear wheel drive, combining to offer good handling and overall performance. The car has a stainless steel exhaust system and twin filter intake setup to amplify the engine and exhaust noise, this is a moderate uptake in noise over the original setup and as a result only adds to the overall driving experience we think.

Electrics and Other

The electrical systems on the car work as expected, with the pop up headlights functioning correctly and all lights/bulbs in working order during our visit. The car has been fitted with an aftermarket stereo capable of bluetooth connection also, however the original stereo and blanking plate do come with the vehicle as part of the sale.

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History and Paperwork

Coming to market with 7 former keepers and in the current ownership since the past year, this MR2 in Azure Blue presents in very good condition and a great value proposition.

This MR2 comes with a record of service history, the service book having been stamped a total of 13 times. Rebecca has owned the car for 1 year, and has just had to do some minor maintenance work to get it through an MOT, having covered ~3,000 miles.

We’ve done all our usual seller checks including photo ID, V5 and also actioned a HPi check on the vehicle.

We've summarised our own view on the car based on information gained from the seller in the listing above, however, and as you can see, we go to great lengths to photograph and video the car in high resolution detail - this has been done for you to make your own assessment from the comfort of your sofa. So please sit back, have a cuppa and take your time to review everything on this listing in order to make your own assessment on the vehicle's condition. Viewings are also welcomed with all our listings, so please get in touch with us to arrange a suitable time - we just need to speak to you first and receive a valid photo ID before confirming.

If there's anything you're unsure about, no matter how small, then please first ask the owner in the comments area below before placing your bid/s, as bids can't be retracted and form a binding contract if you win the car - just like a traditional auction house.

Service History

Date	Type	Mileage
18.12.1997	Service	9
14.02.1998	Service	437
03.03.1999	Service	3,705
29.12.2000	Service	11,343
21.12.2001	Service	18,433
20.12.2002	Service	23,481
02.01.2004	Service	29,274
07.01.2005	Service	34,649
06.01.2006	Service	42,085
06.01.2011	Service	75,594
17.12.2011	Service	78,366
14.01.2012	Service	81,484
21.07.2014	Service	89,877