Struts and mounts

NottaMiata,

Being able to keep our Spyders in original or better condition, while not overly depleting our pocketbooks, takes an entire Spyder village!

That is why I really relish and enjoy learning from other Spyder owners what they successfully did to keep their Spyders in Tip-Top condition without going bankrupt.

Conversely, parts/services that were once a "Killer Deal," may change .....sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. (Case in point:  at one point in time you could find Moroso extended oil pans for our Spyders for less than $200 on Ebay.  Now the same pan is more than $500 and is no longer any kind of deal.) So it is CRUCIAL that folks report back to let the rest of us know when a former "Killer Deal" has now become a "Bad Deal."

MWR, for example, can reportedly be somewhat of a mixed bag.  While everything I have ever ordered from them have been exactly as described and high quality, a few others have had a different experience. Yes MWR parts prices appear to be high, but let's face it, when you as a custom dealer are supplying unique/rare parts for a niche vehicle, you have to set the price points high .... or face the real/immediate possibility of going bankrupt.  In MWR's favor is the fact that they provide excellent customer support and, in fact, have provided me needed technical information on my Spyder multiple times. 

Lastly, whenever I buy any parts or accessories for my Spyder I always use a credit card to pay for my purchase (Never, never use a debit card because they rarely include a "Charge Back Mechanism!"), that way I have some leverage to make sure my buying experience meets my (not the vendor's) expectations.

MWR is shady, to say the least. I and a bunch of people local to me have had bad experiences with them. Many parts are safe though.

Posted by: @haloruler64

MWR is shady, to say the least. I and a bunch of people local to me have had bad experiences with them. Many parts are safe though.

I also know people that got screwed by MWR and it’s not one of those two sides of the story deal. I never did but what gets me are the fan boys that are selfish enough to try and promote their business and overlook those that got shafted. 

They have gotten away with claiming mistakes when caught when it’s clear case of fraud and what they can get away with. 

There are innocent mistakes. I got used OEM 2ZZ injectors for the MAF mod and they claimed they were cleaned and flow tested. Well one was messed up and throwing off my bank 2 fuel trims by 20%+. Another friend said his did the same. 

Then there are obvious instances of fraud. Like a "low mileage" 2ZZ engine having insane carbon buildup inside. Then the same person buying a built engine and it leaking and smoking. 

With MWR you pays your money, and you takes your chances!  None of the MWR issues yet described couldn't have been resolved with either a heated conversation and/or credit card charge back.

1. Chargebacks have to happen within a certain period of time. 

2. Do you support a business that you need to strongarm into doing the right thing? I don't. 

People get the run around with MWR. This is typical of many speed shops that are greedy where they will string you along hoping you will write them off or they can negotiate a deal where you will take less than you are owed for their mistakes. 

All of these so called “mistakes” keep happening to them.  I have seen it where they pass the blame to the supplier.  This pattern of behavior is clear fraud and no longer incompetence. There was a guy that ordered a OEM knock sensor and instead was given a cheap generic one which caused him all kinds of frustration until he found what was done.  

I don’t want to have to check over my parts every time I buy from them wondering if they got rejected seconds that they try to pass of as new or some other clever way of deceiving me. 

Hopefully I won't have any issues. Not sure where I got the idea MWR was one of the better ones. What's the story with Summit Racing? Should I just start a new thread?

Yes, I don't do business with companies that are in business only to rip you off. No, I have not ascertained that MWR fits that modus operandi.

Unfortunately, for us Spyder owners, MWR offers some unique things that I was hard pressed to find elsewhere at roughly the same price points or availability.  Cases in point:  MRW's Spyder electronic cruise control and short shifter mechanism (MWR's short shifter is less than $100. It compares favorably to TRD's short shifter, cost (if and when you can find one) is plus $450.) Other items, like the APR flywheel bolts that MWR sell, are clearly name brand manufactured and are exactly as you could purchase elsewhere.

I too have read of disgruntled MWR customers who have had extensive engine work done, that was not completed to the buyer's satisfaction.  I have also read some of the follow up posts by MWR where they outline the countless unpaid hours their shop spent trying to make things right with the Not-Always-Playing-With-A-Full-Deck Customers.

Ergo the conundrum. Do we continue to purchase certain specialty items from MWR to ensure that niche Spyder parts are available or do we boycott them and lose one of the view vendors who stocks Spyder items?

For now, I will continue to "Cherry Pick" what items I purchase from MWR, while still reminding other Spyder owners "Buyer Beware" when purchasing from MWR. (Dead Horse Being Beaten, Emoji)

Many of the parts like the MWR shifter are not theirs. It’s basically the EBay shifter that can be bought for $15.  

They are mostly resellers or they contract their work for a few speciality items.  They really don’t make anything in house. 

Sure there are all kinds of stories or two sides but there are clearly undeniable ones where MWR was caught and ultimately had to admit fault. Admitting fault is ok but the resolution was never quick and in some cases went on for over a year and only a partial refund was given because it was better than waiting or fighting.  MWR does this delay tactic so they pay less.  

Is there an alternative, yes there is. DDPR for US made parts and EBay for the rest of the Chinese parts they sell. I will generally find the OEM parts from an online dealer from various sources.  

DDPR is far more community friendly. Dave has helped me a a good number of times for free. 

You're right. I will put my frustrations aside to buy the MWR cruise control someday. But for ARP stuff I go with DDPR. Dave is a great guy. Lots of pro advice given out for free. 

Do what you have to, to get the parts you need but for everything else it’s better to avoid if it’s sold elsewhere. 

Another good vendor is Twosrus.  David Hawkins is a stand up guy and was able to source some very hard to get parts for our platform. 

This thread just keeps getting better and better!

Guys, I was only aware of DDPR's most excellent trunk prop ( http://www.ddperformanceresearch.com/ecommerce/model/toyota/mr2-spyder/2005-mr2-spyder/engine/ddpr-decklid-prop.html).   Never knew they actually sold other things.  Here is a link to them I found:  http://www.ddperformanceresearch.com/ecommerce/model/toyota/mr2-spyder/2005-mr2-spyder.html. If anyone has a better link, please provide it.

Twosrus, somehow I missed this vendor entirely. Here is a link to them I found: http://twosrus.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=23. If anyone has a better link, please provide it.

For Ease of Reference, can folks provide URLs whenever possible so as to aid all of us in our discussions/research/purchases!

Posted by: @nottamiata

Hopefully I won't have any issues. Not sure where I got the idea MWR was one of the better ones. What's the story with Summit Racing? Should I just start a new thread?

I have ordered from both Summit and Jegs for a variety of parts for many years. These are big time retailers and have corporate policies unlike MWR which is not the same thing by a mile.  

 Having said that the only way to judge a company is by how they handle things when they go wrong. Anyone can send parts to anyone satisfactory most of the time. 

I did have an instance where I ordered some performance ignition coils for the Spyder from Summit that turned out to be duds. I called them to return the items and it was a bit of a hassle to get my return because they took forever and I had to call and follow up.  Would I still order from them, sure I would but if the same item is being sold by Jegs I will buy from them only if the price including shipping is not radically different. I have returned stuff to Jegs and my experience with them has been painless.  

When it comes to purchasing I will generally search Ebay and Amazon before I go anywhere else because their policies in the case of EBay are enforced and for Amazon its painless and quick.  

Posted by: @not-2-old-for-2-seater

This thread just keeps getting better and better!

Guys, I was only aware of DDPR's most excellent trunk prop ( http://www.ddperformanceresearch.com/ecommerce/model/toyota/mr2-spyder/2005-mr2-spyder/engine/ddpr-decklid-prop.html).   Never knew they actually sold other things.  Here is a link to them I found:  http://www.ddperformanceresearch.com/ecommerce/model/toyota/mr2-spyder/2005-mr2-spyder.html. If anyone has a better link, please provide it.

Twosrus, somehow I missed this vendor entirely. Here is a link to them I found: http://twosrus.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=23. If anyone has a better link, please provide it.

For Ease of Reference, can folks provide URLs whenever possible so as to aid all of us in our discussions/research/purchases!

also a fan of ebay & twosrus (not synonymous lol) as well as mitch's autoparts: https://www.mitchsautoparts.com/