Who Does Mr 2 Work For? 2002 Toyota MR2 Spyder

If you are in the market for a cheap ($5k-$7k) late model (MY 2000+) sports car (two seats...rag top...etc) there are a few obvious choices.  The Boxster makes a good case -- but potential maintenance issues will be huge.  The MX-5 Miata is ubiquitous and not special enough.  The Audi TT suffers the same potential pocket robbing action as the Boxster but with more understeer...so what car could offer a reliable platform with a focus on handling and fun.  Find this 2002 Toyota MR2 Spyder offered for $6000 in Los Altos, CA via craigslist.

Low Miles: 2000 Toyota MR2 Spyder

The 3rd generation (W30) Toyota MR2 Spyder was the last version of Toyota's mid engine runabout to be sold anywhere in the world.  It was a decent handling little car and I recall driving one new at a dealer's lot back around the year 2000; it was light and superbly balanced.  Prices are cheap today on the used market, but you don't find many with only 27k miles on the odo...so this one is cool. Find this 2000 Toyota MR2 Spyder offered for $8000 in San Diego, CA via craigslist.

Summer Isn't Here Yet: 2001 Toyota MR2 Spyder

You might be know (based on the weather around these parts these days..sheesh) but summer is coming.  And tipper SecondMouse send us the following comment with this next car: Cheap, reliable, shift it yourself fun in the sun on the cheap:  Find this 2001 Toyota MR2 Spyder offered for $3,900 in Houston, TX via craigslist.

Topless Fun: 2003 Toyota MR2 Spyder

The 3rd generation (W30) Toyota MR2 Spyder was the last version of Toyota's mid engine runabout to be sold anywhere in the world.  It was a great handling little car and I recall driving one new at a dealer's lot back around the year Y2K. It was light and superbly balanced, the only complain could have been that the 138 horsepower inline-4 was slightly underpowered, but it is more fun to drive a slow car fast, than a fast car slow.  Find this 2003 Toyota MR2 Spyder offered for $5750 in Pearland, TX via craigslist.  Tip from SecondMouse.

Circle of life: 2003 Maserati Spyder Cambiocorsa

What kind of car would you drive if you had life by the balls?  How about a sexy red Italian convertible with a fancy sounding manu-matic transmission?  You can be on top of the world one day and just as easily crash back to earth the next.  We have just that type of story here with this 2003 Maserati Spyder in Newtown, CT for $11,000 via craigslist.

Can I Graduate?: 1988 Alfa Romeo Sypder Graduate

Compared to our Graduate featured here, most Italian roadsters on craigslist are in summer school, half-drunk and cramming for the finals, cracked out on energy drinks and beef jerky, with lots of work required for a promising future. Either that or they just finished their MBA and tricked someone into paying them heaps of money and are plain fiscally out of our league. On the contrary, find this clean cut and affordable recent Grad, a 1988 Alfa Romeo Graduate Spyder on craigslist in Port St. Lucie, FL for $4,450 via craigslist. Tip from dascpcu

Auction Watch: 2000 Toyota MR2 Spyder

Check out this 2000 Toyota MR2 Spyder here on eBay bidding for $3,175 with auction ending today (Tuesday) at 6:40PM PST.

Rough Landing: 1978 Fiat 124 Spyder

It's hard to get a good deal on classic car auction these days, mostly because sellers are wise enough to put in a reasonable reserve (or crooked enough to use shill bidders), but for the most part it is just an issue of too many small time Wheeler-Dealers throwing bids on cars that look like a potential easy flip.  So, you've got to be sneaky and find cars that other buyers won't find, such as Fiat convertibles located in the single engine section of eBay Aircraft.  Find this 1978 Fiat 124 Spyder here on eBay bidding for $3,050 reserve-not-met with 5 days to go, located in Medford, OR.

Nutter Face-Off: 1988 Bentley Mulsanne 675hp V8 vs 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO Spyder Kit Car

Another face-off so soon? Didn't DT just do a face-off?  Yes, but those were cars that were remotely affordable and possibly a good deal -- but this next face-off is firmly in the realm of the insane.  With that in mind, what If you had $40k to spend on a used car with a Chevy V8 engine, would you get -- a 1988 Bentley Mulsanne 675 horsepower Supercharged V8 for $39,900...or this 1962 Ferrari GTO kit car offered for $29,900 buy-it-now here on eBay with a few hours to go.

Targancia: 1982 Lancia Beta Zagato Spyder

This next tip comes from JJ in Ottawa who writes: You seem to feature these about once per year and at $7,200 USD, this one sets a high water mark for price.  With fewer than 9,500 built, these must be getting scarce in any condition.  I recognize this one from it’s personalized plates, and i’ve seen it around town occasionally over the last 15 years.   At less than 2,500 miles per year, this car seems to have been well taken care of, so the price does not seem unreasonable.  For some reason I can’t help but sing Ren & Stimpy’s ‘Log’ song in my head….. It's better than bad- it's good!  Find this 1982 Lancia Beta Zagato Spyder offered for $9,500 CAD ($7,206 USD -- what is up with the crazy exchange rate these days?) via kijiji.ca.

5k: Daily Crime Scen-ismo: 1979 Chevrolet Monza Spyder V8

Craigslist is littered with thirty five hundred dollar vehicles -- it is a strange place where a rusted roller Porsche 912 chassis meets the best Renault Fuego you'll ever find, and about what I paid for the Draken a few months back.  It is also a good range if you are looking for a V8 pony car that has been well broken in.  Find this 1979 Chevrolet Monza V8 offered for $3,500 here on craigslist located in Boise, ID.  Tip from FuelTruck.

5k: Cheaper Elise: 2000 Toyota MR2 2ZZ-GE Swap

The 3rd generation (W30) Toyota MR2 Spyder was the last version of Toyota's mid engine runabout to be sold anywhere in the world.  It was a decent handling little car and I recall driving one new at a dealer's lot back around the year 2000; it was light and superbly balanced. The only finger that can be pointed squarely at the MR2 was that it didn't have the thrust from its 138 horsepower inline-4 even when the Celica had a 190 horsepower 2ZZ engine in the GT-S model.  Thankfully, folks have figured out that this swap is easy to do and suddenly the little MR2 has proper power to match its open mouth "wow" facial expression.  Find this 2000 Toyota MR2 2ZZ Swap offered for $7,500 in Austin, TX via craigslist.

8k: Floridian Inebriated Again, Tony: 1974 Fiat 124 Spyder, 302-powered

Here's something you didn't think you would see today: a sprightly Italian roadster with pinstripes for its pinstripes and an American V8 halfway under the cowl. It sits high, as if God himself is calling this angel back to heaven from whence it came. All you linear-minded gearheads will appreciate the right-angle motif reflected in the rectangular side-exit exhausts and a roll bar erected with a T-square. Florida, you've done it again. Find this 1974 Fiat 124 Spyder with a Ford 302 for $7,500 in Panama City, FL (but listed in Westchester, NY) via Craigslist.

10k: Mintyship Runabout: 2000 Toyota MR2 Spyder, Low MIles

The third generation Toyota MR2 debuted in 1999 with a  new lightweight chassis and Spyder name to highlight its drop-top design, a change from the past coupe/T-top only generations.  It is one of the few times that a new model actually dropped a few pounds between re-fresh and demonstrates that for all the appliance/boring/econobox hate that gets slung at Toyota, the engineers in the Aichi prefecture actually know how to build fun cars.  They just don't do it very often.  Find this 2000 Toyota MR2 Spyder for sale in Fontana, CA currently bidding on ebay for $8,200 reserve-not-met with 3 days to go.  Big thanks to tipper Gore Rod S.

15k: I Brake For Satan: 1952 VW-Porsche 356 Glockler Spyder Kit Car

We've heaped negative comments on kit-cars that are based on actual classic car designs in the past, mostly because we agree with Carroll Shelby when he ranted about other people designing their own damn cars instead of copying his.  That isn't to say that we don't appreciate the idea of a $20k version of a $200k car, we just think it shouldn't have Porsche emblems on it because...well..it isn't a Porsche.  Anyway, purist nonsense aside, this 1952 VW-Porsche 550 Glockler Spyder Kit Car is for sale in Houston, TX and currently bidding for $17,601 with a few hours to go.

2k Flash: Rare Venomous Italian Arachnid; 1976 Lancia Scorpion Spyder Project

The Scorpion was a mid-engined sports coupe from Lancia Automobiles S.p.A., and known in Europe as the Montecarlo (type 147).  The Scorpion/Montecarlo is best known for its questionable handling, dodgy brakes and rust prone chassis.  Not exaclty a glowing recommendation, but hey - this one is cheap...Find this 1976 Lancia Scorpion Sypder for sale in West LA, CA for $2000 via craiglist.

10k: Top Down, Hood Up; 1989 Maserati BiTurbo Spyder 5spd; Tipo 116

The Maserati BiTurbo was one of the first twin turbo engines produced for mass consumption and could put out a respectable 150 horsepower/liter - on par with your average VW hot rod dreamer numbers.  Unfortunately the result was a turbocharger writing checks that the bottom end couldn't cash...and a pile of metal chips that will cost the owner a king's ransom at your local hairy chested gold chain wearing Maserati mechanic.  It is cheaper to buy another BiTurbo than attempt even the most basic repairs, so if your current BiTurbo's engine has gone Bi-Bi, we suggest picking up this 1989 Maserati BiTurbo Spyder equipped with 5spd gearbox, located in Sonoma, CA and offered for $9,500 via craigslist. Big thanks to tip from Kaibeezy T!