I own a 2004 Prius, and can't think of buying another Prius. So I am thinking about the Spyder now. It looks like very cute and fun. Anyone here can share some experience? If giving a chance for your second car, will you choose Spyder? Does it cost much to maintain?
We were looking for a fun little sports car and the MR2 was tops on our list. However, its harsh ride, cramped cockpit and complete absence of storage space (I doubt if you could put a laptop in the "trunk") made us keep looking. We ended up with a 2007 Miata (aka MX-5). It is much more comfortable (we took a 5-day trip in it) with a nice lockable trunk and much more passenger space. It also handles great, has boatloads of power and has more features than most luxury cars (heated seats, auto with paddle shifters, limited slip differential, abs, run flat tires and on and on). And it is dead sexy to look at - we get comments (nearly) everywhere we go. IMO, the MR2 is for looking at while the MX-5 is for driving.
If you can fit in a Lotus, you can fit in the MR2... a little cramped for Jr... but the fella living two doors down from me loves his.
For me the main issue is the soft top, which transmit all the road noise and makes the radio useless. I am used to the quietness of the LS400 I have now. So I might thinking about buying a Lexus SC430 at $13-15K level with excellent condition for my wife, whose commute is only 11 miles one way. The back seat is very small, but it should be OK for my 15 years old daughter.
There's just something about the Spyder that's not overly "hey look at me" but nice and clean enough to get attention. Is it weird that I'd love to take one and convert it to EV?
I've owned at least one of every series and model MR2 made from the first year. N/A, S/C, TS/C, all of them. Of those, my far and away favorite is MR2 Spyder, the car I drove to an SCCA championship defeating a fleet of cute Miatas along the way. Spyder isn't a road trip car, although I've packed it with enough supplies to entertain female friends for weekends at the beach using a space saver spare tire. It's an exceptionally entertaining lightweight sports car with a balance that can't be matched by other cars without a mid-engine. Comfort is quite good, seats are about as wide as Corolla's and driving position places occupants low, below the windshield header even for 6'2" height, shielding the air blast far more effectively than Miata, and top down driving is what these cars are about. I'd give the nod in creature features to MX-5, in part the reason it's 250-300 lbs. heavier than Spyder, but most MR2 owners consider that a huge plus, advantage Spyder. Model year selection is tricky. '03's and earlier are lighter and lower, '04's and above have engine refinements to improve durability. I'm looking for another right now and am considering an '05 (last year) with limited slip and found one nearby. Maybe...
