Mr2 turbo vs. celica gt, thinking of getting one... Options

[ScoobyDooCruiser]

I'm thinking of selling my celica and getting an mr2 instead. I want to build myself a car I can run some rallies in, and the US celis are just too slow and heavy to make a good car. I am starting to get enough $$$ to actually upgrade the suspension and engine on a car, but I figured it would probably make sense to get a car that is a faster base.

I no longer need the back seat and larger inside of my celica, I drive a 1989 volvo 240 as my commuter and people hauler, so I now want something I can use on the weekend for a fun drive, and can work on, and maybe get involved in a little racing.

Here are some of the advantages (I think) to both cars... if you can think of any others (especially if you own an mr2) add them...

Celica-
Back Seat + real trunk
Safer in an accident
cheaper to maintain
better gas mileage (right?)
Sexier looking (My opinion)

Mr2Tubro-
Bigger engine
Mid engine so better balance (i think...)
Lighter weight


Whats the opinions on the advantages and disadvantages of each? Let me know!

[Supersprynt]

Its heavier
Engine is smaller than the GT
MR2 has real trunk also.
MR2 would cost more to maintain to do the fact that the engine is not very easy to access.

This post has been edited by Supersprynt: Apr 21, 2004 - 12:29 PM

[uzthedentist]

u gonna run an mr2 in a rally????????? that thing oversteers so much on tarmac god knows wat it will do on gravel. Ull spin so much ull end up losing so much time its not even worth entering!

[boosted_K2]

MR2s and rallys dont mix

MR2s are good for road track racing, hill climbs, autocrossing, and dragging.

Celica GT is lighter and has a larger, yet less capable motor. and yes, the MR2 is nearly 50/50 weight balanced.

if you are not going to do 99.9% of the work on the car yourself, its better to stick with the celica because you will get extremely frustrated finding a decent shop that can do decent work in a decent ammount of time on the MR2, even most dealerships get baffled at the MR2 turbo.

[Kwanza26]

I've rally crossed our MR2 (91 n/a)... and I tell ya... it's pretty interesting. It's true that MR2s and Rally don't mix... the rear-end just can't make up its mind whether it wants to grip, or slide... so there's a challenge to it. At high speeds... don't expect the sucker to go in the direction you want it to for long.

[ScoobyDooCruiser]

Whats the best cheapest car then to start with? My overall budject is going to be bout $6k-$8k but that has to include mods. What would be the best car to go with? If I go for 2wd I'm in an easier class, but does the celica have potential? Woul'd the 3sgte be worth it for rallies, or should I put it into suspension and other things? Let me know...

[lagos]

an NA mr2 has the same 5sfe as the clica. the tubo version has a 3sgte. so, i dont know why you guys are saying it has a smaller engine.

if i were you id buy myself a 90+ eagle talon TSI. its awd, tubo and very ****ing fast. you can buy one for next to nothing.


the other option would be to buy a 5th gen all trac.

[ScoobyDooCruiser]

[TTE]

If you are thinking about rally st185 would be cheap alternative , 4wd and 3sgte engine

[Consynx]

2wd huh, there are very few real rally cars in the world that are 2wd.
i think the ONE is a Citroen. or an Xsara... or 206, i can't think right now

but yea, rallying in any other drivetrain would not be the same. a RWD would NOT be ideal in rallying especially modded due to the fact that too much gas in any turn would kick the back end out, unlike in AWD where the slips transfer the power till it grips.

an FF would work, but it would be tricky.
i can't comment on mods to do to an FF though, because it's all on the driver and preference(at least i think so)

dirt tires are a must

[LatinKraze]

rallying on slicks....

[3TST]

I have also heard that MR2's don't handle that well.
However, aftermarket parts for the MR2 seem more readily available than that for the Celica (certainly that's the case in the UK).

Go for a Celica GT with 3S-GTE motor.

[lagos]

[boosted_K2]

wow this thread has horrible info.
he was talking mr2 turbo vs celica GT... 2.0L vs 2.2L, the 2.0L 3sgte is SMALLER.

MR is NOT by any means a setup that is good for rallying.

there are LOTS of 2wd, front or rear rally vehicles. they just dont compete in WRC. the WRC cars are all equipped with 4wd and motor size are all 199_ CCs. wether thats the equipment they are given stock or not, thats what they have on them when they hit the FIA World Rally Championship.

a decent condition MR2 turbo is going to run you 6-8k before mods. a decent condion ST185 is going to run you 5k+ and finding one is no picnic. id say your just better off first finding what class specifically youd like to run in as an entry level participant, and what is needed to enter it. try to find something you can run your celica in, since you already have it.

[kustomplay]

hello all

I drive an MR2 MKII N/A

the turbos are nice but the N/A's will last a lot longer and have almost the same HP as the turbos if you swap it out with a 3sge or a BEAMS

theres also a 1MK engine thats a 6 with 220hp that bolts right into our cars

if you have any questions about the MR2 drop me an IM at Kustomplay (AIM)

the do ski out because of the lack of weight but once you get the feeling of the car you will correct it without thinking it will become 2nd nature

half the fun of having an MR2 is trying to drift it and recover it

[Uppitycracker]

[Consynx]

maybe he meant gravel roads

[Uppitycracker]

[uzthedentist]

the sw20 mr2 is a terrible handling car, take it on a rally and ull severely regret it

[boosted_K2]

[boosted_K2]

[hioctane]

hey good news! i might be getting a mr2 soon and I get to keep the celica. Yay for me. By the way what's a beams engine?

[uzthedentist]

[Kwanza26]

[uzthedentist]

yep its first hand experience, i drove one as it was a choice between the mr2 turbo and the 300zx (my previous car before the gt4). I found that in the mr2 i had to think about preventing from oversteering unpredictably rather than attacking the corner, wheras with the 300zx i could attack the corner and the oversteer was very predictable.

This is the reason I dont like the handling,as a car with mid engine and rear wheel drive it was terrible,maybe i was spoilt by driving an NSX on a track day but it was really not what i expected. Now the mazda mx5, that is a fantastic handling car...

This post has been edited by uzthedentist: Apr 25, 2004 - 2:41 AM

[Kwanza26]

[saleeka]

rally cars and MR are a VERY difficiclt mix to achive- not doubt... true- most group B rally machines, and the famous and all conquoring(sp, drunk) lancia stratos, were mid-engine, but they were designed specifacly for rally, somthing the MR2 (up intill stillborn group S) was never intended for... so to rally any mr2 would be pure stupidity... you might as well rally an 83 escort... IMO if you are to race anything off tarmac, the celica is 100 times a better bet...

[uzthedentist]

well the original question was that the chap wanted to get a car for general driving and rally, and doesnt want awd because hell be in a more difficult category. why should he give himself a major disadvantage by driving an mr2 in ther rally? if its on tarmac fair enuff. but if he takes it on gravel then hed have a big big disadvantage. Im just warning him.

This post has been edited by uzthedentist: Apr 25, 2004 - 6:09 AM

[audiophile24]

why not just keep your celi scoob? put the 6-8k into it and have one bad ass celica by the way you live right around the corner from me i would be willing to help you out much as possible. tuners edge on warwick can do the swap i think he said for like a grand in labor(3sgte) then go to abacus racing in virginia beach and get the thing tuned up. my swap will be done in august or september by all of the above and i am not too sure if you mean rallye or not but i think the virgina motorsprts park you have in mind does auto cross not rally cross. in that case i dont think the celica will do too badly at all on an auto cross track with the right set of springs and maybe a tri point strut brace from dg performance. cause god knows the 3sgte will lay down the power for you......oops wrong 6gen member......

This post has been edited by audiophile24: Apr 27, 2004 - 1:24 AM

[Kwanza26]