What rev mk2 to buy and what to look for...

[TbarTurbo]

Im going to turn to the darkside, so, as i know jack about mk2's what should i look for and any reason one revision is better than another. Use will be a cheep budget runaround once im back on the road, so thought id start looking now but probably buy nearer new year.

NA only, turbo will be out of my budget :)

Its either this, or im going back to 205s, so opinions on 205gti v mk2 mr2 welcome also :)

[jevansio]

I've just bought a Mk2 for nearly the same reasons, didn't want a turbo, just a nice car to go to work in that wouldn't cost the earth to run.

I picked a UK Spec Rev 3. UK Spec to keep the insurance down, comes with nice leather as standard. Rev 3 for the updated rear lights & front lip, and also the extra safety features like side impact bars. Rev 3 got the more powerfull 170 odd bhp engine too.

I ended getting a lovely Rev 3 Red UK Spec T-Bar with FTSH for £1850, a snip as far as I'm concerned for what you get for your money.

Edit : The engine is irrelevant really though as no doubt if you're on here it'll be coming out anyway and be replaced with a V6 / V8 :)

HTH

Jay

[TbarTurbo]

nope no v6/v8 swap, my 1mz is up for sale :)

[OlberJ]

Straight out the box i'd go for a good GTi.

[TbarTurbo]

but if i had a gti... it would only be a few weeks before the gasket goes, or it dies going through a big puddle, and needs an mi16 or turbo... :(

[OlberJ]

And the Mk2 will bore you to death till you need a V6 in.

Potato, Potato

[Paul Woods]

I thought your driving licence was revoked or something?

[TbarTurbo]

I thought your driving licence was revoked or something?

Yip, but dont plan on staying off the road long, so taking this time out to sort things out and start looking for something :) with any luck ill only be off the road 8weeks or so. Got a driving instructor living oposite me, and not failed any of the theory simulation tests yet, so booking next week (assuming DVLA actually send my licence back this time), then booking the test asap after.

[Goldy]

Insurance is going to be the real killer on a mk2 even the N/A esp if you've had a driving ban?

[Marksman]

Yeah, I think Welly paid 3K on a policy for a "standard" MK1 after his ban.

Owen.

[TbarTurbo]

Were all going slightly off topic... insurance isnt a problem, the ban doesnt show in my licence at it was 6 years ago :) Not classed as a new driver either as i passed in 2001 first time round :)

[rattymr2]

get a mk1 and do suspension and brakes, then enjoy driving it.

[biteme]

I'm very confused ...

[biteme]

This post...

Around about this time every year something bad happens to me... This year takes the pi$$!

Well i found out two weeks ago my driving licence has been revoked for the last 6 years! I was allowed to drive off after getting caught speeding in 2005, and then done in my absence for having invalid insurance, no liscence, and speeding (40 in a 30, that had recently change the limit :( ). Only found out recently as i had sent off for a replacement licence (which never came), and then rang dvla to check it was clean for a driving job.

So anyway, Ive been allowed to drive illegally for the last 6 years, in that time ive had a car crushed because the police said i had no insurance and swiped my certificate, (never got done for this offence), ive been pulled humpteen times and checked out over there databases and allowed to drive on, and now when i really need to be finding a job, they hit me with this.

My engines now up for sale to fund a new licence, and the Mica shell is going to a new home. I do intend to get behind the wheel of a monster mr2 at some point, but right now its just not happening.

So if im not about much now, there you have it :)

I know you're fond of changing your mind ... but come on.

[TbarTurbo]

well jonny its simple really... im fecking off the modifying an mr2 idea for a while, and looking for a mk2 runabout for when im back on the road, but as i dont know jack im asking advice... maybe im asking in the wrong place...

[Rowdan]

looking for a mk2 runabout for when im back on the road, but as i dont know jack im asking advice... maybe im asking in the wrong place...

Not really, I thought Jays' (Jevansio) advice was sound.
If a rev3/4 is a bit above your price range, go for a good rev2. Avoid rev1 as handling is inferior iirc... tbar, sunroof or hardtop is down to your preference.

[Garbe]

Go Rev2+ gets the front lip spolier,bigger brakes and Rev3 on, you get the better suspension, nicer spoiler.
If I had a choice now, i'd go with the sunroof option as the T-bar's can leak and mine never come out anyway so no point in having them.

[Goldy]

Avoid rev1 as handling is inferior iirc... tbar, sunroof or hardtop is down to your preference.

I don't quite think the rev1 is inferior handling... its just a bit more tail happy.... :thumbsup:

[TbarTurbo]

rev 2 ill be looking for then... :)

Rather not have tail happy tbh, i feel a few boring grandad years of driving coming on :)

[Paul Woods]

I think the problem is you said in off topic you only found out 2 weeks ago your licence wasn't valid...... when in fact you have known since 2002 you didn't even have one and have been driving without a licence ever since.

We can't condone driving without a licence on TB,maybe being a little more honest about it would sit better with the members.

When you get your licence back id just drive a stock mk1 or mk2 for a bit.

[TbarTurbo]

I think the problem is you said in off topic you only found out 2 weeks ago your licence wasn't valid...... when in fact you have known since 2002 you didn't even have one and have been driving without a licence ever since.

We can't condone driving without a licence on TB,maybe being a little more honest about it would sit better with the members.

When you get your licence back id just drive a stock mk1 or mk2 for a bit.

Paul, please read the off topic post again. im pissed off with you jumping off seeing only half of whats been written...

If id known since 2002, 1) i wouldnt brag about it, and 2) i wouldnt be going mad selling everything i have to fund a new licence now, id have done it back then. :rant:

[Paul Woods]

I read it about five times and couldn't make head or tail of it.

Are you saying you had no idea you were banned in 2002 and just kept on driving??

[biteme]

unsubscribing from thread... Whatever he buys will be up for sale by Bonfire Night...

[TbarTurbo]

Paul, fair point my post are eratic and confusing and half the time u might just skim them cos you cba to read them, so ill apolagise for my outburst... as u can imagine my heads a bit screwed up right now.

In 2001 i passed my test, in 2002 i was banned for 6 months for having no insurance iirc, and had points issued. The court wrote these on my licence, makeing my total 9points, as i had an lc20 and 3 points before passing.

Now i do know there was a 6 point in first 2 year rule, but my test certificate had been wrote out and dated 2000, so duty soliciter had pointed out to the court some technicality, and my licence was left in my possesion.

In fact it was revoked, and the court made the mistake giving me it back. Since then i assumed everything was fine, i was produced umpteen times, in cars like my 205gtis, astramax 2litre turbo, escort turbos, etc, boy racer cars that get you stopped. On no occasion did the police tell me on the side of the road, or when i produced that i had a revoked liscence. Even when my citroen ZX was detroyed, the reason was no insurance in 2005 (i was covered on the garages insurance, as well as with direct line) now i can actually prove they didnt contact me insurer that day by letter from my insurance company, but thats a different matter. i was stopped in 2005 speeding and taken to court in my absence, which is where i have found another LC20 on my endorsment sheet, but was not notified. Ive been stopped since then several times, once in company car flagged by the ANPR cameras as having no insurance (under 14days in our posession) but again checked out on there database and allowed to drive on.

So on that history of stop checks ive never had reason to beleive im without a licence, untill dvla didnt issue a new one after i misslaid it moving this year.

Im as pissed as the next person, if id had an accident, which luckily i havent, id have been gutted finding this out and royally screwed. It just shows how stupid the system is, a call to dvla confirmed i was revoked, yet the police couldnt tell me that when they stopped me :(

So there you have it, very long winded and now your wishing you hadnt asked :)

[TbarTurbo]

unsubscribing from thread... Whatever he buys will be up for sale by Bonfire Night...

i wont have bought one by then fella, no fear of that :)

Other half wants a mk2 aswell, she has for a while now, so itll be a keeper :)

[Marksman]

That does clear things up a tad.

One thing would still be of concern though.Through not knowing that your licence was revoked you've admitted driving illegally. Unknowingly so, but illegally none the less. Now by posting about it on an open forum are you leaving yourself wide open to prosecution? There seems to be an increase of police interest in driving videos posted on the web, and on posts on forums in general. One of our members is even in the force himself! I know your situation is not the same but the concern remains. Presumably the cat is out of the bag anyway officially as you have to ask the DVLA for a new test?

Owen.

[Garbe]

I don't quite think the rev1 is inferior handling... its just a bit more tail happy.... :thumbsup:

Rev1 also has non assisted steering which some prefer, me for one (except when parking, you should see my forearms lol)

[TbarTurbo]

Owen, theres nothing they can do unless i commit an offence. Last time it was speeding, and as the court obviously took the fact i had no licence into the hearing in my absence, i was given 3 points and an LC20, it comes off record next year.

My guess is as it was the polices own incompetence failing to point out and arrest me for driving without the correct papers, they are unlikely to want to persue it unless im caught driving illegally.

However should they wish to persue it, i will bring the matter of having my car crushed up in court, and ask for reports of that incedent and the fact i have yet to be summonned or charged for driving with no insurance, due to the fact they lied to me on the road side about calling my insurance company. I would hope that again that would prove there incompetance, and maybe i could put a claim in for the car.

You may think im crazy for not persueing my crushed car anyway, well at the time taking time off for court hearings, along with costs of legal advise, just wasnt an option for a 1k car, so i was waiting for the summons.

I never got a summons, I explained to the officer i was 'of no fixed abode' he said he needed an address or he would have to nick me, so i said he could have the last address, but thats all i have so hed have to take me in. He chose to take that last address down, so i would of assumed id have been taken to court again in my absence. No such thing happened.

The reason i was pulled this time was for overtaking on a b road,and his ANPR system flagging me for having no insurance. So he said.

[TbarTurbo]

Just to add to that owen, DVLA have cashed the cheque i sent applying for a new provisional, so yes the application has been processed and a provisional is on its way.

The penatly for driving with none or a provisional is LC20 and carrys 3 points and a small fine. If insured on provisional and driving without the instructer for instance, the insurance is lawfully valid. That was my first offence before i passed my test.

Personally that stinks as in an accedent the insurance IS invalid in that situation. Again a big screw up from the CPS IMO

[TbarTurbo]

Rev1 also has non assisted steering which some prefer, me for one (except when parking, you should see my forearms lol)

hehe i cant drive who cares about PAS :P .

Does the PAS rack have a shorter lock-to-lock than the non PAS?