Used Car of the Day: 2003 Toyota MR2 Spyder

by Tim Healey

Published: September 19th, 2023

used car of the day 2003 toyota mr2 spyder

Today's UCOTD is a highly modified convertible runabout.

This 2003 Toyota MR2 Spyder was purchased by our seller in 2010, and it received the 2z engine and a six-speed transmission in a swap in 2014.

The front end has been repainted because of rock chips, and this 109,000-mile car has been garaged and not driven in the snow.

Other mods include upgraded headers, exhaust, flywheel, clutch, a cat-less downpipe, midship and front and rear bracing, carbon-fiber strut-tower bars, modified springs and shocks, performance brake rotors, steel-braided brake lines, and an MR2 luggage set.

There are some minor problems -- a couple of rips in the top that don't cause leaks, wear in the driver's seat, a constant presence of the check engine light due to the lack of a catalytic converter, a paint chip in the rear bumper, and no doors for the rear storage compartment.

Click here to check it out.

[Images: Seller]

Become a TTAC insider. Get the latest news, features, TTAC takes, and everything else that gets to the truth about cars first by subscribing to our newsletter.

#UCOTD #UsedCaroftheDay #UsedCars #Toyota #ToyotaMR2 #2003ToyotaMR2Spyder #MR2Spyder #MR2 #Spyder #ToyotaMr2Spyder #2003ToyotaMR2

Tim Healey

Tim Healey grew up around the auto-parts business and has always had a love for cars — his parents joke his first word was “‘Vette”. Despite this, he wanted to pursue a career in sports writing but he ended up falling semi-accidentally into the automotive-journalism industry, first at Consumer Guide Automotive and later at Web2Carz.com. He also worked as an industry analyst at Mintel Group and freelanced for About.com, CarFax, Vehix.com, High Gear Media, Torque News, FutureCar.com, Cars.com, among others, and of course Vertical Scope sites such as AutoGuide.com, Off-Road.com, and HybridCars.com. He’s an urbanite and as such, doesn’t need a daily driver, but if he had one, it would be compact, sporty, and have a manual transmission.

More by Tim Healey

Comments

Join the conversation

2 of 21 comments

FreedMike on Sep 20, 2023

I'd love to have a car like this, but if this one's missing the catalytic converter, it probably won't pass emissions. No thanks.

Like Reply
CoastieLenn on Sep 20, 2023

MR-Spyder with a 2ZZ and 6 speed? Yes please!

Like Reply

Recent Comments

ToolGuy TTAC Podcast. Also stacks of parts in the livingroom for 3 different vehicles.
Scott This situation is a replay of what caused Ford to kill off almost all their car lines and abandon the mini van segment. Zero interest rates and piles of money on the hood to motivate buyers. They have learned nothing and the rate of losses are accelerating.
Tassos Jong-iL I will visit the DMZ with my boy Vladdy P.
ToolGuy "Will the EV market stagnate at 7 percent for a while? Or is this merely like ‘the stall’ when smoking a brisket?"• I ain't too bright, and I can't afford brisket (as far as you know). But it occurs to me that until a new EV is introduced, it can't sell. And not every market segment even offers an EV yet (as pointed out in the very fine TTAC Podcast).(Then when Manufacturer J introduces Model M, the pipeline has to be filled and customers have to adjust and conventional dealers are gonna do the dealer thing and some potential customers are going to wait around for the charger standard to stabilize and tax credits are bouncing around with the rules changing and is the Osborne effect a real thing it might be but the mainstream press wants to focus on monthly or quarterly or whatever looks the most alarming and say the sky is falling well I ain't buying it, yet. Meanwhile the U.S. ain't the only place on the planet.)
Tassos Jong-iL Enjoy your Memorial Day Healey!