Three years with my reasonable dream car: The good, the bad and the 2ZZ
Posted by eirexe@reddit | cars | View on Reddit | 81 comments
[removed]
Posted by eirexe@reddit | cars | View on Reddit | 81 comments
[removed]
Healingment_X@reddit
I've always loved the 2ZZ for how rev-happy and lively it is, but hearing about the quirks after a few years really helps set realistic expectations - appreciate you sharing both sides!
plainsfiddle@reddit
thank you for reminding me that rural america has its perks. none of my 7 cars would be on the road under that regime. thanks for the mr2 report too. i have an aw11 and get curious about those.
AmateurEarthling@reddit
That’s what I was thinking. My current car would most definitely not pass any checks besides smog.
FrozenUruguayBallbac@reddit
the european mind can not comprehend a good ol V8 modurr (they actually can as long as it is sub 5 liters but ignore that)
j4ngl35@reddit
*laughs/cries surrounded by F150s and RAM 3500s in America*
an_actual_lawyer@reddit
The 2ZZ is one of the best 4 pots ever made, which makes sense - Yamaha generally makes great sounding engines.
deka101@reddit
What's the law coming in at the end of 2027 that makes it impossible to daily?
eirexe@reddit (OP)
Just an extension on the existing bans on old cars, barcelona has decided to expand them to also include newer cars (pre 2007 and pre 2014 in the case of diesel)
deka101@reddit
Absolutely barbaric way to screw people over. I'm sure building a whole new car and scrapping an older one is good for the environment
masterventris@reddit
For the cities it's all about local emissions at street level, not the overall planet unfortunately.
It works too, central London air is much nicer these days because of the enforcement.
eirexe@reddit (OP)
In barcelona and Madrid it isn't clear it actually had a major effect, it's useless at best and marginal at worst. Most of the improvements in madrid came from changing how house heating is done.
One funny thing city councils do is take the existing trend and attribute it to the LEZ, even if the trend was already downwards before and didn't accelerate further.
SirLoremIpsum@reddit
It all helps no?
I think it would be silly tk attribute everything to one method.
But saying "it works in Paris and London but won't work in Barcelona" is equally silly no?
Cleaner air benefits everyone
eirexe@reddit (OP)
There's a reason Paris isn't doing it anymore, the increase in clean air wasn't worth the trouble and discrimination caused by it.
The reality is Euro rules are just a maximum, a car can be low pollution and be euro 3, a big example is the car this post is about, the mr2 spyder which has extremely low emissions harmful to human health.
Nero_Wolff@reddit
The government passed a law forbidding you from driving a gas car on weekdays?
eirexe@reddit (OP)
Ye, in my region (catalonia) any municipality with over 20k inhabitants has to ban gasoline cars older than 2000 at the minimum, usually they only ban them from a very limited high density center area but Barcelona is special, in barcelona they are banned from the center + surrounding towns. In december 2027 they will also get rid of gasoline <= 2006 and diesel <= 2014 (iirc), which would include my mr2 and citroen
Nero_Wolff@reddit
Jeez, sounds rough out there for car enthusiasts. Completely different to here in the US where some people like myself daily drive V8s
SirLoremIpsum@reddit
Just the nature of highly dense city living and prioritising public transport for commuting.
XxX_Banevader_XxX@reddit
ULEZ zones essentially. You either drive a car thats ulez compliant or wait until your car is 30+ years old and have it registered as a “historic” vehicle, albeit that makes daily use difficult - limits the use to 96 days/year
eirexe@reddit (OP)
In Barcelona it's different, it's 24 (or 26) days a year of exemptions, and makes no distinction for historic cars, of course each municipality can decide to do whatever they want, some allow blanket entering of historics (also, these exemptions cost 5€ a pop)
XxX_Banevader_XxX@reddit
I figure for once living in San Sebastián pays off…
eirexe@reddit (OP)
Aren't the basques beta testing the whole pay-per-km thing they want to add to all highways? that will be crazy
noSSD4me@reddit
So by December 2027 you will have to sell your cars or scrap them because there is no way to be able to drive them every day? Holy shit, I thought totalitarian communism was bad, but this takes the cake!
eirexe@reddit (OP)
I won't sell them (at least not the fun ones) but it will be harder and harder to drive them
noSSD4me@reddit
Damn, that is sad
monjessenstein@reddit
As an Mr2 2zz owner, you're gonna love it! Hitting lift at 6k rpm is addicting, engine almost sounds like a motorcycle engine. From my experience unless tracking you probably won't need the supercharger for more power, I find the NA setup to be more than plenty for public roads.
eirexe@reddit (OP)
For sure, the 2ZZ will already be more than I could ever hope to handle, but it's nice the possibility is there if i ever end up needing it.
ag2f@reddit
Than I miss when Toyota used to build cool cars
8rings_86k@reddit
Because the GRGT, 86 and Supra aren’t enough. Grow up
ag2f@reddit
No, it's not enough lol why would it be? Also the GR GT is limited run and very expensive. Who are you to tell people what they want and how to feel?
Quaiche@reddit
Then add the GR Yaris, GR Corolla.
There isn’t many of automakers that released that many of new cool cars in a such short time actually.
I don’t own any Toyota and I dont really care about them but as car enthusiast I think the statement of missing a period when Toyota was making cool cars is indeed a very silly thing to say as we’re literally in a golden age of Toyota cars.
But go on and rave about a bygone era while missing out what’s in front of your eyes.
ag2f@reddit
You are really sensitive about other opinions, the GR Yaris and Corolla are ok, but they are just tuned Yaris and Corolla, no cool factor whatsoever.
ActualCounterculture@reddit
Yeah mate, a rally homologation, 3 door body style not found in any other Yaris trim is "just tuned Yaris"
eirexe@reddit (OP)
To be fair the only "rally homologation" part was a lower roof, the AWD system was something they did just because they could and was actually unnecessary (either way the car the yaris was supposed to homologate never raced because of covid so lol)
ActualCounterculture@reddit
it became full-blown homologation for the rally2 class
eirexe@reddit (OP)
oh that's cool, was unaware of that
Quaiche@reddit
You're quite ignorant to say that the GR Yaris is just a "tuned Yaris" when it's actually a RALLY BUILT car that shares very little with the ecobox but the base hull.
It's the first rally homologation car since quite a long time and you disregard it as a "tuned Yaris", it's so sad.
It is one of the coolest car of the last 10 years but no it's not enough cool for bozo.
unmanipinfo@reddit
I agree but it's not the gold age of Toyota cars, that was like 87 to 01, if you knew of some of the crazy jdm cars and engines they made with turbos and superchargers, as well as still being bulletproof. They had something performance oriented in every body style, roadster, sedan, hatchback, wagons etc.
Not quite at that level now without the Japanese bubble economy.
Quaiche@reddit
Probably an overstatement to say golden age, I admit.
Still, 5 new performance/sports cars released in the last 5 years ? Nobody else is doing that much but new brands that popped out of nowhere overnight in China.
unmanipinfo@reddit
Yeah, what they're doing now is more relatively significant, back then everyone was going the extra mile.
I just think the peak was then (from what we've seen so far at least) because they managed to be experimental, reliable and affordable still.
8rings_86k@reddit
Because how you feel is childish and misguided 🤷♂️
ag2f@reddit
How so? Toyota used to build much cooler cars on it's peak. But what do you know, you drive a Chrysler
Quaiche@reddit
Bro you drive a BYD ???
ag2f@reddit
You have no idea what I drive lol
Quaiche@reddit
Your post history is available to everyone and you’re quite active in r/BYD as owner of one of these, don’t try to gaslight people.
8rings_86k@reddit
“You dRivE a ChRySler” I actually drive 2. And unless you have a series 1 Phantom coupe or a 6 & 3/4L brooklands I don’t care what people have to say about my cars
Hour-Nefariousness55@reddit
"grow up" he says as he starts to act out over a totally innocuous comment.
happy--muffin@reddit
There weren’t much love for cool cars like these back then tho, at least in the US. The MR2 Spyder was overshadowed by the S2000. The Celica GTS got overshadowed by RSX Type S, they killed the Supra and everyone had a 350z/G35.
The Prius got 60mpg and the Scion xB can haul a ton of stuff tho.
sushibiscuit@reddit
8 okay p pp lppl ok ollololllooplol
Hour-Nefariousness55@reddit
The flex zs are just entry level coilovers. Higher quality stuff is more comfortable while still keeping the car handling.
MikeyLittle@reddit
The 2ZZ is awesome, eats oil but so fun to drive. Have one in my 2003 Matrix XRS
demonkeyed@reddit
The 1zz burns oil whether or not it has those extra cats. The issue is the cats clog up from all the oil and can cause other problems iirc.
I loved my mr2 spyder even with the 1zz. Always dreamed of the 2zz.
eirexe@reddit (OP)
Yes, but the full failure mode that kills the engine is only present in the precatted 1zz that the MR2 (and the elise s1) have, as I understand the oil endsup in the precat which are already quite close to their thermal limit and makes them heat up more, thus causing disintegration.
demonkeyed@reddit
Yeah I think you edited your post to include this. When I replied I swear it said the cats cause oil burning.
My aw11 burned oil too. Toyota :(
eirexe@reddit (OP)
Nope. I didn't add it, I wrote it in one sitting, it's long so it's completely normal you missed it no worries
demonkeyed@reddit
I guess I hallucinated. I’ll delete my comment
merest101@reddit
Wow
ajcp38@reddit
I'm considering an AW11 MR2, but I might have to consider the Spyder after seeing yours. It looks really good with the wing.
Masta_Wayne@reddit
I've had issues with getting my own MR2 registered here in California, but luckily it isn't as strict as what you got going on. I use mine as my daily at the moment since it gets the best gas mileage out of my current lineup. But these cars are so fun to drive it's not like it's a bad thing to drive it all the time. Although summer will be a little rough since I broke the AC belt tensioner bolt and have been too lazy to fix it.
Also have to mention I have an Ame-Bee plush on my dash as well.
BrunoEye@reddit
I've never considered the gearing to be all that long, in fact I find it kinda frustrating to be at 3000 RPM at 70 mph in 6th gear because the engine noise gets kinda tiring after a couple hours. The soft top and my rusty exhaust don't help the issue either.
It's a very fun car though, I absolutely love mine.
eirexe@reddit (OP)
Mine's the 5 speed, perhaps that's the reason.
Also iirc the Celica got a longer Europe only final ratio, so perhaps it's the same for the MR2
costafilh0@reddit
2GR-FE Swap. 😈
BrunoEye@reddit
I'm tempted to do one on mine someday, though I'd probably need to wait a couple years for my insurance to come down enough for that to be feasible.
eirexe@reddit (OP)
It would be a bit of a pain comparatively speaking, and I don't really have the equipment or skill to do it, 2ZZ with potential for a super duper charger in the future is the way to go I think.
SnackWrapz@reddit
Seconded
AmateurEarthling@reddit
Having been in both both cars I can say they’re awesome. I didn’t realize Spain was tough on cars, the more I learn about other countries laws the happier I become that I live where I do. I don’t even have inspections, not that mine wouldn’t pass though.
eirexe@reddit (OP)
I think the most sensible is what they do in the UK, if the car passes inspection it's road legal. Mods and all.
If a car isn't automatically road legal despite passing inspection then your inspections aren't very good in the first place :P
XxX_Banevader_XxX@reddit
But but but how will all those “engineering” companies that charge 250 euros to get a tiny lip spoiler legalized survive??
eirexe@reddit (OP)
I have a friend who has a completely legalized heavily modded s14, we once got pulled over by a police officer and he told him "you haven't homologated everything right?"
The shit-eating grin on his face instantly faded as soon as my friend brought it a bible sized brick of paperwork proving everything was legal :P
AmateurEarthling@reddit
You can’t install a turbo? God that’s crazy to me! I’m over here cocking up plans to turbo my ‘98 XJ. I could probably get away with removing the cat and never be pulled over, however I wouldn’t remove it unless it was temporary waiting on a new one to arrive.
I used to have to get bi annual smog checks but that was it, only ever had one car that made me work for it. A 90’s dodge neon with a bad wire harness. Fixed it up, took it for a drive to clear all checks and drove straight to the test. Passed with flying colors. Luckily I moved to an area that doesn’t have any sort of tests because it’s more rural but there’s 80K people in my small city and you couldn’t tell my neighborhood apart from one in the major city.
eirexe@reddit (OP)
the cool thing is because the mr2 is mid engined you can just install a supercharger and they won't notice, hehe
AmateurEarthling@reddit
That the spirit!
XxX_Banevader_XxX@reddit
DGT hates this one legal trick (registering a car to a shell company in a certain eastern european country)
eirexe@reddit (OP)
Or just use the UK, afaik you can import caterhams and shit from there
Modsmoddy-74@reddit
What is this can’t drive your car during the week shenanigans?
eirexe@reddit (OP)
Copying from my other comment:
>Ye, in my region (catalonia) any municipality with over 20k inhabitants has to ban gasoline cars older than 2000 at the minimum, usually they only ban them from a very limited high density center area just to comply with the letter of the law (otherwise they lose public transport funding).
>But Barcelona is special, in Barcelona they are banned from the center + surrounding towns. In december 2027 they will also get rid of gasoline <= 2006 and diesel <= 2014 (iirc), which would include my mr2 and citroen, I briefly considered getting an electric twingo but the call of the miata was too alluring.
V8-Turbo-Hybrid@reddit
How do you keep and park your cars ?
eirexe@reddit (OP)
For when I go to work I rented an underground parking spot next to my workplace.
(I work near sagrada familia, where it is impossible to find street parking, and if you do it's not free and limited to 2 hours).
It's a bit expensive (90€ a month) but soooo worth it.
For parking at home I have 2 parking spaces rented, one for the miata, one for the mr2, my dad pays for the citroen's spot which is the car he uses the most.
For working on cars I usually bring them to my grandma's house 30 mins away where we have a big hole in the ground that was made precisely to work on cars, but me and a bunch of friends are looking into renting a place to work on them in a way we don't annoy the family too much.
HRman88@reddit
FYI Ac will leak out it again, it’s a sealed system and shouldn’t need refilling.
eirexe@reddit (OP)
It wasn't 0, it was just 200 g instead of 500, what makes no sense is that the car has never been refilled in the 26 years it's been on the road, so not sure where that went.
Toyota people pulled a vacuum and it didn't leak.
Cool-Bunch6645@reddit
This thing is so rad. I love it.
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