Clives Second MR2

[clawnz]

Alert:
I have to sit and write this out for all those who consider taking on a De Registered car.
My second MR2 may become a parts car. I am close to wrecking it.
Compliance people were and everything is cool with them, except they require certification on repairs and a dent in rear sub frame I missed as it has nothing to do with the accident that it was written off for. Nor for that matter is the repairs from an accident that was repaired some time back. But cert guy wants all front disassembled paint, underseal, and gunge on top of welds cleaned away. Then he will say what needs to be done. Kicker he may not allow me to do this work. And that would be his second inspection. Next he will look at repairs before they are covered. Third inspection. Next will be completed repairs and assembled. Fourth inspection. Then I can get on with replacement of rear sub frame. Fifth inspection. Each time I have to get the car where it can be put up on a hoist. And last thing it has to have wheel alignment at one of only two places he says.
So watch this space, as I maybe moving on to my Third MR2 soon. Just to get a legal one on the road. Bloody shame as this one is in top condition and running very well. I have one avenue left open and hope beyond hope that I can swing this. I was not in a great frame of mind a couple of days ago I can tell you. Just hope this guy wants some tree work on a protected tree or work within the drip line. Love to burn him.

[Alsw20]

Time to just buy a good one?

Fixing a shit one is never a cheaper option, good project if that is what you are after though, as restoring cars can be very rewarding, just not financially.

[clawnz]

I am getting good at changing rear sub frames.
Did the change over in 2.5hrs today.
Wheel alignment tomorrow, then off to see about booking it in somewhere else to see if I can push this through compliance and certification.
If you ever meet a certification guy called Dale, avoid him like the plague.
I am not ready to give up just yet.
My third MR2 is almost stripped out.
And I still am trying to find out more about one parked up in a car port on the shore.

[clawnz]

Time to just buy a good one?

Fixing a shit one is never a cheaper option, good project if that is what you are after though, as restoring cars can be very rewarding, just not financially.

Are there any good 1993 MR2's out there that do not need anything done to them, selling under $6,000? I doubt that. More like a shit load more, from what I have seen so far.
I have a good one. That is the problem, it needs to be sorted legally. That is the only complication. If you get to see it sometime you will understand this is a very tidy well looked after MR2.
It is now in for compliance and they are going to give me a quote to sort all needed to get it registered.
As this only cost me $1,260 dollars I can afford to spend a few dollars, and not go over what it is worth when completed.
And to be honest I have enjoyed the journey. The knowledge gained will be invaluable.
I have not lost money on the other two. Breaking and selling, while keeping all the bits I wanted to make mine complete, means I have covered the cost of buying them.

The new bits like.
Exhaust, wheels, tyres, shocks, mounts, would all be done anyway as part of up grading a 23year old car.

[JasonFriday13]

If you have the mechanical knowledge, then it can be very rewarding building a car from parts. My shell with a live rego cost $500, and the total cost is sitting somewhere around 10 grand (the engine/gearbox/clutch/Link G4 cost 5 grand on it's own). This was a few years ago now, the whole build is documented in the rides thread.

[clawnz]

Time to just buy a good one?

Fixing a shit one is never a cheaper option, good project if that is what you are after though, as restoring cars can be very rewarding, just not financially.

Well you were right.
It will never be certified. It is all over.
The damage and suspect repair from the early accident, means they want the front chassis rail replaced on one side.
There will be no arguing this.
Bloody disgusting.
So No 3 is going to be parted out, as soon as I can locate a decent one.

The only good things that have come out of this three car exercise is that I now know a lot more about MR2's and other than time I am not out of pocket.
It looks to be a fresh import. Bugger some of the ones I have looked at.
Though funny as really, as I have committed to buying from Japan, I now see at least three I could get interested in.
Always happens, though I think a good import is a better option from what I have seen.
I am just lucky to have talked to the right people, who have set up everything for me, side stepping some of the risks involved.

Has anybody noticed the steady increase in the cost of these cars here in New Zealand.

[Alsw20]

Has anybody noticed the steady increase in the cost of these cars here in New Zealand.

Yes. All the good unmodified cars are being held onto. Except for the steel mist grey '93 GT listed on the weekend.

The rest is a pile of modified shit.

[clawnz]

Time for an update.
I looked high and low for what I considered a good MR2 here in NZ. Went down that road of importing.
Even though I had some great contacts, all I was offered was cars that by the time I had one on the road here, I would of been looking $12,000 or more.
I have chased cars around the country, even one in Christchurch. Flew down, liked what I saw and put up an auto bid and went for lunch. Now this is where it gets complicated as Trade Me site is playing up on my windows phone and I cannot place bids from it. So had taken my lap top and used the phone as a Hot Spot. When my bid got equaled I tried to get back on to raise my auto bid. Damn connection took too long to get back on to Trade Me and I missed by just a few seconds and it sold for one bid above my $4,000. Gutted. Flew back to Auckland that afternoon. Had ferry all booked and everything to drive it back if I liked and won.
I was very tempted into buying a light blue one, low mileage here in Manurewa. Clocked in to going to look at it. Before we left I thought I would just check to see what other cars had been listed. And see Reubans Blue for sale. Hassled him to go look see, before going to look at the other one. Kept my options open and carried on to look at the other one. It was on for $11,990 and after looking it over offered $10,000. But would only pay this after getting a very close look at the front end. It has had a repaint to the front and parts replaced. And not a quality job I might add. Other than that it is a very tidy, and clean. Came back and went fishing Sunday, so I could get my head around which I would buy. If it had not been for that front end I may off taken it. Contacted Reuban and told him it was going to be his, that I would buy. The other people did come back and say they would except my offer of $10,000. I was polite and replied I had found a car and would have to decline.

So I will be starting a new ride thread once I get Blue. And this is where you should all get a laugh.
Reuban lives less than 4kms away from me. Who would believe that I would end up buying what I wanted so very local. And from a club member.
I am very comfortable with knowing it's history from the time it was landed here.

My 1992 GT-S will be parted out at this stage as there are some bits I want to keep from it. And I need to recover a bit of cash.
Nobody is going to buy a car that cannot be street legal without spending the dollars replacing that front chassis rail. I am still gutted as it is a great car. Took it to Whangarei last Tuesday and enjoyed every minuet of the drive.

[ALZ]

Hi Clive, will see you Friday with corona