Bimmer-Bob gets an MR2

I'm guessing the previous owner still had the stock rims?  Did he not change the suspension when he switched to 17's?

Posted by: @pwnzor

I'm guessing the previous owner still had the stock rims?  Did he not change the suspension when he switched to 17's?

I don't think the car has been modded otherwise. I'm surprised he even put new wheels on it - per CARFAX he only put about 3,000 miles on the car in the last 10 years. But it was always garaged and only used in the summers, and the 70-year-old owner also owned several motorcycles, which would've been competing with the MR2 for attention on nice days. Thankfully he had the stock wheels on hand, but he was a little reluctant to swap them back. He wanted to shove them into the cabin somehow, but thankfully that is a no-go when it comes to car shipping. I think he was genuinely confused as to why I didn't want 17" chrome wheels on this little car, lol.

Anyway, I wanted the stock wheels mainly for posterity. I like them, but knowing that I was going to have to buy new tires anyway, I knew I would probably end up using the opportunity to swap wheels as well, just to make it a little more "mine." I went back and forth looking for something in the right size, in a color that I liked, that was also lighter than stock. After some time, I stumbled upon these and decided to take the plunge:

Granted, they look pretty rough. But look:

They're Volk Racing Group N (aka GR-N) wheels. It's hard to find accurate specs on wheels from the 1990's, but they're forged and are the precursors to the ultralight CE28N's. I don't expect these to be as light, but I'll be pretty happy if they come in around the 10-12# range. But of course I couldn't have them mounted up like that, so I had them professionally refinished. I think they cleaned up pretty good:

@bimmer-bob

Nice, the green is a very fetching color for these. How much did the wheel refinishing set you back? Were they powder coated, or what was the application medium?

Posted by: @scrmnchkn

@bimmer-bob

 

Nice, the green is a very fetching color for these. How much did the wheel refinishing set you back? Were they powder coated, or what was the application medium?

I think they were sandblasted and then repainted in gold with a clear topcoat, but I'll double check. They were $999.00 for the set (all 15x7"), including the refinishing.

@bimmer-bob I think those are the same wheels I had on my CRX a few years back.  They were super light, and I got them off a wreck on the opposite side of the same impound yard where I got the car itself.

Before you ask - yes.  Cursed.  Y-49.

@pwnzor, wow, sweet CRX! I dig the color, but then realized that is why it is cursed (I had to look up Y-49). Shame about the car - did a tree just fall over in a storm or something? That sucks!

Those may be the same wheels - it's har for me to get a real good look because the picture won't load full-size properly (cursed?). From my understanding they were a popular Honda fitment in the 1990's.

The wheels actually came in today, much more quickly than expected. I didn't want to unpack them all because I'm moving so soon, but I took one out and weighed it at 14.1#, which is a little more than I had hoped, although still lighter (and wider) than stock.

I did a little more digging, and there were actually several different versions of these wheels. Although I've been unable to find anything official, forum lore suggests that the 1-piece versions were cast and a little heavier than the two-piece versions, which were forged. The 15x7" cast wheels were estimated to weigh 13-15#, so I'm right there. Also, there are no weld marks where the barrel joins the face, so they're definitely one-piece.

@bimmer-bob,

Congratulations, BB!  You chose the best color.  I'm sure it will put a grin on your face.  I think even the Spyders of lesser colors will do that too but you can't go wrong with the EMG.  Looks like it's in fine shape too, from where I am sitting.

@bimmer-bob The car was at a friend's house getting some work done so I could register it here in Georgia.  He went away for the weekend and came home to find that my car had actually saved his house quite a bit of damage.  He then had to call me and explain it, which was probably weird due to him being my employee.

Fun fact:  I paid $500 total for that car, including the wheels.  I got $400 for it with a big piece of a tree left embedded in it.

I am in love with your bimmer.... very jealous! I had a 2008  6/Mt 135i in crimson red with black interior, and the shadow-line package. I absolutely loved the car, and sadly had to give it up with the birth of my daughter. Since then I've been searching everywhere to find another and was basically given the blessing from my wife, but can't find a good example anywhere that hasn't been beat to piss. 

I'm now looking at m235i's, but there's just something about the 135i that I can't let go of. 

@pattielipp Thanks! I was lucky enough to buy it new and spec it out exactly as I liked (6MT, slick top, Sport Package) and it's been pretty heavily modded but very well taken care of and with no corners cut. It's a blast to drive - obviously not as fast as a 135i - but so well balanced once some key weak points are addressed (rear subframe bushings, open diff). If I wrecked it (or a tree fell on it) it would be impossible to replace. The used market on these is pretty tough - I think you almost have to stalk the forums, eBay, and everywhere else for months until the right car comes along. Most of the ones I see listed at any given time are automatics, and/or don't have the sport seats, and/or are just modded to shit. Good luck with your search! I'm sure the M235i doesn't suck, but to me there's something about an E82 - they've got some of that old-school BMW feel you just can't find at the dealership these days.

So I haven't updated this thread in a while, because I've been bust moving from WA to CA. Well, I'm here in San Diego now, and finally took delivery of my car early this week!

Some initial impressions: This car is fun! I know it's cliché, but I have never driven a car that felt so much like a go-kart before. The small size, low ride height and curb weight, and of course the handling all contribute to that feel.

The car is, of course, not blisteringly fast, but it's quick enough for what it is. It's a pretty lively little motor, at least with the lightweight flywheel and stage 1 cams. The engine is pretty coarse, though. Sometimes it sounds like a lawn mower back there. I think that is a common malady of inline-fours, which will never compare to the buttery smooth and balanced character of an inline-six, which is what I'm most used to. I'm hoping the right aftermarket exhaust can at least sweeten the sound a bit.

Another thing is that the car gets a bit squirrelly at speed. Most noticeably, the front end starts to feel real light and imprecise. I'm not really comfortable going faster than 80 mph in this car, which is probably as fast as I ever need to be going anyway, but still, it would be nice to feel a bit more planted.

The car was on stock wheels with what I assume where the original Bridgestone Potenza RE040s, about 17 years old at this point! I pout on the Volk wheels with new Yokohama ADVAN A052s (205/50R15 front, 225/50R15 rear) and that was a big improvement, obviously. Less road noise and more confidence-inspiring grip. The beefier tires and wider track give the car a more purposeful stance, in my opinion.

Anyway, that's about it for now. Here's a pic of the new wheels!:

Make sure you check the air pressures for the front tires. Often people over inflate them and they feel terrible.  Stock PSI should be 26 and it will depend on what you have now. 

 With stock size tires, new struts and pressures it will feel planted. Often people gravitate to wider tires which is fine but they have their own drawbacks that make it less gokart.  If I had the chance would want to go back to stock tires but since I have aftermarket wheels its not an option.  

Congrats! Are the struts original? My car felt wobbly past 80 on OEM suspension. Removed the front struts, placed them on the ground, and they made a puddle of oil. With fresh suspension you can cruise at 90 with no issues. You could start turning into a corner on the brakes at 100 at Laguna Seca and... well it's not confidence inspiring, but you won't die.